Milne was especially fond of daffodils: he called his wife, Daphne, Daff and 'When We Were Very Young' includes the poem...
Daffodowndilly
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet, She wore her greenest gown; She turned to the south wind And curtsied up and down. She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbour: 'Winter is dead.'
Oh my gosh - this poem reminded me of a lttle known fairy tale Milne wrote in 1925, "The Magic Hill" - and I just realized the young heroine is Princess Daffodil! Beautifully illustrated by Isabel Brown (published in 2000). Thanks for posting this lovely poem!
I just came across your blog while searching for a copy of "Night of the New Moon" the 60 minute Radio 4 play. Do you know if it is available anywhere?
Hope you don't mind me asking and Wishing you a very Happy Easter
'The Magic Hill' first appeared in a curious book, 'A Gallery of Children': a collection of stories written by Milne to accompany a series of paintings by Henrietta Willebeeck Le Maire in 1925. Here is HWLM's original painting of 'The Magic Hill'.
Val & Co – Yes, 'The Night of the New Moon' was my adaptation of Laurens Van Der Post's book. I recently moved and all my recordings are buried in mountains of boxes, but as soon as they come to light (not quite sure how long this will take!), I will happily do you a copy – send me an address via my e-mail: mail@briansibley.com
I knew I could count on you for a background into "The Magic Hill". My friend's daughter recently checked it out from the library, and I was wondering if the story had ever been published before 2000. I love Henrietta Willebeeck Le Maire's artwork - and will have to order "A Gallery of Children"!!! Thank you!
Yes, 'Prince Rabbit' was first published in Number Two Joy Street (Joy Street was an annual for children published by Basil Blackwell of Oxford) in 1924, p.1-17, with illustrations bu 'H.C.' [Hugh Chesterman].
It was reprinted in Talk of Many Things: A Book of True Fact and True Fancy in Prose and Verse, Compiled by Richard Wilson, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd [1933?] as 'A "Well I Never!" Story' p.167-186 with illustrations [by Phyllis Denton]
In 1966 it was republished with another of Milne's fairy-stories as Prince Rabbit, and the Princess Who Could Not Laugh, Edmund Ward (Publishers) Ltd with illustrations in line and colour by Mary Shepard (illustrator of the 'Mary Poppins' books and the daughter of Milne's Pooh-collaborator, E H Shepard).
In case this is the edition you have, you might care to know that 'The Princess Who Could Not Laugh' first appeared in Number Three Joy Street, Basil Blackwell (Oxford), in 1925, p.154-169, with illustrations by A H Watson.
Incidentally, A H Watson also illustrated an edition of A Gallery of Children, George G Harrap & Co, 1939. It is a bit ironic that a book that was created by Milne writing pictures to accompany pictures by 'Saida' (Henrietta Willebeek Le Mair) should end-up being re-illustrated by others! In the US, in 1937, two collections of stories from A Gallery of Children appeared as The Princess and the Apple Tree and Other Stories and The Magic Hill and Other Stories, illustrated by Helen Sewell, Grosset & Dunlap (NY).
Not at all! This is so intriguing - I'm realizing there is a lot of A.A. Milne that I have not read - had not even heard of! The book I saw today (put it on my Pinterest Board) is a compilation of fairy tales illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen in 1971. (I read that Martin P. at one time worked for Disney!) How ironic is that? :)
12 comments:
Makes me happy - I had never seen this quote by A.A. Milne about daffodils. They're definitely one of my spring favorites! Happy Easter week to you!
Milne was especially fond of daffodils: he called his wife, Daphne, Daff and 'When We Were Very Young' includes the poem...
Daffodowndilly
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
'Winter is dead.'
Oh my gosh - this poem reminded me of a lttle known fairy tale Milne wrote in 1925, "The Magic Hill" - and I just realized the young heroine is Princess Daffodil! Beautifully illustrated by Isabel Brown (published in 2000). Thanks for posting this lovely poem!
I just came across your blog while searching for a copy of "Night of the New Moon" the 60 minute Radio 4 play.
Do you know if it is available anywhere?
Hope you don't mind me asking and Wishing you a very Happy Easter
Thanks Val
'The Magic Hill' first appeared in a curious book, 'A Gallery of Children': a collection of stories written by Milne to accompany a series of paintings by Henrietta Willebeeck Le Maire in 1925. Here is HWLM's original painting of 'The Magic Hill'.
PS: I look forward to finding Isabel Brown's edition...
Val & Co – Yes, 'The Night of the New Moon' was my adaptation of Laurens Van Der Post's book. I recently moved and all my recordings are buried in mountains of boxes, but as soon as they come to light (not quite sure how long this will take!), I will happily do you a copy – send me an address via my e-mail: mail@briansibley.com
I knew I could count on you for a background into "The Magic Hill". My friend's daughter recently checked it out from the library, and I was wondering if the story had ever been published before 2000. I love Henrietta Willebeeck Le Maire's artwork - and will have to order "A Gallery of Children"!!! Thank you!
That's why the brits love the flowers more, perhaps, that any other european... Happy Easter
Brian - I've just come across a story today by A.A. Milne - The Prince Rabbit. Do you know anything about that?
Hi, Wendy Lady...
Yes, 'Prince Rabbit' was first published in Number Two Joy Street (Joy Street was an annual for children published by Basil Blackwell of Oxford) in 1924, p.1-17, with illustrations bu 'H.C.' [Hugh Chesterman].
It was reprinted in Talk of Many Things: A Book of True Fact and True Fancy in Prose and Verse, Compiled by Richard Wilson, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd [1933?] as 'A "Well I Never!" Story' p.167-186 with illustrations [by Phyllis Denton]
In 1966 it was republished with another of Milne's fairy-stories as Prince Rabbit, and the Princess Who Could Not Laugh, Edmund Ward (Publishers) Ltd with illustrations in line and colour by Mary Shepard (illustrator of the 'Mary Poppins' books and the daughter of Milne's Pooh-collaborator, E H Shepard).
In case this is the edition you have, you might care to know that 'The Princess Who Could Not Laugh' first appeared in Number Three Joy Street, Basil Blackwell (Oxford), in 1925, p.154-169, with illustrations by A H Watson.
Incidentally, A H Watson also illustrated an edition of A Gallery of Children, George G Harrap & Co, 1939. It is a bit ironic that a book that was created by Milne writing pictures to accompany pictures by 'Saida' (Henrietta Willebeek Le Mair) should end-up being re-illustrated by others! In the US, in 1937, two collections of stories from A Gallery of Children appeared as The Princess and the Apple Tree and Other Stories and The Magic Hill and Other Stories, illustrated by Helen Sewell, Grosset & Dunlap (NY).
Sorry!! Too much information.......
Not at all! This is so intriguing - I'm realizing there is a lot of A.A. Milne that I have not read - had not even heard of! The book I saw today (put it on my Pinterest Board) is a compilation of fairy tales illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen in 1971. (I read that Martin P. at one time worked for Disney!) How ironic is that? :)
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