Changes

On a warm spring morning in rural England, the Mole is busy spring-cleaning his home. He grows tired of it and digs a tunnel up to the surface, where he marvels in the beauty of springtime. After arriving at the river, he befriends the Rat (who is actually a water vole), who makes his home beside the river and spends his time in boats. They become fast friends during a picnic and get to meet some other characters in the story: brave Otter, solitary Badger, and eccentric Toad. Rat invites Mole to live with him for a little while as he teaches him how to row and swim.

On a warm spring morning in rural England, the Mole is busy spring-cleaning his home. He grows tired of it and digs a tunnel up to the surface, where he marvels in the beauty of springtime. After arriving at the river, he befriends the Rat (who is actually a water vole), who makes his home beside the river and spends his time in boats. They become fast friends during a picnic and get to meet some other characters in the story: brave Otter, solitary Badger, and eccentric Toad. Rat invites Mole to live with him for a little while as he teaches him how to row and swim.

Summer comes, and Mole wants to properly greet Toad, who is rich and owns a manor called Toad Hall. Toad is shown to be friendly and jovial but is also aimless and arrogant. becoming obsessed with a fad one day and skipping to the other the next. On this day, Toad has given up boating and has decided to travel in his horse-drawn carriage, inviting Mole and Rat to join him on a journey throughout England. They haven't gone long and far when they run afoul of some people speeding along in their motorcar, upsetting the carriage and startling the horse. Toad is fascinated with the motorcar and abandons carriages to go to the next fad: motorcars.

Summer comes, and Mole wants to properly greet Toad, who is rich and owns a manor called Toad Hall. Toad is shown to be friendly and jovial but also aimless and arrogant. becoming obsessed with a fad one day and skipping to the other the next. On this day, Toad has given up boating and has decided to travel in his horse-drawn gypsy cart, inviting Mole and Rat to join him on a journey throughout England. They haven't gone long and far when they run afoul of some people speeding along in their motorcar, upsetting the cart and startling the horse. Toad is fascinated with the motorcar and abandons carts to go to the next fad: motorcars.

Mole has wanted to pay a visit to Badger for some time. Rat, however, knows that Badger doesn't like visits because he's not a fan of society and advises against going to find him. On a cold late fall day, Mole goes off on his own to the Wild Wood, where Badger lives. He gets lost, frightened by the less welcoming residents of the Wild Wood, and hides in a hole in a tree. Rat gets an idea where Mole may be and heads off to the Wild Wood, with a pistol and a cudgel on hand. He does find his friend hiding in a hollowed-out tree and waits until Mole recovers.

Mole has wanted to pay a visit to Badger for some time. Rat, however, knows that Badger doesn't like visits because he's not a fan of society and advises against going to find him. On a cold late fall day, Mole goes off on his own to the Wild Wood, where Badger lives. He gets lost, frightened by the less welcoming residents of the Wild Wood, and hides in a hole in a tree. Rat gets an idea where Mole may be and heads off to the Wild Wood, with a pistol and a cudgel on hand. He does find his friend hiding in a hollowed-out tree and waits until Mole recovers.

'''Toad:''' Toad is one of the spotlight characters in the book, living a fancy rich life in Toad Hall (which he had inherited from his father). He is most famous for throwing himself to the latest fads one day and then dropping that fad to go to another fad the next; for example, the story begins with him taking to boating and then to carts and then to motorcars (his latest obsession). While he can be spoiled, conceited, and impulsive, he does value his friends and wants to do right by them, admitting at times when he's slipped up and done something stupid. Several chapters in the book chronicle his latest fad getting him into trouble with the law, being thrown into prison, and escaping.

'''Toad:''' Toad is one of the spotlight characters in the book, living a fancy rich life in Toad Hall (which he had inherited from his father). He is most famous for throwing himself to the latest fads one day and then dropping that fad to go to another fad the next; for example, the story begins with him taking to boating and then to carts and then to motorcars (his latest obsession). While he can be spoiled, conceited, and impulsive, he does value his friends and wants to do right by them, admitting at times when he's slipped up and done something stupid. Several chapters in the book chronicle his latest fad getting him into trouble with the law, being thrown into prison, and escaping.

'''Badger:''' Badger is a hermit living by himself in the middle of the Wild Wood, in an underground set. He's a large and fearsome animal who hates going into society (and doesn't approve of things like not putting elbows on tables), but he can be welcoming to his friends and is kind to children. Like Mole, he has a fondness for living underground since they're both burrowing animals; in fact, his home had been built by the Romans when they lived in Great Britain before being claimed by badgers. He is also a friend of Toad's late father, uncompromising with Toad yet remains optimistic that his good qualities will prevail.

'''Badger:''' Badger is a hermit living by himself in the middle of the Wild Wood, in an underground set. He's a large and fearsome animal who hates going into society (and doesn't approve of things like not putting elbows on tables), but he can be welcoming to his friends and is kind to children. Like Mole, he has a fondness for living underground since they're both burrowing animals; in fact, his home had been built by the Romans when they lived in Great Britain before being claimed by badgers. He is also a friend of Toad's late father, uncompromising with Toad yet remaining optimistic that his good qualities will prevail.

'''Otter:''': While not a main protagonist, Otter is a friend of all four animals. A brave and boisterous animal, he is perfectly at home on the river with his son Portly. He is also one of the few animals besides Badger to go through the Wild Wood by himself and not be scared.

'''Otter:''': While not a main protagonist, Otter is a friend of all four animals. A brave and boisterous animal, he is perfectly at home on the river with his son Portly. He is also one of the few animals besides Badger to go through the Wild Wood by himself and not be scared.

'''The Weasels:''' The weasels of the Wild Wood are a rowdy group of animals that take over Toad Hall while Toad is in prison. They eventually get overthrown by the four friends and have become mostly reformed.

'''The Weasels:''' The weasels of the Wild Wood are a rowdy group of animals that take over Toad Hall while Toad is in prison. They and their stoat and ferret allies eventually get overthrown by the four friends and have become mostly reformed.

'''The Seafarer:''' This is a ship's rat who takes a short break from his seafaring ways and talks to Rat about his adventures at sea, going to places like Constantinople. His stories briefly lull Rat into trying to leave the river, but Mole brings him back to his senses.

'''The Seafarer:''' The seafarer is a ship's rat who takes a short break from his seafaring ways and talks to Rat about his adventures at sea, going to places like Constantinople. His stories briefly lull Rat into trying to leave the river, but Mole brings him back to his senses.

'''Pan:''' Pan is a satyr from Greek mythology who is said to watch over the wild animals, who see him as a god. Mole and Rat see him when they find Otter's son Portly, and he wipes the memory of this encounter out of their minds.

'''Pan:''' Pan is a satyr from Greek mythology who is said to watch over the wild animals, who see him as a god. Mole and Rat see him when they find Otter's son Portly safe and sound in his presence, and he wipes the memory of this encounter out of their minds.

==Film adaptations==

==Film adaptations==

In 1949, Walt Disney released his version of ''The Wind in the Willows'' in his film ''The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad'', sharing this with Washington Irving's ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow''. He has done some changes like Toad being framed for stealing the motorcar instead of actually stealing it himself and changing Rat from a sailor with a Bohemian streak to a stuffy yet caring Englishman.

In 1949, Walt Disney released his version of ''The Wind in the Willows'' in his film ''The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad'', sharing this with Washington Irving's ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow''. He has done some changes like Toad being framed for stealing the motorcar instead of stealing it himself and changing Rat from a sailor with a Bohemian streak to a stuffy yet caring Englishman.

1983 saw the release of a stop-motion animated movie with more musical numbers than what the book contained. This soon gave way to an animated TV series the following year, which contains two stories from the book: "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Wayfarers All". It also had another movie called ''A Tale of Two Toads'', which deals with a Toad imposter trying to divide Toad's friends and take over Toad Hall with the weasels all while Toad is kidnapped; this second movie takes place during the fourth and fifth seasons.

1983 saw the release of a stop-motion animated movie created by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television. This soon gave way to an animated TV series the following year, which contains five seasons; the first season even contains two stories adapted from the book: "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Wayfarers All". It also had another movie called ''A Tale of Two Toads'', which deals with a Toad imposter trying to divide Toad's friends and take over Toad Hall with the weasels all while Toad is kidnapped; this second movie takes place during the fourth and fifth seasons.

Rankin/Bass had their own version released in 1987, which changes several things. They have Portly - Otter's son - changed to a badger and thus Badger's nephew, as well as making Rat a common brown rat as opposed to a water vole.

Rankin/Bass had their own animated film released in 1987, which stars actors like Charles Nelson Reilly and Roddy McDowall. Changes from the book include Portly - Otter's son - being a badger and thus Badger's nephew, as well as making Rat a common brown rat as opposed to a water vole.

An animated film was adapted in 1995 that follows the book almost faithfully, which is then followed in 1996 by a sequel called ''The Willows in Winter''. This sequel deals with Toad's latest obsession - airplanes - that gets him not only in trouble with the law again but also nearly gets Rat killed when he was supposed to help the river-bankers find Mole.

An animated film was adapted in 1995 that follows the book almost faithfully, which is then followed in 1996 by a sequel called ''The Willows in Winter''. This sequel deals with Toad's latest obsession - airplanes - that gets him not only in trouble with the law again but also nearly gets Rat killed when he was supposed to help the river-bankers find Mole.

1996 had a live-action adaptation with human characters instead of the animal characters. However, those who play the animal characters have some animal characteristics to them, like whiskers.

1996 had a live-action adaptation with human characters instead of the animal characters. However, those who play the animal characters have some animal characteristics to them, like whiskers and tails.

==External links==

==External links==