Castle in the Air is the eighteenth chapter of The Phantom Tollbooth.
Characters[]
- Milo
- Tock
- The Humbug
- Senses Taker (debut)
- The Princess of Sweet Rhyme (debut)
- The Princess of Pure Reason (debut)
Plot[]
Milo, Tock, and the Humbug go up the mountain as fast as they can, with the demons hot on their tails. At last, they find the Castle in the Air, but a little man sitting at a desk in front of the entrance makes them stop. The man, who introduces himself as the Senses Taker, asks all sorts of questions about the travelers that become increasingly trivial, and he writes down all of the answers in his ledger. Even though the demons are getting closer, the man insists that these three travelers answer his questions. Finally, they finish, but the guard tries to discourage them from going into the Castle. Instead, he provides each of them with the fantasy they'd like best. Milo, Tock, and the Humbug are each mesmerized by their own fantasy, and they forget all about the castle and the horde of demons chasing them until Milo drops the bag of sounds that the Soundkeeper gave him. The package breaks open and explodes with laughter, pulling the three travelers from their trance since humor is the one sense the Senses Taker cannot seize. The travelers bound up the stairs, climbing so high that they push through the clouds. They reach the castle and two beautiful women greet them. Milo recognizes them: the princesses of Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason. The travelers explain their mission, and the princesses say they should take a few minutes to relax before they try to battle their way out of the castle. Milo has some private time with the princesses, who give him some wise ideas about how to approach education and life. They explain that he shouldn't be afraid of not being right all the time so long as he learned from the mistakes he made. They also say that learning is important, but learning how to use the lessons is important, too. Their conversation is interrupted, though, when all the demons attack the castle from below and tear apart the staircase, sending the Castle floating off into space. Since time flies, Tock volunteers to get everyone back to the ground safely. The group piles on his back, and Tock leaps out the window.
Chapter Guide[]
< Unwelcoming Committee (Chapter 17) | The Return of Rhyme and Reason (Chapter 19)>