JABBERWOCKY

JABBERWOCKY
Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

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

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

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

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.

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

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

**

How do you like it?

I love it! Also the Polish and the German translation. Trying to learn all the three by heart!

It’s one of the “big boys” of English poetry, and deservedly so.

Rewucki, what’s your point ?

Point in what? In that I like Polish and German translations? I’m Polish and I speak a little German, so what? Perhaps the problem is your oversensitivity in regard to the nations. Needlessly, apparently.

rewucki, don’t listen to Mucius Scevola. that was merely a rude comment. or, am i misunderstanding you mucius?

When you compose a poem and think it is worthy you ululate it to the world with joy and eager enthusiasm, like a nightingale singing its hymn to nature. The art of poetry, in this case, needs not be vassal to any purpose but its own benefit and aesthetical form. Art is absolved by the telos when it is sincere, free and original.

When it fails to be that, one is entitled to ask: “what is the point ?”. When Creative Writing is resumed to copy/paste, one may wonder about the underlining motive.

Rewucki’s post was a reproduction of L C’s poem followed by an inspid commentary, so my concern is a natural one: why post it ? Just because you like it ? To offer me a piece of your vast knowledge and noble aspirations ? If I started posting every poem I like in Creative Writing, what statement would that make ?

Oh, and gratuitously implying that my comment had anything to do with your nationality, or that it was “rude” (when it was nothing more than a plain question) is quite low.

How beautiful
Thy flesh and tongue
How pitiful
Thy soul and fun

Those who care enough
And entertain
Are being laughed at
With words that slay

by the way
meant to say
that you may
make my day
any way

English:
JABBERWOCKY
Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

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

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

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

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.

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

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

French:

Le Jaseroque

Il brilgue: les tôves lubricilleux
Se gyrent en vrillant dans le guave.
Enmîmés sont les gougebosqueux
Et le mômerade horsgrave.

“Garde-toi du Jaseroque, mon fils!
La gueule qui mord; la griffe qui prend!
Garde-toi de l’oiseau Jube, évite
Le frumieux Band-Ã -prend!”

Son glaive vorpal en main, il va-
T-Ã la recherche du fauve manscant;
Puis arrivé a l’arbre Té-Té,
Il y reste, réfléchissant.

Pendant qu’il pense, tout uffusé,
Le Jaseroque, a l’oeil flambant,
Vient siblant par le bois tullegeais,
Et burbule en venant.

Un deux, un deux, par le milieu,
Le glaive vorpal fait pat-Ã -pan!
La bête défaite, avec sa tête,
Il rentre gallomphant.

“As-tu tué le Jaseroque?
Viens à mon coeur, fils rayonnais!
O jour frabbejais! Calleau! Callai!”
Il cortule dans sa joie.

Il brilgue: les tôves lubricilleux
Se gyrent en vrillant dans le guave.
Enmîmés sont les gougebosqueux
Et le mômerade horsgrave.

German:

DER JAMMERWOCH

Es brillig war. Die schlichte Toven
Wirrten und wimmelten in Waben:
Und aller-mümsige Burggoven
Die mohmen Räth’ ausgraben.

“Bewahre doch vor Jammerwoch!
Die Zähne knirschen, Krallen kratzen!
Bewahr’ vor Jubjub-Vogel, vor
Frumiösen Banderschnätzchen!”

Er griff sein vorpals Schwertchen zu,
Er suchte lang das manchsam’ Ding;
Dann, stehend unten Tumtum Baum,
Er anzudenken fing.

Als stand er tief in Andacht auf,
Des Jammerwochen’s Augen-feuer
Durch tulgen Wald mit Wiffel kam
Ein burbelnd Ungeheuer!

Eins, Zwei! Eins, Zwei! Und durch und durch
Sein vorpals Schwert zerschnifer-schnück,
Da blieb es todt! Er, Kopf in Hand,
Geläumfig zog zurück.

“Und schlugst Du ja den Jammerwoch?
Umarme mich, mein Böhm’sches Kind!
O Freuden-Tag! O Halloo-Schlag!”
Er chortelt froh-gesinnt.

Es brillig war. Die schlichte Toven
Wirrten und wimmelten in Waben:
Und aller-mümsige Burggoven
Die mohmen Räth’ ausgraben.

Russian (View:Encoding:Cyrillic Windows 1251):

БАРМАГЛОТ

Перевела на русский Д.Г.Орловская

Варкалось. Хливкие шорьки
Пырялись по наве,
И хрюкотали зелюки,
Как мюмзики в мове.

О бойся Бармаглота, сын!
Он так свирлен и дик,
А в глуше рымит исполин -
Злопастный Брандашмыг!

Но взял он меч, и взял он щит,
Высоких полон дум.
В глущобу путь его лежит
Под дерево Тумтум.

Он стал под дерево и ждет,
И вдруг граахнул гром -
Летит ужасный Бармаглот
И пылкает огнем!

Раз-два, раз-два! Горит трава,
Взы-взы - стрижает меч,
Ува! Ува! И голова
Барабардает с плеч!

О светозарный мальчик мой!
Ты победил в бою!
О храброславленный герой,
Хвалу тебе пою!

Варкалось. Хливкие шорьки
Пырялись по наве,
И хрюкотали зелюки,
Как мюмзики в мове.

Spanish (Cuban):

El Bemboguaba

Jamasardecía y las inquiejosas tojías
girascaban y garrateaban en las guaguanturas.
Tan misefuácatas estaban las cototías
y las jicotumbas con sus chilladuras.

Cuidado, mi hijo, con el Bemboguaba
que te cocogarra y te quijadura.
Cuidado, mi cacho, con el Jubojaba
y despójate el frumioso Bocasura.

Con la mocha labiosa en alto
tanto tiempo buscó al enemigo.
Y recostado al tuntún, al árbol,
quedó un tanto pensativo.

Y mientras seguía en su coco haciendo,
sofosoplando por la manigua,
el Bemboguaba llegó, ojos ardiendo,
que no lo brubuapagaba ni agua.

¡Uno, dos! ¡Uno, dos! La espada
más chévere, dale que dale,
quiquiribú, con la cabeza cortada
del muerto galotriunfante ya sale.

¿Y se la arrancaste al Bemboguaba?
Ven a mis brazos, ¡bellorioso muchachón!
¡Cheverón! ¡Chamacón! ¡Oh frabuactuoso día!
Soltó un risigruño de alegría.

Jamasardecía y las inquiejosas tojías
girascaban y garrateaban en las guaguanturas.
Tan misefuácatas estaban las cototías
y las jicotumbas con sus chilladuras.

Italian:

Ciarlestrone

Era brillosto, e i tospi agìluti
Facean girelli nella civa;
Tutti i paprussi erano mélacri,
Ed il trugòn striniva.

«Ma bada al Ciarlestrone, o figlio!
Con fauci e denti ti rinserra.
Del Giuggio uccèl bada all’artiglio,
E al frumio Bandafferra!»

Il figlio impugna il brando vòrpido
In cerca dei Tontoni all’albero
Fermo e perplesso sta.

Qui mentre sostra in pensier bellici
L’occhidibragia Ciarlestrone
Si sonfla nella selva tulgida,
Sbollando nell’azione!

Un, dué! Un, dué! E poi daccapo,
Il brando vòrpido schidiatta!
Morto il nemico, col suo capo
Galonfa alla ritratta.

«Il Ciarlestrone hai schiantate?
Qua che t’abbracci, o taggioso!
Callò! Callà i! Giorno fregiato!»
Quei stripetò, gioioso.

Era brillosto, e i tospi agìluti
Facean girelli nella civa;
Tutti i paprussi erano mélacri,
Ed il trugòn striniva.

Portuguese (Brazilian):

Jaguadarte

Era briluz. As lesmolisas touvas
Roldavam e relviam nos gramilvos.
Estavam mimsicais as pintalouvas,
E os momirratos davam grilvos.

``Foge do Jaguadarte, o que não morre!
Garra que agarra, bocarra que urra!
Foge da ave Felfel, meu filho, e corre
Do frumioso Babassurra!‘’

Êle arrancou sua espada vorpal
E foi atrás do inimigo do Homundo.
Na árvora Tamtam êle afinal
Parou, um dia, sonilundo.

E enquanto estava em sussustada sesta,
Chegou o Jaguadarte, ôlho de fogo,
Sorrelfiflando através da floresta,
E borbulia um riso louco!

Um, dois! Um, dois! Sua espada mavorta
Vai-vem, vem-vai, para trás, para diante!
Cabeça fere, corta, e, fera morta,
Ei-lo que volta galunfante.

"Pois então tu mataste o Jaguadarte!
Vem aos meus braços, homenino meu!
Oh dia fremular! Bravooh! Bravarte!‘’
Êle se ria jubileu.

Era briluz. As lesmolisas touvas
Roldavam e relviam nos gramilvos.
Estavam mimsicais as pintalouvas,
E os momirratos davam grilvos.

Danish:

“Kloppervok”
Translated by Arne Herløv Petersen from “Jabberwocky”,
by Lewis Carroll,
Copyright 1986 Arne Herløv Petersen

I glummert lys den slyge spæg
stod gomrende og glim.
I børkens dyb stod mamren fjæg
og bungrede i skim.

“Vogt dig for Kloppervok, min søn,
pas på dens tand og klo!
Hold dig fra fuglen Djubberløn
og fra den spuge flog!”

Han tog sit vorpne sværd i hånd
og søgte fjenden trum,
Ved tomtetræets smækre vånd
han ventede så stum.

Som uffig han i tanker stod,
den kurpe Kloppervok
med flammeøjne ret imod
ham kom og guste spok.

Men hug på hug! Og sværdfet slog
så vorpent mod dens hals!
Dér lå den død; dens hoved tog
han med sig i gefals.

“Og, har du fældet Kloppervok?
Min søs, du est en knog!
Det er en glamrig dag, og nok
en spurkel værd, mintro!”

I glummert lys den slyge spæg
stod gomrende og glim.
I børkens dyb stod mamren fjæg
og bungrede i skim.