The Doll Who Came Alive By Enys Tregarthen Part II

If you remember my post from last week, you may recall I ended at the point where Jyd and Jane ran away from home. Lots of you left comments (thank you!) but Eve over at the Desert Rocks and Stephanie from the Secret Files of Fairday Morrow said they would like to know the ending. So without further ado….

Before the angry woman can say another word, Jyd and Jane are out of the house and away….. 

A few miles along the road Jyd and Jane are met by three tiny knights dressed in silver armour riding on milk-white horses no larger than half-grown rabbits. The first of the three knights springs from his steed and kneeling in front of the doll, begins to sing “To Mistress Jane, I bend my knee; the fairest of the fair is she!” With that the knight places Jane upon his horse and leaping up behind her rides away.

Jyd is determined to rescue Jane and setting off on foot runs through the woods and along a stream and eventually arrives at a vast heap of boulders placed high on the downs overlooking the sea.

Jyd is just in time to see the knights and Jane enter the boulders and disappear. The sun is setting, and the sky is aflame with splendour. Every granite rock and every little pool of water is reflecting the glory. But Jyd sees none of it for her heart is filled with woe at the loss of her doll, and her eyes are blinded with tears. Darkness comes, and Jyd falls into a deep sleep.  She sleeps for a long time but eventually wakes and finds herself looking into the eyes of a small familiar person whose red coat is as bright as the sunrise.

Jane tells Jyd the knights took her to a world full of small people where she met the King and Queen and spent her time sweeping the dust from the sky. But however do ‘ee get up to the sky?” asked Jyd in great wonderment.  “On a beast of flight” replied Jane, “a fairy creature not easy to describe”  

“It’s a lovely country with beautiful parks full of teeny-tiny deer and horses and beast of flight and all sorts of wonderful things. There are woods with fairy trees where teeny-tiny birds sing all day long in the branches, and there are streams that make music like the birds.”

Jyd thinks here heart will break as she knows Jane will never want to give up such joys to live with her again. “Could I go back with you to the world of the small people? I would be their willing servant, wash an’ scrub, an’ do all their work.” 

To this Jane replies “The Little Folk have no need of servants.” “But I'm not going back, my dear, even though the Dinky Folk wanted me and gave me this broom to ride away on. They think a live doll is the most wonderful thing in the world next to –“  “Next to what?” asks Jyd. “Jyd Trewerry who loved her and loved her till she was alive like herself! But I’d rather live in Cornwall with you and be happy as the day is long than in the world of small people without you.”

In the previous post, I mentioned the title of the first book written by Enys Tregarthen under her other pen-name of Nellie Cornwall. I said the title was Daddy Longlegs but have since discovered the correct title is Daddy Longlegs and his White Heath Flower. The illustration on the left is the front cover of a later edition published around 1915. 

Sharon from Sharon’s sunlit memories remembers another book called Daddy Longlegs set in America. Does anyone else remember it?  The only one I can think of was written by Jean Webster, but I'm not sure if it was set in America.  I have a vague memory of an orphanage or maybe a college?


The Doll who came alive sold very quickly and is now in the safe hands of a collector of children’s books. There could be no better place, and I'm sure Jyd and Jane will live happily ever after!

Selling books is often a solitary occupation but thanks to blogging I've met lots of wonderful knowledgeable friendly people. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to call in and comment.  In the words of my niece …You Guys Are Awesome!