Other editions of book Cautionary Verses / New Cautionary Verses

"Cautionary Tales for Children" by Hilaire Belloc. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

The Victorians had a fondness for scaring their offspring straight with cautionary tales - moral stories featuring children who misbehaved and suffered the consequences. Lewis Carroll mocks them gently when he says that Alice "had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and...if you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison', it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later." Hilaire Belloc goes one further. His Cautionary Tales are a parody of the Victorian moral fables: irresistible, irreverent and downright jolly. We meet, among other wonderful characters, Jim, who ran away from his nurse, and was eaten by a lion; Henry King, who chewed bits of string, and was early cut off in dreadful agonies; and Matilda, who told lies, and was burned to death. Cautionary Tales is a lesson in how to face disaster and catastrophe with British stoicism and understatement: Now just imagine how it feels When first your toes and then your And then by gradual degrees, Your shins and ankles, calves and knees, Are slowly eaten, bit by bit. No wonder Jim detested it!

For readers of any age, a witty and strikingly irreverent collection of moral guidance Most notable among prolific English satirist Hilaire Belloc's writings are the sharp and clever admonishments he composed for children. Collected here and illustrated to wonderful haunting effect by Edward Gorey, these short, funny pieces offer moral instruction for all types of mischief makers—from a certain young Jim, "who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion," to the tale of Matilda, "who told lies and was burned to death”—and add up to a delightful read for any fan of Roald Dahl or Shel Silverstein.

Hilaire Belloc's misbehaving children suffer all manner of grisly ends in these cautionary tales that poke fun at the idea of improving children's morals through verse stories. Once heard, who can forget 'Henry King, Who chewed bits of String' or the unfortunate lies of Matilda? The wicked humour ensures that they will remain favourites throughout the generations. This new edition has been carefully typeset to remain faithful to the original, and includes all of Basil Blackwood's brilliant black and white illustrations.

One of Hilaire Belloc’s most famous works, “Cautionary Tales for Children” satirizes a genre of admonitory children’s literature popular in England in the 19th century. The seven stories contained in this work are macabre parodies of childhood lessons, and will entertain more sophisticated readers who can appreciate these tales of disproportionate punishment. Presented in a classic picture book style, Belloc has captured the foibles of children like Jim, who let go of his nurse’s hand and was eaten by a lion; Matilda, who told lies, and was burned to death; and Henry King who swallowed string. The consequences range from naughty children being whimsically eaten by lions, to stern reprimands for a boy who fires a loaded gun at his sister. Originally written nearly a century ago, Belloc’s sprightly verses are a quick and cathartic read which reflects upon a trend in children’s literature from yesteryear. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.