The inspiration for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Yesterday, when going through my cupboards, I discovered one of my favourite story books from my childhood: a picture book version of Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky--a piece that, as you'll see, inspired much of the action, and many of the characters, in Tim Burton's recent blockbuster.

It's fantastical, nonsensical and utterly bewildering. Enjoy!

Jabberwocky

'Twas brillig and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogroves,

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 a while 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 snickersnack

He left it dead and with its head

He went galumphing back

"And hast though slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my armys, my beamish boy

O frabjous day! Calooh, Callay!

He chortled in his joy

'Twas brillig and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogroves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

On second thoughts, it is a RATHER violent little piece for a child to enjoy. Though I know kids don't understand the full import (I CERTAINLY didn't), perhaps it does explain a thing or two about my adult personality traits :P