Although the sources for this book are somewhat different from each other, ranging from a late edition of The Soldier and Death, published in Arthur Ransome's old age, to the unrevised manuscript of "Omelya and the Pike", it has not been necessary to make more than a handful of small corrections to get them ready for publication.

(Editor's note).

Arthur Ransome became a writer at the age of eight, or so he said.

(Introduction).

There was a boy called Ivan who lived in a hut in the forest.

(The war of the birds and the beasts).