Rats?

[Ragdoll]

Heya,

for a while (ok... years >.<) I have been pondering if TP has a special relationship to rats?

I mean Death of rats and that other book where rats carry a way more friendly portrait than see otherwise in majority of books, games, etc. (something something Maurice something something.... I am terrible remembering names, sorry....)

I have tried to locate any answeron this, but without luck - maybe one of you know this?

It should be noted that I absolutely love the idea (got pet rats who sadly cannot tap dance or do dishes ) and hope to see more of Death of Rats. Hmmm ... the image of the wizards doing the Rite of AshkEnte and summons Death of Rats cracks me up

"Eh...... you were not the one we expected...."
"SQUEAK!"
"Ok... eh... how do we solve <problem>?"
"SQUEAKISQUEAK!"
"Uh.... anyone who speaks rat?"

 

[DaveC]

Welcome to the site Ragdoll!

The book you mean is The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. It's a great book, very dark for a younger readers book but I loved it.

I agree the must be something about Pterry and rats. Maybe, as a cat lover, he's used to seeing them played with?

 

[Tonyblack]

Don't forget the rats in Guards! Guards! as well. And all the rats in Feet of Clay - they play quite an important role.

I think Terry is fascinated by rats and how they've become sort of attached to humanity. There's a saying about how you in a city you are never very far from a rat. And we've got a culture that vilifies rats as being dirty and spreading disease. Even the word 'rat' has become very negative. If you call someone a rat, you usually mean it in a negative way.

And yet, anyone who has ever had a rat as a pet will talk of intelligent, friendly and very clean animals.

I can imagine Terry being interested in this apparent contradiction.

I don't know if he's ever had pet rats, but I do remember that he did a lot of research on them when he was writing Amazing Maurice - I don't have the book to hand, but I think there's an author's note about it in the book.

Terry is a cat person. He has loads of cats living at his home, so I suspect he doesn't come across too many rats - unless they are gifts from his cats.

 

[meerkat]

WELCOME Ragdoll.

Rats are intelligent creatures and to prove it, Death of Rats hanging onto the barn rafters for dear Death so that he reamins, makes me smile every mtime I read it!

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Yeah, they're a delight.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ation.html

 

[Beautiful Dirt]

I used to have a domestic pet rat, he was a little sweetheart

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Fancy rats are fine, but the On The Street Rat is disgusting.

 

[pip]

Yeah, they're a delight.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ation.html

so are the rats still in your office

 

[Bouncy Castle]

We only have mice, dear.

 

[pip]

Are you sure. 8)

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Yup. Seen 'em in the churchyard/gardens opposite the office though.

So much building work going on in London, and sewer replacement that the buggers are being displaced.

 

[Ragdoll]

TY for the welcome and the answers

Yeah, I know the book something something Maurice, but it was way too late for my non-native-English brain to even attempt to think the title in full... lol. The hc book's dustbinder got an image with TP and a few rats climbing all over him - which only add to the mystery^^ Although not a personal favourite of mine Hm... I'll try to look again, but I didn't notive any info on it back when I read it.

I've just started to reread G:G the other day, had forgotten which books that contain rattie refs, hehehe, but I'm a sucker for those where the little Bone rat appear^^ ...I should try to make a list of the things that critter manages to kick through the series.

I whole heartedly agree on rats being friendly, got a bunch of them myself. Clean - yes, they groom more through the day than we wash hands (although its rare they fret when stepping into some muck... >.<).

So yeah... knowing (tame) rats I just got more and more curious on the subject

 

[Ragdoll]

We only have mice, dear.

Mice are cute too
...meaning those that stay out of my house... and near vicinity... unless "invited"

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Mice are not cute when they're pissing and pooping all over the countertop where you prepare tea, coffee and food.

 

[Ragdoll]

lol - agreed. only the 'invited'

 

[meerkat]

Mice are not cute when they're pissing and pooping all over the countertop where you prepare tea, coffee and food.

Or they burrow under your bath and nest and then chew through the plastic water pipes... grrrrrr.

 

[Bouncy Castle]

I don't mind rodents if they're the pet kind, but not running round my office!! [shudders]

Unfortunately, my office being very close to the River Thames, it's inevitable that we'll get some of the critters when the weather gets cold.

 

[meerkat]

Sounds like we need Wee Mad Arthur!

 

[Ragdoll]

What about hiding some cheese and other rodent eatables in your boss' office so they go there instead?

Although... do find someone with tame critters and test the cheese first. For treats I once got one of those small sample packages for my rats. They smelled it (it was smelly, had I known how bad I wouldn't have gotten it), then walked backwards ... then turned around and ran....

Why sell cheese for human consumption if it makes even rats run? :x

 

[Tonyblack]

Because cheese is wonderful! The smellier the better. I once got some Limburger cheese. That was unbelievably smelly and quite delicious.