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Sat 3 Feb, 2007 11:03 am
I need the title of the poem in either Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking -Glass, that contains the lines "'Will you walk a little faster' said the whiting to the snail. "'There's an porpoise close behind me and he's treading on my tail'" and "Will you won't you join the dance".
I can't find my "Annotated Alice" and my copies of the books themselves have totally disintegrated. I need the information quickly for a program involving commentary on the poem (which is probably full of contemporary political and/or cultural references).
Tomkitten, I will check my bookshelves but if you pm djjd62 he will probably know.
Well, that was fast:
The Lobster Quadrille
'Will you walk a little faster?' said a whiting to a snail.
'There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle -- will you come and join the dance?
etc.
That the right one?
Ah, I see Sozobe beat me to it. Not so fast I guess...
Poem in Through the Looking-Glass"
I found it by entering the first line (I couldn't remember if it was the first line, but it turned out to be) on one of my favorite sites - Lit Finder.
I love that site; it's right up there alongside A2K, Google and Amazon, all tied for first place.
`"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.
"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my
tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the
dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the
dance?
"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to
sea!"
But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look
askance--
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the
dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join
the dance.
`"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied.
"There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France--
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the
dance?"'
Poem in Through the Looking-Glass"
Gee, I didn't even know anyone had had time to answer, so I didn't bother checking my email.
So thanks to everyone. A2K just might have a slight edge over the other three first-place sites!
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