Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

Front matter

young puffin modern classics

Uoyce Lanfeester Brisley

YOUNG PUFFIN MODERN CLASSICS

Introduction

BY Julia Eccleshare, Series Editor

Milly-MoUy-Mandy lived a long, long time ago in another kind of childhood altogether. She can wander to the village shop alone; walk to school alone; speak to anyone she Hkes and do many other things which are now outside the experience of children today She doesn’t travel far; she doesn’t have to. What she needs ^ is near at hand. She already lives with her parents, grandparents and her aunt and uncle who provide quite enough company. And yet how Milly-Molly- Mandy behaves, her little triumphs as she becomes more independent, her love of animals, and, above all, the importance of her friendship with her ‘Httle-friend- Susan’ and especially her delight when Susan comes to stay are instantly recognizable to children anywhere and at any time. A bit of a goody-goody - well, it would be hard not to be with a name hke Milly- Molly-Mandy — she’s just a little girl having some hugely satisfying if simple adventures.

As a child who could never have managed to be as good as Milly-MoUy-Mandy I used to think of her as a httle bit soppy but, on re-reading these stories, it is easy to see that though Milly-MoUy-Mandy is no rebel she is nonetheless sparky and independent-minded, as in ‘Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Errands’ when she makes her own decision about how to spend her money, which is clever and canny.

When Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories was first published, the little girl at the heart of them represented the daily ups and downs of a not untypical, country childhood. For today’s reader, in addition to the joy of sharing MiUy-Molly-Mandy’s delight at her Hfe, there is the added curiosity and undoubted pleasure of seeing how different childhood once was.

Contents

Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends a Penny 13

Milly-MoUy-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt 23 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Blackber tying 32

Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Party 41

Chapter One

Once upon a time there was a little girl.

She had a Father, and a Mother, and a Grandpa, and a Grandma, and an Uncle, and an Aunty; and they all lived together in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof.

This little girl had short hair, and short legs, and short frocks (pink-and-white-striped cotton in summer, and red serge in winter). But her name wasn’t short at all. It was Millicent Margaret Amanda. But Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty couldn’t very well call out ‘Millicent Margaret Amanda!’ every time they wanted her, so they

I shortened it to ‘Milly-Molly-Mandy’, which is quite easy to say.

Now everybody in the nice white cottage with the thatched roof had some particular job to do — even Milly-Molly-Mandy.

Father grew vegetables in the big garden by the cottage. Mother cooked the dinners and did the washing. Grandpa took the vegetables to market in his little pony- cart. Grandma knitted socks and mittens and nice warm woollies for them all. Uncle kept cows (to give them milk) and chickens (to give them eggs). Aunty sewed frocks and shirts for them, and did the sweeping and dusting.

And Milly-Molly-Mandy, what did she do?

Well, Milly-Molly-Mandy ’s legs were short, as I’ve told you, but they were very lively, just right for running errands. So

Milly-Molly-Mandy was quite busy, fetching and carrying things, and taking messages.

One fine day Milly-Molly-Mandy was in the garden playing with Toby the dog, when Father poked his head out from the other side of a big row of beans, and said:

‘Milly-Molly-Mandy, run down to Mr Moggs’s cottage and ask for the trowel he borrowed of me!’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Farverl’ and ran in to get her hat.

At the kitchen door was Mother, with a basket of eggs in her hand. And when she saw Milly-Molly-Mandy she said:

‘Milly-Molly-Mandy, run down to Mrs Moggs and give her these eggs. She’s got visitors.’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Muvv^r!’ and took the basket. ‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver,’ she thought to herself.

Then Grandpa came up and said:

‘Milly-Molly-Mandy, please get me a ball of string from Miss Muggins’s shop — here’s the penny.’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Grandpa!’ and took the penny, thinking to herself, ‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa.’

As she passed through the kitchen Grandma, who was sitting in her armchair knitting, said:

Milly-Mollj-Mandy Goes Errands

‘Milly-Molly-Mandy, will you get me a skein of red wool? Here’s a sixpence.’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Grandma!’ and took the sixpence. ‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa, red wool for Grandma,’ she whispered over to herself.

As she went into the passage Uncle came striding up in a hurry.

‘Oh, Milly-Molly-Mandy,’ said Uncle, ‘run like a good girl to Mr Blunt’s shop, and tell him I’m waiting for the chicken-feed he promised to send!’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Uncle!’ and thought to herself, ‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa, red wool for Grandma, chicken-feed for Uncle.’

As she got her hat off the peg Aunty called from the parlour where she was dusting:

‘Is that Milly-Molly-Mandy? Will you get me a packet of needles, dear? Here’s a penny!’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy said ‘Yes, Aunty!’ and took the penny, thinking to herself, ‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa, red wool for Grandma, chicken-feed for Uncle, needles for Aunty, and 1 do hope there won’t be anything more!’

But there was nothing, else, so Milly-Molly- Mandy started out down the path. When she came to the gate Toby the dog capered up, looking very excited at the thought of a walk. But Milly-Molly-Mandy eyed him solemnly, and said:

‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa, red wool for Grandma, chicken-feed for Uncle, needles for Aunty. No, Toby, you mustn’t come now. I’ve too much to think about. But 1 promise to take you for a walk when 1 come back!’

So she left Toby on the other side of the gate, and set off down the road, with the basket and the pennies and the sixpence.

Presently she met a little friend, and the little friend said:

‘Hello, Milly-Molly-Mandy! I’ve got a new see-saw! Do come on it with me!’

But Milly-Molly-Mandy looked at her solemnly and said:

‘Trowel for Farver, eggs for Muvver, string for Grandpa, red wool for Grandma, chicken-feed for Uncle, needles for Aunty. No, Susan, I can’t come now. I’m busy. But I’d like to come when I get back — after I’ve taken Toby for a walk.’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy went on her way with the basket and the pennies and the sixpence.

Soon she came to the Moggs’s cottage.

‘Please, Mrs Moggs, can I have the trowel for Farver? — and here are some eggs from Muvver!’ she said,

Mrs Moggs was very much obliged indeed for the eggs, and fetched the trowel and a piece of seed-cake for Milly- Molly- Mandy ’s own self. And Milly-Molly-Mandy went on her way with the empty basket.

Next she came to Miss Muggins’s little shop.

‘Please, Miss Muggins, can 1 have a ball of string for Grandpa and a skein of red wool for Grandma?’

So Miss Muggins put the string and the wool into Milly-Molly-Mandy ’s basket, and took a penny and a sixpence in exchange. So that left Milly-Molly-Mandy with one penny. And Milly- Molly-Mandy couldn’t remember what that penny was for.

‘Sweeties, perhaps?’ said Miss Muggins, glancing at the row of glass bottles on the shelf.

But Milly- Molly- Mandy shook her head.

‘No,’ she said, ‘and it can’t be chicken-feed for Uncle, because that would be more than a penny, only 1 haven’t got to pay for it.’

‘It must be sweeties!’ said Miss Muggins.

‘No,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘but I’ll remember soon. Good morning. Miss Muggins!’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy went on to Mr Blunt’s, and gave him Uncle’s message, and then she sat down on the doorstep and thought what that penny could be for.

And she couldn’t remember.

But she remembered one thing: ‘It’s for Aunty,’ she thought, ‘and I love Aunty.’ And she thought for just a little while longer. Then suddenly she sprang up and went back to Miss Muggins’s shop.

‘I’ve remembered!’ she said. ‘It’s needles for Aunty!’

So Miss Muggins put the packet of needles into the basket, and took the penny, and Milly- Molly-Mandy set off for home.

‘That’s a good little messenger to remember all those things!’ said Mother, when she got there. They were just going to begin dinner. ‘1 thought you were only going with my eggs!’

‘She went for my trowel!’ said Father.

‘And my string!’ said Grandpa.

‘And my wool!’ said Grandma.

‘And my chicken-feed!’ said Uncle.

‘And my needles!’ said Aunty.

Then they all laughed; and Grandpa, feeling in his pocket, said:

‘Well, here’s another errand for you — go and get yourself some sweeties!’

So after dinner Toby had a nice walk and his mistress got her sweets. And then Milly-Molly- Mandy and little-friend-Susan had a lovely time on the see-saw, chatting and eating raspberry-drops, and feeling very happy and contented indeed.

Chapter Two Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends a Penny

Once upon a time Milly-Molly-Mandy found a penny in the pocket of an old coat.

Milly-Molly-Mandy felt very rich indeed.

She thought of all the things she could buy with it, and there were so many that she did not know which to choose. (That is the worst of a penny.) So Milly-Molly-Mandy asked everybody with whom she lived, in the nice white cottage with the thatched roof, what they would do with it if they were her.

‘Put it in the bank,’ said Grandpa promptly. He was making up accounts. Milly-Molly- Mandy thought that a wise idea.

‘Buy a skein of rainbow wool and learn to knit,’ said Grandma, who was knitting by the kitchen door. Milly-Molly-Mandy thought that a good idea,

‘Buy some seeds and grow mustard-andcress,’ said Father, who was gardening. Milly- Molly-Mandy thought that quite a goodddea.

‘Buy a little patty-pan and make a cake in it,’ said Mother, who was cooking, Milly-Molly- Mandy thought that a very good idea.

‘Save it up until you get three, and I’ll let you buy a baby duckling with them,’ said Uncle, who was scooping out corn for his chickens. Milly-Molly-Mandy thought that an excellent idea.

‘Get some sweets,’ said Aunty, who was very busy sewing, and did not want to be interrupted. Milly-Molly-Mandy thought that a very pleasant idea.

Millj-Mollj-Mandy Spends a Penny

Then she went to her own little corner of the garden for a ‘think’, for she still could not make up her mind which of all those nice things to do. She thought and thought for a long time.

And then — ^ what do you think she bought?

Some mustard-and-cress seeds, which she planted in a shallow box of earth and stood in a nice warm place by the tool-shed.

She watered it every day, and shaded it if the sun were too hot; and at last the little seeds grew into a lovely clump of fresh green mustard-and-cress, that made you quite long

Millj- Molly- Mandj Stories for some bread-and-butter to eat it with.

When it was ready to cut Milly-Molly- Mandy went to Mrs Moggs, their neighbour down the road, who sometimes had summer visitors.

‘Mrs Moggs,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘if you should want some mustard-and-cress for'your visitors’ tea I have some to sell. It’s very good, and quite cheap.’

‘Why Milly-Molly-Mandy,’ said Mrs Moggs, ‘that’s exactly what I am wanting! Is it ready for cutting now?’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy ran home and borrowed a pair of scissors and a little basket, and she snipped that lovely clump of fresh green mustard-and-cress (all but a tiny bit for her own tea) and carried it to Mrs Moggs.

And Mrs Moggs gave her twopence for it.

So Milly-Molly-Mandy had done one of the

Milly- Molly- Mandj Spends a Penny nice things and spent her penny, and now she had twopence!

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy took one of the pennies to the little village shop, and bought a skein of beautiful rainbow wool.

‘Grandma,’ she said, when she got home, ‘please will you teach me to knit a kettle-holder?’

So Grandma found some knitting-needles and showed Milly-Molly-Mandy how to knit. And though it had to be undone several times at first, Milly-Molly-Mandy really did knit quite a nice kettle -holder, and there was just enough wool for it.

When she had put a loop in one corner to hang it up by she went to Mother, who was just putting the potatoes on to boil.

‘Mother,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘would you think this kettle-holder worth a penny?’

‘Why, Milly-Molly-Mandy,’ said Mother, ‘that is exactly what I am wanting, for my old one is all worn out! But the penny only pays for the wool, so you are making me a present of all your trouble.’ And Mother gave Milly-Molly- Mandy a penny and a kiss, and Milly-Molly- Mandy felt well paid.

So Milly-Molly-Mandy had done another of the nice things, had spent her penny, and learnt to knit, and still she had her penny!

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy took her penny down to the little village shop and bought a shiny tin patty-pan. And next baking-day Mother let her make a little cake in the patty¬ pan and put it in the oven. And it was such a beautiful little cake, and so nicely browned, that it seemed almost too good to eat.

Milly-Molly-Mandy put it outside on the window-sill to cool.

i8

Milly-Molly-Mandy jinds a penny

Presently along came a lady cyclist, and as it was a very hot day she stopped at the nice white cottage with the thatched roof, and asked Milly-Molly-Mandy’s Mother if she could have a glass of milk. And while she was drinking it she saw the little cake on the window-sill, and the little cake looked so good that the lady cyclist felt, hungry and asked if she could have that too.

Milly-Molly-Mandy’s Mother looked at Milly- Molly-Mandy, and Milly-Molly-Mandy gave a little gulp, and said ‘Yes.’ And the lady cyclist ate up the little patty- cake. And she did enjoy it!

When she had gone Milly-Molly-Mandy’s Mother took up the pennies the lady cyclist had put on the table for the milk and the cake, and she gave one to Milly-Molly-Mandy because it was her cake.

Milly-Mollj-Mandy Spends a Penny

So Milly-Molly-Mandy had done yet another of the nice things and spent her penny, but still she had her penny.

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy took her penny down to the little village shop and bought some sweets, lovely big aniseed-balls, that changed colour as you sucked them.

She would not eat one until she got home, and then gave one to Grandpa and one to Grandma and one to Father and one to Mother and one to Uncle and one to Aunty. And then she found there were six for herself, so she ate them, and they were very nice.

So Milly-Molly-Mandy had done another of the nice things and spent her penny. But she still had one penny from the mustard-andcress.

Then she went to Grandpa, and asked him please to put it in the bank for her.

And then she went to Uncle.

‘Uncle,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘I’ve done everything with my penny that everybody said, but you. And though I can’t buy a little baby duckling yet. I’ve got a penny saved towards it, in the bank.’

And it was not very long before Milly-Molly- Mandy had saved up to threepence; and then Uncle let her have a little yellow baby duckling all for her own.

Chapter Three Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt

Once upon a time, one fine evening, Milly- Molly-Mandy and her Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty were all sitting at supper (there was bread-and-butter and cheese for the grown-ups, and bread-and-milk for Milly-Molly-Mandy, and baked apples and cocoa for them all), when suddenly there came a loud Bang-bang! on the knocker.

‘Run, Milly-Molly-Mandy,’ said Mother. ‘That sounds like the postman!’

So Milly-Molly-Mandy jumped down from her chair in a great hurry, and fetched the letter, which was for Mother. Then she climbed on her chair again, and everyone looked interested while Mother opened it.

It was from someone who called Milly- Molly-Mandy’s Mother ‘Dear Polly’, and was to ask if that someone might spend a few days with them, and it finished up, ‘Your affectionate Aunt Margaret’ .

Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty were quite pleased, and Milly-Molly-Mandy was pleased too, although she did not know who it was until Grandma said to her, ‘It is my sister

Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt

Margaret, your great-aunty, who is coming.’ Then Milly-Molly-Mandy was very interested indeed.

‘Is she my great-aunty and your sister too?’ she asked Grandma.

‘Yes, and she’s my sister-in-law,’ said Grandpa.

‘And my aunty,’ said Mother.

‘And my aunty-in-law,’ said Father.

‘And my aunty-in-law too,’ said Aunty.

‘And my aunty,’ said Uncle.

‘Fancy!’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy. ‘She’s all that, and she’s a great-aunty too! I would like to see her!’

The next day Milly-Molly-Mandy helped Mother make up the spare-room bed.

‘I could wish the spare room were a little bigger,’ said Mother, and Milly-Molly-Mandy looked around gravely, and thought it really

Millj-Molly-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt was rather small for a great-aunty. But she went and fetched some marigolds from her own little garden, and put them in a vase on the chest of drawers, for she knew there was lots of room for love, even if there was not much for great- aunties.

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy helped Father bring the big armchair out of the best parlour into the room where they always sat. Milly-Molly- Mandy was glad it was such a big chair — it really looked quite large enough even for a great- aunty.

Then Mother cooked some big fruit-cakes and some little seed-cakes and some sponge¬ cakes and a whole lot of other things, and Milly-Molly-Mandy (who helped to clean up the cooking-bowls and spoons) supposed a great-aunty must take quite a lot of feeding.

As soon as ever the last bowl was scraped

Milly-Molly-Mandy ran down the road to tell little-friend-Susan the news.

Little-friend-Susan was walking on the wall, but she jumped down as soon as she saw Milly- Molly-Mandy.

‘Oh, Susan!’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘you know my Aunty?’

‘Yes,’ said little-friend-Susan.

‘Well,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘she’s just a usual aunty, but I’ve got a great-aunty coming to stay with usl’

Little-friend-Susan, being a best friend, was just as interested as Milly-Molly-Mandy, and it was soon settled that next morning she should come and play in Milly-Molly-Mandy ’s garden, so that she might see Great- Aunty Margaret for herself.

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy ran back home to dinner.

Millj- Molly- Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt

After dinner Mother and Grandma and Aunty and Milly-Molly-Mandy hurried through the washing-up, and tidied the cottage, while Father put the pony in the trap. And then they changed their dresses, while Father drove to the station.

And then Milly-Molly-Mandy, in her clean frock, kept running to the gate to see if the pony-trap were in sight yet.

And at last it was — and Milly-Molly- Mandy was so excited that she raced into the cottage and jumped up and down, and then she ran out to the gate again, and opened it wide.

The pony trotted up to the gate and stopped, and Father got down first. And then he took down Great-Aunty Margaret’s great basket.

And then he helped down Great-Aunty Margaret her own self!

And what do you think Great- Aunty Margaret was like?

She was a little, little, white-haired lady, in a black bonnet and dress spotted with little mauve flowers, and she had a kind little face with pink cheeks.

Milly-Molly-Mandy was so surprised. It was all she could do to mind her manners and not stare.

Great- Aunty Margaret was soon seated in the great armchair, and instead of filling it, as Milly-Molly-Mandy had expected, why — there was heaps of room for Milly-Molly-Mandy

Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt

there too! And instead of eating up all the big fruit-cakes and the little seed-cakes and the sponge-cakes and other things, there was lots for everybody in the family, including Milly- Molly-Mandy,

And as for the spare room being too small, it looked almost big, because Great- Aunty Margaret was such a little lady.

When Great-Aunty Margaret saw the flowers on her chest of drawers she said gently:

‘Why, Millicent Margaret Amanda, I believe that is your doing! Thank you, my dearie!’

‘Oh, Great- Aunty Margaret!’ said Milly- Molly-Mandy, reaching to kiss her again, ‘I do like you! Would you mind if I showed you to Susan this evening, instead of making her wait till tomorrow?’

Chapter Four Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Blackberrying

Once upon a time Milly-Molly-Mandy found some big ripe blackberries on her way home from school. There were six great beauties and one little hard one, so Milly-Molly-Mandy put the little hard one in her mouth and carried the others home on a leaf.

She gave one to Father, and Father said, ‘Ah! that makes me think the time for blackberry puddings has come!’

Then she gave one to Mother, and asked what it made her think of. And Mother said, ‘A whole row of pots of blackberry jam that I ought to have in my store-board!’

V

Then she gave one to Grandpa, and Grandpa said it made him think ‘Blackberry tart!’

And Grandma said, ‘Blackberry jelly!’

And Uncle said, ‘Stewed blackberry-andapple!’

And Aunty said, ‘A plate of fresh blackberries with sugar and cream!’

‘My!’ thought Milly-Molly-Mandy, as she threw away the empty leaf, ‘I must get a big, big basket and go blackberrying the very next Saturday, so that there can be lots of puddings and jam and tarts and jelly and stewed blackberry-and-apple and fresh blackberries, for Farver and Muvver and Grandpa and

Grandma and Uncle and Aunty — and me! I’ll ask Susan to come too.’

So the very next Saturday Milly-Molly- Mandy and little-friend- Susan set out Avith big baskets (to hold the blackberries) and hooked sticks (to pull the brambles nearer) and stout boots (to keep the prickles off) and old frocks (lest the thorns should catch). And they walked and they walked, till they came to a place where they knew there was always a lot of blackberries — at the proper time of year, of course.

But when they came to the place — oh, dear! — they saw a notice-board stuck up just inside a gap in the fence. And the notice-board said, as plain as anything:

TRESPASSERS

WILL BE

PROSECUTED

M illy- M oily- Mandy Goes Blackberrying

Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend- Susan knew that meant ‘You mustn’t come here, because the owner doesn’t want you, and it’s his land.’

Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend- Susan looked at each other very solemnly indeed. Then Milly-Molly-Mandy said, ‘I don’t s’pose - anyone would see if we went in.’

And little-friend-Susan said, ‘I don’t s’pose they’d miss any of the blackberries.’

And Milly-Molly-Mandy said, ‘But it wouldn’t be right.’

And little-friend-Susan shook her head very

So they took up their baskets and sticks and moved away, trying not to feel hurt about it, although they had come a long way to that place.

They didn’t know quite what to do with

3^ themselves after that, for there seemed to be no blackberries anyvrhere else, so they amused themselves by walking in a dry ditch close by the fence, shuffling along in the leaves with their stout little boots that were to have kept the prickles off.

And suddenly — what do you think thfey saw? A little ball of brown jFur, just ahead of them among the grasses in the ditch.

‘Is it a rabbit?’ whispered little-friend-Susan. They crept closer.

‘It is a rabbit!’ whispered Milly-Molly-Mandy.

‘Why doesn’t it run away?’ said little-friend- Susan, and she stroked it. The little ball of fur wriggled. Then Milly-Molly-Mandy stroked it, and it wriggled again.

Then Milly-Molly-Mandy exclaimed, ‘I believe it’s got its head stuck in a hole in the bank!’

Milly-Molly-Mandj and little-friend- Susan set out

And they looked, and that was just what had happened. Some earth had fallen down as bunny was burrowing, and it couldn’t get its head out again.

So Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan carefully dug with their fingers, and loosened the earth round about, and as soon as btinny’s head was free he shook his ears and stared at them.

Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan sat very still, and only smiled and nodded gently to show him he needn’t be afraid, because they loved him.

And then little bunny turned his head and ran skitter-scutter along the ditch and up the bank, into the wood and was gone.

‘Oh!’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘we always wanted a rabbit, and now we’ve got one, Susan!’

Milly-Mollj-Mandy Goes Blackherrying

‘Only we’d rather ours played in the fields with his brothers and sisters instead of stopping in a poky hutch,’ said little-friend- Susan.

‘And if we’d gone trespassing we should never have come here and found him,’ said Milly-Molly-Mandy. ‘I’d much rather have a little rabbit than a whole lot of blackberries.’

And when they got back to the nice white cottage with the thatched roof, where Milly- Molly-Mandy lived. Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty all said they would much rather have a little rabbit running about in the woods than all the finest blackberries in the world.

However, the next Saturday Milly-Molly- Mandy and little-friend-Susan came upon a splendid place for blackberrying, without any notice-board; ^and Milly-Molly-Mandy gathered such a big basketful that there was enough to make blackberry puddings and jam and tarts and jelly and stewed blackberry-and-apple and fresh blackberries for Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty — and Milly-Molly-Mandy too.

And all the time a little rabbit skipped about in the woods and thought what a lovely world it was.

(And that’s a true story!)

Chapter Five Milly- Molly- Mandy Goes to a Party

Once upon a time something very nice happened in the village where Milly-Molly- Mandy and her Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty lived. Some ladies clubbed together to give a party to all the children in the village, and of course Milly-Molly-Mandy was invited.

Little-friend-Susan had an invitation too, and Billy Blunt (whose father kept the corn-shop where Milly-Molly-Mandy ’s Uncle got his chicken-feed), and Jilly, the little niece of Miss Muggins (who kept the shop where Milly- Molly-Mandy ’s Grandma bought her knittingwool), and lots of others whom Milly-Molly- Mandy knew.

It was exciting.

Milly-Molly-Mandy had not been to a real party for a long time, so she was very pleased and interested when Mother said, ‘Well, Milly- Molly-Mandy^ you must have a proper'new dress for a party like this. We must think what we can do.’

So Mother and Grandma and Aunty thought together for a bit, and then Mother went to the big wardrobe and rummaged in her bottom

Milly-Molly-Mandj Goes to a Party drawer until she found a most beautiful white silk scarf, which she had worn when she was married to Father, and it was just wide enough to be made into a party frock for Milly-Molly- Mandy.

Then Grandma brought out of her best handkerchief-box a most beautiful lace handkerchief, which would just cut into a little collar for the neck of the party frock.

And Aunty brought out of her small top drawer some most beautiful pink ribbon, all smelling of lavender — just enough to make into a sash for the party frock.

And then Mother and Aunty set to work to cut and stitch at the party frock, while Milly- Molly-Mandy jumped up and down and handed pins when they were wanted.

The next day Father came in with a paper parcel for Milly-Molly-Mandy bulging in his coat-pocket, and when Milly-Molly-Mandy unwrapped it she found the most beautiful little pair of red shoes inside!

And then Grandpa came in and held out his closed hand to Milly-Molly-Mandy, and when Milly-Molly-Mandy got his fingers open she found the most beautiful little coral necklace inside!

And then Uncle came in, and he said to Milly-Molly-Mandy, ‘What have I done with my handkerchief?’ And he felt in all his pockets, ‘Oh, here it is!’ And he pulled out the most beautiful little handkerchief with a pink border, which of course Milly-Molly-Mandy just knew was meant for her, and she wouldn’t let Uncle wipe his nose on it, which he pretended he was going to do!

Milly-Molly-Mandy was so pleased she hugged everybody in turn — Father, Mother,

Millj-Mollj-Mandy Goes to a Partj

Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, and Aunty.

At last the great day arrived, and little - friend- Susan, in her best spotted dress and silver bangle, called for Milly-Molly-Mandy, and they went together to the village institute, where the party was to be.

There was a lady outside who welcomed them in, and there were more ladies inside who helped them to take their things off. And everywhere looked so pretty, with garlands of coloured paper looped from the ceiling, and everybody in their best clothes.

Most of the boys and girls were looking at a row of toys on the mantelpiece, and a lady explained that they were all prizes, to be won by the children who got the most marks in the games they were going to have. There was a lovely fairy doll and a big Teddy Bear and a picture-book and all sorts of things.

4^

And at the end of the row was a funny little white cotton-wool rabbit with a pointed paper hat on his head. And directly Milly-Molly- Mandy saw him she wanted him dreadfully badly, more than any of the other things.

Little-friend- Susan wanted the picture-book, and Miss Muggins’s niece, Jilly, wanted the fairy doll. But the black, beady eyes of the little cotton- wool rabbit gazed so wistfully at Milly-Molly-Mandy that she determined to try ever so hard in all the games and see if she could win him.