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Freddy the Pig
"He who has not met Freddy the Pig has not led
a complete life."
The following is an excerpt from my book, Harley Hahn's Internet Yellow Pages... Between 1927 and 1958, the American writer Walter R. Brooks (1886-1958) wrote 26 children's books about Freddy the Pig. Freddy lives on a farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bean, near the town of Centerboro in upstate New York, along with many other animals, including Mrs. Wiggins (cow), Jinx (cat), Charles (rooster), Henrietta (hen), Alice, Emma and Uncle Wesley (ducks), Hank (horse), Robert and Georgie (dogs), and Eek, Eeny, Quik and Cousin Augustus (mice). All the animals can talk, but Freddy is, by far, the most talented. In the course of the books he becomes a detective, a poet, a newspaper publisher (founder of the "Bean Home News"), a banker (he starts the First Animal Bank), a pilot, a football player, a politician (when Mrs. Wiggins runs for president of the First Animal Republic), a magician, a baseball coach, and a lot more. I have a large Freddy collection and have read each book many times. In fact, much of what I know about human nature, I learned from Freddy and his friends.
For reference, here is the complete list of Freddy the Pig books. You can find these books in the children's section of any library.
If you would like to own your own copies, it is easy to do so, as they have all been reprinted. Freddy the Pig books from Overlook Press
Freddy the Pig has many fans, and they have formed a club called the Friends of Freddy (FOF). If you are a Freddy fan (or you are just interested in beefing up your resumé), you might want to join the Friends of Freddy organization. Every two years, the FOF has a convention in the fall. In October, 2000, I went to the FOF convention, which was held in Windham, New York, close to where Walter Brooks used to live. In October, 2004, I wint to the FOF convention in Rome, New York, the birthplace of Walter Brooks. Freddy conventions are a lot of fun. There are talks, performances and many friendly people to meet. I had a great time at both of them, and I am only sorry I missed the 2002 gathering. For more information about conventions and other gatherings, see the Friends of Freddy Web site.
Freddy the Pig is an accomplished poet. At the October 2000 Friends of Freddy convention in Windham, New York, I gave a talk entitled "Freddy and the Internet". As part of the presentation, I read a brand new poem, "The Internet", which I wrote in the style of Freddy. The poem was well-received and, by popular request, is presented here for your enjoyment.
The Internet
The Internet is quite a place
And when it rains, I'll sit and chat
On the Net, I use the Web
One day, when I have lots of time
So that is all I have to say
If you have read the Freddy books, you may know that Freddy is not the only poet. Another character, Mrs. Peppercorn, also writes poetry. Mrs. Peppercorn's philosophy is that it is boring to use the same old rhymes that everyone has been using for years. Instead, she creates new ones, endowing her poetry with a unique style. During my presentation, I also read a short poem about the Internet composed by Mrs. Peppercorn.
The Internet
I love the Net because it's nice
If you can't visit me or call,
Or, if you like to talk or blab,
I have a plan to make me rich,
So, if you want to chat sometime,
Mrs. Peppercorn's poetry does take some getting used to but, like warts, it grows on you.
As I mentioned above, Freddy the Pig is an accomplished poet. At the 2000 Friends of Freddy convention, I gave a talk. At the end of the talk, I read a poem I had written in the style of Freddy. I did the same thing at the 2004 convention, in both cases, the talks and the poems were well received. If you are a Freddy fan, you will know that, over the years, he wrote a series of poems called "The Features", in which he discussed various parts of the body: the eyes, the ears, the teeth, the nose, the hair, and so on. The poem I wrote for the 2004 convention, is called "The Neck". It is the one poem Freddy forgot to write. (So I had to do it for him.)
The Neck
It's nice to have a mouth and eyes
It sits between the head and chest
For shorter folks, the neck s great
Like other things that we all need
Giraffes, for instance, have too much
So do not bend or pull your neck
For if you didn't have a neck
Yes, it's nice to have a mouth and eyes
As I discussed above, Freddy is not the only poet in the Freddy books. Another character, Mrs. Peppercorn, writes poetry using a particularly gruesome style all her own. (She makes up her own, original rhymes.) Here, then, is Mrs. Peppercorn's version of the same poem.
The Neck
Without a neck your head would flop
Your head would fall and get lumps like porridge
So if you ask, I'd say the neck's
So hail to you, oh neck of necks
As a general rule, the Friends of Freddy have a convention in the fall of even-numbered years. However, in October of 2009, there was a special, one-time convention celebrating the 25th anniversary of the very first convention. This special convention was held in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, to honor Kurt Wiese, the German-born illustrator of the Freddy books. In fact, if you have ever read a Freddy book, chances are your images of Freddy and his friends come from Wiese's drawings. During the convention, I gave a talk, during which I read poems by Freddy and Mrs. Peppercorn (who made a practice of inventing her own rhymes).
Ode to Kurt Wiese (pronounced "Whee'zy")
Charles can always draw a crowd When he begins to speak, Although if he contracts a cold His voice is but a creak. The animals can all draw lots When adventure they set out on, And Jinx can draw an invisible chair For Minx to sit and pout on. When Percy smelled of cheap perfume His daughter drew a bath, He then no more smelled up the room And, thusly, lost his wrath. When I was dressed with cowboy hat I tended to draw fire, Ridin' round with this or that While drawing Cal Flint's ire. BUT... Of all the people I have known Both serious and breezy, The one who drew the most renown Was artist Herr Kurt Wiese. For drawing I admire Wiese The best of all the leaders, The one who most know how to please e- normous groups of readers. The thing about Herr Master Kurt He made it look so easy, And that is why — this very day — We all salute Kurt Wiese. There is, although, one thing I saw That hit me where I sat, Kurt Wiese had one tiny flaw He made me look too fat! As I discussed above, Freddy is not the only poet in the Freddy books. Another character, Mrs. Peppercorn, writes poetry using a particularly gruesome style all her own. (She makes up her own, original rhymes.) Here, then, is Mrs. Peppercorn's version of the same poem.
It's Easy With Wiese (pronounced "Whee'zy")
Some art is large and some is small,
Though some's low-brow and some is higher,
Kurt Wiese is my favorite choice,
What I like best about Kurt Wiese,
SO...
When I want something to touch my heart,
Children's Resources on the Net... Aside from information about Freddy the Pig, you'll find a lot of great ideas and resources for kids in The Little Nipper's Internet Clubhouse, the special children's section of The Harley Hahn Experience (my premium Web site). If you are already a member, just click on the links below:
Books for Kids
If you are not a member, here's where you can find information about joining: Below is a list of all the topics you will find in The Little Nipper's Internet Clubhouse. Books for Kids
Stories to Read on the Net
Explore and Learn
Fun Stuff
© All contents Copyright 2010, Harley Hahn
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