The Wind in the Willows

Oh, no.

Now then...

Oh.

Bother.

Oh.

Eugh!

Oh, dear.

That's better.

Bother and blow!

- So much to do. -

Oh, hang spring-cleaning!

Oh, my! Oh, my!

Ah.

Oh!

Oh.

Hello.

- Rat? - Hello, Mole!

Didn't think you chaps ever came out in the sunlight.

Why don't you come over?

Oh, it's all very well to talk.

Ah, yes.

- A boat. - That's right.

Hang on to that.

Thank you.

Come on, step lively.

Ooh...

I've... ne-never been in a boat.

Never been in a...

Well, I... What have you been doing all your life?

L-Is it... so nice?

Nice? It's the only thing.

Believe me, there is nothing,

absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

Messing about, er, in boats.

Simply messing.

- Look out, Rat! - Oh!

Ooh'.!

Are... Are you alright?

Yes. Messing about in boats.

Or with boats. In or out of them, it doesn't matter.

Look here, if you've nothing else on hand this afternoon,

would you care to go for a row down the river?

Care to?

We might have a picnic.

Shove that down there.

- Y-Your house? - That's right.

Oh, my.

So, this is a river.

The river.

You really live by the river?

By it and with it and on it and in it.

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 want any other.

What it hasn't got isn't worth having

and what it doesn't know isn't worth knowing.

Lord, the times we've had together, whether in winter or summer,

spring or autumn, it's always got its fun and its excitements.

What do you say we moor here and have our picnic?

Uh, yes.

Now, what have we here?

There's cold chicken, cold tongue, cold ham, cold beef.

Pickled gherkin salad, French rolls, mustard and cress,

- potted meat, ginger beer, lemonade... - Stop, stop, this is too much!

Too much? Oh, do you really think so?

It's only what I usually take on these little excursions,

and Toad always tells me that I'm a mean beast and cut things very fine.

Now, pitch in, old fellow.

Oh, my.

My, oh, my!

Hmm.

Beautiful.

Mmm...

I say. There's old Badger.

Badger!

Badger, old chap! Come and join us.

Company.

Yes, that's just the sort of fellow he is.

Simply hates society. He'll be off home now.

Where does he live?

- In the Wild Wood. - Oh.

We don't go there very much, we river people.

Is there something wrong with it?

Er, well, not wrong exactly.

The squirrels are alright and the hedgehogs and some of the rabbits.

And of course, no one interferes with Badger. They'd better not.

Why? Wh-Who should interfere with him?

Well, there are others, stoats and weasels.

Hello there, Mr Rat.

Having a picnic with your friend?

- Ooh, very nice. - Leave that alone.

Very nice.

You ought to visit us Wild Wooders one day, sir.

You don't wanna believe everything people say about us.

Afternoon, gentlemen.

They don't seem too bad.

Well, they're alright in a way, but...

Well, I never go to the Wild Wood

and you won't either if you've got any sense.

Hello...

Where is the potted meat?

I couldn't eat another bite.

Well, I suppose I really ought to pack the basket.

Oh, do let me.

My dear fellow, please do if you'd really like to.

Oh.

Oh... Oh, bother.

Don't worry about that, old chap.

Oh, what a splendid time we're having.

Look here, why don't you come and stay with me for a few days?

I live in a very plain and simple way.

My home is nothing like Toad Hall.

Toad Hall?

Oh, of course. You haven't met Toad yet, have you?

Why don't we drop down the river and call on him?

I... I suppose... I couldn't row, could I?

Bother! Oh, bother.

Both oars together, old chap, if you can manage it.

Oh, yes, Rat.

A“ We are down a-dabbling, up tails all

A“ We are down a-dabbling, up tails all

There's Toad Hall.

My goodness.

You're sure it's alright to call on Mr Toad unannounced?

Oh, certainly.

It's never the wrong time to call on Toad.

Yes, dear old Toad. He always has some new craze, you know.

I managed to get him interested in sculling.

He's not much good at it, but it keeps him out of mischief.

He's the best of animals really. So good natured and affectionate.

Perhaps he's not very clever, but we can't all be geniuses,

and he may be rather boastful and conceited,

but he has some great qualities, has Toady.

And Toad Hall is one of the finest houses in these parts.

Though, of course, we never say so to Toad.

- Ah-ha! - Hello, Toad. This is Mole.

Oh! Hello, Mole.

Hooray! This is splendid.

Ratty, you're just the chap I wanted to see.

Having trouble with your boating?

Oh, poo! Boating? I've given that up long ago.

I've discovered the real thing.

The only genuine occupation of a lifetime.

Ooh-hoe! Come and see.

Come along, come along. Just over here.

There you are.

The open road, the dusty highway.

Here today and up and off to somewhere else tomorrow.

Travel, change, excitement.

Oh, no.

Mind you, this is the finest cart ever built, without any exception.

Designed it myself.

All complete. Nothing whatever forgotten.

And so you'll find when we all set out on our first expedition this afternoon.

We? This afternoon?

I'm not going and that's flat.

And Mole will do as I do, won't you, Mole?

Of course I will, Rat.

All the same, it sounds as if it might have been...

...well, rather fun, you know?