MaryMary
Quite Contrary
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I've tried google off and on for years, trying to find the title of this book. I don't know if the book is too old, or if I'm plugging in too many details, or getting discouraged too quickly - but I cannot find the title of this book!! It was my favorite book when I was little. 
It was not a sappy-happy book like the rest of them.
Mom read it to me when I was about 3 or 4, so the book is at least 47 years old. She thought she remembered also reading it to my siblings, so it may be older than that.
The two characters I am sure of - there was a crocodile by the name of Cromwell, and a ram named Rochester. (Rochester had a full, luxuriant beard which he was very proud of. The beard was blue... In fact, Rochester himself may have been blue..)
Other characters - Cromwell lived with a female crocodile, I think her name was Beatrice. (I don't think they were married. He was her... brother? Brother-in-law?) There was also a young "boy." (He was a bright blue monkey!) I don't remember his name. (Billy?) He fished, wore a fishing tackle bag around his waist, and chewed gum all the time, which (I think) was frowned on.
Rochester was a postman and when he delivered the mail every day, Cromwell would watch him through the window, and talk about how much he wanted to eat him!! Beatrice (?) would always tell him no, partly because of the uproar it would cause, but also because then they wouldn't get any mail.
One day, Cromwell couldn't stand it anymore!! He grabbed Rochester by the shoulders and tried to stick his head in his mouth!! Rochester's beard was pulled off, and Cromwell started choking on it!! (There was a very memorable illustration of Cromwell clutching his throat and turning blue, with a horrified Rochester gaping at his beard in Cromwell's throat.)
Billy (?) quickly cast a lure into Cromwell's mouth, snagged the beard, and pulled it out. He then used his gum to reattach the beard to Rochester's chin.
I am sure it was a British author, because if it had been written by an American, it would have been Ralph, a goat who was a mailman.
Please, does anyone know the title??
It was not a sappy-happy book like the rest of them. Mom read it to me when I was about 3 or 4, so the book is at least 47 years old. She thought she remembered also reading it to my siblings, so it may be older than that.
The two characters I am sure of - there was a crocodile by the name of Cromwell, and a ram named Rochester. (Rochester had a full, luxuriant beard which he was very proud of. The beard was blue... In fact, Rochester himself may have been blue.
.) Other characters - Cromwell lived with a female crocodile, I think her name was Beatrice. (I don't think they were married. He was her... brother? Brother-in-law?) There was also a young "boy." (He was a bright blue monkey!) I don't remember his name. (Billy?) He fished, wore a fishing tackle bag around his waist, and chewed gum all the time, which (I think) was frowned on.
Rochester was a postman and when he delivered the mail every day, Cromwell would watch him through the window, and talk about how much he wanted to eat him!!
Beatrice (?) would always tell him no, partly because of the uproar it would cause, but also because then they wouldn't get any mail.One day, Cromwell couldn't stand it anymore!! He grabbed Rochester by the shoulders and tried to stick his head in his mouth!!
Rochester's beard was pulled off, and Cromwell started choking on it!! (There was a very memorable illustration of Cromwell clutching his throat and turning blue, with a horrified Rochester gaping at his beard in Cromwell's throat.) Billy (?) quickly cast a lure into Cromwell's mouth, snagged the beard, and pulled it out. He then used his gum to reattach the beard to Rochester's chin.
I am sure it was a British author, because if it had been written by an American, it would have been Ralph, a goat who was a mailman.
Please, does anyone know the title??
