Mother West Wind "When" Stories - Primary Source Edition

Old Mother West Wind #7

by Thornton W. Burgess

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Animals, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Juvenile

268 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

About the author

Thornton W. (Waldo) Burgess (1874-1965), American author, naturalist and conservationist, wrote popular children's stories including the Old Mother West Wind (1910) series. He would go on to write more than 100 books and thousands of short-stories during his lifetime.

Thornton Burgess loved the beauty of nature and its living creatures so much that he wrote about them for 50 years in books and his newspaper column, "Bedtime Stories". He was sometimes known as the Bedtime Story-Man. By the time he retired, he had written more than 170 books and 15,000 stories for the daily newspaper column.

Born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, Burgess was the son of Caroline F. Haywood and Thornton W. Burgess Sr., a direct descendant of Thomas Burgess, one of the first Sandwich settlers in 1637. Thornton W. Burgess, Sr., died the same year his son was born, and the young Thornton Burgess was brought up by his mother in Sandwich. They both lived in humble circumstances with relatives or paying rent. As a youth, he worked year round in order to earn money. Some of his jobs included tending cows, picking trailing arbutus or berries, shipping water lilies from local ponds, selling candy and trapping muskrats. William C. Chipman, one of his employers, lived on Discovery Hill Road, a wildlife habitat of woodland and wetland. This habitat became the setting of many stories in which Burgess refers to Smiling Pool and the Old Briar Patch.

Graduating from Sandwich High School in 1891, Burgess briefly attended a business college in Boston from 1892 to 1893, living in Somerville, Massachusetts, at that time. But he disliked studying business and wanted to write. He moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he took a job as an editorial assistant at the Phelps Publishing Company. His first stories were written under the pen name W. B. Thornton.

Burgess married Nina Osborne in 1905, but she died only a year later, leaving him to raise their son alone. It is said that he began writing bedtime stories to entertain his young son, Thornton III. Burgess remarried in 1911; his wife Fannie had two children by a previous marriage. The couple later bought a home in Hampden, Massachusetts, in 1925 that became Burgess' permanent residence in 1957. His second wife died in August 1950. Burgess returned frequently to Sandwich, which he always claimed as his birthplace and spiritual home.

In 1960, Burgess published his last book, "Now I Remember, Autobiography of an Amateur Naturalist," depicting memories of his early life in Sandwich, as well as his career highlights. That same year, Burgess, at the age of 86, had published his 15,000th story. He died on June 5, 1965, at the age of 91 in Hampden, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came late to my first Kindle device about 20 years ago. I learned to read via hardcopy texts that I would borrow from a library, so it was a difficult ask to accept an electronic device without pages to contain a book. The lack of musty smell or even worn covers made the experience distinct from what I had become accustomed to, and it took an even greater while to use after I had been gifted an e-reader from my ex-wife.

I required assistance from my oldest son to figure out how to purchase and store my books. One of the first collections I bought was the Thornton Waldo Burgess library simply because I felt a really profound sense of nostalgia in reading stories that my father had read to me when I was a kid. The illustrations by Harrison Cady added to that sense and added to the enjoyment.

The Mother West Wind stories are a series of books that are essentially short story compilations with similar themed stories. The "When" stories are a collection of nature stories which serve to resolve questions as to When Mr. Bluebird Won His Beautiful Coat, When Old Mr. Gopher First Got Pockets, and When Old Mr. Panther Lost His Honor. Every single story gathered begins with "When" followed by a mythological story which explains a quirk or nuance of said animal.

Good book for the 1920s but dated by a better understanding of biological and zoological norms informed by a more current cultural milieu.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend sent me in search of these books almost 4 years ago. I found three of the set in February. Before delivering the books, i decided to read the books to see why these books are so hard to find.

I'm still wondering why these are so popular. Basically each story is set up as a template with an animal inserted. The tale is the same with only the details of the fantasy of how an animal got thy it is. Seems to me even a child would tire of the same story over and over.

What could save these is excellent writing. The writing is OK, if not ponderous. Not excellent.

Bottom line: i don't recommend this collection of stories. 5 out of 10 points.

[rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, quick children's stories, but I don't like the "teachings" they contain. But maybe I'm being too harsh and view it from an adult POV.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 yr old gave these books a 5. I agree. "His books are awesome' she says.I liked the way morals were told in an entertaining way. I bet my daughter didn't feel she was being moralized at because she wanted to hear the whole book. I've tried others that had a distinct 'moral' or 'value' and she hates it.(Books that go ... is thankful or ... learns to be honest. blah.

Burgess books are interesting entertaining and a good read. Hopefully the little lessons learned by the animals were also learned and put away in the back of my daughter's mind!

But if not, that's ok. A book is meant to entertain and if it did that, that works for me.

They are a little 'old-fashioned' meaning the sun is called: Mr. round red jolly sun, the wind is Old Mother West Wind, a breeze is One of Mother West Wind's Children, the Merry Little Breezes etc. Quaint and not exactly science but endearing nonetheless. But other than that these books are science in story form. The stories are about real life things that frogs or bears or skunks do or could do. Unlike most books with animals as main characters where they learn to ride bikes, win the spelling bee at school etc. Beginning animal lore for young children. Or budding animal lovers.

If you miss any of these from your local library many are also on Gutenberg's free books site.

Personally I think that these should be re-released with new covers and realistic pictures so kids will read them again. After looking up Amazon, it seems they have been re-released in paperback form.

The books themselves:

Mother West Wind 'When' Stories: 16 stories about how different animals and birds acquired a special attribute- like Hummer's long beak, or Bat's ability to fly. Often these special traits came from Mother Nature as a reward for courage, industriousness or gratitude.

Morals/ Values in the stories: courage, industriousness, gratitude, laziness, pride, being a sneak.

Mother West Wind's Children: The Merry Little Breezes are a curious group. They keep asking Grandfather Frog to tell them stories about why things are the way they are. Grandfather explains to them why Hooty the Owl doesn't come out during the day, why Bobby Coon washes his food, why Striped Chipmunk has pockets in his cheeks.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheaters & thieves don't win, don't tell false tales, industry & hard work are rewarded, laugh at self- don't be a cry baby.


The Dear Old Briar Patch: The story of goings-on in the Briar Patch of Peter Rabbit. Mrs. Peter has babies but doesn't tell Peter. Why not?

Bob White: The story of Bob White (aka quail) and his family as they try to keep hidden from their many predators. One day little bob white is shot by a hunter. What will happen to him after his family flies away from the hunter?

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheerfulness, wise planning, keeping secrets, anti-hunting for fun sentiments.

Bobby Coon: Poor Bobby awakes from his winter nap to find his tree being chopped down! He is injured in the fall but taken good care of by Farmer Brown' Boy His trial are not yet over. Bobby must find a new home but that is harder than he thinks.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: helping others, not worrying needlessly, losing your temper.

Old Mother West Wind: A group of stories with Mother West Wind or her Little Breezes helping the animals of the Meadow and forest. A couple of 'how the xxx got/ lost zzz' stories also that were quite entertaining.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: vanity, friendship, contentment, helpfulness.

Buster Bear: Buster moves to the Green Woods. This doesn't please the other animals because he takes 'their' fish, and they are frightened of him. But when the animals find out that Farmer Brown's Boy is afraid of Buster, they look at him with new eyes...until they find out the next personality trait Buster shows.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: temper, new friends come to the neighborhood.



Danny Meadow Mouse: Danny gets upset because he has a short tail. He also gets caught by Hooty the Owl, who wants him for dinner.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, anger, envy, kindness, friendship, look before you leap.


Grandfather Frog: He decides it's time for him to see more of the world. A little risk keeps life exciting. He has some exciting adventures before discovering 'there's no place like home'.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, mischieviousness, thoughtlessness, patience.

Old Man Coyote: Something is making a new sound in the Green Meadows/ Green Forest. The animals don't know what it could be. When it is discovered who has moved in, Granny Fox is determined to oust them from HER feeding grounds. Granny is in for a surprise because this stranger isn't easy to fool.

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: courage, resisting temptation, good planning(less) (less)

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

16 CHAPTERS

[Katja Labonté · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars & 2/10 hearts. Not all of these stories include Mother Nature & a change in the bird/animal’s appearance. A few are just anthropologized animals. But quite a few include Mother Nature. I don’t think it’s worth reading & editing the other stories just for the ones that don’t need editing. But that’s my own opinion, and if you like these kinds of stories you may not mind the editing part. 

[Victoria Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood books.

[Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit unimaginative, even as children's books go. Most of the stories go something like "old Mr. Bat discovered he needed wings, so Mother Nature gave him wings".

[Austen to Zafón · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1941 copy I have was my mother's when she was a child.