Warning: Disturbing Vintage Themes.

With my mother in law down scaling her possessions to move into a smaller place I was recently the lucky recipient of some vintage children's books. This one of the Pied Piper (1961 I think) particularly appealed. As a child I would have spent hours poring over these illustrations, the black and white more graphic ones appealling the most.

Knowing my youngest had never heard this story before I grabbed him aside so we could enjoy the book together. I few moments in I remembered the upsetting ending (warning: themes of child abduction and disabled children being labelled with politically incorrect terms coming up). But we soldiered on and when it came to the Pied Piper luring the town's children away to ensconse them inside a mountain - and then a "lame" boy being left behind - he didn't bat an eyelid. I personally remember finding it more than just a little unsettling.But which message to leave him with? Always pay the piper (and keep your promise)? Or never go off with strangers? (Particularly ones with pipes. Especially if it's a pan pipe -they're a bit creepy. And if he's wearing a half red half yellow suit with a crazy cape and hat run and tell a teacher..........

Comments

Colwyn said…

So...that explains his ready weeping

March 16, 2010 at 12:50 PM

Good News in Sydney

Recently we took a trip up to the Westmead Children's Hospital to see the Pediatric Orthopedics specialist and get Archie's Perthes'disease checked. We might have done that at home if his specialist hadn't been in the papers all year for serious surgical negligence, recently suspended, with more news coming out a couple of weeks ago of unethical experimental treatment on a nine year old (seriously, what a creep!). Instead we travelle dto Sydney. We spent Saturday catching a bus down to the Rocks and then the Manly Ferry out to the beach. Not that we swam, maybe not that warm, but t-shirt weather. The biggest blessing though is this: Archie's bone has made a full recovery since diagnosis six years ago. The amount of bone growth in the last 18 months has been astounding with complete regrowth of the femoral head and close on the original shape. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise given how much he has grown in general (and how much he eats!) but at no po...

Kokeshi Doll Chandelier

Bigger than than the sum of it's parts? For Ruby's bedroom I made this chandelier, combining two of our favourite things - Kokeshi dolls and an old chandelier -a lucky junk shop pick up for $5. The kokechi dolls more expensive than we would have liked but by then we were fixed on the idea.

Please No Kisses.

About a year ago,Archie made a sudden switch to his Dad as Most Favoured Parent, as boys do around this age. That's a while ago now but doesn't mean I have given up trying. In fact I have come up with a brilliant reverse psychology strategy that involves going in to say goodnight, after story time with Dad, and saying I just want to give him a little cuddle, but please no kisses . It goes like this. Me: Goodnight. I'm just going to give you a quick cuddle. Remember though no kisses. Him: (confused, and hiding under the covers to resist my cuddle): No kisses? Why not? You love kisses. Me: Yeah, I used to. But not any more. Him: (still confused) But why? Me: (casual) I don't know why. I just don't like them. So just a very quick cuddle. What happens then is I get covered in hundreds of little delicious quick kisses ("just to annoy you"). I know what you're thinking: I really should write a parenting book.

Luna

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