The Ickabog

This summary section includes “Chapter 50: A Winter’s Journey,” “Chapter 51: Inside the Cave,” “Chapter 52: Mushrooms,” “Chapter 53: The Mysterious Monster”, “Chapter 54: The Song of the Ickabog,” “Chapter 55: Spittleworth Offends the King,” “Chapter 56: The Dungeon Plot,” and “Chapter 57: Daisy’s Plan.”

The four children make their way toward the Marshlands during the worst winter Cornucopia has ever seen. As they near their destination, they realize that the brigade has already moved south to escape the freezing weather. They find an overturned food cart containing all sorts of delicacies meant to feed the soldiers. The food is frozen solid, and the children, starving and exhausted, begin to succumb. They’re about to fall asleep and freeze to death when help arrives:

And then a vast shadow rippled over them. Two enormous arms covered in long green hair like marsh weed descended upon the four friends. As easily as if they were babies, the Ickabog scooped them up and bore them away across the marsh (206-207).

The children awaken from their sleep inside a warm cave to the delicious aroma of venison pies baking over a fire. The Ickabog tells them to eat, and they don’t argue.