The Mock Turtle's Song facts for kids
"The Mock Turtle's Song", also known as the "Lobster Quadrille", is a fun song from Lewis Carroll's 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. A character called the Mock Turtle sings this song. He also does a special dance with it. His teacher, named Tortoise, taught him this song when he was at school.
About the Mock Turtle's Song
"The Lobster Quadrille" was written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He is better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll. This song is a parody of another poem. A parody is like a funny copy of something else. This song makes fun of "The Spider and the Fly" by Mary Botham Howitt.
The song appears in Chapter 10 of Carroll's book. It is sung by the Mock Turtle. The poem sounds a lot like "The Spider and the Fly." They have similar rhymes and rhythm.
Here are the first lines of both songs: Will you walk a little faster said a whiting to a snail... (The Lobster Quadrille) Will you walk into my parlour said a spider to a fly... (The Spider and the Fly)
This song fits right into the story. Chapters 9 and 10 are about the Mock Turtle's life. They also tell about his school days under the sea. The words are very silly and imaginative. They feature sea animals like porpoises, snails, and lobsters.
In the song, a whiting fish asks a snail to join a dance. The snail would be thrown into the sea towards France. But the snail is scared and says no. The song does not say why he is scared. But some people in France like to eat snails, called escargot!
Song 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?"
Who Has Performed This Song?
Many artists have used "The Mock Turtle's Song" in their music.
The band Franz Ferdinand (band) performed the song. It was for the 2010 movie Alice in Wonderland. The song was also on the movie's soundtrack.
The song was also performed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They later formed the famous band Steely Dan. They recorded it as a demo song before their band started.
