| |
From “The English Struwwelpeter”
AS he trudged along to school, | |
| It was always Johnny’s rule | |
| To be looking at the sky | |
| And the clouds that floated by; | |
| But what just before him lay, | 5 |
| In his way, | |
| Johnny never thought about; | |
| So that every one cried out— | |
| “Look at little Johnny there, | |
| Little Johnny Head-in-Air!” | 10 |
| |
| Running just in Johnny’s way, | |
| Came a little dog one day; | |
| Johnny’s eyes were still astray | |
| Up on high, | |
| In the sky; | 15 |
| And he never heard them cry— | |
| “Johnny, mind, the dog is nigh!” | |
| Bump! | |
| Dump! | |
| Down they fell with such a thump, | 20 |
| Dog and Johnny in a lump! | |
| |
| Once, with head as high as ever, | |
| Johnny walked beside the river. | |
| Johnny watched the swallows trying | |
| Which was cleverest at flying. | 25 |
| Oh! what fun! | |
| Johnny watched the bright round sun | |
| Going in and coming out; | |
| This was all he thought about. | |
| So he strode on, only think! | 30 |
| To the river’s very brink, | |
| Where the bank was high and steep, | |
| And the water very deep; | |
| And the fishes, in a row, | |
| Stared to see him coming so. | 35 |
| |
| One step more! Oh! sad to tell! | |
| Headlong in poor Johnny fell. | |
| And the fishes, in dismay, | |
| Wagged their tails and ran away. | |
| |
| There lay Johnny on his face | 40 |
| With his nice red writing-case; | |
| But, as they were passing by, | |
| Two strong men had heard him cry; | |
| And, with sticks, these two strong men | |
| Hooked poor Johnny out again. | 45 |
| |
| Oh! you should have seen him shiver, | |
| When they pulled him from the river, | |
| He was in a sorry plight! | |
| Dripping wet, and such a fright! | |
| Wet all over, everywhere, | 50 |
| Clothes, and arms, and face, and hair; | |
| Johnny never will forget | |
| What it is to be so wet. | |
| |
| And the fishes, one, two, three, | |
| Are come back again, you see; | 55 |
| Up they came the moment after, | |
| To enjoy the fun and laughter. | |
| Each popped out his little head, | |
| And to tease poor Johnny, said: | |
| “Silly little Johnny, look, | 60 |
| You have lost your writing-book!” | |
| |
