Pubblicato per la prima volta nel 1874, l’ABC Assurdo disegnato da Walter Crane fu ideato per aiutare i bambini ad imparare le lettere dell’alfabeto divertendosi; per questo è costituito da disegni luminosi e filastrocche buffe.

Essendo scritto solamente in inglese, queste se tradotte in italiano (probabilmente anche in quasi tutte le altre lingue) perdono molto di significato e scopo.

Da un po’ di tempo il volumetto non viene ristampato e non è facile reperirlo in formato cartaceo. Per fortuna però, grazie all’avvento degli ebook reader (io ho questo a colori) che hanno abbattuto i costi di produzione ed eliminato quelli di distribuzione, entrare in possesso di un libro antico e spesso introvabile non è più impossibile. Infatti, anche l’ABC Assurdo di Walter Crane si può trovare facilmente in edizione digitale (per di più a prezzi davvero irrisori).

Le immagini e i testi provengono dal sito di Project Gutemberg, che mette a disposizione gratuitamente diversi tipi di materiale fra testi, immagini ed altri media. Aggiungetelo ai Preferiti! :-)

Cliccare sulle anteprime per visualizzare le immagini intere.

The ABSURD ABC
John Lane
The Bodley Head
London&New York

A for the APPLE
or Alphabet pie,
Which all get a slice of.
Come taste it & try.
B is the BABY
who gave Mr Bunting
Full many a long day’s
rabbit skin hunting.
C for the CAT
that played on the fiddle,
When cows jumped higher than
‘Heigh Diddle Diddle!’
D for the DAME
with her pig at the stile,
‘Tis said they got over,
but not yet a while.

E for the Englishman,
ready to make fast
The giant who wanted to
have him for breakfast.
F for the Frog in the story
you know,
Begun with a wooing but
ending in woe.
G for Goosey Gander
who wandered upstairs,
And met the old man
who objected to prayers.

H for poor Humpty who
after his fall,
Felt obliged to resign his
seat on the wall.
I for the Inn where they
wouldn’t give beer,
To one with too much
and no money, I fear.
J does for poor Jack and
also for Jill,
Who had so disastrous
a tumble down hill.

K for calm Kitty, at dinner
who sat,
While all the good folks
watched the dog & the cat.
L for Little man, gun and
bullets complete,
Who shot the poor duck, and
was proud of the feat.
M for Miss Muffet, with
that horrid spider,
Just dropped into tea and
a chat beside her.

N for the Numerous children
they who
Were often too much for
their mother in Shoe.
O the Old person that
cobwebs did spy,
And went up to sweep ‘em
Oh ever so high!
P for the Pie made of
blackbirds to sing,
A song fit for supper
a dish for a king.

Q for Queen Anne
who sat in the sun
Till she, more than the lily
resembled the bun
R stands for Richard &
Robert, those men
Who didn’t get up one
fine morning till ten!
S for the Snail that showed
wonderful fight,
Putting no less than twenty-four
tailors to flight!

T stands for Tom, the son of
the piper,
May his principles change
as his years grow riper.
U for the Unicorn, keeping
his eye on
The coveted crown, and
‘ts counsel the Lion.
V for the Victuals, including
the drink,
The old woman lived on
surprising to think!

W for the WOMAN
who not over nice,
Made very short work
of the three blind mice.
X is the X
that is found upon buns,
Which, daughters not liking,
may come in for sons.
Y for Yankee Doodle
of ancient renown,
Both he & his pony
that took him to town.
Z for the Zany who
looked like a fool,
For when he was young
he neglected his school.

Walter Crane era un disegnatore eclettico e credeva nell’Arte come l’essenza del bello non esclusiva ma possibile per tutte le classi sociali. Illustrò quindi libri, ma anche tessuti, tappezzerie, piastrelle, packaging. Gli ho dedicato un ampio articolo ricco di gallery e consigli di lettura, nel 2011.