Snark (Lewis Carroll)
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The eponymous snark in Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark is a fictional animal, the quarry for a hunting party comprising some highly unlikely characters.
There are several different varieties of snark. Some have feathers and bite, and some have whiskers and scratch. Some are Boojums, which are the most dangerous kind. If anyone meets with this variety, he will softly and suddenly vanish away and never be met with again.
The taste of the snark is meager and hollow, but crisp (apparently like a coat that is too tight in the waist), with a flavor of Will-o-the-wisp. It is sometimes served with greens. It also sleeps late into the day. The snark is very ambitious, and has very little sense of humor, but it is susceptible of being charmed with smiles and soap. It is also very fond of bathing-machines, and constantly carries them about wherever it goes. It is also handy for striking a light.
The domain of the snark is an island filled with chasms and crags, many months sail from England. On the same island may also be found other creatures such as the Jubjub and Bandersnatch. It is the same island where the Jabberwock was slain. The snark is a peculiar creature that cannot be captured in a commonplace way. Above all, courage is required during a snark hunt. The most common method is to seek it with thimbles, care, forks and hope.
External links
- Gutenberg's full text of the poem (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext91/snark12.txt)
- Full text with original illustrations (http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/snark/index.html)