Introduction: More Beasts For Worse Children

The parents of the learned child     (His father and his mother)     Were utterly aghast to note     The facts he would at random quote     On creatures curious, rare, and wild;     And wondering, ask each other:     An idle little child like this,     How is it that he knows     What years of close analysis     Are powerless to disclose?     Our brains are trained, our books are big,     And yet we always fail     To answer why the Guinea-pig     Is born without a tail.     Or why the Wanderoo should rant     In wild, unmeaning rhymes,     Whereas the Indian Elephant     Will only read The Times.     Perhaps he found a way to slip     Unnoticed to the Zoo,     And gave the Pachyderm a tip,     Or pumped the Wanderoo.     Or even by an artful plan     Deceived our watchful eyes,     And interviewed the Pelican,     Who is extremely wise.     Oh! no, said he, in humble tone,     With shy but conscious look,     Such facts I never could have known     But for this little book.