In a message dated 11/13/2003 2:25:11 PM US Mountain Standard Time, philiph at SLAC.Stanford.EDU writes: > BTW, does anyone else know why there is no actual mention of wind in willows > in THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS? I do..... > > tal Ok, I'll bite. I've been wondering about this for, uhh, 10 years at least. The book was originally called THE WIND IN THE REEDS; and you no doubt recall that the wind in the reeds sings the song about the Friend and Helper as Mole and Rat are returning from Pan's Island with the baby otter. But W.B. Yeats's first collection of poems, THE WIND AMONG THE REEDS, had just been published, I think even by the same publisher, so it was found necessary to change the title. It makes less sense, as the wind in the reeds does sound like someone whispering ("King Midas has asses' ears!"), where as the wind among willow fronds just makes rattling noises. tal