Grey rabbits and wandering hedgehogs

Why Wandering Hedgehog? Brush (the name was taken, or I'd have used it) the Wandering Hedgehog featured in one of Alison Uttley's Little Grey Rabbit books. Looking back on these I am rather struck by the curious family values represented by a menage consisting of a rabbit (f), a hare (m) and a squirrel (f) (though the Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen seem to have been running an MMF cross-species equivalent), and even more by the 'alternative' lifestyle of the wandering hedgehog. He appears, from one's cynical retrospect to have been a kind of proto-hippy, who smoked a pipeful of very interesting 'baccy' with Hare (in which Hare - are we surprised? - saw visions), fed Squirrel mushroom stew (the psychedelic effects not mentioned) and gave Grey Rabbit a handcarved wooden bracelet. But at the age of about 4 and in a more innocent time I strongly identified with the WH, with his bundle on a stick and his little song. He was the Big Wide World impinging on the rather cosy domesticity of Little GR. Plus, I see the hedgehog as probably my totem animal.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

jenstclair.livejournal.com

My hedgehog Hildy would like your explanation of the title of your livejournal.

richenda.livejournal.com

He appears, from one's cynical retrospect to have been a kind of proto-hippy, who smoked a pipeful of very interesting 'baccy' with Hare (in which Hare - are we surprised? - saw visions

Not intending quarrelsomeness, but wasn't it meadowsweet and memories of travels? (Yes, I've found a copy and bought it.)
So more Mabinogion than hippy?

oursin.livejournal.com

Wasn't it meadowsweet plus some other herbs? (Don't have a copy to hand.)

From: (Anonymous)

oursin

Wasn't it meadowsweet plus some other herbs? (Don't have a copy to hand.)

I have it here!
"Dried meadowsweet - you like a puff, Hare?"
Then he says that what Hare can see is his memories of his travels.
So, not visions but stored memories

Trying again - because it hasnt appeared - the text specifies dried meadowsweet and memories rather than visions

fox-in-sand.livejournal.com

Aw, I loved those books. Had a rather large rabbit who I named Little Grey Rabbit once (I was 4, and the year before I'd had a doll called Table, until I pulled her head off, so I suppose I'd developed..). My brother-in-law used to know them off by heart as a child, and cry at them, something I always think of when arguing with him about whether he ought to wolf-whistle at women when driving.

It's Always More Complicated

The wandering thoughts of a wandering hedgehog