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.
>