Davy and the Goblin; or, What Followed Reading "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

by Charles E. Carryl, Edmund Birckhead Bensell, Michael Everson

"Davy and the Goblin" appeared first in serialized form in the children's periodical "St Nicholas" beginning in 1884; it was published in book form first in 1885 and remained in print for over 40 years. In 1891 Carryl published another children's book, "The Admiral's Caravan". The story begins on Christmas Eve when eight-year-old Davy drowses by the fireplace reading Lewis Carroll's classic novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Soon he meets a Goblin who transforms the family longcase clock into a boat, beginning Davy on a "believing voyage" where he meets the Butterscotchmen, Mother Hubbard, the Giant Badorful, Robin Hood (and his daughter Little Red Riding), Robinson Crusoe, and other charming characters. "Davy and the Goblin"'s use of nonsense and punning places it firmly amongst those works influenced by Lewis Carroll's Wonderland; its fast-paced, kaleidoscopic narrative gives it an American flavour which foreshadows much fantastic literature of the twentieth century.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Art, Fairy Tales

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1885

About the author

Also listed as Charles Edward Carryl

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very like a dream . . . a series of odd, fantastical, and only loosely connected episodes in which a little boy, Davy, sometimes accompanied by a goblin, finds himself in many different places, some tied to storybook characters--Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk, or Sinbad the Sailor--encountering characters and events based on puns or the taking of proverbial sayings literally--"a watched pot" becomes a cooking pot full of watches. It's meant to emulate Alice in Wonderland, with silly verses scattered through the story, but I found it more like an actual dream than Alice, and somehow less scary--or is that just because I'm reading this as an adult? It was quite entertaining, and the disconnected episodes make it perfect for reading one chapter a night. I read my mother's copy--given to her on her 10th birthday in 1928--to check for rampant racism or other objectionable content (and really didn't find any; a bit of fat-phobia near the end) before giving it to a grandchild. He appreciates a pun, so he may actually enjoy it.

[Lee Kierdorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fair Stab at Wonderland

This book was very like an addition to Alice in Wonderland with a boy character. But even Lewis Carroll was unable to match himself with Through the Looking Glass. No, the Alice book remains outstanding. This was a bit fun, though.

[Tony Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very misguided effort to emulate Alice in Wonderland.

[Larry Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I was trying to get our new stove to boil water for veggies, or something, and the new stove wasn't much interested in cooperating with my culinary intentions. Naturally, I began to mutter the phrase, "a watch pot never boils". From that I was swept back to elementary school, back in the dark ages, where I vaguely remembered having read a book called Davy and the Goblin. In that book, there was a short episode during which Davy comes upon someone leaning over a pot of watches, hoping to get them to boil. They don't, of course, so he pulls out a gun and shoots the pot of watches, muttering the phrase I used to begin this piece. Something like that. Anyway, I then had to look up the book to see if I'd remembered correctly. I pretty much had remembered that particular episode correctly, but virtually all of the rest of the book didn't seem at all familiar.

Davy, it seems, is a young boy who doesn't believe in make believe. No fairies, giants or goblins for him. So a goblin shows up to take him on a Believing Voyage, or something like that. So the book is a series of short vignettes wherein Davy comes across one imaginary thing or another. Some are from well-known stories, such as his visits to Jack and the Beanstalk's Farm and Sinbad the Sailor's House, and some are to places and creatures that were unknown to me.

I dunno, I wasn't much into this book. I suppose I need more of a plot now days. It would be a great book to read to small children, because it is fanciful and works well in small bits. The advantage for an adult reader is that the book contains oodles of word plays, which will likely be over the head of a six-to-ten-year old, but which will be fun for us more mature types. For example:

"What's the difference between a dog-watch and a watch-dog? It's a conundrum." "I don't know," said Davy, who would have laughed if he had not been a little afraid of the Dog. "A dog-watch keeps a watching on a bark," said the old Sea-Dog; "and a watch-dog keeps a barking on a watch."

Anyway, there you have it. It's probably not worth one's while if one is just reading to himself, but likely to be well worthwhile if one is reading to a young child.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't remeber this book.

I read this book a long long long long time ago. I don't remember it at all. But when I read it I wrote it down and said it was good so I must have some what liked it. So recommened it to all younger girls and boys.

[Karina]

1913 edition is in Project Gutenberg

[Wendy Copley · Rating 2 out of 5]

We read this book to our child, and I have to say that this was the strangest thing I have ever read.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The very first chapter book I ever read!