A. A. Milne




The Four Friends

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,
      Earnest 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 Earnest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger,
      Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall,
James gave a huffle of a snail in danger
         And nobody heard him at all. Earnest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus,
      Leonard started roaring and trying to kick,
James went on a journey with the goats 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.