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A Summary of the Story lt
is the Daisy-Chain Festival in the village of Little Sodding, in the Land of
Underearth. Wally makes a Speech welcoming all the visitors. There are three
entries for the daisy-chain competition: Wally, Dilly, and Gala. Giant
Blundersquelch judges the daisy-chains, and Gala is the winner. The
witch Ginhilda appears. She tells them that the evil Lord Morbus is trying
to become king of Underearth, and to fill the Land with woks (his horrible
servants, which like to eat people). The only person that can stop him is a
queen who is completely good. Gala, the daisy-chain queen of Little Sodding,
is that person. She must go an a Jong journey to Lord Morbus's castle. Gala
travels up a hill and through a river, and then in the forest two woks
attack her. Slightly (a very good-looking elf-man) appears and drives them
away. Gala Jets Slightly go with her an her journey, to Look alter her. Gala
and Slightly cross a desert and a lake, and thern start climbing the
mountains. They take shelter from the snow-storm in a cave. In the cave is
Gloop, a very ugly deformed creature. Gloop says that he can guide them
through secret passages. He tells them that Lord Morbus once captured him,
tortured him, and stole his most precious possession - his firelighter. Gloop
guides Gala and Slightly through the mountains. Now they must go round a
swamp: but Slightly says that he knows a way through the swamp. In the
niiddle of the swamp Slightly calls to the giant insect Squumpitt. Slightly
runs away and Squumpitt grabs Gala. Gloop rescues Gala, but is himself
caught by the insect. He pushes the insect into the swamp, and Gloop and
Squumpitt die together. Gala
comes to the gates of Lord Morbus's castle. She dresses up as a wok, and the
woks let her into the castle. She goes to Lord Morbus's room and speaks to
him. Lord Morbus takes off his hood, and she discovers that he is really
Slightly. Lord Morbus laughs at Gala and invites the woks to eat her. But
Gala pulls out a mirror, and Lord Morbus's evil is reflected back upon
himself. He falls, and Gala places her daisy-chain round bis neck. Lord
Morbus dies. Ginhilda
appears, bringing Wally and Dilly. They congratulate Gala, and crown her
Queen of Underearth. But Gala cannot forget Gloop. She takes his firelighter
from Lord Morbus's cloak, and lights a flame in his memory. |