But the principal failing occurred in the sailing, And the Bellman, perplexed and distressed, Said he had hoped, at least, when the wind blew due East That the ship would not travel due West!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A sailor laments that a ship traveled opposite to the expected direction despite favorable winds.
- In plain terms
- Expectations did not match reality despite good conditions.
- What can you take from it?
- Conditions do not always guarantee expected results.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When did expectations fail?
- What blocked your progress?
Another view
It is a specific humorous reference that may not generalize well.
More from Lewis Carroll
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