PUNCH and JUDY
by Unknown · from The National Nursery Book: With 120 illustrations
Adapted Version
Mr. Punch and Mrs. Judy lived in a small house. They were very noisy. They liked to shout and play. Sometimes they had silly fights. *Wham! Bang!* A new baby doll came to their house. It was a very cute baby.
Mrs. Judy was so proud. She held the baby doll. "Look, Mr. Punch!" she said. Mr. Punch looked at the baby. The baby doll cried, "Waaah! Waaah!" Mr. Punch did not like the noise.
Mr. Punch smiled at first. "What a funny little baby!" he cried. But the baby doll kept crying. "Waaah! Waaah!" Mr. Punch made a funny face. "Too much noise!" he yelled. He stomped his feet.
Mr. Punch picked up the baby doll. He gave it a silly toss. *Whee!* The baby doll flew through the air. It landed in a soft, big basket. *Boing!* It was safe and sound. No bumps or hurts. It was just a toy, you see.
Mrs. Judy was very upset. "Mr. Punch, that was naughty!" she cried. She found a soft, toy stick. She gave Mr. Punch a gentle bonk. *Bonk! Bonk!* Mr. Punch fell down. "Oh, my head!" he said. It was all pretend.
Mr. Punch grabbed the toy stick. He gave Mrs. Judy a little bonk. *Boop!* Mrs. Judy fell down. She pretended to be asleep. *Zzzzz!* She was not hurt at all. It was just a silly game.
Mr. Punch was very happy now. He started to dance and sing. "Tra-la-la! No more noise!" he sang. He did not mind Mrs. Judy. She was just pretending to sleep. He liked his own silly fun best.
Then came the Constable. He heard all the loud noise. "Stop that racket, Mr. Punch!" he said. "And look at this big mess! You must clean up now. Be quiet and tidy, please."
Mr. Punch did not want to clean. He gave the Constable a little push. *Boop!* The Constable fell down. *Plop!* He rolled over and over. He stood up fast. "Oh, my head!" he said. He was fine.
Now came Mr. Tidy-Up. He saw all the mess. "Mr. Punch, you must learn rules!" he said. He had a long jump rope. "Time to tidy up, my friend!" he told Punch. Punch needed to learn.
Mr. Punch is a very silly puppet. He makes us laugh a lot. He is a little bit naughty sometimes. Having fun is good. But being noisy and messy is not good. We must be kind and tidy.
Original Story
PUNCH AND JUDY.
Mr. Punch and his wife
Led a terrible life,
Very much like a dog and a cat;
Till, one summer morn
A baby was born,
A darling all dimples and fat.
PUNCH, JUDY, AND THE BABY.
Mrs. Judy was proud,
And the nurses allowed
That they never had seen such a child;
And the proud mother thought
When her baby she brought
To her husband, “It must make him mild.”
PUNCH AND THE BABY.
Mr. Punch was quite pleased;
The poor baby he seized,
And danced up and down in great joy.
“Oh, my Judy,” he cried,
"With a father's just pride,
I look on our beautiful boy.”
But the baby soon cried;
Punch's temper was tried,
And in a great passion he flew;
He shook the poor child,
And, with rage growing wild,
The babe o'er the balcony threw.
Judy, greatly displeased,
A thick stick at once seized,
And began her stern husband to beat;
“O you monster,” she cried,
As her weapon she plied,
“You deserve the same ending to meet.”
PUNCH AND JUDY.
On his arms and his head
Her blows fell like lead;
She wonder'd such treatment he stood!
Beating and battering,
She made such a clattering,
It sounded like chopping up wood.
PUNCH KILLS JUDY.
Of his beating quite tired,
Punch's patience expired;
He snatched the stick out of her hands,
And gave Judy a blow
Which, alas, laid her low,
And above her a conqueror stands.
Then he danced and he sang,
And such nonsense began,
That we laughed, though we couldn't tell why;
For in such a sad case
It were much more our place
For Judy's misfortunes to cry.
PUNCH AND THE CONSTABLE.
But the constable see!—
“Are you come here for me?”
Cries Punch, as he dances about.
"Yes, yes; come to jail,
'Tis a terrible tale,”
Said the constable, "you must come out,
"And be tried for your life,
For thus killing your wife;
In prison, meantime, you'll abide.”
“Oh no, I won't go,”
Cried Punch, and a blow
He gave the poor man in his side.
PUNCH, TOBY, AND THE CLOWN.
Now Punch had a pet
Whom we must not forget,
A dog known as Toby by name;
A clown from a show
One day came to know
If Punch would not sell him the same.
But Punch would not part
From his dog, for his heart
(Though a wooden one) to him was true.
He cried, "Give me a kiss,
Dear Toby, I wis
I never will sever from you.”
PUNCH AND THE DOCTOR.
But Jack Ketch comes at last;
Punch's frolics are past,
There is no one his cause to befriend;
His nonsense and fun
Are all, alas, done;
He has come to a very bad end!
If he were not of wood
It would not be good
To laugh at the harm he has done;
But 'twas only pretence,
And there was not much sense
In his crimes, or his grief, or his fun.
PUNCH AND JACK KETCH.
For a great many years,
Punch's laughter and tears,
Have amused both the child and the man;
So I think at the last,
For the sake of the past
We will keep him as long as we can.
Story DNA
Plot Summary
Mr. Punch, a quarrelsome man, throws his baby from a balcony in a fit of rage. His wife, Judy, retaliates by beating him, but Punch seizes the stick and kills her. He then assaults a constable who tries to arrest him. After a brief interlude with his dog, Punch is finally confronted by Jack Ketch, the hangman, though the story concludes by highlighting Punch's enduring popularity as an entertaining, albeit violent, character.
Themes
Emotional Arc
amusement to mild shock
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The Punch and Judy show is a traditional puppet show originating in 17th-century Italy and becoming popular in England. It is known for its slapstick violence and dark humor, often featuring Punch committing various crimes and escaping punishment, or facing a comical, often absurd, form of justice.
Plot Beats (12)
- Punch and Judy, a quarrelsome couple, have a baby.
- Judy proudly presents the baby to Punch, hoping it will soften him.
- Punch initially expresses joy but quickly becomes enraged when the baby cries.
- Punch throws the baby out the window.
- Judy furiously beats Punch with a stick for his actions.
- Punch seizes the stick from Judy and kills her with it.
- Punch dances and sings, seemingly unconcerned by his wife's death.
- A constable arrives to arrest Punch for murder.
- Punch assaults the constable, knocking him down.
- Punch interacts with his dog, Toby, refusing to sell him to a clown.
- Jack Ketch, the hangman, arrives for Punch.
- The narrator reflects on Punch's long history of amusing audiences despite his violent nature.
Characters
Mr. Punch
A short, stout figure, typically depicted with a large, humped back and a prominent, hooked nose. His body is made of wood, giving him a rigid, somewhat jerky movement. He is often portrayed as having a ruddy complexion, though as a puppet, this is more of a painted feature.
Attire: A brightly colored, often striped, jester-like costume. Historically, this would be a red and yellow or red and white striped tunic (often with a frilled collar and cuffs), loose breeches, and a conical hat with a tassel or bell. The fabric would appear stiff, like painted wood or thick cloth.
Wants: To indulge his own whims and desires, often at the expense of others. He seeks immediate gratification and amusement.
Flaw: Extreme impulsiveness, lack of empathy, uncontrollable temper, and a tendency towards violence.
He remains largely unchanged, continuing his violent and mischievous ways until he is finally caught and executed, though the story emphasizes his 'pretence' as a wooden figure.
Violent, impulsive, cruel, mischievous, gleeful, short-tempered.
Mrs. Judy
A female puppet figure, typically less exaggerated in form than Punch, but still made of wood. She is often depicted as slightly smaller or more demure in build compared to Punch, though capable of great force.
Attire: A traditional, modest dress, often a simple apron dress or a gown with a white cap. Colors are typically less garish than Punch's, perhaps a blue or green dress with a white apron and a white mob cap.
Wants: To protect her baby and to punish Punch for his cruelty.
Flaw: Her temper, which leads her to confront Punch directly and violently.
She begins as a proud mother, becomes enraged by Punch's actions, and is ultimately killed by him.
Proud, maternal, protective, quick to anger when provoked, vengeful.
The Baby
A small, round, 'dimples and fat' infant, likely depicted as a simple doll or puppet prop.
Attire: A simple baby's swaddling cloth or gown.
Wants: Survival, comfort.
Flaw: Complete helplessness and dependence on others.
Born, briefly cherished, then violently killed by Punch.
Innocent, vulnerable, prone to crying.
The Constable
A figure of authority, typically depicted as a sturdy, uniformed man. As a puppet, he would have a solid, upright build.
Attire: A traditional British police constable's uniform from the 19th century: a dark blue tunic with brass buttons, dark trousers, and a tall, dark helmet (custodian helmet).
Wants: To arrest Punch for his crimes and bring him to justice.
Flaw: Underestimates Punch's violent nature and puppet resilience.
He attempts to arrest Punch but is quickly dispatched by him.
Duty-bound, stern, resolute, upholder of the law.
Toby
A small, often scruffy terrier-type dog, typically depicted with a ruff around his neck. As a puppet, he would be a simple, expressive dog figure.
Attire: Often wears a frilled ruff or collar around his neck, sometimes a small hat.
Wants: To be with Punch, his master.
Flaw: His loyalty to Punch, despite Punch's nature.
Remains loyal to Punch throughout, even when Punch is in trouble.
Loyal, affectionate, playful.
Jack Ketch
A grim, imposing figure, representing the executioner. As a puppet, he would be tall and gaunt, with a menacing presence.
Attire: A dark, somber executioner's costume, often a black tunic or cloak, with a hood or a tall, dark hat. Sometimes depicted with a rope or noose.
Wants: To carry out the sentence of execution on Punch.
Flaw: None, as he represents an unstoppable force.
He arrives to fulfill his role, bringing Punch's reign of terror to an end.
Grim, unfeeling, relentless, embodiment of ultimate justice.
Locations
Punch and Judy's Home Balcony
A small, elevated outdoor platform attached to a simple, perhaps slightly ramshackle, dwelling. It would be a typical English seaside or fairground puppet booth balcony, likely made of painted wood, with a low railing. The space below would be open to a public area.
Mood: Initially joyful, quickly turning chaotic and violent.
Punch throws the baby over the balcony, initiating the escalating violence.
The Public Square/Fairground
An open, bustling area where the Punch and Judy show would traditionally be performed. It would feature a simple, portable puppet booth as its focal point, surrounded by the implied presence of an audience. The ground would be packed earth or cobblestones, typical of an English fairground or market square.
Mood: Initially lively and entertaining, later becoming a scene of public spectacle and confrontation.
The various confrontations (with Judy, the Constable, the Clown, Jack Ketch) occur here, in full view of an implied audience.