i were a beamish boy
wi’ me vorpal sword in hand
an’ the only thing i loved
were adventuring o’er the land
well, me father, he said
beware! the jubjub bird is loose
the bandersnatch, he also
will aim to cook your goose
i weren’t a-worried o’nout
so me father said listen here
methinks you’re headstrong and hearty
but there’s one beast ye should fear
the jabberwock, he’s evil
the jabberwock, he’s crude
the jabberwock, he’s a devil —
and most exceedingly rude
he’ll have yer guts fer garters
he’ll eat yer heart on toast
he knows wha’ t’do wi’ laddies
who haven’t learned not to boast
but i were a beamish boy
wi’ me vorpal sword in hand
an’ i set off a-wandering
up ‘n’ down the manxome land
wi’ a-rumpty, tumpety, tumpety
i came to the tum-tum tree
an’ i stood awhile an’ pondered
for it were only half-past three
an’ as i stood, all uffish
amid this tulgy wood
i set my mind to capture
that fiend if e’re i could
what ho! forsooth! i spotted
amid the gloom a flame
then a whiffle of smoke, then the jabberwock!
(for he burbled as he came)
out i sprang before ‘im
an’ i took ‘im by surprise
he’d ‘nout a chance to see me
except fer the whites o’ me eyes
i jumped on ‘is back an’ stabbed ‘im
me blade went snicker-snack
i ran ‘is heart through an’ just after
i cut off ‘is ‘ed wi’ a whack!
well, i were a beamish boy
so i went me galumphamous way
wi’ the ‘ed in a poke o’er me shoulder
on that mighty fine frabjous day
and hast thou slain the ‘wock? said dad
o sonny, yer my delight!
what a bonny dead beastie — we’ll have us a feastie
an’ sit up half the night!
he chortled an’ wheezed wi’ joy
that the foe were gone from the land
for i were a beamish boy
wi’ me vorpal sword in hand
