Sylvanian Pride and Prejudice - Part One

This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time.  Caitlyn and I both love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and the notion of casting Sylvanians in all the roles, and photographing them to illustrate the story, was just too tempting!  It is destined to be a very time-consuming endeavour, what with all the costumes that will need to be made (ball gowns!  regimentals!), so I do not promise to finish it quickly.  I do plan to post instalments from time to time when I can, and have great hopes of eventually getting through the whole story!

Obviously, the words are not my own, although this is very much an abridged version of Austen's masterpiece.  I have also made some slight additions where necessary to tie the photos in (these will be kept to a minimum though.  I am hoping it mightn't be necessary again at all after this first instalment).

Without further ado, I would like to present Part One of my Sylvanian Pride and Prejudice - I do hope you enjoy it, and that it inspires you to seek out the original book and read it if you have not done so already!

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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

“My dear Mr Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, as the family walked home from church, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”

Mr Bennet replied that he had not.

“But it is,” returned she.  “Netherfield is taken by a young man named Bingley – a single man of large fortune, four or five thousand a year.  What a fine thing for our girls!”

“How so?  How can it affect them?”

“My dear Mr Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome?  You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”

“Is that his design in settling here?”

“Design!  Nonsense, but it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”

“I see no occasion for that...” Mr Bennet began.

Their eldest daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, shared a rueful smile.

Mary followed next, her mind on what she considered loftier matters, and behind her came the two youngest Bennets, Kitty and Lydia, giggling and chattering excitedly.

By this time they had arrived home, and despite Jane’s ministrations, Mrs Bennet was in quite a state.

“But consider your daughters," said she.  "Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.  Oh, you delight in vexing me.  You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”

“You mistake me, my dear.  I have a high respect for your nerves," replied Mr Bennet.  "I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.  But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”

“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come since you will not visit them.”

“Depend upon it my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”

~~~ o ~~~

It was a few days later, and Mr Bennet made some casual mention of Mr Bingley, wondering whether or not the intriguing new visitor would like some trifling thing or other.

“We are not in a way to know what Mr Bingley likes,” said his wife resentfully, “since we are not to visit.”  Unable to contain herself, she began scolding one of her daughters.

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven’s sake!  Have a little compassion on my nerves."

“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kitty fretfully.

“Let us return to Mr Bingley,” Mr Bennet said.

“I am sick of Mr Bingley,” cried his wife.

“I am sorry to hear that, but why did not you tell me so before?  

If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him.  It is very unlucky, but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished, that of Mrs Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest.

“How good it was in you, my dear Mr Bennet!  I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance.  Well, how pleased I am!  And it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”

“Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you chuse,” said Mr Bennet, and left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.

“What an excellent father you have, girls,” said she.  “Lydia, my love, though you are the youngest, I dare say Mr Bingley will dance with you at the next ball.”

“Oh!” said Lydia stoutly, “I am not afraid, for though I am the youngest, I’m the tallest.”

~~~ o ~~~

Ready for more Pride and Prejudice?  Click here for Part Two...