Thursday Extracts: Spring Cleaning

The Mole had been working very hard all morning, spring-cleaning his little home. There were splashes of whitewash all over his black fur. His back ached and his arms were tired. It was spring in the world outside. Mole could feel the fresh air and sunshine calling to him in his dark, underground burrow. Suddenly he threw his brush down. "Bother!" he said. "Oh, blow!" he said. "Hang spring-cleaning!" He bolted out of the house and scrambled up the steep narrow tunnel which was his front entrance. He had to scrape and scratch, and scrabble and scrooge with his little paws, muttering to himself all the time, "Up we go! Up we go!" At last — pop! — his snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.

Thursday extracts: Kenneth Grahame would probably have objected to a badger cull

When at last they were thoroughly toasted, the Badger summoned them to the table, where he had been busy laying a repast. They had felt pretty hungry before, but when they actually saw at last the supper that was spread for them, really it seemed only a question of what they should attack first where all was so attractive, and whether the other things would obligingly wait for them till they had time to give them attention. Conversation was impossible for a long time; and when it was slowly resumed, it was that regrettable sort of conversation that results from talking with your mouth full. The Badger did not mind that sort of thing at all, nor did he take any notice of elbows on the table, or everybody speaking at once. As he did not go into Society himself, he had got an idea that these things belonged to the things that didn't really matter.

The Wind in the Willows
1908
Kenneth Grahame

Thursday extracts. Kenneth Grahame's idea of a picnic...

I think there isn't anyone in the (English speaking) world who has not heard of The Wind in the Willows. It's been a favourite of mine since I was about seven or eight. Right from the start the language and the story are delightful, and Grahame's rebellious use of words is magical. Here's an extract from Chapter One. Mole has just met the Rat and has been invited to go 'messing about in boats' but, before they set off, the Rat insists on fetching a hamper for their lunch.

`What's inside it?' asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity.

`There's cold chicken inside it,' replied the Rat briefly; `coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinssaladfrenchrollscresssan dwichespottedmeatgingerbeerlemonadesodawater----'

`O stop, stop,' cried the Mole in ecstacies: `This is too much!'

`Do you really think so?' enquired the Rat seriously. `It's only what I always take on these little excursions; and the other animals are always telling me that I'm a mean beast and cut it VERY fine!'