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Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 07 Jan 2017, 14:13
by Tony Summerfield
sixret wrote:
'tidak apa'!
I was shocked when I read it last Wednesday! I could understand it very well but I am not sure whether the rest of the forumites will understand the phrase. :lol: :wink:
When I went to Indonesia they had only just started accepting visitors in the country for the first time, and particularly in Sumatra almost nobody spoke any English, so I had to do a crash course in the language before I went. I thought 'tidak apa' was a wonderful expression and I heard it used frequently, normally when something went horribly wrong - a rickshaw driver crashing into something would just smile and say 'tidak apa!' - normally meaning 'not to worry' or 'never mind'. I believe it can be used in several different contexts, but I loved the expression and still use it today! My grandmother lived in what was then North Borneo for many years and she often used to use Malay expressions - especially when she didn't want us children to understand! :D

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 10:53
by sixret
That's a surprise! North Sumatera people is known as Melayu Deli. Their language is very similar to Bahasa Melayu(Malay language) here in Malaysia. But in this region, there are many variations(dialects) of Malay Language. Even I can have a tough time to understand some of the dialects. You are absolutely right, "tidak apa" simply means nevermind in English. The word is widely use even here in Malaysia although we, Malaysians always use a short form of it i.e. tak apa or even worse, takpa(which is not gramatically correct) but widely used in spoken language. :D

North Borneo is now known as Sabah, a state in Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak are two states of Malaysia that are situated in Borneo Island. Again, I could not understand their languages even though most of them are Malays or native people just like me! :D

You have travelled to so many countries, Tony(from what I have gathered here in the forum). And The Cave is one of the wonderful place you have explored so many times. :lol: :wink:

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 12:38
by sixret
My Sunny Stories collection. Hope it's ok to upload them here. :D

Image

Image

Some of earlier numbers.

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 13:01
by Rob Houghton
I sorted mine out yesterday - but its something I've never seriously collected - yet! I only have about 20 issues. The earliest one I have is number 36 - so I have quite a lot to buy! My trouble is, I want about 50 magazines for £10!! :lol:

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 13:24
by Tony Summerfield
I am sorry that I slightly went off topic here, but I have received a very interesting email and I want to revert to what this topic is meant to be about, Sunny Stories 80 Years Ago. The email had this scan attached.

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My first post showed this letter and underneath it the name Enid Blyton was printed, but this scan shows the same letter with a signature. I compiled the Sunny Stories indexes just over 20 years ago, and as very few will have copies I wanted to draw attention to something that I wrote in my notes for the 1937-1941 volume.

Approximately the first fifty were reprinted, probably in 1941 although no reference is made to this in magazines of the time. These are identical to the originals in every way except for the book advertisements and the back page (even the competition pages kept the original dates). All of the original pages list what is coming in the next issue but none of the reprints do.

I must admit that I had never noticed the difference in the letter, but I have now checked through a number of my early copies and all had the signature apart from Nos. 4, 6 and 7 (as I said in my original posts I don't actually have copies of 1, 2 and 3). I am now very uncertain about the last sentence that I wrote in my notes above as the copies I checked had a mixture of both back pages. In the issues above Nos 4 and 7 had adverts on the back, whilst No 6 talked about the next issue.

I have often said that I learn something new every day and it would seem that the letters started with a printed name, but went to the signature fairly quickly - it would be great to know exactly when!

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 13:32
by sixret
I compiled the Sunny Stories indexes just over 20 years ago, and as very few will have copies I wanted to draw attention to something that I wrote in my notes for the 1937-1941 volume.
I'm very glad to say that I have found one copy and have ordered it. :D

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 14:08
by pete9012S
Very interesting Tony.Thank you.

Further to the depiction of Old Thatch - I tried to compare the image posted above with one of my own more recent photographs.
I couldn't match the two depictions of Old Thatch up and decided to give up.

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 14:43
by Rob Houghton
I always presumed its meant to show this part of Old Thatch -

Image

But I agree, its difficult to match the two up! Perhaps there was some artistic licence on the illustration! 8)

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 08 Jan 2017, 15:15
by Anita Bensoussane
I don't think the drawing does show Old Thatch. It's a pity though!

Great collection of Sunny Stories, Sixret!

Interesting about the reprints, Tony.

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 08:41
by Kate Mary
Hurrah! Tony has given us another month's worth of bits and bobs from Sunny Stories. A delightful assortment of poems, puzzles, illustrations and an uncollected Brer Rabbit story with gorgeous Ernest Aris illustrations, one of my favourite illustrators - I have a print of his on my 'library' wall. Thank you for the many hours you must have spent slaving over a hot scanner Tony. We do appreciate it.

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 09:21
by Anita Bensoussane
Yes, thanks Tony! A real treat. I especially enjoyed the picture puzzles that involved finding things that were wrong, or items beginning with 'P'.

Amusing picture strips and charming poems, etc.

It's great to see the lovely illustrations by artists like Dorothy Wheeler, Hilda McGavin, E. H. Davie and Ernest Aris.

'Mr. Dog and Brer Rabbit' is a bit peculiar as we're told that Mr. Dog has "a brand new pair of shoes" and Ernest Aris shows both Brer Rabbit and Mr. Dog walking on their hind legs, as is customary. However, as the story goes on Mr. Dog removes four shoes from his four paws and Brer Rabbit asks to try them all on because "having shoes on behind but not in front makes me sort of rear up behind." Most confusing! :?

http://enidblytonsociety.co.uk/magazine ... ?magid=255" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 09:50
by Kate Mary
I haven't read the story yet Anita it does sound odd, perhaps that's why it's uncollected.

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 10:04
by Aussie Sue
Tony, regarding the sunny stories signature or printed Enid Blyton on her front page letter.
I have no.s 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 + all 1st printings as they all state what will be in next weeks issue.

5-8 all have Enid Blyton printed and from 9 onwards it is the signature.

Perhaps this was when she first established her signature as her 'brand'.

Hope this helps.

cheers
Sue

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 10:07
by number 6
Wow! I've only just started to really discover Enid's early work. It's all relatively new to me, but it's great to read all the posts from Tony & the comments from formites who really have a passion for Enid's work. I've enjoyed reading the stories & admiring the illustrations, but I've not posted any comments as I know very little about this side of Enid's early writing! A fish out of water, as they say! However, I'm keeping tabs with interest & I'm learning as I go! :D

Re: 80 Years Ago This Month - Sunny Stories 1937

Posted: 02 Feb 2017, 11:38
by Rob Houghton
Brilliant as always! I love the 'What's Wrong' games but I'm never 100% sure whether what I think is 'wrong' is just the artist drawing something wrong, or if its one of the deliberate mistakes! lol!

For Christmas I had the Famous Five 'What's Wrong' game and felt the same way about that!

You do such a lot of work, Tony, and I'm grateful to you, both with these Sunny Stories magazines, many of which I don't own myself, and also the scanning you do for my 60 Years Ago thread! :-D

One thing - could I please ask that proper links be put on this thread? I followed Anita's link but it didn't show me much! Where's the Brer Rabbit story?? :?