At last I understand Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland:
He increased his pace, and as the car devoured the street and leapt forth on the high road through the open country, he was only conscious that he was Toad once more, Toad at his best and highest, Toad the terror, the traffic-queller, the Lord of the lone trail, before whom all must give way or be smitten into nothingness and everlasting night. He chanted as he flew, and the car responded with sonorous drone; the miles were eaten up under him as he sped he knew not whither, fulfilling his instincts, living his hour, reckless of what might come to him.
I loved that ride. It was the best kid’s ride at Disneyland and was so good that adults could even enjoy it. But I didn’t know who Toad was or why he had a wild ride. Until now.
As I mentioned in passing a couple weeks ago, I did not read Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame when I was a kid. We had a picture book called Frog and Toad are Friends but it turns out that Toad has nothing to do with Mr. Toad.
If I had read Wind in the Willows as a child I am sure I would have loved it. I can see why it is so beloved, but reading it for the first time as an adult meant I noticed too many odd things. The animals change sizes from animal size to human size. The animals speak English and talk to people. Toad has hair. And how could anyone mistake a Toad dressed up as a washerwoman for a real human woman? All the animals are also male which is kind of weird. And I found the book a bit disjointed with Toad’s story being interrupted by other stories featuring Ratty and Mole.
I did quite enjoy Ratty and Mole’s friendship. I also really liked the story of Ratty being tempted to run off to try his paws at sea. He’s perfectly happy with his life on the riverside but temporarily is charmed by a passing Sea Rat into to thinking the migrant life is the one to have. The grass is greener syndrome. Who among us is immune to it?
There was also a laugh out loud moment with Toad crashing a car:
Toad found himself flying through the air with the strong upward rush and delicate curve of a swallow. He liked the motion, and was just beginning to wonder whether it would go on until he developed wings and turned into a Toad-bird, when he landed on his back with a thump, in the soft, rich grass of a meadow.
Heh.
Mole and Ratty and Badger and Toad taking back Toad Hall from the Weasels and Stouts was pretty good too.
Wind in the Willows was a pleasant read and I would definitely consider giving it to a child. Not having nostalgia for it though I can’t say it comes anywhere close to entering my personal pantheon of treasured children’s books. I do, however, want to go to Disneyland now and take a whirl on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
Wonderful post Stephanie! I read this book two or three years ago but through your eyes I’m tempted to reread it. Perhaps I’ll slot it in for a summer read – I’ll need to read it next to a pond of course…
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Heather, thanks! It would make a perfect summer read beside a pond, lake or stream!
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I read bits of this as a child and more as a preteen, and loved it always. I think there was a very nice miniseries done of it recently as well. I love how silly it is, and yet takes the feelings of the animals quite seriously, tenderly.
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wherethereisjoy, oh yes, the animals are taken quite seriously and there is even sometimes a sense of dread as when Mole says early on that it is not proper etiquette to inquire after the sudden disappearance of any animal. But you are right, there is a certain tenderness too.
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It is a shame I never read the book, but I do remember the ride at Disney World. I should probably get around to reading some day. I pretty sure I have a copy around here somewhere…
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severalfourmany, it’s an easy pleasant read when you don’t want anything to make your brain work. It would probably be great fun to read it to a child.
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I had all but forgotten about this book. I loved it when I was a kid. I don’t think that it was one in my son’s library though. I suppose some books, even if well known, can go out of fashion. I’m tempted to read it again after reading your post. Wondering if there was a reason for the animals to change size? Does it happen based on context, like when they are with humans? Is it only in the illustrations or does the inconsistncy exist within the text?
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Anne Camille, I do suppose children’s books go in and out of fashion as they get forgotten and rediscovered. The animals are always human-sized when interacting with humans but sometimes when they are just among animals they are human-size too. Early on Toad, Ratty and Mole are adventuring in Toad’s caravan wagon being pulled by a horse. But when Mole is lost in the Wild Wood he is definitely mole-sized hiding in the leaves of a hollowed out tree. I read an e-book without the illustrations so all this is inferred in the text, size is never explicitly addressed.
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Like you I read this as an adult and could appreciate its qualities and understand its classic status – but it was read too late for it to be loved. Toad is quite some character, a sort of Edwardian baby boomer.
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Ian, Toad as an Edwardian baby boomer, I love it!
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It is interesting reading children’s books through adult eyes. When I read Little Women I loved it, but did find parts of the story over-moralizing and heavy handed–of course that would have been expected of a children’s book at that time–all the funnier considering Louisa May Alcott was also writing suspenseful thrillers, too! I don’t recall Mr Toad’s Wild ride at Disney–but then Disneyland is sort of overwhelming and I only went once…. If I ever return I’ll make sure I search that ride out! 🙂
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Danielle, It is interesting. I imagine if I had read the book to a child it would have been an entirely different experience. That is funny to think that LMA was writing thrillers while also writing Little Women. Heh. Mr. Toad is in Fantasyland not far from the tea cups and Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, just in case you ever get to go again 😉
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My father read this one to me as a child and I loved it. Of course I never noticed any inconsistencies back then, but wonder if I approached it again now as an adult, would those things bother me?
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Jeane, I suspect you would notice inconsistencies but you would still have that childhood experience to color your adult reading and make it just a bit more magical than it was for me.
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I loved both Toad and Mr. Frog and The Wind in the Willows when I was a kid. I’ve been meaning to reread that latter for a long time now. You’ve raised some questions here that have piqued my curiosity, so maybe I’ll get around to it this year.
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Emily, if you reread Wind in the Willows I will be curious what you make of it from your adult perspective!
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You remind me that I must read up on Kenneth Grahame’s life. I’m pretty sure he was someone who had all sorts of trauma to get through before he started writing. I’ve never actually read this, although I know the story from having seen adaptations on television. Sometimes I have this bad thought that an awful lot of children’s classics are better as adaptations than as themselves (Swallows and Amazons springs to mind – it is an awfully dull book). But don’t tell anyone I said that! 😉
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Litlove, now you have made me curious about Grahame! Wikipedia says he worked at a bank where there was an incident and he was shot at three times! Yikes! I have definitely seen some adaptations that are better than the original story. The Pooh stories though, perfect in print and the Disney adaptations make them even more delightful.
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I have read this book many times to my boys. It is one of their favorite books.
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