Matilda Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death
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.
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.
Dorissmith1805 : Amazing
fab. great story telling. wow. love this. poor Matilda. carol
Princess-Petunia : another one I know by heart
Nassy Fesharaki : Keep going
The story seems to have different forms of telling.
.
RobertRichard : Great
wonderful write
Sophie Boswell : A cleverly painted picture
Title / intro is: Too long
Something to work on is: nothing - it's just fine
My favorite line is: Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd
Maureen Higson :
I think people who are totally lacking in humour..are far more 'dangerous' to children. Maureen. ( Matilda fan)
Anthony O-Neal : I think this went over a lot of people's heads. It was meant to be a joke, to satirize the "cautionary tale" type of fiction form the Victorian age, where mild misbehavior on the part of children inevitable brought about some form of maiming or gruesome death, in an hamfisted attempt to give the story a "moral".
It's not like it's particularly subtle. Seriously, it's title is "Matilda, who told lies, and was burnt to death" - how could you look at that and not laugh? How could you look at that and think "Man, this would be a good lesson for my child, not over the top at all"? Can you not think of better ways to keep a child from fibbing than telling them that, if they lie, people will just stand by and do nothing but shout "little liar!" as they're burning to death right next to them, ignoring what's happening in front of their very eyes just because it happens to corroborate the story of a kid who's told some fibs before? "Can't fool ME into believing in those screams of pure agony with just a few flames, overwhelming fire smells, and plumes of rising soot! Nor that the blinding heat radiating from your house, or the skin melting off your face. Gonna have to try harder than that!" Need better proof that that, from some liar. It's not like this is happening in the middle of freaking London, after all - no, far more important to teach that little liar a lesson (one she'll remember for the rest of her life) than worry about the fire spreading in the middle of a city.
Christ, have some common sense. If a child actually eats that up, you should get them checked for mental disability. For those of you bemoaning "political correctness" for keeping apparently good tales like this with they're sound moral philosophy out of children's hands, you're the biggest idiots of all. The writer was intentionally trying to craft a ridiculously over the top "cautionary tale" to mock the genre, but, apparently, nothing is too over the top for you, and, rather than getting the authors point, you have to go around and make some annoying political point about a story never meant for children not being given to them. And, for the minority of you who were at least intelligent enough recognize that this isn't appropriate for children - be comforted with the knowledge that it was never actually meant for children.
Nightskywoman : Today my daughter requested this book be removed from the school library! She was horrified when reading through it with her 6 yr old daughter last night! My daughter spoke with teacher at school who was also shocked and cannot understand why it was selected as suitable for children of any age! Flower it up all you like but A CHILD IS BURNED TO DEATH!!!! Political correctness doesnt even come into the discussion. If this is what our society considers to be a good example as to how to teach our children not to tell lies, then perhaps we need to focus more on our parenting skills? Terrorising children is surely not an ideal why to teach them right from wrong? It's unnecessary and inappropriate!
Tayxoxo : Hi Hilaire, I live in China, and in our school we have this poem published in our school books! I have to memorise this poem for a school competetion! I finished this poem and is is so amazing! Sad ending but has a great moral! Thx so much for writing this! You are a great poet!
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My mother had to memorize this poem when she was a child taking elocution classes in Melbourne, Australia. Of all the poems and stories that she passed on to me when I was young, this was my favorite. She read it with such expression! I agree with Nancy: it's a poem about actions and consequences. I never thought it was "violent."
:
I've never read such a load of politically correct nonsense as the last two comments. This poem is a gem, so clever and exquisitely worded. I loved it as a child and so do my children. Children are nowhere near as stupid as you think they are. This is a poem about actions and consequences. The problem today is that we no longer want to "blame" anyone, child or adult, but look for an excuse for their actions. This poem is very intelligent humour, with a wonderful illustration of the old-fashioned notion that if you 'sin', bad things may happen to you. As true today as it ever was.
cricketjeff : Ah but every child who reads it screams with laughter!
Sometimes poems aren't supposed to be read as documentaries!
nehasingh09 : Why such harsh violence in a poem apparently meant for the child-reader?? Typical cautionary tale-like narrative; unnecessarily cruel. I think one needs to consider first, that one big reason why the kids minds are filled with violence (since parents crib about it all the time!) is the kind of violence one sees in fairy tales and other narratives meant to condemn wrongdoings in children. Is punishment the only way to teach?
:
How harsh Hillaire Belloc is ?
This poem of Hillaire Belloc is considered as a humorous poem. But, According to my view this is not a humorous poem. Though he tries to express his feelings in a funny way he is unsuccessful. The way in which the Fire Brigade comes to extinguish fire is humorous. But it is the only place which creates a humor in readers' mind within the whole poem. And all the other parts of the poem make the reader unhappy. And, finally Hillaire Belloc shows the cruelty of adults and even of himself by killing that little Matilda. And I should say that the bad habit of telling lies of Matilda is not because of her own fault, her aunt is also responsible for this.
: Hillaric belloc writes the poem "MATILDA". this is a narrative poem, this poem relates as story. i like this poem because it can understand easily.this poem stats as a humorus poem, but there is no humour at the end of this. we want to realize the elder's word at the end of life. this poem highlights we must not tell in difficult situation as well as normail situtaion. but in this poem the poeat describes the matilda's aunt foolishness. if matilda tell lie, aunt shoul dot leave the matilda alone. aunt gives the simple punishment to matilda but this punishment only reason for matilda's death. so from the matilda's poem, we realize the importance of elder's word and the the harm of lie and the foolish punsihment. I love this poem, thank you for hillaric belloc for give this poem....
By:- Linda
: From guest Robyn Eastham (contact)
i loved it as a kid and have finally found it for mine
: From guest lucy zeng (contact)
never mind the last comment. I like this poem because I'm doing it for my drama play.I also like it because it tells that shouldn't lie. The part I am doing is "And finding she was left alone went tiptoe to the telephone "all the way to "they ran their ladders through a score
: From guest Avani Sugandhi (contact)
it is an very intersting poem . we get such a moral.
: From guest jada (contact)
i loke this poem because it talls you not to tell lyes. We did this in engalish because wh where talking about text and we was doing dramer and this poem was the best!
: From guest zara shutts (contact)
goood
: From guest caroline (contact)
I love this story it is AMAZING it teatches people not to lie... so DONT do it. It gets you in lots of TROBBLE... if thats how you even spell it.
: An amazing narrative poem..the children in my Year 5 class will love it!
: From guest blob (contact)
i think this poem is AMAZING, me and my friend had to choose a poem to read out to everybody- and i kept looking at everyone and they just wanted to hear more...... well done
: From guest Molly (contact)
At school we learning about this and i think its clever to tell that story in ryming words like that! at little bit ------ at the end! i really like it!
: From guest hailing (contact)
poor thing i hope shes not in hell
: From guest jeanette (contact)
that what she get just like the boy who call wolf that what that girl get
: From guest Ginger (contact)
It is a lesson to anyone who tells lies alll the time. They may come to a grisley end if no one believes them even if they tell the truth. In todays world Matilda would be taken into care and her aunt charged with neglect. However I love to poem
montez : Absolutely brilliant!
R.
: From guest Ali (contact)
Really intresting. I had Matilda`s poem when doing my GCE in 1978. Because I liked it, I momorized by heart. I was not able to retain the handouts for the past 32 years. Thanks to the internet. We are not here to jugde Matilda, but rather the mastermind behind this rythematic masterpiece of poem. Thanks
: From guest Mukund Thakkar (contact)
You should not have spoken lie