Punch (93.1887)

142

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [September 24, 1887.

THE BOY AND THE BEAR.

A Ballad of Bulgaria.

It was the little Bulgar boy, and oh! it was
the Bear,

Whose affectionate relations were remarkable
as rare;

For the Bulgar hoy of Bruin was the glory and
the joy,

And if anyone loved Bruin, 'twas that little

Bulgar boy.
It was very very touching, for your Bear,

however good,
Has seldom any liking for your boy—except

as food;

And your boy—or man—from feelings that

humanity may blame,
Has commonly no yearning for your Bear—

unless as game.
But this Bear—on his own showing—was a

Bear of simple worth,

He was not a western " Grizzly," but a Bruin

from the North,
"Which we know is "true and tender," or at

least so poets swear,
And these Northern traits—who doubts it?—

are conspicuous in the Bear.

Had he not that boy befriended in the

kindest sort of style, [of guile,

In a fashion full of valour, as 'twas destitute
When a Bubblyjoek gigantic from the Bos-

phorus who hailed,
Had assaulted that small Bulgar boy, and—

thanks to Bruin—failed P
And all that Bear expected] [in return for

what he'd done,
(And who of such a sentiment will venture

to make fun P)

Was the gratitude, and confidence, and

love, and—well Bubjeetion,
Of the boy whom he had taken 'neath Ms

paws—I mean protection.

But alas for human nature, which is radi-
cally bad! _ _ [Bulgar lad,

(And conservatively sinful) this same little

When he found himself in safety from that
Stamboul Bubblyjoek,

Took and acted in a manner that humanity
must shock,

Foi says he, " Oh, thank you, Bruin dear,—
and now I '11 go and play,

And I'll just select the game myself, and
work it my own way.

You were quite disinterested, for you said
so your own self,

And I'm sure you don't want power, and
of course you can't seek pelf,

At your little friend's expense, Bear.". No,
I thank you very much,

You have made a free boy of me—and I
mean to act as such."

So he ups and makes selection, this ungrate-
fullest of boys,

Of his soldiers, and his swords and guns,
and crowns, and other toys ;

And when Bruin put his paw down in ex-
postulation vain, [it up again.

The Bulgar boy suggested he should—take

You may easily imagine gentle Bruin's sore

disgust, [and his trust.

At this sad reciprocation of his fondness
Says he, " This little rascal is just rushing

on his ruin, [arms of Bruin."

For his only place of safety is the guardian
And sundry other animals, and birds, and

things, agreed with him,
And cried, '' The boy is mad, Bear; we must

preach to him, and plead with him.
Ay, even if 'tis needful, though against our

natures mild,
We must—well, we mustn't spare the rod,

and spoil the—Bulgar—child."
There were several Eagles thought this way;

the Lion didn't quite.
But he had a sort of feeling that this fight

was not his fight;
And the Bubblyjoek at Stamboul was found

acting with the Bear,
From rather mingled motives, which that

fowl did not declare.

Well, the Bulgar boy persisting still in

making his own game, [to blame,

The Bear assumes a sternness it is difficult
From the Bruin point of view, at least, for

strength must be put forth
Now and then, e'en by a (so-called) Divine

Figure from the North.
And so Bruin rears his carcase, and his

sanctimonious "mug,"
Takes a menacing expression, "Come," he

cries, "into my hug,
And be happy, naughty Bulgar boy; what

can you have to fear P "
And the rest of the Menagerie of Europe

say, "HearI hear!"

But like another "little boy," of whom you
may have heard, _ [absurd,

With a cabalistic action as discourteous as

(The Bulgar boy maintains it means no
more than prudent doubt)

He " puts his thumb unto his nose, and
spreads his fingers out."

Now whether Bear will bear it, after all his

love and care,
Or whether that small Bulgar boy will cave

in to the Bear,
And how those Birds, the Eagles and the

Bubblyjoek, will turn,
Are questions none can answer now; but .he

who lives will learn.