Life — January 6, 1927 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "An Ent Armadillos" — Life Magazine Satire This page is a humorous poem celebrating the armadillo through exaggerated, rhyming verse. The text describes the creature's various peculiar behaviors and characteristics in absurdist detail—rolling into balls, digging, warbling songs, drinking without spilling, sleeping with its tail as a pillow, and other oddities. The satire appears to mock overly-earnest nature writing and educational verse popular in the era. The repeated "oh!" exclamations and forced rhymes create comedic excess. Accompanying illustrations show armadillos in ridiculous scenarios (serving as cannonballs, playing croquet, jungle golfing). The final illustration caption notes "The armadillo, an absolutely unexpected species"—suggesting the joke is partly about the armadillo's sheer strangeness as a creature worthy of such elaborate, dignified poetic treatment.