A. A. Milne

The King's Breakfast

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        The King asked
        The Queen, and
        The Queen asked
        The Dairymaid:
        "Could we have some butter for
        The Royal slice of bread?"
        The Queen asked the Dairymaid,
        The Dairymaid
        Said, "Certainly,
        I'll go and tell the cow
        Now
        Before she goes to bed."

        The Dairymaid
        She curtsied,

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        And went and told the Alderney:
        "Don't forget the butter for
        The Royal slice of bread."

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        The Alderney said sleepily:
        "You'd better tell
        His Majesty
        That many people nowadays
        Like marmalade
        Instead."

        The Dairymaid
        Said "Fancy!"
        And went to
        Her Majesty.
        She curtsied to the Queen, and
        She turned a little red:
        "Excuse me,
        Your Majesty,
        For taking of
        The liberty,
        But marmalade is tasty, if
        It's very
        Thickly
        Spread."

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        The Queen said
        "Oh!"
        And went to his Majesty:
        "Talking of the butter for
        The royal slice of bread,
        Many people
        Think that
        Marmalade
        Is nicer.
        Would you like to try a little
        Marmalade
        Instead?"

        The King said,
        "Bother!"
        And then he said,
        "Oh, deary me!"
        The King sobbed, "Oh, deary me!"
        And went back to bed.
        "Nobody,"
        He whimpered,
        "Could call me
        A fussy man;
        I only want
        A little bit
        Of butter for
        My bread!"
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        The Queen said,
        "There, there!"
        And went to
        The Dairymaid.
        The Dairymaid
        Said, "There, there!"
        And went to the shed.
        The cow said,
        "There, there!
        I didn't really
        Mean it;
        Here's milk for his porringer
        And butter for his bread."

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        The queen took the butter
        And brought it to
        His Majesty.
        The King said
        "Butter, eh?"
        And bounced out of bed.
        "Nobody," he said,
        As he kissed her
        Tenderly,
        "Nobody," he said,
        As he slid down
        The banisters,
        "Nobody,
        My darling,
        Could call me
        A fussy man -
        BUT
I do like a little bit of butter to my bread!"

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