View source for Sylvie and Bruno

{{work}}
{{Infobox book
 | title = Sylvie and Bruno
 | original title = 
 | image = Sylvie and Bruno illustration scan 40.png
 | caption = 
 | author = Lewis Carroll
 | central theme = 
 | elevator pitch = 
 | genre = Fantasy
 | publication date = 1889 and 1893
 | source page exists = 
 | wiki URL = 
 | wiki name = 
}}
{{quote|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 realize,' he said,
'The bitterness of Life!'
|'''First stanza of "The Mad Gardener's Song", about the only part of ''Sylvie and Bruno'' that is widely known.}}

One of the lesser-known works of [[Lewis Carroll]], this novel runs two parallel plots, one in [[Like Reality Unless Noted|something like the real world]] and one in Elf-land, [[Two Lines, No Waiting|both]] accessed by the not-particularly-interesting-in-himself [[The Ishmael|narrator]]. The Elf-land plot involves the King standing down, for obscure reasons, in favour of his [[Most Definitely Not a Villain]] [[Evil Uncle|brother]] and "Sub-Warden", and [[Evil Chancellor|his]] [[The Dragon|chancellor]], leaving his two kids, the titular Sylvie and Bruno, as [[Heartwarming Orphan]]s. The sort-of-real world plot involves a romance slightly complicated by a [[Romantic False Lead|third party]] and oddly unaffected by the presence of a visitor from another planet/plane called Mein Herr, who is for some reason German-accented.

{{tropelist}}
* [[Aliens Speaking English]]: Played with for Mein Herr.
* [[Blue Blood]]
* [[Children Are Innocent]]
* [[Closer to Earth]]: Sylvie and Lady Muriel.
* [[Crusty Caretaker]]
* [[Disney Fairies]]
* [[Doting Parent]]
* [[Dream Land]]: "Outland"
* [[Evil Chancellor]]: Somewhat unusually, he is only [[The Dragon]] to Sibimet.
* [[Evil Is Petty]]: Tabikat is most gratified to find that Sibimet has [[Kick the Dog|entirely removed]] "Item: We shall be kind to the poor" from the text of the agreement he made with the King.
{{quote|Why, of course, my dear! We shan't bother with those wretches!}}
* [[Evil Uncle]]: Sibimet
* [[Good Is Boring]]: Unfortunately tends to apply to both plots. The memorable characters tend to be either evil or completely bonkers.
* [[Gossip Evolution]]:
{{quote|"And what reasons have you heard of for breaking off the engagement?"
"A good many," Arthur replied, and proceeded to count them on his fingers. "First, it was found that she was dying of--something; so he broke it off. Then it was found that he was dying of--some other thing; so she broke it off. Then the Major turned out to be a confirmed gamester; so the Earl broke it off. Then the Earl insulted him; so the Major broke it off. It got a good deal broken off, all things considered!"
"You have all this on the very best authority, of course?"
"Oh, certainly! And communicated in the strictest confidence! Whatever defects Elveston society suffers from, want of information isn't one of them!" }}
* [[How Do You Like Them Apples?]]
* [[Humans Are Morons]]: Mein Herr and the fairies both tend to agree on this.
* [[Inelegant Blubbering]]
* [[In Harm's Way]]
* [[It Was a Gift]]
* [[Karmic Transformation]]: Uggug becoming a porcupine.
* [[King Incognito]]
* [[Ludicrous Precision]]
* [[The Malaproper]]: Bruno, e.g. "disadvantages" becomes "lizard bandages".
* [[Nice to the Waiter]]
* [[Non-Idle Rich]]
* [[Offered the Crown]]
* [[Our Ghosts Are Different]]
* [[Powder Keg Crowd]]
* [[The Professor]]: Actually called the Professor. Also has a friend who is [[The Professor]].
* [[The Promise]]
* [[Promotion to Parent]]: Sylvie is in charge of Bruno -- particularly his lessons.
* [[Punny Name]]: Tabikat.
* [[Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated]]: The Vice-Warden arranges for a false report of his brother's death.
* [[Royal Blood]]
* [[Royal Brat]]
* [[Sand in My Eyes]]
* [[Schrödinger's Butterfly]]:
{{quote|"So, either I've been dreaming about Sylvie," I said to myself, "and this is the reality. Or else I've really been with Sylvie, and this is a dream! Is Life itself a dream, I wonder?"}}
* [[Significant Name]]: Sibimet is Latin for "to them themselves", fittingly for a character who is concerned only for himself and his [[Unholy Matrimony]] partner - he doesn't even seem to like his own child much.
* [[Spoiled Brat]] and [[Royal Brat]]: Uggug, who also serves as a [[Spear Counterpart]] of an ugly step-sister.
* [[Take That]]: Sibimet the Sub-Warden is believed to be based on Dean Liddell, father of [[Alice in Wonderland|Alice]], whom he had by this point effectively cut Carroll off from seeing.
* [[They Call Me Mister Tibbs]]
* [[Torches and Pitchforks]]: Memorably parodied by the fake demonstrators organized by Sibimet and the Chancellor, who can't remember whether their slogan is "More Bread, Less Taxes", or vice versa.
* [[Unholy Matrimony]]: Villain couple [[Evil Uncle|Sibimet]] and Tabikat, complete with cutesy couple names for each other (Sibby and Tabby), and a [[Spoiled Brat]] child (Uggug). Albeit Tabby is significantly less bright than Sibby, who is also not deluded about Uggug's unpleasantness.
* [[Vile Villain Saccharine Show]]

{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Fairy Tale]]
[[Category:British Literature]]
[[Category:Literature of the 19th century]]