--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw…" description: "\"“The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg" --- # The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant… ![“The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realise,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!' He thought he saw a Buffalo Upon the chimney-piece: He looked again, and found it was His Sister's…” quote by Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg) > ““The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realise,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!' He thought he saw a Buffalo Upon the chimney-piece: He looked again, and found it was His Sister's Husband's Niece. 'Unless you leave this house,' he said, 'I'll send for the Police!' He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek: He looked again, and found it was The Middle of Next Week. 'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!' He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk Descending from the bus: He looked again, and found it was A Hippopotamus. 'If this should stay to dine,' he said, 'There won't be much for us!' He thought he saw a Kangaroo That worked a coffee-mill: He looked again, and found it was A Vegetable-Pill. 'Were I to swallow this,' he said, 'I should be very ill!' He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four That stood beside his bed: He looked again, and found it was A Bear without a Head. 'Poor thing,' he said, 'poor silly thing! It's waiting to be fed!' He thought he saw an Albatross That fluttered round the lamp: He looked again, and found it was A Penny-Postage Stamp. 'You'd best be getting home,' he said: 'The nights are very damp!' He thought he saw a Garden-Door That opened with a key: He looked again, and found it was A Double Rule of Three: 'And all its mystery,' he said, 'Is clear as day to me!' He thought he saw a Argument That proved he was the Pope: He looked again, and found it was A Bar of Mottled Soap. 'A fact so dread,' he faintly said, 'Extinguishes all hope!”” [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Absurd imagery reveals life's unpredictability and hidden meanings. **In simple terms:** Life is strange and unpredictable. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and seek deeper insight. Themes absurdity perception meaning Mood playful thought‑provoking Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - psychotherapy - teaching metaphor Key Concepts surrealism symbolic interpretation Questions to Reflect On - What does the shifting imagery suggest about reality? - How can absurdity help us cope with confusion? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can obscure simple truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gardener Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardener-song-2643193/) [Getting Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-home/) [Looked Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-letter-2643191/) [Mad Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-gardener-2643192/) [Next week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Said Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-bitterness-476725/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Song Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-thought-689161/) ## Related quotes > [“He is blinded and nothing will open his eyes,nothing can,after having had truths so long before him in vain.--He will marry her and poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/he-is-blinded-and-nothing-will-open-his-eyes-nothing-can-after-having/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“The York magicians had all looked over the letter and expressed their doubts that any body with such small handwriting could ever make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/the-york-magicians-had-all-looked-over-the-letter-and-expressed-their/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [Words can be said in bitterness and anger, and often there seems to be an element of truth in the nastiness. And words don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/words-can-be-said-in-bitterness-and-anger-and-often-there-seems-to-be/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“Learn?” he said then. Was that bitterness in his voice? “How? I am as I was made: unchanging. Long ago, men dreamed a sword…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/learn-he-said-then-was-that-bitterness-in-his-voice-how-i-am-as-i-was/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“I know my husband. He died with God's name on his lips if anybody's. He always loved his work more than me." (Kate) "Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-rickman-vantrease/i-know-my-husband-he-died-with-god-s-name-on-his-lips-if-anybody-s-he/) [Brenda Rickman Vantrease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-rickman-vantrease/) > [So 'Heaven On My Mind' is a song I would never have thought about writing. But I really loved the concept knowing there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hill/so-heaven-on-my-mind-is-a-song-i-would-never-have-thought-about/) [Becky Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hill/) > [When it's time to write a new song, anything that you thought you understood last time is pretty much pulverized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-saunier/when-it-s-time-to-write-a-new-song-anything-that-you-thought-you/) [Greg Saunier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-saunier/) > [When I'm struck by things, I want to hear more and find out more. I remember when Lana Del Rey was on 'SNL,' this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/when-i-m-struck-by-things-i-want-to-hear-more-and-find-out-more-i/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [When I finished a song that I thought was good, I thought, I don't know where that came from, so I have no idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-rabin/when-i-finished-a-song-that-i-thought-was-good-i-thought-i-don-t-know/) [Trevor Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-rabin/) > [You end up throwing a ton of energy into one or two tracks, and the song that we thought was gonna be the single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-robertson/you-end-up-throwing-a-ton-of-energy-into-one-or-two-tracks-and-the/) [Ed Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-robertson/) > [He was my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and my Sunday rest, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/he-was-my-north-my-south-my-east-and-west-my-working-week-and-my/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [My Moon, my midnight, my talk, my song, I thought love would last forever I was wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loneliest-love/my-moon-my-midnight-my-talk-my-song-i-thought-love-would-last-forever/) [Loneliest\_love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loneliest-love/) > [The grandeur of man lies in song, not in thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/the-grandeur-of-man-lies-in-song-not-in-thought/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [“I know a song about him. But I thought he lived a hundred years ago. We all did. Once I was as young as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-know-a-song-about-him-but-i-thought-he-lived-a-hundred-years-ago-we/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [When I start a song, it's the first thought. It's the first thought and the first cadence, because that's the most natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/when-i-start-a-song-it-s-the-first-thought-it-s-the-first-thought-and/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) ## More by Lewis Carroll > [You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. I can't tell you just now what the moral of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-re-thinking-about-something-my-dear-and-that-makes-you-forget-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-m-afraid-i-can-t-explain-myself-sir-because-i-am-not-myself-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [My beloved friend - one of the most unique and charming personalities of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/my-beloved-friend-one-of-the-most-unique-and-charming-personalities/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Either it brings tears to their eyes, or else -" "Or else what?" said Alice, for the Knight had made a sudden pause. "Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/either-it-brings-tears-to-their-eyes-or-else-or-else-what-said-alice/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“We may give our human loves the unconditional allegiance which we owe only to God. Then they become gods: then they become demons. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-may-give-our-human-loves-the-unconditional-allegiance-which-we-owe/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [In the midst of the word he was trying to say In the midst of his laughter and glee, He had softly and suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-the-midst-of-the-word-he-was-trying-to-say-in-the-midst-of-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“But it must be borne in mind that, if there is a Scylla before me, there is also a Charybdis - and that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/but-it-must-be-borne-in-mind-that-if-there-is-a-scylla-before-me/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright--…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-sun-was-shining-on-the-sea-shining-with-all-his-might-he-did-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“In vain we roared;in vain we tried To rouse her into laughter: Her pensive glances wandered wide From orchestra to rafter - "TIER UPON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-vain-we-roared-in-vain-we-tried-to-rouse-her-into-laughter-her/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [For the snark was a boojum, you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/for-the-snark-was-a-boojum-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Thanks for your nice little note, though I am sorry to hear you find Through the Looking Glass so uninteresting. You see I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/thanks-for-your-nice-little-note-though-i-am-sorry-to-hear-you-find/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [You shouldn't make jokes if it makes you so unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-shouldn-t-make-jokes-if-it-makes-you-so-unhappy/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [We haven't any and you're too young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-haven-t-any-and-you-re-too-young/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Everything is funny, if you can laugh at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/everything-is-funny-if-you-can-laugh-at-it/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I wish I hadn't cried so much!” said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. I shall be punished for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-wish-i-hadn-t-cried-so-much-said-alice-as-she-swam-about-trying-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) [Explore all 644 Lewis Carroll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## More Next week quotes > [I'll see you next week and I promise we are going to have the fastest turtle in the history of turtles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/i-ll-see-you-next-week-and-i-promise-we-are-going-to-have-the-fastest/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Strax gave a snort of amusement. ‘It is surely a very simple choice. One option is for a quiet life with honest work amongst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-richards/strax-gave-a-snort-of-amusement-it-is-surely-a-very-simple-choice-one/) [Justin Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-richards/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“You just asked me to marry you," he said, still waiting for me to admit some kind of trickery. "I know." "That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/you-just-asked-me-to-marry-you-he-said-still-waiting-for-me-to-admit/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [ All the shows we did pre-airdate, and I'd come out - "Rob Lowe!" - and it was \[Offers bored applause.\] After the show aired?… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/all-the-shows-we-did-pre-airdate-and-i-d-come-out-rob-lowe-and-it-was/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [“The first week after the official launch, they took $12,000 in orders and shipped $846 worth of books, according to Eric Dillon, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-first-week-after-the-official-launch-they-took-12-000-in-orders/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“The last days before graduation are bad enough, God knows--out of the womb you go, ready or not. The halls rang with the laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-savage/the-last-days-before-graduation-are-bad-enough-god-knows-out-of-the/) [Elizabeth Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-savage/) > [“The Italian philosopher Paolo Virno says we have moved from having a “proletariat”—a solid block of manual workers with jobs—to a “precariat,” a shifting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-hari/the-italian-philosopher-paolo-virno-says-we-have-moved-from-having-a/) [Johann Hari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-hari/) > [“Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he'd been expecting. "Oh. Okay. Well, um, there's a silent film festival downtown next week. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/bryan-gaped-as-though-that-was-more-than-he-d-been-expecting-oh-okay/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [The only thing that scares me in the tech area is that it moves so fast that you have to be ready to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/the-only-thing-that-scares-me-in-the-tech-area-is-that-it-moves-so/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [I do want to say that I was just endorsed - and more are coming next week - it will be over 200 admirals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-do-want-to-say-that-i-was-just-endorsed-and-more-are-coming-next/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“It's a promise ring. A long time ago, they would be engraved with the words Pour route ma vie, de tout mon coeur, For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-meredith-walters/it-s-a-promise-ring-a-long-time-ago-they-would-be-engraved-with-the/) [A. Meredith Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-meredith-walters/) > [“Just that what happens today or next week or next year isn't necessarily the way things are always going to be. As soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/just-that-what-happens-today-or-next-week-or-next-year-isn-t/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) [Browse all 541 Next week quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realise,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!' He thought he saw a Buffalo Upon the chimney-piece: He looked again, and found it was His Sister's Husband's Niece. 'Unless you leave this house,' he said, 'I'll send for the Police!' He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek: He looked again, and found it was The Middle of Next Week. 'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!' He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk Descending from the bus: He looked again, and found it was A Hippopotamus. 'If this should stay to dine,' he said, 'There won't be much for us!' He thought he saw a Kangaroo That worked a coffee-mill: He looked again, and found it was A Vegetable-Pill. 'Were I to swallow this,' he said, 'I should be very ill!' He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four That stood beside his bed: He looked again, and found it was A Bear without a Head. 'Poor thing,' he said, 'poor silly thing! It's waiting to be fed!' He thought he saw an Albatross That fluttered round the lamp: He looked again, and found it was A Penny-Postage Stamp. 'You'd best be getting home,' he said: 'The nights are very damp!' He thought he saw a Garden-Door That opened with a key: He looked again, and found it was A Double Rule of Three: 'And all its mystery,' he said, 'Is clear as day to me!' He thought he saw a Argument That proved he was the Pope: He looked again, and found it was A Bar of Mottled Soap. 'A fact so dread,' he faintly said, 'Extinguishes all hope!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis Carroll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-saw-an-elephant-that-practised/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Next week" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-saw-an-elephant-that-practised/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/lewis-carroll-324_next-week_the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-sa_1879086.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Mad Gardener's Song He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found…” — Lewis Carroll", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lewis Carroll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Mad Gardener's Song He thought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-saw-an-elephant-that-practised/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-mad-gardener-s-song-he-thought-he-saw-an-elephant-that-practised/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```