Abecedario del absurdo, de Walter Crane

·WALTER·CRANE'S·
·PICTURE·BOOKS·

·THE·
·ABSURD·
A·B·C

The absurd ABC originally published 1874.

A for the APPLE 

or Alphabet pie, 

Which all get a slice of. 

Come taste it & try. 

B is the BABY 

who gave Mr Bunting

 Full many a long day's 

rabbit skin hunting.

C for the CAT 

that played on the fiddle, 

When cows jumped higher 

than 'Heigh Diddle Diddle!' 

D for the DAME 

with her pig at the stile, 

'Tis said they got over, 

but not yet a while. 

E for the Englishman,

 ready to make fast 

The giant who wanted 

have him for breakfast. 

F for the Frog  

in the story you know,

Begun with a wooing 

but ending in woe.  

G for Goosey Gander

 who wandered upstairs, 

And met the old man 

who objected to prayers.  

H for poor Humpty 

who after his fall,  

Felt obliged to resign 

his seat on the wall.

I for the Inn 

where they wouldn't give beer,  

To one with too much  

and no money, I fear.

J does for poor Jack 

and also for Jill,  

Who had so disastrous 

a tumble down hill.

K for calm Kitty, 

at dinner who sat,  

While all the good folks  

watched the dog & the cat.

 L for Little man, 

gun and bullets complete, 

Who shot the poor duck, 

and was proud of the feat. 

M for Miss Muffet, 

with that horrid spider,  

Just dropped into tea 

and a chat beside her. 

 

N for the Numerous children 

they who  

Were often too much 

for their mother in Shoe.

O the Old person 

that cobwebs did spy,  

And went up to sweep 'em  

Oh ever so high!

P for the Pie made 

of blackbirds to sing,  

A song fit for supper

  a dish for a king. 

  Q for Queen Anne  

who sat in the sun 

Till she, more than the lily 

resembled the bun

R stands for Richard &  

Robert, those men  

Who didn't get up one 

fine morning till ten!

S for the Snail that showed 

wonderful fight,  

Putting no less than twenty-four  

tailors to flight! 

 T stands for Tom, 

the son of the piper, 

May his principles change  

as his years grow riper.

U for the Unicorn, 

keeping his eye on  

The coveted crown, 

and 'ts counsel the Lion.

V for the Victuals, 

including the drink,  

The old woman lived on  

surprising to think!

 W for the WOMAN  

who not over nice,  

Made very short work 

 of the three blind mice.

X is the X 

that is found upon buns,  

Which, daughters not liking,  

may come in for sons.

Y for Yankee Doodle 

of ancient renown,  

Both he & his pony 

that took him to town. 

Z for the Zany 

who looked like a fool, 

For when he was young 

he neglected his school.