I recently read Nicholas Stuart Gray's Grimbold's Other World (1963) for the first time.
This little fantasy book is written in the style of fairy tales; each chapter is followed by a poem.
I wish that I had encountered this book when I was very young and could read it just for the settings, the stories, the characters and the humour as I did with Nicholas Stuart Gray's Over the Hills to Fabylon: the references to not belonging and the dangers of being involved with magic and other worlds are the main interest now.
Grimbold is a black cat who introduces a boy called Muffler, who was found in a hen's nest by some villagers and is 'different', to the night world and its inhabitants.
Muffler has a whole series of adventures in his world and the night world. He is involved with a variety of characters including a sorcerer, talking animals, birds and trees and mythological beings such as dwarves.
Children will enjoy the stories for their own sake, but adults who are interested in unseen influences may notice some sad and alarming messages.
The quotations speak for themselves – and for the author and others who don't feel at home in this world.
The villagers say this about Muffler:
“We must be gentle, and not let him suffer for being different.”
The narrator makes this depressing – but true - comment:
“This, of course, was not possible. Everyone must suffer who is different.”
Grimbold's Other World contains many warnings about what happens to people who get involved with magic and the night world.
Grimbold says this to Muffler:
”Those who see the night-world can never again content themselves with the ordinary one. It changes them.”
“Poets...can wander in and out of the night kingdoms, for they aren't quite like other humans...”
“...the knowledge of magic and mystery may change your life...”
Madam Nettleweb, a tiny old Weirdie or witch, gives this warning to Muffler:
“If you take magic – you must pay for it. You will for ever be set apart. It's a great price. Which will you choose? A calm and normal life - or magic?”
A chilling poem called The Bargain describes the high price to be paid for involvement with magic: always being different, alone, estranged, alien, never at home in the world of the sun. There is no way back and the price paid cannot be regained.
Another poem, The Changeling, is about trying to survive after being abandoned in an alien world. It mentions feeling trapped and lost amid unfamiliar surroundings.
I suspect that Nicholas Stuart Gray was describing his own personality, feelings and experiences when he wrote about poets, feeling different and the dangers of becoming involved with magic and fantasy worlds.
