Certainly the ‘Folk of the Faraway Tree’ are easily recognisable.

Watch the diligent and frenetic activity of ‘Dame Washalot’ as she vainly tries to cleanse her party from the stains and stenches of controversy and dissension.

And what of ‘Mr Watzisname’, stealthily plotting his return to the top role.

On the other branch we have ‘Moon-Face’, smiling inanely at some unknown joke, while beside him his loyal deputy ‘Silky’, of the shining hair and sparkling eyes.

Methinks they both have over-partaken of the magic cookies that explode in your mouth.

And then there is the independent ‘Saucepan Man’ as he constantly bangs his various pots and pans on a range of issues.

Pity the poor citizens of the ‘Enchanted Wood’, Dick and Fanny (Enid’s names, not mine) and Jo and Bessie as they try to clamber their way past the many political perils to reach the mystery land atop the tree.

At the moment it is occupied by ‘European Economic Community Circus-land’ complete with Greek jugglers, Spanish sword-swallowers, Italian tight-rope-walkers and French fire-eaters. No better the next land due, ‘Presidential-election Pandemonium-land’.

Come and see the Obama acrobatics, the Gingrich gymnastics, the Romney robotics and maybe even a few Clinton callisthenics.

Methinks the Fabulous Four would do much better to slide down the ‘slippery-dip’ and escape from the ‘Enchanted Wood’ until some reality returns to our political system.

Bob Walton,

Red Cliffs