A Child's Book of Beasts

Be kind and tender to the Frog,
    And do not call him names, 
As "Slimy skin," or "Polly-wog,"
    Or likewise "Ugly James," 
Or "Gap-a-grin," or "Toad-gone-wrong,"
    Or "Bill Bandy-knees": 
The Frog is justly sensitive
    To epithets like these.

No animal will more repay
    A treatment kind and fair; 
At least so lonely people say
    Who keep a frog (and, by the way, 
They are extremely rare).

The Polar Bear is unaware
Of cold that cuts me through:
For why? He has a coat of hair.
I wish I had one too!

I shoot the Hippopotamus
With bullets made of platinum,
Because if I use leaden ones
His hide is sure to flatten 'em.

Rhinoceros, your hide looks all undone,
You do not take my fancy in the least:
You have a horn where other brutes have none:
Rhinoceros, you are an ugly beast.

The Dromedary is a cheerful bird:
I cannot say the same about the Kurd. 

As a friend to the children commend me the Yak.
You will find it exactly the thing:
It will carry and fetch, you can ride on its back,
Or lead it about with a string.

The Tartar who dwells on the plains of Thibet
(A desolate region of snow)
Has for centuries made it a nursery pet.
And surely the Tartar should know!

Then tell your papa where the Yak can be got,
And if he is awfully rich
He will buy you the creature - or else he will not.
(I cannot be positive which.)