Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume I. Of Home: of Friendship. 1904. | | | | Poems of Home: III. Fun for Little Folk | | The Owl and the Pussy-cat | | Edward Lear (1812–1888) |
| | 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, | 5 |
| And sang to a small guitar, | |
| “O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love, | |
| What a beautiful Pussy you are, | |
| You are, | |
| You are! | 10 |
| What a beautiful Pussy you are!” | |
| |
II. Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl, | |
| How charmingly sweet you sing! | |
| Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried: | |
| But what shall we do for a ring?” | 15 |
| 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, | 20 |
| His nose, | |
| With a ring at the end of his nose. | |
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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 | 25 |
| 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, | 30 |
| The moon, | |
| The moon, | |
| They danced by the light of the moon. | | | | |
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