The poem discusses the importance of not judging a book by its cover and looking deeper beneath the surface. It tells the story of a king who seemed powerful based on his crown and titles, but was actually uneducated. Professors tried and failed to teach him. Finally, a "dirty rascal" was able to teach the king by looking past outward appearances and focusing on what lies inside. The overall message is that the contents of a book, or qualities of a person, are more important than superficial covers or titles.
The poem discusses the importance of not judging a book by its cover and looking deeper beneath the surface. It tells the story of a king who seemed powerful based on his crown and titles, but was actually uneducated. Professors tried and failed to teach him. Finally, a "dirty rascal" was able to teach the king by looking past outward appearances and focusing on what lies inside. The overall message is that the contents of a book, or qualities of a person, are more important than superficial covers or titles.
The poem discusses the importance of not judging a book by its cover and looking deeper beneath the surface. It tells the story of a king who seemed powerful based on his crown and titles, but was actually uneducated. Professors tried and failed to teach him. Finally, a "dirty rascal" was able to teach the king by looking past outward appearances and focusing on what lies inside. The overall message is that the contents of a book, or qualities of a person, are more important than superficial covers or titles.
And he lived on Charing Cross Chapter titles are like signs The memory of his volumes And if you read between the lines brings a smile You'll find your first impression He would read me lots of stories was mistook When he wasn't on the sauce For a cover is nice Now I'd like to share the wisdom But a cover is not the book Of my favourite bibliophile Should we do the one about the He said a- wealthy widow? Cover is not the book Oh, by all means! So open it up and take a look Always loved that one 'Cause under the covers one Well, go on then! discovers Lady Hyacinth Macaw That the king may be a crook Brought all her treasures to a reef Chapter titles are like signs Where she only wore a smile And if you read between the lines Plus two feathers, and a leaf You'll find your first impression So no one tried to rob her was mistook 'Cause she barely wore a stitch For a cover is nice For when you're in your birthday But a cover is not the book suit Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ra-ta-ta-ta! There ain't much there to show Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ra-ta-ta-ta! you're rich! Mary Poppins, could you give us Oh, a cover is not the book an example? So open it up and take a look Certainly! 'Cause under the covers one Nellie Rubina was made of wood discovers But what could not be seen was That the king maybe a crook though Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ru-ra-la, ta-ru-ra- Her trunk up top was barren lee, ta-ra-ta-ta! Well, her roots were lush and You'll find your first impression green was mistook (Ya-da-da-da) So in Spring when Mr Hickory saw For a cover is nice her blossoms blooming there But a cover is not the book He took root despite her bark Oh, give us the one about the And now there's seedlings dirty rascal, why don't ya? everywhere Isn't that one a bit long? Which proves Well, the quicker you're into it, the A cover is not the book quicker you're out of it So open it up and take a look Once upon a time 'Cause under the covers one In a nursery rhyme There was a castle with a king But this fool had some rules Hiding in a wing They really ought to teach in 'Cause he never went to school to schools learn a single thing Like you'll be a happy king He had scepters and swords If you enjoy the things you've got And a parliament of lords You should never try to be But on the inside he was sad The kind of person that you're not Egad! So they sang and they laughed Because he never had a wisdom For the king had found a friend for numbers And they ran onto a rainbow for A wisdom for words The story's perfect end Though his crown was quite So the moral is you musn't let immense The outside be the guide His brain was smaller than a bird's For it's not so cut and dried So the queen of the nation Well unless it's Dr. Jekyll Made a royal proclamation: Then you better hide, petrified! "To the Missus and the Messers No, the truth can't be denied The more or lessers As I now have testified Bring me all the land's professors" All that really counts and matters Then she went to the hair Is the special stuff inside dressers He did it! And they came from the east Oh, a cover is not the book And they came from the south So open it up and take a look From each college they poured 'Cause under the covers one knowledge discovers From their brains into his mouth That the king may be a crook But the king couldn't learn So please listen to what we've So each professor met their fate said For the queen had their heads And open a book tonight in bed removed So one more time before we get And placed upon the gate the hook And on that date Sing it out strong! I state their wives all got a note A cover is nice Their mate was now the late-great Please take our advice! But then suddenly one day A cover is nice A stranger started in to sing Or you'll pay the price! He said, "I'm the dirty rascal A cover is nice And I'm here to teach the king" But a cover is not the book And the queen clutched her Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ru-ra-la-la jewels Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ru-ra-la-la For she hated royal fools Ta-ru-ra-lee, ta-ru-ra-la-la, la, la!
MacDonalds’ Fairy-Tale Treasure Chest: The Princess and the Goblin; The Princess and Curdie; The Light Princess; Phantastes; The Giant’s Heart; The Golden Key
Fairy Tales & Fantasy: George MacDonald Collection (With Complete Original Illustrations): The Princess and the Goblin, Lilith, Phantastes, The Princess and Curdie and many more