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Questions tagged [e-nesbit]

Questions about the English author Edith Nesbit (1858 – 1924) or about any of her literary work, including children's classics such as Five Children And It.

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25 votes
2 answers
7k views

Meaning of "the field was found to be plowed as thoroughly as any young man at Oxford" in 'The Book of Dragons'

E. Nesbit, in The Book of Dragons, toward the end of the chapter titled 'The Island of the Nine Whirlpools', wrote: The nine rubies were used afterwards in agriculture. You had only to throw them out ...
Winky's user avatar
  • 355
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

What do these long em dashes and the word inst. mean in Railway Children?

I'm struggling to make sense of the word inst. and the long dashes — in this excerpt from E. Nesbit's The Railway Children. The excerpt is part of a letter that the children receive. The dashes are ...
nuggethead's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
205 views

Reference to "Sensible Susan" in E. Nesbit's New Treasure Seekers?

E. Nesbit's The New Treasure Seekers contains what appears to be a reference to another book titled Sensible Susan: So at the next farm, which was half hidden by trees, like the picture at the ...
Konrad Schroder's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
689 views

Meaning of: "the photographic views, the spyglasses you look at them" in 'Five Children and It'

In chapter 8, E. Nesbit said: Bill was a man who knew his business. In a very little while, the photographic views, the spyglasses you look at them through so that they really seem rather real, and ...
Hamza Maher Abdurrahman's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
127 views

Meaning of "down here after measles, as likely as not!" in 'Five Children and It'

In chapter 1, E.Nesbit said: "Hungry! I should think so," said Martha angrily; "out all day like this. Well, I hope it'll be a lesson to you not to go picking up with strange children —...
Hamza Maher Abdurrahman's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
190 views

Meaning of "He's soft, ain't he? Them giants mostly is" in "Five Children and It"

From Five Children and It by E. Nesbit: 'What'll you take for him?' she said excitedly. 'Anything in reason. We'd have a special van built—leastways, I know where there's a second-hand one would do ...
Hamza Maher Abdurrahman's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
81 views

Meaning of "I'm glad it was only wings, though. I'd rather see the birds as aren't there..."

Me and my friend finished translating Five Children and It. This is one of the paragraphs we had a problem with, in Chapter 4 (The Wings): "Well, from this day forth I'll be a better man. It's ...
Hamza Maher Abdurrahman's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
457 views

Meaning of "Lor’ lumme if there ain’t another on ’em!" from "Five Children and It"

This excerpt is from Five Children and It, Chapter 2. “She’s not mad; it’s true,” said Anthea; “there is a fairy. If I ever see him again I’ll wish for something for you; at least I would if ...
Ammar mahmoud's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
148 views

Explanation of a pargraph from "Five Children and It"

I can't understand this paragraph from Five Children and It. What does it mean? Please explain. The shadows got longer and longer, and at last there were no separate shadows any more, but one soft ...
Hamza Maher Abdurrahman's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

What does "in the arms of Murphy" mean?

From E. Nesbit's The Enchanted Castle, Chapter V, when Gerald is telling the policeman Johnson about the burglary he witnessed: "Was it you give the warning, and they sent for the police?" ...
Rand al'Thor's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
182 views

Are gender roles gone in the future in "The Story of the Amulet" by E. Nesbit?

When the kids go into the future in The Story of the Amulet, it looks like gender roles have perhaps disappeared. Some of the relevant quotes: There was no one in the room, but in the next gallery, ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 27.2k