Hey Diddle Diddle

Bedside Props Dream’s Delight

The bottom portion of this illustration is a realistic portrayal of a young boy sleeping in his bed. Beside him, on his nightstand, are all the objects that will take a role in his dream. There is a small toy cow, a stuffed dog, and a dish and spoon from his bedtime snack. The cat that plays the fiddle and such an important part in this rhyme is a real cat curled up at the foot of his bed. Young viewers will find it interesting to notice that the alphabet book is opened to the letter “V” with an image of a violin. The soft tones befit the quiet, dreamy quality of this image. Note, however, that the actual dream characters have slightly more lively colors and more humor and that the “cloud balloon” containing their actions cannot be contained within the frame of the picture.