The Bad Child's Songs about Beasts

The Big Baboon is found upon
The plains of Cariboo:
He goes about with nothing on
(A shocking thing to do).

But if he dressed up respectably
And let his whiskers grow,
How like this Big Baboon would be
To Mister So-and-so!

I call you bad, my little child,
  Upon the title page,
Because a manner rude and wild
  Is common at your age.

The Moral of this priceless work
  (If rightly understood)
Will make you -- from a little Turk --
  Unnaturally good.

Do not as evil children do,
Who on the slightest grounds
Will imitate the Kangaroo,
With wild unmeaning bounds:

Do not as children badly bred,
  Who eat like little Hogs,
And when they have to go to bed
  Will whine like Puppy Dogs:

Who take their manners from the Ape,
  Their habits from the Bear,
Indulge the loud unseemly jape,
  And never brush their hair.

But so control your actions that
  Your friends may all repeat.
"This child is dainty as the Cat,
  And as the Owl discreet."

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as soon as we obtain it. —

The Dodo used to walk around,
  And take the sun and air.
The sun yet warms his native ground --

The Dodo is not there!

The voice which used to squawk and squeak
  Is now for ever dumb --
Yet may you see his bones and beak
  All in the Mu-se-um.

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.)