The owl and the pussycat video

While some nursery rhymes are plain nonsense fun, The owl and the pussycat is a timeless children's poem. It was written in the 19th century by Edward Lear and is still a classic. You probably know the first verse by heart but can you remember the second and third?

What you need:

Number of players:

Activity:

The owl and the pussycat

by Edward Lear (1812 – 1888)

The owl and the pussycat went to sea

In a beautiful pea green boat

They took some honey and plenty of money

Wrapped up in a five pound note

The owl looked up to the stars above

And sang to a small guitar

"Oh lovely Pussy, oh Pussy my love

What a beautiful pussycat you are, you are

What a beautiful pussycat you are"

Pussy said to the owl, "You elegant fowl

How charmingly sweet you sing.

Oh let us be married, too long we have tarried,

But what shall we do for a ring?"

So they sailed away for a year and a day

To the land where the Bongtree grows

And there in the wood a piggywig stood

With a ring at the end of his nose

His nose, with a ring at the end of his nose

"Dear pig are you willing to sell for one shilling

Your ring?" Said the piggy, "I will."

So they took it away and were married next day

By the turkey who lives on the hill

They dined on mince and slices of quince

Which they ate with a runcible spoon

And hand in hand on the edge of the sand

They danced by the light of the moon

The moon, they danced by the light of the moon.

• Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.