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What's the podcast? 
It's all going to be all right 

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in the end. 
You've got some worries, my dear

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little rest your busy minds 
because it's finally time the 

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Stories from Now and Then. 
Hello everyone, and welcome to 

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Stories from Now and Then. 
We are back in the old library 

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and my name is Blunderface. 
Captain Blunderface. 

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Debra Caddis and I were going to
play secret agents because 

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there's almost no one here right
now. 

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And basically we sneak around 
the bookshelves and surprise 

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each other. 
Oh, what does that have to do 

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with Wind in the Willows Part 2?
Well, Debra Caddis, I'm feeling 

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inspired by Rat and Mole. 
They have a good team thing 

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going. 
No, you're right, They're not 

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secret agents at all. 
But the author Kenneth Graham, 

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was Scottish, which feels like 
it's connected to Scotland Yard,

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which sort of connects to secret
agents. 

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You're right, it needs work. 
There's something fishy about 

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the connective tissue of this 
preamble. 

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But before we see what Rat and 
Mole are up to in today's story,

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we have a shout out for Emmett 
who is turning 8 and he's from 

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Chattanooga, TN Emmett loves 
dogs and his favorite story so 

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far is Robin Hood. 
So Emmett, this story is for 

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you. 
Oh, and it looks like we just 

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got a message from our sponsor. 
Today's episode is brought to 

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you by the new official Stories 
from Now and Then Companion 

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Coloring Book Volume 1. 
You can color along with the 

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stories as you listen. 
And to find out more, just go to

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storiesfromnowandthen.com. 
And with that, we will pass it 

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off to the amazing Nicola for 
Part 2. 

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This awesome story. 
Take it away. 

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All right, here we go. 
Back to the river, back to Rat 

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and Mole, back to the adventure.
This is The Wind in the Willows,

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Part 2. 
A few days after Mole had 

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settled happily into river life,
when rowing no longer felt 

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alarming and the names of Bens 
and little Inlets had begun to 

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seem familiar, the Rat announced
one bright morning that it was 

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time Mole met their most 
energetic friend. 

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Energetic in what way? 
Asked Mole, who had already 

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learned that the Rat often chose
his words carefully when 

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Speaking of others. 
In every way it wants, said rat.

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They followed the towpath until 
the river widened, then turned 

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inland through meadows where 
daisies nodded in the light 

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breeze. 
Before long they came upon a 

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handsome house standing back 
from the road, broad windowed 

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and comfortable, with lawns 
running wide before it that said

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Rat is towed Hall. 
They had scarcely reached the 

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gate when the owner himself 
burst from the front door. 

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Toad came hurrying toward them 
in a coat of remarkable cut, 

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waving both hands as though 
welcoming honoured guests to a 

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grand ceremony. 
My dear fellows, my dear 

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excellent friends, you have 
arrived at exactly the right 

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moment. 
This was spoken with such 

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urgency that Mole immediately 
felt something important must be

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underway. 
Toad LED them to the yard behind

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the house, where a brightly 
painted caravan stood hitched to

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a sturdy horse. 
I am setting out, declared Toad 

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magnificently, upon a journey of
freedom, adventure and wide 

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horizons. 
Rd. life, my dear friends, the 

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only true life. 
Rat exchanged a glance with Mole

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that suggested he had expected 
nothing less. 

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Within half an hour they were 
persuaded, for Toad persuaded as

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naturally as other creatures 
breathed, and soon all three 

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were travelling slowly along the
open Rd. 

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The caravan pleased Mole 
greatly. 

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Toad sat proudly at the front, 
holding the reins as though he 

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had invented roads. 
Observe, he said, the dignity, 

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the independence, the splendid 
romance of it all. 

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For a while even Rat admitted it
was pleasant. 

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The horse plodded steadily, 
Skylarks rose from the fields, 

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villages appeared and passed, 
each with cottages leaning 

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comfortably beside the road. 
They halted by evening near a 

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hedge, where supper was prepared
and the caravan lamps glowed 

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softly. 
Mole thought it one of the most 

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agreeable evenings of his life. 
But with Toad, peace rarely 

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remained long unshaken. 
The next morning, while they 

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were breakfasting by the 
roadside, there came from behind

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them a strange throbbing sound. 
Unlike hoof beats or wheels, it 

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grew louder very quickly. 
Then, in a rush of dust and 

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startling noise, a motor car 
tore past them. 

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It flashed by in shining metal 
and noise and speed, scattering 

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hens, alarming the horse and 
sending the caravan lurching 

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sideways into the ditch. 
Toad stood frozen. 

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He stared after the disappearing
machine as if part of himself 

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had gone with it. 
What was that? 

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Cried Mole, breathless. 
Rat, brushing dust from his 

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coat, looked less impressed. 
A motor car, he said shortly. 

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But Toad had not moved. 
A motor car, he repeated in a 

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voice full of wonder. 
He said it again, more softly, 

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as if discovering a sacred 
phrase. 

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A motor car. 
By noon the caravan no longer 

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interested him. 
By afternoon he had entirely 

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ceased Speaking of Rd. life, 
except to explain that caravans 

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were slow, old fashioned, and 
clearly inferior. 

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By evening he had declared that 
motor cars were the highest 

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achievement of civilization, and
by the following morning he had 

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abandoned the caravan altogether
and was speaking only of 

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engines, speed, horns, and the 
thrilling rush of the road. 

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Rat sighed. 
It has happened again, he said 

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quietly to Mole. 
What has Toad has found his 

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newest passion? 
Back at Toad Hall, the 

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consequences became obvious at 
once. 

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Within days Toad owned a motor 
car, then another, and then 

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another, because the first ones 
had met with difficulties. 

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These difficulties generally 
involved ditches, gates, 

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frightened chickens, bent 
wheels, or sudden collisions 

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with objects that had remained 
perfectly still while Toad 

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approached them too quickly. 
Yet each mishap only deepened 

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his enthusiasm. 
He would return, dusty, 

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triumphant and slightly crooked 
in hat, declaring magnificent, 

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extraordinary machine, nearly 
mastered it entirely. 

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Then he would purchase another. 
Moles soon understood why. 

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Rat had spoken cautiously, for 
Toad possessed many admirable 

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qualities, generosity, warmth, 
excitement, splendid 

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hospitality. 
But he also possessed a 

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dangerous inability to remain 
moderate about anything. 

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One afternoon Rat found him in 
the yard polishing yet another 

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machine. 
This must stop, said Rat firmly.

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My dear Rat. 
Impossible, replied Toad, 

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Progress cannot stop. 
It can, if you stop buying motor

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cars. 
But Toad only smiled dreamily. 

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Speed, he said, patting the 
bonnet, is life itself. 

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And because speed was very 
nearly the opposite of river 

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life, Rat became deeply 
troubled. 

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That evening he said to Mole, We
shall need Badger. 

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At the mention of Badger, Mole 
felt both curiosity and slight 

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unease, for though he had heard 
much of him, he had not yet met 

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him. 
He understands Toad better than 

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anyone, said Rat, and Toad 
occasionally listens to him. 

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Occasionally. 
Rat looked thoughtful. 

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Very occasionally, outside, the 
evening wind moved softly 

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through the willows, while far 
off from the direction of Toad 

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Hall there came the sudden sharp
sound of a motor horn, followed 

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by a crash and an indignant 
shout. 

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Rat closed his eyes briefly. 
Yes, he said, We must certainly 

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see Badger. 
I do hope that Badger can help. 

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Poor Rat and Mole are so worried
about their friend. 

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Toad seems like such a fun 
friend to have, but he gets so 

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excited about things that he 
sometimes forgets he needs to be

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careful. 
Driving cars can be lots of fun,

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but if you go too fast it can be
dangerous. 

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Do you think Toad will listen? 
We'll have to find out next 

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time. 
Thank you, Nicola, for a most 

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excellent Part 2. 
You know, the win in the Willows

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is a very special story, and 
it's not just at the old library

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here. 
I bet it's available at a 

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library near you, Deborah 
Caddis. 

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And I absolutely recommend that 
you use your library card to 

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borrow it yourself for a few 
weeks. 

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You'll love it. 
Remember, if you'd like a shout 

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out, all you need to do is send 
us a short message on Instagram,

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add Stories from Now and Then. 
You can also send us any 

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drawings or coloring pages 
you've done and we'll post them 

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on our feed. 
Stories from now and Then is 

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narrated by Nicola Ward. 
I'm Captain Blunderface. 

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Make sure you give us a follow 
so that you never miss an 

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episode. 
Bye for now, and we'll see you 

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all next week on Stories from 
Now and Then.