The Great Gum Machine

           MrWonkaledthepartyovertoagiganticmachinethatstoodintheverycentreoftheInventingRoom. Itwasamountainofgleamingmetalthattoweredhighabovethechildrenandtheirparents. Outoftheverytopofittheresproutedhundredsandhundredsofthinglasstubes,andtheglasstubesallcurleddownwardsandcametogetherinabunchandhungsuspendedoveranenormousroundtubasbigasabath. 

           ’Herewego!’criedMrWonka,andhepressedthreedifferentbuttonsonthesideofthemachine. Asecondlater,amightyrumblingsoundcamefrominsideit,andthewholemachinebegantoshakemostfrighteningly,andsteambeganhissingoutofitallover,andthensuddenlythewatchersnoticedthatrunnystuffwaspouringdowntheinsidesofallthehundredsoflittleglasstubesandsquirtingoutintothegreattubbelow. Andineverysingletubetherunnystuffwasofadifferentcolour,sothatallthecoloursoftherainbow(andmanyothersaswell)camesloshingandsplashingintothetub.Itwasalovelysight. Andwhenthetubwasnearlyfull,MrWonkapressedanotherbutton,andimmediatelytherunnystuffdisappeared,andawhizzingwhirringnoisetookitsplace; andthenagiantwhizzerstartedwhizzingroundinsidetheenormoustub,mixingupallthedifferentcolouredliquidslikeanice-creamsoda. Gradually,themixturebegantofroth.Itbecamefrothierandfrothier, anditturnedfrombluetowhitetogreentobrowntoyellow,thenbacktoblueagain. 

           ’Watch!’saidMrWonka. 

           Clickwentthemachine,andthewhizzerstoppedwhizzing. Andnowtherecameasortofsuckingnoise,andveryquicklyallthebluefrothymixtureinthehugebasinwassuckedbackintothestomachofthemachine.