The
Zankiwank and the Bletherwitch by S. J. Adair – Fitzgerald with pictures by
Arthur Rackham. We think that the pictures are good in this book ;
we think also, but with the hesitation which a difficult matter demands, that
the text is but poor fun. We say "difficult matter" because there is
nothing about which opinions differ so much. What amuses A simply bores B. We
can only say that the extravagances of the Zankiwank and his company do not
touch our sense of the ridiculous. THE SPECTATOR, January 1897.
Frontispiece
EVERYBODY MADE A RUSH FOR THE TRAIN
PART I
A TRIP TO FABLE LAND
THE JACKARANDAJAM
MR SWINGLEBINKS
THEY WERE RUN INTO BY A DEMON ON A BICYCLE
BIRDS , BEASTS AND FISHES WER5E HURRYING BY IN CONFUSING MASSES
THE FROGS...PLAYING "KISS IN THE RING"
THEY WERE GLUED TO THE EARTH
PART II
THE FAIRIE'S FEATHER AND FLOWER LAND
THE ELFIN ORCHESTRA
I HAVE DISPATCHED THE JACKARANDAJAM AND MR SWINGLEBINKS IN A FOUR-WHEELED CAB
A COPNIES OF FAIRIES....LEAPT FROM THE PETALS FROM THE FLOWERS
THE SLY JACKDAWS AND THE RAVENS... EVIDENTLY PLOTTING MISCHIEF
ONE OF THE PRETTIEST DANCES YOU EVER SAW
TITANIA ARRIVED ...WITH A FULL TRAIN OF FAIRIES AND ELVES
WILLIE PINCHED HIS EXCEEDINGLY THIN LEGS, MAKING HIM JUMP AS HIGH AS AN APRIL RAINBOW
PEASEBLOSSOM AND MUSTARD SEED
QUEEN TITANIA AND HER COURT OF FAIRIES WERE EATING PUDDINGS AND PIES
THE TWO CHILDREN TUMBLED OFF NOTHING INTO A VACANT SPACE
"KEEP THE POT A-BOILING", BAWLED THE ZANKIWANK
SO INTO SHADOWLAND THEY TUMBLED
PART III
A VISIT TO SHADOW LAND
A WHOLE SCHOOL OF CHILDREN FOLLOWING MADLY IN THEIR WAKE
THE GOBLINS STARTED OFF ON HORSEBACK
THE UNFORTUNATE DOLL
THE WINNY WEG WAS DANCING IN A CORNER ALL BY HERSELF
MAUD AND WILLIE WERE RECLINING PEACEFULLY ON A GOLDEN COUCH WITH SILVER CUSHIONS
A GTAME OF LEAP FROG
A GREAT RED CAVERN OPENED AND SWALLOWED UP EVERYTHING
PART IV
THE LAND OF TOPSY TURVEY
"NOW THEN, MOVE ON!"
THE WIMBLE AND THE WAMBLE
YORUMGANDER THE YOUNGER ...APPROACHED THEM WITH A CASE OF PENS
"WHY, HERE HE I"!
THE ZANKIWANK ARGUING WITH THE CLERK AND THE WEATHER COCK
TIME WAS MEANT FOR SLAVES
CHILDREN WITH THE ODDEST HEADS AND FACES EVER SEEN
IT WAS A SORT OF A SKELETON
THE GRIFFIN AND THE PHOENIX
THEY SPRANG INTO THE HASH
DR PAMPLETON
NO ONE INDIVIDUAL GOT HIS OWN PROPER LIMBS FASTENED TO HIM
THERE WAS JOHN OPENING THE CARRIAGE DOOR FOR THEM TO GET OUT
