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Artwork by Babette Cole
The Owl and the Pussy-cat
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went away
In a beautiful pea-green car.
At a nearby inn they had some gin
And pound of caviar.
The Owl looked up to the stars above
And sang to a small guitar,
“Oh lovely Pussy! Oh Pussy my love!
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”
Pussy said to the Owl,
“Oh, you dirty old fowl!
You frequenter of taverns and bars!
You won’t make me sin just by giving me gin
And by lifting your voice to the stars.
If I ever decide to turn into a bride
I will not want to live in a tree.
The fates will pick out without any doubt
A beautiful Tom-cat for me! For me!
A beautiful Tom-cat for me!”
The Owl said, “I – would soon teach you to fly,
And catch mice on the wing all night long,
I would love you forever, forsaking you never,
You couldn’t say that of a Tom.”
The Puss said, “Yes quite, but it wouldn’t be right,
And I couldn’t stay out in all weathers.
I couldn’t make love with a beak up above,
And I wouldn’t want kittens with feathers!
Oh no!
I wouldn’t want kittens with feathers.”
Roald Dahl
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the great storyteller, Roald Dahl, who loved to create fantastical creatures and characters this poem is a less known, and much saucier version, of the beloved poem ~ that prominently features a cat. A humorous and witty version this poem is featured in The Roald Dahl Treasury.
Artwork by Babette Cole
Artwork by Babette Cole
Artwork by Babette Cole
Artwork by Babette Cole
Artwork by Babette Cole
Artwork by Babette Cole
Illustrations by Babette Cole