Tal: His Marvelous Adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom

Tal: His Marvelous Adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom is a children's fantasy novel by Paul Fenimore Cooper, illustrated by Ruth Reeves, and published by William Morrow in 1929. New editions were published in 1957 by Stephen Daye Press and in 2001 by Purple House Press. The story features an orphan who goes on a quest to the land of Troom with a wise storyteller, Noom-Zor-Noom, and his talking donkey.

Tal: His Marvelous Adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom
AuthorPaul Fenimore Cooper
IllustratorRuth Reeves
Cover artistReeves (2009, at least)
GenreFantasy, children's literature
PublisherWilliam Morrow and Company
Publication date
1929
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages305 pp
ISBN1-930900-08-2 (2001)
OCLC423219
LC ClassPZ8.C792 Tal[1]
Preceded byTricks of Women and Other Albanian Tales 
Followed byIsland of the Lost 

Plot summary

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A man and his talking donkey take a young boy, Tal, on an adventure. The man has been chosen to tell a story on an occasion of great importance and it must be the very best story possible. The man has chosen Tal to travel with him, thinking that the boy will be able to help him choose the right story. Each day they travel through different lands and meet new characters, and each night the man shares a new story with Tal. He is expecting that, by journey's end, Tal will choose the best story.

Reception

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Tal has been compared favorably to The Wizard of Oz and also has a journey plot.[2]

Noom-Zor-Noom's stories

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The book contains numerous stories that Noom-Zor-Noom tells on their way to Troom.

  • "The Enchanted Tapestry"
  • "The Turtle"
  • "The Cloud"
  • "The Green Horse"
  • "Millitinkle"
  • "The Music Box"
  • "Trumbilloo the Magician"
  • "Sar, Nar, and Jinook"
  • "The Cobbler"
  • "Bantagooma"
  • "Tarrandar's Secret"
  • "The Toy Maker"
  • "The Four Winds"
  • "The Great Giant Bunggah"

Main characters

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  • Tal
  • Noom-Zor-Noom
  • Millitinkle

Minor characters

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  • King Tazzarin of Troom
  • The Mellikanoo
  • The Wimzies
  • The Elephant Ferryman

Storytellers in Troom

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  • Repper-Tep-Tep
  • Brah
  • Akadon
  • Punda-Poo
  • Noom-Zor-Noom

Locations

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  • Martoona
  • Troom

References

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  1. ^ "Tal, his marvelous adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom" (first edition). LC Online Catalog. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  2. ^ Shaw, Lindsay (2008-09-30). "Notes from the Story Room". KidoInfo.com (Rhode Island). Retrieved 2009-01-06.
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