A Rare Dr. Seuss

The Hoobub and the Grinch

Dr. Seuss

The Hoobub was lying outdoors in the sun,

The wonderful, wonderful, warm summer sun.

“There’s nothing,” he said, “quite as good as the sun!”

Then, up walked a Grinch with a piece of green string.

“How much,” asked the Grinch, “will you pay for this thing?

You sure ought to have it. You’d find it great fun.

And it’s worth a lot more than that old-fashioned sun.”

“Huh . . . ?” asked the Hoobub. “Sounds silly to me.

Worth more than the sun . . . ? Why, that surely can’t be.”

“But it is!” grinned the Grinch. “Let me give you the reasons.”

The sun’s only good in a couple short seasons.

For you’ll have to admit that in winter and fall

The sun is quite weak. It is not strong at all.

But this wonderful piece of green string I have here

Is strong, my good friend, every month of the year!”

“Even so . . .” said the Hoobub, “I still sort of doubt . . .”

“But you know,” yapped the Grinch, and he started to shout,

“That sometimes the sun doesn’t even come out!

But this marvelous piece of green string I have here, I declare,

Can come out of your pocket, if you keep it there,

Any time, day or night! Any place! Anywhere!

“Humm . . .” said the Hoobub. “That would be quite handy . . .”

“This piece of green string,” yelled the Grinch, “is a dandy!

That sun, let me tell you, is dangerous stuff!

It can freckle your face. It can make your skin rough.

When the sun gets too hot, it can broil you like fat!

But this piece of green string, sir, will NEVER do that!

This piece of green string is colossal! Immense!

And to you . . . well, I’ll sell it for 98 cents!”

And the Hoobub . . . he bought!

(And I’m sorry to say

That Grinches sell Hoobubs such things every day.)

When I was a child, I found this Dr. Seuss poem in a newspaper. I cut it out and kept it until the paper turned yellow. I've not located it in any Dr. Seuss collection. If you know of it in print anywhere, I'd appreciate hearing from you.