The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles

"The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" is a play performed by the Cats to entertain Old Deuteronomy, directed by Munkustrap. The Cats dress up as dogs in "home made" costumes made from junk. They tell the story of how a big dog fight was averted by the "super-hero" Cat, The Rumpus Cat.

The Rumpus Cat is usually played by Alonzo, although for most of the Original London production he was played by George. In the 1998 Film, he is played by Frank Thompson.

Lyrics
Of the Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles

T. S. Eliot, 1939

TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT

OF THE PARTICIPATION

OF THE PUGS AND THE POMS, AND THE

INTERVENTION OF THE GREAT RUMPUSCAT

The Pekes and the Pollicles, everyone knows,

Are proud and implacable passionate foes;

It is always the same, wherever one goes.

And the Pugs and the Poms, although most people say

That they do not like fighting, will often display

Every symptom of wanting to join in the fray. And they
 * Bark bark bark bark
 * Bark bark BARK BARK
 * Until you can hear them all over the Park.

Now on the occasion of which I shall speak

Almost nothing had happened for nearly a week

(And that's a long time for a Pol or a Peke).

The big Police Dog was away from his beat -

I don't know the reason, but most people think

He'd slipped into the Bricklayer's Arms for a drink -

And no one at all was about on the street

When a Peke and a Pollicle happened to meet.

They did not advance, or exactly retreat,

But they glared at each other and scraped their hind feet, And started to
 * Bark bark bark bark
 * Bark bark BARK BARK
 * Until you could hear them all over the Park.

Now the Peke, although people may say what they please,

Is no British Dog, but a Heathen Chinese.

And so all the Pekes, when they heard the uproar,

Some came to the window, some came to the door;

There were surely a dozen, more likely a score.

And together they started to grumble and wheeze

In their huffery-snuffery Heathen Chinese.

But a terrible din is what Pollicles like,

For your Pollicle Dog is a dour Yorkshire tyke,

And his braw Scottish cousins are snappers and biters,

And every dog-jack of them notable fighters;

And so they stepped out, with their pipers in order,

Playing When the Blue Bonnets Came Over the Border.

Then the Pugs and the Poms held no longer aloof,

But some from the balcony, some from the roof,

Joined in To the din With a
 * Bark bark bark bark
 * Bark bark BARK BARK
 * Until you could hear them all over the Park.

Now when these bold heroes together assembled,

The traffic all stopped, and the Underground trembled,

And some of the neighbours were so much afraid

That they started to ring up the Fire Brigade.

When suddenly, up from a small basement flat,

Why who should stalk out but the GREAT RUMPUSCAT.

His eyes were like fireballs fearfully blazing,

He gave a great yawn, and his jaws were amazing;

And when he looked out through the bars of the area,

You never saw anything fiercer or hairier.

And what with the glare of his eyes and his yawning,

The Pekes and the Pollicles quickly took warning.

He looked at the sky and he gave a great leap -

And they every last one of them scattered like sheep.

And when the Police Dog returned to his beat,

There wasn't a single one left in the street.