Beyond The Ordinary

 

I've seen these little buggers on The Moon (I'm saying to The Walrus)

Beyond The Ordinary

 

The phrase Cabbages And Kings most famously refers to a line from the poem The Walrus and the Carpenter, written by Lewis Carroll for his 1871 book Through the Looking-Glass. It also serves as the title of a celebrated 1904 novel by O. Henry, which is notable for coining the term 'banana republic'.

 

1. Lewis Carroll's Poem

 

In the poem, the Walrus invites a group of oysters for a walk on the beach, leading up to the famous verse:

 

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—Of cabbages—and kings—And why the sea is boiling hot—And whether pigs have wings." 

 

The phrase is often used today to describe a collection of unrelated or miscellaneous topics.

 

2. O. Henry's Novel

Published in 1904, Cabbages and King is a collection of interlinked short stories set in the fictional Central American country of Anchuria.

 

• The Origin of "Banana Republic": O. Henry used the term to describe Anchuria’s fruit-dependent economy and the heavy influence of U.S. fruit companies on local politics.

 

• Inspiration: The book was inspired by O. Henry's own experiences in Honduras, where he lived for six months while fleeing embezzlement charges in the United States. 

 

3. Other References

 

• Television: The name was used for a British children's historical comedy series on BBC 1 (1972–1974) and a 1955 Canadian panel discussion program.