Twas briliag and the slithey toads did gire and gimbal in the wabe?

Question

All mimset were the burrow groves and the Monrats out grabe? What's it mean?

Answer 1

Ah. the Jabberwocky. Those words are used because they make you think of a dark swamp, the setting of the Jabberwocky.

Beware the Jub Jub Bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.

Answer 2

First, it goes like this:
"'Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimbal in the wabe.

All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe."

Lewis Carroll (through the voice of Humpty Dumpty) explained it this way. Brillig is the hottest part of the day, when it is broiling hot outside. I forget what the toves were, but slithy is a combination of lithe and slimy. They were twirling and dancing --that's the gyre and gimbal part -- and the wabe is a shadow. If I recall correctly, it is the shadow of a sundial. I forget about the part with the mimsy borogoves, but mome is short for "from home" and outgrabe is the past tense of the nonsense verb "outgribe" which is to let out a certain kind of sound.

Basically the two lines set up a peaceful summer scene which is about to be interrupted by some dramatic events. Carroll bookends the poem with these same two lines to indicate a return to peace and quiet.

Answer 3

Absolutely nothing.........that's why Jabberwocky is such a wonderful poem.

It's a nice break from trying to find some deep hidden meaning behind everything.