Saturday, December 26, 2009

Simply Messing About in Boats from “The Wind In The Willows”, 1908, by Kenneth Grahame

Often quoted in a brief line or two, here is the actual passage from his children’s book:


“This has been a wonderful day!” said he, as the Rat shoved off and took to the sculls again. “Do you know, I’ve never been in a boat before in all my life.”

“What?” cried the Rat, open-mouthed: “Never been in a – you never – well I – what have you been doing, then?”

“Is it so nice as all that?” asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.

“Nice? It’s the only thing,” said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolute nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,” he went on dreamily:
“messing – about – in – boats; messing ----“

“Look ahead, Rat!” cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.

“ ---- about in boats ---- or with boats,” the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh. “In or out of ‘em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not.”

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Great! I forgot how much I enjoyed that book, I need to find it again!

Unknown said...

Hi guys, We just got to FL and will be around for at least 10 days. Our email is cscowz3@gmail.com. Merry Christmas, Bill and Barb

ME Hanley said...

Sorry I missed your call on Chrismas eve. I most have been wrapping presents! We had a great visit with your Children and families on Christmas day! We missed you both! It was so nice to have some time with the little boys! That is what Christmas is all about. I think Mom was the envy of Apple Valley! It truely was a blessed Christmas complete with a snow storm. It can stop snowing now. North Iowa has had plenty for one winter! You can be happy you are missing all of the mess! Merry Christmas! We love you both!

Unknown said...

Wow, what an apt description! You seem to certainly be living out the story!