The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook Read online

  Contents

  Foreword

  1 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Errands

  2 Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends a Penny

  3 Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets her Great-Aunt

  4 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Blackberrying

  5 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Party

  6 Milly-Molly-Mandy Enjoys a Visit

  7 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Gardening

  8 Milly-Molly-Mandy Keeps Shop

  9 Milly-Molly-Mandy Gives a Party

  10 Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets to Know Teacher

  11 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Fête

  12 Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a Surprise

  13 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Concert

  14 Milly-Molly-Mandy’s Mother Goes Away

  15 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to the Sea

  16 Milly-Molly-Mandy Minds a Baby

  17 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes on an Expedition

  18 Milly-Molly-Mandy Helps to Thatch a Roof

  19 Milly-Molly-Mandy Keeps House

  20 Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Blacksmith’s Wedding

  21 Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a New Dress

  About the Author

  Foreword

  One day, about seventy-five years ago, a lady called Joyce Lankester Brisley sketched a picture of a family on the back of an envelope. It was a country family, standing in a row: Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunty – and a lively little girl with bobbed hair wearing a striped dress. Joyce named her Milly-Molly-Mandy (‘a long name, though she was so little’ ) and the stories she went on to write and illustrate about her have that special something that makes children still want to read them, even in our own very difficult times.

  I loved them from the start, from the first time I came across them when I was about the same age as Milly-Molly-Mandy herself. I read and reread them, over and over, tracing her comings and goings around the village with my finger on the important picture-map which appears at the front of this book: the short cut across the fields to school, the forge where the blacksmith hammers out iron horseshoes, the pond, the houses where her friends Billy Blunt, little-friend-Susan and Miss Muggins’ Jilly live. There are no cars in the picture, just one bus driving past the Big House. There was very little traffic then, not even many bicycles. Children walked everywhere, very often on their own, ran messages for the grown-ups, went to play with their friends and roamed about freely in the fields and woods much more than children do today. Nearly all the stories happen in or around the village. Sometimes Milly-Molly-Mandy drives into the nearby market town with Grandpa or Uncle in the ‘trap’, drawn by Twinkletoes the pony. But outings like the time when she and the other village children take a bus and then a train for a day trip to the seaside don’t happen very often, and that makes them all the more exciting.

  Joyce Lankester Brisley is very good at giving you exact details of Milly-Molly-Mandy’s home: the rush-seated wooden chairs, the dresser with its rows of plates and jugs, the rag rugs, the china ornaments on the fretwork corner shelf in the spare room. I felt I could move from room to room in that cottage and feel absolutely at home there. Now, when I am writing and illustrating my own ‘Alfie’ stories, I remember how interesting it was to know so much about the background of a storybook character. I have a complete picture of Alfie’s house and back garden, and his grandma’s house, in my head. I save up small details and store them away. I may not have put them all in yet, but I know I will need them one day.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy and her family are always making and growing things. Very little is wasted or thrown away. All sorts of bits and pieces are carefully kept and come in useful again, like the scraps of ribbon and silk that Milly-Molly-Mandy collects to make a tea cosy for Mother, or Grandma’s white silk scarf and Aunty’s lace handkerchief, which come out of the drawer to be made into a party frock for Milly-Molly-Mandy. There seem to be very few toys (except for the cotton-wool rabbit booby prize which she so much wanted) because she is mostly busy doing things outside with her friends and Toby the dog.

  Food is very important, as it is in all the best stories: potato cakes, hot from the oven, blackberry jam and jelly, baked potatoes (called ‘lid potatoes’, with a very exact description of how to make them), raspberry drops and aniseed balls from Miss Muggins’ shop, and even the delicious clump of fresh mustard and cress, which Milly-Molly-Mandy herself grows from seed and sells to Mrs Moggs for twopence.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy plays her part in village life. She often has to take on quite serious tasks like going on an errand and remembering all the things she has to buy and how much each costs, minding the shop when Miss Muggins is called away, and working hard to help tidy and paint the house when mother is away having a holiday. ‘My Muvver says we’d be like apple-trees which didn’t grow apples if we didn’t be useful,’ she tells Billy Blunt.

  I suppose the world of Milly-Molly-Mandy is what we call an ideal one, where grown-ups are never cross or children naughty and quarrelsome. But when things in our own lives are sometimes difficult, reading these stories is like being wrapped up in a warm, reassuring blanket. Something we all need, now and again.

  When I first read these stories, long ago, and later to my daughter Clara when she was a little girl, I never dreamed she would one day become an illustrator herself. Milly-Molly-Mandy has indeed become part of our lives and will, I hope, become part of yours too.

  1

  Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Errands

  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 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’ cottage and ask for the trowel he borrowed from me!”

  So Milly-Molly-Mandy said, “Yes, Farver!” 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, Muvver!” 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’ shop – here’s a 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-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 I 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 I promise to take you for a walk when I 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 seesaw! 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’ 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’ little shop.

  “Please, Miss Muggins, can I 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 I 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’ 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. “I 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.

  2

  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 good 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-and-cress,” said Father, who was gardening. Milly-Molly-Mandy thought that quite a good idea.

  “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.

  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 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 two pence for it.

  So Milly-Molly-Mandy had done one of the nice things and spent her penny, and now she had two pence!

  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, “plea
se 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.

  MILLY-MOLLY-MANDY FINDS A PENNY

  “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.

  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.