April 5, 2024 • 50 mins
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In this episode, I will be reading the first chapter from "The Wind in the Willows". Be swept along with Mole and Water Rat in a leisurely adventure on the riverbank, visiting woodland creatures on a beautiful spring day. So, snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams.
The music in this episode is November Light by Helmut Schenker.
The music in this episode is November Light by Helmut Schenker.
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Dreamful Podcast is produced and hosted by Jordan Blair. Edited by Katie Sokolovska. Theme song by Joshua Snodgrass. Cover art by Jordan Blair. ©️ Dreamful LLC
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jordan (00:21):
Welcome to Dreamful Podcast bedtime stories for
slumber.
I would like to start off thisepisode by thanking our newest
supporters Michaela Nicole,nigel Moore, orla Twakuk and
Shubham Chandra.
Thank you all so much and Ihope you have the sweetest of
(00:42):
dreams.
If you'd also like to supportthe show and gain access to
subscriber-only episodes whilereceiving a shout-out, visit
dreamfulstoriescom and, on thesupport page, find a link to
become a Buzzsprout supporter orsubscribe to your Supercast.
If you listen on Spotify, it'sfinally springtime, and a book
(01:05):
that often comes to mind when Ithink of spring is the highly
requested novel by KennethGraham, the Wind in the Willows.
I will be reading the firstchapter, the Riverbank.
So snuggle up in your blanketsblankets and have sweet dreams.
The mole had been working veryhard all morning spring,
(02:06):
cleaning his little home, firstwith brooms, then with dusters,
then on ladders and steps andchairs with a brush and a pail
of whitewash, till he had dustin his throat and eyes and
splashes of whitewash all overhis black fur and an aching back
(02:30):
and weary arms.
Spring was moving in the airabove and in the earth below and
around him, penetrating evenhis dark and lowly little house
with a spirit of divinediscontent and longing.
(02:52):
It was a small wonder then, thathe suddenly flung down his
brush on the floor, said Botherand O Blow and also hang spring
cleaning, and bolted out of thehouse without even waiting to
put on his coat.
(03:12):
Something up above was callinghim imperiously and he made for
the steep little tunnel whichanswered, in his case, to the
graveled carriage drive owned byanimals whose residences are
near to the sun and air.
So he scraped and scratched andscrabbled and scrooged, and
(03:41):
then he scrooged again andscrabbled and scratched and
scraped, working busily with hislittle paws and muttering to
himself up, we go, up we go,till at last pop.
(04:01):
His snout came out into thesunlight and he found himself
rolling in the warm grass of agreat meadow.
This is fine, he said tohimself.
This is better thanwhitewashing.
The sunshine struck hot on hisfur, soft breezes caressed his
(04:26):
heated brow and, after theseclusion of the cellarage he
had lived in so long, the carolof happy birds fell on his
dulled hearing almost like ashout, jumping off all his four
legs at once.
In the joy of living and thedelight of spring, without its
(04:48):
cleaning, he pursued his wayacross the meadow till he
reached the hedge on the furtherside.
Hold up, said an elderly rabbitat the gap Sixpence for the
privilege of passing by theprivate road.
He was bowled over in aninstant by the impatient and
(05:14):
contemptuous mole who trottedalong the side of the hedge,
chafing the other rabbits asthey peeped hurriedly from their
holes to see what the row wasabout.
Onion sauce onion sauce, heremarked jeeringly and was gone.
(05:34):
Before they could think of athoroughly satisfactory reply,
they all started grumbling ateach other how stupid you are.
Why didn't you tell him?
Well, why didn't you say youmight have reminded him, and so
(05:54):
on, in the usual way?
But of course it was then muchtoo late, as is always the case.
Then, much too late, as isalways the case, it all seemed
too good to be true.
(06:15):
Hither and thither through themeadows, he rambled busily along
the hedgerows, across thecopses, finding everywhere birds
building, budding leaves,thrusting, everything happy and
progressive and occupied.
And instead of having an uneasyconscience pricking him and
(06:40):
whispering whitewash, he somehowcould only feel how jolly it
was.
And whispering whitewash, hesomehow could only feel how
jolly it was to be the only idledog among all these busy
citizens.
After all, the best part of aholiday is perhaps not so much
(07:01):
to be resting yourself as to seeall the other fellows busy
working.
He thought his happiness wascomplete when, as he meandered
aimlessly along, suddenly hestood by the edge of a full-fed
river.
(07:23):
Never in his life had he seen ariver before A sleek, sinuous,
full-bodied animal chasing andchuckling, gripping things with
a gurgle and leaving them with alaugh to fling itself on fresh
playmates that shook themselvesfree and were caught and held
(07:46):
again.
All was a shake and a shiverglints and gleams and sparkles,
rustle and swirl, chatter andbubble.
The mole was bewitched,entranced, fascinated.
By the side of the river hetrotted as one trots, when very
(08:13):
small, by the side of a man whoholds one, spellbound by
exciting stories, and when,tired at last, he sat on the
bank while the river stillchattered on to him a babbling
procession of the best storiesin the world, sent from the
heart of the earth to be told atlast to the insatiable sea.
(08:38):
As he sat on the grass andlooked across the river, a dark
hole in the bank opposite, justabove the water's edge, caught
his eye and dreamily he fell toconsidering what a nice, snug
(09:00):
dwelling place it would make foran animal with few wants and
fond of a bijou, riversideresidence, above flood level and
remote from noise and dust.
As he gazed, something brightand small seemed to twinkle down
.
The heart of it vanished, thentwinkled once more like a tiny
(09:25):
star, but it could hardly be astar in such an unlikely
situation and it was tooglittering and small for a
glowworm.
Then, as he looked, it winkedat him and so declared itself to
be an eye, and a small facebegan gradually to grow up
(09:46):
around it, like a frame around apicture A brown little face
with whiskers, a grave, roundface with the same twinkle in
its eye that had first attractedhis notice Small, neat ears and
thick, silky hair.
(10:07):
It was the water rat.
Then the two animals stood andregarded each other cautiously.
Hello mole, said the water rat,hello rat, said the water rat.
Hello rat, said the mole.
Would you like to come over,inquired the rat presently.
(10:32):
Oh, it's all very well to talk,said the mole rather pettishly,
he being new to a river andriverside life and its ways, he
being new to a river andriverside life and its ways, the
rat said nothing but stoopedand unfastened a rope and hauled
on it and lightly stepped intoa little boat which the mole had
(10:57):
not observed.
It was painted blue outside andwhite within and was just about
the size for two animals.
And the mole's whole heart wentout to it at once.
Even though he did not fullyunderstand its uses.
The rat's skull smartly acrossand made fast.
(11:20):
Then he held up his forepaw asthe mole stepped gingerly down.
Lean on that.
He said Now, then step lively.
And the mole, to his surpriseand rapture, found himself
actually seated in the stern ofa real boat, in the stern of a
(11:44):
real boat.
This has been a wonderful day,said he as the rat shoved off
and took to the skulls again.
Do you know?
I've never been in a boatbefore in all my life?
What, cried the ratopen-mouthed.
Never been in a you, never,well I.
(12:10):
What have you been doing then?
Is it so nice as all that,asked the mole, shyly, though he
was quite prepared to believeit is, as he leant back in his
seat and surveyed the cushions,the oars, the rowlocks and all
(12:30):
the fascinating fittings andfelt the boat swaying lightly
under him.
Nice is the only thing, said thewater rat solemnly as he leant
forward for a stroke.
Believe me, my young friend,there is nothing, absolutely
(12:53):
nothing, half so much worthdoing as simply messing about in
boats, simply messing.
He went on dreamily Messingabout in boats, messing.
(13:14):
Look ahead, rat, cried the mole.
Suddenly it was too late.
The boat struck the bank fulltilt.
The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom
of the boat, his heels in theair.
About in boats or with boats.
(13:36):
The rat went on composedly,picking himself up with a
pleasant laugh.
In or out of them, it doesn'tmatter.
Nothing seems to really matter.
That's the charm of it.
Whether you get away or whetheryou don't, whether you arrive
(13:56):
at your destination or whetheryou reach somewhere else or
whether you never get anywhereat all, you're always busy and
you never do anything inparticular.
And when you've done it,there's always something else to
do, and you can do it if youlike.
But you'd much better not Lookhere if you've really nothing
(14:22):
else on hand this morning,supposing we drop down the river
together, we have a long day ofit.
The mole waggled his toes fromsheer happiness, spread his
chest with a sigh full ofcontentment and leaned back
blissfully into the softcushions.
(14:43):
What a day I'm having, he said.
Let us start at once.
Hold hard a minute.
Then, said the rat, he loopedthe painter through a ring in
his landing stage, climbed upinto his hole above and after a
(15:07):
short interval reappearedstaggering under a fat wicker
luncheon basket.
Shove that under your feet.
He observed to the mole as hepassed it down into the boat.
Then he untied the painter andtook the skulls again as he
passed it down into the boat.
Then he untied the painter andtook the skulls again.
(15:29):
What's inside?
It, asked the mole wrigglingwith curiosity.
There's cold chicken inside, it, replied the rat briefly.
Cold tongue, cold ham, coldbeef, pickled gherkin salad,
french rolls, grist sandwiches,spotted meat, ginger beer,
lemonade, soda water.
(15:50):
Oh stop, stop, cried the molein ecstasies.
This is too much.
Do you really think so?
Inquired the rat seriously.
It's only what I always take onthese little excursions and the
other animals are alwaystelling me I'm a mean beast and
(16:11):
cut it very fine.
The mole never heard a word.
He was saying Absorbed in thenew life he was entering upon,
intoxicated with the sparkle,the ripple, the scents and the
sounds and the sunlight.
He trailed upon the water anddreamed long, waking dreams.
(16:35):
The water rat, like the goodlittle fellow, he was sculled
steadily on and forebore todisturb him.
I like your clothes awfully,old chap.
He remarked after some half anhour or so had passed.
(16:56):
I'm going to get a black velvetsmoking suit myself someday, as
soon as I can afford it myself,someday, as soon as I can
afford it.
I beg your pardon, said themole, pulling himself together
with an effort.
You must think me very rude,but this is all so new to me.
So this is a river.
(17:20):
The river corrected the rat.
River, the river corrected therat.
And do you really live by theriver?
Oh, what a jolly life by it andwith it and on it and in it,
(17:46):
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 wantany other.
What it hasn't got is not worthhaving and what it doesn't know
is not worth knowing.
Lord, the times we've hadtogether, whether in winter or
summer, spring or autumn, it'salways got its fun and its
(18:10):
excitements.
When the floods are on inFebruary and my cellars and
basement are brimming with drink, that's no good to me and the
brown water runs by my bestbedroom window.
Or again, when it all dropsaway and shows patches of mud
that smells like plum cake andthe rushes and weed clog the
(18:33):
channels and I can potter aboutdry, shod over most of the bed
of it and find fresh food to eatand things careless people have
dropped out of boats.
But isn't it a bit dull attimes?
The mole ventured to ask Justyou and the river and no one
(18:54):
else, to pass word with no oneelse to.
Well, I mustn't be hard on you,said the rat with forbearance.
You're new to it and of courseyou don't know the bank is so
crowded nowadays that manypeople are moving away
altogether.
Oh no, it isn't what it used tobe at all.
(19:16):
Otters, kingfishers, dabchicks,moorhens, all of them about all
day long and always wanting todo something, as if a fellow had
no business of his own toattend to.
What lies over there, asked themole, waving a paw towards a
(19:39):
background of woodland thatdarkly framed the water meadows
on one side of the river that,oh, that's just the wildwood,
said the rat shortly.
We don't go there very much, weriver bankers, aren't they?
(19:59):
Aren't they very nice people inthere, asked the mole.
Aren't they very nice people inthere?
Asked the mole a triflenervously.
Well, replied the rat.
Let me see the squirrels areall right, and the rabbits some
of them.
But rabbits are a mixed lot.
(20:20):
And then there's the badger, ofcourse.
He lives right in the heart ofit.
Wouldn't live anywhere elseeither if you paid him to do it,
dear old badger.
Nobody interferes with him.
They'd better not.
He added significantly.
Why who should interfere withhim, asked the mole.
(20:46):
Well, of course there are others, explained the rat in a
hesitating sort of way weaselsand stoats and foxes and so on.
They're alright, in a way I'mvery good friends with them,
past the time of day when wemeet and all that.
But they break out sometimes,there's no denying it.
(21:08):
And then well, you can't reallytrust them.
And that's the fact.
The mole knew well that it isquite against animal etiquette
to dwell on possible troubleahead or even allude to it.
So he dropped the subject.
And beyond the wildwood again,he asked when is it all?
(21:34):
Blue and dim, and one sees whatmay be hills, or perhaps they
mate in something like the smokeof towns, or is it only cloud
drift?
Beyond the wild wood comes thewide world, said the rat.
And that's something thatdoesn't matter either to you or
(21:56):
me.
I've never been there and I'mnever going, nor you either.
If you've got any sense at all.
Don't ever refer to it again,please.
Now then, here's our backwaterat last, where we're going to
lunch.
(22:20):
Leaving the mainstream, they nowpassed into what seemed at
first sight like a littlelandlocked lake.
Green turf sloped down toeither edge, brown snaky tree
roots gleamed below the surfaceof the quiet water, while ahead
of them the silvery shoulder andfoamy tumble of a ware, arm in
(22:46):
arm with a restless strippingmill-wheel that held up in its
turn.
A grey-gabled mill-house filledthe air with a soothing murmur
of sound, dull and smothery, yetwith little clear voices
speaking out cheerfully out ofit at intervals.
It was so very beautiful thatthe mole could only hold up both
(23:10):
forepaws and gasp.
Oh my, oh my.
The rat brought the boatalongside the bank, made her
fast, helped the still awkwardmole safely ashore and swung out
the luncheon basket.
The mole begged as a favor tobe allowed to unpack it all by
(23:35):
himself, and the rat was verypleased to indulge him and to
sprawl at full length on thegrass and rest while his excited
friend shook out the tableclothand spread it.
To indulge him and to sprawl atfull length on the grass and
rest, while his excited friendshook out the tablecloth and
spread it, took out all themysterious packets one by one
and arranged their contents indue order, still gasping oh my,
(24:01):
oh my at each fresh revelation.
When all was ready, the ratsaid Now pitch in.
Old fellow, and the molesindeed very glad to obey, for he
had started his spring cleaningat a very early hour that
(24:22):
morning, as people will do, andhad not paused for by to sup,
and he had been through a verygreat deal since that distant
time, which now seems so manydays ago.
What are you looking at, saidthe rat.
Presently, when the edge oftheir hunger was somewhat dulled
and the mole's eyes were ableto wander off the tablecloth a
(24:45):
little, I'm looking, said themole, at a streak of bubbles
that I see traveling along thesurface of water.
That is the thing that strikesme as funny Bubbles.
Oh ho, said the rat in chirp,cheerily and inviting sort of
(25:08):
way.
A broad, glistening muzzleshowed itself above the edge of
the bank and the otter hauledhimself out and shook the water
from his coat.
Greedy beggars, he observed,making for the preventer.
(25:28):
Why didn't you invite me, ratty?
This was an impromptu affair,explained the rat.
By the way, my friend Mr Mole,Proud, I'm sure, said the otter
and the two animals were friendsforthwith.
(25:49):
Such a rumpus everywhere,continued the otter, all the
world seems out on the river.
Today I came out this backwaterto try and get a moment's peace
and then stumble upon youfellows At least I beg pardon, I
(26:09):
don't exactly mean that youknow there was a rustle behind
them, proceeding from a hedgewherein last year's leaves still
clung thick, and a stripy headwith high shoulders behind it
peered forth on them.
Come on, old badger, shoutedthe rat.
(26:31):
The badger trotted forward apace or two, then grunted Hmm,
company, and turned his back anddisappeared from view.
That's just the sort of fellowhe is, observed.
The disappointed rat Simplyhates society.
(26:54):
Now we shan't see any more ofhim today.
Well, tell us who's out on theriver Toads out for one, replied
the otter in his brand newwhizzer boat, new togs, new
everything.
The two animals looked at eachother and laughed Once.
(27:20):
It was nothing but sailing,said the rat.
Then he tired of that and tookto punting.
Nothing would please him but topunt all day and every day.
And a nice mess he made of it.
Last year it was houseboatingand we all had to go and stay
with him in his houseboat andpretend we liked it.
(27:40):
He was going to spend the restof his life in a houseboat.
It's all the same.
Whatever he takes up, he getstired of it and starts on
something fresh.
Such a good fellow too,remarked the otter reflectively.
But no stability, especially ina boat.
(28:02):
But no stability, especially ina boat.
From where they sat they couldget a glimpse of the mainstream
across the island that separatedthem.
And just then a wager boatflashed into view the rower, a
(28:25):
short, stout figure, splashingbadly and rolling a good deal,
but working his hardest.
The rat stood up and hailed him, but Toad for it was.
He shook his head and settledsternly to his work.
He'll be out of the boat in aminute if he rolls like that,
said the rat, sitting down again.
(28:46):
Of course he will, chuckled theotter.
Did I ever tell you that goodstory about toad and the
lockkeeper?
It happened this way toad, anerrant mayfly, swerved
unsteadily, athwart the currentin the intoxicated fashion,
affected by young bloods ofmayflies, seeing life, a swirl
(29:11):
of water in a cloop, and themayfly was visible, no more.
Neither was the otter.
The mole looked down.
The voice was still in his ears, but the turf, where only it
sprawled, was clearly vacant.
The mole looked down, the voicewas still in his ears, but the
turf, where only it sprawled,was clearly vacant.
(29:33):
Not in order to be seen as faras the distant horizon, but
again there was a streak ofbubbles on the surface of the
river.
The rat hummed a tune and themole recollected that animal
etiquette forbade any sort ofcomment on the sudden
disappearance of one's friendsat any moment, for any reason or
(29:57):
no reason whatsoever.
Well, said the rat, I supposewe ought to be moving.
I wonder which of us had betterpack the luncheon basket?
He did not speak, as if he wasfrightfully eager for the treat.
Oh please, let me, said themole.
(30:21):
So of course the rat let him.
Packing the basket was notquite such pleasant work as
unpacking the basket.
It never is.
But the mole was bent onenjoying everything, and
although just when he had gotthe basket packed and strapped
(30:43):
up tightly, he saw a platestaring up at him from the grass
.
And when the job had been doneagain, the rat pointed out a
fork which anybody ought to haveseen, and last of all, behold
the mustard pot which he hadbeen sitting on without knowing
(31:03):
it.
Still, somehow the thing gotfinished at last without much
loss of temper.
The afternoon sun was gettinglow as the rascal gently
homewards in a dreamy mood.
Sun was getting low as therascal gently homewards in a
(31:25):
dreamy mood, murmuring poetrythings over to himself and not
paying much attention to Mole.
But the Mole was very full oflunch and self-satisfaction and
pride, and already quite at homein a boat.
So he thought and was getting abit restless besides, and
(31:46):
presently he said Ratty, please,I want to row now.
The rat shook his head with asmile.
Not yet, my young friend.
He said Wait till you've had afew lessons.
(32:07):
It's not so easy as it looks.
The mole was quiet for a minuteor two, but he began to feel
more and more jealous of ratsculling so strongly and so very
easily along, and his pridebegan to whisper that he could
do it every bit as well.
He jumped up and seized theskull so suddenly that the rat,
(32:32):
who was gazing out over thewater and saying more poetry
things to himself, was taken bysurprise and fell backwards off
his seat with his legs in theair for the second time, while
the triumphant mole took hisplace and grabbed the skulls
with entire confidence.
(32:53):
Stop it, you silly, cried therat from the bottom of the boat.
You can't do it, you'll have usover.
The mole flung his skulls backwith a flourish and made a great
dig at the water.
He missed the surfacealtogether.
(33:15):
His legs flew up above his headand he found himself lying on
top of the prostrate rat.
Greatly alarmed, he made a grabat the side of the boat and the
next moment, sploosh over wentthe boat and he found himself
(33:36):
struggling in the river.
Oh my, how cold the water wasand oh how very wet it felt, how
it sang in his ears as he wentdown, down down.
How bright and welcome the sunlooked as he rose to the surface
(33:57):
, coughing and spluttering, howblack was his despair when he
felt himself sinking again.
Then a firm paw gripped him bythe back of his neck.
It was the rat and he wasevidently laughing.
The mole could feel himlaughing right down his arm and
(34:22):
through his paw and so into his,the mole's neck.
The rat got hold of a skull andshoved it under the mole's arm.
Then he did the same by theother side of him.
It, swimming behind, propelledthe helpless animal to shore,
(34:43):
hauled him out and set him downon the bank a squashy, pulpy
lump of misery.
When the rat had rubbed himdown a bit and wrung some of the
wet out of him, he said Nowthen, old fellow, trot up and
(35:03):
down the towing path as hard asyou can till you're warm and dry
again while I dive for theluncheon basket.
So the dismal mole, wet withoutand ashamed within, trotted
about till he was fairly drywhile the rat plunged into the
water again, recovered.
(35:26):
The boat righted her and madeher fast, fetched his floating
property to shore by degrees andfinally dived successfully for
the luncheon basket andstruggled to land with it.
When all was ready for a startonce more, the mole, limp and
(35:46):
dejected, took his seat in thestern of the boat and as they
set off, he said in a low voice,broken with emotion Bratty, my
generous friend, I am very sorryindeed for my foolish and
ungrateful conduct.
(36:07):
My heart quite fails me when Ithink of how I might have lost
that beautiful luncheon basket.
Indeed, I have been a completeimbecile and I know it.
Will you overlook it this onceand forgive me and let things go
on as before?
That's all right.
(36:28):
Bless you, responded the ratcheerily.
What's a little wet to a waterrat, I'm more in the water than
out of it most days, don't youthink any more about it?
And look here, I really thinkyou'd better come and stop with
me for a little time.
It's very plain and rough, youknow, not like Toad's house at
(36:50):
all, but you haven't seen thatyet.
Still, I can make youcomfortable and I'll teach you
to row and to swim, and you'llsoon be as handy on the water as
any of us.
The mole was so touched by hiskind manner of speaking that he
(37:10):
could find no voice to answerhim and he had to brush away a
tear or two with the back of hispaw.
But the rat kindly looked inanother direction.
But the rat kindly looked inanother direction and presently
the mole's spear survived againand he was even able to give
(37:35):
some straight backtalk to acouple of moorhens who were
sniggering to each other abouthis bedraggled appearance.
When they got home, the ratmade a bright fire in the parlor
and planted the mole in anarmchair in front of it, having
fetched down a dressing gown andslippers for him, and told him
(37:55):
river stories till supper time.
Very thrilling stories theywere too to an earth-dwelling
animal like Mole Stories aboutweirs and sudden floods and
leaping pike and steamers thatflung hard bottles At least
(38:16):
bottles were certainly flung andfrom steamers, so presumably by
them and about herons and howparticular they were, whom they
spoke to, and about adventuresdown drains and night fishings
with otter or excursions farafield with badger filled with
(38:40):
badger.
Supper was a most cheerful meal,but very shortly afterwards a
terribly sleepy mole had to beescorted upstairs by his
considerate host to the bestbedroom, where he soon laid his
head on his pillow in greatpeace and contentment, knowing
(39:01):
that his newfound friend, theriver, was lapping the sill of
his window.
This day was only the first ofmany similar ones for the
emancipated mole, each of themlonger and full of interest.
As the ripening summer movedonward, he learned to swim and
(39:26):
to row and entered into the joyof running water and with his
ear to the reed stems he caughtat intervals.
No-transcript.
Welcome to Dreamful Podcast bedtime stories for
slumber.
I would like to start off thisepisode by thanking our newest
supporters Michaela Nicole,nigel Moore, orla Twakuk and
Shubham Chandra.
Thank you all so much and Ihope you have the sweetest of
(00:42):
dreams.
If you'd also like to supportthe show and gain access to
subscriber-only episodes whilereceiving a shout-out, visit
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become a Buzzsprout supporter orsubscribe to your Supercast.
If you listen on Spotify, it'sfinally springtime, and a book
(01:05):
that often comes to mind when Ithink of spring is the highly
requested novel by KennethGraham, the Wind in the Willows.
I will be reading the firstchapter, the Riverbank.
So snuggle up in your blanketsblankets and have sweet dreams.
The mole had been working veryhard all morning spring,
(02:06):
cleaning his little home, firstwith brooms, then with dusters,
then on ladders and steps andchairs with a brush and a pail
of whitewash, till he had dustin his throat and eyes and
splashes of whitewash all overhis black fur and an aching back
(02:30):
and weary arms.
Spring was moving in the airabove and in the earth below and
around him, penetrating evenhis dark and lowly little house
with a spirit of divinediscontent and longing.
(02:52):
It was a small wonder then, thathe suddenly flung down his
brush on the floor, said Botherand O Blow and also hang spring
cleaning, and bolted out of thehouse without even waiting to
put on his coat.
(03:12):
Something up above was callinghim imperiously and he made for
the steep little tunnel whichanswered, in his case, to the
graveled carriage drive owned byanimals whose residences are
near to the sun and air.
So he scraped and scratched andscrabbled and scrooged, and
(03:41):
then he scrooged again andscrabbled and scratched and
scraped, working busily with hislittle paws and muttering to
himself up, we go, up we go,till at last pop.
(04:01):
His snout came out into thesunlight and he found himself
rolling in the warm grass of agreat meadow.
This is fine, he said tohimself.
This is better thanwhitewashing.
The sunshine struck hot on hisfur, soft breezes caressed his
(04:26):
heated brow and, after theseclusion of the cellarage he
had lived in so long, the carolof happy birds fell on his
dulled hearing almost like ashout, jumping off all his four
legs at once.
In the joy of living and thedelight of spring, without its
(04:48):
cleaning, he pursued his wayacross the meadow till he
reached the hedge on the furtherside.
Hold up, said an elderly rabbitat the gap Sixpence for the
privilege of passing by theprivate road.
He was bowled over in aninstant by the impatient and
(05:14):
contemptuous mole who trottedalong the side of the hedge,
chafing the other rabbits asthey peeped hurriedly from their
holes to see what the row wasabout.
Onion sauce onion sauce, heremarked jeeringly and was gone.
(05:34):
Before they could think of athoroughly satisfactory reply,
they all started grumbling ateach other how stupid you are.
Why didn't you tell him?
Well, why didn't you say youmight have reminded him, and so
(05:54):
on, in the usual way?
But of course it was then muchtoo late, as is always the case.
Then, much too late, as isalways the case, it all seemed
too good to be true.
(06:15):
Hither and thither through themeadows, he rambled busily along
the hedgerows, across thecopses, finding everywhere birds
building, budding leaves,thrusting, everything happy and
progressive and occupied.
And instead of having an uneasyconscience pricking him and
(06:40):
whispering whitewash, he somehowcould only feel how jolly it
was.
And whispering whitewash, hesomehow could only feel how
jolly it was to be the only idledog among all these busy
citizens.
After all, the best part of aholiday is perhaps not so much
(07:01):
to be resting yourself as to seeall the other fellows busy
working.
He thought his happiness wascomplete when, as he meandered
aimlessly along, suddenly hestood by the edge of a full-fed
river.
(07:23):
Never in his life had he seen ariver before A sleek, sinuous,
full-bodied animal chasing andchuckling, gripping things with
a gurgle and leaving them with alaugh to fling itself on fresh
playmates that shook themselvesfree and were caught and held
(07:46):
again.
All was a shake and a shiverglints and gleams and sparkles,
rustle and swirl, chatter andbubble.
The mole was bewitched,entranced, fascinated.
By the side of the river hetrotted as one trots, when very
(08:13):
small, by the side of a man whoholds one, spellbound by
exciting stories, and when,tired at last, he sat on the
bank while the river stillchattered on to him a babbling
procession of the best storiesin the world, sent from the
heart of the earth to be told atlast to the insatiable sea.
(08:38):
As he sat on the grass andlooked across the river, a dark
hole in the bank opposite, justabove the water's edge, caught
his eye and dreamily he fell toconsidering what a nice, snug
(09:00):
dwelling place it would make foran animal with few wants and
fond of a bijou, riversideresidence, above flood level and
remote from noise and dust.
As he gazed, something brightand small seemed to twinkle down
.
The heart of it vanished, thentwinkled once more like a tiny
(09:25):
star, but it could hardly be astar in such an unlikely
situation and it was tooglittering and small for a
glowworm.
Then, as he looked, it winkedat him and so declared itself to
be an eye, and a small facebegan gradually to grow up
(09:46):
around it, like a frame around apicture A brown little face
with whiskers, a grave, roundface with the same twinkle in
its eye that had first attractedhis notice Small, neat ears and
thick, silky hair.
(10:07):
It was the water rat.
Then the two animals stood andregarded each other cautiously.
Hello mole, said the water rat,hello rat, said the water rat.
Hello rat, said the mole.
Would you like to come over,inquired the rat presently.
(10:32):
Oh, it's all very well to talk,said the mole rather pettishly,
he being new to a river andriverside life and its ways, he
being new to a river andriverside life and its ways, the
rat said nothing but stoopedand unfastened a rope and hauled
on it and lightly stepped intoa little boat which the mole had
(10:57):
not observed.
It was painted blue outside andwhite within and was just about
the size for two animals.
And the mole's whole heart wentout to it at once.
Even though he did not fullyunderstand its uses.
The rat's skull smartly acrossand made fast.
(11:20):
Then he held up his forepaw asthe mole stepped gingerly down.
Lean on that.
He said Now, then step lively.
And the mole, to his surpriseand rapture, found himself
actually seated in the stern ofa real boat, in the stern of a
(11:44):
real boat.
This has been a wonderful day,said he as the rat shoved off
and took to the skulls again.
Do you know?
I've never been in a boatbefore in all my life?
What, cried the ratopen-mouthed.
Never been in a you, never,well I.
(12:10):
What have you been doing then?
Is it so nice as all that,asked the mole, shyly, though he
was quite prepared to believeit is, as he leant back in his
seat and surveyed the cushions,the oars, the rowlocks and all
(12:30):
the fascinating fittings andfelt the boat swaying lightly
under him.
Nice is the only thing, said thewater rat solemnly as he leant
forward for a stroke.
Believe me, my young friend,there is nothing, absolutely
(12:53):
nothing, half so much worthdoing as simply messing about in
boats, simply messing.
He went on dreamily Messingabout in boats, messing.
(13:14):
Look ahead, rat, cried the mole.
Suddenly it was too late.
The boat struck the bank fulltilt.
The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom
of the boat, his heels in theair.
About in boats or with boats.
(13:36):
The rat went on composedly,picking himself up with a
pleasant laugh.
In or out of them, it doesn'tmatter.
Nothing seems to really matter.
That's the charm of it.
Whether you get away or whetheryou don't, whether you arrive
(13:56):
at your destination or whetheryou reach somewhere else or
whether you never get anywhereat all, you're always busy and
you never do anything inparticular.
And when you've done it,there's always something else to
do, and you can do it if youlike.
But you'd much better not Lookhere if you've really nothing
(14:22):
else on hand this morning,supposing we drop down the river
together, we have a long day ofit.
The mole waggled his toes fromsheer happiness, spread his
chest with a sigh full ofcontentment and leaned back
blissfully into the softcushions.
(14:43):
What a day I'm having, he said.
Let us start at once.
Hold hard a minute.
Then, said the rat, he loopedthe painter through a ring in
his landing stage, climbed upinto his hole above and after a
(15:07):
short interval reappearedstaggering under a fat wicker
luncheon basket.
Shove that under your feet.
He observed to the mole as hepassed it down into the boat.
Then he untied the painter andtook the skulls again as he
passed it down into the boat.
Then he untied the painter andtook the skulls again.
(15:29):
What's inside?
It, asked the mole wrigglingwith curiosity.
There's cold chicken inside, it, replied the rat briefly.
Cold tongue, cold ham, coldbeef, pickled gherkin salad,
french rolls, grist sandwiches,spotted meat, ginger beer,
lemonade, soda water.
(15:50):
Oh stop, stop, cried the molein ecstasies.
This is too much.
Do you really think so?
Inquired the rat seriously.
It's only what I always take onthese little excursions and the
other animals are alwaystelling me I'm a mean beast and
(16:11):
cut it very fine.
The mole never heard a word.
He was saying Absorbed in thenew life he was entering upon,
intoxicated with the sparkle,the ripple, the scents and the
sounds and the sunlight.
He trailed upon the water anddreamed long, waking dreams.
(16:35):
The water rat, like the goodlittle fellow, he was sculled
steadily on and forebore todisturb him.
I like your clothes awfully,old chap.
He remarked after some half anhour or so had passed.
(16:56):
I'm going to get a black velvetsmoking suit myself someday, as
soon as I can afford it myself,someday, as soon as I can
afford it.
I beg your pardon, said themole, pulling himself together
with an effort.
You must think me very rude,but this is all so new to me.
So this is a river.
(17:20):
The river corrected the rat.
River, the river corrected therat.
And do you really live by theriver?
Oh, what a jolly life by it andwith it and on it and in it,
(17:46):
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 wantany other.
What it hasn't got is not worthhaving and what it doesn't know
is not worth knowing.
Lord, the times we've hadtogether, whether in winter or
summer, spring or autumn, it'salways got its fun and its
(18:10):
excitements.
When the floods are on inFebruary and my cellars and
basement are brimming with drink, that's no good to me and the
brown water runs by my bestbedroom window.
Or again, when it all dropsaway and shows patches of mud
that smells like plum cake andthe rushes and weed clog the
(18:33):
channels and I can potter aboutdry, shod over most of the bed
of it and find fresh food to eatand things careless people have
dropped out of boats.
But isn't it a bit dull attimes?
The mole ventured to ask Justyou and the river and no one
(18:54):
else, to pass word with no oneelse to.
Well, I mustn't be hard on you,said the rat with forbearance.
You're new to it and of courseyou don't know the bank is so
crowded nowadays that manypeople are moving away
altogether.
Oh no, it isn't what it used tobe at all.
(19:16):
Otters, kingfishers, dabchicks,moorhens, all of them about all
day long and always wanting todo something, as if a fellow had
no business of his own toattend to.
What lies over there, asked themole, waving a paw towards a
(19:39):
background of woodland thatdarkly framed the water meadows
on one side of the river that,oh, that's just the wildwood,
said the rat shortly.
We don't go there very much, weriver bankers, aren't they?
(19:59):
Aren't they very nice people inthere, asked the mole.
Aren't they very nice people inthere?
Asked the mole a triflenervously.
Well, replied the rat.
Let me see the squirrels areall right, and the rabbits some
of them.
But rabbits are a mixed lot.
(20:20):
And then there's the badger, ofcourse.
He lives right in the heart ofit.
Wouldn't live anywhere elseeither if you paid him to do it,
dear old badger.
Nobody interferes with him.
They'd better not.
He added significantly.
Why who should interfere withhim, asked the mole.
(20:46):
Well, of course there are others, explained the rat in a
hesitating sort of way weaselsand stoats and foxes and so on.
They're alright, in a way I'mvery good friends with them,
past the time of day when wemeet and all that.
But they break out sometimes,there's no denying it.
(21:08):
And then well, you can't reallytrust them.
And that's the fact.
The mole knew well that it isquite against animal etiquette
to dwell on possible troubleahead or even allude to it.
So he dropped the subject.
And beyond the wildwood again,he asked when is it all?
(21:34):
Blue and dim, and one sees whatmay be hills, or perhaps they
mate in something like the smokeof towns, or is it only cloud
drift?
Beyond the wild wood comes thewide world, said the rat.
And that's something thatdoesn't matter either to you or
(21:56):
me.
I've never been there and I'mnever going, nor you either.
If you've got any sense at all.
Don't ever refer to it again,please.
Now then, here's our backwaterat last, where we're going to
lunch.
(22:20):
Leaving the mainstream, they nowpassed into what seemed at
first sight like a littlelandlocked lake.
Green turf sloped down toeither edge, brown snaky tree
roots gleamed below the surfaceof the quiet water, while ahead
of them the silvery shoulder andfoamy tumble of a ware, arm in
(22:46):
arm with a restless strippingmill-wheel that held up in its
turn.
A grey-gabled mill-house filledthe air with a soothing murmur
of sound, dull and smothery, yetwith little clear voices
speaking out cheerfully out ofit at intervals.
It was so very beautiful thatthe mole could only hold up both
(23:10):
forepaws and gasp.
Oh my, oh my.
The rat brought the boatalongside the bank, made her
fast, helped the still awkwardmole safely ashore and swung out
the luncheon basket.
The mole begged as a favor tobe allowed to unpack it all by
(23:35):
himself, and the rat was verypleased to indulge him and to
sprawl at full length on thegrass and rest while his excited
friend shook out the tableclothand spread it.
To indulge him and to sprawl atfull length on the grass and
rest, while his excited friendshook out the tablecloth and
spread it, took out all themysterious packets one by one
and arranged their contents indue order, still gasping oh my,
(24:01):
oh my at each fresh revelation.
When all was ready, the ratsaid Now pitch in.
Old fellow, and the molesindeed very glad to obey, for he
had started his spring cleaningat a very early hour that
(24:22):
morning, as people will do, andhad not paused for by to sup,
and he had been through a verygreat deal since that distant
time, which now seems so manydays ago.
What are you looking at, saidthe rat.
Presently, when the edge oftheir hunger was somewhat dulled
and the mole's eyes were ableto wander off the tablecloth a
(24:45):
little, I'm looking, said themole, at a streak of bubbles
that I see traveling along thesurface of water.
That is the thing that strikesme as funny Bubbles.
Oh ho, said the rat in chirp,cheerily and inviting sort of
(25:08):
way.
A broad, glistening muzzleshowed itself above the edge of
the bank and the otter hauledhimself out and shook the water
from his coat.
Greedy beggars, he observed,making for the preventer.
(25:28):
Why didn't you invite me, ratty?
This was an impromptu affair,explained the rat.
By the way, my friend Mr Mole,Proud, I'm sure, said the otter
and the two animals were friendsforthwith.
(25:49):
Such a rumpus everywhere,continued the otter, all the
world seems out on the river.
Today I came out this backwaterto try and get a moment's peace
and then stumble upon youfellows At least I beg pardon, I
(26:09):
don't exactly mean that youknow there was a rustle behind
them, proceeding from a hedgewherein last year's leaves still
clung thick, and a stripy headwith high shoulders behind it
peered forth on them.
Come on, old badger, shoutedthe rat.
(26:31):
The badger trotted forward apace or two, then grunted Hmm,
company, and turned his back anddisappeared from view.
That's just the sort of fellowhe is, observed.
The disappointed rat Simplyhates society.
(26:54):
Now we shan't see any more ofhim today.
Well, tell us who's out on theriver Toads out for one, replied
the otter in his brand newwhizzer boat, new togs, new
everything.
The two animals looked at eachother and laughed Once.
(27:20):
It was nothing but sailing,said the rat.
Then he tired of that and tookto punting.
Nothing would please him but topunt all day and every day.
And a nice mess he made of it.
Last year it was houseboatingand we all had to go and stay
with him in his houseboat andpretend we liked it.
(27:40):
He was going to spend the restof his life in a houseboat.
It's all the same.
Whatever he takes up, he getstired of it and starts on
something fresh.
Such a good fellow too,remarked the otter reflectively.
But no stability, especially ina boat.
(28:02):
But no stability, especially ina boat.
From where they sat they couldget a glimpse of the mainstream
across the island that separatedthem.
And just then a wager boatflashed into view the rower, a
(28:25):
short, stout figure, splashingbadly and rolling a good deal,
but working his hardest.
The rat stood up and hailed him, but Toad for it was.
He shook his head and settledsternly to his work.
He'll be out of the boat in aminute if he rolls like that,
said the rat, sitting down again.
(28:46):
Of course he will, chuckled theotter.
Did I ever tell you that goodstory about toad and the
lockkeeper?
It happened this way toad, anerrant mayfly, swerved
unsteadily, athwart the currentin the intoxicated fashion,
affected by young bloods ofmayflies, seeing life, a swirl
(29:11):
of water in a cloop, and themayfly was visible, no more.
Neither was the otter.
The mole looked down.
The voice was still in his ears, but the turf, where only it
sprawled, was clearly vacant.
The mole looked down, the voicewas still in his ears, but the
turf, where only it sprawled,was clearly vacant.
(29:33):
Not in order to be seen as faras the distant horizon, but
again there was a streak ofbubbles on the surface of the
river.
The rat hummed a tune and themole recollected that animal
etiquette forbade any sort ofcomment on the sudden
disappearance of one's friendsat any moment, for any reason or
(29:57):
no reason whatsoever.
Well, said the rat, I supposewe ought to be moving.
I wonder which of us had betterpack the luncheon basket?
He did not speak, as if he wasfrightfully eager for the treat.
Oh please, let me, said themole.
(30:21):
So of course the rat let him.
Packing the basket was notquite such pleasant work as
unpacking the basket.
It never is.
But the mole was bent onenjoying everything, and
although just when he had gotthe basket packed and strapped
(30:43):
up tightly, he saw a platestaring up at him from the grass
.
And when the job had been doneagain, the rat pointed out a
fork which anybody ought to haveseen, and last of all, behold
the mustard pot which he hadbeen sitting on without knowing
(31:03):
it.
Still, somehow the thing gotfinished at last without much
loss of temper.
The afternoon sun was gettinglow as the rascal gently
homewards in a dreamy mood.
Sun was getting low as therascal gently homewards in a
(31:25):
dreamy mood, murmuring poetrythings over to himself and not
paying much attention to Mole.
But the Mole was very full oflunch and self-satisfaction and
pride, and already quite at homein a boat.
So he thought and was getting abit restless besides, and
(31:46):
presently he said Ratty, please,I want to row now.
The rat shook his head with asmile.
Not yet, my young friend.
He said Wait till you've had afew lessons.
(32:07):
It's not so easy as it looks.
The mole was quiet for a minuteor two, but he began to feel
more and more jealous of ratsculling so strongly and so very
easily along, and his pridebegan to whisper that he could
do it every bit as well.
He jumped up and seized theskull so suddenly that the rat,
(32:32):
who was gazing out over thewater and saying more poetry
things to himself, was taken bysurprise and fell backwards off
his seat with his legs in theair for the second time, while
the triumphant mole took hisplace and grabbed the skulls
with entire confidence.
(32:53):
Stop it, you silly, cried therat from the bottom of the boat.
You can't do it, you'll have usover.
The mole flung his skulls backwith a flourish and made a great
dig at the water.
He missed the surfacealtogether.
(33:15):
His legs flew up above his headand he found himself lying on
top of the prostrate rat.
Greatly alarmed, he made a grabat the side of the boat and the
next moment, sploosh over wentthe boat and he found himself
(33:36):
struggling in the river.
Oh my, how cold the water wasand oh how very wet it felt, how
it sang in his ears as he wentdown, down down.
How bright and welcome the sunlooked as he rose to the surface
(33:57):
, coughing and spluttering, howblack was his despair when he
felt himself sinking again.
Then a firm paw gripped him bythe back of his neck.
It was the rat and he wasevidently laughing.
The mole could feel himlaughing right down his arm and
(34:22):
through his paw and so into his,the mole's neck.
The rat got hold of a skull andshoved it under the mole's arm.
Then he did the same by theother side of him.
It, swimming behind, propelledthe helpless animal to shore,
(34:43):
hauled him out and set him downon the bank a squashy, pulpy
lump of misery.
When the rat had rubbed himdown a bit and wrung some of the
wet out of him, he said Nowthen, old fellow, trot up and
(35:03):
down the towing path as hard asyou can till you're warm and dry
again while I dive for theluncheon basket.
So the dismal mole, wet withoutand ashamed within, trotted
about till he was fairly drywhile the rat plunged into the
water again, recovered.
(35:26):
The boat righted her and madeher fast, fetched his floating
property to shore by degrees andfinally dived successfully for
the luncheon basket andstruggled to land with it.
When all was ready for a startonce more, the mole, limp and
(35:46):
dejected, took his seat in thestern of the boat and as they
set off, he said in a low voice,broken with emotion Bratty, my
generous friend, I am very sorryindeed for my foolish and
ungrateful conduct.
(36:07):
My heart quite fails me when Ithink of how I might have lost
that beautiful luncheon basket.
Indeed, I have been a completeimbecile and I know it.
Will you overlook it this onceand forgive me and let things go
on as before?
That's all right.
(36:28):
Bless you, responded the ratcheerily.
What's a little wet to a waterrat, I'm more in the water than
out of it most days, don't youthink any more about it?
And look here, I really thinkyou'd better come and stop with
me for a little time.
It's very plain and rough, youknow, not like Toad's house at
(36:50):
all, but you haven't seen thatyet.
Still, I can make youcomfortable and I'll teach you
to row and to swim, and you'llsoon be as handy on the water as
any of us.
The mole was so touched by hiskind manner of speaking that he
(37:10):
could find no voice to answerhim and he had to brush away a
tear or two with the back of hispaw.
But the rat kindly looked inanother direction.
But the rat kindly looked inanother direction and presently
the mole's spear survived againand he was even able to give
(37:35):
some straight backtalk to acouple of moorhens who were
sniggering to each other abouthis bedraggled appearance.
When they got home, the ratmade a bright fire in the parlor
and planted the mole in anarmchair in front of it, having
fetched down a dressing gown andslippers for him, and told him
(37:55):
river stories till supper time.
Very thrilling stories theywere too to an earth-dwelling
animal like Mole Stories aboutweirs and sudden floods and
leaping pike and steamers thatflung hard bottles At least
(38:16):
bottles were certainly flung andfrom steamers, so presumably by
them and about herons and howparticular they were, whom they
spoke to, and about adventuresdown drains and night fishings
with otter or excursions farafield with badger filled with
(38:40):
badger.
Supper was a most cheerful meal,but very shortly afterwards a
terribly sleepy mole had to beescorted upstairs by his
considerate host to the bestbedroom, where he soon laid his
head on his pillow in greatpeace and contentment, knowing
(39:01):
that his newfound friend, theriver, was lapping the sill of
his window.
This day was only the first ofmany similar ones for the
emancipated mole, each of themlonger and full of interest.
As the ripening summer movedonward, he learned to swim and
(39:26):
to row and entered into the joyof running water and with his
ear to the reed stems he caughtat intervals.
No-transcript.
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