Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

tears.
     
   
They were. The Land of Goodies had come, and a most delicious smell kept coming
down the ladder. Moon-Face waited and waited for the children to come, and they
didn't.
     
   
Then he heard that the Land of Goodies was going to move away the next afternoon,
and he wondered what to do.
     
   
"We said we'd wait for the children -but we don't want to miss going ourselves,"
he said to Silky. "We had better send a note to them. Perhaps something has
happened to stop them coming."
So they wrote a note, and went down to ask the owl to take it. But he was asleep.
So they went to the woodpecker, who had a hole in the tree for himself, and he
said he would take it.
     
   
He flew off with it in his beak. He soon found the cottage and rapped at the window
with his beak.
     
   
"A lovely woodpecker!" cried Jo, looking up. "See the red on his
head? He's got a note for us!"
He opened the window. Mother was there, ironing in the same room as the children,
and she looked most astonished to see such an unexpected visitor.
     
   
Jo took the note. The bird stayed on the window-sill, waiting for an answer. Jo
read it and then showed it to the others. They all looked rather sad. It was dreadful
to know that the lovely Land of Goodies had come and was so soon going -and they
couldn't visit it.
     
   
"Tell Moon-Face we've been naughty and can't come," said Jo.
     
   
The bird spread its wings, but Mother looked up
and spoke. "Wait a minute!" she said to the bird. Then she turned to
Jo. "Read me the note," she said. Jo read it out loud:
"DEAR JO, BESSIE, FANNY AND DICK,
"The Land of Goodies is here and goes tomorrow. We have waited and waited
for you to come. If you don't come to-morrow we shall have to go by ourselves.
Can't you come? "Love from "SILKY, SAUCEPAN AND MOON-FACE."
"The Land of Goodies!" said Mother in amazement. "Well, I never
did hear of such funny happenings! I suppose there are lots of nice things to
eat there, and that's why you all want to go. Well-you certainly have been bad
children-but you've done your best to put things right. You may go to-morrow morning!"
"Mother! Oh, Mother, thank you!" cried the children. "Thank you,
Aunt Polly!" said Dick, hugging her. "Oh, how lovely!"
"Tell Moon-Face we'll come as soon as we can to-morrow morning," said
Jo to the listening woodpecker. He nodded his red-splashed head and flew off.
The children talked together, excited.
     
   
"I shan't have any breakfast," said Bessie. "It's not much good
going to the Land of Goodies unless we're hungry!"
"That's a good idea," said Dick. "I think I won't have any supper
to-night either!"
So when the time came for the four children to
set off to the Enchanted Wood, they were all terribly hungry! They ran to the
Faraway Tree and climbed up it in excitement.
     
   
"I hope there are treacle tarts," said Jo.
     
   
"I want chocolate blancmange," said Bessie.
     
   
"I simply can't begin to say the things I'd like," said greedy Dick.
     
   
"Well, don't," said Jo. "Save your breath and hurry. You're being
left behind!"
They got to Moon-Face's, and shouted loudly to him. He came running out of his
tree-house in delight.
     
   
"Oh, good, good, good!" he cried. "You are nice and early. Silky,
they're here! Go down and call old Saucepan. He's with Mister Watzisname.
     
   
I'm sure Saucepan would like to come too."
It wasn't long before seven excited people were climbing up the ladder to the
Land of Goodies. How they longed to see what it was like!
Well, it was much better than anyone imagined! It was a small place, set with
little crooked houses and shops -and every single house and shop was made of things
to eat! The first house that the children saw was really most extraordinary.
     
   
"Look at that house!" cried Jo. "Its walls are made of sugar -and
the chimneys are chocolate-and the window-sills are peppermint cream!"
"And look at that shop!"