Matilda

Following on from my last post, and for those of you who do not know Hillaire Belloc's work, here is my favourite poem of all time, one that was first heard when it was read by the deputy headmaster of my infant / junior school during many school assemblies:

Matilda

Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death

Matilda told such dreadful lies,

It made one gasp and stretch one's eyes;

Her aunt, who, from her earliest youth,

Had kept a strict regard for truth,

Attempted to believe Matilda:

The effort very nearly killed her,

And would have done so, had not she

Discovered this infirmity.

For once, towards the close of day,

Matilda, growing tired of play,

And finding she was left alone,

Went tiptoe to the telephone

And summoned the immediate aid

Of London's noble fire-brigade.

Within the hour the gallant band

Were pouring in on every hand,

From Putney, Hackney Downs and Bow,

With courage high and hearts a-glow

They galloped, roaring through the town,

"Matilda's house is burning down!"

Inspired by British cheers and loud

Proceeding from the frenzied crowd,

They ran their ladders through a score

Of windows on the ball room floor;

And took peculiar pains to souse

The pictures up and down the house,

Until Matilda's aunt succeeded

In showing them they were not needed

And even then she had to pay

To get the men to go away!

. . . . . . . . .

It happened that a few weeks later

her aunt was off to the theatre

To see that interesting play

The Second Mrs Tanqueray.

She had refused to take her niece

To hear this entertaining piece:

A deprivation just and wise

To punish her for telling lies.

That night a fire did break out -

You should have heard Matilda shout!

You should have heard her scream and bawl,

And throw the window up and call

To people passing in the street -

(The rapidly increasing heat

Encouraging her to obtain

Their confidence) - but all in vain!

For every time she shouted "Fire!"

They only answered "Little Liar!"

And therefore when her aunt returned,

Matilda, and the house, were burned.