The original Just So Stories were entertaining at least.

2 minutes ago, Genady said:

The original Just So Stories were entertaining at least.

Yes. My favourite was the Singsong of Old Man Kangaroo, which is basically a tour de force in blank verse. 

16 minutes ago, exchemist said:

Yes. My favourite was the Singsong of Old Man Kangaroo, which is basically a tour de force in blank verse. 

I didn't know them in my childhood. I rather grew up on Andersen's and Brothers Grimm's fairy tales. 

Here is a refresher:

Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling

2 hours ago, Genady said:

I didn't know them in my childhood. I rather grew up on Andersen's and Brothers Grimm's fairy tales. 

Here is a refresher:

Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling

Kipling is underrated in my view, partly as he’s associated with the colonialist milieu of his time. He is one of the few English authors who writes about work. (Conrad is another - but he was Polish.) Kipling showed great respect for work and for the working man. Here is his poem The Glory of the Garden:

https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_glorygarden.htm

It helps you keep in mind, when you go round some stately home, of the all the people working to keep it beautiful.

And of course the metaphor is that the same applies to  England itself. 

Edited February 7Feb 7 by exchemist