Cautionary Tales for Children (Illustrated). Basil Temple Blackwood

       Hilaire Belloc

      Cautionary Tales for Children (Illustrated)

       Illustrator: Basil Temple Blackwood

      e-artnow, 2021

       Contact: [email protected]

      EAN: 4064066383541

Table of Contents

       Introduction

       Jim

       Henry King

       Matilda

       Franklin Hyde

       Godolphin Horne

       Algernon

       Hildebrand

       Lord Lundy

       Lord Lundy

       Rebecca

       George

       Charles Augustus Fortescue

      INTRODUCTION

       Table of Contents

      Upon being asked by a Reader whether the verses contained in this book were true.

      And is it True? It is not True. And if it were it wouldn’t do, For people such as me and you Who pretty nearly all day long Are doing something rather wrong. Because if things were really so, You would have perished long ago, And I would not have lived to write The noble lines that meet your sight, Nor B. T. B. survived to draw The nicest things you ever saw. H. B.

      JIM

       Table of Contents

       Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by a Lion.

      There was a Boy whose name was Jim;

       His Friends were very good to him.

       They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,

       And slices of delicious Ham,

       And Chocolate with pink inside,

       And little Tricycles to ride,

       And

      read him Stories through and through,

       And even took him to the Zoo—

       But there it was the dreadful Fate

       Befell him, which I now relate.

      You know—at least you ought to know. For I have often told you so— That Children never are allowed To leave their Nurses in a Crowd;

      Now this was Jim’s especial Foible,

       He ran away when he was able,

       And on this inauspicious day

       He slipped his hand and ran away!

       He hadn’t gone a yard when—

      Bang!

       With open Jaws, a Lion sprang,

       And hungrily began to eat

       The Boy: beginning at his feet.

      Now just imagine how it feels

       When first your toes and then your heels,

       And then by gradual degrees,

       Your shins and ankles, calves and knees,

       Are slowly eaten, bit by bit.

      No wonder Jim detested it!

       No wonder that he shouted “Hi!”

       The Honest Keeper heard his cry,

       Though very fat

      he almost ran

       To help the little gentleman.

       “Ponto!” he ordered as he came

       (For Ponto was the Lion’s name),

       “Ponto!” he cried,

      with angry Frown.

       “Let go, Sir! Down, Sir! Put it down!”

      The Lion made a sudden Stop,

       He let the Dainty Morsel drop,

       And slunk reluctant to his Cage,

       Snarling with Disappointed Rage

       But when he bent him over Jim,

       The Honest Keeper’s

      Eyes were dim.

       The Lion having reached his Head,

       The Miserable Boy was dead!

      When Nurse informed his Parents, they

       Were more Concerned than I can say:—

       His Mother, as She dried her eyes,

       Said, “Well—it gives me no surprise,

       He would not do as he was told!”

       His Father, who was self-controlled,

       Bade all the children round attend

       To James’ miserable end,

       And always keep a-hold of Nurse

       For fear of finding something worse.