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First published in Great Britain by Peter Davies 1944
First published by William Collins Sons & Co Ltd. 1958
This edition published by HarperCollins Children’s Books 2016
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Text copyright © The Trustees of the P.L. Travers Will Trust 1944
Illustrations copyright © Mary Shepard 1944
Cover design copyright © HarperCollins Children’s Books 2018
Cover design by Katie Everson
P.L. Travers and Mary Shepard assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work.
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Source ISBN: 9780008205768
Ebook Edition © 2016 ISBN: 9780007404315
Version: 2018-06-28
To Camillus
CONTENTS
Chapter One – The Fifth of November
Chapter Two – Mr Twigley’s Wishes
Chapter Three – The Cat That Looked at a King
Chapter Five – Peppermint Horses
Chapter Seven – Happy Ever After
Chapter Eight – The Other Door
Have you read all the original Mary Poppins adventures?
Chapter One THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER
IT WAS ONE of those bleak and chilly mornings that remind you winter is coming. Cherry Tree Lane was quiet and still. The mist hung over the Park like a shadow. All the houses looked exactly alike as the grey fog wrapped them round. Admiral Boom’s flagstaff, with the telescope at the top of it, had entirely disappeared.
The Milkman, as he turned into the Lane, could hardly see his way.
“Milk Be-l-o-o-ow!” he called, outside the Admiral’s door. And his voice sounded so queer and hollow that it gave him quite a fright.
“I’ll go ’Ome till the fog lifts,” he said to himself. “’Ere! Look where you’re goin’!” he went on, as a shape loomed suddenly out of the mist and bumped against his shoulder.
“Bumble, bumble, bum-bur-um-bumble,” said a gentle, muffled voice.
“Oh, it’s you!” said the Milkman, with a sigh of relief.
“Bumble,” remarked the Sweep again. He was holding his brushes in front of his face to keep his moustache dry.
“Out early, aren’t you?” the Milkman said.
The Sweep gave a jerk of his black thumb towards Miss Lark’s house.
“Had to do the chimbley before the dogs had breakfast. In case the soot gave them a cough,” he explained.
The Milkman laughed rudely. For that was what everybody did when Miss Lark’s two dogs were mentioned.
The mist went wreathing through the air. There was not a sound in the Lane.
“Ugh!” said the Milkman, shivering. “This quiet gives me the ’Orrors!”
And as he said that, the Lane woke up. A sudden roar came from one of the houses and the sound of stamping feet.
“That’s Number Seventeen!” said the Sweep. “Excuse me, old chap. I think I’m needed.” He cautiously felt his way to the gate and went up the garden path…
Inside the house, Mr Banks was marching up and down, kicking the hall furniture.
“I’ve had about all I can stand!” he shouted, waving his arms wildly.
“You keep on saying that,” Mrs Banks cried. “But you won’t tell me what’s the matter.” She looked at Mr Banks anxiously.
“Everything’s the matter!” he roared. “Look at this!” He waggled his right foot at her. “And this!” he went on, as he waggled his left.
Mrs Banks peered closely at the feet. She was rather short-sighted and the hall was misty.
“I – er – don’t see anything wrong,” she began timidly.
“Of course you don’t!” he said sarcastically. “It’s only imagination, of course, that makes me think Robertson Ay has given me one black shoe and one brown!” And again he waggled his feet.
“Oh!” said Mrs Banks hurriedly. For now she saw clearly