The Elf and the Dormouse

by Oliver Herford

Under a toadstool
Crept a wee Elf,
Out of the rain
To shelter himself

Under the toadstool,
Sound asleep,
Sat a big Dormouse
All in a heap.

Trembled the wee Elf,
Frightened , and yet
Fearing to fly away
Lest he get wet,

To the next shelter-
Maybe a mile!
Sudden the wee elf
Smiled a wee smile,

Tugged till the toadstool
Toppled in two.
Holding it over him
Gaily he flew.

Soon he was home
Dry as could be.
Soon woke the Dormouse-
"Good gracious me!

Where is my toadstool?"
Loud he lamented.
-And that's how umbrellas
First were invented.


I was flipping through "Favorite Poems Old and New" looking for a poem to post today. I'd never heard this one before, and as soon as I began to read it I liked it. Try saying it out loud- the words fall right out of your mouth fitting perfectly together with each other. Also, if you look at the fifth stanza you will see an example of alliteration (where the same sound/ kind of sound is repeated. In this case: t). In my opinion, these make good tongue twisters. The only thing that bugs me about this poem is the transition between the third and fourth stanzas; its doesn't seem very smooth to me, and makes it hard to read.

Did you notice any of these or any other things in this poem? What do you think about this poem?