A
grue is a
grisly little
comic poem with
sadistic content and
trick last lines. They are sometimes known as "
Little Willies" because of the "
hero" of many of them. The word was
coined by no less a
personage than
Robert Louis Stevenson, from "
gruesome".
Although their content is certainly no worse than the daily news, most grues are anonymous.
Willie poisoned father's tea
Father died in agony.
Mother looked extremely vexed;
"Really, Willie," she said, "what next?"