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Now Henry is a long dog
A strong dog
A spotty dog
A black white and brown dog
With long floppy ears.
Now Henry is a Bassett Hound
A whatit hound?
A Bassett Hound
A big strong Bassett Hound
With big brown eyes.
But Henry had a stringy tail
A piggy tail
A silly tail
A tie-yourself-in-knots tail
With a little white tip.
Now Henry went a-wandering
On his short stubby legs
His silly legs
His pudded legs
With great big paws.
Now down the stairs went Henry
And through the big front door
And out the gate
Along the street
What had the world in store?
He came upon a little dog
A furry dog
A wurry dog
A run around and scurry dog
With not much tail.
Now Henry is a proud dog
Not a loud dog
A proud dog
Not a run-around-and-howl dog
that chased its own tail.
“Good morning, little silly dog
Oh willy dog
Oh silly dog
Oh must you run around and round
And chase your own tail?”
So Henry took a look at him
And passed that doggy by
That silly dog
That wurry dog
That chased his short tail.
Now Henry went along the road
And saw a big oak tree
He sniffed at it
He whiffed at it
But none had been there but he.
So on he walked and padded
A bus stop for to find
As bold as Bassett
A bus to Richmond Town.
The bus at length it came
The number bold and clear
And when it stopped
Yes, then it stopped
To Henry the way was clear.
One stubby paw was just about
To place itself aboard
When “ring-ding
Ring-a-ding.” “Hold tight
No dogs aboard this fight.”
So Henry stood as doggies do
And wondered how his scrape
Would end itself
Or lend itself
To further his escape.
Along the road I walked that day
And I saw Henry there
A puzzled dog
A wuzzled dog
That could only sit and stare.
“Good afternoon,” I said to him
But he did not reply
“Oh come,” I said
“And we will walk
Alone, just you and I”
And so along the road we walked
And he came home to tea,
Of little cakes
And biscuit crumbs,
That’s how we filled our little tums.
Alas, poor Henry was not mine
For he had run away.
At eight o’clock
His mistress came
And took him safe away.
Now Henry, he will come to stay
Just for a summer day
Have cakes and crumbs
And wag his tail
Just like that other sunny day.
********** Michael Elwick, Barnes 1964