Audiobook · read by volunteers
Velveteen Rabbit (version 2)
Margery Williams (1881–1944)
Read by Barbara Bear, Mama Bear · 1 chapter · 22 min
About the book
What is it that makes a toy Real? In this version of Margery Williams's beloved tale, the answer comes in two voices: a mother and her daughter, who read the story together. The little velveteen rabbit, the proud mechanical toys and the wise old Skin Horse all take shape in the voices of mother and daughter, so that the story feels like what it has always been, a bedtime story shared. The reading is dedicated to Barbara Bear, who is, as the dedication insists, quite real. The idea is that cherished toys do not have to be new, expensive or clever to be loved. They only have to be loved for long enough. About twenty-five minutes of warmth, gentleness and family affection. Tender, shared and homely.
Introduction
This is the second LibriVox recording of The Velveteen Rabbit, a story by Margery Williams that was first published in 1922. Williams, who lived from 1881 to 1944, was born in England and spent a great deal of her adult life in America. She wrote novels for adults before this tale, and it was her first book for children. The story became so popular that its title is now part of the language, a shorthand for the idea that love is what makes something real.
The plot is simple. A toy rabbit, made of velveteen and rather shabby, is given to a small boy at Christmas and is soon overlooked among his grander presents. An old toy horse explains what it means to become Real, and the rabbit begins to hope. The tale is told with plain words and careful feeling, and its message, that value lies in affection rather than in appearance, is as relevant today as when it was written.
What distinguishes this version is the way it is read. Two voices, a mother and her daughter, share the narration, and they dedicate their performance to Barbara Bear. The result has the intimate quality of a family recording, as if the story were being told in a living room. Listeners who already know the book will enjoy hearing it in a different key, and newcomers will find an affectionate introduction.
The recording is a single chapter, which runs for about twenty-five minutes. It makes a good alternative for anyone who has already heard the first LibriVox version, and a particularly good choice for anyone who likes a bedtime story told in familiar, family voices.
Public domain
Margery Williams died in 1944: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text