In the tale of Squirrel Nutkin, the titular character is a young boy squirrel who keeps getting up to mischief. The other squirrels are all busy collecting nuts whilst Squirrel Nutkin tries to wind up old Brown – an old owl whose home is close to where they are collecting nuts. By the end of the short tail, old Brown gets fed up of Nutkin and physically deforms him – I won’t spoil it as to how.

I wonder if nowadays Squirrel Nutkin would be recognised as having some form of ADHD or similar? And would be handled accordingly – instead of old brown maiming him. Even in just the first two books by Beatrix Potter I’ve read, I’m noticing a theme of “If you play up or misbehave, you get punished”.

Nevertheless a good read.