The Theoretical Turtle
The Theoretical Turtle
Poem
The theoretical turtle started out to see
the toad;
He came to a stop at a wide flag-pole in the
middle of the road.
"Now how, in the name of the spouting
whale," the indignant turtle cried,
"Can I climb this perpendicular cliff, and
get on the other side?
If I only could make a big balloon, I'd
lightly over it fly;
Or a very long ladder might reach the top,
though it does look fearfully high.
If a beaver were in my place, he'd gnaw a
passage through with his teeth;
I can't do that, but I can dig a tunnel and
pass beneath."
He was digging his tunnel, with might and
main, when a dog looked down at the hole.
"The easiest way, my friend," said he,
"is to walk around the pole."
Notes
Written by Amos R. Wells.
Note: I modernized the poem. Originally the title was, "The Theoretic Turtle." Also, he came across a liberty pole, which I changed to wide flag-pole.
