I see my mind as a tapestry woven through with memories, dreams and thoughts.

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Tuesday Taster

I came across a book of Victorian Fairy Tales, some of which are very odd indeed. I give you the first paragraph of this one, 'The Deliverers of Their Country' by E. Nesbit.

Would you read on?

'It all began with Effie's getting something in her eye. It hurt very much indeed, and it felt something like a red-hot spark - only it seemed to hasve legs as well, and wings like a fly. Effie rubbed and cried - not real crying, but the kind your eye does all by itself without your being miserable inside your mind - and then she went to her father to have the thing in her eye taken out. Effie's father was a doctor, so of course he knew how to take things out of eyes - and he did so very cleverly with a soft paint-brush dipped in castor-oil. When he had got the thing out, he said:
"This is very curious." Effie had often got things in her eye before, and her father had always seemed to think it was natural - rather tiresome and naughty perhaps, but still natural. He had never before thought it curious. She stood holding her handkerchief to her eye, and said:
"I don't believe it's out." People always say this when they have had something in their eyes.
"Oh yes - it's out," said the doctor - "here it is on the brush. This is very ineresting."

8 comments:

K said...

This makes me want to find out what the 'thing' is!

I also like the sentence 'Effie rubbed and cried - not real crying, but the kind your eye does all by itself without your being miserable inside your mind' what a great way to describe something.

aguja said...

That is my favourite bit, too - plus wanting to know what the 'thing' is!

Jane Doe said...

Hi aguja...it's been awhile since I've commented, but I've been visiting. Absolutely yes! I would indeed read on because I want to know if a fairy landed on her eye.

What a great hook for the beginning of a story.

tinajo said...

I would definately read on! :-)

aguja said...

It's a ....... but that would spoil it for you! Thanks for commenting, I really do appreciate it.

Diana Studer said...

The Railway Children! I knew there were bells ringing. That was a book I read again and again. This one I don't know, but I would love to read on ...

L'Adelaide said...

for some odd reason, this made me get goose bumps and it is not something i would read....rather a delicate disposition, I... :) xox

oh=such loveliness in the header too. yum... xx

aguja said...

You are the first person to comment on the header, Linda .... and you are right about the goose bumps. The stories are quite weird - and to think that they were for Victorian children (to keep them in line morally). I think that I would have been petrified.