Duel to the Death

When I was a child, I was fascinated by a poem called "The Duel" by children's poet Eugene Field (1850-1895). It expressed in a light clever way something I knew to be true even then: where payback can lead. Also, how a relatively small grievance (nursed by a little negative nourishment) can snowball into a large grievance with damaging consequences for everyone unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire. And unfortunately, what with passive aggressive behavior, scapegoating and projection -- those foibles we humans are all too liable to foist upon the world in our distress -- there's no statute of limitations on being caught in the crossfire.

"The Duel" stars two stuffed animals: a gingham dog and a calico cat, both stuck in the muck of needing to pay each other back for wrongs committed. Should you think that stuffed animals would naturally take themselves less seriously than real ones, think again. Perhaps the more we creatures are stuffed with, the less real and the more dangerous we are -- both to ourselves and others. The real cats and dogs I know get along much better than this....well, at least most of the time. Viva la difference!

Today I see this fight to the death from the perspective of the Chinese plate. But I have to admit that I've run the risk, on more than one occasion, of ending up in the sad (and totally unnecessary) plight of the animals depicted below. What about you? What's your perspective?

The Duel
by Eugene Field

THE GINGHAM dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Never mind: I 'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate—
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)