why the dogs nose is always cold

15 years ago

I have an old book of poems dating back to 1890 by Elliott & Beezley, it's called The Speakers' Library. One poem in particular I find very sweet and had to share - if you wouldn't mind. It was typically read to a child in the evening hours.

"WHY THE DOGÂS NOSE IS ALWAYS COLD"

"What makes the dogÂs nose always cold?"

IÂll try to tell you, curls of gold,

If you will good and quiet be,

And come and stand by mammaÂs knee.

Well, years, and years, and years ago -

How many I donÂt really know -

There came a rain on sea and shore;

Its like was never seen before

Or since. It fell unceasingly down,

Till all the world began to drown.

But just before it began to pour,

An old, old man - his name was Noah -

Built him an ark, that he might save

His famÂly from a watÂry grave;

And in it also he designed

To shelter two of every kind

Of beast. Well, dear, when it was done,

And heavenly clouds obscured the sun,

The Noah folks to it quickly ran,

And then the animals began

To gravely march along in pairs;

The leopards, tigers, wolves and bears,

The deer, the hippopotamuses,

The rabbits, squirrels, elks, walruses,

The camels, goats, cats and donkeys,

The tall giraffes, the beavers, monkeys,

The rats, the big rhinoceroses,

The dromedaries and the horses,

The sheep, and mice, the kangaroos,

Hyenas, elephants, koodoos,

And hundreds more - Âtwould take all day,

My dear, so many names to say -

And at the very, very end

Of procession, by his friend

And master, faithful dog was seen;

The livelong time heÂd helping been

To drive the crowd of creatures in,

And now, with loud, exultant bark,

He gaily sprang aboard the Ark.

Alas! so crowded was the space

He could not in it find a place;

So, patiently he turned about -

Stood half way in and half way out.

And the extremely heavy shwÂrs

Descended through nine hundred hours

And more; and darling, at close;

Most frozen was his honest nose;

And never could it lose again

The dampness of that dreadful rain,

And that is what, my curls of gold,

Made all the doggiesÂ noses cold!