The book I am looking for is one my mum used to read as a child. It had a collection of books and poems. She had it in the 1950s but I don’t know when it was published.
She thought it was called Fireside Tales, but this could be wrong as the book cover came off. She remembers there being fairies and elves on the inside cover.
One of the stories was called “Fireside concert”.
Fireside concert is a story about a fireplace and the tools. When the fire is just about to fall asleep, one of the tools says let’s have a concert, so one by one they do a little dance or something fun before they go to sleep.
Another was “Little grey mouse”
She said there was a story about a thread-bare Little mouse. I am not sure if that is the same story or the title of another one.
There are 2 poems she remembers. I don’t know the tites but she remembers the words.
First one:
“Closed are the story books on the shelf
The teddy bear’s fast asleep
The sun has gone from a darkening sky
And stars through the window peep
So off we go to the land of Nod
Down winding lullaby lane
With the night light fairies to accompany us
Till morning comes again
And it that wonderful land of Nod
Are things that bring delight
So hurry along or we’ll be too late
Good night little ones, goodnight”
Second one is about a teapot I only have a small part:
“neat and round and brown am I, merry little fellow, patchwork cosy on my head, red green and yellow. Gather round the table now, draw the curtains tight, fireside is the place for me, on a winter’s night.”
I would be so grateful for any help finding this book as it would mean the world to mum to have a copy. We have been looking for about 40 years now!
Tales Told by the Fireside, Marian Winifred Scutt, 1954.
Contents:
The copper kettle’s story —
The voice of the wind —
Two little red slippers —
The song of the teapot —
The tale of the China cat —
The seasons —
The flying hearthrug —
My fireside picture-book —
The fairy and the cuckoo-clock —
Christmas Eve —
The fireside concert —
Little grey bear —
The Christmas-tree fairy —
The Land of Nod.
Enid Blyton wrote books called ‘Fireside Stories’ and ‘Fireside Tales’.
Oh my goodness! This is it!!! Thank you so very much. Do you have any idea how I can get a copy?
You’re welcome! But no, sorry, I’m not a dealer.
Ebay has a lot of them – just search for Enid Blyton Fireside