Research - Cautionary Tales

I decided to look at previous cautionary tales in order to just gain some insight into what parents have told their children over the years. Cautionary tales tend to be quite exaggerated and fairly gruesome, i really liked them as a child because they rhymed and were easy to understand.

Here are some of my old favorites:

Matilda told such Dreadful Lies, It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes; Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth, Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth, Attempted to Believe Matilda: The effort very nearly killed her, And would have done so, had not She Discovered this Infirmity. For once, towards the Close of Day, Matilda, growing tired of play, And finding she was left alone, Went tiptoe to the Telephone And summoned the Immediate Aid Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade. Within an hour the Gallant Band Were pouring in on every hand, From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow. With Courage high and Hearts a-glow, They galloped, roaring through the Town, "Matilda's House is Burning Down!" Inspired by British Cheers and Loud Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd, They ran their ladders through a score Of windows on the Ball Room Floor; And took Peculiar Pains to Souse The Pictures up and down the House, Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded In showing them they were not needed; And even then she had to pay To get the Men to go away! It happened that a few Weeks later Her Aunt was off to the Theatre To see that Interesting Play The Second Mrs. Tanqueray. She had refused to take her Niece To hear this Entertaining Piece: A Deprivation Just and Wise To Punish her for Telling Lies. That Night a Fire did break out— You should have heard Matilda Shout! You should have heard her Scream and Bawl, And throw the window up and call To People passing in the Street— (The rapidly increasing Heat Encouraging her to obtain Their confidence)—but all in vain! For every time she shouted "Fire!" They only answered "Little Liar!" And therefore when her Aunt returned, Matilda, and the House, were Burned

Franklin Hyde: Who caroused in the Dirt and was corrected by His Uncle

His Uncle came on Franklin Hyde Carousing in the Dirt. He Shook him hard from Side to Side And Hit him till it Hurt,

Exclaiming with a Final Thud "Take that! Abandoned Boy!

For playing with Disgusting Mud As though it were a Toy!"

MORAL:

From Franklin Hyde’s adventure, learn To pass your Leisure Time In Cleanly Merriment, and turn From Mud and Oose and Slime

And every form of Nastiness— But, on the other Hand, Children in ordinary Dress May always play with Sand.

Charles Augusts Fortescue

Who Always Did what was Right, and so Accumulated
an Immense Fortune

The nicest child I ever knew Was Charles Augustus Fortescue. He never lost his cap, or tore His stockings or his pinafore:

In eating Bread he made no Crumbs, He was extremely fond of sums, To which, however, he preferred The Parsing of a Latin Word— He sought, when it was within his power, For information twice an hour,

And as for finding Mutton-Fat Unappatising, far from that! He often, at his Father's Board, Would beg them, of his own accord, To give him, if they did not mind, The Greasiest Morsels they could find—

His Later Years did not belie The Promise of his Infancy. In Public Life he always tried To take a judgement Broad and Wide; In Private, none was more than he Renowned for quiet courtesy. He rose at once in his Career, And long before his Fortieth Year

Had wedded Fifi, Only Child Of Bunyan, First Lord Aberfylde. He thus became immensely Rich,

And built the Splendid Mansion which Is called The Cedars, Muswell Hill, Where he resides in affluence still, To show what everybody might Become by Simply Doing Right.