Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 08:04:06 -0700

From: Johanna Wood joh.wood[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ASU.EDU

Subject: Re: Ask your help



My reading of this is, the children are implying that Bill catches

puppies and makes them into a tasty dish (pie) which he consumes in secret

(under the bridge). He is angry because the accusations make him less

than human, since eating cute little pets is not approved in this

society. Now, if he was eating cow pie that would be a completely

different matter. . . .

Johanna.



Johanna L. Wood,

Department of English,

Arizona State University,

Tempe, AZ 85287-0302





On Thu, 16 Oct 1997, =?ISO-2022-JP?B?GyRCMixLXCEhSU05PhsoQg==?= wrote:



I am a new subscriber to your system. I am Japanese translator.

I want to know the meaning of a word. I will write down the

context of the book (The Railway

Children:by the British author E.Nesbit: 1906)



"You mustn't take no notice of my Bill,( a bargee)"

said the woman; "'is bark's worse'n 'is bite. Some of the kids

down Farley way is fair terrors. It was them put 'is back up

calling out about who ate the puppy pie under Marlow bridge."

-----------------"----somehow, and I don't know the why nor the

wherefore of it, them words is p'ison to a barge-master. Don't

you take no notice. ----"





* Please help me why the bargee was angry hearing the kid's

words. I do not know what is Puppy Pie. Is it something

insulting the bargee? This book is British and in 1906, but you

may know it.