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.