The Magic Pudding

The hardworking people at Dover Thrift have just released a handsome illustrated edition of Norman Lindsay's 1918 novel The Magic Pudding: Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and His Friends Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawno. This unique children's classic features a walking, talking pudding that enjoys being eaten and never runs out, its three owners (a koala, a sailor, and a penguin), and their various adventures across Australia. In an effort to give you a sense of The Magic Pudding's oddball charm, we have included one of the many songs featured in the story:

The Puddin'-Owners' Evensong

Let feeble feeders stoop
To plates of oyster soup.
Let pap engage
The gums of age
And appetites that droop;
We much prefer to chew
A steak-and-kidney stew.

We scorn digestive pills;
Give us the food that fills;
Who bravely stuff
Themselves with Duff,
May laugh at Doctors' bills.
For medicine, partake
Of kidney, stewed with steak.

Let yokels coarse appease
Their appetites with cheese.
Let women dream
Of cakes and cream,
We scorn fal-lals like these;
Our sterner sex extols
The joy of boiled jam rolls.

Then plight our faith anew
Three puddin'-owners true,
Who boldly claim
In Friendship's name
The noble Irish stoo,
Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurroo!"

Okay, so it's a weird book--but it's an interesting weird book, and one that only costs $7.95. Now, if Dover would only reprint some Amanda McKittrick Ros....