The Mock Turtle's Song

"The Mock Turtle's Song", also known as the "Lobster Quadrille", is a song recited by the Mock Turtle in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, accompanied by a dance. It was taught to him at school by his teacher called Tortoise.

General

The Mock Turtle, The Gryphon and Alice

"The Lobster Quadrille" is a song written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll). It is a parody of "The Spider and the Fly" by Mary Botham Howitt. It appeared in Chapter 10 of Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and was sung by a character in the book, the Mock Turtle.

The poem is very similar to "The Spider and the Fly" in the way that it rhymes and mimics its flow and tune. The first lines of the two songs are- Will you walk a little faster said a whiting to a snail...(The Lobster Quadrille) Will you walk into my parlour, said the spider to the fly... (The Spider and the Fly)

The song flows with the chapters 9 and 10, "The Mock Turtle's Story" and "The Lobster Quadrille", which are about the Mock Turtle's life and schooling under the sea, because the song is about animals such as porpoises, sea snails and lobsters.

Lyrics

"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?

See also

References

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