Reading Notes: Looking-Glass, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Part A

The sun was shining bright.
Alice decided she better interrupt him.
She tried to speak as politely as she could, "if it's VERY long, would you please tell me first which road-" 

Tweedledee smiled gently and began again:

The sun was shining upon the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He tried very hard to make
The billows smooth and bright
This was very peculiar because it was
The middle of the night.


The moon was shining sulkily
Because she believed that  the sun
Had no business being there
After the day was over and done
" It's very rude of him," she said,
" To come and ruin all the fun!"


The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud because
No cloud was in the sky:
There were no birds to fly


The Walrus and the carpenter
were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Tons and tons of sand
" If this were only cleared away"
They said, " it would be grand!"

 " If seven maids with seven mops
swept it for half a year
Do you suppose, " the Walrus said,
 "That they could make this clear?"
"I don't think so," said the carpenter
and he shed a begrudging tear.

"O Oysters, come and stroll with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
" A pleasant walk and pleasant talk,
Along the sandy beach"
We cannot go without more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The oldest Oyster looked at him,
but didn't speak a word:
The oldest oyster winked his eye
and shook his heavy head-
Meaning that he not choose
to leave the oyster bed.

Four young oysters hurried up
all eager for the nice treat
Their coats brushed and faces washed
Their little shoes were clean and neat
And this was odd, because, you know
They did not have any feet.

For other oysters followed behind them
and then another four
quick and dast they came at last
All hopping happily through the waves
and scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked ahead a mile or so
And they rested on a rock
conveniently low:
and al the tiny oysters stood
and waited neatly in a row


" The time has come,"  The Walrus said,
" to talk of many things:
of shoes and ships and sealing wax
of cabbages and kings
and why the sea is boiling hot
and whether pigs have wings."


" Hold on a second," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat,
For some, we are out of breath,
and every one of us is fat!"
" No hurry!" said the carpenter
They thanked him very much for that.


" A loaf of bread," the carpenter suggested,
" Is what we greatly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed-
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue,
"After such kindness. that would be
A very sad thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said
" Do you admire the view?


"It was very kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"

The Carpenter said nothing but
" cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf
I've had to ask you twice



" It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
" To play such a trick,
After we've taken them out this far
and them walk so quick!"
 The Carpenter said nothing but
" The butter spread too thick!'


" I weep for you, " the Walrus said.
" I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears, he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter
" you've had a pleasant run!"
" Shall we be walking home again?"
but answers came there none
and that was really odd, because
theyd eaten every one.

Walrus and Carpenter 

 


Bibliography: 
This story is part of the Looking-Glass unit. Story source: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).