Edward
Lear
I
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went
to sea
In a beautiful pea-green
boat,
They took some honey, and
plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound
note.
The Owl looked up to the stars
above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my
love,
What a beautiful Pussy you
are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you
are!"
II
Pussy said to the Owl, "You
elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you
sing!
O let us be married! too long
we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a
ring?"
They sailed away, for a year
and a day,
To the land where the
Bong-Tree grows
And there in a wood a
Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of
his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of
his nose.
III
"Dear Pig, are you willing to
sell for one shilling
Your ring?" Said the Piggy,
"I will."
So they took it away, and were
married next day
By the Turkey who lives on
the hill.
They dined on mince, and
slices of quince,
Which they ate with a
runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge
of the sand,
They danced by the light of
the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of
the moon.
Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)
