Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer          

As knockabout clown, quick-change comedians,              

 tight-rope walkers and acrobats

They had extensive reputation.             

They made their home in Victoria Grove-- That was merely their centre of operation,       

 for they were incurably given to rove. They were very well know in Cornwall Gardens,    

in Launceston Place and in Kensington Square.

They had really a little more reputation        

  than a couple of cats can very well bear.  

If the area window was found ajar     

And the basement looked like a field of war,

If a tile or two came loose on the roof,        

 Which presently ceased to be waterproof,

If the drawers were pulled out from the bedroom chests,      

And you couldn't find one of your winter vests

Or after supper one of the girls      

Suddenly missed her Woolworth pearls:  

Then the family would say:  "It's that horrible cat! It was Mungojerrie--or Rumpelteazer!"    

 And most of the time they left it at that.  

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer had a very    

 unusual gift of the gab.

They were highly efficient cat-burglars as well,       

  and remarkably smart at smash-and-grab.

They made their home in Victoria Grove.         

 They had no regular occupation.

They were plausible fellows, and liked to       

engage a friendly policeman in conversation.

  When the family assembled for Sunday dinner,

With their minds made up that they wouldn't get thinner

On Argentine joint, potatoes and greens,

And the cook would appear from behind the scenes

And say in a voice that was broken with sorrow:

"I'm afraid you must wait and have dinner tomorrow!

For the joint has gone from the oven-like that!" 

Then the family would say:  "It's that horrible cat! It was Mungojerrie--or Rumpelteazer!"

And most of the time they left it at that.  

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer         

 had a wonderful way of working together.

And some of the time you would say it was luck,       

and some of the time you would say it was weather.

They would go through the house like a hurricane,       

and no sober person could take his oath

Was it Mungojerrie--or Rumpelteazer?      

 or could you have sworn that it mightn't be both?

  And when you heard a dining-room smash

Or up from the pantry there came a loud crash

Or down from the library came a loud ping

From a vase which was commonly said to be Ming--

Then the family would say: 

"Now which was which cat? It was Mungojerrie! AND Rumpelteazer!"        

And there's nothing at all to be done about that!