The Wind in the WillowsSince its publication in 1908, Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows has enchanted readers, young and old. This new edition, sensitively abridged and exquisitely illustrated by Inga Moore, is sure to win over a new generation of fans. Here readers will meet the amiable Mole, his hearty friend the Water Rat, the genial Badger, and, of course, the irrepressible Mr. Toad, and enjoy some of the most memorable adventures in children's literature. Classic, yet accessible, and full of humor, this beautiful volume is the perfect addition to every family's bookshelf. Book jacket. |
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Common terms and phrases
23rd STREET animal asked the Mole Badger bank barge barge-woman began boat breakfast cheerful clever cloop cold comfortable course cried the Mole cried the Rat dark dear door dream engine-driver errand of mercy eyes face feel fellow field-mouse fire friends gipsy hard head heard hedgehogs hole horse hour hungry knew laughing legs long con looked ma'am mind Mole's morning motor-car murmured never night once Otter passed poor prison quiet Ratty replied the Rat river road round running sculls secret passage seemed shouted side silent simply snow song soon sort sound stick stoats stood stop suddenly supper talk tell There's thing thought Toad Hall Toad's Toady took trouble turned voice waiting walked washerwoman washing Water Rat water-meadows weasels Wild Wood window
Popular passages
Page 7 - Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.
Page 1 - Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said 'Bother!
Page 100 - I'm not sure of the way! And I want your nose, Mole, so come on quick, there's a good fellow!" And the Rat pressed forward on his way without waiting for an answer. Poor Mole stood alone in the road, his heart torn asunder, and a big sob gathering, gathering, somewhere low down inside him, to leap up to the surface presently, he knew, in passionate escape. But even under such a test as this his loyalty to his friend stood firm. Never for a moment did he dream of abandoning him. Meanwhile, the wafts...
Page 35 - I think about it,' he added pathetically, in a lower tone: 'I think about it — all the time!' The Mole reached out from under his blanket, felt for the Rat's paw in the darkness, and gave it a squeeze. T11 do whatever you like, Ratty,
Page 98 - Mole in the darkness, making him tingle through and through with its very familiar appeal, even while as yet he could not clearly remember what it was. He stopped dead in his tracks, his nose searching hither and thither in its efforts to recapture the fine filament, the telegraphic current, that had so strongly moved him. A moment, and he had caught it again; and with it this time came recollection in fullest flood. Home! That was what they meant, those caressing appeals, those soft touches wafted...
Page 209 - Back into speech again it passed, and with beating heart he was following the adventures of a dozen seaports, the fights, the escapes, the rallies, the comradeships, the gallant undertakings; or he searched islands for treasure, fished in still lagoons and dozed daylong on warm white sand. Of deep-sea fishings he heard tell, and mighty silver gatherings of the mile-long net; of sudden perils, noise of breakers on a moonless night, or the tall bows of the great liner taking shape overhead through...
Page 10 - The River," corrected the Rat. "And you really live by the river? What a jolly life!" "By it and with it and on it and in it," said the Rat. "It's brother and sister to me, and aunts, and company, and food and drink, and (naturally) washing. It's my world, and I don't want any other. What it hasn't got is not worth having, and what it doesn't know is not worth knowing. Lord! the times we've had together! Whether in winter or summer, spring or autumn, it's always got its fun and its excitements. When...
Page 112 - Though wind may follow, and snow beside, Yet draw us in by your fire to bide; Joy shall be yours in the morning! Here we stand in the cold and the sleet, Blowing fingers and stamping feet, Come from far away you to greet You by the fire and we in the street Bidding you joy in the morning! For ere one half of the night was gone, Sudden a star has led us on, Raining bliss and benison Bliss to-morrow and more anon, Joy for every morning!
Page 167 - When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one's...
Page 12 - Beyond the Wild Wood comes the Wide World,' [said the Rat]. 'And that's something that doesn't matter, either to you or me. I've never been there, and I'm never going, nor you either, if you've got any sense at all. Don't ever refer to it again...