# Tha' Munnot Waste No Time explained — The Secret Garden

> Chapter companion for The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

## What happens

Mary visits Colin after his fit of crying, then goes to the secret garden to meet Dickon. She decides to tell Colin about the garden and plans for Dickon to visit him. Mary reveals she has found the key and entered the secret garden, and Colin is overjoyed at the prospect of seeing it.

## Themes in this chapter

### Healing Power of Nature

Dickon emphasizes bringing Colin outside to be 'soaked through wi' sunshine' and to experience the sights and sounds of spring, highlighting nature's restorative effects.

### Friendship and Connection

Mary and Dickon's friendship deepens as they plan to help Colin, and Colin expresses his desire to be 'friends with things' like Dickon is.

### Secrecy and Discovery

Mary reveals the secret garden to Colin, trusting him with the secret she has kept for weeks.

## Character check-ins

### Mary Lennox

Visits Colin after his crying fit, goes to the garden to meet Dickon, and decides to reveal the secret garden to Colin.

### Colin Craven

Ill and feverish after his fit, but brightens at the mention of the secret garden and eagerly anticipates Dickon's visit.

### Dickon Sowerby

In the garden with his animals, plans to bring Colin outside and help him experience nature.

### Martha Sowerby

Brings Mary breakfast and relays Colin's request for Mary to visit him.

### Mrs. Medlock

Hears Mary and Colin laughing and is astonished.

## Key lines

> Mother says as th' two worst things as can happen to a child is never to have his own way—or always to have it.

Martha's mother believes that the two worst things for a child are never getting what they want or always getting what they want.

_Reflects a balanced approach to child-rearing, a theme in the book._

> Tha' mun talk a bit o' Yorkshire like that to Mester Colin. Tha'll make him laugh an' there's nowt as good for ill folk as laughin' is.

You should speak Yorkshire like that to Master Colin. It will make him laugh, and nothing is better for sick people than laughter.

_Highlights the therapeutic value of laughter, a key idea in the chapter._

> I found the key and got in weeks ago. But I daren't tell you—I daren't because I was so afraid I couldn't trust you—for sure!

I discovered the key and entered the garden weeks ago, but I didn't dare tell you because I was afraid I couldn't trust you completely.

_Mary reveals her secret, showing her growing trust in Colin._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xviii-tha-munnot-waste-no-time
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_garden_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters