Perplexed? That's exactly how I feel about
this book. Who wrote it? Who illustrated it? Who Published it - and when? I
have no idea! The name M. Jones is printed on the front cover - so I assume M.
Jones wrote the poems but then again, maybe he/she provided the illustrations?
There is just nothing to go on, I've scoured each of the illustrations with a
magnifying glass in the hope of finding a hidden signature - no luck. I've
searched online and through all my reference books for a mention of this
publication - nothing.
I've been through the British Library and
Copac catalogues - again nothing. HELP! Does anyone recognise anything about
this book? I have a 'feeling' that the illustrations might be by Agnes
Richardson or H.G.C. Marsh Lambert - but that's about it. It may have been
published by Raphael Tuck as they did a series in the same format, but again,
I've had no luck with finding anything.
The Three Bears - told in rhyme.
There stood a house upon a hill where three bears lived - perhaps do still, all round the house was grass so green the prettiest I have ever seen. Inside this house, so I am told - lived three brown bears as bold as bold, they went in sizes one, two, three, the smallest one was tiny wee. Now Mother bear the porridge made and every day the table laid, each had his special bowl and chair even the tenny weeny bear.
And Goldilocks was warned, they say, that through the woods she must not stray, but oh! She did, need I say more? And came upon the three bears' door. "How sweet!" she cried and up did creep and through the window took a peep, the latch upon the door she tried and very boldly walked inside. The porridge she at once did spy and ate the smallest up - oh my, then to the chairs she quickly flew and sat on each in turn it's true. The smallest she liked best of all but through the bottom she did fall which gave her quite a nasty scare to find she'd broken the wee bear's chair.
"Then up the stairs" she said "I'll go" where three beds stood all in a row, "I wonder who sleeps here" she said and climbed upon the biggest bed. And then she tried the middle size but soon the small one caught her eyes, so on to this one she did creep and very soon was fast asleep. Now in the bears came one, two, three - just all as hungry as could be, "OH! who's been sitting on my chair?" cried our poor little weeny bear...
I'm pretty sure you all know how the story ends so I will leave it there.
Cinderella is also told in rhyme;
Now Cinderella lived, you know,
in fairy tales long, long ago. She had the hardest work to do and all her
clothes were rags; it's true.
I'm not even sure if this is the same illustrator or if two or more people supplied the artwork.
What do you think?
The three bears and the story of Cinderella told in rhyme is now sold, thank you for your interest.
Update 12th November.
Earlier today I received an email from ‘Terence’
asking... is it possible to get a copy of the full
rhyme please. So for Terence and anyone else who is interested this is the rest
of the three bears rhyme.
“Someone’s been here I wonder who? And
tasted all our porridge too, someone has eaten all of mine” cried baby bear
with such a whine. Then up the stairs they all did creep and found Miss
Goldilocks asleep, the little bear saw her and said, “Just look she’s curled up
on my bed!” But Goldilocks was soon awake, and I am sure began to quake, right
through the window she did jump and landed down with such a bump! She ran so
quickly down the path that all the bears I’m sure did laugh, she ran, and ran
with all her might until that house was lots to sight.