Page 21 of 93
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 05 Sep 2017, 13:26
by pete9012S
'Will My Dog Live Again?'
Many thanks indeed Sue for taking the time to reproduce that story.I found the title extremely intriguing and was not very sanguine about my prospects of ever having a chance to read it.
I don't discuss politics or religion online and I try my best to respect the views and beliefs of all however varied they are from each other.
What I will say is that I had a little dog called Pip that was born around the same time as me in 1967 and lived a good long life of around forteen or fifteen years.
It literally broke my heart when she passed away and I have never been able to bond with another dog in the same way although we have had marvelous dogs since then.
It's not the fault of the dogs we have had since.It's just that the bond with my first dog was so strong I was never really able to get over it. Some in my family mistakenly think I am not a dog lover because of this. I guess I just never want to give such affection and commitment to another pet and go through all the grief and sorrow again..
I love the dog we have now,Alfy. He is loyal,faithful,mad,clever,stupid and protective. My wife literally loves him to bits. I hold back just a bit fearing that same sadness and broken hearted feeling if we were ever to lose him..
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 05 Sep 2017, 13:39
by Anita Bensoussane
Aw, Pip sounds very special, Pete.
What would be the point of an afterlife without dogs, horses, birds, etc. - and even trees and flowers?
I'm reminded of an episode from the book
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, when the family drive their wagon through a creek and are shocked when the water rises swiftly, putting them in danger. Laura had wanted their dog, Jack, to ride in the wagon with them but Ma had said that he could swim across. After a hair-raising crossing, the family can't find Jack and Laura is devastated:
They had left him [Jack] on the other side of that dreadful water and now they could not see him anywhere. He must have tried to swim after them, but they could not see him struggling in the water now.
Laura swallowed hard, to keep from crying. She knew it was shameful to cry, but there was crying inside her. All the long way from Wisconsin poor Jack had followed them so patiently and faithfully, and now they had left him to drown. He was so tired, and they might have taken him into the wagon. He had stood on the bank and seen the wagon going away from him, as if they didn't care for him at all. And he would never know how much they wanted him.
Pa said he wouldn't have done such a thing to Jack, not for a million dollars. If he'd known how that creek would rise when they were in midstream, he would never have let Jack try to swim it. "But that can't be helped now," he said.
He went far up and down the creek bank, looking for Jack, calling him and whistling for him.
It was no use. Jack was gone...
..."Oh, Ma," Laura begged, "Jack has gone to heaven, hasn't he? He was such a good dog, can't he go to heaven?"
Ma did not know what to answer, but Pa said: "Yes, Laura, he can. God that doesn't forget the sparrows won't leave a good dog like Jack out in the cold."
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 05 Sep 2017, 14:13
by Aussie Sue
It’s lovely hearing about everyone’s special dogs, Enid’s love of animals certainly spilled over to all of us and enriched our lives.
About 5 years ago we had been without a dog for a couple of years and decided it was time to fill this gap so we started looking through the RSPCA website and discovered Wally. Wally was a ‘prosecution’ dog, i.e. his owners were prosecuted for beating and starving him.
He was the most frightened, timid little dog I have ever seen. For the first few weeks he didn’t make a sound, we thought he had something wrong with his voice & we didn’t think he had a tail it was held so tightly under his bottom. Now 5 years later he is a happy, arrogant little dog who makes the rules and is loved by everyone.
But he is very special, because two years after Wally came into our lives, my husband was diagnosed with alzheimer’s. The RSPCA said we were given Wally because my husband was the only man who could pat him. Wally really loves Trevor and vis versa, they are inseparable. This little dog joining our family was the best thing that could have happened.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 05 Sep 2017, 14:18
by Anita Bensoussane
That's a heartwarming story, Sue. I'm glad to know Wally is happy now and that his companionship is such a help and joy to your husband - and you!
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 05 Sep 2017, 14:24
by Julie2owlsdene
I understand what you say perfectly, Pete. When we lose any animal a part of us goes with it. When our lovely Morgan died, I thought I would die too. It's awful, and I hated being apart from him and it also made me feel so ill. I didn't want another dog, as I just couldn't bare going through such heart ache again.
But my hubby said that having the dog and it's love is worth all the heart ache at the end, as they give so much love before they go, and so we got our little Rosie.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 18:50
by pete9012S
THE TREASURE HUNTERS (illustrations uncredited)
Issue 21. IPC Magazines Ltd. November 11, 1972.
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=3204" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 18:53
by sixret
Thank you, Pete. I hadn't known of this magazine ever existed until now.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 19:36
by Courtenay
Wow, that's really cool, Pete!
The Treasure Hunters was a favourite with my sister and me when we were little — a relatively simple story for younger audiences but still with plenty of excitement and intrigue. I'd love to see the rest of the comic strip (or graphic novel?
) version.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 19:46
by Rob Houghton
Wonderful! I also didn't know this existed. It looks really well-drawn.
My sister had several 'Pixie' annuals, but not the comic.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 20:21
by pete9012S
Issue 22. IPC Magazines Ltd. November 18, 1972.
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=3205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here's an image from the next issue - it does look good doesn't it!
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 20:29
by Courtenay
Great stuff, Pete. I've gone through and looked at the first page of each instalment — really nicely done and obviously sticking close to Enid's original story, while abridging it of course. I still wish we had the whole of it in the Cave, but I realise how much work that would make for Tony and there might be copyright implications as well, so I'll just appreciate what we've got...
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 21:06
by Eddie Muir
Brilliant, Pete. Thanks for posting the illustrations.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 21:33
by pete9012S
I really must reflect all praise right back to Tony as the cave is an amazing resource.
I also know too how long it takes to prepare and upload even just a few images online or a short story.
The scope,breadth and precision of The Cave is a truly fantastic achievement.
Yes, I know Tony will be the first to admit he is
a computer whizz-kid and genius,but even so....
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 21:38
by Eddie Muir
pete9012S wrote: The scope,breadth and precision of The Cave is a truly fantastic achievement.
Hear! Hear! It is a joy to behold.
Re: Personal Gems From The Cave Of Books
Posted: 08 Sep 2017, 22:53
by Tony Summerfield
pete9012S wrote:I really must reflect all praise right back to Tony as the cave is an amazing resource.
I also know too how long it takes to prepare and upload even just a few images online or a short story.
The scope,breadth and precision of The Cave is a truly fantastic achievement.
Yes, I know Tony will be the first to admit he is
a computer whizz-kid and genius,but even so....
I had forgotten all about Pixie as I have just checked on my computer and I loaded those images seven years ago!
I am sure you will realise that I have only loaded the first few illustrations for each of the 30 issues, for both The Naughtiest Girl and The Treasure Hunters.
As for being a computer whizz-kid I haven't even the courage to move from a rapidly failing Windows XP!
I spent so many hours with trial and error and error and error, that I don't think I can manage to learn anything new. Worst of all, details of Society Members is on a Microsoft Office Works file and I have recently discovered that Microsoft abandoned Works a long time ago!!!!!
Thanks Pete for showing people some of the things that have been sitting dormant in the Cave for a few years. Sixret hadn't even heard of that magazine, check out 1972 on page 93 of The Enid Blyton Dossier - always assuming that you own a copy!
