Betty Botter Bought Some Butter

Bitter or Better - Taste to Make Sure!

In several illustrations studied, Betty knows the butter is bitter because she tastes it. If one sees this illustration only, it is hard to tell whether this is the bitter or better butter or whether or not Betty has already tasted it. Only the first half of the rhyme, which focuses on the bitter butter, is included in the lower part of the illustration under Betty's table, so you might assume she has just tasted the bitter butter and decided she needs to go out and get some more. However, the expression on her face is not all that clear. Perhaps she already went out and bought some more butter and is about to taste it, hoping that it will be better, not bitter.. Or perhaps she is wondering whether she can get away with using the bitter butter just this once. Of course, there's only one way to know, and that is to taste it. The portions of red in this mostly black and white image and the fact that the frames of the double border are broken by Betty's head and by the homey objects placed in each corner catch the eye. Nonetheless, our title character with her rosy cheeks and quizzical expression remains the center of attention. Note the folk art traditions in this illustration.