'The Scroobious Pip'

'The Scroobious Pip', an illustration by John Vernon Lord in 

The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear, Jonathan Cape, 1984 and reissued in 2013.

The full text of this unfinished poem was first published posthumously in a publication entitled: Teapots and Quails, John Murray, 1953.

The Scroobious Pip went out one day

When the grass was green, and the sky was grey.

Then all the beasts in the world came round

When the Scroobious Pip sat down on the ground.

     The cat and the dog and the kangaroo

     The sheep and the cow and the guineapig too--

     The wolf he howled, the horse he neighed

     The little pig squeaked and the donkey brayed,

     And when the lion began to roar

     There never was heard such a noise before.

     And every beast he stood on the tip

     Of his toes to look a the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the Fox - "By far,

You're the wisest beast! You know you are!

Go close to Scroobious Pip and say,

Tell us all about yourself we pray-

For as yet we can't make out in the least

If you're Fish or Insect, or Bird or Beast."

The Scroobious Pip looked vaguelyy round

And sang these words with a rumbling sound-

     Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

2

The Scroobious Pip from the top of a tree

Saw the distant Jellybolee,-

And all the birds in the world came there,

Flying in crowds all through the air.

     The Vulture and Eagle, the cock and the hen

     The Ostrich the Turkey the Snipe and the Wren;

     The Parrot chattered, the Blackbird sung

     And the owl looked wise bu held his tongue,

     And when the Peacock began to scream

     The hullabaloo was quite extreme.

     And every bird he fluttered the tip

     Of his wng as he stared at the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the owl- "By far,

You're the wisest Bird -- you know you are!

Fly close to the Scroobious Pip and say,

Explain all about yourself we paray-

For as yet we have neither seen nor heard

If you're fish or insect, beast or bird!"

The Scroobious Pip looked gaily round

And sang these words with a chirpy sound-

     Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

3

The Scroobious Pip went into the sea

By the beautiful shore of Jellybolee-

All the fish in the world swam round

With a splashing squashy spluttering sound.

     The sprat, the herring, the turbot too

     The shark, the sole and the mackerel blue,

     The flounder spluttered, the purpoise puffed

 

     And when the whale began to spout   

     And every fish he shook the tip

     Of his tail as he gazed on the Scroobious Pip

At last they said to the whale- "By far

You're the biggest Fish - you know you are!

Swim close to the Scroobious Pip and say-

Tell us all about yourself we pray!-

For to know you yourself is our only wish;

Are you beast or insect, bird or fish?"

The Scroobious Pip looked softly round

And sung these words with a liquid sound-

     Pliffity Flip; Pliffety Flip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

4

The scroobious Pip sat under a tree

By the silent shores of the Jellybolee;

All the insects in all the world

About the Scroobious Pip entwirled.

     Beetles and     with purple eyes

     Gnats and buzztilential flies-

     Grasshoppers, butterflies, spiders too,

     Wasps and bees and dragon-flies blue,

     And when the gnats began to hum

          bounced like a dismal drum,

     And every insect curled the tip

     Of his snout, and looked a the Scroobious Pip.

At last the said to the Ant - "By far

You're the wisest insect, you know you are!

Creep close to the Scroobious Pip and say-

Tell us all about yourself we pray,

For we can't find out, and we can't tell why-

If you're beast or fish or a bird or a fly."

The Scroobious Pip turned quickly round

And sang these words with a whistly sound

     Wizzeby wip - wizzeby wip--

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

5

Then all the beasts that walk on the ground

Danced in a circle round and round-

And all the birds that fly in the air

Flew round and round in a circle there,

And all the fish in the Jellybolee

Swum in a circle about the sea,

And all the insects that creep or go

Buzzed in a circle to and fro.

And they roared and sang and whistled and cried

Till the noise was heard from side to side-

     Chippetty tip! Chippetty tip!

It's only name is the Scroobious Pip.

[from Teapots and Quails]