Copy of Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL

In 1871 Lewis Carol wrote the novel, 'Through the Looking Glass' - a sequel to 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1865). Included in it was this nonsense poem about the killing of a 'Jabberwocky' - a fictitious creature.

I'm gonna admit right here: I cannot stand the novels and pictures and films about Alice - all my life I've disliked them intensely! I know they're really clever etc but to me they are just far too mad. I don't want to bother with the meaning and the cleverness when all the images make me soooooo uncomfortable. Alice being huge in the little room; the crazy cat; the flamingos - all of it fills me with the heebie-jeebies. Sorry.

But the Jabberwocky poem, on its own is different - I quite like it. I like that the reader can supply the images for themselves - that all the nonsense words are weirdly suggestive - and quite funny.

Linguistically it is really creative.

It's provided inspiration to many other creatives: illustrators, film-makers... You may have seen the 1977 British comedy, co-written and directed by Terry Gilliam. Jabberwocky the film stars Michael Palin as Dennis, a cooper's apprentice, who is forced, through a series of slapstick misfortunes, to hunt a dragon when his father passes away. If you haven't seen it, do - it's awesome - not actually a Monty Python film, but highly entertaining all the same.

Anyway, here's the poem - if you've not read it before, it'll be a treat...

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

      The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

      Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

      And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

      And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

      He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

      He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.