(no subject)

[darchildre]

Sent out my library's copy of The Wind in the Willows for a hold this morning only to discover that it's one of the editions that cuts the "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" chapter. Now I kinda want to stick an apologetic post-it on the book to explain this to the person who's receiving the hold.

Look, I do not claim to be an expert on children's literature (or anything else) but I have two long-held opinions that are Correct and I will fight you on them:

1) You read Narnia in publication order.

2) You don't buy/print editions of Wind in the Willows without "Piper at the Gates of Dawn".

Comments

[lothlaurien]

I 100% agree about "Piper at the Gates of Dawn". There's just something very lyrical, otherworldly and just completely magical about that chapter. It's my favourite part of the entire book (along with "Dulce Domum" - I'm an oddball who always preferred reading about Mole and Rat to Toad, as entertaining as he is). I can see why it's sometimes cut, since it's tonally quite different from the rest, but I always think it's such a shame.

(Thanks for the subscription btw!)

[darchildre]

Rat and Mole are totally the best - I like Toad well enough but would have been happy with a book that was less of him and more quiet lyricism.

[lothlaurien]

Same! Did you ever read the sequels written by William Horwood (of Duncton Wood fame)? In places I think they capture that same sense of quiet lyricism really well. Particularly at the very end of the last book, The Willows and Beyond.

[polarisnorth]

Today I learned that apparently some editions don't come with that chapter! That's so strange. I remember it being very striking when I read it as a child.

[darchildre]

Publishers also often cut chapter 9, "Wayfarers All," and explain that they "pause the action", as though that is a reasonable excuse. "Piper" gets omitted somewhat more often though, presumably because of the Scary Paganism.

[katherine]

I didn't really connect with The Wind in the Willows but removing a whole chapter is Not On.

Also that chapter leant a title to a song I like and (mostly) a novel, so.

[raveninthewind]

Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one of my favorite BPAL sscents, so your post caught my eye. Hmm, I had no idea that was a chapter that *could* be cut.

Evil publishers! Now I want to put post-its in all books without that chapter, too.