Christmas in Camelot is the first book of the Merlin Missions series. It was originally published as the 29th book of the combined Magic Tree House series.
Synopsis[]
On Christmas Eve, Jack and Annie's tree house transports them to King Arthur's castle in Camelot. They arrive to find that all is not well in Camelot, Merlin has been banned, and all magic use is forbidden. Many of the bravest knights have been lost on a mysterious quest to the Otherworld. The Christmas feast is interrupted by a knight, who sets a challenge to find the knights and break the curse. He demands to know "Who will go?". Annie, naturally, accepts. She and Jack set out on a quest to the Otherworld, to bring back magic and joy to Camelot.
Chapters[]
- A Royal Invitation
- This is Camelot?
- The Knights of the Round Table
- Who Will Go?
- Rhymes of the Christmas Knight
- A White Comet
- A Good Trick
- The Otherworld
- The Lost Knights
- The Knights' Gifts
- The Crystal Cave
- Fire With Fire
- Your Horses Are Waiting
- Return
- Christmas Magic
- Welcome Home
Plot[]
The scroll sending Jack and Annie to Camelot.
At the beginning of their Christmas break, Jack and Annie discover a tree house in the woods near their home. Inside, they find a scroll, which is an invitation to celebrate Christmas in Camelot! With the help of the scroll, the tree house transports them to King Arthur's castle. To their shock, they learn that Morgan le Fay did not send the invitation. In fact, Camelot isn't even observing Christmas that year, as a curse has taken away the kingdom's joy. King Arthur had sent his bravest knights—Sir Lancelot, Sir Percival, and Sir Galahad—on a mission to the Otherworld to break the spell, but they haven't returned. As a result, the king has banned magic in Camelot. The Christmas Knight, dressed in red and green, appears in the great hall, declaring that the kingdom is doomed unless someone else takes on the quest. Annie boldly volunteers, saying that she and Jack will go.
The Christmas Knight freezes Morgan le Fay, King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table like statues. To save them, Jack and Annie must find a cauldron containing The Water of Memory and Imagination in the Otherworld. The Christmas Knight gives them three rhyming riddles to guide them on their journey. The first riddle warns them about the Keepers of the Cauldron, who are waiting beyond an iron gate. The second reveals that they will need four items: a gift from the Christmas Knight, a cup, a compass, and a key. The third riddle tells them to search for a secret door in the west. After giving them his red cloak, the Christmas Knight rides away.
An enormous white stag arrives and carries Jack and Annie to the gate of the Otherworld. The children manage to slip past the gate's guards by hiding under the Christmas Knight’s cloak, which makes them invisible. Once they step through the gate, they find themselves in a sunny meadow. Following the sound of music, they come across a glade full of winged revelers and join their dance. The music causes Jack to forget his mission, but Annie pulls him away in time. She spots the three missing knights of Camelot among the dancers, and together they rescue them. The knights are too exhausted to continue their quest immediately, so Jack and Annie encourage them to rest. Before resting, the knights give the children a cup, a compass, and a key, completing the second riddle.
Using Sir Percival's compass, Jack and Annie head west in search of the secret door mentioned in the third riddle. They find a glass door in the hillside and unlock it with Sir Lancelot’s key. On the other side, they discover a beautiful crystal cave, where they find the golden cauldron filled with the Water of Memory and Imagination. With Jack's help, Annie fills Sir Galahad’s cup with the water. Suddenly, four dragons appear, surrounding the siblings. Jack realizes that they are the Keepers of the Cauldron, as warned in the first riddle. The children drink the water, which gives them the courage to drive the dragons away using burning branches.
Jack and Annie return to the knights, who are now feeling better after their rest. The children guide the knights back to their horses and ride with Sir Lancelot through the gate of the Otherworld. The white stag appears again and carries the children back to Camelot. They bid farewell to the knights, and Annie gives the Christmas Knight’s cloak to the white stag in gratitude for his assistance. Back in King Arthur’s castle, the children find Morgan le Fay and the others still frozen. When Jack accidentally spills the water from the cup, it forms a golden cloud that fills the great hall and then spreads across Camelot. Everyone is revived, and the curse is broken. Morgan le Fay thanks Jack and Annie for their bravery. King Arthur and Queen Guinevere express their gratitude and invite everyone in Camelot to join in a Christmas celebration. Soon, the great hall is alive with light, music, and joy. The white stag reappears and transforms into Merlin. Morgan realizes that Merlin was behind the invitation to Camelot, taking on the guise of the Christmas Knight and transporting the children to the Otherworld as the white stag. Jack and Annie return home, where Jack uses his memory and imagination to write down the story of their unforgettable Christmas in Camelot.
Publication Notes[]
This book was originally published as book 29 of the combined Magic Tree House Series. In 2017 the books in which Merlin sets the mission were separated from the main series and given their own numbering system.
Trivia[]
- This book is dedicated to Mallory Loehr, author of many books, including about mythical creatures like unicorns for Little Golden Books. Mary Pope Osbourne called her the "real Keeper of the Cauldron".
- At the beginning, a passage from Alfred Lord Tennyson', Idylls of the King, is shown. O brother, had you known our Camelot, Built by old kings, age after age, so old The King himself had fears that it would fall, So strange, and rich, and dim … It was said just before the knights left to obtain the Holy Grail.