Jabberwocky: Short Story

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,

It was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the graceful and slimy make-believe creatures known simply as toves were frolicking round and round a sundial located near the side of a hill. The creatures appeared to be a cross between a badger and a lizard, though they also seemed to take on certain characteristics of a corkscrew as well. As they danced round and round the sundial, they would all simultaneously come to a stop after a period of time, twirl about until they left a shallow hole in the ground, and then proceed once more around the sundial. All the flimsy, miserable borogoves, who in appearance seemed to be similar to an extinct parrot—as they are birds without wings, with their beaks turned upwards and feathers sticking out to resemble something of a mop—were also about, always keeping a watchful eye on their nests (which were also under the sundial), as wandering green pigs helplessly cried out in desperation in search of their home.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

The father told his son on this day, "Beware the offspring of speech and nonsense, known as the Jabberwock, my son! The viscous jaws that bite, the evil claws that catch! Beware also the desperate bird that lives in never-ending passion, the Jubjub bird is its name, for that is what it speaks! And avoid with all your might the swift and furious beast—the Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought —
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

The son took heed of his father's faithful words and in his hand took a sword made of vorpal, and began his long search for his fearsome foe—the Jabberwock! He galloped swiftly, he galloped quickly into the Tulgey Wood in search of his foe. But all day and night he searched, and into the morning without finding so much as a trace of his enemy.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

As he stood in thought long and hard, the Jabberwock with fire in its eyes darted quickly through the trees in his direction, emitting an insane, burbling war cry that rang throughout the Tulgey Wood!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

One, two! One, two! The vorpal blade went through its neck! The Jabberwock lay dead, and with its head the son galloped triumphantly home.

'And has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
He chortled in his joy.

The son met his father once more, to which his father cried, "And have you slain the Jabberwock?" The boy presented the head of his dead enemy to his father, who began celebrating, cheering, "Come to my arms, my beamish boy! Oh fabulous, joyous day! Yahoo! Hurray!" he chuckled and snorted in joy. The two celebrated their victory over nonsense, the Jabberwock was no more.

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

It was four o'clock in the afternoon once more, and the slimy toves were once more frolicking round and round the sundial located near the side of a hill. All the flimsy, miserable borogoves were also about, with their beaks turned upwards and their feathers sticking out, always with a watchful eye on their nests as the lost, wandering green pigs still cried out helplessly in desperation in search of their home.