Givinya De Answers - Far-Fetched Famous Five

Apologies for the great delay in getting to the questions you've been sending me for Givinya De Answers. What will I call this segment, I wonder, if I change my pseudonym?

Dear Givinya,

In our childhood, we read lots of Famous Five books. What's the most far-fetched part of the Famous Five? Cause I'm thinking that it might be the idea of ten year olds eating tinned tongue. As if. Kindy Kid Cousin won't even try rice - EVER - because he thinks it's made from MICE.

Crazy Sister.

Dear Crazy Sister,

I think you've got a good contender there. Them Famous Five were pretty easy to parody because most of it was so far-fetched.

I remember that it was pretty unreal, and therein lay the appeal for me. Love a good fairy tale. I always thought that it was amazing the Five were allowed such freedom to go off on their own despite the fact they encountered life-threatening ordeals every other time they went off on their own. The reason given was usually that with Timmy by their side, nothing bad could ever happen.

I'll leave you with a bit from my own parody which I baulked at actually publishing in this blog last November because it was so ... silly. Enjoy. Or otherwise.

[George] heaved her shopping bags onto the table, saying, "Now Wally, Molly, Billy, Jilly, Mickey, Ricki, go upstairs and play quietly. Uncle Dick and Aunt Anne will be here any minute for lunch, so I'll pack you a picnic basket and you can go off by yourselves for the day. You'll like that, I expect."

The children cheered. Billy said, "Smashing, Grandmother! Do you hear that, the rest of you? The Surreptitious Six can be together again! I wonder if we'll have an adventure?" The Six cheered, and jumped with excitement.

"Oh, no adventures, please!" said George. "I simply cannot bear it when you Six are in danger!"

"Oh, please, Grandmother!" pleaded Molly. "We'll be very safe. And besides, no harm can come to us when we have Snuffy the Fierce Hamster by our side!"

"Well," said George, not at all comfortable with the idea of the children going off with the famous Notting Hill Garrotter on the loose, "All right. But you must promise to keep Snuffy by your side at all times."

"We promise!" said the Six, joyfully. "Hurrah! We’re off for an adventure!"