307: The Council Meeting (Part 2)

Send us Fan MailBlinky and his mother make a daring escape from the zoo, with the help of a new friend!Blinky Bill and Nutsy was first published in 1937, and as such it contains material that might be outdated, inaccurate or offensive, as well as material that would now be considered quite dark for children’s fiction. Aside from language that Madame Magpie is personally uncomfortable using, the text has been left as it was originally published. There is no bad language, but below is a list of potentially distressing content that appears in this episode:Corporal punishment/spanking: From 00:11:45 until 00:18:23, the episode is focussed on the fact that Mrs Koala will smack Blinky and Nutsy with a twig for running away. Nutsy is upset to hear this, so Blinky reluctantly tells her the secret to being 'whack-proof' - he stuffs his trousers with leaves, so that when Mrs Koala tries to whack him, the twig hits the padding instead, and causes Blinky no pain. Even better, she's extra nice to Blinky afterwards. So the two of them stuff their clothing with leaves, and return home to a very angry Mrs Koala, who does indeed whack Blinky with a twig (though she decides not to smack Nutsy, which irritates Blinky). The whole incident is treated lightly, in the same tone as the rest of the story. Madame Magpie’s Bedtime Stories will always be available to stream for free, but if you’d like to support the podcast, you can do so via Patreon at patreon.com/MadameMagpie. For $3/month, Patreon members can download episodes for offline listening. Blinky Bill was written and illustrated by Dorothy Wall, first published by Angus & Robertson in 1933. Sound effects are from Zapsplat, Epidemic Sound, Pixabay, Soundly and Dylan Barfield. All images are made by Josh Dykgraaf using Dorothy Wall's original illustrations. Madame Magpie is a creation of Alix Roberts. Narration and character voices by Alix Roberts.Madame Magpie’s Bedtime Stories are recorded and edited by Alix Roberts (aka Madame Magpie) on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunarong Peoples of the Kulin nation. Madame Magpie acknowledges the rich and extensive history of storytelling among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and pays her respects to past and present elders of all nations.