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

6. THE STORY OF LITTLE B1TE-H1S-THUMB.
(See Romeo and Juliet, Act I., Scene I.)


One day Mamma said, “William, hark!
There’s something you must try and mark,
A habit bad that you’ve contracted
Must really now be counteracted.
You bite your thumb too much, you know,
You bite your thumb at high and low.
The great tall tailor always comes
To Arrogants who bite their thumbs;
And ere they dream that he’s about
He takes his great sharp scissors out
And cuts their thumbs clean off—and then
You know they never grow again.”


2l 'sMamma had scarcely turned her back,
Once more he bit his thumb, alack!


(12)