Enid Blyton (12 page)

XII

For a few days the children did not hear anything
from their friends in the Faraway Tree.

"I wonder if the old Saucepan Man calmed
d
own a bit and went back to Moon-
Face
’
s," said
J
o.

On the f
ifth or sixth day there came a knock at
the door.
J
o opened it. Outside was the red squirrel
and he had a note in his paw.

"For you all," he said, and gave it to
J
o. "There
’
s
an answer, please."

J
o slit the envelope and read the note out loud.

“DEAR EVERYBO
DY,

"When are you coming to see us again? Old
Saucepan came back yesterday from the Land
of Nursery Rhyme. He had been staying with
Polly-Put-the-Kettle-On. He gave her a new
kettle, and she said he could stay with her in
return. He is still upset because he says we
don
’
t want to meet his dear old mother. He
won
’
t speak to any of us. He is living with the
Owl, and he has made up a lot of rude songs
about us. Will you come and see if you can
put things right? He might listen to you. He
won
’
t take any notice of me or Silky or
Watzisname. So do come.

"Love from

“MOON-FACE."

"Well!" said
J
o, putting the note back into its
envelope. "Funny old Saucepan! Who would
have thought he would be so touchy? Why, I
’
d
love to meet his mother. She must be a dear old
thing."

"It
’
s only that she
’
s Dame Slap
’
s cook and if
we go and see her, Dame Slap might catch us
again," said Bessie. "We had an awful time with
her last time."

"We
’
d better go up the Tree
tomorrow
, and
tell Saucepan exactly what we think, and make
sure he hears and understands us," said Fanny.
"Let
’
s do that."

"Is that the answer then?" asked the red squirrel,
politely.

"Yes, that
’
s
the answer," said
J
o. "We
’
l
l be up
the Tree
tomorrow
—and we
’
ll try and put things
right. Tell Moon-Face that."

The squirrel bounded off. The children looked
after him. "What a dependable little fellow that
squirrel is," said
J
o. "Well—we must go up the
Tree tomorrow, no doubt about that. Coming,
too, Connie?"

"Oh yes," said Connie, beginning to feel excited
again. "Of course. I
’
d love to,
J
o."

So the next day off to the Faraway Tree went the
four children. "We
’
ll climb up," said
J
o. "Because
if Saucepan is living in the Owl
’
s home, it
’
s only
just a little way past the Angry Pixie
’
s, and we
can call for him there."

So, when they came to the Tree, they didn
’
t
send for cushions to
go up on, but began to climb.

The Tree was growing bl
ack-
currants, ripe and
juicy. It was fun to pick them, and bite into them,
feeling the rich, sweet juice squirt out.

A
ll
of them had black mouths as they climbed.
They came to the Angry Pixie
’
s, and Connie kept
well away from the window this time. But his door
was open, and he was out. A small field-mouse
was busy scrubbing the floor, and another one was
shaking the mats.

“Bit of spring-cleaning going on," said
Jo
, as
they passed. "I suppose the Angry Pixie
’
s gone out
for the day, to get away from it!"

Soon they came to the Owl
’
s home. They peeped
cautiously in at the window. Saucepan was there,
polishing his kettles at top speed, making them
shine brightly. He was singing one of his silly
songs, very loudly:

"Two spankings for Connie,

Two smackings for
J
o,

Two scolding for Bessie,

Hi—tiddly—ho
!
"

"Two drubbings for Moon-Face,

Two snubbings for Fan,

Two slappings for Silky,

From the old Saucepan Man!"

"Gracious! He must still be in a very bad
temper," said Bessie, quite hurt. "And fancy
talking about slapping Silky. He
’
s always been so
fond of her."

"Do you think we
’
d better stop and talk to him
now or not?" said
J
o.

"Not," said Fanny at once. "He
’
ll only be rude
and horrid. Let
’
s
go up to Moon-Face and Silky,
and see what they suggest."

So up the Tree they went, leaving behind the
cross old Saucepan Man, still polishing his
kettles hard. They just dodged Dame Washalot
’
s
water in time. T
hey heard it coming and darted
to the other side of the tree. They waited till it had
all gone down, then climbed up again.

They came to Silky
’
s
house and knocked at the
door. Moon-Face opened it, and beamed.

"Hallo! So you
’
ve come all right! Come along
in. I was just having a cup of cocoa with Silky."

They all crowded into Silky
’
s dear little tree-house and
sat down. Silky poured them out cups
of cocoa, and handed round some new Pop
biscuits. How Connie loved the pop they made,
and the honey that flowed out from the middle!
She sat enjoying her lunch and listened to the
others talking.

"Saucepan is really awful," said Silky. "He
sings rude songs about us all day long, and all the
Tree-Folk laugh!"

"Yes. We heard the songs," said
J
o. "Not very
kind of him, is it? What can we do about it? Will
he listen to us, do you think, if we go back and
talk nicely to him?"

"I don
’
t know," said Moon-Face, doubtfully.
"When Silky and I went down to him last night
to beg him to be sensible and to be friends, he
sang his songs at us, and did his clashing, clanging
dance. He frightened everyone in the Tree, and
Dame Washalot sent a message to say that if the
noise went on she would empty twenty wash-tubs
do
wn at once, and drown us all!"

"
We can
’
t let Saucepan go on like this," said
Bessie. "How can we put him into a good temper,
and make him ashamed of himse
lf?"

"I know!" said Connie, unexpectedly. "Let
’
s go
down and take presents from us to his mother.
Then he will be so pleased he will be nice again."

Everyone stared at Connie. "W
ell, if that isn
’
t a
splendid idea!" said Silky. "Why didn
’
t we think
of it before? Saucepan will be thrilled!"

"Yes, really, Connie, that
’
s a fine idea!" said
Bessie, and Connie went red with pleasure. The
others ticked her off so much that it was very
pleasant to be praised for a change.

"Connie
’
s getting quite nice," Fanny said to
Silky and Moon-Face. "Now she
’
s not an only
child, but has to live with us, she
’
s different—
not so silly and selfish. You
’
ll get to like her
soon."

"It
’
s a good idea, to take presents to Saucepan
for his mother," said Moon-Face. "We
’
ll do that.
It
’
s the one thing that will make him smile and
beam. What shall we take?"

"I
’
ll look in my treasure-bag," said Silky, "and
you go up to your house and see if you
’
ve anything
that would please an old lady, Moon-Face."

Moon-Face went off. The others watched as
Silky turned out what she called her "treasure-bag." It had lots of pretty things in it.

"Here
’
s a lovely set of buttons," said Silky,
picking up a set of three red buttons, made like
poppy-
heads. "She
’
d like those."

"And what about this pink rose for a bonnet?"
said Bessie, picking up a rose that looked so real
she felt sure it must have a smell. It had! "This
would do beautifully for an old lady."

"And here
’
s a hat-pin with a little rabbit sitting
at one end," said Fanny. "She
’
d like that."

J
ust then Moon-Face came back. He brought
with him three things—a tiny vase for flowers, a
brooch with M. on it for Mother, and a shoe-horn
made of silver. The others thought they would
be lovely for the old lady.

"We can each take one and give it to Saucepan
for his mother," said Moon-Face. "Come on! We
’
l
l
let Silky do the talking. Saucepan is fondest of
her. Don
’
t let him see you at first, Connie. He
doesn
’
t like you."

They all went down to the Owl
’
s home. They
peeped inside. Saucepan had finished polishing
his kettles, and was sitting quite silent, looking
gloomy.

"Go on, Silky!" whispered Moon-Face. So
Silky went in first, holding out the pink rose.

"Dear Saucepan, I
’
ve brought you a present to
give to your mother from me, when you see her,"
she said, in her very
loudest voice. For a wonder
Saucepan heard every word. He looked at Silky,
and said nothing at first. Then he said:

"For my old mother? Oh, how kind of you,
Silky! She
’
ll love this pink rose."

"Quick, come on!" whispered Moon-Face to
the others. So they all crowded in, holding out
their gifts nervously, and saying, "For your
mother, Saucepan."

Saucepan put each gift solemnly into one of
his kettles or saucepans. He seemed very touched.

"Thank
you," he said. "Thank you very much.
My mother will be delighted. It
’
s her birthday
soon. I will take her these presents from you. I
expect she will invite you to her birthday party."

"That would be very nice," said
J
o, in a loud
voice. "But Saucepan, we don
’
t like Dame Slap,
and you said your mother was her cook. If we go
to see her, will you promise we don
’
t get put into
Dame Slap
’
s school again? We went there once
and she was horrid to us."

"Oh, of course I
’
ll see to that," said the old
Saucepan Man, who looked quite his old cheery
self again. "I
’
m sorry I sang rude songs about
you. It was all a mistake. I
’
ll go up into Dame
Slap
’
s Land
tomorrow
and see my dear old
mother, and take your gifts and messages. Then
you can come and have tea with her on her
birthday."

"All right!" said
J
o. "We
’
d like to do that—but
mind, Saucepan, we don
’
t want even to see Dame
Slap in the distance."

"You shan
’
t," said Saucepan.

But oh dear—they did!