The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits
Cover scans
Click a cover for a larger version.
Synopsis
A group of people (a Bellman, a Boots, a Bonnet-maker, a Barrister, a Broker, a Billiard-marker, a Banker, a Butcher, a Baker, and a Beaver) leave on a ship to hunt the eponymous snark, a strange creature which, if it is of the Boojum type, will make you vanish and never be seen from again!
Review
A very short, humorous, and entertaining absurd poem; the helmsman's brought a blank map (much easier to read, you see), the Baker forgets his name and luggage, the captain gives contradictory navigation orders, etc. Some words are just made up, like Snark, Boojum, and fromious. The general feel of the poem is of playful punning and light-hearted rhymes. I definitely recommend it, though since it's so short, there's not much to say about it.
Table of contents
- Preface
- Fit the First: The Landing
- Fit the Second: The Bellman's Speech
- Fit the Third: The Baker's Tale
- Fit the Fourth: The Hunting
- Fit the Fifth: The Beaver's Lesson
- Fit the Sixth: The Barrister's Dream
- Fit the Seventh: The Banker's Fate
- Fit the Eigth: The Vanishing