The Hunting of the Snark (An Agony in 8 Fits) is usually thought of as a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll in 1874, when he was already 42 years old and after the death of his godson had shattered his religious beliefs thoroughly. It actually is a fantastical epic tale recounting the adventures of a bizarre troupe of nine tradesmen and a beaver on their search for the Snark, a mysterious creature living in the seas.