Teachers World Letters, Jan 1930 - July 1934

[Anita Bensoussane]

How interesting that Enid Blyton had two wells at Old Thatch - a "little surface well" and a "very deep well that we always use for our water."

Well (pun intended), Old Thatch is in Well End...

Good one, Nigel!

It does show Enid recycling the same basic plot several times even during a short period of her career, but she makes each version different enough that they each have a different atmosphere and are all enjoyable to read.

Yes, I quite enjoy comparing similar stories and seeing how Enid Blyton rings the changes.

[Moonraker]

Has anyone seen Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie in the same place together?

[Daisy]

On a book shelf?

[Moonraker]

You deserve a prize!

[Daisy]

Thanks Nigel

[Anita Bensoussane]

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I enjoyed reading about the newborn lamb, the lily-pond being at an unusually low level, the buds and the daffodils. The daffodils are only just starting to come out fully here in Essex, and Enid's seem to be late too - though of course she was writing at least a week in advance of publication. Other flowers have also been delayed because of the bitterly cold weather, such as snowdrops and crocuses. Yesterday I saw clumps of snowdrops, crocuses and primroses all flowering together, with the occasional daffodil (most of the daffodils in my area are still in bud).

Good riddles sent in by readers.

I'll decline Enid Blyton's invitation to draw a picture for her story 'The High-and-Mighty Frog' as I don't think an illustration by me would do the story justice, but if anyone else wants to draw one it would be fun to see it!

[Kate Mary]

The daffodils where I live are out and looking fine but some are still in bud so we should have a good display for a while yet. Excellent riddles sent in by Enid's readers, I'm not sure I could make up anything half as good now let alone when l was 8 or 9.

[Anita Bensoussane]

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An interesting letter from Enid and a clever puzzle from Bobs, who certainly managed to trick me! 'Spring Coats' is a jolly, jaunty poem and the story 'The Lion and the Lamb' is beautifully written. I chuckled at the sentence "'MARCH!' roared the lion, but the soldiers did not march - they ran!" The story is a vivid illustration of the saying about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb.

[Kate Mary]

I didn't get Bobs' puzzle either. A super story this week and a gorgeous poem. I don't suppose many town children managed to get out in the country to see lambs in the fields, most of them probably never saw sheep or cattle in their lives.

[Anita Bensoussane]

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Interesting news this week about a ringed starling found by Joyce Wintle, a schoolgirl from Swansea. Enid Blyton makes the most of the opportunity for a brief geography lesson as well as a nature lesson. Her comment, "Isn't it good to think that a girls' school in Wales can help a university in Eastern Europe?", shows that she wasn't insular as some critics have claimed.

'At Easter Time' is a beautiful poem. I particularly like the phrases "the dimpled stream" and "the dreaming wood". I enjoyed the 'What Am I?' puzzle too. As for 'The Easter Egg', it's a cleverly-constructed story with a very satisfying ending.

Thanks, Tony, for putting up these pages every week!

[Courtenay]

Yes, what lovely letters — I know hadn't even heard of Lithuania when I was at school in the late 1980s and early '90s, so I would have been fascinated by the ringed starling and Enid's geography lesson! And poor old Bobs gave me a laugh as usual.

I'm delighted to see Gillian calling her toy chicken a "chooky". "Chooks" or "chookies" is the standard colloquial term in Australia for chickens; I've always assumed it must come from one of the British dialects originally, but every time I've used the word over here, people just give me blank looks. Now I know it does come from Britain!

Also a lovely poem and a delightful story with a "pay it forward" or "one good turn deserves another" theme. And a clever little "What Am I?" riddle (with an answer that's my surname plus one more letter! ). Thanks as always, Tony, for sharing these with us every week.

[Wolfgang]

Yes, what lovely letters — I know hadn't even heard of Lithuania when I was at school in the late 1980s and early '90s, so I would have been fascinated by the ringed starling and Enid's geography lesson! And poor old Bobs gave me a laugh as usual.

It's not surprising that you haven't heard of it before because all Baltic states were (involuntary) members of the USSR. They became independent during the downfall of the USSR in the early 90s.

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=1181" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A chatty page, full of interest as usual. I like hearing about the birds at Old Thatch. Over the last two or three days I've seen magpies, tits and blackbirds preparing for nesting.

A funny letter from Bobs about Gillian's voice going down into her boots!

'The King's Treasure' is an enjoyable tale. As a child, I loved stories which drew my attention to something in nature and made me take a closer look at a particular flower, berry, tree, bird, animal, etc.

[Kate Mary]

I'm hearing plenty of birdsong now, Spring is here at last. Lovely amusing letters, Bobs' always makes me smile.

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=1182" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A lovely page, full of the joys of spring. Enid Blyton remarks that it has been a cold Easter at Old Thatch. It's been an unusually cold March and April here and it still doesn't really feel like spring yet. I went for a walk with my daughter yesterday and we saw masses of daffodils (quite a lot were still tightly in bud), buds on the trees and a coot on its nest, but it didn't feel warm at all and we were glad of our scarves and winter coats.