(UK baiters) Any help with a childhood memory?

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Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:42 pm

Hey all, need to poke your collective knowledge.

I've been doing my head in trying to find a book that I remember reading when I was little. I can't remember much from it, but what I can is quite vivid. A young brother and sister go for a picnic beside a stream. They set out the picnic then go for a paddle. While they are paddling in the stream, they become worried by some noises coming from a nearby bush. Before they can investigate, a little black pig trots out and starts eating the picnic! They follow the pig home to a ramshackle old cottage where they meet its owner, a kindly old woman, and they all become firm friends. I think that was just the 1st or 1st and 2nd chapters, there was more to the book but I can't remember that part, just the little black pig eating the picnic. Laughing

I would have been about 6ish when I read it, so approx 1980, although the book could have been printed years earlier - I remember it had a classic feel to it like you'd get in 50's/60's books.

I've tried various searches on the internet and have posted in a couple of forums but so far zip. I KNOW I didn't dream it, so to stop me from going (even more) mental, does anybody here know what I'm tallking about? OR can you recommend any good websites that could help me track it down? PM's are fine if recc'ing links breaks forum rules.

In the words of Penelope Pitstop - HAY-ULP! Confused

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:10 pm

The Amityville Horror.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:35 pm

Rocky Horror Picture Show. No doubt.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:42 pm

Just for that rodent boy, I'm going to piss on your nuts.

What? It adds flavour. You've never complained before.

Note to self: Never, ever, EVER ask a serious question of these tossers.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:01 pm

"My Pet Goat"

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:31 pm

Dug and dug and dug...all I found were references to a couple being busted for picnic table sex in some park... Surprised

I think the title may require a hypnosis session...Forgetful one... Wink

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:45 pm

^^

Oops!

Thanks for looking sweetie.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:01 pm

Quote:

A young brother and sister go for a picnic beside a stream. They set out the picnic then go for a paddle. While they are paddling in the stream, they become worried by some noises coming from a nearby bush.

The start of the story strongly implies a more dirty story. One with the title "Forbidden Love" perhaps.

I have to admit that i was a bit disappointed when the pig came.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:02 pm

Hansel and Gretel Meet Babe.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:11 pm

lakeside77 wrote:

Hansel and Gretel Eat Babe.

Fixed your typo. Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:54 pm

I have done extensive research and have come to the conclusion you in fact did dream this story. So the logical step would be to analize your dream,

“Kids at a picnic”

Quote:

A baby goat, or kid, in a dream, warns of your dishonesty. You are in danger of harming someone you love.
A dream involving a kid in a meadow indicates that your life is unbalanced, with excess time being spent in pleasure and relaxation. If you do not act to acheive balance in your life, the consequences will start to become apparent in work and school pursuits.

'Black pig eats your food'

Quote:

The presence of a pig in your dream stands for filthiness, greediness, stubbornness or self-centeredness. The pig may also stand for richness and overindulgence

'Becoming friends with an old women'

Quote:

The presence of something old in your dream implies an aspect in your life that you hope to change or eradicate.

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 2:56 am

bohigal wrote:

lakeside77 wrote:

Hansel and Gretel Eat Babe.

Fixed your typo. Smile

Thanks! I read it only once, years ago.

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:38 pm

Debbie Does Dallas!!

If I remember right it was based on a children's book!!

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:49 pm

Cougar, ignore our muppetesque friends a mo, can you remember the form factor of the book? Was it ladybird-style, or more puffin paperbacky? It may help if we can work out the publisher!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:27 am

MBL, it definitely wasn't paperback. I recall it as being a hardback, but with the glossy artwork printed directly onto the front cover, rather than onto a dust jacket. The cover showed the boy and girl stood in the stream looking at the little black pig eating their picnic.

Did Ladybird do stories? I remember them more as being fairytales and how-to's. I did wonder if it could have been an Enid Blyton, but I can't see it listed in her bibliography on the society's site. Sad

This started as idle curiosity, but it's turned into an obsession. I am determined to track it down!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:50 am

Could we have an idea on how many pages it would be? Usual childrens size, about 10 - 12 pages, or longer?

I can't remember anything by Enid Blyton with that storyline, there may be a book or two I missed, but I still have a full collection of Enid Blyton that my Grandkids now read.

Golden Books http://www.randomhouse.com/golden/lgb/ may have something,

About the only publishers I can recall, in English language that printed onto the covers were Little Golden Books, and Ladybird.

http://www.ukchildrensbooks.co.uk/pubs.html is a list of the majority of UK Children's book publishers

Also http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/publishers/Publishers_and_Getting_Published.htm

Good luck

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:36 am

I joked earlier about the dream analysis but the truth is I have searched a couple hours online for your book. I have tried every possible search as I'm sure you have too. I think its safe to say the book is not digitized or search results would have turned up something. Only thing I come up with is a poem.

I do have a question and forgive my ignorance. Why do you assume it is a publisher in the UK? Do they not sell books published in other countries in the UK?

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:54 am

Around that time in the Uk we had,

Janet and John books
Dick and Dora books
Peter and Jane books
Topsy and Tim books
Socks the Dog books
Nip and Fluff books
Little Black Sambo books

Finding titles from these series is proving hard.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:41 pm

^^^ Hey we had the Little Black Sambo books too. We even had Sambo Pancake Houses which began in the late '50's in California

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:33 pm

So not PC now! Came across those in my search too. I had forgotten all about hose books.

Cougar, my dear, I fear your book may be only remembered through non-electronic means as well. Though, has anyone searched the Library of Congress? Every book published in the US is stored (hence the ISBN#) in some form or another there. If it had a US publisher at anytime, it will be there. NOt sure if it is searchable by synopsis.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:44 pm

This is killing me too. I did come across a letter to the editor to Harper's for Young People in the 1890's where someone describes a pig eating at her picnic basket, but I'm sure this is not what you're remembering. No pig pictures.

Old Harpers

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:31 pm

I would have been about 33 then and can't remember reading it.

Darn it........... I mean to my children!!!!

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:08 am

I am amazed and humbled at how many of you have spent time and effort on trying to answer my little query. Thank you, thank you all - consider yourselves well and truly hugged! Very Happy

Irish, thanks for the links, I'll look through those during my lunchbreaks at work. Afraid I can't remember how long the book was, although I have the feeling there was more to it than just a few pages. Might be my memory playing tricks though.

Badgey sweetie, I don't know about the Library of Congress, but you've given me an idea - maybe the British Library has an archive of children's books? I'll have a look later - my lunchtimes are going to be busy!

To clarify, I assumed it would be a UK publisher as it was a typically English style of book, the type which these days I would equate as being mid-century, post war, with everything viewed through rose-tinted glasses. The perfect day was an English summer, the children were always impeccably turned out and polite, they each played to the typical stereotypes of the time - looking back I don't think this was a publication that had been affected by the rise of the hippie genre, so I guess 1950's classic England. I don't know if such a book would appeal to other markets?

Thank you all again for your help, so good of you. I'll let you know if I find anything in the links.

Cougie x

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:10 pm

Cougar wrote:

To clarify, I assumed it would be a UK publisher as it was a typically English style of book, the type which these days I would equate as being mid-century, post war, with everything viewed through rose-tinted glasses. The perfect day was an English summer, the children were always impeccably turned out and polite, they each played to the typical stereotypes of the time - looking back I don't think this was a publication that had been affected by the rise of the hippie genre, so I guess 1950's classic England. I don't know if such a book would appeal to other markets?
x

The writing style you describe sounds a lot like the Chronicles of Narnia which was very popular in the US in the the 80s when I was a child. We Americans love the funny way you guys talk accross the pond. I would of course not read the originals published in the 50s in London but the paperbacks published in the US later.

I am sure your book was originally published in the UK but should keep search options open to possibility of later publishing else where.

Btw I hope your happy that you have passed along your obsesion with this book because it is driving me CRAZY!

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:05 pm

^^ Misery loves company. Wink

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