It was published in 1991, shortly after Dahl's death in November 1990, and is the author's final work of literature.

[1] Little Billy is forbidden by his mother to do a lot of things, including entering the Forest of Sin behind his house.

Worst of all is the Terrible Blood-Suckling Tooth-Pluckling Stone-Chuckling Spittler, who chases his prey while clouds of hot red smoke pour out of his nose, and then swallows them up in one gulp.

When he comes to rest, he notices windows opening all over the branches, and discovers a whole city of little people, the Minpins, living inside the tree.

They reward him by sending the swan to serve as Little Billy's own personal transport every night, which he uses to explore the world and to continue his newfound friendship with the Minpins.