Bertie's Escapade

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     "It was eleven o'clock on a winter's night. the fields, the hedges, the trees, were white with snow. From over the Quarry Woods floated the sound of Marlow bells, practising for Christmas. In the paddock the only black spot visible was Bertie's sty, and the only thing blacker than the sty was Bertie himself, sitting in the front courtyard and yawning. In Mayfield windows the lights were out, and the whole house sunk in slumber.
     "This is very slow," yawned Bertie. "Why shouldn't I do something?"
     Bertie was a pig of action. "Deeds, not grunts," was his motto. Retreating as far back as he could, he took a sharp run, gave a mighty jump, and cleared his palings.
     "The rabbits come too," he said. "Do them good.""

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Kenneth Grahame

Grahame (1859-1932), author of Wind in the Willows, never considered himself a professional writer. Unable to attend Oxford, he worked in the Bank of England rising to the position of Secretary of the Bank.  The publication of Wind in the Willows coincided with his retirement from the Bank in 1908. Bertie's Escapade was published posthumously.

Ernest H. Shepard

Shepard (1879-1976), famed for his iconic illustrations of Milne's Winnie the Pooh, created a prodigious body of art over his 97 years. He contributed cartoons to Punch from 1907 through 1921, exhibited paintings at numerous galleries across Great Britain throughout his life, as well as illustrated children's books by authors such as Grahame, Burnett and Molesworth.

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Wonder

Adventures, including literary imaginary escapades, are ripe for wonder! Bertie's misadventures are thoroughly British, and of their time, but are also recognizable. One - ahem - good idea leads to the next until we are in quite a fix. Identifying with Bertie's predilections for benign chaos, as well as being able to give a humorous account of our misadventures, are marvelous human traits.

Story Synopsis

Bertie, a pig of action, is bored. He wakes his rabbit friends, Peter and Benjie, to go caroling at Stone Lodge in hopes of being invited to supper. When the dogs are let loose, Bertie and company race to safety in Mole's lift. To make amends to his friends, Bertie shares a large meal with them which was stolen through Mr. Grahame's window - giving Mr. G. terrible nightmares. It's a short, but busy three chapters!

Early chapter book readers, 28 pages. Bertie, a pig of action, and his friends go Christmas caroling hoping to be invited to a splendid supper. But it turns out to be more of an adventure than Bertie had planned.