KENNETH GRAHAME was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1859, the son of a lawyer. His mother died when he was four years old, and Kenneth was sent to England to live with his grandmother. Like many English boys of the mid dle class, at age nine he was sent to boarding school. Un like many of his schoolmates, he did not go on to univer sity (he had been accepted at Oxford).but took a position at the Bank of England, in London.

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Generations of children have roamed the English countryside in the company of Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger, the immortal animal friends of The Wind in the Willows. From their genesis nearly a century ago as bedtime stories for the author"s young son, these timeless tales of friendship amid the natural world have captivated readers of all ages.

The adventures begin when Mole, feeling all the restlessness that springtime brings, abandons his burrow to discover the magic of the great river. With the able assistance of Rat, Mole learns to row and swim, and the chums fill their idyllic days with summertime rambles along the river and cozy fireside feasts on crisp nights. The pair take to the open road with the pleasure-loving Toad, track reclusive Badger to his snug lair, and stand together to reclaim Toad Hall from an invasion of stoats, ferrets, and weasels.

This memorable collection of stories, now available in an inexpensive and unabridged edition, offers a loyful retreat to a rustic world of wonders. Young readers (and listeners) will want to return again and again to the ageless charm of Kenneth Grahame"s childhood classic.

 1. The River Bank

 2. The Open Road

 3. The Wild Wood

 4. Mr. Badger

 5. Dulce DOmum

 6. Mr. Toad

 7. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

 8. Toad"s Adventures

 9. Wayfarers All

10. The Further Adventures of Toad

11. "Like Summer Tempests

Came His Tears"

12. The Return of Ulysses