Milly Molly Mandy and Billy Blunt Read online

  Contents

  1 Milly-Molly-Mandy Rides a Horse

  2 Milly-Molly-Mandy Does an Errand

  3 Milly-Molly-Mandy Finds a Parcel

  4 Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Excavating

  5 Milly-Molly-Mandy Has an Adventure

  6 Milly-Molly-Mandy on Bank Holiday

  7 Milly-Molly-Mandy Has American Visitors

  8 Milly-Molly-Mandy and a Wet Day

  9 Milly-Molly-Mandy Makes some Toffee

  About the Author

  1

  Milly-Molly-Mandy Rides a Horse

  Once upon a time Milly-Molly-Mandy was out playing at horses with little-friend-Susan and Billy Blunt.

  There was a clearing in the woods near the nice white cottage with the thatched roof, where Milly-Molly-Mandy lived, and they had found some fallen branches and were galloping astride them along a mossy track.

  Then Billy Blunt saw a low-growing branch of a tree which he climbed on, and sat bouncing up and down exactly like real horse-riding. Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan had to stop and watch him, till he let them each have a go.

  Then he said firmly, “Now it’s my turn.” And he got on again and bounced solemnly up and down, while Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan pranced around on their sticks.

  (Horse-riding is very good exercise!)

  Presently what did they hear but a thud-thudding sound, like real horses’ hoofs. And what did they see but five or six real horse-riders come riding along down the mossy track.

  “Oh, look!” cried Milly-Molly-Mandy.

  “Live horses!” cried little-friend-Susan.

  “Mind yourselves!” called Billy Blunt, from his tree.

  So they stood well to one side as the horses passed in single file, hoofs thudding, harnesses creaking, breaths snorting.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan and Billy Blunt hardly looked at the riders, till one small one in fawn knee-breeches turned her head and said, “Hullo!” to them.

  “OH, LOOK!” CRIED MILLY-MOLLY-MANDY

  It was the little girl Jessamine, who lived at the Big House with the iron railings near the cross-roads.

  “Well!” said Milly-Molly-Mandy, as the party cantered out into the road towards the village; “fancy Jessamine having a real horse!”

  “Isn’t she lucky!” said little-friend-Susan.

  “It’s the riding school,” said Billy Blunt. “She’s learning riding.”

  Somehow, their pretend-horses didn’t seem quite such fun now. Billy Blunt stopped bouncing and climbed down.

  “I wish we’d got real horses to ride on,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy.

  “So do I,” said little-friend-Susan.

  Billy Blunt said, “Well, what about your old Twinkletoes?”

  “He’s Grandpa’s pony,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy. “He isn’t meant for riding.”

  “He pulls their market-cart,” said little-friend-Susan.

  “But he is a horse,” said Billy Blunt.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy stood and thought.

  “I don’t believe they’d let us ride him,” she said; “but we could ask, couldn’t we?”

  “Oh, do!” said little-friend-Susan.

  “No harm asking,” said Billy Blunt.

  So they all ran down the road to the nice white cottage with the thatched roof, into the kitchen, where Mother was busy ironing shirts.

  “Oh, Mother!” asked Milly-Molly-Mandy. “Please may we go horse-riding on Twinkletoes?”

  “Well, now!” said Mother; “you’d better see what Father has to say!”

  So they ran outside to the barn, where Father was busy sorting potatoes.

  “Father!” asked Milly-Molly-Mandy. “Please may we go horse-riding on Twinkletoes?”

  “Why, where do you want to go?” asked Father. “Land’s End or John o’Groats?”

  “Oh, no,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy (she wasn’t sure where either of those places were), “only just in the meadow, perhaps—”

  “Well, now,” said Father, “perhaps you’d better see what Grandpa has to say!”

  So they ran around to the stable, where Grandpa was busy mending a broken strap.

  “Grandpa!” asked Milly-Molly-Mandy; “please may we go horse-riding on Twinkletoes?”

  Grandpa didn’t answer at once. Then he said slowly:

  “Well, you know, he’s not exactly used to folks sitting on him, is old Twinkletoes. But we might try!”

  So Grandpa tried putting a bridle on Twinkletoes and strapping an old blanket across his back for a saddle. Then he stooped to lift Milly-Molly-Mandy up.

  But Milly-Molly-Mandy said quickly, “Billy Blunt ought to have first go!” (Maybe she wanted to see if Twinkletoes would mind being ridden!)

  So Grandpa held the bridle while Billy Blunt got on. And after a moment Twinkletoes clip-clopped slowly across the yard, with Billy Blunt sitting joggling on his back.

  They all went into the meadow, and Grandpa stood by the gate, watching. It was very exciting!

  “Does it feel nice?” Milly-Molly-Mandy called up to Billy Blunt.

  “It looks lovely!” called little-friend-Susan.

  “Not bad,” returned Billy Blunt. (He was really enjoying it like anything!) “Look out you don’t get under his feet!”

  They went right across the meadow, and Twinkletoes didn’t seem to mind a bit. When they got back to the gate again Billy Blunt slid down, and then Grandpa helped little-friend-Susan up. (Milly-Molly-Mandy had to keep jumping because it was so exciting and so hard to wait her turn! – but of course visitors should have first go.)

  Little-friend-Susan only wished that old Twinkletoes wouldn’t keep stopping to nibble the grass!

  At last Milly-Molly-Mandy’s turn came.

  She was lifted on to the pony’s broad back (it felt awfully high!) and off he went, with Milly-Molly-Mandy holding tight to his mane.

  It was terribly thrilling! But soon she was able to sit up and look about a bit. It felt rather like being on a rocking-chair, as Twinkletoes ambled slowly along with his head drooping, while little-friend-Susan picked daisies and Billy Blunt romped with Toby the dog.

  Suddenly – what do you think? – Twinkletoes seemed to stumble on a rough bit of ground. And next moment Milly-Molly-Mandy slid sprawling over his head down into the long grass!

  The others all came running to help her up, Toby the dog barking at poor Twinkletoes, who stood shaking his head in a puzzled sort of way.

  “You let his head hang down, didn’t you?” said Grandpa; “and he kind of went to sleep! You want to let him feel the reins, only don’t pull on them. You’ll learn. Up with you, now!”

  But Milly-Molly-Mandy wasn’t sure she wanted any more riding just at present. “It’s Billy’s turn again,” she said.

  But Billy Blunt said, “No! You should always get on at once if you fall off a horse. Go on, get on.”

  So then Milly-Molly-Mandy got on. And Twinkletoes trotted with her so nicely round the meadow that they all forgot about the tumble.

  “Can we have some more rides soon?” asked Milly-Molly-Mandy, as she got down and they all stood patting Twinkletoes.

  Grandpa said, Yes, another day, when he had had time to see about some stirrups.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt and little-friend-Susan were glad to think they had a real horse to ride on now, like the little girl Jessamine!

  2

  Milly-Molly-Mandy Does an Errand

  Once upon a time Milly-Molly-Mandy went on an errand to the village. (It was only to get a tin of cocoa which Mother had forgotten to order.)

  When she came to the grocer’s shop Mr Smale the grocer was outside his door,
opening up a box of kippers. (Kippers do smell rather kippery, so Milly-Molly-Mandy guessed Mr Smale preferred to keep them outside – where people passing could see them too: he didn’t often sell kippers.)

  While Milly-Molly-Mandy waited till he had done, someone came out of the baker’s shop next door, carrying a heavy shopping-basket and an umbrella, as well as a loaf of bread.

  It was one of the Miss Thumbles, who lived in a cottage by the duck-pond. There were two Miss Thumbles, sisters, both so alike that the only way Milly-Molly-Mandy could tell them apart was that one always seemed to wear a hat, even to go in the garden. That was Miss Thumble. The other one, of course, was the Other Miss Thumble.

  But today, being rather cold and windy, this Miss Thumble wore a warm woolly scarf tied over her grey hair. So Milly-Molly-Mandy really couldn’t be sure whether she were Miss Thumble or the Other Miss Thumble.

  Seeing the newly opened box of kippers, Miss Thumble (or perhaps it was the Other Miss Thumble) stopped and said:

  “Dear me! I should like a couple of those – my sister does enjoy a nice grilled kipper for her tea! But how I’m going to manage to carry everything—”

  Mr Smale quickly clapped two flat glistening brown kippers together and went into the shop to wrap them up. So Milly-Molly-Mandy said:

  “Shall I carry your bread for you?”

  And she took it, while Miss Thumble thankfully put her basket down on the step to find her purse, and went inside to pay.

  As Milly-Molly-Mandy waited there, with the loaf of bread and the basket, who should look over the Blunts’ garden gate opposite but Billy Blunt! He came out and strolled across the road, hands in pockets.

  “Hullo! That’s not your basket,” said Billy Blunt.

  “No,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy. “It’s Miss Thumble’s. I’m helping to carry her things.”

  “You can’t carry that,” said Billy Blunt.

  “Yes, I can,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy. “Some of it.”

  “It’s too heavy,” said Billy Blunt.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy rather hoped he was going to offer to help too. But he only turned and went back in at the garden gate, just as Miss Thumble came out of the shop.

  She thanked Milly-Molly-Mandy for keeping an eye on her basket, and tried to find room in it for the parcel of kippers. But one thing and another kept falling out – potatoes and cheese and a big round cabbage – rolling about on the pavement.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy picked them up, very nearly dropping the loaf at the same time.

  “Here, give ’em here,” said Billy Blunt.

  He had come out again, pulling his little old box-on-wheels with him.

  Putting the heavy basket into it, with all the odd potatoes and kippers and things, he set off hauling it along the road, past the forge and round by the duck-pond, Milly-Molly-Mandy following hugging the loaf, and Miss Thumble stumping after them looking as pleased as anything!

  By the little cottages they stopped, and Miss Thumble rattled the letter-box of one. And presently the door opened; and there was the other Miss Thumble, wearing felt slippers and a hat. (So Milly-Molly-Mandy knew she must be Miss Thumble, and the first one was the Other Miss Thumble.)

  They all helped to pile the things on to the kitchen table, and both the Miss Thumbles were very grateful at having so much kind help.

  “I know my sister finds the shopping very heavy at times,” said Miss Thumble.

  “But I don’t usually have quite so much to carry all at once!” said the Other Miss Thumble.

  She opened one of the packages for her sister to offer the visitors each a biscuit before they left. And though Billy Blunt wasn’t too keen on oatmeal biscuits he took one and said thank-you nicely, and so did Milly-Molly-Mandy. (She liked all kinds of biscuits – but some more than others, of course!)

  They walked, munching together, back with the empty cart as far as the Blunts’ gate.

  Billy Blunt said, “We’d better see if they’d like us to carry their shopping for them other times.”

  “Yes, let’s!” said Milly-Molly-Mandy. “They haven’t anyone to run errands for them.”

  SAT DOWN TO ENJOY THEIR KIPPERS

  And then she suddenly remembered her own errand!

  And she said goodbye to Billy Blunt and ran across the road to the grocer’s to get the tin of cocoa for Mother. (The kippers, she noticed, were nearly sold out already.)

  When she got home to the nice white cottage with the thatched roof she told Mother all about the Miss Thumbles, and also about the kippers at the grocer’s. Mother said:

  “Yes! Father happened to be passing, and he saw them too. He’s just bought a dozen.”

  So that evening, when Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty sat down to enjoy their kippers (Milly-Molly-Mandy had half a one, with the bones carefully picked out, on a slice of toast) they liked to think of Miss Thumble and the Other Miss Thumble enjoying their kippers too!

  3

  Milly-Molly-Mandy Finds a Parcel

  Once upon a time Milly-Molly-Mandy walked down to the village with little-friend-Susan, who had to buy some things for her mother at Mr Smale the grocer’s shop. (It’s always nicer to do that sort of thing with somebody than just by yourself.)

  While she waited outside (because there were several people in the shop, so it was rather full) Milly-Molly-Mandy noticed a man, coming along the pavement opposite, stoop as if to pick up something. Then he straightened himself, looked around, and said “Ha Ha!” rather loudly, and walked on.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy thought it seemed a bit funny; but grown-ups sometimes did do funny things, so she didn’t think more about it. And little-friend-Susan came out just then with a big bag in her arms.

  “Let’s have a look in Miss Muggins’ shop!” said Milly-Molly-Mandy.

  So they crossed over and looked in the window (because Miss Muggins sold toys and sweets as well as ladies’ things, and it’s always fun to see what you might buy if you could!).

  But there was nothing new, so they were just going on when Milly-Molly-Mandy said:

  “Look! What’s this?”

  “What’s what?” said little-friend-Susan, clutching her bag.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy pointed.

  “Someone must have dropped it,” she said.

  It was a neat little parcel tied with string.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy bent to pick it up. But – what do you think? – it slid away from her along the pavement! She let out a squeal, and little-friend-Susan dropped an orange from her bag.

  But, while picking it up for her, Milly-Molly- Mandy noticed something! Pushing the orange back in the bag, she whispered:

  “SOMEONE MUST HAVE DROPPED IT,” SHE SAID

  “Susan! don’t talk loud, but there’s some black cotton tied to that parcel, and I think it goes behind the fence into the Blunts’ garden!” Then in her usual voice she said, “We’d best hurry home before you drop any more things, Susan!” – as if quite forgetting what was on the ground.

  Then she crept to the fence adjoining Miss Muggins’ shop and peeped over. And behind some bushes in the Blunts’ garden she could just see a bit of Billy Blunt’s leg!

  “Ha ha!” she called out (like the man she had watched), “we can see you! You thought you’d had us, didn’t you?”

  Billy Blunt’s grinning face looked round the bush. “So I did,” he said, “had you nicely!”

  “Can we come in there with you, and watch?” said little-friend-Susan. “There’s someone coming along!”

  “Hurry up, then, and don’t make a lot of row,” said Billy Blunt.

  So Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan hurried in at the gate and over to the bushes where Billy Blunt was hiding. And they made themselves as small as possible behind him, while he held the end of his thread and waited.

  Young Mrs Rudge the blacksmith’s wife, going to see if Miss Muggins sold hair-curlers (she did), stooped to pick up the package. Billy Blunt twitched it away from her, and she c
alled out, “Now, Billy Blunt! – you and your monkey-tricks!” – though she couldn’t have seen him!

  Then Miss Muggins’ Jilly came by with a handful of chocolate-drops (which her aunty must have given her). She nearly trod on the little parcel before she saw it.

  Billy Blunt pulled the thread, but Miss Muggins’ Jilly’s foot was on it, and the cotton broke.

  She picked up the package (not noticing the bit of black thread dangling), and, seeing the stamp, supposed it had been dropped by somebody going to the post. So, like a thoughtful little girl, she went and popped it into the letter-box outside Mr Smale the grocer’s shop!

  “Ohhh!” whispered Milly-Molly-Mandy and little-friend-Susan together, watching from the other side of the fence. “She’s posted it!” upon a time, as Milly-Molly

  Billy Blunt doubled up with silent laughter.

  “She never noticed the address – and that it wasn’t a proper stamp!”

  “What had you put on it?” whispered Milly-Molly-Mandy.

  “Mr Nobody, Grand View, The Moon – and a stamp off an old envelope!”

  They all nearly burst with laughing, in among the bushes.

  “But the postman can’t deliver it, so what will he do?” whispered little-friend-Susan.

  “He’ll have to open it!” Billy Blunt exploded.

  “What’s inside?” they asked.

  “Ssh! – just a stone and a bit of paper with ‘Ever been had?’ ” Billy Blunt said, and set them all off again.

  “Oh, but poor Mr Jakes,” said Milly-Molly-Mandy, then, “and he’s such a nice postman! It’s too bad to take him in!”

  “But I never meant for him to be taken in,” said Billy Blunt, “and he mustn’t ever know who’s done it.”

  “Can’t we do something nice to make up?” said Milly-Molly-Mandy.

  “Send him something nice in a parcel,” said little-friend-Susan.

  “Then he might suspect,” said Billy Blunt; “and after all, we didn’t post it!”

  Miss Muggins’ Jilly had gone now, so they could come out of hiding and laugh all they wanted, as they couldn’t fool anyone else now. Little-friend-Susan took up her shopping-bag.