Growltiger's Last Stand
From Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S.
Eliot
Growltiger was a Bravo Cat, who travelled on a
barge:
In fact he was the roughtest cat that ever roamed at
large.
From Gravesend up to Oxford he pursued his evil
aims,
Rejoicing in his title of `The Terror of the
Thames'.
His manners and appearance did not calculate to
please;
His coat was torn and seedz, he was baggy at the
knees;
One ear was somewhat missing, no need to tell you
why,
And he scowled upon a hostile world from one
forbidding eye.
The cottagers of Rotherhithe knewsomething of his
fame;
At Hammersmith and Putney people shuddered at his
name.
They would fortity the hen-house, lock up the silly
goose,
When the rumour ran along the shore: GROWLTIGER'S ON
THE LOOSE!
Woe to the weak canary, that fluttered from its
cage;
Woe to the pampered Pekinese, that faced
Growltiger's rage;
Woe to the bristly Bandicoot, that lurks on foreign
ships,
And woe to any Cat with whom Growltiger came to
grips!
But most to Cats of foreign race his hatred had been
vowed;
To Cats of foreign name and race no quarter was
allowed.
The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear -
Because it was a Siamese had maulted his missing
ear.
Now on a peaceful summer night, all nature seemed at
play,
The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at
Molesey lay.
All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the
tide -
And Growltiger was disposed to show his sentimental
side.
His bucko mate, GRUMBUSKIN, long since had
disappeared,
For to the Bell at Hampton he had gone to wet his
beard;
And his bosun, TUMBLEBRUTUS, he too had stol'n away
-
In the yard behind the Lion he was prowling for his
prey.
In the forepeak of the vessel Growltiger sate alone,
Concentrating his attention on the Lady GRIDDLEBONE.
And his raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels
and their bunks -
As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and
their junks.
Growltiger hd no eye for aught but Griddlebone,
And the Lady seemed enraptured by his manly
baritone,
Disposed to relaxation, and awaiting no surprise -
But the moonlight shone reflected from a hundred
bright blue eyes.
And closer still and closer the sampans circled
round,
And yet from all the enemy there was not heard a
sound.
The lovers sang their last duet, in danger of their
lives -
For the foe was armed wit htoasting forks and cruel
carving knives.
Then GILBERT gave the signal to his fierce Mongolian
horde;
With a frightful burst of fireworks the Chinks they
swarmed aboard.
Abandoning their sampans, and their pullaways and
junks,
They battened down the hatches on the crew within
their bunks.
Then Griddlebone she gave a screech, for she was
badly skeered;
I am sorry to admit it, but she quickly disappeared.
She probably escaped with ease, I'm sure she was not
drowned -
But a serried ring of flashing steel Growltiger did
surround.
The ruthless foe pressed forward, in stubborn rank
on rank;
Growltiger to his vast surprise was forced to walk
the plank.
He who a hundred victims had driven to that drop,
At the end of all his crimes was forced to go ker-flip,
ker-flop.
Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news
flewthrough the land;
At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the
strand.
Rats were roasted whole at Brentford, and at
Victoria Dock,
And a day of celebration was commanded in Bangkok.
|
Poems
Menu
