Secret Seven Shed?
- pete9012S
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Abbledy, abbledy, abbledy, oh excuse me, I didn't realise you had clicked onto my post, was just letting my tongue go loose!
Anyway, one thing about the Secret Seven and The Famous Five that really troubled my young mind was the fact that The Famous Five INCLUDED Timmy, and yet The Secret Seven EXCLUDED Scamper in their number...
Of course Scamper was sworn in temporarily in at least one of their adventures, but this temporal aberration, this travesty of logic, this inversion of my authors usually balanced and cohesive circulatory system of literary consistency left me baffled, perplexed and confused...
"Is your member newly elected yet?"
Anyway, one thing about the Secret Seven and The Famous Five that really troubled my young mind was the fact that The Famous Five INCLUDED Timmy, and yet The Secret Seven EXCLUDED Scamper in their number...
Of course Scamper was sworn in temporarily in at least one of their adventures, but this temporal aberration, this travesty of logic, this inversion of my authors usually balanced and cohesive circulatory system of literary consistency left me baffled, perplexed and confused...
"Is your member newly elected yet?"
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
An enjoyable poem, Rob, and I like the pictures!
Maybe Enid Blyton got tired of having to remember that one of the Five was a dog, Pete, and therefore made a deliberate decision not to have Scamper as one of the Seven. Including a canine member must have prevented her writing easily of the Five as a unit at times - e.g. she couldn't say, "The Five sailed off on their bicycles" or "The Five put on their jerseys."
Maybe Enid Blyton got tired of having to remember that one of the Five was a dog, Pete, and therefore made a deliberate decision not to have Scamper as one of the Seven. Including a canine member must have prevented her writing easily of the Five as a unit at times - e.g. she couldn't say, "The Five sailed off on their bicycles" or "The Five put on their jerseys."
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Daisy
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
That conjures up a wonderful picture Anita!Anita Bensoussane wrote: Maybe Enid Blyton got tired of having to remember that one of the Five was a dog, Pete, and therefore made a deliberate decision not to have Scamper as one of the Seven. Including a canine member must have prevented her writing easily of the Five as a unit at times - e.g. she couldn't say, "The Five sailed off on their bicycles" or "The Five put on their jerseys."
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
This is a very good point, and I think I made the same mistake in Five Go Off In A Narrow Boat where I would write things like 'The Five grinned happily' or 'The five played cards' etc.Anita Bensoussane wrote:An enjoyable poem, Rob, and I like the pictures!
Maybe Enid Blyton got tired of having to remember that one of the Five was a dog, Pete, and therefore made a deliberate decision not to have Scamper as one of the Seven. Including a canine member must have prevented her writing easily of the Five as a unit at times - e.g. she couldn't say, "The Five sailed off on their bicycles" or "The Five put on their jerseys."
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Courtenay
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Well, Timmy can certainly grin happily — and as for being clever enough to play cards, I wouldn't put it past him...
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- pete9012S
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Back to the Secret Seven...
I've been reading a few books in one sitting over the last few days.
Read this one today:
Burgess Sharrocks makes the shed look humongous!
No candles allowed...
But, in the book below naked flame candles, fireworks and mad dogs are all mixed up together in the Summerhouse:
Alas!
Derek Lucas - His depiction is not quite as dramatic!
I must research Secret Seven shed illumination and candles next...
I've been reading a few books in one sitting over the last few days.
Read this one today:
Burgess Sharrocks makes the shed look humongous!
The Secret Seven aren't too fussy, just a small raggedy rug is fine for them.It was very pleasant next day to turn out the old shed and make it tidy and clean. Gardener popped his
head in at the door, grunted and went away again, nodding his head in approval of all the tidying up
going on.
‘ ’Bout time too,’ they heard him mutter as he went up the path. Janet looked round the clean shed,
pleased with their work. Boxes to sit on — mugs on the little shelf, ready for any drinks that were
brought — seven little plastic plates for the biscuits, one for each member — the tin itself standing
proudly on a little box of its own — and an old, rather raggedy rug on the earth floor.
‘Nice!’ said Janet. ‘The shed smells a bit of apples, doesn’t it, Peter — there were some stored here
in the winter, you know. I’ve put the S.S. on the door. It’s a pity the shed has such a small window, it
makes it rather dark in here. But it’s not dark enough for candles, is it?’
‘No,’ said Peter. ‘Anyway, Mother gets scared if we have candles down here — says Scamper is
sure to knock one over and then up would go the shed in flames, and . . .’
No candles allowed...
But, in the book below naked flame candles, fireworks and mad dogs are all mixed up together in the Summerhouse:
Jack looked in his note-book. When was the next meeting? To-morrow night, in Peter's shed.
Well, that would be quite exciting, because all the members had been told to bring any fireworks they
had managed to buy for Bonfire Night—it would be fun looking through them all.
They finished up absolutely everything on the tea-table. There wasn't even a piece of the big
cherry cake left! Scamper, who had also been asked to tea, had his own dish of dog-biscuits with
shrimp paste on each. He was simply delighted, and crunched them up non-stop.
"Now we'll go to the summer-house. We'd
better take a candle it's so dark already," said Colin. " And don't forget your coats, everyone! "
" And the fireworks," said Peter.
So down they all went to the little wooden summer-house, carrying their fireworks. The house
had a wooden bench running all round it, and smelt a bit damp. Nobody minded that. It was such a
nice secret place to talk in, down at the bottom of the dark garden.
The candle was stuck in a bottle and lighted. There was no shelf to put it on, so Colin stood it in
the middle of the floor.
"Have to be careful of Scamper knocking it over! " said Peter. " Where is he ? "
" He's gone into the kitchen to make love to our cook," said Colin. "She's cooking a stew or
something, and Scamper smelt it. He'll be along soon. Now—stack the fireworks under the wooden
bench for the time being. That's right. We'll go through them when we've had the meeting."
Alas!
CHAPTER TWELVE
Oh, What a Pity!
COLIN and Jack took the bundles of fireworks out from under the wooden bench of the
summer-house. The Seven then knelt down on the floor to undo the parcels and the boxes. What a
lovely job!
"I wish we had a better light than just this flickering candle on the floor," said Pam. "It's
difficult to read the names of the fireworks! "
As they all bent over the fireworks by the light of the candle, they heard the sound of a bark, and
then scampering feet. Scamper had been let out of the kitchen door and was coming to find his friends.
Where were they ? Wuff! Wuff!
"Scamper!" called Janet from the summer-house. "We're here!"
Scamper tore down the garden path, barking madly. Anyone would think he had been away from
the seven children for a whole month, not just half an hour!
He rushed straight into the little summer-house —and over went the bottle with the lighted
candle in its neck! Crash!
"You idiot, Scamper," said Peter and reached to set the bottle upright again. The candle was
still alight.
But before he could take hold of it, the flame of the candle had licked against a bundle of
fireworks—they were alight! And not only were they alight, but they were fizzing and spluttering!
" They're going off! " yelled Peter. " Look out, Pam, look out, Barbara! "
Fizzzzzz! Pop-pop-pop! BANG !
Half a dozen fireworks went off together, and the seven children and Scamper tumbled
hurriedly out of the little summer-house, trying to get out of the way.
The loose paper on the floor had now been set alight too, and in its turn it set fire to a pile of
small fireworks, rather like squibs.
Bang
Derek Lucas - His depiction is not quite as dramatic!
I must research Secret Seven shed illumination and candles next...
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
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- pete9012S
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Found one already-book one!The passwords were whispered softly at the door of the shed, and soon there were five of the
Secret Seven there. Peter lighted a candle, and they all looked at one another in excitement.
Here's another:
The tea-party was fixed for half-past four, after school. Janet and Peter had carried everything down,
and the shed looked very gay and cosy. They had a small oil stove in one corner for warmth, six
candles stuck here and there, and a box for a table. Janet had put a cloth on it.
That shed is a health and safety deathtrap!!!
Derek Lucas omits the candles and heater in his depiction!
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
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- Courtenay
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Too right.pete9012S wrote: That shed is a health and safety deathtrap!!
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Sheds are wonderfully cosy, even without candles and oil stoves! It's lovely to huddle round a table in a dimly-lit, shadowy space, smelling the sweet scent of wood. My sister and I had a shed to play in when we were children and we felt really proud of it. Sometimes it was a mountain hut or a cave or caravan in our imaginations, and sometimes we used to practise detective skills in there with two friends as we were convinced we could one day solve a mystery like the Secret Seven or Find-Outers. We kept a wig and old clothes and make-up in the shed for disguising, paper and pens for writing messages in code, a home-made identikit, a collection of detective books and some charcoal powder (which we used with a small paintbrush and sellotape for taking fingerprints).
I'm always shocked when the Secret Seven go to their shed in one of the books and find that the gardener has filled it with onions. How dare he treat it as an ordinary shed, when it's clearly the hallowed headquarters of a successful band of detectives!
I'm always shocked when the Secret Seven go to their shed in one of the books and find that the gardener has filled it with onions. How dare he treat it as an ordinary shed, when it's clearly the hallowed headquarters of a successful band of detectives!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
You were so lucky to have a shed, Anita! I always wished we had a shed in our garden when I was a child, and I know I would have spent many happy hours in there with my friends. We sometimes built dens, and we did have a tree house over near the canal, and we occasionally played in my neighbours garage, which was like a big shed as they didn't use it for a car, and it had carpet etc - but I always envied anyone who had a shed, because sheds were where things happened and mysteries began!
I agree about the time when the gardener put onions in the Secret Seven shed - how dare he?! I always felt quite 'violated' if anything happened to the Seven's shed - like the time when Susie and her friends locked themselves in there (if my memory serves me correctly) - which I thought was practically treason!
I agree about the time when the gardener put onions in the Secret Seven shed - how dare he?! I always felt quite 'violated' if anything happened to the Seven's shed - like the time when Susie and her friends locked themselves in there (if my memory serves me correctly) - which I thought was practically treason!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- PaulB123
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
My younger sister !!! commandeered our shed for her play house so i would get my own back by using her dolls or her beloved Panda in our garden as goal posts when I played football or stumps for cricket
Duncan:
There is a war on. How is it you are heading west?
Hawkeye:
Well, we kinda face to the north and, real sudden-like, turn left.
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There is a war on. How is it you are heading west?
Hawkeye:
Well, we kinda face to the north and, real sudden-like, turn left.
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- Courtenay
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Was her name Susie, by any chance?
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Re: Secret Seven Shed?
When I'd read The Wishing Chair as a small boy, I'd visualise the concrete shed in our garden as the children's playroom. However, that was only on the outside. Inside was a very different matter. I'm afraid my Dad's always been something of a hoarder (and I take after him!) and it was almost totally full of junk such as old prams, bikes, gardening equipment, tools, old toys, blankets and goodness knows what else. There was literally only enough room for one person to stand in and gaze around at the tangled array of metal, wood, plastic before you. There was a small window at the back and possibly enough room for the Secret Seven to sit around discussing things, but I don't think I ever saw it empty, although it must have been when my parents moved in 2005. Thinking back, I would love to have sifted through all these memories from over the years, but it was probably so full of spiders you could forget it!Rob Houghton wrote:
Lol...Lady Brenda?
To me it looks bigger than I imagined the Secret Seven's shed...but then as a child I just wished we had a shed, because the Secret Seven had one, and so did Fatty - and even the Wishing Chair children had a 'playroom' at the bottom of the garden which I presume was a 'shed'. I used to feel very jealous of all those children with sheds! True, we had an air-raid shelter but it just wasn't the same as a cosy shed with an oil-lamp!
- IceMaiden
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
Sheds are wonderful things, so much potential to be anything! The houses I grew up in have always had a shed with them which my dad took for his tools, bikes and work things so they were full of heavy sharp and oily items, definitely not suitable for any kind of play space. I always wanted a shed of my own though, a secret hidden little space to myself where I could have or do anything I wanted. I eventually got one for my 18th birthday, only a small standard 6 x 4 one so not much could fit in it but to me it was perfection and I spent many many happy hours in it. It finally got too rotten to mend and I replaced it with a bigger, stronger one which I keep my chinchillas in (and bike if it's raining). It still wouldn't fit six children though hence my thought that the SS and FO's shed must have been pretty large.
- Lucky Star
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Re: Secret Seven Shed?
My Grandfather had a shed and I loved going into it. probably because of the Blytonian element. However his shed was so filled with tools and buckets and gardening implements that there was no way one could have held a meeting in there.
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