W. Heath Robinson – part 11

William Heath Robinson (1872 – 1944) was an English illustrator and cartoonist, best known for his drawings of complicated machines for achieving simple objectives. “Heath Robinson Contraption” is a phrase that entered the language during WW1 in Britain, and later in the United States.

William wrote and illustrated three highly successful children’s books (The Adventures of Uncle Lubin 1902, Bill the Minder 1912, Peter Quip in Search of a Friend 1933) as well as illustrating numerous others.

In the run up to WW1, Robinson became known for a series of drawings in magazines such as The Sketch and The Tatler, many of which I will be featuring in this comprehensive look at his work.

This is part 11 of a 20 – part series on the works of W. Heath Robinson

1913 Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales (part 2):

THE NIGHTINGALE
 'Oh! How Pretty That Is!' He Would Say

Then Began the Nightingale To Sing

Among the Branches Dwelt a Nightingale

They Admired the City, the Palace, and the Garden

The Kitchen-Maid

The Chief Imperial Nightingale Bringer

He Was Quite as Successful as the Real Nightingale

The Peasant's Wife Sat On Sundays at the Door of Her Cottage Reading Her Hymn Book

So Elise Took Off Her Clothes and Stepped into the Water

And Met an Old Woman With a Basket Full of Berries

Not a Boat Was to be Seen

There Was Only Just Room For Her and Them

I Must Venture to the Church-Yard

THE REAL PRINCESS 
I Have Scarcely Closed My Eyes the Whole Night Through

Princesses He Found in Plenty, But Whether They Were Real Princesses it Was Impossible For HIm to Decide

The Old King Himself Went Out to Open It

The Peas Were Preserved in the Cabinet of Curiosities

THE RED SHOES 
Karen

She Sat Down One Day and Made Out of Some Old Pieces of Red Cloth, a Pair of Little Shoes

And Karen was Dressed Very Neatly

Karen and the Old Lady Walked to Church

He Sat There Nodding at Her

Dance She Must, Over Field and Meadow

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES 
Two Rogues Calling Themselves Weavers Made Their Appearance

'Oh, It Is Excellent!' Replied the Minister

As if in the Act of Holding Something Up

So Now the Emperor Walked Under His High Canopy

THE SWINEHERD

All Cares and Sorrows Were Forgotten by Him Who Inhaled its Fragrance

And He Wept Like a Child

 'Ach! Du Lieber Augustin'

The Swineherd Scolded and the Rain Poured Down

THE FLYING TRUNK 
And Flew the Trunk

The Son Lived Merrily

He Met a Nurse

'Will You Tell us a Story?' Asked the Queen

But Make it Let Us Laugh, Said the King

Their Slippers Flew About Their Ears

 She Sat the Live-Long day Upon the Roof of Her Palace, Expecting Him

THE LEAPING MATCH

The Old Councillor

'I Say Nothing For the Present,' Remarked the King

THE SHEPHERDESS AND THE CHIMNEY-SWEEPER

THE UGLY DUCKLING 
The Poor Duckling Was Scorned by All

He Came to a Wide Moor

And the Cat Said, 'Can You Purr?'

And Every One said, 'The New One is the Best'

THE NAUGHTY BOY

He Jumped Down From the Old Man's Lap and Danced Around Him on the Floor