A Tragic Story-William Thackeray

A TRAGIC STORY

There lived a sage in days of yore

And he a handsome pigtail wore;

But wondered much and sorrowed more

Because it hung behind him.

He mused upon this curious case,

And swore he'd change the pigtail's place,

And have it hanging at his face,

Not dangling there behind him.

Says he, 'The mystery I've found;

I'll turn me round'- he turned him round,

But still it hung behind him.

Then round and round, and out and in,

All day the puzzled sage did spin;

In vain-it mattered not a pin-

The pigtail hung behind him.

And right and left, and round about,

And up and down, and in and out,

He turned; but still the pigtail stout

Hung steadily behind him.

And though his efforts never slack,

And though he twist and twist and tack,

Alas! still faithful to his back,

The pigtail hangs behind him.

WILLIAM THACERAY

Summary: 'A Tragic Story' by William Thackeray is a humorous poem that revolves around a sage who is perplexed by his pigtail that hangs behind him. The sage is described as a wise person who wore a handsome pigtail, but he found it strange and troubling that it remained at the back of his head. 

In an attempt to solve his peculiar dilemma, the sage ponders over the matter and decides to change the pigtail's position. He wants it to hand at the front, in front of his face, instead of trailing behind him. With determination, he turns himself around, hoping to alter the pigtail's placement, but to his dismay, it still remains at the back.

The sage becomes increasingly perplexed and spends the entire day spinning in circles, trying different movements and directions. He twists, turns, and tries various maneuvers, but the pigtail remains steadfastly fixed behind him.

Regardless of his tireless efforts, the pigtail defies his attempts to relocate it and stays faithfully attached to his back. The sage's futile struggle with the pigtail becomes a comical and tragic tale of his failed attempts to change its position.

Thackeray's poem humorously captures the sage's frustration and the irony of his predicament, showcasing the absurdity of his endeavour to alter the pigtail's location without success. It serves as a lighthearted reflection on the quirks and challenges of life, reminding readers that some things may simply defy our efforts to change them.