Jim sat there with Sally

They sat there, those two.

And Jim said, “How I wish

We had something to do!”

And then,

Something went BUMP.

And they looked! 

And they saw him step on the mat!

He returned! He was there!

The cat with the hat!

And he said: 

“Here’s a book, here’s a book! 

Would you look? Would you look?”

“I would look!” the pair cried.

And so he opened the book.

The story begins in the trees, with dear Mr. Crane.

“A crane! You crane!” cried the pair, without fear.

Cried the boy, cried the girl, cried the two ear-to-ear.

“You crane!” The cat exclaimed,

Flush with all delight. 

“Oh, he lived! And he loved, and he was a delight!”

But he made a mistake, 

Yes he did, Mr. Crane. 

When Mr. Do-Bad bear came,

And then asked Mr. Crane.

“Do would you like black eggs and char?”

“I would not like them, Mr. Bad-Bear you are.”

“Would you like them in your house?

Would you like them for your spouse?”

“I do not like them in my house.

I do not like them for my spouse.

I do not like black eggs and char.

I do not like them, Mr. Bad-Bear you are.”

“Hooray! Yahoo!” cried the pair, without fear.

Cried the boy, cried the girl, cried the two ear-to-ear.

“Alas!” Weeped the cat, with a nod of his hat.

There is more to discuss, much to my disgust. 

Bad-Bear, he said:

“But you must! Else I’ll fight! There is no ‘no,’ only ‘might’”. 

And he clawed, and guffawed, 

His paws on Crane’s jaw.

“And so I’ll ask once more, Mr. Crane with a scar.

Do would you like black eggs and char?”

“I would not like them,” said Mr. Crane with a scar.

“Not now, not ever, 

Not in a house, not in a car.

I do not like black eggs and char.

I do not like them, Mr. Bad-Bear you are.”

“Hooray! Yahoo!” cried the pair, without fear.

Cried the boy, cried the girl, cried the two ear-to-ear.

“Alas!” Weeped the cat, with a nod of his hat.

There is more to discuss, much to my disgust. 

Bad-Bear, he said:

“Oh, you must! I insist! It’s simply the law.”

And he clawed, and guffawed, 

His paws on Mr. Crane’s jaw.

“He’ll like it!” yelled the bear.

That he said, to the poodle.

To the cat, to the dog, 

To the white snickerdoodle. 

And every dandy-day, 

Mr. Do-Bad Bear would stomp and grunt.

And give Black eggs and chars, 

to Mr. Crane with bloody scars.

But Mr. Crane didn’t like them! 

No he didn’t, wouldn’t TRY.

And so he fought back, and he clawed, 

His paws on Bear’s jaw.

And they fought, and they clawed. 

And all was in-awe, 

Of the paws and the jaws.

And the cat closed, with a SMACK,

the cover of the book.

“Now here, now look,

That’s all I have to say.

Now DO make sure that you have a good day.”

“But no! What happens next?” cried the pair with fear.

Cried the boy, cried the girl, cried the pair ear to-ear.

“Alas!” Weeped the cat, with a nod of his hat.

“There is naught to discuss, much to my disgust.

They claw and they claw, 

And I suppose that is all. 

Nobody knows who, if anyone, 

Will end it-all.

But the crane is scarred, so scarred,

He cries. 

Cry for him, my children, 

For Mr. Crane with a scar.”

And they cried.

Cried the boy, cried the girl, cried the fish.

Cried the poodle, cried the rain.

Cried them all, cried Mr. Crane.