Otter and Portly

The Wind in the Willows 49 Otter and Portly

Mole carried Little Portly to the boat. “ Come along, Rat! ” called Mole. “ Think of poor Otter. He is waiting at the old bridge. ”

“ Yeah! A ride on the river! ” cried Portly. Rat looked around at the small stream. “ Strange, it’s not as colorful as it was, ” he said. Mole rowed them out to the main river.

When they reached the old bridge, the sun rose. “ Here we are, ” said Mole. He lifted Portly out of the boat. “ Off you go, Portly, ” said Rat.

Portly ran up a path to the bridge. “ Daddy! Daddy! ” shouted Portly. “ My little Portly! ” called Otter. Otter wrapped his lost son in his arms.

“ It’s time to go home, ” said Rat. Mole pushed the boat into the river. “ Do you hear the wind in the reeds?” asked Rat. “ It’s like music far away, ” said Mole.