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Jingles

Chapter 22: The Time Of His Life
By Winifred Sackville Stoner
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Children & Young Adult ReadingPoetry

About This Book

A compact anthology of short rhymes and playful verse written in early childhood and arranged by the ages at which they were composed. The pieces use a childlike voice to render animal songs, holiday verses, riddles, light moral observations, and wordplay, occasionally experimenting with other languages and invented turns of phrase. Humorous sketches and simple portraits of daily life alternate with fanciful imaginings, and lively illustrations accompany the poems to emphasize their spontaneous charm and the development of a young poet’s imagination.

The Time Of His Life

(Written after seeing a cartoon by Mr. Karl Kae Knecht in the Evansville Courier.)

[ When He Met a School of Twelve Hippopotami]

There are many schools of learning and also schools of game,
But the school with largest members bears KING HIPPO'S name,
And big and little people, yes even EVANS' FLEET,
Would think it quite unpleasant a Hippo school to meet.
But Bwana Tumbo Teddy, who knows no thought of fear,
Laughed in joyous pleasure as the SCHOOL drew near,
And smiling at the leader, he made her stiff with fright,
As from his parted mouthpiece his white teeth came in sight.
Then Bwana seized his rifle and taking steady aim,
He fired at Queen Hippo and made her front legs lame,
Then shooting at her sisters, and brothers left and right,
He scattered all the mighty beasts and drove them out of sight.
All those he killed, this hunter brave, then quickly towed ashore,
Saying, "I'M DE-LIGHTED, and I hope to meet some more
SCHOOLS OF HIPPOPOTAMI that feel inclined for strife,
As in this Hippo-battle I'd the time of my whole life."