Phoebe's Revolt

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Phoebe's Revolt

Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in

2011

http://www.archive.org/details/phoebesrevoltOObabb

Acknowledgments Se\eral illustrations have been modified for this edition. Copyright © 1968 by Natalie Babbitt. All rights reserved. Published by

arrangement with Farrar, Straus & Giroux. West, New York, N.Y. 10003.

Inc., 19

Union Square

Credits Photography Thomas Victor:

Copyright

©

p. 44.

1989 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights

reserved.

No

work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Houghton Mifflin Company unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, One Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108. or

part of this

b>'

Printed in the U.S.A.

ISBN: 0-395-45991-5 IJ-D-976543210

For M.F.B. with all

my

heart

he story of Phoebe's revolt

is

rhyme. Before you read the author's read the

you

rhyming

Do you

mood.

do what you've been

Are you always Should you

verses,

below. They will put

lines

in the proper

told in

told?

self-controlled?

act like

all

the others

Cousins, fathers, friends, or mothers?

Could you stand up

to the

And announce your

crowd

thoughts aloud?

Would you act like Phoebe Brown Or just sigh and simply frown? Something about Phoebe Euphemia

Brandon Brown's

When Phoebe

life

decides

simply doesn't

what she doesn't

she also decides what must be done revolt. She'll tell

all

suit her. like,

— she must

the people in charge that

things have got to change!

Now! But how?

able of Contents Phoebe's Revolt

by Natalie Babbitt

lo

Roundtable Discussion

43

About

44

the

Glossary

Author

46

JThoebe Euphemia

^

Brandon Brown

Lived in a fancy house in town.

She hved

there quite alone unless

You count Miss Trout, her governess, The butler, cook, and maids in force, And Mr. and Mrs. Brown, of course. And Phoebe's kitten Elihu ^ And her Aunt Celeste, who lived there Good

fortune smiled

on Phoebe Brown,

But revolution brought her down.

^Phoebe Euphemia ^Elihu

10

(el'

1

hyoo).

(fe'

be yoo

fe'

me

9).

too.

11

—

The

times (the year

The The way Were

,

was nineteen-four)

clothes that everybody wore, that people like the living, in

our

Browns

larger towns,

And Phoebe's way of being prone To having notions of her own All these were more or

less to

blame

For Phoebe's crime and Phoebe's shame. 12

13

In nineteen-four,

at

any

rate,

Phoebe Euphemia Brown was

The

trouble

While

began in June

getting dressed

For Phoebe,

And

all

eight.

who was

one afternoon.

mostly good

often did the things she should.

Stepped forward in her underwear

With mingled passion and

despair

And loudly said she hated bows And roses on her slipper toes And dresses made of fluff and lace With

frills

and

ruffles

every place

And ribbons, stockings, sashes, curls And everything to do with girls. She said she had just one request:

To

dress the

way

her father dressed.

In simple white and sober black

Unornamented 14

front

and back.

15

And

yet the clothes that

Were normal back

And

other

little girls

Phoebe wore

in nineteen-four

in fluff

All seemed to be content enough.

Unhampered by

the current styles,

They went about with happy

To

16

smiles

picnics, teas, parades

and such

And

mind

did not seem

to

it

much.

^7

Now Phoebe's mother And

tried her best

so did Phoebe's

They both maintained

Aunt

Celeste.

that httle girls

Looked sweet with ribbons

They

often spoke of one such child

Who dressed They

in their curls.

spoke, while Phoebe

Of

who

correcdy, yet

made

smiled.

a face,

Phoebe's litde cousin Grace

How mild she was, and how polite, How charming in her pink and white. But "Prissy Prig" was Phoebe's name For

To

little

visit as

Grace, and

she

came

she often did.

Then Phoebe i8

when

often ran

and

hid.

19

Well, Phoebe's mother was distressed

And so was Phoebe's Aunt Celeste. And poor Miss Trout, who had to stay With Phoebe

every single day

And get her dressed and fix her hair. Was nearly driven to despair. But Phoebe's

And 20

father only smiled

said she

was a novel

child.

21

One morning They

To

all

at their breakfast tea

were trying manfully

disregard the wails of gloom

That (Like

filtered

"Do

And

I

down from

have

to

Phoebe's room.

put on that?''

"I don't want to wear a hat!"

With Miss Trout's

"Now, Phoebe,

voice, a

please t

little shrill:

You must hold

That morning, though her nerves were

taut.

Poor Phoebe's mother had a thought. "We'll give a party! Every

chum

of Phoebe's will be sure to come In pretty clothes.

Why,

then she'll see

She's acting very foolishly. She'll

change her mind, I'm

And want But Phoebe's

to

be like

father

all

sure, Celeste,

the rest."

shook his head.

"I'm not so sure ..." was 22

all

still!")

he said.

23

They planned

And

flowers everywhere

Phoebe's mother hired a bear

That danced when

certain tunes were played,

And Cook made The

time

Mrs.

cakes

all

ribbons, lace

Brown and Aunt

Stood gTeeting every

24

and lemonade.

came round. Eight

Arrived,

And

anyway

sent out notes that very day.

The maids put

And

the party

litde girls

and

curls.

Celeste

little

guest.

25

But where was Phoebe? Minutes passed.

They knew

When came

the awful truth at last

the voice of poor Miss Trout:

^^She's in the tub

and won't

get out!"

"She's in the tub and won't get out!"

The news was whispered

all

about.

Phoebe's mother clutched her hair,

Turned

And Aunt

pale,

and hurried up

Celeste

In hopes

it

went running

wasn't really

But in the bathtub Phoebe

too,

true.

sat.

She would not move, and 26

the stair,

that

was

that.

27

—

There hung her

dress, all

pink chiffon.

She said she would not put

They

told her

how

it

on.

her friends were dressed,

But Phoebe Brown was not impressed.

They

told about the

She answered

dancing

bear.

that she didn't care.

They mentioned shame and

protocol

But Phoebe Brown was deaf to

She

said, "I will not I

She

won't come

stirred the

"Unless

28

I

wear that

down

all.

dress.

at all unless

.

.

water with her toes

wear

my

father's clothes."

."

^

'^^Nn i

1

>>''

^^\

I '111

X

---V,

29

At

this her '^''I

mother's patience died.

do not

trust

myself!" she cried.

She turned away and went

And wrapped

to

bed

cold cloths around her head,

While Auntie, with an angry cough.

Went down and

The

guests

went home without

The dancing

And

bear

was

their play.

sent away.

in die bathtub, unconsoled.

The

water slowly turning cold.

With wrinkling Miss Phoebe

30

called the party off.

toes sat

and

fingertips,

and chewed her

lips.

31

— The

afternoon had

come and gone,

The lamps were

ht, the curtains

drawn,

When Phoebe's father, walking in. Was told about his daughter's sin. He was

And He

man

a most resourceful right

away he had

a plan.

fetched an armload from his

And went Where

work

to

and wet.

in the bathtub, cold

I've

You

surprising, I've got

still,

That

And

I'd be

at last.

my clothes?

suppose,

I

some things

to spare

more than glad

of his

own

A starchy collar, And

to share."

last

of

fine

evening

shirts,

white cravat.

all,

father's clothes!

They

a

tall silk

And

yet

hat.

— somehow

didn't seem so lovely now.

The charm had

paled.

But Phoebe had

32

has passed.

^ there they were, her just deserts:

One

Her

day

to save the

say you want to wear

It is

But

come

sitting yet.

"The storm

out," he said.

doom

his daughter's

That stubborn child was

"Hop

room

^iust deserts:

to

The

lure

was gone.

put them on.

reward or punishment

that

is

deserved.

33

—

Yes, Phoebe

Too

had

to

put them on.

and pink

late for lace

She had her

chiffon.

father's clothes instead

For seven days, her father said.

He had

so nicely said she could,

She knew she must, she

She couldn't spurn

And

that hat

They looked

Would

shirt

peculiar, heaven knows. this array

kindly look the other

way

behind a potted fern

Till feeling

34

and

father's clothes.

But those amused by

step

she should.

have him get his feelings hurt.

So Phoebe wore her

Or

felt

more controlled and

stern.

35

.

And when the seven days had passed And she could take them off at last, Miss Phoebe

left

her father's clothes

And reassumed her lace and bows And never said a single word (At

36

least, that

anybody heard)

37

But Phoebe's

father

poked around

In trunks and boxes

A

till

he found

faded picture framed in pearl,

The

picture of a

A little girl

little girl;

dressed head to toe

In funny clothes from long ago

And on

her face an awful frown.

That

And

was Mrs. Brown

eighteen-eighty

The

He

little girl

year that Mrs.

brought

it

the date,

Brown was

down and

Demurely on

let it

eight.

stand

the parlor grand. ^

*grand: grand piano.

38

was

39

——

And what

did Mrs. Brown do then ?

She turned away and took her pen

And

wrote her seamstress on the spot:

"Please

come

at

once

—

I

quite forgot

My daughter Phoebe needs a dress, In broadcloth or in serge,

^

I

guess

A simple sailor dress or two In sober, modest navy blue.

And when you're done, and if you're free. You might make one or two for me." "broadcloth or

40

in serge: plain

woolen

fabrics.

«™tfti»;,^mfe,'!,!;,!'

41

Phoebe Euphemia Brandon Brown Lived in a fancy house in town.

She dressed in

When

ruffles,

chin

to

hem,

circumstance demanded them,

But otherwise and normally

She dressed much more informally. 42

oundtable Discussion 1.

you

In the beginning of the story,

are told

of

Do you think Why or why not?

"Phoebe's crime and Phoebe's shame."

what Phoebe does 2.

Do you

does?

is

"crime"?

a

think Phoebe

Can you

is

right to

think of another

behave the way she

way

she could have

solved the problem she had with her clothes? 3.

What might have happened

if

Phoebe had worn her

father's clothes to her party?

4.

Phoebe wants something she cannot have.

you think she wants

it

anyway?

Why

Why

do

do people often

want things they cannot have?

How important is to? How important is 5.

it it

to act the

way

people expect you

to be different?

43

bout the Author

Natalie Babbitt Natalie Babbitt was born ton, Ohio.

As

a

worked

as

Babbitt says.

When

she

is

44

until her children

characters in

my

The names of her writing

phone book and

at

Smith College.

an illustrator before she became

She did not begin writing

"The main

Day-

youngster, she spent most of her free time

reading and drawing. Later she studied art

Babbitt

in 1932, in

a

were

stories tend to

a writer.

in school.

be me,"

characters arc very important.

book, Babbitt

sits

around with the

the thesaurus, looking for

good names.

Babbitt always thinks writes

it

a

book out

down. Because of the

her ten years to write her

not

all

of her books take

The Search for

Delicious,

in her

head before she

great care she takes,

it

took

book The Eyes of the Amaryllis. But that long! Her other books include

Tuck Everlasting, and Goody Hall. In

addition to writing, Babbitt enjoys crossword puzzles, bad

storms, needlework, and her several pets.

45

a

array/maintain

lossary

D ar«ray

(9 ra')

1.

An

impressive display or

collection. 2. Splendid clothing: For the holidays, they dressed in their finest array.

de»mure

(di

myoor') Shy

sometimes dc'Spair child

falsely so.

watched

— de»niure'

Lack of

(di spar')

or modest,

all

ly.

hope: The

in despair as her toy boat

sank.

A

chif«fon (shifon') or (shir on')

soft,

doom

An unhappy

(doom)

sheer, airy fabric of silk or rayon, used

pecially death:

for scarfs, veils, or dresses.

would meet

cra»vat (krs vat') v^orn as

A

necktie or

a

his

The

sailor thought he

doom

in the

a tie.

pecially with the a

(man

continue. 2.

1

tan')

To

986 by Houghton

Mifflin

Company.

Definitions

and pronunciation key adapted and

1.

To

keep up;

declare to be true; to

pay / a care / a father / c pet / c be / T pit / i pie / i fierce / 6 pot / o go 00 book / 00 boot / oil out / u cut / u fur / th the / th thin / hw which 3 ago, item, pencil,

®

promise o{ pleasure or

M ]Tiain*tain

Copyright

attracts, es-

reward.

cravat

46

storm.

scarf

lure (loor) Something that

a pat / a

end, es-

/

6 paw, for /

oi oil /

/ zh vision /

atom, circus reprinted by permission from

The American Heritage Student's Dictionary.

mingled/spurn

say firmly: The boy stubbornly maintained that he

was

forward

tain

right.

min«gled (ming'

prone

gald)

to the start

Mixed:

/ looked

of school with a min-

gled sense of excitement and worry.

(pron) Likely (to act or

way); tending:

gling

when

I

am

pro«to«col (pro'

/

am

feel a cer-

prone

to

gig-

tired.

t9 kol') or (-kol') or

Rules about ceremony and

(-kol')

social behavior: Protocol demands that

N nov«el (nov'

al)

stand

when

the judge enters the court room.

Very new, unusual, or

different: This novel machine can beat

R

eggs and slice meat.

re»as»sume again; put

par 'lor (par' br) ing visitors:

had

we

A room

job he had

soom') To take up

(re 9

on

again:

John reassumed

the

last year.

for entertain-

When company

re»source«ful

(ri

sors'

fal) or

(-sors'-)

came, they

Clever and imaginative, especially in tea in the parlor.

parlor

finding

ways

situation: delicious

The

to deal with a difficult resourceful cook

meal from

spurn (spurn) To scorn:

He

made

a

leftovers.

refuse or reject with

spurned

my

kind offer of help.

47

taut/unornamental

U taut

(tot)

rope

to

Pulled or

make

it

drawn

tight: Pull the

un«con«soled (un' kan sold') Not comforted during a time of disappointment

taut.

or unhappiness.

un«hani«pered (un ham' pard) Not preventing freedom of movement: The loose-fitting clothing

allowed her

to

dance

unhampered.

un»or«na«men«ted (un or' n9 men'

tad)

Without jewelry or decoration; simple in design:

Would you

like

an unorna-

mented picture frame or a fancier kind?

a

pat /

a

pay / a care / a father / e pet / e be / T pit / T pie / i fierce / 6 pot / o go oo book / oo boot / ou out / u cut / li fur / th the / th thin / hw which 3 ago, item, pencil,

48

atom, circus

/ 6

paw, for

/ zh vision /

/ oi oil /

1-24578-3

-^X\ Houghton

Mifflin

ISBN 0-395-45991-5