Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow,
Leonard was a lion with a six-foot tail,
George was a goat, and his beard was yellow,
And James was a very small snail.
Leonard had a stall, and a great big strong one,
Ernest had a manger, and its walls were thick,
George found a pen, but I think it was the wrong one,
And James sat down on a brick.
Ernest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger,
Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall,
James gave the huffle of a snail in danger
And nobody heard him at all.
Ernest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus
Leonard started roaring and trying to kick,
James went a journey with the goat's new compass
And he reached the end of his brick.
Ernest was an elephant and very well-intentioned,
Leonard was a lion with a brave new tail,
George was a goat, as I think I have mentioned,
But James was only a snail.
I am busy working to bring A. A. Milne's "The Four Friends" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about A. A. Milne's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "The Four Friends" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.