With the arrival of spring and fine weather outside, the good-natured Mole loses patience with spring cleaning. He has fled his underground home, emerging to take in the air and ends up at the river, which he has never seen before. Here he meets Rat, who at this time of year spends all his days in, on and close by the river. Rat takes Mole for a ride in his rowing boat. One summer day, Rat and Mole disembark near the grand Toad Hall and pay a visit to Toad. The beautiful children's novel by Scottish novelist Kenneth Grahame.

Kenneth Grahame (8 March 1859 6 July 1932) was a Scottish writer, most famous for "The Wind in the Willows" (1908), one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote "The Reluctant Dragon". Both books were later adapted for stage and film.