---
title: 'The Beginning and the End: Oom Paul''s Ultimatum to John Bull'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/puck-oom-paul-ultimatum-1899/
description: 'Two-part Puck centrefold: at left a grinning, top-hatted Kruger seizes a bull in a red coat (John Bull, per the notice) above a paper headed "Oom Paul''s…'
section: Collection
---

[Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)

[![The Beginning and the End: Oom Paul's Ultimatum to John Bull](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/puck-oom-paul-ultimatum-1899.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/puck-oom-paul-ultimatum-1899.jpg)

# The Beginning and the End: Oom Paul's Ultimatum to John Bull

Two-part Puck centrefold: at left a grinning, top-hatted Kruger seizes a bull in a red coat (John Bull, per the notice) above a paper headed "Oom Paul's Ultimatum to John Bull"; at right the bull stands and Kruger is flung upside down through the air, hat falling. The tell: the outcome is drawn as a foregone comic reversal, with the Boer leader a reckless old man and Britain a bull (name-calling).

## Text on the object

Original (english) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
PUCK
"OOM PAUL'S" ULTIMATUM TO JOHN BULL [on the paper on the ground]
THE BEGINNING AND THE END.
Copyright, 1899, by Keppler & Schwarzmann. J. OTTMANN LITHO. CO. PUCK BLDG. N.Y.
[signature:] [illegible]
```

Read from the 1024 px LOC image.

[← A Pretty Tough Mouthful to Swallow: Kruger as Porcupine](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/puck-kruger-porcupine-1899/) ["England and the War in South Africa" (Der wahre Jacob, 1899) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/war-and-capitalism-der-wahre-jacob-1899/)

## Using the same techniques

- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Passional Christi und Antichristi: the emperor kisses the pope's foot (leaf 'Antichristus')](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/passional-christi-antichristi-emperor-kisses-pope-1521/) (Electoral Saxony · 1521 · Name-calling, Card stacking)
- [Anacoana fut pendue sans raison (engraving in Le miroir de la cruelle et horrible tyrannie espagnole)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/anacoana-hanged-miroir-tyrannie-espagnole-1620/) (Dutch Republic · 1620 · Fear appeal, Name-calling). Content note: Engraving of a hanged, bare-breasted Taino woman, burning huts and people being killed by Spanish soldiers.
- [Ondersoeckt de Geesten, ofse van den Duyvel syn, of niet (the De Witt brothers as devils)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ondersoeckt-de-geesten-de-witt-devils-1672/) (Dutch Republic · 1672 · Scapegoating, Name-calling)
- [The Highlanders Medley, or The Duke Triumphant (A Loyal Song)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/highlanders-medley-duke-triumphant-1746/) (Great Britain · 1746 · Name-calling, Transfer)
- [The North Briton, No. XLV, 23 April 1763 (John Wilkes), opening page](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/north-briton-no-45-wilkes-1763/) (Kingdom of Great Britain · Apr 23, 1763 · Name-calling)
- [The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/revere-bloody-massacre-king-street-1770/) (Province of Massachusetts Bay · Mar 1770 · Name-calling, Card stacking). Content note: Hand-coloured engraving of bloodied dead and wounded colonists after soldiers fired on a crowd.
- [Marche du Dom Quichotte moderne pour la deffence du Moulin des Abus (March of the Modern Don Quixote in Defence of the Mill of Abuses)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dom-quichotte-moulin-des-abus-1791/) (France · 1791 · Name-calling, Transfer)