This wonderful children’s book, illustrated by Peter Spier has been read and loved by English speaking child in Holland, my own included. It was first published in 1950. However, the basis of the story was always a mystery to me, what was the cow doing so close to the canal in the first place. Today! I have the answer!! Went on an art tour, where the art was displayed in houses and back yards; one of the exhibitors lives in this old Dutch barn on a canal. At present the barn is renovated into the the most stunning house and the garden is, well, to die for. As we were speaking about the garden, the house and the renovations, she, the owner, mentioned the high doors on the front. ‘That is where they threw the straw because the cows were below. You know, it was so easy to get the cows to pasture because they were put on these flat boats in the gracht [canal] and floated to the meadow, where they were off loaded for spring grazing.” “Oh my gracious!” say I, ‘That is the children’s story I never understood, about this cow floating in a canal…” She had never heard of the story, why would she, but her present husband is English and I was hustled to find him and have him look the book up on his phone!!