Matilda Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death
Hilaire Belloc
1870 to 1953
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
Easy Mode - Auto check enabled
You should have heard Matilda Shout!
Encouraging her to obtain
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;
Inspired by British Cheers and Loud
To hear this Entertaining Piece:
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
(The rapidly increasing Heat
You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,
A Deprivation Just and Wise
And took Peculiar Pains to Souse
That Night a Fire did break out--
Their confidence) -- but all in vain!
They ran their ladders through a score
They only answered 'Little Liar!'
To get the Men to go away,
'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'
From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.
Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;
To People passing in the Street--
And summoned the Immediate Aid
Attempted to Believe Matilda:
To see that Interesting Play
Within an hour the Gallant Band
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
The Pictures up and down the House,
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,
For once, towards the Close of Day,
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.
Her Aunt was off to the Theatre
To Punish her for Telling Lies.
Matilda, growing tired of play,
They galloped, roaring through the Town,
For every time she shouted 'Fire!'
It happened that a few Weeks later
And throw the window up and call
Discovered this Infirmity.
Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded
Were pouring in on every hand,
And would have done so, had not She
The effort very nearly killed her,
And even then she had to pay
Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.
In showing them they were not needed;
Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
She had refused to take her Niece
Went tiptoe to the Telephone
With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,
Matilda, and the House, were Burned.
And therefore when her Aunt returned,
And finding she was left alone,