FITS
Wɖ iḷstreśnz bî Henri Hoḷde
Fit ɖ Frst
Ɖ LANDÑ
“Jst ɖ ples fr a Snarc!” ɖ Belmn craid,
Az h landd hiz cru wɖ cer,
S’portñ ć man on ɖ top v ɖ tîd
Bî a fngr intwînd in hiz her.
“Jst ɖ ples fr a Snarc! I hv sd it twîs.
Ɖt alon śd incurij ɖ cru.
Jst ɖ ples fr a Snarc! I hv sd it ʈrîs.
Ẃt I tel y ʈri tîmz z tru.”
Ɖ cru wz cmplit: it includd a Būts,
A mcr v Bonits n Hŭdz,
A Baristr—bròt t arenj ɖer dspyts—
N a Brocr, t valy ɖer gdz.
A Biłdmarcr, huz scil wz imns,
Mt phps hv wún mor ɖn hiz śer,
Bt a Bancr, ingejd at inorṃs xpns,
Hd ɖ hol v ɖer caś in hiz cer.
Ɖr wz olso a Bīvr, ɖt pêst on ɖ dec,
Or wd sit mcñ lês in ɖ bǎ
N hd ofn (ɖ Belmn sd) sevd ɖm fṛm rec,
Ɖo nn v ɖ sêlrz ń hǎ.
Ɖr wz wn hu wz femd fr ɖ numbr v ʈñz
H fgot ẃn h entrd ɖ śip:
Hiz umbrela, hiz woć, ol hiz juwlz n rñz,
N ɖ cloɖz h hd bòt fr ɖ trip.
H hd forti-tū boxz, ol cerf̣li páct,
Wɖ hiz nem pentd clirli on ć,
Bt, sins h omitd t mnśn ɖ fact,
Ɖe wr ol left bhnd on ɖ bīć.
Ɖ los v hiz cloɖz hardli matrd, bcz
H hd sevn cots on ẃn h cem,
Wɖ ʈri perz v būts,bt ɖ wrst v it wz,
H hd hoļi fgotn hiz nem.
H wd ansr t “Hai!” or t eni lǎd crî,
Sć az “Frî m!” or “Fritr mî wig!”
T “Ẃt-y-me-cōl-’m!” or “Ẃt-wz-hiz-nem!”
Bt ispeṣ́li “Ʈñ-’m-a-jig!”
Ẃl, fr ɖoz hu prifŕd a mor forṣbl wrd,
H hd difṛnt nemz fṛm ɖz:
Hiz intiṃt frendz cōld him “Candl-endz,”
N hiz eṇmiz “Tostd-ćīz.”
“Hiz form z ungenli,hiz inṭlect smōl”
(So ɖ Belmn wd ofn rmarc)
“Bt hiz curij z prfict! N ɖt, aftr ol,
Z ɖ ʈñ ɖt wn nīdz wɖ a Snarc.”
H wd joc wɖ hîīnaz, rtrnñ ɖer stér
Wɖ an impydnt wag v ɖ hed
N h wns wnt a wōc, pw-in-pw, wɖ a ber,
“Jst t cīp p its spirits,” h sd.
H cem az a Becr, bt ǒnd, ẃn tù lêt—
N it drouv ɖ pur Belmn haf-mad—
H cd onli bec Brîdcec, fr ẃć, I me stet,
No mtirịlz wr t b hd.
Ɖ last v ɖ cru nīdz ispeśl rmarc,
Ɖo h lct an increḍbl duns:
H hd jst wn îdīa, bt ɖt wn biyñ “Snarc,”
Ɖ gd Belmn ingejd him at wns.
H cem az a Bćr, bt grevli dclerd,
Ẃn ɖ śip hd bn sêlñ a wīc,
H cd onli cil Bīvrz. Ɖ Belmn lct scerd
N wz olmst tù frîtnd t spīc.
Bt at leñʈ h xplend, in a treḿḷs ton,
Ɖr wz onli wn Bīvr on bōrd
N ɖt wz a tem wn h hd v hiz ǒn,
Huz deʈ wd b dīpli dplord.
Ɖ Bīvr, hu hapnd t hír ɖ rmarc,
Pṛtstd, wɖ tirz in its îz,
Ɖt nt īvn ɖ rapćr v huntñ ɖ Snarc
Cd aton fr ɖt dizṃl s’prîz!
It stroñli advîzd ɖt ɖ Bćr śd b
Cnveid in a sepṛt śip,
Bt ɖ Belmn dclerd ɖt wd nvr agri
Wɖ ɖ planz h hd md fr ɖ trip.
Naṿgeśn wz olwz a dificlt art,
Ɖo wɖ onli wn śip n wn bel
N h fird h mst riyli dclîn, fr hiz part,
Unḍtecñ anɖr az wel.
Ɖ Bīvr’z bst cors wz, no dǎt, t pṛkr
A secnd-hand dagr-prūf cot—
So ɖ Becr advîzd it—n nxt, t inśur
Its lîf in sm Ofis v not.
Ɖs ɖ Bancr sjstd, n ofrd fr hîr
(On modṛt trmz), or fr seil,
Tū x’ḷnt Poḷsiz, wn Agnst Fîr,
N wn Agnst Damij Fṛm Hêl.
Yt stl, evr aftr ɖt soṛfl de,
Ẃnvr ɖ Bćr wz bî,
Ɖ Bīvr cept lcñ ɖ oṗzit we,
N apird un’cǎntbli śî.
___
Fit ɖ Secnd
Ɖ BELMN’Z SPĪĆ
Ɖ Belmn himslf ɖe ol prezd t ɖ scîz:
Sć a carij, sć īz n sć gres!
Sć s’lemṇti, tù! Wn cd si h wz wîz,
Ɖ momnt wn lct in hiz fes!
H hd bòt a larj map reprizntñ ɖ sì,
Wɖt ɖ līst vstij v land
N ɖ cru wr mć plizd ẃn ɖe faund it t b
A map ɖe cd ol unḍstand.
“Ẃt’s ɖ gd v Mrcetr’z Norʈ Polz n Iqetrz,
Tropics, Zonz, n Mridịn Lînz?”
So ɖ Belmn wd crî n ɖ cru wd rplî
“Ɖe r mirli cnvnśnl sînz!
“Uɖr maps r sć śeps, wɖ ɖer îḷndz n ceps!
Bt w’v got ǎr brev Captin t ʈanc”
(So ɖ cru wd pṛtst) “ɖt h’z bòt s ɖ bst—
A prfict n abṣlut blanc!”
Ɖs wz ćarmñ, no dǎt, bt ɖe śortli faund ǎt
Ɖt ɖ Captin ɖe trustd so wel
Hd onli wn nośn fr crosñ ɖ ośn,
N ɖt wz t tngl hiz bel.
H wz ʈtfl n grev, bt ɖ ordrz h gev
Wr inuf t b’wildr a cru.
Ẃn h craid “Stir t starḅd, bt cīp hr hed larḅd!”
Ẃt on rʈ wz ɖ hlmzmn t d?
Ɖen ɖ bǒsprit got mixt wɖ ɖ rudr smtmz,
A ʈñ, az ɖ Belmn rmarct,
Ɖt frīqntli hapnz in tropicl clîmz,
Ẃn a vesl z, so t spīc, “snarct.”
Bt ɖ prinsipl felñ ocŕd in ɖ sêlñ,
N ɖ Belmn, pplext n dstrest,
Sd h hd hopt, at līst, ẃn ɖ wind blù dy Īst,
Ɖt ɖ śip wd nt travl dy Wst!
Bt ɖ denjr wz past—ɖe hd landd at last,
Wɖ ɖer boxz, portmantoz, n bagz,
Yt at frst sît ɖ cru wr nt plizd wɖ ɖ vy,
Ẃć cnsistd v cazmz n cragz.
Ɖ Belmn psivd ɖt ɖer spirits wr lo,
N rpitd in ḿzicl ton
Sm jocs h hd cept fr a sīzn v wo,
Bt ɖ cru wd d nʈñ bt gron.
H srvd ǎt sm grog wɖ a libṛl hand,
N bád ɖm sit dǎn on ɖ bīć
N ɖe cd nt bt ǒn ɖt ɖer Captin lct grand,
Az h std n dlivrd hiz spīć.
“Frendz, Romnz, n cuntriṃn, lend m yr irz!”
(Ɖe wr ol v ɖm fond v qteśnz,
So ɖe dranc t hiz hlʈ, n ɖe gev him ʈri ćirz,
Ẃl h srvd ǎt adiśnl raśnz).
“W hv sêld mni munʈs, w hv sêld mni wīcs,
(For wīcs t ɖ munʈ y me marc),
Bt nvr az yt (’tiz yr Captin hu spīcs)
Hv w còt ɖ līst glims v a Snarc!
“W hv sêld mni wīcs, w hv sêld mni dez,
(Sevn dez t ɖ wīc I alǎ),
Bt a Snarc, on ɖ ẃć w mt luvñli gêz,
W hv nvr bheld tl nǎ!
“Cm, lisn, mî men, ẃl I tel y agn
Ɖ fîv unmistecbl marcs
Bî ẃć y me nǒ, ẃr-so-evr y g,
Ɖ woṛntd jenyin Snarcs.
“Let s tec ɖm in ordr. Ɖ frst z ɖ test,
Ẃć z mīgr n holo, bt crisp,
Lîc a cot ɖt z rɖr tù tît in ɖ weist,
Wɖ a flevr v Wl-o’-ɖ-wisp.
“Its habit v gtñ p lêt y’l agri
Ɖt it cariz tù far, ẃn I se
Ɖt it frīqntli brecfsts at fîv-o’cloc ti,
N dînz on ɖ folowñ de.
“Ɖ ʈrd z its slǒnis in tecñ a jest.
Śd y hapn t vnćr on wn,
It wl sai lîc a ʈñ ɖt z dīpli dstrest
N it olwz lcs grev at a pun.
“Ɖ forʈ z its fondnis fr beɖñmśīnz,
Ẃć it constntli cariz abt,
N b’livz ɖt ɖe ad t ɖ byti v sīnz—
A sntimnt opn t dǎt.
“Ɖ fifʈ z ambiśn. It nxt wl b rît
T dscrîb ć ptiklr bać,
Dstnḡśñ ɖoz ɖt hv feɖrz, n bît,
N ɖoz ɖt hv ẃiscrz, n scrać.
“Fr, olɖo comn Snarcs d no manr v harm,
Yt, I fīl it mî dyti t se,
Sm r Būjmz—” Ɖ Belmn brouc of in alarm,
Fr ɖ Becr hd fentd awe.
Fit ɖ Ʈrd
Ɖ BECR’Z TÊL
Ɖe rǎzd him wɖ mufinz,ɖe rǎzd him wɖ îs,
Ɖe rǎzd him wɖ musṭd n cres,
Ɖe rǎzd him wɖ jam n jdiśs advîs,
Ɖe set him cnundṛmz t ges.
Ẃn at leñʈ h sat p n wz ebl t spīc,
Hiz sad stori h ofrd t tel
N ɖ Belmn craid “Sîḷns! Nt īvn a śrīc!”
N xîtidli tngld hiz bel.
Ɖr wz sîḷns s’prīm! Nt a śrīc, nt a scrīm,
Scersli īvn a hǎl or a gron,
Az ɖ man ɖe cōld “Hǒ!” tld hiz stori v wo
In an antiḍluvịn ton.
“Mî faɖr n muɖr wr onist, ɖo pur—”
“Scip ol ɖt!” craid ɖ Belmn in hest.
“F it wns bcmz darc, ɖr’z no ćans v a Snarc—
W hv hardli a minit t west!”
“I scip forti yirz,” sd ɖ Becr, in tirz,
“N pṛsid wɖt frɖr rmarc
T ɖ de ẃn y tc m abōrd v yr śip
T hlp y in huntñ ɖ Snarc.
“A dir uncl v mîn (aftr hūm I wz nemd)
Rmarct, ẃn I bád him férwel—”
“Ǒ, scip yr dir uncl!” ɖ Belmn xclemd,
Az h angṛli tngld hiz bel.
“H rmarct t m ɖen,” sd ɖt mîldist v men,
“‘F yr Snarc b a Snarc, ɖt z rît.
Feć it hom bî ol mīnz—y me srv it wɖ grīnz
N it’s handi fr strîcñ a lît.
“‘Y me sīc it wɖ ʈimblz—n sīc it wɖ cer,
Y me hunt it wɖ forcs n hop,
Y me ʈretn its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
Y me ćarm it wɖ smîlz n sop—’”
(“Ɖt’s xacli ɖ meʈ̇d,” ɖ Belmn bold
In a hesti p’renʈ̇sis craid,
“Ɖt’s xacli ɖ we I hv olwz bn tld
Ɖt ɖ capćr v Snarcs śd b traid!”)
“‘Bt ǒ, bīmiś nefy, bwer v ɖ de,
F yr Snarc b a Būjm! Fr ɖen
Y wl softli n sudnli vaniś awe,
N nvr b met wɖ agn!’
“It z ɖs, it z ɖs ɖt opresz mî soul,
Ẃn I ʈnc v mî uncl’z last wrdz
N mî hart z lîc nʈñ so mć az a bol
Brimñ ovr wɖ qiṿrñ crdz!
“It z ɖs, it z ɖs—” “W hv hd ɖt bfr!”
Ɖ Belmn indignntli sd.
N ɖ Becr rplaid “Let m se it wns mor.
It z ɖs, it z ɖs ɖt I dred!
“I ingej wɖ ɖ Snarc evri nît aftr darc
In a drīmi dlirịs fît.
I srv it wɖ grīnz in ɖoz śadǒi sīnz,
N I yz it fr strîcñ a lît.
“Bt f evr I mīt wɖ a Būjm, ɖt de,
In a momnt (v ɖs I am śr),
I śl softli n sudnli vaniś awe—
N ɖ nośn I canot indyr!”
Fit ɖ Forʈ
Ɖ HUNTÑ
Ɖ Belmn lct hufiś, n rincld hiz brǎ.
“F onli y’d spocn bfr!
It’s xesivli ōcẉd t mnśn it nǎ,
Wɖ ɖ Snarc, so t spīc, at ɖ dor!
“W śd ol v s grīv, az y wel me b’liv,
F y nvr wr met wɖ agn,
Bt śrli, mî man, ẃn ɖ vôij bgan,
Y mt hv sjstd it ɖen?
“It’s xesivli ōcẉd t mnśn it nǎ,
Az I ʈnc I’v olrdi rmarct.”
N ɖ man ɖe cōld “Hai!” rplaid, wɖ a sai,
“I informd y ɖ de w imbarct.
“Y me ćarj m wɖ mrdr, or wont v sns
(W r ol v s wìc at tîmz)
Bt ɖ slîtist aproć t a fōls pritns
Wz nvr amñ mî crîmz!
“I sd it in Hībru, I sd it in Duć,
I sd it in Jrmn n Grīc,
Bt I hoļi fgot (n it vxz m mć)
Ɖt Ñgliś z ẃt y spīc!”
“’Tiz a pitifl têl,” sd ɖ Belmn, huz fes
Hd groun longr at evri wrd,
“Bt, nǎ ɖt y’v stetd ɖ hol v yr ces,
Mor dbet wd b simpli absrd.
“Ɖ rest v mî spīć” (h xplend t hiz men)
“Y śl hír ẃn I’v leźr t spīc it.
Bt ɖ Snarc z at hand, let m tel y agn!
’Tiz yr glorịs dyti t sīc it!
“T sīc it wɖ ʈimblz, t sīc it wɖ cer,
T psy it wɖ forcs n hop,
T ʈretn its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
T ćarm it wɖ smîlz n sop!
“Fr ɖ Snarc’s a pkłr crīćr, ɖt w’nt
B còt in a comnples we.
D ol ɖt y nǒ, n trî ol ɖt y d’nt:
Nt a ćans mst b westd tde!
“Fr Ñgḷnd xpcts—I fōrber t pṛsid,
’Tiz a maxim tṛmnḍs, bt trît,
N y’d bst b unpacñ ɖ ʈñz ɖt y nīd
T rig yrslvz ǎt fr ɖ fît.”
Ɖen ɖ Bancr indorst a blanc ćéc (ẃć h crost),
N ćenjd hiz lūs silvr fr nots.
Ɖ Becr wɖ cer comd hiz ẃiscrz n her,
N śc ɖ dust ǎt v hiz cots.
Ɖ Būts n ɖ Brocr wr śarṗnñ a sped,
Ć wrcñ ɖ grîndston in trn,
Bt ɖ Bīvr wnt on mcñ lês, n dspleid
No inṭrest in ɖ cnsrn.
Ɖo ɖ Baristr traid t apil t its prîd,
N venli pṛsidd t sáit
A numbr v cesz, in ẃć mcñ lêsz
Hd bn pruvd an infrinjmnt v rît.
Ɖ mcr v Bonits f’rośsli pland
A novl arenjmnt v boz,
Ẃl ɖ Biłdmarcr wɖ qiṿrñ hand
Wz ćōcñ ɖ tip v hiz nǒz.
Bt ɖ Bćr trnd nrṿs, n drest himslf fîn,
Wɖ yelo cid gluvz n a rúf—
Sd h flt it xacli lîc gwñ t dîn,
Ẃć ɖ Belmn dclerd wz ol “stuf.”
“Intṛdys m, nǎ ɖr’z a gd felo,” h sd,
“F w hapn t mīt it tgɖr!”
N ɖ Belmn, sgeśsli nodñ hiz hed,
Sd “Ɖt mst dpnd on ɖ weɖr.”
Ɖ Bīvr wnt simpli g’lumfñ abt
At siyñ ɖ Bćr so śî
N īvn ɖ Becr, ɖo stypid n stǎt,
Md an ef̣t t wnc wɖ wn î.
“B a man!” sd ɖ Belmn in roʈ, az h hŕd
Ɖ Bćr bginñ t sob.
“Śd w mīt wɖ a Jub-Jub, ɖt despṛt brd,
W śl nīd ol ǎr streñʈ fr ɖ job!”
Fit ɖ Fifʈ
Ɖ BĪVR’Z LÉSN
Ɖe sòt it wɖ ʈimblz, ɖe sòt it wɖ cer,
Ɖe psyd it wɖ forcs n hop,
Ɖe ʈretnd its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
Ɖe ćarmd it wɖ smîlz n sop.
Ɖen ɖ Bćr cntrîvd an injīńs plan
Fr mcñ a sepṛt sali
N hd fixt on a spot unfriqntd bî man,
A dizṃl n dezḷt vali.
Bt ɖ vri sem plan t ɖ Bīvr ocŕd:
It hd ćozn ɖ vri sem ples,
Yt nɖr btreid, bî a sîn or a wrd,
Ɖ dsgust ɖt apird in hiz fes.
Ć ʈt h wz ʈncñ v nʈñ bt “Snarc”
N ɖ glorịs wrc v ɖ de
N ć traid t pritnd ɖt h dd nt rmarc
Ɖt ɖ uɖr wz gwñ ɖt we.
Bt ɖ vali grù naro n narowr stl,
N ɖ īvnñ got darcr n coldr,
Tl (mirli fṛm nrṿsnis, nt fṛm gdwil)
Ɖe marćt alñ śoldr t śoldr.
Ɖen a scrīm, śril n hî, rent ɖ śuḍrñ scî,
N ɖe ń ɖt sm denjr wz nir.
Ɖ Bīvr trnd pel t ɖ tip v its teil,
N īvn ɖ Bćr flt qir.
H ʈt v hiz ćîldhd, left far far bhnd—
Ɖt blisfl n iṇsnt stet—
Ɖ sǎnd so xacli rcōld t hiz mînd
A pensl ɖt sqīcs on a slet!
“’Tiz ɖ vôs v ɖ Jub-Jub!” h sudnli craid.
(Ɖs man, ɖt ɖe yst t cōl “Duns.”)
“Az ɖ Belmn wd tel y,” h add wɖ prîd,
“I hv utrd ɖt sntimnt wns.
“’Tiz ɖ not v ɖ Jub-Jub! Cīp cǎnt, I intrit.
Y wl fînd I hv tld it y twîs.
’Tiz ɖ soñ v ɖ Jub-Jub! Ɖ prūf z cmplit,
F onli I’v stetd it ʈrîs.”
Ɖ Bīvr hd cǎntd wɖ scrūpyḷs cer,
Atndñ t evri wrd,
Bt it ferli lost hart, n ǎtgreb in dsper,
Ẃn ɖ ʈrd reṗtiśn ocŕd.
It flt ɖt, in spît v ol poṣbl penz,
It hd smhǎ cntrîvd t lūz cǎnt,
N ɖ onli ʈñ nǎ wz t rac its pur brenz
Bî rec̣nñ p ɖ amǎnt.
“Tū add t wn, f ɖt cd bt b dn,”
It sd, “wɖ wn’z fngrz n ʈumz!”
Rec̣lectñ wɖ tirz hǎ, in rlịr yirz,
It hd tecn no penz wɖ its sumz.
“Ɖ ʈñ cn b dn,” sd ɖ Bćr, “I ʈnc.
Ɖ ʈñ mst b dn, I am śr.
Ɖ ʈñ śl b dn! Brñ m pepr n ñc,
Ɖ bst ɖr z tîm t pṛkr.”
Ɖ Bīvr bròt pepr, portfolio, pnz,
N ñc in unfelñ s’plîz,
Ẃl strenj crīpi crīćrz cem ǎt v ɖer dnz,
N woćt ɖm wɖ wunḍrñ îz.
So ingrost wz ɖ Bćr, h hīdd ɖm nt,
Az h rout wɖ a pén in ć hand,
N xplend ol ɖ ẃl in a popylr stîl
Ẃć ɖ Bīvr cd wel unḍstand.
“Tecñ Ʈri az ɖ subjict t rīzn abt—
A cnvińnt numbr t stet—
W ad Sevn, n Ten, n ɖen mulṭplî ǎt
Bî Wn Ʈǎznd dminiśt bî Et.
“Ɖ rzult w pṛsid t dvîd, az y si,
Bî Nîn Hundṛd n Nînti Tū.
Ɖen sbtract Sevntīn, n ɖ ansr mst b
Xacli n prf̣cli tru.
“Ɖ meʈ̇d imploid I wd gladli xplen,
Ẃl I hv it so clir in mî hed,
F I hd bt ɖ tîm n y hd bt ɖ bren,
Bt mć yt rmenz t b sd.
“In wn momnt I’v sìn ẃt hz hiɖrtu bn
Inveḷpt in abṣlut misṭri,
N wɖt xtra ćarj I wl gv y at larj
A Lésn in Naćṛl Hisṭri.”
In hiz jīńl we h pṛsidd t se
(Fgetñ ol lwz v pṛprayti,
N ɖt gvñ instrux́n, wɖt intṛdux́n,
Wd hv cōzd qt a ʈril in Ssayti).
“Az t tmpr, ɖ Jub-Jub’z a despṛt brd,
Sins it livz in ppećl paśn.
Its test in costym z intîrli absrd—
It z ejz ahd v ɖ faśn.
“Bt it nz eni frend it hz met wns bfr,
It nvr wl lc at a brîb
N in ćaṛtīmītñz it standz at ɖ dor,
N c’lects, ɖo it dz nt sbscrîb.
“Its flevr ẃn cct z mor xqizit far
Ɖn mutn, or ôstrz, or egz.
(Sm ʈnc it cīps bst in an îṿri jar,
N sm, in mhoġni cegz.)
“Y bôl it in swdust, y sōlt it in glu,
Y cndns it wɖ loc̣sts n tep,
Stl cīpñ wn prinsipl objict in vy—
T prizrv its s’metricl śep.”
Ɖ Bćr wd gladli hv tōct tl nxt de,
Bt h flt ɖt ɖ lésn mst end,
N h wept wɖ dlît in atmtñ t se
H cnsidrd ɖ Bīvr hiz frend.
Ẃl ɖ Bīvr cnfest, wɖ afx́ṇt lcs
Mor eḷqnt īvn ɖn tirz,
It hd lrnt in ten minits far mor ɖn ol bcs
Wd hv tòt it in sevnti yirz.
Ɖe rtrnd hand-in-hand, n ɖ Belmn, unmand
(Fr a momnt) wɖ nobl imośn,
Sd “Ɖs ampli rīpez ol ɖ wirism dez
W hv spent on ɖ bilǒi ośn!”
Sć frendz, az ɖ Bīvr n Bćr bcem,
Hv sldm f evr bn noun.
In wintr or sumr, ’tẉz olwz ɖ sem—
Y cd nvr mīt îɖr alon.
N ẃn qoṛlz arouz, az wn frīqntli fîndz
Qoṛlz wl, spît v evri indevr,
Ɖ soñ v ɖ Jub-Jub rcŕd t ɖer mîndz,
N s’mentd ɖer frendśp fr evr!
Fit ɖ Sixʈ
Ɖ BARISTR’Z DRĪM
Ɖe sòt it wɖ ʈimblz, ɖe sòt it wɖ cer,
Ɖe psyd it wɖ forcs n hop,
Ɖe ʈretnd its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
Ɖe ćarmd it wɖ smîlz n sop.
Bt ɖ Baristr, wiri v pruvñ in ven
Ɖt ɖ Bīvr’z lês-mcñ wz roñ,
Fél aslip, n in drīmz sw ɖ crīćr qt plen
Ɖt hiz fansi hd dwelt on so loñ.
H drīmd ɖt h std in a śadǒi Cort,
Ẃr ɖ Snarc, wɖ a glas in its î,
Drest in gǎn, bandz, n wig, wz dfndñ a pig
On ɖ ćarj v dzrtñ its stî.
Ɖ Witṇsz pruvd, wɖt err or flw,
Ɖt ɖ stî wz dzrtd ẃn faund
N ɖ Juj cept xplenñ ɖ stet v ɖ lw
In a soft unḍcuṛnt v sǎnd.
Ɖ indîtmnt hd nvr bn clirli xprest,
N it sīmd ɖt ɖ Snarc hd bgun,
N hd spocn ʈri aurz, bfr enwn gést
Ẃt ɖ pig wz s’pozd t hv dn.
Ɖ Jri hd ć formd a difṛnt vy
(Loñ bfr ɖ indîtmnt wz réd),
N ɖe ol spouc at wns, so ɖt nn v ɖm ń
Wn wrd ɖt ɖ uɖrz hd sd.
“Y mst nǒ—” sd ɖ Juj, bt ɖ Snarc xclemd “Fuj!”
Ɖt statyt z obṣlīt qt!
Let m tel y, mî frendz, ɖ hol qsćn dpndz
On an enćnt mnorịl rît.
“In ɖ matr v Trīzn ɖ pig wd apir
T hv edd, bt scersli abétd,
Ẃl ɖ ćarj v Insolvnsi felz, it z clir,
F y grant ɖ pli ‘nvr indétd.’
“Ɖ fact v Dzrśn I wl nt dspyt,
Bt its gilt, az I trust, z rmuvd
(So far az rletd t ɖ costs v ɖs sūt)
Bî ɖ Aḷbî ẃć hz bn pruvd.
“Mî pur claynt’s fet nǎ dpndz on yr vots.”
Hir ɖ spīcr sat dǎn in hiz ples,
N d’rectd ɖ Juj t rfŕ t hiz nots
N brīfli t sum p ɖ ces.
Bt ɖ Juj sd h nvr hd sumd p bfr,
So ɖ Snarc unḍtc it instd,
N sumd it so wel ɖt it cem t far mor
Ɖn ɖ Witṇsz evr hd sd!
Ẃn ɖ vrdict wz cōld fr, ɖ Jri dclînd,
Az ɖ wrd wz so puẓlñ t spel,
Bt ɖe vnćrd t hop ɖt ɖ Snarc wd’nt mînd
Unḍtecñ ɖt dyti az wel.
So ɖ Snarc faund ɖ vrdict, olɖo, az it ǒnd,
It wz spent wɖ ɖ tôlz v ɖ de.
Ẃn it sd ɖ wrd “GILTI!” ɖ Jri ol grond,
N sm v ɖm fentd awe.
Ɖen ɖ Snarc pṛnǎnst sntns, ɖ Juj biyñ qt
Tù nrṿs t utr a wrd.
Ẃn it rouz t its fīt, ɖr wz sîḷns lîc nît,
N ɖ fōl v a pin mt b hŕd.
“Transṗteśn fr lîf” wz ɖ sntns it gev,
“N ɖen t b faind forti pǎnd.”
Ɖ Jri ol ćird, ɖo ɖ Juj sd h fird
Ɖt ɖ frêz wz nt līġli sǎnd.
Bt ɖer wîld xlteśn wz sudnli ćect
Ẃn ɖ jelr informd ɖm, wɖ tirz,
Sć a sntns wd hv nt ɖ slîtist ifct,
Az ɖ pig hd bn ded fr sm yirz.
Ɖ Juj left ɖ Cort, lcñ dīpli dsgustd,
Bt ɖ Snarc, ɖo a litl agast,
Az ɖ loyr t hūm ɖ dfns wz intrustd,
Wnt belowñ on t ɖ last.
Ɖus ɖ Baristr drīmd, ẃl ɖ belowñ sīmd
T gro evri momnt mor clir,
Tl h wouc t ɖ nel v a fyrịs bel,
Ẃć ɖ Belmn rañ clos at hiz ir.
Fit ɖ Sevnʈ
Ɖ BANCR’Z FET
Ɖe sòt it wɖ ʈimblz, ɖe sòt it wɖ cer,
Ɖe psyd it wɖ forcs n hop,
Ɖe ʈretnd its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
Ɖe ćarmd it wɖ smîlz n sop.
N ɖ Bancr, inspîrd wɖ a curij so ny
It wz matr fr jenṛl rmarc,
Ruśt madli ahd n wz lost t ɖer vy
In hiz zīl t dscuvr ɖ Snarc
Bt ẃl h wz sīcñ wɖ ʈimblz n cer,
A Banḍsnać swiftli drù nî
N grabd at ɖ Bancr, hu śrīct in dsper,
Fr h ń it wz yslis t flî.
H ofrd larj discǎnt, h ofrd a ćéc
(Drwn “t berr”) fr sevn-pǎndz-ten,
Bt ɖ Banḍsnać mirli xtndd its nec
N grabd at ɖ Bancr agn.
Wɖt rest or pōz, ẃl ɖoz frūmịs jwz
Wnt saṿjli snapñ arnd,
H scipt n h hópt, n h flǎndrd n flopt,
Tl fentñ h fél t ɖ grǎnd.
Ɖ Banḍsnać fled az ɖ uɖrz apird
Léd on bî ɖt fir-stricn yel
N ɖ Belmn rmarct “It z jst az I fird!”
N soḷmli told on hiz bel.
H wz blac in ɖ fes, n ɖe scersli cd tres
Ɖ līst lîcnis t ẃt h hd bn,
Ẃl so gret wz hiz frît ɖt hiz weistcot trnd ẃît—
A wundrfl ʈñ t b sìn!
T ɖ horr v ol hu wr preznt ɖt de
H uprouz in fl īvnñdres,
N wɖ snslis griṃsz indevrd t se
Ẃt hiz tuñ cd no longr xpres.
Dǎn h sanc in a ćer, ran hiz handz ʈru hiz her
N ćantd in mimziist tonz
Wrdz huz utr inaṇti pruvd hiz insaṇti,
Ẃl h ratld a cupl v bonz.
“Līv him hir t hiz fet—it z gtñ so lêt!”
Ɖ Belmn xclemd in a frît.
“W hv lost haf ɖ de. Eni frɖr dle,
N w ś’nt cać a Snarc bfr nît!”
Fit ɖ Etʈ
Ɖ VAṆŚÑ
Ɖe sòt it wɖ ʈimblz, ɖe sòt it wɖ cer,
Ɖe psyd it wɖ forcs n hop,
Ɖe ʈretnd its lîf wɖ a relweśer,
Ɖe ćarmd it wɖ smîlz n sop.
Ɖe śudrd t ʈnc ɖt ɖ ćes mt fel,
N ɖ Bīvr, xîtd at last,
Wnt bǎndñ alñ on ɖ tip v its teil,
Fr ɖ dêlît wz nirli past.
“Ɖr z Ʈñmbob śǎtñ!” ɖ Belmn sd,
“H z śǎtñ lîc mad, onli harc!
H z wevñ hiz handz, h z wagñ hiz hed,
H hz srtnli faund a Snarc!”
Ɖe gezd in dlît, ẃl ɖ Bćr xclemd
“H wz olwz a despṛt wag!”
Ɖe bheld him—ɖer Becr, ɖer hiro uņemd—
On ɖ top v a neḅrñ crag.
Irect n sblîm, fr wn momnt v tîm.
In ɖ nxt, ɖt wîld figr ɖe sw
(Az f stuñ bî a spazm) plunj intu a cazm,
Ẃl ɖe wêtd n lisnd in ō.
“It’s a Snarc!” wz ɖ sǎnd ɖt frst cem t ɖer irz,
N sīmd olmst tù gd t b tru.
Ɖen foloud a toṛnt v laftr n ćirz,
Ɖen ɖ omiṇs wrdz “It’s a Bu-”
Ɖen, sîḷns. Sm fansid ɖe hŕd in ɖ er
A wiri n wonḍrñ sai
Ɖt sǎndd lîc “-jum!” bt ɖ uɖrz dcler
It wz onli a brīz ɖt wnt bî.
Ɖe huntd tl darcnis cem on, bt ɖe faund
Nt a butn, or feɖr, or marc,
Bî ẃć ɖe cd tel ɖt ɖe std on ɖ grǎnd
Ẃr ɖ Becr hd met wɖ ɖ Snarc.
In ɖ mdst v ɖ wrd h wz trayñ t se,
In ɖ mdst v hiz laftr n gli,
H hd softli n sudnli vaniśt awe,
Fr ɖ Snarc wz a Būjm, y si.
