The Hunting Of The Snark Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AB CDCD EFEF GHGH IDID JKJK LMLM NONO PQRQ STQT UVWV XYXY DZDZ A2B2A2B2 YVYV C2YC2Y D2E2D2E2 YVYV F2MF2M G2H2G2H2 I2J2I2J2 K2L2K2L2 M2SM2S N2O VVVV F2O2F2O2 VVSV VYP2Y Q2H2R2H2 S2FQ2Q2 VQ2VQ2 YQ2Q2Q2 Q2VQ2V T2D2T2D2 Q2OQ2O VVVV VYVY VKVK U2VYV Q2V2Q2V2 F2VF2V Q2R2Q2R2 VQ2VQ2 Q2W2Q2W2 X2VX2V Q2L2 VVVV YH2YH2 Y2D2YD2 Z2Q2YQ2 VYMY Q2H2Q2H2 U2Q2VQ2 DA3D Q2Q2Q2Q2 VU2V B3VB3V C3Q2C3Q2 YQ2VQ2 VI2VI2 D3Y KC3KC3 E3U2F3U2 KQ2SQ2 VVVV G3YG3Y VQ2VQ2 U2Q2U2Q2 DA3DA3 Q2VQ2V Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2VDV Q2H3Q2H3 Q2Q2VQ2 Q2VQ2V I3J3I3J3 Q2K2Q2K2 Q2SQ2S Q2K3Q2K3 L3R2 DA3DA3 F3F2F3F2 Q2VQ2V YVYV M3K2M3K2 YN3L2N3 Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2VQ2V Q2VQ2V DQ2DQ2 VQ2VQ2 R2VVV YI2YI2 VVVV Q2Q2O3Q2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 VQ2VQ2 P3Q2P3Q2 Q3VR3V VVR2V Q2R2Q2R2 C3Q2C3S3 T3VT3V Q2U3Q2U3 VQ2VQ2 VVVV Q2R2VR2 QD2QD2 VK2VK2 V3Y2 DA3DA3 P3YP3Y Q2YYY W3Q2W3Q2 Q2R2Q2R2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 X3Q2VQ2 N3Q2N3 Q2Q2Q2Q2 VVVV C3Q2C3Q2 Q2H2Q2H2 Q2VQ2V Q2Q2Q2Q2 S2 Q2Q2Q2 Q2VQ2V Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2N3H2Y3 Z3Q2 DA3DA3 Q2YQ2Y DYDY YU2YU2 VQ2Q2Q2 Q2H2Q2H2 VQ3Q2A4 VVVV DVVV Q2Q2VQ2 B4Y DA3DA3 L2Q2L2Q2 Q2YQ2Y Q2YQ2Y C4W3D4E4 VQ2VQ2 DYDY Q2YQ2Y VVVV

Fit the First	A
THE LANDING	B
	-
Just the place for a Snark the Bellman cried	C
As he landed his crew with care	D
Supporting each man on the top of the tide	C
By a finger entwined in his hair	D
	-
Just the place for a Snark I have said it twice	E
That alone should encourage the crew	F
Just the place for a Snark I have said it thrice	E
What i tell you three times is true	F
	-
The crew was complete it included a Boots	G
A maker of Bonnets and Hoods	H
A Barrister brought to arrange their disputes	G
And a Broker to value their goods	H
	-
A Billiard maker whose skill was immense	I
Might perhaps have won more than his share	D
But a Banker engaged at enormous expense	I
Had the whole of their cash in his care	D
	-
There was also a Beaver that paced on the deck	J
Or would sit making lace in the bow	K
And had often the Bellman said saved them from wreck	J
Though none of the sailors knew how	K
	-
There was one who was famed for the number of things	L
He forgot when he entered the ship	M
His umbrella his watch all his jewels and rings	L
And the clothes he had bought for the trip	M
	-
He had forty two boxes all carefully packed	N
With his name painted clearly on each	O
But since he omitted to mention the fact	N
They were all left behind on the beach	O
	-
The loss of his clothes hardly mattered because	P
He had seven coats on when he came	Q
With three pairs of boots but the worst of it was	R
He had wholly forgotten his name	Q
	-
He would answer to Hi or to any loud cry	S
Such as Fry me or Fritter my wig	T
To What you may call um or What was his name	Q
But especially Thing um a jig	T
	-
While for those who preferred a more forcible word	U
He had different names from these	V
His intimate friends called him Candle ends	W
And his enemies Toasted cheese	V
	-
His form in ungainly his intellect small	X
So the Bellman would often remark	Y
But his courage is perfect And that after all	X
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark	Y
	-
He would joke with hyenas returning their stare	D
With an impudent wag of the head	Z
And he once went a walk paw in paw with a bear	D
Just to keep up its spirits he said	Z
	-
He came as a Baker but owned when too late	A2
And it drove the poor Bellman half mad	B2
He could only bake Bridecake for which I may state	A2
No materials were to be had	B2
	-
The last of the crew needs especial remark	Y
Though he looked an incredible dunce	V
He had just one idea but that one being Snark	Y
The good Bellman engaged him at once	V
	-
He came as a Butcher but gravely declared	C2
When the ship had been sailing a week	Y
He could only kill Beavers The Bellman looked scared	C2
And was almost too frightened to speak	Y
	-
But at length he explained in a tremulous tone	D2
There was only one Beaver on board	E2
And that was a tame one he had of his own	D2
Whose death would be deeply deplored	E2
	-
The Beaver who happened to hear the remark	Y
Protested with tears in its eyes	V
That not even the rapture of hunting the Snark	Y
Could atone for that dismal surprise	V
	-
It strongly advised that the Butcher should be	F2
Conveyed in a separate ship	M
But the Bellman declared that would never agree	F2
With the plans he had made for the trip	M
	-
Navigation was always a difficult art	G2
Though with only one ship and one bell	H2
And he feared he must really decline for his part	G2
Undertaking another as well	H2
	-
The Beaver's best course was no doubt to procure	I2
A second hand dagger proof coat	J2
So the Baker advised it and next to insure	I2
Its life in some Office of note	J2
	-
This the Banker suggested and offered for hire	K2
On moderate terms or for sale	L2
Two excellent Policies one Against Fire	K2
And one Against Damage From Hail	L2
	-
Yet still ever after that sorrowful day	M2
Whenever the Butcher was by	S
The Beaver kept looking the opposite way	M2
And appeared unaccountably shy	S
	-
	-
Fit the Second	N2
THE BELLMAN'S SPEECH	O
	-
The Bellman himself they all praised to the skies	V
Such a carriage such ease and such grace	V
Such solemnity too One could see he was wise	V
The moment one looked in his face	V
	-
He had bought a large map representing the sea	F2
Without the least vestige of land	O2
And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be	F2
A map they could all understand	O2
	-
What's the good of Mercator's North Poles and Equators	V
Tropics Zones and Meridian Lines	V
So the Bellman would cry and the crew would reply	S
They are merely conventional signs	V
	-
Other maps are such shapes with their islands and capes	V
But we've got our brave Captain to thank	Y
So the crew would protest that he's bought us the best	P2
A perfect and absolute blank	Y
	-
This was charming no doubt but they shortly found out	Q2
That the Captain they trusted so well	H2
Had only one notion for crossing the ocean	R2
And that was to tingle his bell	H2
	-
He was thoughtful and grave but the orders he gave	S2
Were enough to bewilder a crew	F
When he cried Steer to starboard but keep her head larboard	Q2
What on earth was the helmsman to do	Q2
	-
Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes	V
A thing as the Bellman remarked	Q2
That frequently happens in tropical climes	V
When a vessel is so to speak snarked	Q2
	-
But the principal failing occurred in the sailing	Y
And the Bellman perplexed and distressed	Q2
Said he had hoped at least when the wind blew due East	Q2
That the ship would not travel due West	Q2
	-
But the danger was past they had landed at last	Q2
With their boxes portmanteaus and bags	V
Yet at first sight the crew were not pleased with the view	Q2
Which consisted to chasms and crags	V
	-
The Bellman perceived that their spirits were low	T2
And repeated in musical tone	D2
Some jokes he had kept for a season of woe	T2
But the crew would do nothing but groan	D2
	-
He served out some grog with a liberal hand	Q2
And bade them sit down on the beach	O
And they could not but own that their Captain looked grand	Q2
As he stood and delivered his speech	O
	-
Friends Romans and countrymen lend me your ears	V
They were all of them fond of quotations	V
So they drank to his health and they gave him three cheers	V
While he served out additional rations	V
	-
We have sailed many months we have sailed many weeks	V
Four weeks to the month you may mark	Y
But never as yet 'tis your Captain who speaks	V
Have we caught the least glimpse of a Snark	Y
	-
We have sailed many weeks we have sailed many days	V
Seven days to the week I allow	K
But a Snark on the which we might lovingly gaze	V
We have never beheld till now	K
	-
Come listen my men while I tell you again	U2
The five unmistakable marks	V
By which you may know wheresoever you go	Y
The warranted genuine Snarks	V
	-
Let us take them in order The first is the taste	Q2
Which is meager and hollow but crisp	V2
Like a coat that is rather too tight in the waist	Q2
With a flavor of Will o the wisp	V2
	-
Its habit of getting up late you'll agree	F2
That it carries too far when I say	V
That it frequently breakfasts at five o'clock tea	F2
And dines on the following day	V
	-
The third is its slowness in taking a jest	Q2
Should you happen to venture on one	R2
It will sigh like a thing that is deeply distressed	Q2
And it always looks grave at a pun	R2
	-
The fourth is its fondness for bathing machines	V
Which is constantly carries about	Q2
And believes that they add to the beauty of scenes	V
A sentiment open to doubt	Q2
	-
The fifth is ambition It next will be right	Q2
To describe each particular batch	W2
Distinguishing those that have feathers and bite	Q2
And those that have whiskers and scratch	W2
	-
For although common Snarks do no manner of harm	X2
Yet I feel it my duty to say	V
Some are Boojums The Bellman broke off in alarm	X2
For the Baker had fainted away	V
	-
	-
Fit the Third	Q2
THE BAKER'S TALE	L2
	-
They roused him with muffins they roused him with ice	V
They roused him with mustard and cress	V
They roused him with jam and judicious advice	V
They set him conundrums to guess	V
	-
When at length he sat up and was able to speak	Y
His sad story he offered to tell	H2
And the Bellman cried Silence Not even a shriek	Y
And excitedly tingled his bell	H2
	-
There was silence supreme Not a shriek not a scream	Y2
Scarcely even a howl or a groan	D2
As the man they called Ho told his story of woe	Y
In an antediluvian tone	D2
	-
My father and mother were honest though poor	Z2
Skip all that cried the Bellman in haste	Q2
If it once becomes dark there's no chance of a Snark	Y
We have hardly a minute to waste	Q2
	-
I skip forty years said the Baker in tears	V
And proceed without further remark	Y
To the day when you took me aboard of your ship	M
To help you in hunting the Snark	Y
	-
A dear uncle of mine after whom I was named	Q2
Remarked when I bade him farewell	H2
Oh skip your dear uncle the Bellman exclaimed	Q2
As he angrily tingled his bell	H2
	-
He remarked to me then said that mildest of men	U2
'If your Snark be a Snark that is right	Q2
Fetch it home by all means you may serve it with greens	V
And it's handy for striking a light	Q2
	-
'You may seek it with thimbles and seek it with care	D
You may hunt it with forks and hope	A3
You may threaten its life with a railway share	D
You may charm it with smiles and soap '	-
	-
That's exactly the method the Bellman bold	Q2
In a hasty parenthesis cried	Q2
That's exactly the way I have always been told	Q2
That the capture of Snarks should be tried	Q2
	-
'But oh beamish nephew beware of the day	V
If your Snark be a Boojum For then	U2
You will softly and suddenly vanish away	V
And never be met with again '	-
	-
It is this it is this that oppresses my soul	B3
When I think of my uncle's last words	V
And my heart is like nothing so much as a bowl	B3
Brimming over with quivering curds	V
	-
It is this it is this We have had that before	C3
The Bellman indignantly said	Q2
And the Baker replied Let me say it once more	C3
It is this it is this that I dread	Q2
	-
I engage with the Snark every night after dark	Y
In a dreamy delirious fight	Q2
I serve it with greens in those shadowy scenes	V
And I use it for striking a light	Q2
	-
But if ever I meet with a Boojum that day	V
In a moment of this I am sure	I2
I shall softly and suddenly vanish away	V
And the notion I cannot endure	I2
	-
	-
Fit the fourth	D3
THE HUNTING	Y
	-
The Bellman looked uffish and wrinkled his brow	K
If only you'd spoken before	C3
It's excessively awkward to mention it now	K
With the Snark so to speak at the door	C3
	-
We should all of us grieve as you well may believe	E3
If you never were met with again	U2
But surely my man when the voyage began	F3
You might have suggested it then	U2
	-
It's excessively awkward to mention it now	K
As I think I've already remarked	Q2
And the man they called Hi replied with a sigh	S
I informed you the day we embarked	Q2
	-
You may charge me with murder or want of sense	V
We are all of us weak at times	V
But the slightest approach to a false pretense	V
Was never among my crimes	V
	-
I said it in Hebrew I said it in Dutch	G3
I said it in German and Greek	Y
But I wholly forgot and it vexes me much	G3
That English is what you speak	Y
	-
'Tis a pitiful tale said the Bellman whose face	V
Had grown longer at every word	Q2
But now that you've stated the whole of your case	V
More debate would be simply absurd	Q2
	-
The rest of my speech he explained to his men	U2
You shall hear when I've leisure to speak it	Q2
But the Snark is at hand let me tell you again	U2
'Tis your glorious duty to seek it	Q2
	-
To seek it with thimbles to seek it with care	D
To pursue it with forks and hope	A3
To threaten its life with a railway share	D
To charm it with smiles and soap	A3
	-
For the Snark's a peculiar creature that won't	Q2
Be caught in a commonplace way	V
Do all that you know and try all that you don't	Q2
Not a chance must be wasted to day	V
	-
For England expects I forbear to proceed	Q2
'Tis a maxim tremendous but trite	Q2
And you'd best be unpacking the things that you need	Q2
To rig yourselves out for the fight	Q2
	-
Then the Banker endorsed a blank check which he crossed	Q2
And changed his loose silver for notes	V
The Baker with care combed his whiskers and hair	D
And shook the dust out of his coats	V
	-
The Boots and the Broker were sharpening a spade	Q2
Each working the grindstone in turn	H3
But the Beaver went on making lace and displayed	Q2
No interest in the concern	H3
	-
Though the Barrister tried to appeal to its pride	Q2
And vainly proceeded to cite	Q2
A number of cases in which making laces	V
Had been proved an infringement of right	Q2
	-
The maker of Bonnets ferociously planned	Q2
A novel arrangement of bows	V
While the Billiard marker with quivering hand	Q2
Was chalking the tip of his nose	V
	-
But the Butcher turned nervous and dressed himself fine	I3
With yellow kid gloves and a ruff	J3
Said he felt it exactly like going to dine	I3
Which the Bellman declared was all stuff	J3
	-
Introduce me now there's a good fellow he said	Q2
If we happen to meet it together	K2
And the Bellman sagaciously nodding his head	Q2
Said That must depend on the weather	K2
	-
The Beaver went simply galumphing about	Q2
At seeing the Butcher so shy	S
And even the Baker though stupid and stout	Q2
Made an effort to wink with one eye	S
	-
Be a man said the Bellman in wrath as he heard	Q2
The Butcher beginning to sob	K3
Should we meet with a Jubjub that desperate bird	Q2
We shall need all our strength for the job	K3
	-
	-
Fit the Fifth	L3
THE BEAVER'S LESSON	R2
	-
They sought it with thimbles they sought it with care	D
They pursued it with forks and hope	A3
They threatened its life with a railway share	D
They charmed it with smiles and soap	A3
	-
Then the Butcher contrived an ingenious plan	F3
For making a separate sally	F2
And fixed on a spot unfrequented by man	F3
A dismal and desolate valley	F2
	-
But the very same plan to the Beaver occurred	Q2
It had chosen the very same place	V
Yet neither betrayed by a sign or a word	Q2
The disgust that appeared in his face	V
	-
Each thought he was thinking of nothing but Snark	Y
And the glorious work of the day	V
And each tried to pretend that he did not remark	Y
That the other was going that way	V
	-
But the valley grew narrow and narrower still	M3
And the evening got darker and colder	K2
Till merely from nervousness not from goodwill	M3
They marched along shoulder to shoulder	K2
	-
Then a scream shrill and high rent the shuddering sky	Y
And they knew that some danger was near	N3
The Beaver turned pale to the tip of its tail	L2
And even the Butcher felt queer	N3
	-
He thought of his childhood left far far behind	Q2
That blissful and innocent state	Q2
The sound so exactly recalled to his mind	Q2
A pencil that squeaks on a slate	Q2
	-
'Tis the voice of the Jubjub he suddenly cried	Q2
This man that they used to call Dunce	V
As the Bellman would tell you he added with pride	Q2
I have uttered that sentiment once	V
	-
'Tis the note of the Jubjub Keep count I entreat	Q2
You will find I have told it you twice	V
'Tis the song of the Jubjub The proof is complete	Q2
If only I've stated it thrice	V
	-
The Beaver had counted with scrupulous care	D
Attending to every word	Q2
But it fairly lost heart and outgrabe in despair	D
When the third repetition occurred	Q2
	-
It felt that in spite of all possible pains	V
It had somehow contrived to lose count	Q2
And the only thing now was to rack its poor brains	V
By reckoning up the amount	Q2
	-
Two added to one if that could but be done	R2
It said with one's fingers and thumbs	V
Recollecting with tears how in earlier years	V
It had taken no pains with its sums	V
	-
The thing can be done said the Butcher I think	Y
The thing must be done I am sure	I2
The thing shall be done Bring me paper and ink	Y
The best there is time to procure	I2
	-
The Beaver brought paper portfolio pens	V
And ink in unfailing supplies	V
While strange creepy creatures came out of their dens	V
And watched them with wondering eyes	V
	-
So engrossed was the Butcher he heeded them not	Q2
As he wrote with a pen in each hand	Q2
And explained all the while in a popular style	O3
Which the Beaver could well understand	Q2
	-
Taking Three as the subject to reason about	Q2
A convenient number to state	Q2
We add Seven and Ten and then multiply out	Q2
By One Thousand diminished by Eight	Q2
	-
The result we proceed to divide as you see	V
By Nine Hundred and Ninety Two	Q2
Then subtract Seventeen and the answer must be	V
Exactly and perfectly true	Q2
	-
The method employed I would gladly explain	P3
While I have it so clear in my head	Q2
If I had but the time and you had but the brain	P3
But much yet remains to be said	Q2
	-
In one moment I've seen what has hitherto been	Q3
Enveloped in absolute mystery	V
And without extra charge I will give you at large	R3
A Lesson in Natural History	V
	-
In his genial way he proceeded to say	V
Forgetting all laws of propriety	V
And that giving instruction without introduction	R2
Would have caused quite a thrill in Society	V
	-
As to temper the Jubjub's a desperate bird	Q2
Since it lives in perpetual passion	R2
Its taste in costume is entirely absurd	Q2
It is ages ahead of the fashion	R2
	-
But it knows any friend it has met once before	C3
It never will look at a bride	Q2
And in charity meetings it stands at the door	C3
And collects though it does not subscribe	S3
	-
Its flavor when cooked is more exquisite far	T3
Than mutton or oysters or eggs	V
Some think it keeps best in an ivory jar	T3
And some in mahogany kegs	V
	-
You boil it in sawdust you salt it in glue	Q2
You condense it with locusts and tape	U3
Still keeping one principal object in view	Q2
To preserve its symmetrical shape	U3
	-
The Butcher would gladly have talked till next day	V
But he felt that the lesson must end	Q2
And he wept with delight in attempting to say	V
He considered the Beaver his friend	Q2
	-
While the Beaver confessed with affectionate looks	V
More eloquent even than tears	V
It had learned in ten minutes far more than all books	V
Would have taught it in seventy years	V
	-
They returned hand in hand and the Bellman unmanned	Q2
For a moment with noble emotion	R2
Said This amply repays all the wearisome days	V
We have spent on the billowy ocean	R2
	-
Such friends as the Beaver and Butcher became	Q
Have seldom if ever been known	D2
In winter or summer 'twas always the same	Q
You could never meet either alone	D2
	-
And when quarrels arose as one frequently finds	V
Quarrels will spite of every endeavor	K2
The song of the Jubjub recurred to their minds	V
And cemented their friendship for ever	K2
	-
	-
Fit the Sixth	V3
THE BARRISTER'S DREAM	Y2
	-
They sought it with thimbles they sought it with care	D
They pursued it with forks and hope	A3
They threatened its life with a railway share	D
They charmed it with smiles and soap	A3
	-
But the Barrister weary of proving in vain	P3
That the Beaver's lace making was wrong	Y
Fell asleep and in dreams saw the creature quite plain	P3
That his fancy had dwelt on so long	Y
	-
He dreamed that he stood in a shadowy Court	Q2
Where the Snark with a glass in its eye	Y
Dressed in gown bands and wig was defending a pig	Y
On the charge of deserting its sty	Y
	-
The Witnesses proved without error or flaw	W3
That the sty was deserted when found	Q2
And the Judge kept explaining the state of the law	W3
In a soft under current of sound	Q2
	-
The indictment had never been clearly expressed	Q2
And it seemed that the Snark had begun	R2
And had spoken three hours before any one guessed	Q2
What the pig was supposed to have done	R2
	-
The Jury had each formed a different view	Q2
Long before the indictment was read	Q2
And they all spoke at once so that none of them knew	Q2
One word that the others had said	Q2
	-
You must know said the Judge but the Snark exclaimed Fudge	X3
That statute is obsolete quite	Q2
Let me tell you my friends the whole question depends	V
On an ancient manorial right	Q2
	-
In the matter of Treason the pig would appear	N3
To have aided but scarcely abetted	Q2
While the charge of Insolvency fails it is clear	N3
If you grant the plea 'never indebted '	-
	-
The fact of Desertion I will not dispute	Q2
But its guilt as I trust is removed	Q2
So far as related to the costs of this suit	Q2
By the Alibi which has been proved	Q2
	-
My poor client's fate now depends on you votes	V
Here the speaker sat down in his place	V
And directed the Judge to refer to his notes	V
And briefly to sum up the case	V
	-
But the Judge said he never had summed up before	C3
So the Snark undertook it instead	Q2
And summed it so well that it came to far more	C3
Than the Witnesses ever had said	Q2
	-
When the verdict was called for the Jury declined	Q2
As the word was so puzzling to spell	H2
But they ventured to hope that the Snark wouldn't mind	Q2
Undertaking that duty as well	H2
	-
So the Snark found the verdict although as it owned	Q2
It was spent with the toils of the day	V
When it said the word GUILTY the Jury all groaned	Q2
And some of them fainted away	V
	-
Then the Snark pronounced sentence the Judge being quite	Q2
Too nervous to utter a word	Q2
When it rose to its feet there was silence like night	Q2
And the fall of a pin might be heard	Q2
	-
Transportation for lift was the sentence it gave	S2
	-
And then to be fined forty pound	Q2
The Jury all cheered though the Judge said he feared	Q2
That the phrase was not legally sound	Q2
	-
But their wild exultation was suddenly checked	Q2
When the jailer informed them with tears	V
Such a sentence would have not the slightest effect	Q2
As the pig had been dead for some years	V
	-
The Judge left the Court looking deeply disgusted	Q2
But the Snark though a little aghast	Q2
As the lawyer to whom the defense was entrusted	Q2
Went bellowing on to the last	Q2
	-
Thus the Barrister dreamed while the bellowing seemed	Q2
To grow every moment more clear	N3
Till he woke to the knell of a furious bell	H2
Which the Bellman rang close at his ear	Y3
	-
	-
Fit the Seventh	Z3
THE BANKER'S FATE	Q2
	-
They sought it with thimbles they sought it with care	D
They pursued it with forks and hope	A3
They threatened its life with a railway share	D
They charmed it with smiles and soap	A3
	-
And the Banker inspired with a courage so new	Q2
It was matter for general remark	Y
Rushed madly ahead and was lost to their view	Q2
In his zeal to discover the Snark	Y
	-
But while he was seeking with thimbles and care	D
A Bandersnatch swiftly drew nigh	Y
And grabbed at the Banker who shrieked in despair	D
For he knew it was useless to fly	Y
	-
He offered large discount he offered a check	Y
Drawn to bearer for seven pounds ten	U2
But the Bandersnatch merely extended its neck	Y
And grabbed at the Banker again	U2
	-
Without rest or pause while those frumious jaws	V
Went savagely snapping around	Q2
He skipped and he hopped and he floundered and flopped	Q2
Till fainting he fell to the ground	Q2
	-
The Bandersnatch fled as the others appeared	Q2
Led on by that fear stricken yell	H2
And the Bellman remarked It is just as I feared	Q2
And solemnly tolled on his bell	H2
	-
He was black in the face and they scarcely could trace	V
The least likeness to what he had been	Q3
While so great was his fright that his waistcoat turned white	Q2
A wonderful thing to be seen	A4
	-
To the horror of all who were present that day	V
He uprose in full evening dress	V
And with senseless grimaces endeavored to say	V
What his tongue could no longer express	V
	-
Down he sank in a chair ran his hands through his hair	D
And chanted in mimsiest tones	V
Words whose utter inanity proved his insanity	V
While he rattled a couple of bones	V
	-
Leave him here to his fate it is getting so late	Q2
The Bellman exclaimed in a fright	Q2
We have lost half the day Any further delay	V
And we sha'nt catch a Snark before night	Q2
	-
	-
Fit the Eighth	B4
THE VANISHING	Y
	-
They sought it with thimbles they sought it with care	D
They pursued it with forks and hope	A3
They threatened its life with a railway share	D
They charmed it with smiles and soap	A3
	-
They shuddered to think that the chase might fail	L2
And the Beaver excited at last	Q2
Went bounding along on the tip of its tail	L2
For the daylight was nearly past	Q2
	-
There is Thingumbob shouting the Bellman said	Q2
He is shouting like mad only hark	Y
He is waving his hands he is wagging his head	Q2
He has certainly found a Snark	Y
	-
They gazed in delight while the Butcher exclaimed	Q2
He was always a desperate wag	Y
They beheld him their Baker their hero unnamed	Q2
On the top of a neighboring crag	Y
	-
Erect and sublime for one moment of time	C4
In the next that wild figure they saw	W3
As if stung by a spasm plunge into a chasm	D4
While they waited and listened in awe	E4
	-
It's a Snark was the sound that first came to their ears	V
And seemed almost too good to be true	Q2
Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers	V
Then the ominous words It's a Boo	Q2
	-
Then silence Some fancied they heard in the air	D
A weary and wandering sigh	Y
Then sounded like jum but the others declare	D
It was only a breeze that went by	Y
	-
They hunted till darkness came on but they found	Q2
Not a button or feather or mark	Y
By which they could tell that they stood on the ground	Q2
Where the Baker had met with the Snark	Y
	-
In the midst of the word he was trying to say	V
In the midst of his laughter and glee	V
He had softly and suddenly vanished away	V
For the Snark was a Boojum you see	V

Lewis Carroll

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About The Hunting Of The Snark

The Hunting Of The Snark is a poem by Lewis Carroll. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.

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