CROCODILE’S LONG IN TOOTH
One of author Roald Dahl’s most famous villains is about to turn 40, says DAISY FOX
WE all love reading about our favourite heroes, but they’d be nothing without a dastardly villain attempting to trip them up at every turn.
Dorothy washed away the Wicked Witch of the West, Harry Potter zapped Voldemort, Little Red Riding Hood beat the Big Bad Wolf and Cinderella out-glammed her ugly sisters and stepmother.
When it comes to adventure, Welsh author Roald Dahl has taken us to some truly magical places.
His books are full of heroes… there’s chocolate-loving Charlie Bucket, Matilda and her mind magic, George and his Marvellous Medicine and the Fantastic Mr Fox. But it’s Dahl’s villains that often steal the show – the loathsome Twits, bald-headed Witches, heinous headmistress Miss Trunchbull and our favourite, the Enormous Crocodile. Forty years ago this month, Roald Dahl introduced us to the naughty African reptile, who decides one day that he would like to eat children for his lunch.
Luckily, Muggle-wump the monkey, Humpy Rumpy the hippo, Trunky the elephant and the Roly-poly Bird are on hand to help foil his plans.
First published in 1968, The Enormous Crocodile was Roald Dahl’s picture book debut, and also the first time he worked with illustrator Quentin Blake, whose colourful pictures helped to bring all of the creatures to life including the Enormous Crocodile, who is seriously toothy.