What is a Jabberwocky anyway?

It was all twisted in the Looking Glass world, but Mr Carroll stepped in to straighten things out. What was that small boy doing with a vorpal sword, anyway? And at his age?

The Slithy Toves

The wabe was a good place to gyre and gimble, but the borogroves were all mimsy, and those outgrabing mome raths!

The Warning


Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!

The Search

With a vorpal sword, he strode in search of his manxome foe.

The Tulgey Wood

The burbling Jabberwock, eyes aflame, whiffled up to our young blade, as he stood in uffish thought.

Victory!

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

And with its head...

He went galumphing back.

The return

The proud father exclaimed: "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

Und so weiter ...

"Now my boy, in the matter of this snark..."