These were gentler, more innocent times

[Malthus]

Heh, would not fly these days obviously. I think people were just less aware of the "creepy" factor back then - though it is obvious that the guy is making the kids uncomfortable. People probably thought it was just funny (ha-ha funny  ).

Reminds me of reading old children's books these days that I read when I was a kid, they are just filled with shit that would not fly these days.  Like the original Babar, which had Babar acting as a gigilo (well, it was a French kiddie book); or the original Curious George, which had lots of stuff people would find objectionable - in one episode, George is walking down the road and two strange men drive up in a truck and say "hop in, we'll take you to see the circus"- and he does. (The men take George to see a circus and he has lots of fun, teaching tikes everywhere that getting into a truck with strange men is, in fact, a good idea -  These days, most parents would immediately think of poor George sodomized, murdered, and left lying in a ditch). 

[PDH]

Some books don't lose their moral lesson though, like Struwwelpeter.

[Malthus]

Some books don't lose their moral lesson though, like Struwwelpeter.

One of my favorites!

Though alas, not actually read in childhood.

I have caught myself quoting from "Augustus who would not eat his soup" to Carl though.