The poem
Said the table to the chair, "You can scarcely be aware How I suffer from the heat And from blisters on my feet! If we took a little walk We might have a little talk. Pray, let us take the air!" Said the table to the chair.
Said the chair unto the table, "Now you know we are not able! How foolishly you talk When you know we cannot walk!" Said the table with a sigh, "It can do no harm to try. I've as many legs as you. Why can't we walk on two?"
So they both went slowly down, And walked about the town, With a cheerful bumpy sound As they toddled all around. And everybody cried As they ran up to their side "See! The table and the chair Have come out to take the air!"
But, in going down an alley, To the castle, in the valley, They completely lost their way And they wandered all the day 'Til, to see them safely back, They paid a ducky-quack And a beetle and a mouse To take them to their house.
Then they whispered to each other "Oh delightful little brother! What a lovely walk we've taken! Let us dine on beans and bacon!" So the ducky and the little Brownie-mousey and the beetle Dined, and danced upon their heads, 'Til they toddled to their beds.
My mother memorized this poem when she was in grade school during the 1930's. She used to recite it to us when we were growing up. She is now 85. For her birthday we found a piece of sheet music that had put the Table and the Chair to music. It was with two other Lear poems which were also set to music. Now she is learning to sing the poem to her great grandchildren.