There were three pussy-cats sought the tiles, They sought the tiles as the sun went down, Their faces were wreathed with complacent smiles, For they were about to “do it brown.” And men may growl and women may weep, But nobody gets him a wink of sleep For pussy-cats’ caterwauling. There were three parties who yearned for sleep, Who yearned for sleep as the sun went down, They used expressions “not loud but deep,” At pussies’ commencing to “do it brown.” For men may growl and women may weep, But who, may I ask, can manage to sleep, With pussy-cats caterwauling. There were three parties who rose in rage, Who rose in nocturnal cap and gown, And one of the pussies was, I’ll engage, A little surprised when they knocked her down. A second succumbed to a pistol shot, The other fell down a chimney-pot―― “Good bye to the cats a-wauling!” From _Fun Academy Skits_, 1882. ―――― THREE LONDON FISHMONGERS. Three fishmongers looked for a sale down west, In the heart of the west, when the world’s in town, Each thought of the neighbourhood paying him best Where the prices go up but never come down; For fools will pay when they can’t buy cheap, So back to the sea every day goes a heap, While the public look on groaning. Three Stores were set up some miles from the Tower, And the fish got west all over the town, And the middlemen cried, “We’re in for a shower, If this goes on! Why the price will come down! For men will dine, and――if they can――cheap, And the public seems waking at last from its sleep―― It’s so precious tired of groaning!” Three bankrupts are showing their empty hands, And all that they get for their pains is a frown, And a “Serve you right――why, ’twas your demands That for years have plundered and starved the town!” But fools grow wise, and fish can get cheap, Three halfpence a pound anywhere in the heap, And the public has done with its groaning! 1883 ―――― THE POTTERIES. Three potters set out all dressed in their best, All dressed in their best as the sun went down, Each sought out the butcher who’d serve him the best, It was Saturday night, and a crowd in the town―― For women must cook and men must eat, And the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat, Tho’ ’tis better by far with no bone in.