Playing Beatie Bow

by

Ruth Park

Justine Crown’s brother, Robert Bow, is—like his sister—a direct descendant of Gibbie Bow. When Abigail encounters Robert on a visit to the Crowns’, she is shocked to find that he looks exactly like Judah Bow. She believes he must be a direct descendant of her onetime love, and is surprised to find that it was instead Gibbie who carried on the Bow line, and the mysterious Gift. Abigail and Robert have an immediate affinity for one another, and embark on a romantic relationship rather quickly after their first meeting.

Robert Bow Quotes in Playing Beatie Bow

The Playing Beatie Bow quotes below are all either spoken by Robert Bow or refer to Robert Bow . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Family, Duty, and Connection Theme Icon
).
Chapter 13 Quotes

The Bible was a mighty volume. The green plush had hardly any pile left at all; the brass edges were black and bent. They had not been polished for many years.

“Justine had it at the top of the linen cupboard. It belonged to some old great-great aunt or such. She used to be headmistress at Fort Street School, you know the old building up near the Observatory that the National Trust has now?”

“So she made it, the little stirrer!” crowed Abigail. She beamed at Robert, who gaped at her.

'She wasn't any little stirrer; she was a perfect old tartar. Mother remembered her quite well; she was in an old ladies' home or something. Mother was petrified with terror of her, she said.”

“Old Miss Bow!” Abigail laughed marvelling. “Who would have guessed it? I guess that's how that kids’ game sprang up . . . terror lest Miss Beatie Bow would rise from the grave and give them all what for.”

Related Characters: Abigail Kirk (speaker), Robert Bow (speaker), Beatie Bow / “The little furry girl”
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:

“Natalie has something to do with this, hasn't she,” he pondered. “Because, after all, she's a Bow, and perhaps she has the Gift. And the crochet, because it came from the fingers of that Great-great-great-grandmother Alice from the Orkneys, was just enough to tip you over into the last century. She was right, you know: you were the Stranger of the Prophecy.”

Related Characters: Robert Bow (speaker), Abigail Kirk, Granny Tallisker, Natalie Crown
Page Number: 193
Explanation and Analysis:
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Playing Beatie Bow PDF

Robert Bow Quotes in Playing Beatie Bow

The Playing Beatie Bow quotes below are all either spoken by Robert Bow or refer to Robert Bow . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Family, Duty, and Connection Theme Icon
).
Chapter 13 Quotes

The Bible was a mighty volume. The green plush had hardly any pile left at all; the brass edges were black and bent. They had not been polished for many years.

“Justine had it at the top of the linen cupboard. It belonged to some old great-great aunt or such. She used to be headmistress at Fort Street School, you know the old building up near the Observatory that the National Trust has now?”

“So she made it, the little stirrer!” crowed Abigail. She beamed at Robert, who gaped at her.

'She wasn't any little stirrer; she was a perfect old tartar. Mother remembered her quite well; she was in an old ladies' home or something. Mother was petrified with terror of her, she said.”

“Old Miss Bow!” Abigail laughed marvelling. “Who would have guessed it? I guess that's how that kids’ game sprang up . . . terror lest Miss Beatie Bow would rise from the grave and give them all what for.”

Related Characters: Abigail Kirk (speaker), Robert Bow (speaker), Beatie Bow / “The little furry girl”
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:

“Natalie has something to do with this, hasn't she,” he pondered. “Because, after all, she's a Bow, and perhaps she has the Gift. And the crochet, because it came from the fingers of that Great-great-great-grandmother Alice from the Orkneys, was just enough to tip you over into the last century. She was right, you know: you were the Stranger of the Prophecy.”

Related Characters: Robert Bow (speaker), Abigail Kirk, Granny Tallisker, Natalie Crown
Page Number: 193
Explanation and Analysis: