Children's Classics The Wind In The Willows

The Wind in the Willows is a children's classic literature by Kenneth Grahame, written in 1908. It is a story of adventure and friendship among four best friends; Badger, Rat, Mole and Toad.

Chapter I: The River Bank

The Wind in the Willows begins with Mole who is spring-cleaning his house when he finds that "something up above was calling him imperiously." Giving in to curiosity, he quickly digs his way to the world above. Everything is new to him. He has not even seen a river before. The first person he makes an acquaintance with is Water Rat, who invites Mole on a boat ride and an impromptu picnic. Rat explains much to Mole about aspects of the world above ground and the River Bank community. After the picnic, they head back upstream towards Rat's hole in the bank of the river. Mole ends up almost tip-ping the boat when he excitedly grabs the sculls (or oars) from Rat, which Rat readily forgives.

Chapter 2: the Open Road

Mole and Rat pay a visit to Mr. Toad. Toad is happy to have the company and pleased to meet Mr. Mole, and he convinces them to join him in a cart and horse trip, which is his latest craze. Their first two days on the road are fairly uneventful. On the third day, they come to their first high road, where they are nearly run down by an automobile moving at high speed. The cart is wrecked from veering off the road. Toad is taken by a new craze - automobiles - and becomes useless as Mole and Rat deal with the situation. They walk to the nearest town where they catch a train that takes them home.

Chapter 3: the Wild Wood

Mole decides to journey alone to the Wild Wood so he can meet Mr. Badger when he is unable to convince Rat to take him. At first, Mole is not alarmed upon entering the Wild Wood, but he quickly becomes lost and frightened. He ends up hiding in the hollow of a tree. When Rat becomes aware of Mole's absence, he sets out after him. He finds Mole and allows him to rest awhile before heading home. A sudden snowstorm hits in the meantime, making it difficult for them to find their way, and they become lost. Luckily they stumble upon the home of Mr. Badger.

Chapter 4: Mr. Badger

Mr. Badger promptly takes in the lost travelers. He feeds them, gives them dry clothes, and allows them to warm themselves by his fire. Rat fills in Mr. Badger on Toad's automobile craze, and they decide that once the winter has passed, they will "take Toad seriously in hand." Otter also arrives at Mr. Badger's. He explains how the River Bank community has been worried about Rat and Mole being gone. Mole and Badger get more acquainted while they tour the many passages of his home. Badger eventually takes his visitors to the edge of the Wild Wood in one of his extensive passages so that they can get home without further incident.

Chapter 5: Dulce Domum

Mole has a sudden and almost irresistible urge to see his home again after encountering its smell on a journey. Rat decides that they should go and see it, to Mole's delight. Since he has been away for so long, he doesn't have much for them to eat. A group of field mice stop by to sing carols. Mole is distressed at having nothing to feed them, as he has traditionally done in the past. Rat sends one of the mice off to buy groceries. The mice continue to entertain Mole and Rat until the food arrives, and they have supper. Rat tells Mole that he has a "ripping little house."

Chapter 6: Mr. Toad

Spring arrives, and Rat and Mole are preparing the boat for another season when Badger stops by to tell them that the time has come to intervene with Toad's irresponsible behavior with motorcars. Badger makes an unsuccessful attempt to requite Toad, after which they lock him in his room and guard him "till the poison has worked itself out of his system." Toad manages to escape. He steals a car, smashes it, and ends up in jail.

Chapter 7: the Piper At the Gates of Dawn

Rat, returning from an engagement with the Otters, brings news to Mole of the family's missing child, Portly. They decide to search for the boy by paddling upstream in the boat. Rat starts to hear beautiful music, which Mole is also eventually able to hear. They follow it until they find a mythical creature with horns and hoofed feet, at which lies the lost child, asleep. The creature vanishes, and they take the child to his father. Rat and Mole seem to forget their mythical helper, though they feel a little strange.

Chapter 8: Toad's Adventures

The jailor's daughter takes pity on Toad and devises a plan for his escape that involves disguising him as a washerwoman. Toad is able to attain his freedom but finds that he has rather limited resources since his coat and money, among other things, are still in his jail cell. An engine driver allows Toad aboard his train after being convinced that Toad is "a poor unhappy washerwoman." After riding for several miles, the engine driver realizes that they are being pursued by the police. Toad confesses all to the driver, who still manages to take pity on him. The driver slows down the train at an advantageous point and Toad jumps off. Having evaded his pursuers, he finds himself in an unfamiliar wood.

Chapter 9: Wayfarers All

Rat finds himself restless on a beautiful summer day. He encounters field mice making early preparations for winter as well as swallows who reminisce of their southern winter homes. Rat is thinking about what it would be like to do more traveling when a seafaring rat wanders by. The Sea Rat tells him of his experiences abroad. Upon his departure, the Sea Rat has convinced Rat to come with him. Rat returns home to gather a few things before heading off, but Mole is ultimately able to prevent him from leaving.

Chapter 10: the Further Adventures of Toad

Having spent a night in the unfamiliar wood, Toad is a little cold but happy to be free. He follows a canal and eventually encounters a horse towing a barge with a stout woman aboard. Using his washerwoman outfit to his advantage, he is able to convince the bargewoman to take him aboard. The woman sees through his disguise when Toad is unable to help her with her washing and throws him overboard. Insulted, he steals her horse, which he sells to a gypsy. Still needing a way to get home, he hails a passing motorcar, which turns out to be the car he had stolen earlier. He is not recognized through his disguise. Toad convinces the gentlemen in the car to let him drive for a while. In his excitement at being behind the wheel again, he reveals his identity and ends up smashing the car again. He is once more pursued by the police but escapes when he falls into the swift-moving river and is swept downstream.

Chapter 11: "like Summer Tempests Came His Tears"

The Water Rat pulls Toad from the water. After telling Rat of his adventures, he gets cleaned up. Rat tells Toad that Toad Hall has been taken over by Stoats and Weasels. Toad, infuriated, attempts to infiltrate his home twice but is repelled by the Stoat guards. Badger arrives at Rat's, having devised a plan that will allow Toad, Rat, Mole, and himself to liberate Toad Hall while the Weasels are enjoying a banquet in celebration of the Chief Weasel's birthday. On the morning they intend to carry out the plan, Mole journeys to Toad Hall alone and, using Toad's washerwomen disguise, beguiles the Stoats into believing that a massive invasion of Badgers, Rats, and Toads would be coming that night.

Chapter 12: the Return of Ulysses

After being outfitted with weapons by Rat, they follow a passage that takes them underneath Toad Hall and into the pantry. The Chief Weasel is in the midst of singing a derisive song about Toad when the four friends spring forth from the pantry, scaring away the Weasels at the banquet and the Stoats outside. The morning after the attack, Badger convinces Toad that he needs to have a banquet to celebrate. Preparations are made and invitations sent out. Shortly before the event, Toad gives a speech and sings a song to an imaginary audience in his room, though he is very humble when the actual guests arrive.

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Free The Wind in the Willows stationery to be printed out!

Characters based on the story by Kenneth Grahame. Illustration credit to Mary Jane Begin. Click the links and download: (you might need to tweak them a little when printing)

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