The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or, The Roly-Poly Pudding
Encyclopedia
The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter
and first published by Frederick Warne & Co
. in October 1908
as The Roly-Poly Pudding. In 1926
, it was re-published as The Tale of Samuel Whiskers. The book is dedicated to the author's fancy rat
"Sammy" and tells of Tom Kitten's escape from two rats who plan to make him into a pudding. The tale was adapted to animation in 1993.
, and sisters, Moppet and Mittens, in a house overrun with rats. Her children being an unruly bunch, Mrs. Twitchit puts Moppet and Mittens in a cupboard in order to keep them under control, but Tom Kitten escapes up the chimney. As he makes his way to the top of the house, he comes across a crack in the wall and, squeezing through it, finds himself under the attic's floorboards. There he meets the rats, Mr. Samuel Whiskers and his wife Anna Maria. They catch him and proceed to cover him with butter and dough in order to eat him as a pudding. However, when they proceed to settle the dough with a rolling-pin, the noise gets through the floorboards and attracts the attention of Tabitha Twitchit and her friend Ribby who has been helping search for Tom. They quickly call for John Joiner, the carpenter, who saws open the floor and rescues Tom. Whiskers and his wife escape to the barn of Farmer Potatoes, spreading their chaos to another location, though leaving the cat family residence in peace. Potter mentions herself as seeing Samuel Whiskers and Anna Maria making their escape, using a wheelbarrow that looks like her own.
The tale is the sequel Potter promised readers at the end of The Tale of Tom Kitten
and is set in the interior of the house at Hill Top Farm. The storyline was inspired by an invasion of rats Potter experienced after purchasing the place.
The tale was published by Frederick Warne & Co. in October 1908 in a large 5 by 8 format (rather than the series usual 4 by 5) and dedicated to Potter's long deceased pet rat, "Sammy" or Mr. Samuel Whiskers. In 1926, the book was republished as The Tale of Mr. Samuel Whiskers in the small format of the series.
anthology series, The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
with the voices of Rosemary Leach
, John Gordon Sinclair
, Patricia Routledge
as Ribby, and Sheila Hancock
as Anna Maria.
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
and first published by Frederick Warne & Co
Frederick Warne & Co
Frederick Warne & Co was a British publishing firm famous for children's books, particularly those of Beatrix Potter. It was founded in 1865 by a bookseller, who gave his own name to the firm.- History :...
. in October 1908
1908 in literature
The year 1908 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Afawarq Gabra Iyasus - Libb Wolled Tārīk , the first novel in Amharic*Leonid Andreyev - The Seven Who Were Hanged...
as The Roly-Poly Pudding. In 1926
1926 in literature
The year 1926 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is founded in Middlebury, Vermont....
, it was re-published as The Tale of Samuel Whiskers. The book is dedicated to the author's fancy rat
Fancy rat
The fancy rat is a domesticated brown rat , which is the most common type of pet rat. The name fancy rat derives from the idea of animal fancy or the phrase "to fancy" ....
"Sammy" and tells of Tom Kitten's escape from two rats who plan to make him into a pudding. The tale was adapted to animation in 1993.
Plot
The theme of the tale is the childhood sin of disobedience. Tom Kitten is a young cat who lives with his mother, Mrs. Tabitha TwitchitTabitha Twitchit
Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit is a fictional anthropomorphic cat who features in the books of Beatrix Potter. She is a shopkeeper and the long-suffering mother of three unruly kittens, Moppet, Mittens and Tom Kitten.-Inspiration:...
, and sisters, Moppet and Mittens, in a house overrun with rats. Her children being an unruly bunch, Mrs. Twitchit puts Moppet and Mittens in a cupboard in order to keep them under control, but Tom Kitten escapes up the chimney. As he makes his way to the top of the house, he comes across a crack in the wall and, squeezing through it, finds himself under the attic's floorboards. There he meets the rats, Mr. Samuel Whiskers and his wife Anna Maria. They catch him and proceed to cover him with butter and dough in order to eat him as a pudding. However, when they proceed to settle the dough with a rolling-pin, the noise gets through the floorboards and attracts the attention of Tabitha Twitchit and her friend Ribby who has been helping search for Tom. They quickly call for John Joiner, the carpenter, who saws open the floor and rescues Tom. Whiskers and his wife escape to the barn of Farmer Potatoes, spreading their chaos to another location, though leaving the cat family residence in peace. Potter mentions herself as seeing Samuel Whiskers and Anna Maria making their escape, using a wheelbarrow that looks like her own.
Composition and publication
The Tale of Tom Kitten
The Tale of Tom Kitten is a children's book, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. It was released by Frederick Warne & Co. in September 1907. The tale is about manners and how children react to them. Tabitha Twitchit, a cat, invites friends for tea...
and is set in the interior of the house at Hill Top Farm. The storyline was inspired by an invasion of rats Potter experienced after purchasing the place.
The tale was published by Frederick Warne & Co. in October 1908 in a large 5 by 8 format (rather than the series usual 4 by 5) and dedicated to Potter's long deceased pet rat, "Sammy" or Mr. Samuel Whiskers. In 1926, the book was republished as The Tale of Mr. Samuel Whiskers in the small format of the series.
Characters
- Samuel Whiskers is a bold, snuff-taking, "enormous old rat". He and his wife Anna Maria are thieves. Whiskers appears in the text and illustrations in The Tale of Ginger and PicklesThe Tale of Ginger and PicklesThe Tale of Ginger and Pickles is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1909. The book tells of two shopkeepers who extend unlimited credit to their customers and, as a result, are forced to go out of business...
where he has run up a bill for bacon. - Anna Maria
- Tom Kitten
- Mittens and Moppet are Tom's mischievous sisters. At the end of the tale, they have become rat-catchers and display their trophies (in the form of their victims' tails) on the barn door. Both appeared in The Tale of Tom KittenThe Tale of Tom KittenThe Tale of Tom Kitten is a children's book, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. It was released by Frederick Warne & Co. in September 1907. The tale is about manners and how children react to them. Tabitha Twitchit, a cat, invites friends for tea...
of 1907. Moppet starred in her own book, The Story of Miss MoppetThe Story of Miss MoppetThe Story of Miss Moppet is a tale about teasing featuring a kitten and a mouse, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. It was published by Frederick Warne & Co for the 1906 Christmas season. Potter was born in London in 1866, and between 1902 and 1905 published a series of small format...
in 1906. - Tabitha TwitchitTabitha TwitchitMrs. Tabitha Twitchit is a fictional anthropomorphic cat who features in the books of Beatrix Potter. She is a shopkeeper and the long-suffering mother of three unruly kittens, Moppet, Mittens and Tom Kitten.-Inspiration:...
is described as "an old cat" and "an anxious parent". She is continually losing her mischievous kittens. She is a village shopkeeper in The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-PanThe Tale of the Pie and the Patty-PanThe Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and released by Frederick Warne & Co. in October 1905. It tells of a cat called Ribby and a tea party she holds for a dog called Duchess...
and The Tale of Ginger and PicklesThe Tale of Ginger and PicklesThe Tale of Ginger and Pickles is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1909. The book tells of two shopkeepers who extend unlimited credit to their customers and, as a result, are forced to go out of business...
. - Ribby is Tabitha's neighbour and cousin. She stops by Tabitha's house to borrow yeast, is not afraid of rats, and remains to search for Tom. She is one of the two central characters in The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-PanThe Tale of the Pie and the Patty-PanThe Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and released by Frederick Warne & Co. in October 1905. It tells of a cat called Ribby and a tea party she holds for a dog called Duchess...
(1905). - Farmer Potatoes is the narrator's neighbour. Whiskers and Anna Maria take up residence in his barn after John Joiner discovers their retreat under the attic floorboards. He was based on Potter's neighbour Poslethwaite, and appears in one illustration modelled on a photograph.
- John Joiner, the carpenter dog, removes the floorboard to release Tom. The character was based on John Taylor, the repair man at Sawrey.
- Miss Potter is depicted in one illustration observing Samuel Whiskers and Anna Maria entering Farmer Potatoes gate with their bundles in her wheelbarrow.
Illustrations
The book's large 5 by 8 inch format allowed Potter to include black and white line drawings and to lavish greater detail on the colour illustrations. The kitchen range, the staircase, the front door, the dresser and other details of Hill Top are all depicted in the illustrations. After purchasing Hill Top, Potter found less time and opportunity to work up illustrations and began to rely more and more on photographs to complete her work during the winter or while sojourning in London. Farmer Potatoes was Potter's real world neighbour Postlethwaite and the illustration was modelled on a photograph. The original sketch of Tabitha standing on the staircase searching for Tom has the head of the cat cut out and pasted in place. It is unknown if this was done because the original was wrong or that Potter was seeking a dimensional effect. Randolph Caldecott was an inspiration for Potter and his influence is evident in the depictions of Samuel Whiskers and Anna Maria who were modelled on the Rat and Miss Mousey in the illustrations for his "A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go". Potter's Jeremy Fisher was based on Caldecott's Frog. Some children wondered if Potter used a trussed-up kitten as a live model in her depiction of Tom Kitten waiting to be rolled into a pudding.Critical commentary
Potter had considerable experience drawing rats, mice, and cats before approaching Samuel Whiskers but the book is exceptional in her oeuvre for the many interior scenes at Hill Top and the character and personality of the domineering Samuel Whiskers. The tale has just the right amount of suspense for children without crossing the line into actually frightening them.Adaptations
In 1933, Theron K. Butterworth published a dramatic adaptation of the tale as Mr. Samuel Whiskers. In 1993, an animated film adaptation was telecast on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
anthology series, The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends is an animated television series based on the works of Beatrix Potter, featuring Peter Rabbit and other anthropomorphic animal characters created by Potter. It was originally shown in the UK on BBC between 1992 and 1995 and subsequently broadcast in the USA on...
with the voices of Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach is a British stage, television and film actress.She was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach. She attended grammar school and RADA...
, John Gordon Sinclair
John Gordon Sinclair
John Gordon Sinclair is a Scottish actor most famous for playing Gregory in Gregory's Girl. He was born as Gordon John but took the stage name 'John Gordon Sinclair' because Equity already had a Gordon John registered....
, Patricia Routledge
Patricia Routledge
Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE is an English character comedy actress and singer. She is best known for her role as character Hyacinth Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and Hetty Wainthropp in the British television series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates...
as Ribby, and Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
as Anna Maria.