The Enid Blyton Society

The Lonely Old House - Enid Blyton's Treasury (Evans Brothers 1947)

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This short story really reminded me of another longer story - see what you think?

Also,just how many characters can you remember that regularly carried a stout rope around their waist?

Did you ever know anybody who did the same thing?

The picture I once used for the caption competition was from 'The Lonely Old House'. I love all of the stories in Enid Blyton's Treasury - its a book I would recommend everyone get, as Enid wrote every story especially for it.



I can't actually think of a story where a child has a rope around their waist. I think it happened quite a few times, but I couldn't say exactly which books. Was Spiggy holes one and maybe The Secret Island?

A good story Pete - and yes, I immediately thought of .... you know who.. from the second book of a series. I won't say who just in case anyone else wants to have a guess after reading it. I was also reminded of "The Treasure Hunters". I have Enid Blyton's Treasury and must have first read that story soon after it was published! Needless to say, I had largely forgotten it.
When I first read her books with boys who had ropes round their waists, I was only aware of the kind of rope we found in a gymnasium and couldn't imagine how on earth.... Even thinking about a washing line sized rope, it is hard to think one of any useful length could be wound about one's person without great discomfort, to say nothing about it being rather obvious that something was hidden beneath a jumper!
I remember Jack in Valley of Adventure had one conveniently to hand!

Daisy wrote: When I first read her books with boys who had ropes round their waists, I was only aware of the kind of rope we found in a gymnasium and couldn't imagine how on earth....

Yes, me too! Or a rope my dad had in his garage which was like a towing rope - about an inch and half thick. I always imagined the ropes around waists to be this big - never a thin washing line thickness.

It always reminded me a bit of Fatty and Co and The Mystery of the Secret Room, in parts, then the Secret Series of rescuing the prince. I think there is quite a mixture of stories in The Lonely House. It even reminded me a bit of The Treasure Hunters too, following a secret passage.


I see you must have posted just before mine, Daisy, and we both thought of The Treasure Hunters.

A bit like Cliff Castle maybe as well as Treasure Hunters with a touch of Boy Next Door.

I think Cliff Castle was another where one of the boys had rope round his waist.

GloomyGraham wrote:
I think Cliff Castle was another where one of the boys had rope round his waist.

Thank you GloomyGraham, I Couldn't find a reference in Cliff Castle,but there is one in the book it's been published with in some editions,Smuggler Ben:

Smuggler Ben:

The children tugged away at armfuls of heather and soon got the tough roots out. The sides of the hole fell away as they took out the heather. Ben switched his torch on when it was fairly large. There seemed to be quite a big drop down. " We'd better slide down a rope," he said. " We haven't got one," said Alec. " I've got one round my waist," said Ben, and undid a piece of strong rope from under his red belt. A stout gorse bush stood not far off, and Ben wound it round the strong stem at the bottom, pricking himself badly but not seeming to feel it at all.