Lucas, Edward V.: Swollen-headed William: after the German (London, 1915)

3. THE DREADFUL STORY OF WILLIAM AND THE
MATCHES.


It almost makes me cry to tell
What foolish William once befell.
He’d grown more headstrong every day
And now was left alone at play.
Upon the table close at hand
A box of matches chanced to stand.
Now Dame Europa oft had told him
That if he touched them she would scold him
But William said, “ Oh, what a pity,
For when they burn it is so pretty!
So long I’ve waited for this game !
They crackle and they spurt and flame I ”
The pussy-cats heard this,
And they began to hiss,
And stretch their claws,
And raise their paws :
“ Me-ow,” they said, “ me-ow, me-o;
You’ll burn to death if you do so ! ”
But William would not take advice ;
He lit a match—it was so nice I
It crackled so, it burnt so clear
(Exactly like the picture here),
He jumped for joy and ran about,
And was too pleased to put it out.
The pussy-cats were still
Alarmed at naughty Will.
They stretched their claws,
And raised their paws :
“ ’Tis very, very wrong, you know;
Me-ow, me-o ! Me-ow, me-o !
You will be burnt if you do so ! ”

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