The Tinies.

Several years ago I confiscated this book ("The Gashlycrumb Tinies", Edward Gorey) from my mum, namely because I had an infatuation with the drawings. It's a small book, the size of a compact disc and the drawings are somewhat parallel to etchings of Renoir and let's face it, Renoir's etchings are cute (even if they are mostly of homeless people). Last night my mum asked me if I had the book because she needs it for an art project, I retrieved it from my bookshelf.

We stood in the kitchen pouring over the pages.
mum: I don't understand, my students think it's disturbing.
me: well, it is kinda alarming.
mum: yeah but it's so cute!

Someday, if I ever have kids, I'm going to teach them the alphabet with this book.

A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.
B is for Basil assaulted by bears.
C is for Clara who wasted away.
D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh.
E is for Ernest who choked on a peach
F is for Fanny sucked dry by a leech.
G is for George smothered under a rug.
H is for Hector done in by a thug.
I is for Ida drowned in a lake.
J is for James who took lye by mistake.
K is for Kate who was struck with an axe
L is for Lea who swallowed some tacks.
M is for Maud who was swept to sea.
N is for Neville who died of ennui.
O is for Olive run through with an awl.
P is for Prue trampled flat in a brawl.
Q is for Quentin who sank in a mire.
R is for Rhoda consumed by fire.
S is for Susan who perished of fits.
T is for Titus who flew into bits.
U is for Una who slipped down a drain.
V is for Victor squashed under a train.
W is for Winnie embedded in ice.
X is for Xerxes devoured by mice.
Y is for Yorick whose head was knocked in.
Z is for Zillah who drank too much gin.



I hope you have an uplifting day.