Part 2 (2/2)

[Footnote 1: _Coesper_ from _Coena_ and _vesper_.]

[Footnote 2: _lubriciles_ from _lubricus_ and _graciles_. See the Commentary in Humpty Dumpty's square, which will also explain _ultravia_, and--if it requires explanation--_moestenui_.]

[Footnote 3: _Sanguis meus_: cf. Verg. Aen. 6. 836, ”Projice tela manu, sanguis meus!”]

[Footnote 4: _egnia_: ”m.u.f.fish” = segnis; ... ”uffish” = egnis.

This is a conjectural a.n.a.logy, but I can suggest no better solution.]

[Footnote 5: _susuffrus_ : ”whiffling” :: _susurrus_ : ”whistling.”]

[Footnote 6: _spicula_: see the picture.]

[Footnote 7: _burbur_: apparently a l.a.b.i.al variation of _murmur_, stronger but more dissonant.]

_THE NYUM-NYUM_

The Nyum-Nyum chortled by the sea, And sipped the wavelets green: He wondered how the sky could be So very nice and clean;

He wondered if the chambermaid Had swept the dust away, And if the scrumptious Jabberwock Had mopped it up that day.

And then in sadness to his love The Nyum-Nyum weeping said, I know no reason why the sea Should not be white or red.

I know no reason why the sea Should not be red, I say; And why the slithy Banders.n.a.t.c.h Has not been round to-day.

He swore he'd call at two o'clock, And now it's half-past four.

”Stay,” said the Nyum-Nyum's love, ”I think I hear him at the door.”

In twenty minutes in there came A creature black as ink, Which put its feet upon a chair And called for beer to drink.

They gave him porter in a tub, But, ”Give me more!” he cried; And then he drew a heavy sigh, And laid him down, and died.

He died, and in the Nyum-Nyum's cave A cry of mourning rose; The Nyum-Nyum sobbed a gentle sob, And slily blew his nose.

The Nyum-Nyum's love, we need not state, Was overwhelmed and sad; She said, ”Oh, take the corpse away, Or you will drive me mad!”

The Nyum-Nyum in his supple arms Took up the gruesome weight, And, with a cry of bitter fear, He threw it at his mate.

And then he wept, and tore his hair, And threw it in the sea, And loudly sobbed with streaming eyes That such a thing could be.

The ox, that mumbled in his stall, Perspired and gently sighed, And then, in sympathy, it fell Upon its back and died.

The hen that sat upon her eggs, With high ambition fired, Arose in simple majesty, And, with a cluck, expired.

The jubejube bird, that carolled there, Sat down upon a post, And with a reverential caw, Gave up its little ghost.

And ere its kind and loving life Eternally had ceased, The donkey, in the ancient barn, In agony deceased.

The raven, perched upon the elm, Gave forth a sc.r.a.ping note, And ere the sound had died away, Had cut its tuneful throat.

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