The Gammage Cup facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Carol Kendall |
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| Illustrator | Erik Blegvad |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Minnipins Series |
| Genre | Speculative fiction, Fantasy |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace, Scholastic |
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Publication date
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1959 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 283 |
| Awards | Newbery Honor, ALA Notable Childrens Book, and Ohioana Book Award |
| ISBN | 0-590-45103-0 |
| Preceded by | The Other Side of the Tunnel |
| Followed by | The Whisper of Glocken |
The Gammage Cup is a children's fantasy book. It was written by Carol Kendall. The book first came out in 1959. In the United Kingdom, it was called The Minnipins. In the United States, it was known as The Gammage Cup.
The story is about a group of small people called the Minnipins. They live in a peaceful valley. But they have some disagreements among themselves. An evil group of creatures called the Mushrooms attacks their home. The Minnipins must work together to protect their village. They need to defend their valley from these "Hairless Ones."
The book talks about important ideas. These include being yourself versus fitting in. It also shows how people can unite against a common problem. The Gammage Cup was highly praised. It won a Newbery Honor award. It was also named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Later, an Audiobook and a cartoon version were made. The sequel, The Whisper of Glocken, was published in 1965.
Contents
Story Summary
Where the Story Happens
The story begins in a make-believe place. It is a valley called the Land Between the Mountains. Four mountain ranges surround it. These are Snowdrift, Frostbite, Sunrise, and Sunset.
The valley is home to the Minnipins. They are a busy race of "little people." They are a bit like hobbits. The story mainly takes place in a village called Slipper-on-the-Water. It also happens near the gold mines in the Sunset Mountains. Another important place is a small hill where some outlaws live. The story is set in the "year of Gammage."
Main Plot Points
The village of Slipper-on-the-Water is home to the Periods. They are a powerful family. They believe they are very important. The Periods are descendants of Fooley the Magnificent. He was a Minnipin who flew a balloon beyond the mountains. He returned with many interesting items. The Periods have a "Council of Periods" that rules the village.
Other Minnipins live in the village too. They are called "Them" by the other villagers. These include Gummy, Walter the Earl, and Curly Green. "Them" do not follow the old traditions. They like to do things their own way.
One night, a Minnipin named Muggles sees fires. They are burning in the Sunset Mountains. Meanwhile, Walter the Earl finds a secret vault under his house. It holds old scrolls, swords, and armor. The scrolls warn that the vault will be found when the Minnipins need protection.
The mayor returns from a meeting. He announces a contest. The best village in the valley will win the special Gammage Cup. The villagers are excited. But the Periods convince everyone that "Them" will ruin their chances.
At a town meeting, the Periods decide to outlaw "Them." Mingy, the money-keeper, is also outlawed. He doesn't like spending money on village decorations. Muggles also joins the outlaws. She saw the fires and became involved with "Them."
The outlaws travel up the river. They go to Gummy's stone cabin on The Knoll. The cabin is too small for everyone. So, they decide to build a new house. Muggles helps organize their work.
After making progress, they explore the Old Mines. These are in the Sunset Mountains. Walter the Earl brings an iron sword from the vault. Inside the mines, the sword glows. This is a warning. They also hear tapping sounds. They realize that the Mushrooms, old enemies of the Minnipins, are back. They are preparing to attack. The outlaws hold a meeting to plan.
Muggles suggests that Mingy should scout the Old Mines. The others wait. Mingy sees strange creatures in the mines. They have mushroom-colored skin and big ears. They wear tight, brownish-white clothes. Over 200 of them come out of the mines. Mingy realizes these are the Mushrooms. He tries to return to the others. But his foot gets stuck in the rocks.
The other outlaws rush to save Mingy. The Mushrooms try to capture him. The outlaws chase most of them away. But four Mushrooms grab Mingy. They carry him into the mountain. Gummy chases them. But he is hit by a poisonous spear.
The group returns to Gummy's cabin. They try to help his worsening wound. Curly Green and Muggles stay to protect Gummy. Walter the Earl goes back to Slipper-on-the-Water. He needs to gather an army to fight the Mushrooms.
Walter tries to tell the Periods and the mayor. But they won't listen. So, he decides to raise the village army himself. He succeeds. But the Periods tell everyone that Walter is crazy. The villagers are unsure what to do. Then, an eerie chanting is heard from the mountains.
Inside the Old Mines, the Mushroom chief does not kill Mingy. Mingy sees a Mushroom get scratched by a poison spear. A white substance is used to heal the scratch. Mingy thinks this might help his foot. After the Mushrooms leave to fight, he puts some on his foot. It feels better.
The Mushroom army attacks the cabin. Gummy, Curly Green, and Muggles are hiding there. Gummy gets weaker from the poison. Curly Green is knocked out. Muggles tries to fight off the Mushrooms. The Minnipin army arrives. A fierce battle begins.
The Mushrooms try to escape back into the Old Mines. But Mingy sets a pile of mats on fire. This blocks their escape. They rush out to avoid the flames. The Minnipin army defeats them. Mingy comes out of the cave. He holds the pot of white substance. It is used to cure Gummy and the injured Minnipin soldiers.
The Period village council feels bad for expelling the Outlaws. They no longer care about winning the Gammage Cup. The villagers celebrate the return of the soldiers and the five Outlaws. The three judges for the contest arrive. They see the happy scene. They decide that Slipper-on-the-Water is the most deserving village. They leave the Gammage Cup in the town square.
Main Characters
The Outlaws
- Muggles: A Minnipin candy maker. She accidentally gets involved with "Them."
- Gummy: A very lazy and carefree Minnipin. He wears yellow and loves to make up rhymes.
- Walter the Earl: He seems to come from a long line of earls. Walter searches for treasures he believes are hidden in his yard.
- Curly Green: An artist who paints. He doesn't do much "real" work.
- Mingy: The village money keeper. He doesn't like spending money on fun things. He becomes a brave hero in the end.
The Periods
The Periods are descendants of Fooley the "magnificent." They are named after words from Fooley's book. They usually hold important jobs in Minnipin society.
- Wm.: The village poet.
- Geo.: The village painter.
- Co.: The town clerk.
- Ltd.: The mayor of Slipper-on-the-Water.
- Etc.: An inventor.
Other Villagers
Most villagers are known by their job and name.
- Dingle the Miller: He is also the village songmaster.
- Fin Longtooth: The oldest person in the village.
- Thatch the Roofer
- Reedy: Wife of Crambo the basketmaker. She was a friend of Muggles before Muggles was outlawed.
- Spill the Candlemaker: He is poor because Etc.'s reed light invention makes his business less profitable.
Other Minnipins
- Gammage: The first respected leader of the Minnipins in the valley.
- Fooley: A Minnipin who accidentally left the valley in a toy balloon. He returned with interesting items from his journey. After his return, he and his family became respected leaders.
- Walter the Seventeenth Earl / Walter the Obtuse: One of Walter the Earl's ancestors. He buried swords, armor, and other items in his yard.
- The Three Strangers: These are the judges of the contest for the "Gammage Cup."
The Mushrooms
The Mushrooms have big bellies and mushroom-colored skin. They have almost no hair and smell like mushrooms. They speak a strange language. In the story, they are all killed and burned in a funeral pyre.
Book Themes
The main idea in the book is about fitting in versus being unique. Carol Kendall uses five characters who don't fit in. But they show their true worth by saving their society. The New York Times Book Review called the book a "fable about conformists and non-conformists." A reviewer from Black Gate said the book warns against the pressure to conform in the 1950s.
Another theme is uniting against a common enemy. The Periods and the outcasts don't get along at first. But they have to put aside their differences. They must work together when the Mushrooms threaten them all. The idea of being an individual is also strong in the book. When Muggles is asked to return to the village, she says she is no longer "poor simple Muggles." She has found her own identity living at the knoll. Horn Book said the book shows "insights into the value of individualism." Muggles' bravery makes the book seem feminist. Kendall simply said, "I just write the way it is."
The book also touches on how the Minnipins treat the Mushrooms. The Mushrooms are described as different. They are seen as non-humans or animals during the battle. Killing them is shown as necessary. The Minnipins feel no pity for their enemies.
Awards and Praise
The Gammage Cup was named a Newbery Honor Book in 1960. It was also one of Horn Book's best books of 1959. It won the Ohioana book award in 1960.
"Muggles" Lawsuit
Interest in the book grew in 1999. This was during a lawsuit between Nancy Stouffer and J.K. Rowling. The lawsuit was about the name "Muggles." An article in the Lawrence Journal-World in 2000 noted that Kendall had used the name decades before. Kendall found the situation funny. She had no hard feelings toward either author. She said, "I've got no quarrel with them... There's only so many ideas and if you have one then someone else out there probably has the same one, too."
Other Versions
Cartoons
A cartoon version of "The Gammage Cup" was made. It was created by Hanna-Barbera. It aired on CBS Storybreak in 1982. The cartoon kept the main idea of the book. But it changed some parts of the story.
Audiobooks
An audiobook version of "The Gammage Cup" was produced. It was made by Recorded Books in 2000. Christina Moore read the book. School Library Journal praised her reading. They said she showed "the full emotional range of each character." The reviewer also said, "Moore consistently nails the perfect tone of the story." They added, "this delightful fantasy is sure to please fans on several levels—humor, suspense, plot twists, winsome characters, and adventure."
- Kendall, Carol. The Gammage Cup. New York: Scholastic, Nov. 1991. Print.
