Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow,
Leonard was a lion with a six foot tail,
George was a goat, and his beard was yellow,
And James was a very small snail.
Leonard had a stall, and a great big strong one,
Ernest had a manger, and its walls were thick,
George found a pen, but I think it was the wrong one,
And James sat down on a brick.
Ernest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger,
Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall,
James gave the huffle of a snail in danger,
And nobody heard him at all.
Ernest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus,
Leonard started roaring and trying to kick,
James went journey with the goat's new compass
And he reached the end of his brick.
Ernest was an elephant and very well intentioned,
Leonard was a lion with a brave new tail,
George was a goat, as I think I have mentioned,
But James was only a snail.
Taken from the book "When we were very young"
First published November 6th, 1924
Reprinted 63 times
The version I have reset and reprinted 1965 by
Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press) Ltd
Bungay, Suffolk, England.
Published by Methuen & Co. Ltd.
11 New Fetter Lane,
London EC4Back to Index