I finished reading The Enchanted Wood to Danny tonight. He's really loved it. However, we've been reading the modernised version. I read the original to the girls a few years back. We had started reading the original from the library, then got given the other as a present, but continued with the original rather than switch.

I remember being amused at the time by how Jo, Bessie, Fanny and Dick had become Joe, Beth, Franny and Rick in the modernised version. And queer became peculiar. Heaven forbid that we might actually have to explain to our kids some alternative meanings of words that were common when the books were written, and discuss why and how things have changed.

This time I also noticed that Dame Snap had become Dame Slap. Instead of whacking the kids she now 'shouts loudly in their ears and startles them'. Scary stuff. Though I can see the merit of removing a reference to corporal punishment I can't help think that something has got lost here in the translation to political correctness.