När jag var mycket liten och knappt kunde läsa hittade jag en bok hos mammas väninna- en stor bilderbok och titeln var "Pelle Snusk". Den började jag titta i men till slut blev det alldeles för otäckt- här klipps inte bara naglar av den snuskige utan man tar fingrarna också på köpet. Usch, tyckte jag och ville aldrig mera läsa den boken. En riktigt rälig berättelse!
Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) har skrivit i samma genre- hans "Cautionary Tales for Children" kom ut redan år 1907- säkert har de översatts till andra språk- men annars är det ganska lätt att få tag i samlingen via bokhandeln om man vill läsa på originalspråket. (Man får ha starka nerver eller kanske är det bara jag som är överkänslig....).
Det finns också små särtryck i det lilla formatet med de mest otäcka av berättelserna. Här kan man läsa om Jim som blev uppäten av ett lejon. Här den första versen av flera och hela härligheten finns att läsa på t ex Wikipedia för den som känner sig hågad.
Jim
There was a Boy whose name was Jim;
His Friends were very good to him.
They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,
And slices of delicious Ham,
And Chocolate with pink inside
And little Tricycles to ride,
And read him Stories through and through,
And even took him to the Zoo—
But there it was the dreadful Fate
Befell him, which I now relate.
Jag måste erkänna att de här verserna är något av det otäckaste jag har läst-jag ryser. Det gör jag inför den här versserien också.
Henry King
His Friends were very good to him.
They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,
And slices of delicious Ham,
And Chocolate with pink inside
And little Tricycles to ride,
And read him Stories through and through,
And even took him to the Zoo—
But there it was the dreadful Fate
Befell him, which I now relate.
Jag måste erkänna att de här verserna är något av det otäckaste jag har läst-jag ryser. Det gör jag inför den här versserien också.
Henry King
- Who chewed bits of string, and was early cut off in Dreadful agonies.
The Chief Defect of Henry King
Was chewing little bits of String.
At last he swallowed some which tied
Itself in ugly Knots inside.
Physicians of the Utmost Fame
Were called at once; but when they came
They answered, as they took their Fees,
``There is no Cure for this Disease.
``Henry will very soon be dead.
His Parents stood about his Bed
Lamenting his Untimely Death,
When Henry, with his Latest Breath,
Cried, ``Oh, my Friends, be warned by me,
That Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, and Tea
Are all the Human Frame requires...
With that, the Wretched Child expires.
Was chewing little bits of String.
At last he swallowed some which tied
Itself in ugly Knots inside.
Physicians of the Utmost Fame
Were called at once; but when they came
They answered, as they took their Fees,
``There is no Cure for this Disease.
``Henry will very soon be dead.
His Parents stood about his Bed
Lamenting his Untimely Death,
When Henry, with his Latest Breath,
Cried, ``Oh, my Friends, be warned by me,
That Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, and Tea
Are all the Human Frame requires...
With that, the Wretched Child expires.
Ät aldrig bitar av snöre med andra ord.
Mina komplimanger till författaren och hans diktkonst men tyvärr, det här är ingenting som jag vill ha i min bokhylla.
