From: Blunderov (squooker@mweb.co.za)
Date: Wed Jan 16 2002 - 22:48:42 MST
I know the HERM CAUGHT THSI ONE IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF LINES AS WELL!
Blundie! You know Mister Dodgson just had an imbolism
at your usage
of the elusive
twin phantom
of the Boojum
Bavisimo!!
Glad it amused you. It did seem apt.
For those who don't have access to a copy (The Complete Illustrated Works
of Lewis Carroll, Copyright Crown Publishers, Inc.,published by Avenel Books
1982, ISBN 0-517-37155-3 (lib bdg))
and wonder how the story ends....
(from: Fit the Third. The Bakers tale)
"He remarked to me then" said that mildest of men,
"If your Snark be a Snark, that is right
fetch it home by all means-you may serve it with greens
And it's handy for striking a light.
You may seek it with thimbles- and seek it with care:
You may hunt it with forks and hope;
You may threaten it's life with a railway-share;
You may charm it with smiles and soap-'"
("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold
In a hasty parenthesis cried,
That's exactly the way I have always been told
That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")
"'But oh, Beamish nephew, beware of the day,
If your Snark be a Boojum! For then
You will softly and suddenly vanish away,
And never be met with again!'
(from: Fit the Fourth. The Hunting)
The bellman looked uffish and wrinkled his brow,
"If only you'd spoken before!"
It's excessively awkward to mention it now,
With the Snark, so to speak, at the door!"
"We should all of us grieve, as you well may believe,
If you never were met with again-
But surely, my man, when the voyage began,
You might have suggested it then?
It's excessively awkward to mention it now-
As I think I've already remarked"
And the man they called Hermit replied with a sigh,
"I informed you the day we embarked.
You may charge me with murder -or want of sense-
(We are all of us weak at times):
But the slightest approach to a false pretence
Was never among my crimes!
I said it in Hebrew- I said it in Dutch-
I said it in German and Greek:
But I wholly forgot (and it vexes me much)
That English is what you speak!"
(on to: Fit the Eighth: The Vanishing)
"There is thingumbob shouting!" The Bellman said.
He is shouting like mad, only hark!
He is waving his hands, he is wagging his head,
He has certainly found a Snark!"
They gazed in delight, while the Butcher exclaimed
"He was always a desperate wag!"
They beheld him-their Baker-their hero unnamed-
On the top of a neighbouring crag.
Erect and sublime, for one moment of time,
In the next, that wild figure they saw
(As if stung by a spasm)plunge in to a chasm.
While they waited and listened in awe.
"It's a Snark!" was the sound that first came to their ears,
And seemed almost to good to be true,
Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers;
Then the ominous words "It's a Boo-"
Then silence. Some fancied they heard in the air
A weary and wandering sigh
That sounded lke "-jum!" but the others declare
It was only a breeze that went by.
They hunted till darkness came on, but they found
Not a button, or feather, or mark,
by which they could tell that they stood on the ground
Where the Baker had met with the Snark.
In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away-
For the Snark WAS a Boojum, you see."
I wonder whether Dodgson doesn't deserve a place in the pantheon of the CoV.
Regards
Blunderov
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