The Wind in the Willows: Chapter Five Summary & Analysis

It’s mid-December, and Rat and Mole are running past a sheep pen after a day’s outing with Otter. They follow a nearby track that leads them to a village. Mole is concerned; animals, as a general rule, don’t appreciate villages. But Rat says that this time of year, humans are all inside, and it’s fun to peek in their windows. Rat leads Mole along the orange windows. Inside each one is a small theater performance: people laughing, putting children to bed, and smoking, totally unaware that they have an audience. Mole and Rat’s favorite is a window with a birdcage in it; the bird is sleeping, and cold drafts ruffle his feathers.

On the far side of the village, Rat and Mole can smell their fields again and know they’re getting close to home. Rat walks a bit ahead and so doesn’t notice when Mole suddenly stops in his tracks. The narrator explains that humans don’t experiences the senses like animals do—for animals, “smell” is more than just nice smells. Smells can be warnings or summons. In this case, a smell stops Mole short, and soon, Mole realizes what he’s smelling: home. It feels like invisible hands are pulling him to his old home, which he hasn’t thought about since abandoning it that summer day. Mole’s home clearly misses him and wants him back. It’s not angry at all about being abandoned.

Mole knows he has to obey this summons, so he calls for Rat to stop. But Rat is too far ahead to hear Mole—clearly, he’s too intent on getting home, and he can smell snow coming. So, he tells Mole they can’t stop. Mole feels a huge sob coming, but he ignores it and feels as though he’s betraying his old home. He follows Rat. Rat doesn’t notice anything amiss until they’re very close to the river. At this point, Mole sits down and sobs with grief. After a while, Mole chokes that “it” isn’t as nice as Rat’s house, or Toad Hall, or Badger’s home, but it was his and he loved it. He explains that he smelled his home and suddenly wanted it, but he felt he had to leave it when Rat called. He dissolves in sobs again.

Rat pats Mole’s shoulder and says he’s been a “pig.” When Mole’s sobs turn to sniffs, Rat gets up and says it’s time to go—and heads back from whence they came. Confused, Mole follows, and Rat explains that they’re going to find Mole’s home. Mole should start sniffing for it. Mole says they need to get to the river bank for supper, but cheerily, Rat says they’re going to Mole’s old home no matter what. When they get to the spot in the road where Mole stopped, Rat feels a sort of electric shock go through Mole’s body.

Rat follows Mole as Mole sniffs and wanders like a sleepwalker. Suddenly, Mole dives into a tunnel. Soon, he and Rat emerge on the doorstep of Mole End. The garden area contains ferns and plaster statues of “heroes of modern Italy.” There are benches and a goldfish pond. Mole unlocks the door, beaming—and then collapses in tears when he sees everything covered in dust and looking “shabby.” Rat ignores Mole and looks around, complimenting Mole on the architecture and furnishings. He then instructs Mole to get rid of some of the dust while he lights a fire.

Before long, there’s a fire in the hearth, and Mole is feeling better. But he sobs again when he remembers that there’s no food here. Rat scoffs, and after hunting around the kitchen, finds a can of sardines, some biscuits, and German sausage. When Mole continues to moan, Rat digs through the cellar and comes back with bottles of beer. As he sets the table, he asks Mole to tell him about the house. Mole is shy at first, but he soon speaks freely about where he acquired all his belongings and how he got the money to buy them. Rat tries to conceal his hunger until he is able to coax Mole to the table.

Just as Rat sits down, though, he and Mole hear scuffling on the gravel outside. Mole says it must be the fieldmice; they carol this time of year and always come to Mole End last. Mole always gives them hot drinks, and when he can afford it, supper. Rat and Mole head for the door and open it just as the mice start singing a Christmas carol. When they’re done with their song, Rat praises the mice and invites them in. Mole hisses that there’s no food for the guests, but Rat promptly calls over one of the older fieldmice, gives him some coins, and sends him to the shops for food.

As Mole asks the fieldmice about their families, Rat makes mulled ale. When it’s done and everyone has had some to drink, Mole tells Rat that the fieldmice usually perform plays as well. He tries to get one of the young mice to perform a bit from last year’s play, but the mouse is too frightened. Fortunately for him, the mouse Rat sent out returns with a huge basket of food. Mole takes his place at the head of the table, pleased with how this trip home turned out.

When the fieldmice finally leave, Mole and Rat sit by the fire and drink some more before finally heading to bed. Before Mole closes his eyes, he looks around the room at his belongings and his home. Mole realizes that Rat wanted him to be happy like this. He also realizes that his home is plain and simple, but it’s meaningful. Mole isn’t ready to abandon life on the river aboveground, but it’s nice to know his home is always ready to welcome him back.