| THE GINGHAM dog and the calico cat | |
| Side by side on the table sat; | |
| 'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!) | |
| Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink! | |
| The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate | 5 |
| Appeared to know as sure as fate | |
| There was going to be a terrible spat. | |
| (I was n't there; I simply state | |
| What was told to me by the Chinese plate!) | |
| |
| The gingham dog went "bow-wow-wow!" | 10 |
| And the calico cat replied "mee-ow!" | |
| The air was littered, an hour or so, | |
| With bits of gingham and calico, | |
| While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place | |
| Up with its hands before its face, | 15 |
| For it always dreaded a family row! | |
| (Never mind: I 'm only telling you | |
| What the old Dutch clock declares is true!) | |
| |
| The Chinese plate looked very blue, | |
| And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!" | 20 |
| But the gingham dog and the calico cat | |
| Wallowed this way and tumbled that, | |
| Employing every tooth and claw | |
| In the awfullest way you ever saw— | |
| And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew! | 25 |
| (Don't fancy I exaggerate— | |
| I got my news from the Chinese plate!) | |
| |
| Next morning where the two had sat | |
| They found no trace of dog or cat; | |
| And some folks think unto this day | 30 |
| That burglars stole that pair away! | |
| But the truth about the cat and pup | |
| Is this: they ate each other up! | |
| Now what do you really think of that! | |
| (The old Dutch clock it told me so, | 35 |
| And that is how I came to know.) | |
