English poem
The Hippopotamus.
by Oliver Herford (1863–1935)
"OH, say, what is this fearful, wild In-cor-ri-gible cuss?" "This crea-ture (don't say 'cuss,' my child; 'T is slang)—this crea-ture fierce is styled The Hip-po-pot-am-us. His curious name de-rives its source From two Greek words: hippos—a horse, Potamos—river. See? The river's plain e-nough, of course; But why they called that thing a horse, That's what is Greek to me."