by Edward Lear
The Scroobious Pip went out one day
When the grass was green, and the sky was grey.
Then all the beasts in the world came round
When the Scroobious Pip sat down on the ground.
The cat and the dog and the kangaroo
The sheep and the cow and the guineapig too —
The wolf he howled, the horse he neighed
The little pig squeaked and the donkey brayed,
And when the lion began to roar
There never was heard such a noise before.
And every beast he stood on the tip
Of his toes to look a the Scroobious Pip.
At last they said to the Fox - “By far,
You’re the wisest beast! You know you are!
Go close to Scroobious Pip and say,
Tell us all about yourself we pray-
For as yet we can’t make out in the least
If you’re Fish or Insect, or Bird or Beast.”
The Scroobious Pip looked vaguelyy round
And sang these words with a rumbling sound-
Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-
My only name is the Scroobious Pip.
2
The Scroobious Pip from the top of a tree
Saw the distant Jellybolee,-
And all the birds in the world came there,
Flying in crowds all through the air.
The Vulture and Eagle, the cock and the hen
The Ostrich the Turkey the Snipe and the Wren;
The Parrot chattered, the Blackbird sung
And the owl looked wise bu held his tongue,
And when the Peacock began to scream
The hullabaloo was quite extreme.
And every bird he fluttered the tip
Of his wng as he stared at the Scroobious Pip.
At last they said to the owl- “By far,
You’re the wisest Bird — you know you are!
Fly close to the Scroobious Pip and say,
Explain all about yourself we paray-
For as yet we have neither seen nor heard
If you’re fish or insect, beast or bird!”
The Scroobious Pip looked gaily round
And sang these words with a chirpy sound-
Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-
My only name is the Scroobious Pip.
3
The Scroobious Pip went into the sea
By the beautiful shore of Jellybolee-
All the fish in the world swam round
With a splashing squashy spluttering sound.
The sprat, the herring, the turbot too
The shark, the sole and the mackerel blue,
The flounder spluttered, the purpoise puffed
...............................................................
And when the whale began to spout
...............................................................
And every fish he shook the tip
Of his tail as he gazed on the Scroobious Pip
At last they said to the whale- “By far
You’re the biggest Fish - you know you are!
Swim close to the Scroobious Pip and say-
Tell us all about yourself we pray!-
For to know you yourself is our only wish;
Are you beast or insect, bird or fish?”
The Scroobious Pip looked softly round
And sung these words with a liquid sound-
Pliffity Flip; Pliffety Flip;-
My only name is the Scroobious Pip.
4
The scroobious Pip sat under a tree
By the silent shores of the Jellybolee;
All the insects in all the world
About the Scroobious Pip entwirled.
Beetles and with purple eyes
Gnats and buzztilential flies-
Grasshoppers, butterflies, spiders too,
Wasps and bees and dragon-flies blue,
And when the gnats began to hum
bounced like a dismal drum,
And every insect curled the tip
Of his snout, and looked a the Scroobious Pip.
At last the said to the Ant - “By far
You’re the wisest insect, you know you are!
Creep close to the Scroobious Pip and say-
Tell us all about yourself we pray,
For we can’t find out, and we can’t tell why-
If you’re beast or fish or a bird or a fly.”
The Scroobious Pip turned quickly round
And sang these words with a whistly sound
Wizzeby wip - wizzeby wip —
My only name is the Scroobious Pip.
5
Then all the beasts that walk on the ground
Danced in a circle round and round-
And all the birds that fly in the air
Flew round and round in a circle there,
And all the fish in the Jellybolee
Swum in a circle about the sea,
And all the insects that creep or go
Buzzed in a circle to and fro.
And they roared and sang and whistled and cried
Till the noise was heard from side to side-
Chippetty tip! Chippetty tip!
It’s only name is the Scroobious Pip.
THE ADVENTURES OF MR. LEAR, THE POLLY AND THE PUSSEYBITE ON THEIR WAY TO THE RITERTITLE MOUNTAINS
Aug. 23, 1866.
1, Upper Hyde Park Garden
Mr. Lear goes out a walking with Polly and the Pusseybite.
Mr. Lear, feeling tired, and also the Polly and the Pusseybite, sit down on a wall to rest.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite go into a shop to buy a Numbrella, because it began to rain.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite having purchased umbrellas, proceed on their walk.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite arrive at a bridge, which being broken they do not know what to do.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite all tumble promiscuous into the raging river and become quite wet.
A page missing here from the manuscript.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite peruse their journey in a benevolent boat.
Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite incidentally fall over an unexpected cataract, and are all dashed to atoms.
A page missing here from the manuscript.
The 2 venerable Jebusites fasten the remains of Mr. Lear, the Polly and the Pusseybite, but fail to reconstruct them perfectly as 3 individuals.
Mr. Lear and the Pusseybite and the Pollycat and the 2 Jebusites and the Jerusalem Artichokes and the Octogonal Oysterclippers all tumble into a deep hole and are never seen or distinguished or heard of never more afterwards.
The Poems
The headquarters of the Zoological Society, London. By the age of 16, Lear was already earning a wage from his illustration work, employed as an ornithological draughtsman by the Zoological Society.
LIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
THERE WAS AN OLD DERRY DOWN DERRY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A NOSE
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF SMYRNA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN ON A HILL
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CHILI
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A GONG
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF KILKENNY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF COLUMBIA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A TREE
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY OF CHERTSEY
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY WHOSE CHIN
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A FLUTE, —
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF PORTUGAL
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF ISCHIA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF VIENNA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A BOAT
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BUDA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF MOLDAVIA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF HURST
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF MADRAS
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DOVER
>
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF LEEDS
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CADIZ
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE ISLES
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BASING
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO SUPPOSED
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON WHOSE HABITS
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE WEST
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF MARSEILLES
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE WREKIN
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY WHOSE NOSE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF NORWAY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF APULIA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF QUEBEC, —
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF BUTE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PHILŒ
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A POKER
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PRAGUE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF PERU
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE NORTH
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF TROY
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF MOLD
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF TRING
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF NEPAUL
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE NILE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF TH’ ABRUZZI
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF CALCUTTA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF RHODES
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE SOUTH
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF MELROSE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE DEE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF LUCCA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF COBLENZ
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF BOHEMIA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF CORFU
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF VESUVIUS
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DUNDEE
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHOSE FOLLY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN ON SOME ROCKS
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF RHEIMS
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF LEGHORN
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A PEW
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF JAMAICA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO SAID, “HOW
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF TROY
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF HULL
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DUTTON
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO SAID, “HUSH!
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF RUSSIA
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF TYRE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BANGOR
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE EAST
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE COAST
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF KAMSCHATKA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF GRETNA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A BEARD
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF BERLIN
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE WEST
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CHEADLE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF ANERLEY
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF WALES
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF WELLING
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF TARTARY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF WHITEHAVEN
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF SWEDEN
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CHESTER
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE CAPE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BURTON
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF EMS
THERE WAS A YOUNG GIRL OF MAJORCA
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF POOLE
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY OF PRAGUE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF PARMA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SPARTA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN ON WHOSE NOSE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF TURKEY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF AÔSTA
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF CRETE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF CLARE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF DORKING
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF CAPE HORN
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CROMER
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE HAGUE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SPAIN
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO SAID, “WELL!
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH AN OWL
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A CASEMENT
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF EWELL
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF PERU.
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A BEARD
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY WHOSE EYES
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF RYDE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY WHOSE BONNET
THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT.
THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO.
THE DADDY LONG-LEGS AND THE FLY.
THE JUMBLIES.
THE NUTCRACKERS AND THE SUGAR-TONGS.
CALICO PIE.
MR. AND MRS. SPIKKY SPARROW.
THE BROOM, THE SHOVEL, THE POKER, AND THE TONGS.
THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR.
ALPHABET I. (1871)
ALPHABET II. (1871)
ALPHABET III. (1871)
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF BANTRY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN AT A JUNCTION
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF MINETY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THERMOPYLAE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DEAL
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN ON THE HUMBER
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A BARGE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DUNROSE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF TOULOUSE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BREE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BROMLEY
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SHIELDS
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DUNLUCE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DEE-SIDE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON IN BLACK
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THE DARGLE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PINNER
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CHINA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A MARSH
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BRILL
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF WICK
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN AT A STATION
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THREE BRIDGES
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF HONG KONG
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON IN GREEN
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF FIFE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO SCREAMED OUT
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY IN WHITE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SLOUGH
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DOWN
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON IN RED
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF HOVE
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON IN PINK
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY OF FRANCE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PUTNEY
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF LOO
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF WOKING
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DEAN
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY IN BLUE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A GARDEN
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PISA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF FLORENCE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SHEEN
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF WARE
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF JANINA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF CASHMERE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CASSEL
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF PETT
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF SPITHEAD
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN ON THE BORDER
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DUMBREE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF FILEY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHOSE REMORSE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF IBREEM
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF WILTS
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF GRANGE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF NEWRY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF DUMBLANE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF PORT GRIGOR
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF EL HUMS
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF WEST DUMPET
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SARK
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHOSE DESPAIR
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BARNES
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF NICE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF GREENWICH
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CANNES
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF ICKLEY
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF HYDE
THERE W
AS AN OLD PERSON IN GRAY
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF ANCONA
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SESTRI
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BLYTHE
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF AYR
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF RIMINI
THERE IS A YOUNG LADY, WHOSE NOSE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF EALING
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF THAMES DITTON
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BRAY
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON WHOSE HISTORY
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BOW
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF RYE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF CROWLE
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY OF WINCHELSEA
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN IN A TREE
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF CORSICA
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY OF FIRLE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF STROUD
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF BOULAK
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SKYE
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF BLACKHEATH
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN, WHO WHEN LITTLE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF DUNDALK
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF SHOREHAM
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BAR
THERE WAS A YOUNG PERSON OF KEW
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF JODD
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BUDE
THERE WAS AN OLD PERSON OF BRIGG
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN OF MESSINA
THE ABSOLUTELY ABSTEMIOUS ASS
THE BOUNTIFUL BEETLE
THE COMFORTABLE CONFIDENTIAL COW
THE DOLOMPHIOUS DUCK
THE ENTHUSIASTIC ELEPHANT
THE FIZZGIGGIOUS FISH
THE GOOD-NATURED GREY GULL
THE HASTY HIGGELDIPIGGLEDY HEN
THE INVENTIVE INDIAN
THE JUDICIOUS JUBILANT JAY
THE KICKING KANGAROO
THE LIVELY LEARNED LOBSTER
THE MELODIOUS MERITORIOUS MOUSE
THE NUTRITIOUS NEWT
THE OBSEQUIOUS ORNAMENTAL OSTRICH
THE PERPENDICULAR PURPLE POLLY
THE QUEER QUERULOUS QUAIL
THE RURAL RUNCIBLE RAVEN
THE SCROOBIOUS SNAKE
THE TUMULTUOUS TOM-TOMMY TORTOISE
THE UMBRAGEOUS UMBRELLA-MAKER
THE VISIBLY VICIOUS VULTURE
THE WORRYING WHIZZING WASP
THE EXCELLENT DOUBLE-EXTRA XX
THE YONGHY-BONGHY-BO
THE ZIGZAG ZEALOUS ZEBRA
THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE.
THE TWO OLD BACHELORS.
