Water Babies

Tom,a poor orphan,is employed by the villainous chimney-sweep,Grimes,to climb up inside flues to clear away the soot.While engaged in this dreadful task,he loses his way and emerges in the bedroom of Ellie,the young daughter of the house who mistakes him for a thief.He runs away,and,hot and bothered,he slips into a cooling stream,falls asleep,and becomes a Water Baby.
In his new life,he meets all sorts of aquatic creatures,including an engaging old lobster,other water babies,and at last reaches St Branden's lsle where he encounters the fierce Mrs Bedonbyasyoudid and the motherly Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby.After a long and arduous quest to the Othe-end-of-Nowhere young Tom achieves his heart's desire.

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A classic since its first publication, in 1863, The Water-Babies is the story of Tom, a little chimney sweep, and his magical adventures beneath the waves.

When young Tom flees his sooty, dangerous toil and his cruel master, Grimes, he finds himself plunged into "a quiet, silent, rich, happy place"--a land beneath the water "so out of the way the bad bogies can hardly find it out." There, Tom meets haughty dragonflies, makes friends with a slowwitted lobster, and dodges hungry otters. Eventually he meets the other water-babies and their clever rulers, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid and Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby.

Charles Kingsley's "fairy tale for a land baby" has charmed generations of readers. This handsome facsimile edition-with Jessie Willcox Smith's twelve exquisite full-color plates and two-color illustrations throughout-is the perfect way to introduce this classic to a new generation. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.