A Bushel of Merry-Thoughts #[nn]

Jan 1868 · Sampson Low · [none]

☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join free

"Life of Diogenes" is a striking early tale from Wilhelm Busch, whose distinctive art and storytelling bring a haunting, whimsical dread to a boy’s icy fate. When a young skater falls through thin ice and is frozen solid, his parents’ desperate efforts to revive him lead to a quietly devastating outcome—rendered with Busch’s signature blend of humor and melancholy. The story’s eerie simplicity is matched by Harry Rogers’s moody cover, a rare collaboration that adds depth to this 1868 gem.

Contains 4 stories

Life of Diogenes

13 pp · Humor

Cat and Mouse

15 pp · Humor, Anthropomorphic-Funny Animals

The Disobedient Children Who Stole Sugar-Bread

17 pp · Humor

In this delightfully mischievous 1868 tale from *A Bushel of Merry-Thoughts*, two clever children outwit two ogres by turning the ogres' own sugar-bread trap against them—only to find themselves in a far more dangerous game than they expected. With no writer or artist credited beyond the typeset letters, the story unfolds with a playful, dark charm that lingers long after the final page.

Ice-Peter

16 pp · Humor

In the frosty stillness of a winter pond, a boy named Jo takes his first brave glide—only to slip, fall, and freeze solid in the ice. When his parents finally free him, they’re left staring at nothing but a puddle where he once stood. A whimsical, melancholic tale from a forgotten era, where laughter and loss melt together in the cold.