Mary Poppins From a to Z

by P. L. Travers

  But the Other Onlookers Only smiled. "Now, don't Oppose them Or be Officious. It's a very Orderly Occupation. That is Our Opinion!"

  is for Park. Along the Path the Policeman Paces, a Pillar of the law.

  "Please Put your Paper in the Proper basket." the Park Keeper Pleads.

  Down the Parade conies a little Procession. Mary Poppins, carrying her Parrot-headed umbrella, is Pushing the Perambulator. And beside her. Playing with the children, are a Polar bear and a Penguin.

  "Preserve the law!" the Policeman shouts. "Wild beasts not Permitted in Public Places."

  The Park Keeper's face turns as Pale as Putty. "Polar bears in the Park!" he Pants. "I must Point it out to the Prime Minister."

  "Pray don't!" Protests the Prime Minister, who is Passing through the Park. "I have already Perceived the Problem. May I Provide Protection. Miss Poppins? I have a Pistol in my Pocket."

  "Thank you," she replies Primly. "I can Preserve myself. We are having a Purely Private Party. These are my Personal friends."

  "In that case, madam, I beg your Pardon."

  And the Prime Minister Plods on. Pondering on Politics and feeling quite at Peace. He knows that when Mary Poppins makes a Plan, it will always Prove to be Pleasant, Practical, and Prudent—in fact. Pretty nearly Perfect.

  is for Question.

  The Queen asks, "Why are Quinces yellow? And do they Quench the thirst? Does a hen." she Queries, "think it Quaint when ducklings say Quack-Quack?" And she goes on asking, asking till the King gives her a Quelling look and tells her not to Quibble.

  And what about you? Can you answer Questions? Did you know, for instance, that Quantities of Quill pens require a Quart of ink, not to mention a Quire of paper?

  Have you heard that Quails Quaff water once a Quarter and always have Quadruplets?

  Or that Quadrupeds, after Quitting a Quest, will dance the Quadrille without a Qualm, all standing in Queues?

  "Isn't it Queer that we Quarrel one day and the next we're Quite friendly?" say Jane and Michael Querulously.

  "Quiet, please," says Mary Poppins, "and Quickly into bed. spit-spot."

  "Are our Quilts of good Quality, Mary Poppins? Why does a jelly Quiver and Quake?"

  "A dose of Quinine," she says Quizzically, "for the one who asks the next Question!"

  is for Robertson Ay.

  Today he is Responsible for a Really awful Rumpus. He had Rubbed Mr. Banks' hat with an oily Rag instead of a Rabbit's tail.

  "He's a broken Reed, a Rattlebrain. I'll be glad to be Rid of the Rogue!" Mr. Banks Rages up and down. "The Rascal, the Reptile, the Reprobate!"

  "He didn't Realize," say the children. "He is not Robust, and he needs to Rest."

  "Rubbish!" Mr. Banks Retorts. "He is Required to Run errands and Render assistance. Rake the ashes. Repair the Railings. Rout the Rats—and what does he do? Reposes in a Rocking chair, wholly Regardless of the fact that I'm Rapidly losing my Reason. And on top of that, he Ruins my hat! I shall look Ridiculous!"

  "Oh. let him Remain, Daddy! Don't Refuse!"

  "Well, only if he Reforms. Remember!"

  Full of Rapture and Relief, they Rush away to Robertson Ay with the Reassuring news.

  But Robertson Ay is as Right as Rain. Nothing Ruffles him.

  Rosy with sleep, wrapped in Mr. Banks' traveling Rug. he Reclines against the garden Roller, taking his Regular morning Rest.

  is for Snow. Today the lane wears a Shawl of Silver. Everyone Slides and Skates and Slithers.

  The Snowman has two Stones for eyes, and Binnacle, the Admiral's Servant, has lent him his old Sou'wester.

  "Save me. Someone!" Shrieks Miss Lark, Skidding across the Scene.

  Andrew, in his Sealskin jacket. Seizes her Skirt and Steadies her.

  "No Skidding allowed!" Shouts the Park Keeper, very Superior, all day long.

  But at night, when all is Still and Silent, he Steals through the Solitary park. Singing a Secret Song. Over the flower beds he Spreads the Snow. Stroking it very Softly and Slowly, as though he were Smoothing the Sheets of a bed.

  "Sh!" he whispers. "Let nobody Stir. Sleep till the Spring when the Sap rises."

  For the Seeds, you See, are his children. They will Slumber through the dark Season, but the first Sign of Spring will Set them moving. Their new Small Spikes. So green and Shiny, will Shoot up through the Sod.

  And how the Park Keeper's eyes will Sparkle!

  "For once," he will Say, "the rules are observed! The Sunflower turns to the Sun again, and the Swallows are back from the South!"

  is for Topsy-Turvy.

  It is Tuesday. Mr. Banks Tears Through The house like a Tempest.

  "Why is my Tobacco Tin Topped-up with Toffee? Who Tied my Tartan Tie round The Toast?"

  No one can Tell him.

  Nothing is Turning out right This morning. Tapioca in The Teapot and The Teapot out on The Terrace. Trousers in The soup Tureen. Tomatoes Tasting of Tar.

  "Tush, it's a Trifle," says Mary Poppins. "Never Trouble Trouble! If Today is a Tiny bit Topsy-Turvy. we must Treat The whole Thing Tactfully and Turn Topsy-Turvy. Too."

  So. Taking up her Tulip-Trimmed hat. she Twirls Through The air like a spinning Top and lands Triumphantly on her head. Tidy and Totally Tranquil.

  "Take your Time. Don't Teeter or Totter. Try To do as you are Told!"

  "What a sensible Trick. " the children say. as They Tumble Through The room Together and land on The Turkey carpet. "It is True what you Taught us. Mary Poppins. Everything seems Transformed."

  "To Turn with The Tide," says Mary Poppins, "is To Take a Turn for The better. May I Tempt you with a Tangerine and a Topsy-Turvy Tart?"

  is for Unicorn. This animal is very Unusual and rarely to be found. Try your Utmost, hunt through all the Universe, and you still may not Unearth him.

  But don't be Upset. If you have Untroubled eyes, you will see what the children see. Under Mary Poppins' Umbrella, white as the Upper part of a mushroom, with a single horn Upon his brow, reclines a Unicorn!

  The Policeman, in his new blue Uniform, stares Uneasily.

  "What are those Urchins at?" he wonders. "All so United, gaping at nothing? Something Urgent is Up, but what?"

  An Upright figure. Unafraid, handsome rather than Ugly, he turns to Mary Poppins.

  "Don't think me Ultra fussy. Miss, but is anything Undesirable going on Unbeknownst?"

  She gives him an Uppish look and sniffs. "Nothing Unseemly ever happens when I'm around," she assures him.

  He passes on Unconvinced. "I'm not Used to Biddies," he tells himself. "But I'm not an Utter idiot. I'll Unravel it Ultimately, I'm sure."

  But this, I think, is most Unlikely.

  Unicorns are shy creatures.

  They will Undertake to Unveil themselves only Under parrot-headed Umbrellas to those who are Untouched by doubt and who can Understand.

  is for Valentine's Day. The children are Visiting Mrs. Corry's sweet shop to ask her to be their Valentine. She is Visibly pleased.

  "Now. what do you Vote for? Vanilla sticks?" she asks.

  And she Vigorously breaks off two of her fingers and gives them to the children.

  "Don't look so Vacant; they'll grow again! And in many Varieties. Violet candy is now in Vogue. And Queen Victoria. I Vividly recall, had a Violent fondness for Vinegar mints."

  "How old you must be!" say Jane and Michael.

  "Venerable is the word, my dears. I remember Henry V saying.

  'Your Vegetable fudge with honey

  Is splendid Value for the money.'

  "He spoke in Verse and. though Vague, was not Vulgar. What, are you going? How Vexatious. Well, take a piece of Verbena toffee. Never put Vaseline on your Vests. If a Villain pursues you. wear a Veil. Bon Voyage!" she said, and Vanished.

  "How Very odd! We were just on the Verge of thanking her. Mary Poppins," the children ask, "does this always happen on Valentine's Day?"

  "It all depends on the point of View." is Mary Poppins' Verdict.
r />   is for Willoughby. He is Miss Lark's other dog. Who is half an airedale and half a retriever and the Worst half of both.

  Andrew is a Winsome dog and Welcome everywhere. But no one seems to Want Willoughby.

  Miss Lark is Worn out With his Wild Ways.

  "He is Willfully Wallowing in Wickedness. I must take a cup of Weak tea!" she Whispers. "Oh. Why Won't you try to be Well-bred. Willoughby? Can't you Wag your tail Without Whacking the Window? Must you Wipe your paws on the White Woodwork?"

  But Willoughby only replies With a Wink and Whisks off after a Wasp.

  "He's a Werewolf!" says the Park Keeper, as Willoughby Whizzes past him. "Observe the rules or I'll get a Whip. No Washing your Whiskers in the lake!"

  "Woof!" says Willoughby. Whirling the Water off his back and Wetting the Park Keeper's Waistcoat.

  Then he Worries a Woodpecker out of its Wits. Worms his Way under the park Wall, and Waltzes home. Wondering Whether there Will be chicken for dinner. If so. he Wants the Wishbone.

  Even When he is asleep. Weary and Warm in his Wicker basket, Willoughby still is on the Warpath, chasing Weasels through his dreams and Walruses and Whales.

  is for no special word unless you can count Xylophone.

  But nevertheless, it is very important, for what do you put at the end of a letter? X for a kiss, of course.

  And the one who gets it knows you love him and feels eXtremely happy.

  Here in the picture is Mr. Banks, and because he is in an eXpansive mood, he is X-ing Mrs. Banks.

  The Policeman is shyly X-ing Ellen.

  The Prime Minister is asking if he may X Miss Lark's hand.

  And the children are X-ing Andrew and Willoughby.

  But the poor Park Keeper is all alone.

  Has he been forgotten, I wonder?

  Why don't you give him an X?

  is for Year. And the Year changes all. In spring the cherry trees were green. They were white with flowers in summertime, red in autumn with their Yield of fruit, and now they are black and bare. The goslings on the lake, once Yellow as the Yolks of eggs, have gray feathers now. The birds that Yearned over their Young have flown from the Yew tree Yonder. The children's shoes. Yet too large in January, are now too small in December.

  There they all are, down in the lane. Yelling and dancing to keep warm and wishing for Yakskin coats. Andrew is Yapping at their heels, and Willoughby, like a Yahoo, is Yawning in everyone's face.

  "The Year is going." says Mary Poppins.

  "Where does it go?" the children ask.

  And a deep familiar voice answers:

  "The Year goes where our dreams all go.

  East of the sun and west of the moon.

  Where tomorrow is always behind us

  And Yesterday comes too soon.

  So Yank up the anchor and sail away

  On the Yacht of Yours truly. Admiral Boom.

  "Just one of my Yarns!" he says. "Well, messmates, looking forward to Yule? That's what Christmas was called when I was a bit of a Youngster."

  What a happy thought! Trimming the tree, hanging the stockings, and unpacking them in the morning. Christmas or Yule, what does it matter?

  "Yes!" says everyone.

  is for Zodiac. That means the ring of stars and planets that circles the earth at night. This evening it is specially bright, for it is New Year's Eve. All the neighbors are full of song and Zest as they greet each other in the lane.

  "Walk straight. Willoughby," says Miss Lark. "Kindly do not Zigzag." And she beats time Zealously to the sound of the Admiral's Zither.

  "Oh. I'm off to the Zone of the Zephyrs."

  Mr. Banks takes up the song with Zeal, and everyone joins in. Even the animals in the Zoo, especially the Zebras and Zebus, are shouting it merrily.

  "Oh. I'm off to the Zone of the Zephyrs

  In New Zealand and Zanzibar.

  I have Zipped up my slippers.

  I'm skipping with trippers

  And Zulus in Zanzibar!"

  "No Zulus to be left in the lane!" cries the Park Keeper wildly.

  "What a Zany you are," says Mr. Banks. "The number of Zulus here is Zero."

  At that moment the clock strikes twelve. Bells ring out from all the steeples, echoing up to the sky's Zenith to tell the lovely news.

  "The New Year's born!" cries everyone. "Let us welcome it!"

  Mary Poppins puts her arms round the children as they sing the Admiral's song.

  "A happy New Year. Jane and Michael!" she says. "Now. say good night. Zip up your slippers, no more skipping with trippers. From A to Z the alphabet's read. Now we must all go to bed.

  * * *

  All night long the odiac shines, warming the newborn ear. There is no other light in the lane, ecept the one in the top indow of the ery smallest house. p there, the faithful night-light winkles, ending its protecting ays over the uiet nursery. The arrot-headed umbrella is hanging n its accustomed hook. The carpet-bag is in the cupboard. Everything is eat and tidy.

  ary Poppins. as she undresses. ooks along the line of beds. Michael has icked a blanket away. ohn has flung off his eiderdown. She tucks them both n comfortably and ushes Annabel in her cot.

  Then she oes across to Jane's bed to ill the empty glass with water and picks up Barbara's lephant. which has fallen to the floor.

  Her ay's work is over now. One more glance at the sleeping children, then she winds the lock on the mantelpiece and daintily steps into ed.

  For a moment she ponders the Alphabet. "It embraces everything." she thinks. "All that is or was or will be lies between A and Z. Then she yawns. Huh-huh. Huh-huh.

  Without thinking another thought, she pulls the covers over her shoulders. And in something less than half a second. Mary Poppins, too, is sleep.

  * * *

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