Judge, 1907-08-17 · page 16 of 16
Judge — August 17, 1907 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a children's comic strip with no political satire—it's a straightforward cautionary tale about consequences. "Little Johnny" introduces his teddy bears to a beehive, promising fresh honey. The bears raid the hive eagerly but learn a harsh lesson when angry bees attack them in retaliation. The "Teddy Bears" reference reflects the toy craze of the early 1900s, inspired by President Theodore Roosevelt. The story's moral is simple: greed leads to pain. The bears' enthusiastic pursuit of "more" honey results in getting "stung"—literally and figuratively. The final panel's rhetorical question drives home the lesson: outward appearance (mussed-up bears) reveals inward misbehavior (theft and gluttony). It's wholesome entertainment designed to amuse children while teaching restraint and respect for consequences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Auge. LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TEDDY BEARS. THE TEDDIES GET A TASTE OF HONEY AND WANT MORE. THEY RAID A BEEHIVE AND GET MORE THAN THEY WANT—THOUOH IT’S NOT ALL HONEY. 1, There never was a bear alive 2. This gone, John points to where there's more. But loved fresh honey from the hive. The busy bees lay up thetr store John 's just been giving Teddies some— In little houses, as you see. You almost hear them say ** Yum, yum!” The Teddies note this fact with glee. 3. Before John tells them more about 4. Black Ted ‘s the first to reach the hive— The busy bees the Teds light out Right at his heels the other five. With all thelr four-and-twenty feet And then, as each paw honey steals, To get thelr fill of honey sweet. Each Teddy jumps and groans and squeals. 5. The hive upsets, and then they see 6. Seeing the Teds now who would say And learn about the honey-bee. ‘That honey had mussed them up this way? In fact, they go on learning more, Who would dare to guess, forsooth, Until their heads and backs are sore. That all this comes from a sweet tooth? COPYRIGHT 1907 BY JUDGE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 225 FOURTH AVE, NEW YORK. comicbooks.com