Puck, 1879-08-13 · page 5 of 16
Puck — August 13, 1879 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a serialized satirical narrative (Part I) mocking a figure called "Troddledums," depicted as an ape-like creature. The story follows Troddledums through various misadventures involving a Zulu warrior and pumpkins, presented in verse with accompanying illustrations. The satire appears to target political or public figures through animal caricature—a common Puck strategy. The "Simian" designation emphasizes mockery through animalistic comparison. While the specific political reference remains unclear without additional context, the elaborate narrative structure and consistent character focus suggest Troddledums represents a notable contemporary figure worthy of extended ridicule. The pumpkin imagery may carry symbolic meaning related to foolishness or abundance, though its specific significance is uncertain.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pegasus, you spavined hack, Take me up upon your back. Bear me to the Afric wild, Where we'll meet with Nature’s child, Troddledums, and I will tell What one dire day him befell. This is Troddledums, the ape, Note his sylph like, graceful shape. Note the regularitee Of his features fair to see. This is the Zulu warrior Goo— Jimbolulurikaroo. With a ring in his nose he’s fully dressed, And he hides a deep design in his breast. Three empty pumpkins seizes he, Makes apertures in all the three. ‘The big one on his head he stands; The other two are for his hands. And when to a sheaf of wheat he comes He awaits the unwary Troddledums, PUCK. wll bee Troddledums comes unawares; ‘And here's the position of affairs— A little arrangement well-designed To tempt the Simian’s curious mind, And Troddledums presently stops to view The pumpkin that in a wheat-stack grew. And then, on all-fours, with deliberation, He makes a thorough examination. Then lifts the pumpkin up, with wonder, To find out just what may be thereunder. And without delay he finds it out, In a way that leaves him no room for doubt. For Goo—the rest we will not repeat — Gets him firmly by both his feet. Troddledums grieves, for the Zalu sinner Undoubtedly counts on a monkey dinner. And with widely different feelings they go Homeward, forming this sweet tableau. But even Zalu craft won't avail When the victim has a prehensile tail. [A hint—you see what the British missed By not using tails with a vigorous twist } ‘Troddledums goes for a tree, and gocs In a way that worries the Zulu’s nose. Which shows what an injudicious thing It is to end your nose in a ring. And Troddledums hitches that ring, anyhow, Over a light, but lively bough. So here's the result, which I need not name, But I will, though: Troddledums laughs and hives. And as for Goo—whatever's his name— Between nose and bough, it's the nose that gives, [More hereafter.) comicbooks.com