Old stories/authors
 

Does anyone remember. from the late 40's, early 50's a series of stories, probably in a youth magazine, stories about a brownie, maybe called The Little Brownie? Seems like perhaps he was a bit mischevious but with a good heart who in the end always chose the good thing? I remember my mother had those stories cut out and pasted into a scrapbook. Googled "The Little brownie" but didn't find anything there.

Also looking for information about an author Frida Wolfe, who wrote a poem Choosing Shoes, the last verse being
But, Flat shoes, fat shoes,
Scrap them on the mat shoes.
That's the ones they'll choose.

and a song Losing Time (Timmy lost an hour of time and looked all over for it, but could never find it)

Google brought me to the wife of a Mexican muralist, and a 19th century author, but neither of these.

Anyone else as old as dirt as I am remember these stories? Anyone have any other ideas for tracking these down?

Found this by Googling the lyrics you provided:
http://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/629/354.html

Found this about Brownies, but not sure it is the one you are looking for:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brownies
Could it be the Brownies of Palmer Cox?
http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_...s_brownie.html
http://www.amazon.com/The-Palmer-Cox...dp/B009HU87HW/
Or this one published in 1944?
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Brownie...dp/B002N989ZY/

Try this one.....sounds like the stories were by Enid Blyton....http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/b...ls.php?id=1411

Jan in VA

Here is a link to books on eBay that are about Brownies:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...at=0&_from=R40

The book by Sewell seems to be rare, but there is one on Amazon in the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Brown.../dp/B002N989ZY
and a couple listed on eBay in the UK:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...=267&_from=R40

I loved that poem and have always remembered it!

Choosing Shoes
by Frida Wolfe

New shoes, new shoes,
Red and pink and blue shoes.
Tell me, what would you choose,
If they'd let us buy?

Buckle shoes, bow shoes,
Pretty pointy-toe shoes,
Strappy, cappy low shoes;
Let's have some to try.

Bright shoes, white shoes,
Dandy-dance-by-night shoes,
Perhaps-a-little-tight shoes,
Like some? So would I.

BUT
Flat shoes, fat shoes,
Stump-along-like-that shoes,
Wipe-them-on-the-mat shoes,
That's the sort they'll buy.

When I was in elementary school, we had to memorize a poem. My brother chose one about building with blocks by Robert Louis Stevenson, and I chose "The Land of Counterpane" by him. I guess from listening to my brother practice (and trying to keep up with him -- he's two years older) and from practicing my own, I still know both of those poems.

Thanks everyone, you gave me some nice leads. I'm looking for any biographical info I can find on Frida. Jan seems to have found the right brownie stories, thanks so much.

I really like the choosing shoes poem, I have always wanted the ones in the 1st verses, but due to balance gait and arthritic problems, I am now limited to the ole "flat shoes, fat shoes, clunk along like that shoes.scrape em on the mat shoes". And I am off to buy new shoes today!

Enid Blyton was a great writer for children and her books are still enjoyed in England, I think. When I had my used book shop here, I sold a lot of her books.

It says that the 1st edition publication date of the Enid Blyton brownie stories is 1993, so I'm thinking that does not fit with the original poster's period of 1940's/1950's.

I don't have the answers for you but, like you have remembered and could not find things like that from long ago. keep searching or just enjoy what you do remember and ignore the rest. It's fun to remember the good stuff . I write family memoirs and love them.

I kind of remember him. Pointed little brownie hat and I think, pointed shoes? Try Highlights magazine. It could have been there. Not sure, but the brownie rings a few bells.

After reading all of the replies, I thought to myself, if I could not quilt ever, I would always enjoy the stories that our members come up with. Thanks.

My favorite poem by Robert Louis Stevenson was, "The Swing".