Mulga Bill's Bicycle by Andrew Barton Paterson
"Mulga Bill's Bicycle" is a humorous poem written by Andrew Barton Paterson in 1904. The poem tells the story of Mulga Bill, a bushman who acquires a bicycle and sets out to ride it through the Australian outback. Despite encountering various obstacles along the way, including a swarm of angry bees and a crocodile-infested river, Mulga Bill perseveres and successfully reaches his destination. The poem is known for its vivid imagery and clever wordplay, and has become a beloved Australian classic.
By Andrew Barton Paterson · First published 1907 · Genre: Children's literature, Poetry, Humor · 636 words
First lines
'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze; / He turned away the good old horse that served him many days; / He dressed himself in cycling clothes, resplendent to be seen; / He hurried off to town and bought a shining new machine; / And as he wheeled it through the door, with air of lordly pride, / The grinning shop assistant said, 'Excuse me, can you ride?'
What this Textopian page supports
Mulga Bill's Bicycle is listed on Textopian as a poem by Andrew Barton Paterson, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Andrew Barton Paterson
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's literature, Poetry, Humor
- Length: 636 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Mulga Bill's Bicycle by Andrew Barton Paterson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Children's literature — Mulga Bill's Bicycle is a popular poem among children due to its humorous narrative and simple language.
- Poetry — The book is written in a poetic format, full of rhythm and rhyme, typical of Paterson's writing style.
- Humor — The story of Mulga Bill's mishap on his newly purchased bicycle provides a comedic plot point within the poem.
Tags
humor · poetry · Australia · bicycle · adventure · narrative · folklore · rhyme · comedy · character · nature · transportation