History Literature / BaldmoneySneezewortDodderAndCloudberry

''Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder and Cloudberry'', also known as ''the Little Grey Men'', is a 1942 book by Dennis Watkins-Pitchford about the last four gnomes in England. The second part, known as ''the Little Grey Men Go Down The Bright Stream'', was published in 1948, and a prequel known as ''Literature/ForestOfBolandLightRailway'' was published in 1955.

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!!These books provide examples of:

* AfterTheEnd: By the 20th century all of the other gnomes in England have died, or migrated to other countries to escape industrialisation.
* AdventurerOutfit: As pilot of Wonderbird, Baldmoney wears a white scarf made from a piece of the farmer's shirt.
* AnimalReligion: The gnomes and forest creatures worship the god Pan.
* BreakTheHaughty: The gnomes steal the eggs of the AssholeVictim UpperClassTwit pheasant as payback for his hostility.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The gnomes do not eat meat, but have no problem with carnivores killing for food. However they are horrified to see a human kill animals and nail the carcasses to a tree.
* CreatorCameo: Robin Clobber is BB's real life son who tragically died before the book was published.
* CargoCult: The gnomes initially believe the Jeanie Deans was built and abandoned by other gnomes. When there is no sign of the crew on the island, they conclude that the boat was sent to them by Pan.
* CallARabbitASmeerp: The gnomes use strange, archaic names for woodland creatures. A bunny is a bub'm, a fox is a wood dog, a badger is an earth bear, a bluetit is a blue button, and a hedgehog is a hedge pig.
* CoolBoat: In both books the gnomes have a clockwork paddle steamer named the Jeanie Deans.
* CoolPlane: In the second book Baldmoney builds a flying machine called Wonderbird after the Jeanie Deans is sunk.
* DeathTrap: Crow Wood is full of snares and traps.
* DoesNotLikeShoes: The gnomes don't need footwear because they have tough, hairy feet similar to {{Main/Hobbits}}.
* DemotedToDragon: Cloudberry starts out as one of the heroes, but after turning evil he allies with the Worm of Death.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Cloudberry's FaceHeelTurn is caused by his rivalry with Dodder.
* EatsBabies: The Worm of Death devours nightingale chicks and fluffy owlets.
* EgomaniacHunter: After Giant Grum comes across the gnomes' tracks he becomes obsessed with hunting them.
* FantasticRacism: BoomerangBigot Squirrel dislikes the pheasant for being a foreigner from Asia, but grey squirrels are also an invasive species introduced from America.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: The squirrel, badger, owl, hedgehog, heron and kingfisher all help and advise the gnomes.
* GaiasLament: The poem in Down The Bright Stream about the demise of the folly brook.
* GreenAesop: BB's two novels are a warning to his readers that our existing wildlife could disappear like the gnomes if we do not care for the environment.
* HellBentForLeather: Dodder wears a black leather jacket made from bat wings.
* HeroWithAUniqueName: Only the gnomes and a few supporting characters such as Ben the Owl have real names. For the rest of the cast it's a case of ADogNamedDog, with a Squirrel named Squirrel, a water rat named Vole, and a kingfisher named the King of Fishers. There are also a few examples of ALizardNamedLiz, with a goat named Nanny, a Heron named Herne, and a badger named Brockett.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The Jeanie Deans has a portrait of UsefulNotes/KingBertie, his wife the Scottish Cook, and the young princesses Lillibet and Margaret.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Giant Grum is killed by his own gun backfiring after Dodder sabotages it.
* HumansAreCthulhu: The gnomes fear and avoid contact with people, after many of their race were unwittingly poisoned by pollution or run over by cars.
* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: In the first book the BigBad is a gamekeeper called Perkins, but the gnomes know him as Cruel Giant Grum
* KickTheDog: Giant Grum shoots Otter for his own amusement, then strings him up from a tree.
* MagicVersusScience: The cruel giant has a gun, traps and snares. The gnomes are aided by the god Pan.
* MouseWorld: The gnomes' home in the old oak tree presumably contains scavenged and repurposed pieces of human technology.
* MeaningfulName: Dodder is an appropriate PunnyName for an elderly gnome, and Cloudberry is ideal for a gnome who is happiest flying on the back of a goose. It's a SubvertedPunchline with the two younger brothers because it is Sneezewort who is bald, not Baldmoney.
* NatureHero: The gnomes wear clothes made from mouse skins, and live off the fish, mushrooms and berries the forest provides.
* {{Oireland}}: After their home is destroyed by flooding the gnomes make a perilous journey across the Irish sea in search of an island free from people.
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: They live a simple life in the forest, but quickly adjust to new technology.
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The more frequent appearance of thunderbirds in the sky is of course due to the ongoing Film/BattleOfBritain.
* ScavengedPunk: The gnomes' daggers are made from the discarded blades of a human's pocket knife. Presumably they also get the tobacco for their pipes from cigarette ends.
* SmugSnake: The Worm of Death is a {{Sadist}}ic adder who knows that death cap mushrooms are poisonous but tells Cloudberry that he is welcome to take as many as he wants.
* ShownTheirWork: BB was a naturalist, conservationist and hunter who did extensive research on British wildlife for his job as an illustrator of a shooting journal.
* SissyVillain: The pheasant is an arrogant, obnoxious fop who thinks he owns Crow Wood.
* SnakesAreSinister: The Worm of Death preys upon baby chicks, and his SssssnakeTalk terrifies Cloudberry.
* ThreateningShark: It's only a pike, but to the gnomes it's a monster comparable to {{Film/Jaws}}
* TokenHeroicOrc: Robin Clobber spots the gnomes while searching for his toy boat, but doesn't try to capture them. He later wishes them well when he realises they have taken possession of the boat.
* WorldHalfFull: The other gnomes, fairies, elves, pixies and goblins have long since gone, leaving only Pan.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The pheasants like the cruel giant because he feeds them and shoots their natural predators.
* VillainousRescue: In ''The Little Grey Men'' Dodder avoids being eaten by a fox because human hunters show up. In ''Down the Bright Stream'', TheDreaded Worm of Death's reign of terror is ended by a hungry fox who bites off his head.

* VillainousRescue: In Literature/TheLittleGreyMen Dodder avoids being eaten by a fox because human hunters show up. In Literature/DownTheBrightStream, TheDreaded Worm of Death's reign of terror is ended by a hungry fox who bites off his head.

* AfterTheEnd: By the 20th century all of the other gnomes in England have died, or migrated to other countries to escape industriaisation.

* BadassBeard: Three of the four gnomes have long grey beards. Dodder's could be considered a SeadogBeard due to his interest in boats and fishing.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The gnomes do not eat meat, but have no problem with carnivores killing for food. However they are horrified to see a human kill animals and nail the carcasses to a tree

* CargoCult: The gnomes initially believe Jeanie Deans was built and abandoned by other gnomes. When there is no sign of the crew on the island, they conclude that the boat was sent to them by Pan.

* CoolBoat: In both books the gnomes have a clockwork paddle steamer named the Jeanie Deans
* CoolPlane: In the second book Baldmoney builds a flying machine called Wonderbird after Jeanie Deans is sunk.

* NatureHero: The gnomes wear clothes made from mouse skins, and live off the fish, mushrooms and berries the forest provides

* ThreateningShark: It's only a pike, but to the gnomes it is a monster comparable to {{Film/Jaws}}

* FollowTheLeader: If ''Literature/ForestOfBolandLightRailway'' is ''Literature/TheHobbit'' meets ''Literature/ThomasTheTankEngine'', then ''The Little Grey Men'' is a tribute to ''Literature/TheWindInTheWillows''.

* FollowTheLeader: If Literature/TheForestOfBolandLightRailway is Literature/TheHobbit meets Literature/ThomasTheTankEngine, then The Little Grey Men is a tribute to Literature/TheWindInTheWillows.

* VegetarianHero: The gnomes do not eat the flesh of birds or mammals.

Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder and Cloudberry, also known as the Little Grey Men, is a 1942 book by Dennis Watkins-Pitchford about the last four gnomes in England. The second part, known as the Little Grey Men Go Down The Bright Stream, was published in 1948, and a prequel known as Literature/ForestOfBolandLightRailway was published in 1955.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The Jeanie Deans has a portrait of King Bertie, his wife the Scottish Cook, and the young princesses Lillibet and Margaret.

* FollowTheLeader: If Literature/TheForestOfBolandLightRailway is Literature/TheHobbit meets ThomasTheTankEngine, then The Little Grey Men is a tribute to Literature/TheWindInTheWillows.

* HellBentForLeather: Dodder wears a black leather jacket made from bat wings

* ShownTheirWork: BB was a naturalist, conservationist and hunter who did extensive research on British wildlife for his job as an illustrator.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: The squirrel, badger, owl, hedgehog, heron and kingfisher all help and advise the gnomes

* TokenGoodOrc: Robin Clobber spots the gnomes while searching for his toy boat, but doesn't try to capture them. He later wishes them well when he realises they have taken possession of the boat.

* OurGnomesAreWeirder: They live a simple life in the forest, but quickly adjust to new technology

* MeaningfulName: Dodder is an appropriate PunnyName for an elderly gnome, and Cloudberry is ideal for a gnome who is happiest flying on the back of a goose. Subverted with the two younger brothers because it is Sneezewort who is bald, not Baldmoney.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The pheasants like the cruel giant because he shoots their natural predators.

* BoomerangBigot: Squirrel dislikes the pheasant for being a foreigner from Asia, but grey squirrels are also an invasive species introduced from America.

* HeroWithAUniqueName: Only the gnomes and a few supporting characters such as Ben the Owl have real names. For the rest of the cast it's a case of ADogNamedDog, with a Squirrel named Squirrel, a Heron named Herne, and a water rat named Vole. There are also a few examples of ALizardNamedLiz, with a goat named Nanny, a badger named Brockett, and a kingfisher named the King of Fishers.

* WorldHalfFull: The other gnomes, fairies, elves, pixies and goblins have long since gone, leaving only Pan.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: The gnomes don't need footwear because they have tough, hairy feet similar to Main/Hobbits.

* Oireland: After their home is destroyed by flooding the gnomes make a perilous journey across the Irish sea in search of an island free from people.