The Owl and the Pussy Cat

Although I've changed a lot over the years, there was a time I used to recite poems pretty nicely (Courtesy: Mamma). In the competitions, I used to fly past my competitors. Being a child, I even show actions during the course of the poem. If you ask me my favorite, the spontaneous answer would be 'Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. However, the other day, Mamma reminded me of a far more hilarious one that I really used to enjoy during my childhood: 'The Owl and the Pussy Cat' by Edward Lear. So, laugh away as you read this (and maybe imagine me reciting it with the actions)...

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.