The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll with an introduction by Alexander Woollcott and the illustrations by John Tenniel |
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MAGGIE'S VISIT TO OXFORD (June 9th to 13th, 1889)
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 | The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll |  |
941
MAGGIE'S VISIT TO OXFORD (June 9th to 13th, 1889)
(Written for Maggie Bowman.)
When Maggie once to Oxford came,
On tour as “Bootles Baby,”
She said, “I'll see this place of fame,
However dull the day be.”
On tour as “Bootles Baby,”
She said, “I'll see this place of fame,
However dull the day be.”
So with her friend she visited
The sights that it was rich in:
And first of all she popped her head
Inside the Christ Church kitchen.
The sights that it was rich in:
And first of all she popped her head
Inside the Christ Church kitchen.
The Cooks around that little child
Stood waiting in a ring:
And every time that Maggie smiled
Those Cooks began to sing—
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
Stood waiting in a ring:
And every time that Maggie smiled
Those Cooks began to sing—
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
“Roast, boil and bake,
For Maggie's sake:
Bring cutlets fine
For her to dine,
Meringues so sweet
For her to eat—
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
For Maggie's sake:
Bring cutlets fine
For her to dine,
Meringues so sweet
For her to eat—
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
Then hand in hand in pleasant talk
They wandered and admired
The Hall, Cathedral and Broad Walk,
Till Maggie's feet were tired:
They wandered and admired
The Hall, Cathedral and Broad Walk,
Till Maggie's feet were tired:
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To Worcester Garden next they strolled,
Admired its quiet lake:
Then to St. John, a college old,
Their devious way they take.
Admired its quiet lake:
Then to St. John, a college old,
Their devious way they take.
In idle mood they sauntered round
Its lawn so green and flat,
And in that garden Maggie found
A lovely Pussy-Cat!
Its lawn so green and flat,
And in that garden Maggie found
A lovely Pussy-Cat!
A quarter of an hour they spent
In wandering to and fro:
And everywhere that Maggie went,
The Cat was sure to go—
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
In wandering to and fro:
And everywhere that Maggie went,
The Cat was sure to go—
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
“Maiow! Maiow!
Come, make your bow,
Take off your hats,
Ye Pussy-Cats!
And purr and purr,
To welcome her,
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
Come, make your bow,
Take off your hats,
Ye Pussy-Cats!
And purr and purr,
To welcome her,
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
So back to Christ Church, not too late
For them to go and see
A Christ Church undergraduate,
Who gave them cakes and tea.
For them to go and see
A Christ Church undergraduate,
Who gave them cakes and tea.
Next day she entered with her guide
The garden called “Botanic,”
And there a fierce Wild Boar she spied,
Enough to cause a panic:
The garden called “Botanic,”
And there a fierce Wild Boar she spied,
Enough to cause a panic:
943
But Maggie didn't mind, not she,
She would have faced, alone,
That fierce wild boar, because, you see,
The thing was made of stone.
She would have faced, alone,
That fierce wild boar, because, you see,
The thing was made of stone.
On Magdalen walls they saw a face
That filled her with delight,
A giant face, that made grimace
And grinned with all its might.
That filled her with delight,
A giant face, that made grimace
And grinned with all its might.
A little friend, industrious,
Pulled upwards all the while
The corner of its mouth, and thus
He helped that face to smile!
Pulled upwards all the while
The corner of its mouth, and thus
He helped that face to smile!
“How nice,” thought Maggie, “it would be
If I could have a friend
To do that very thing for me
And make my mouth turn up with glee,
By pulling at one end.”
If I could have a friend
To do that very thing for me
And make my mouth turn up with glee,
By pulling at one end.”
In Magdalen Park the deer are wild
With joy, that Maggie brings
Some bread a friend had given the child,
To feed the pretty things.
With joy, that Maggie brings
Some bread a friend had given the child,
To feed the pretty things.
They flock round Maggie without fear:
They breakfast and they lunch,
They dine, they sup, those happy deer—
Still, as they munch and munch,
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
They breakfast and they lunch,
They dine, they sup, those happy deer—
Still, as they munch and munch,
Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom!
“Yes, Deer are we,
And dear is she!
We love this child
So sweet and mild:
We all rejoice
At Maggie's voice:
We all are fed
With Maggie's bread ...
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
And dear is she!
We love this child
So sweet and mild:
944
At Maggie's voice:
We all are fed
With Maggie's bread ...
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
They met a Bishop on their way ...
A Bishop large as life,
With loving smile that seemed to say
“Will Maggie be my wife?”
A Bishop large as life,
With loving smile that seemed to say
“Will Maggie be my wife?”
Maggie thought not, because, you see,
She was so very young,
And he was old as old could be ...
So Maggie held her tongue.
She was so very young,
And he was old as old could be ...
So Maggie held her tongue.
“My Lord, she's Bootles' Baby, we
Are going up and down,”
Her friend explained, “that she may see
The sights of Oxford Town.”
Are going up and down,”
Her friend explained, “that she may see
The sights of Oxford Town.”
“Now say what kind of place it is,”
The Bishop gaily cried.
“The best place in the Provinces!”
That little maid replied.
The Bishop gaily cried.
“The best place in the Provinces!”
That little maid replied.
Away, next morning, Maggie went
From Oxford town: but yet
The happy hours she there had spent
She could not soon forget.
From Oxford town: but yet
The happy hours she there had spent
She could not soon forget.
The train is gone, it rumbles on:
The engine-whistle screams;
But Maggie deep in rosy sleep ...
And softly in her dreams,
Whispers the Battle-cry of Freedom.
The engine-whistle screams;
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And softly in her dreams,
Whispers the Battle-cry of Freedom.
“Oxford, good-bye!”
She seems to sigh.
“You dear old City,
With gardens pretty,
And lanes and flowers,
And college-towers,
And Tom's great Bell ...
Farewell—farewell:
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
She seems to sigh.
“You dear old City,
With gardens pretty,
And lanes and flowers,
And college-towers,
And Tom's great Bell ...
Farewell—farewell:
For Maggie may be
Bootles' Baby!”
| The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll | |