Редьярд Киплинг (1865 - 1936) - английский поэт и писатель. Его восхитительная детская книга “Сказки просто так” (“Just So Stories”) вышла в 1902 году, а пятью годами позже он был награждён Нобелевской премией по литературе с обоснованием «За наблюдательность, яркую фантазию, зрелость идей и выдающийся талант повествователя».
* * * Pussy can sit by the fire and sing, Pussy can climb a tree, Or
play with a silly old cork and string To 'muse herself, not me. But I like Binkie my dog, because He knows how to behave; So, Binkie's the same as the First Friend was, And I am the Man in the Cave!
Pussy will play Man-Friday till It's time to wet her paw And make her walk on the window-sill (For the footprint Crusoe saw); Then she fluffles her tail and mews, And
scratches and won't attend. But Binkie will play whatever I choose, And he is my true First Friend!
Pussy will rub my knees with her head Pretending she loves me hard; But the very minute I go to my bed Pussy runs out in the yard, And there she stays till the morning-light; So I know it is only pretend; But Binkie, he snores at my feet all night, And he is my Firstest Friend!
