Moonfleet facts for kids
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First edition
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| Author | J. Meade Falkner |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Adventure novel |
| Publisher | Edward Arnold |
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Publication date
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1898 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 305 (+ 32 ads) |
Moonfleet is an exciting adventure novel written by English author J. Meade Falkner. It was first published in 1898. The story is full of smuggling, hidden treasure, and shipwrecks. It takes place in the 1700s in a small village in southern England.
Contents
The Story of Moonfleet
The story begins in 1757 in a small village called Moonfleet. The village is named after an old, important family, the Mohunes. Our main character is John Trenchard. He is an orphan who lives with his aunt, Miss Arnold.
The village church has a sexton (church caretaker) named Mr. Ratsey. There is also Parson Glennie, who teaches at the village school. Elzevir Block runs the local inn, the Mohune Arms. People often call the inn the Why Not?. This is a play on words related to the Mohune family's coat of arms. Mr. Maskew is the local judge, and he has a daughter named Grace.
There's an old village legend about Colonel John "Blackbeard" Mohune. He is said to be buried in the family crypt under the church. People believe he stole a diamond from King Charles I and hid it. Some say his ghost still wanders at night, looking for the diamond. Mysterious lights in the churchyard are often blamed on him.
John's Discovery in the Crypt
The main part of the story starts after a sad event. Elzevir Block's son, David, was sadly killed by Maskew during a raid on a smuggling boat.
One night, a big storm hits Moonfleet, causing a flood. During Sunday church service, John hears strange sounds coming from the crypt below. He thinks it's the old Mohune coffins moving. The next day, he sees Elzevir and Ratsey near the church wall. They say they are checking for storm damage. But John suspects they are looking for Blackbeard's ghost.
Later, John finds a large hole that has opened up by a grave. He follows the passage and finds himself inside the crypt. There are coffins on shelves and large barrels on the floor. He quickly realizes his friends are smugglers, and this is their secret hiding place!
John has to hide behind a coffin when he hears Ratsey and Elzevir coming. When they leave, they fill in the hole. This accidentally traps John inside. While trapped, John finds a locket in the coffin he hid behind. It turns out to be Blackbeard's coffin! Inside the locket is a piece of paper with Bible verses. John eventually passed out from thirst and hunger after drinking some wine. Later, he wakes up in the Why Not? inn. Elzevir and Ratsey have rescued him.
When John feels better, he goes back to his aunt's house. But she is upset with him and throws him out. Elzevir then takes John in.
A New Adventure Begins
When Elzevir's lease for the Why Not? inn needs to be renewed, Maskew bids against him and wins. Elzevir must leave the inn and Moonfleet. But he plans one last smuggling trip. John feels he must go with Elzevir. He visits Grace Maskew, whom he secretly loves, to say goodbye. His aunt gives him his mother's prayer book, hoping it will guide him.
The excisemen (officials who stop smuggling) and Maskew know about the planned smuggling run. But they don't know exactly where it will happen. During the landing, Maskew appears and is caught by the smugglers. Elzevir wants revenge for his son. As he and John watched over Maskew, excisemen suddenly attacked. John was hurt, and Maskew was accidentally killed during the chaos. Elzevir carries John to safety, and they hide in some old quarries. While there, John accidentally discovers that the verses from Blackbeard's locket are a code. This code will reveal where the famous diamond is hidden!
The Diamond Hunt
Once John's wound heals, he and Elzevir decide to find the diamond. It is hidden at Carisbrooke Castle. After a tense scene in the castle's well, where the jewel is hidden, they manage to escape to Holland. There, they try to sell the diamond to a merchant named Krispijn Aldobrand.
The merchant cheats them, claiming the diamond is fake. Elzevir believes him and angrily throws the diamond out the window. But John knows they have been tricked. He suggests they try to get the diamond back by breaking into the merchant's house. The attempt fails, and they are arrested and sent to prison. John is very angry at the merchant for his lies.
Return to Moonfleet
John and Elzevir were sent to prison. Eventually, they are separated. Then, ten years later, they meet again by chance. They are being transported on a ship. A terrible storm begins, and by a strange coincidence, the ship is wrecked on Moonfleet beach! While trying to reach the shore, Elzevir helps John to safety. But Elzevir himself is pulled under by the waves and drowns.
John finally arrives back where he started, at the Why Not? inn. He is reunited with Ratsey. He also sees Grace again. She is now a rich young lady, having inherited her father's money. But she is still in love with John. John tells her about the diamond and his time in prison. He regrets losing everything. But Grace tells him that she loves him, no matter if he is rich or not.
Then Parson Glennie visits. He reveals that he received a letter from Aldobrand, the diamond merchant. The merchant felt guilty and wanted to make things right. He had left the value of the diamond to John in his will.
John gives the money to the village. New almshouses (homes for the poor) are built. The school and the church are also fixed up. John marries Grace and becomes the Lord of the Manor and a Justice of the Peace (a local judge). They have three children, including their first son, named Elzevir. The children grow up and move away. But John and Grace stay in their beloved Moonfleet forever.
Backgammon in the Story
The game of backgammon is mentioned often in the book. The people at the Why Not? inn play it on an old board. The board has a Latin saying on it: Ita in vita ut in lusu aleae pessima jactura arte corrigenda est. In the book, this means: As in life, so in a game of hazard, skill will make something of the worst of throws.
Why Moonfleet is Important
Moonfleet is seen as a classic adventure story. It is still published today in collections like Dover Children's Evergreen Classics.
The book was very popular with children around the world, especially until the 1970s. Kids loved its adventure themes about pirates, treasure, and smuggling. The story is full of suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. It has often been studied in schools and used as required reading for English classes. Many people compare it to other famous adventure novels, like Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.
Real Places in the Book
J. Meade Falkner used real places in Dorset and the Isle of Wight for his story. He only changed some of the names. The village of Moonfleet is based on East Fleet in Dorset, near Chesil Beach. The headland called The Snout in the book is actually Portland Bill.
Corfe Castle and Carisbrooke Castle are also important real places used in the story.
Moonfleet in Movies and More
The exciting story of Moonfleet has been adapted into many different forms.
TV and Film Adaptations
- In 1955, Fritz Lang directed a film called Moonfleet. It changed a lot from the book, but it kept some key scenes. For example, John's time in the church crypt and his search for the diamond in the well.
- The BBC made a six-episode TV show in 1964 called Smuggler's Bay. It starred actors who later became famous in Doctor Who. Sadly, no recordings of this show exist today.
- Another TV mini-series called Moonfleet was filmed in 1984.
- In 2013, Sky1 filmed a two-part TV adaptation, also called Moonfleet. It starred Ray Winstone. This version kept more of the book's plot than the 1955 film, but it still had many differences.
Theatre and Music Adaptations
- The Angel Exit Theatre company created a stage play of Moonfleet. It toured the UK in 2009.
- In 2010, the singer Chris de Burgh released an album of songs called Moonfleet & Other Stories. It included a story based on the book.
- In 2017, the Salisbury Playhouse announced a new musical version of Moonfleet. It ran from April to May 2018.
Radio Adaptations
- The BBC aired a five-episode radio series of Moonfleet in 1963.
- A 90-minute BBC radio version was first broadcast in 1998 on BBC Radio Four.
- The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air released a long radio production of the book in May 2009.
Images for kids
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First edition
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The Moonfleet Manor Hotel, Dorset
