The Wind in the Willows (Original Book)

"Mole had been very busy..."

- The start of the book.

Plot:
Mole wondered out of his borrow and ends up at the river bank. Ratty invites Mole over for a picnic and so they ride of in Ratty's Rowboat. Outta later joins him with his baby Portly. Then Badger appears but grants of. Toad comes into view on his new rowing boat but falls over then Portly runs of into the river and Outta goes after him. Mole and Ratty pack up but then get into an argument about rowing back and both fall of. They forgave each other and Ratty decided to teach Mole about the river and rowing and to stay at his house. The next week Ratty takes Mole to Toad Hall to meet Toad where they go on a road trip with Toads new horse carriage which gets broken after a car runs past. Toad know wanted a car. Later it was winter and the woods were really close to the River Bank and so Mole sets of but hides as he is so frightened so Ratty rescues him. Then Mole trips over a door scrapper which turns out to be Mr Badgers so they are invited in. Badger wants to know the latest news of the River Bank. Mole and Ratty explain that Toad keeps on getting new cars and crashing them disturbing the neighborhood.

On their way back they find Moles home and Ratty helps Mole restore it over the winter. Then it became spring and Badger said they were going to Teach Toad to see sense. So Ratty and Mole lock Toad in his bedroom but Toad escapes. Then Toad steals a motor car and crashes it so he goes to prison. But he escapes as a washer/laundry woman. And takes the train but has to jump of because he is being chased. Then he gets a ride on a canal barge but gets thrown of after calling the barge woman names. Then he rides in a car with the judge who doesn't know its Toad until Toad gets behind the wheel of the car and crashes it. Then the police come after him but Toad manages to swim away.

So then Toad manages to swim to Ratty's house where it is revealed that the weasels and ferrets have taken over Toad Hall so Badger makes a plan and Ratty, Toad, Mole and Badger drive the wild wooders from Toad Hall. Then they have a party to celebrate Toad coming home. Toad then says that Badger, Ratty and Mole helped him. Badger later makes him pay the engine driver and Barge woman.

Characters:

 * Mole
 * Rabbits
 * Ratty
 * Outta
 * Portly
 * Badger
 * Toad
 * Squirrels
 * Foxes
 * Stoats
 * Weasels
 * Ferrets
 * Engine Driver
 * Barge Woman
 * Court Judge
 * Policemen

Reception:
While the book was rejected by many publishers it was finally published by Methuen. The books it's self sold very well and was very popular. In 1909 then sitting US President Theodore Roosevelt wrote that he had read the book twice and now considered all the characters as old friends.

Trivia:

 * The original title of the book is the 'Willows Whistle'.
 * The 1931 edition is considered rare.