The Magic Spade? (Five Minute Tales I think)

[AlecF]

Good afternoon,

I am running through, in my mind, my favourite stories that I owned and remember enjoying just after the end of the war, so that I can tell them to my grandchildren.

I've already tracked down the Magic Faraway Tree and its sequels, but I am stuck on one that I think appeared in "Five Minute Tales" about a magic spade that couldn't be stopped. I must admit that I now dig my garden with a rotator, and whenever it runs away with me my mind goes back to that cautionary tale!

Also among used book ads there seem to be two versions of the book - which is the original, please?

Best regards,
Alec (83)

[pete9012S]

Welcome, Alec!

Is this your story? Best Wishes Pete

The Enchanted Spade Ten-Minute-Tales-1934-doc.pdf

https://www.docdroid.net/ByNAhE2/the-en ... 34-doc-pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(You can download the pdf for a limited time)


https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... nute+Tales" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Eddie Muir]

Welcome to the forums, Alec!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Welcome, Alec! It's good news that the story is in Ten-Minute Tales rather than Five-Minute Tales as it'll be twice as long!

[Boodi 2]

Welcome Alec! I enjoyed the story that Pete found, as I don't think I ever read it before.

[John Pickup]

Welcome, Alec! It's good news that the story is in Ten-Minute Tales rather than Five-Minute Tales as it'll be twice as long!

You can see why Anita is our second-in-command.

[AlecF]

Thank you all so much for your help. Of course... TEN Minute Tales, I remember now - and very special thanks for the chance to re-read it after all these years. Wonderful little moral at the end, as usual; it must have been the inspiration behind my purchase of a rotator, but fortunately this hasn't yet gained the upper hand.
I followed the link to your online store as well, but couldn't find it among your offerings, but I hope I can pick up a secondhand copy somewhere.
I was an Enid Blyton fan for many years, but eventually tempted away by Arthur Ransome, and then I really, really wanted to make a sailing boat of my own. Thirty years later I did!
Thanks again for your help, I must explore this forum further,
Alec.

[pete9012S]

I hope I can pick up a secondhand copy somewhere.

Hi Alec. Glad it was the correct story.

Here's a current link to all the copies of Ten Minute Tales currently for sale on ebay uk, starting with the most expensive copy down to the least expensive.


TEN Minute Tales for sale on ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... =0&_sop=16" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Regards

Pete

[Courtenay]

A gorgeous little story — very typical Enid! Glad Pete was able to find it for you, Alec. I enjoyed reading it too.

Welcome, Alec! It's good news that the story is in Ten-Minute Tales rather than Five-Minute Tales as it'll be twice as long!

Oh, I dunno about that. I've shared this story somewhere before, but when my dad won a copy of Twenty-Minute Tales as a school prize when he was 9 years old, he timed himself reading them and found they took less than twenty minutes, so the title is false advertising!! (Mind you, he was probably a faster-than-average reader.)

[AlecF]

Thanks, Pete,
I did find them on eBay and have one on order. I noticed that most copies have a different cover image (omitting the golly) but I hope the contents are the same. Sad that those innocent times are no more.
Alec.