Jan 6, 2004 | Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

i'm sure you all know Lewis Carrolls's Jabberwocky (its in Alice in Wonderland's sequel Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. Well here's some interesting background to it (courtesy of Loyola University):

The opening stanza of Jabberwocky first appeared in Misch-Masch which was the last of a series of private little "periodicals" which the young Lewis Carroll wrote, illustrated, and hand-lettered for the amusement of his brothers and sisters. In an issue dated 1855 (he was then 23), under the heading "Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry," the following "curious fragment" appears:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the borogoves
And the mome raths outgrave

The literal English of the passage is: 'It was evening, and the smooth active badgers were scratching and boring holes in the hill-side; all unhappy were the parrots; and the grave turtles squeaked out.'

For more interesting interpretations refer to: http://www.math.luc.edu/~vande/jabglossary.html

Also written on this day..

• 2012: The new urban landscape
• 2009: A Frugal Guide to New York City
• 2004: Dear Ladies and Gentlespoons