Majorie Torrey
Little Princess Pussy-Willow was feeling very sad,
Thinking of the many playmates that she'd never had.
No little sisters, brothers, cousins, nobody to play with,
No-one to even read a book or pass the time of day with.
She sighed as she turned the pages of her favourite picture book.
Hour after hour she sat alone.... with nothing to do but look.
She came upon the picture of her very favourite scene;
Where a little dragon posed and showed his scales of grassy green.
He had such a curly tail and he had such a friendly face!
Not at all like wicked dragons, which are very commonplace.
'I wish that you could talk to me' the little Princess said.
And, to her surprise, right off the page, the dragon raised its head!
'I can' the dragon answered, 'But I simply can't get free!
Get your scissors and cut me out! Then you'll see what you will see!'
Very, very carefully, the Princess, cut him out.
(Sometimes she nicked one of his scales and he gave a squeaky shout!)
But, finally, he stood there, large as life and looking smug,
Her own little playful dragon, standing right there on her rug!
'Let's have fun!' the dragon shouted! ' Let us scribble on the walls!
Let us break up all the windows with these little pingpong balls!
Let us stamp our feet and whistle and make an enormous noise!
Let us tear-up all your comics and break all your silly toys!
Let us go and find your mother and shout out naughty words!
Let us go down to the aviary and let-out all the birds!'
Princess Pussy-Willow was utterly appalled!
She sat down in the playroom and she hung her head and bawled.
' You're a nasty, nasty dragon' she cried 'You're just a pain!
I'm going to get the sticky-tape and stick you back again!
Back you'll go inside the book to stay there for all time!
It seems that all you're suited to is a life of wicked crime!'
As she went to get the sticky-tape she heard the dragon cry
'I know my manners aren't too good but I'm really going to try!
Please, please don't stick me back again! Just teach me to be good!
Teach me to have good manners and to act the way I should'!
The Princess soon relented and right there made up her mind
To teach her friend the dragon to be peacable and kind.
She hid him in her bedroom and every single day
She taught him how he should behave and how two children play.
Finally, he graduated; at last he passed the test.
His manners were quite passable although they weren't the best!
'Today we meet my mother' the Princess said at last;
'If you can be polite to her it means that you have passed!'
She took him to the throne room, which was really rather grand,
And, straight away he bowed down low over the royal hand.
'This is an honour, Majesty' he said with downcast eyes.
'What a charming dragon!' said the Queen 'What a surprise!
You have such lovely manners! I do hope that you'll stay!
Do live with us for ever and never go away!'
So the Princess Pussy-Willow now has a live-in friend!
Which proves that education has its uses in the end!
*
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CATS AND DOGS!
'It's raining cats and dogs!' we cry! 'It's raining cats and dogs!'
So why not chickens, centipedes and rats and mice and frogs?
Well, all of them are valid, or were once long ago
In the days when life was simpler and the pace of it was slow.
Here I'll explain the reason why we give this exclamation....
It has to do with an ancient and quite awkward tribulation.
*
The roofs of many houses were made of twigs and reeds
And, on dry days, these were enough to cater to men's needs.
But often livestock, or family pets would make their way and creep
Inside the matted twigs and grass and lie there fast asleep!
Heat from the family fire seeped up and kept them safe and warm,
But it was a different story in a deluge or a storm!
Then the roof grew slippery and soon came gaping holes
Dislodging cats and dogs..... and other creatures, even moles!
Down through the roof they tumbled, on to the cottage floor;
Sometimes there were one or two, sometimes even more!
'Look at it raining cats and dogs!' the children used to cry!
And still you shout the same today!
Now you know the reason why.
*
-------------------------------------------------------------
CATS AND DOGS!
'It's raining cats and dogs!' we cry! 'It's raining cats and dogs!'
So why not chickens, centipedes and rats and mice and frogs?
Well, all of them are valid, or were once long ago
In the days when life was simpler and the pace of it was slow.
Here I'll explain the reason why we give this exclamation....
It has to do with an ancient and quite awkward tribulation.
*
The roofs of many houses were made of twigs and reeds
And, on dry days, these were enough to cater to men's needs.
But often livestock, or family pets would make their way and creep
Inside the matted twigs and grass and lie there fast asleep!
Heat from the family fire seeped up and kept them safe and warm,
But it was a different story in a deluge or a storm!
Then the roof grew slippery and soon came gaping holes
Dislodging cats and dogs..... and other creatures, even moles!
Down through the roof they tumbled, on to the cottage floor;
Sometimes there were one or two, sometimes even more!
'Look at it raining cats and dogs!' the children used to cry!
And still you shout the same today!
Now you know the reason why.
*
4 comments:
Oh, yes! Toujours la politesse!
Oh yes, education is never wasted :)
How very nice...I never would have thought to take the sissors and cut the dragon cut and into life...a beautiful story....and thank you so much for posting at Monday's Child....blessings...bkm
What a naughty dragon. We're not all like that! I'm glad this one learned to behave.
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