Archibald, don't eat the bedclothes

My friend Louise sent me this picture today. It's from a children's book with the rather wince-making title For The Wee Ones. I thought, when I read that (because I read the message before I looked at the picture) that the picture was going to be a typical winsome production from the school of artists who think (or who are paid to think) that the child is a thing sent from God and a blissful thing. They had obviously never met a child, and certainly not mine.

I should have known Louise better. The artist responsible for Archibald, don't eat the bedclothes slipped this one past the editors. Just look at the poor, broken Mother Rabbit. She knows she has not the faintest chance of being listened to, and poor thing, she is stooped in the way of a mother to whom this is just the lastest in a long line of horror; with nothing good to come.

And Archibald is obviously the spawn of the Devil. Just look at those eyes. He'll have the bed after he's finished the bedclothes.



It just goes to show one should never underestimate an artist.

Comments

Val said…
It's all in the eyes! :) :) :)

Helen Oxenbury's illustrations have often creased me up..
I think it's a Tom and Pippo story that has the glorious page where the text has Tom puzzling why the dog is trying to grab his toy and the picture is a beautiful illustration of teasing a dog!
Frances said…
This made me laugh out loud - and my husband too when I showed him! I think this must be the most hilarious bunny illustration I have ever seen!
Jane Badger said…
I don't know that illustration Val, but it has me intrigued now.

Frances - I just hope it wasn't drawn from life.
Sadako said…
That rabbit scares me. He has bad things on his mind...
Jane Badger said…
Sadako - you are so right. I do hope Mrs Rabbit isn't next in line after he's finished the bed.

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