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“He learnt to swim and to row, and entered into the joy of running water; and with his ear to the reed-stems he caught, at intervals, something of what the wind went whispering so constantly among them.”
In Chapter I, after leaving his home for the first time, the Mole discovers the river and the joy of exploring and adventuring upon it. The river’s song was at first a mystery to him. But as the summer passes and he learns to navigate the water, he begins to understand what the wind and the water are singing about. It’s an ineffable sensation, but it’s related to the joy the Mole finds when he frolics in nature, spends time with his friends, and experiences the world fully. The music he hears speaks to him of the freedom of being exactly who you are without restraint or judgment.
“Why can’t fellows be allowed to do what they like when they like and as they like...”
In Chapter II, the Water Rat makes a nuisance of himself teasing the ducks. He tickles their throats as they dive for the food, causing them to come up for air, spluttering. The ducks complain about his interference, which is fruitless because their complaint precisely captures the Water Rat’s behavior and attitude. He likes being a nuisance. He finds teasing other people a source of entertainment. And living along the river, he takes every day as the water offers, doing exactly what he likes, when, and how. At the same time, the Toad’s outlandish behavior shows that there are limits to what a person can do. This quote neatly if ironically summarizes the way the Water Rat teaches the Mole to live. However, it also foreshadows the responsibility they will have to shoulder bringing the Toad back home and returning him to his senses.
“Rapt, transported, trembling, he was possessed in all his senses by this new divine thing that caught up his helpless soul and swung and dandled it, a powerless but happy infant in a strong sustaining grasp.”
In Chapter VII, the Water Rat and the Mole share a mystical experience that gives their lives purpose and assurance. This quote explains the Water Rat’s initial reaction to it. Their encounter with the Piper is a sort of enchantment, much like what the Water Rat experiences under the spell of the Sea Rat or the Toad when he is first run over by a motor car. It seizes the two initially by way of sound but eventually through all of their senses because it is so overwhelming and overpowering. However, those other enchantments represent a loss of control that results in isolation and destruction. This acts as a surrender in the midst of which the Water Rat feels an unparalleled sense of security. In this moment, he is certain of being watched over. And although neither the Water Rat nor the Mole will remember the exact sensations they experience in the presence of the Piper, they will carry with them that comforting sense of being cared for.
