History Literature / TheWindInTheWillows

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* BrokenRecord: After Badger tells him off for correcting Toad's grammar ("teach" vs. "learn") because it's the same grammar Badger uses, Rat retreats into a corner and begins repeating the two phrases alternately until told to stop.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wilows_1.jpg]]

* GentleGiant: Both Badger and Otter they are as friendly as they are big and powerful.

%% * SpoiledSweet: Despite his faults, Toad is as Rat says "So simple, so good-natured, and so affectionate."

* YourSizeMayVary: The animals at first seem to be about the size you expect, until they get affected by Toad's AnthropomorphicShift, and are suddenly the right size for operating a horse-drawn caravan. Then later, Ratty and Mole can both comfortably fit inside a hollow tree, while Toad is crashing motor cars and having extensive adventures in the human world.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Toad's behavior matches up perfectly with bipolar disorder, though the novel certainly doesn't call it that.

Chapter 7, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" (where the name of Music/PinkFloyd's [[Music/ThePiperAtTheGatesOfDawn debut album]] came from) and Chapter 9, "Wayfarers All" are sometimes cut from publications of the book.

!!Adaptations include:
* Creator/{{Disney}} released a heavily-condensed adaptation as the first half of their final package film, ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad''. Ever wonder what the inspiration was for [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Toad%27s_Wild_Ride the most terrifying ride]] at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland and Walt Disney World]]? This.

The whole text of the book is available for free [[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Wind_in_the_Willows here]].

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Even though the jailer's daughter helped Toad escape from prison by disguising him as a washerwoman, she did not realize that the plan would fail because her father and the police would discover her aunt tied up and that Toad got away. And it would mean that if Toad did get caught, his sentence would only be increased for breaking out of prison. Not only that, even though she is only a young girl, the daughter, along with her aunt, could be charged with helping him, and they could also face a prison sentence. As a matter of fact, there is a strong possibility that they did get punished and sentenced to prison—no matter if they were a child and an old lady, respectively.

** "Toad of Toad Hall" by Creator/AAMilne. It debuted at the Lyric Theatre in London on December 17, 1929. Focused mainly on the exploits of Mr. Toad it incorporates the caravan and automobile, as well as his imprisonment, escape, and fight with the weasels and stoats to recover Toad Hall with the help of his friends.

* There have been many unofficial sequels, but the most famous are William Horwood's four sequels written in the 1990's, dubbed "Tales of the Willows":

** "Counselling for Toads" by Robert de Board. It depicts a depressed Toad getting therapy from Heron, the local therapist.

* FleetingPassionateHobbies: A defining aspect of Mr Toad, to the point that Ratty discussing it with Otter forms part of Toad's EstablishingCharacterMoment in Chapter 1:

%%* Barbarous Barbary Buccaneers: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] by Rat at one point when he and Mole are entertaining a bunch of Christmas guests, one of whom was a mouse who starred in a play in which his character was held captive by Barbary corsairs, after which he escaped only to find his love had left him to live in a convent.

* BarbarousBarbaryBuccaneers: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] by Rat at one point when he and Mole are entertaining a bunch of Christmas guests, one of whom was a mouse who starred in a play in which his character was held captive by Barbary corsairs, after which he escaped only to find his love had left him to live in a convent.

* GenderFlip: In the 2017 West End Musical, Otter and Portly are now Mrs. Otter and Portia.

* FoodPorn: The stew Toad dines on, which contains no less than seven animals, is lovingly described. Toad's expression of rapture in the accompanying illustration doesn't help.
** Also the contents of Ratty's picnic basket.
-->"What’s inside it?" asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity.
-->"There’s cold chicken inside it," replied the Rat briefly; [[MotorMouth cold-tongue-cold-ham-cold-beef-pickled-gherkins-salad-french-rolls-cress-sandwidges-potted-meat-ginger-beer-lemonade-soda-water]]–"

* ILied: Toad says this after supposedly agreeing with Badger's long anti-car lecture. He gets locked up under guard.

* There was another [[WesternAnimation/TheWindInTheWillows1985 animated version]] by Creator/RankinBassProductions, that is sometimes [[AllAnimationIsDisney mistaken for a Disney movie]] (probably because of how many times it was shown on the Disney Channel in the 1990s). This version aired in 1987 on Creator/{{ABC}} and featured Creator/CharlesNelsonReilly as Mr. Toad and Creator/RoddyMcDowall as Rat.

* A trilogy of animated specials for ITV directed by Martin Gates - dubbed on home video as "The Wind in the Willows Collection", featuring Creator/RichardBriers as Rat, Creator/PeterDavison as Mole, Creator/HughLaurie as Toad, and Creator/PaulEddington as Badger:

* {{Fiction 500}}: Averted with Mr. Toad, he may be rich but as Rat points out "he's not a millionaire". [[note]] Keep in mind a £1000 during the Edwardian era would be roughly worth over £57,000 in today's money. And the average price of a motor car back then was £340 which is £20,000 in today's money. And if Toad did have at least a £1,000,0000 that would £57,000,000 in today's money. [[/note]]

* AdaptationExpansion: Pretty much every adaptation, even the most faithful ones, add a scene at the end where Toad shows signs of slipping back into his old ways by buying an aeroplane. This fails to be AdaptationalPersonalityChange since WordOfGod admitted Toad's epiphany likely wouldn't last.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Even though the jailer’s daughter helped Toad escape from prison, by having him disguised as a washerwoman, she did not realise that the plan would fail because her father and the police would had discovered her aunt being ‘tied up’ that Toad got away. And it would mean if Toad did get caught his sentence would only be increased for breaking out of prison. And not only that but to make things worse even though she is only a young girl, the daughter along with her aunt could be charged with helping him and they could also face a prison sentence. As a matter of fact there is a strong possibility they did get punished and sentenced to prison no matter if they were a child and an old lady respectively.

* NouveauRiche: It's implied that Toad's family bought their way into squiredom rather than inherit it. Toad inherited his money from his father and is rather cavalier towards spending his inheritance on whatever takes his fancy -- he also conspicuously lacks any kind of title or honorific; not even "the Honorable" or "Esquire". Badger's comments implies that Toad Hall belonged to somebody else before Toad's father came to live there.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After reclaiming Toad Hall, Toad makes an unconvincing pretence that he has learned from his past hubris, though Badger and Rat make clear they don't buy into it. At the celebration banquet however, Toad acts genuinely modest and gentlemanly, not grandstanding the slightest, with the two left dumbfounded the whole evening.

* PlayfulOtter: Otter is this in spades just don't mess with his friends.

* CasualDangerDialog: When Otter enters Badgers house Mole asks him "weren't you at all-er-nervous" he laughs and says "I'd give 'em nerves if any of them tried anything" then talks over breakfast about how much fun he could have in the [[ForbiddenZone Wild Wood]].

* '''Ratty''': The Water-Rat (aka Water Vole). Somewhat of an [[OddFriendship odd friend for Mole]], but [[TrueCompanions fiercely loyal to his friends]]. Says that "There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats," and owns a CoolBoat to row down The River. Acts as the voice of reason when Badger isn't present, and is somewhat annoyed by the fast pace of modern living.

* '''Mr. Badger''': Something of a British HermitGuru, he lives alone in the middle of the Wild Woods. [[GentleGiant Huge and terrifying]], and at the same time rather nice, sheltering guests and being fond of children. He can -- if necessary -- [[LetsGetDangerous be deadly]] in defense of his friends.

* There was another [[WesternAnimation/TheWindInTheWillows1985 animated version]] by Creator/RankinBassProductions, that is sometimes [[AllAnimationIsDisney mistaken for a Disney movie]] (probably because of how many times it was shown on the Disney Channel in the 1990s). This version aired in 1987 on Creator/{{ABC}} and featured [[Series/MatchGame Charles Nelson Reilly]] as Mr. Toad and Creator/RoddyMcDowall as Rat.

* Disney released a heavily condensed version as part of their final package film, ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad''. Ever wonder what the inspiration was for [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Toad%27s_Wild_Ride the most terrifying ride]] at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland and Walt Disney World]]? This.