I love books! I am not a speedy reader, because I dissect every word and sentence, to take it all in. But, I love to read! I  love old books, too. One of my prize books, which was given to me, found while helping to clean out an attic, is a 1960 first edition of “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, which is one of my absolute favorite novels! Knowing my love for old books, my mom gave me The Illustrated Treasury of Children’s Literature, published in 1955. While browsing through this book, I came across a story I’d never heard before. It’s the story called, “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll.

The story is written in poetic form, as the a Walrus and a Carpenter go walking down a beach. Complaining about the sand and feeling hungry. In their subtle ways they call out to the oysters saying, “O, Oysters, come and walk with us!” “A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, along the briny beach: We cannot do with more than four, To give a hand to each.” The oysters, charmed by their hospitality, follow along and four more oysters follow the original four. They talk about whimsical, silly things that have no meaning until they’ve walked long enough to be tired and worn down. The Walrus, then, reveals a loaf of bread and some butter to spread. The oysters recognize that they’ve been fooled, but it’s much to late, and in no time the Walrus and the Carpenter eat a very fine lunch.

You know life is like that.  Temptation comes along and seems harmless and charming.  It seems safe and slowly pulls you out of your nest into an open area where you’re unguarded and vulnerable.  Inwardly, we may question, but we walk on enjoying the new experience.  Suddenly, we are faced with the fact that we took a wrong turn and we’ve been foolish. Our choices impress those around us, for the better and the worse.  We may unknowingly influence others in a wrong choice.  No matter, by the time we realize our regret, we are often depleated and weary, making the turn around much harder than if we’d used a little discernment in the first place.The Walrus and the Carpenter is an odd and funny story. But, the story has a pearl of wisdom familiar to me.

Proverbs 21:16 says, “The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.”