Enid and Monkeys
-
- Posts: 253
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 12:09
- Location: Tayside, Scotland
- Contact:
Enid and Monkeys
I'm always slightly surprised when I come across monkeys in Blyton books.
They crop up in several of the Noddy titles, though not the early ones. They play a role in two of the last three Five books, and there's a big chimp in Five Go Off in a Caravan which is from 1946. And then there's Barney's Mirabel in the 'R' Mysteries starting from 1947.
I'm wondering where Blyton got a chance to study their behaviour. Maybe she didn't, maybe it was an imaginative thing, as it perhaps was for the bunnies she wrote about in early work. But I suspect, as with the dogs she never stopped including in her work, that first-hand knowledge was involved.
There's 'Monkey World' near Swanage these days. Ideal for studying all things ape. But I don't think it was there when Enid was holidaying in that area.
Any 'Enid and the Monkeys' knowledge locked up in those human heads out there?
They crop up in several of the Noddy titles, though not the early ones. They play a role in two of the last three Five books, and there's a big chimp in Five Go Off in a Caravan which is from 1946. And then there's Barney's Mirabel in the 'R' Mysteries starting from 1947.
I'm wondering where Blyton got a chance to study their behaviour. Maybe she didn't, maybe it was an imaginative thing, as it perhaps was for the bunnies she wrote about in early work. But I suspect, as with the dogs she never stopped including in her work, that first-hand knowledge was involved.
There's 'Monkey World' near Swanage these days. Ideal for studying all things ape. But I don't think it was there when Enid was holidaying in that area.
Any 'Enid and the Monkeys' knowledge locked up in those human heads out there?
-
- Posts: 45
- Joined: 29 Dec 2004, 14:19
- Location: Bournemouth Dorset UK
Monkey World is only "near" Swanage in a relative way. you wouldn't want to walk it
living in this neck of the woods myself, i can only remember it being mentioned in the last 20 years or so (but i could be wrong).
Enid Blyton's Zoo Book (one of her first published in 1924) featured an ape of some description wearing clothes (like a Brooke Bond Chimp) on the front board
probably wouldn't be allowed nowadays ....
living in this neck of the woods myself, i can only remember it being mentioned in the last 20 years or so (but i could be wrong).
Enid Blyton's Zoo Book (one of her first published in 1924) featured an ape of some description wearing clothes (like a Brooke Bond Chimp) on the front board
probably wouldn't be allowed nowadays ....
They have their dreams and do not think of us ....
- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26897
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Enid and Monkeys
I came across a reference to monkeys in Enid Blyton's introduction to The Big Enid Blyton Book (Hamlyn, 1961.) She writes:
"...maybe a comical monkey will suddenly come into a story I am writing, and I stop and exclaim out loud, 'Little monkey - you are the one I saw years ago with the man who had the barrel-organ. You sat on top, and twisted your tail lovingly round the man's neck, and whispered in his ear. And here you are again, large as life, though I'd forgotten all about you! You've been hidden deep in my mind until today!' "
Anita
"...maybe a comical monkey will suddenly come into a story I am writing, and I stop and exclaim out loud, 'Little monkey - you are the one I saw years ago with the man who had the barrel-organ. You sat on top, and twisted your tail lovingly round the man's neck, and whispered in his ear. And here you are again, large as life, though I'd forgotten all about you! You've been hidden deep in my mind until today!' "
Anita
- booklover
- Posts: 249
- Joined: 23 Mar 2005, 10:30
- Favourite book/series: Whyteleafe, Faraway Tree, "Barney" books
- Favourite character: Elizabeth Allen, Fatty, Barney and Snubby
- Location: Australia
Enid and Monkeys
I would add to the list the following stories:
The Rilloby Fair Mystery - the children meet two chimps at the fair;
Five Go to Demon's Rocks - the children meet Tinker Hayling and his monkey Mischief; and
the last Famous Five story, Five are Together Again - Tinker Hayling and Mischief appear again, and the story also features Mr Wooh the magician and his chimp, Charlie.
The Rilloby Fair Mystery - the children meet two chimps at the fair;
Five Go to Demon's Rocks - the children meet Tinker Hayling and his monkey Mischief; and
the last Famous Five story, Five are Together Again - Tinker Hayling and Mischief appear again, and the story also features Mr Wooh the magician and his chimp, Charlie.
- pete9012S
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: Enid and Monkeys
How many monkeys real or otherwise feature in the books?
I will start us off..
1.Noddy & Martha Monkey
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3.....
I will start us off..
1.Noddy & Martha Monkey
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3.....
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- Carlotta King
- Posts: 2828
- Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
- Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
- Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
- Location: England
Re: Enid and Monkeys
1.Noddy & Martha Monkey
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4.....
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4.....
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"
Society Member
Society Member
- Poppy
- Posts: 5725
- Joined: 24 Apr 2012, 16:06
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five/ Adventure Series/ Malory Towers
- Favourite character: George Kirrin, Andy, Jack Trent & Diana.
- Location: UK
Re: Enid and Monkeys
1.Noddy & Martha Monkey
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4. Mischief (Tinker)
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4. Mischief (Tinker)
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House
Poppy's Best of Books
Society Member
Pat, Holiday House
Poppy's Best of Books
Society Member
- Daisy
- Posts: 16632
- Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
- Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
- Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England
Re: Enid and Monkeys
1.Noddy & Martha Monkey
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4. Mischief (Tinker)
5. Micky (Philip, Ship of Adventure)
2.The Organ-Grinder's Monkey (Sunny Stories)
3. Miranda (Barney)
4. Mischief (Tinker)
5. Micky (Philip, Ship of Adventure)
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
Society Member
Society Member
- Courtenay
- Posts: 19321
- Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
- Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
- Favourite character: Lotta
- Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire
Re: Enid and Monkeys
(I've just removed the spoiler I posted here some time ago, now that Pete has given us the whole story of The Three Strange Keys! )
Last edited by Courtenay on 27 Nov 2016, 18:14, edited 1 time in total.
Society Member
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
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: Enid and Monkeys
Read the story here:
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... =16&t=7419" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... =16&t=7419" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: Enid and Monkeys
But...but...aren't turkeys normally black?
Make sure you read it in EXACTLY 20 minutes!
Make sure you read it in EXACTLY 20 minutes!
'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)
Society Member