Cautionary Tales for Children/Hildebrand

by Hilaire Belloc

Note(contributor provided)

The footnotes are not part of the original text but have been added for clarity.

 

Hildebrand,

Who was frightened by a Passing Motor, and was brought to Reason.

"Oh, Murder! What was that, Papa!
"My child,

It was a Motor-Car,
A Most Ingenious Toy!

Designed to Captivate and Charm
Much, rather than to rouse Alarm
In any English Boy.

"What would your Great Grandfather who

Was Aide-de-Camp to General Brue, ^[1]

And lost a leg at

Waterloo,

And

Quatre-Bras and

Ligny too!

And died at Trafalgar! ^[2]

What would he have remarked to hear
His Young Descendant shriek with fear,
Because he happened to be near
A Harmless Motor-Car!
But do not fret about it! Come!
We'll off to Town

And purchase some!"

Footnotes

1. General of the 2nd French Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo
2. As a joke, not only does the great-grandfather lose three legs, but Trafalgar (1805) predated Quatre-Bras, Ligny, and Waterloo (all 1815).