NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
3 3433 08252985 4
Che Canterbury Classics
A Series of Supplementary Readers
edited under the general supervision of
KATHARINE LEE BATES
Professor of English Literature in
Welles ley College, Wellesley^ Mass.
The text of this edition of
"Through the Looking-Glass"
agrees with the standard text
found in the author's edi-
tion, published in London
by Macmillan & Company.
From a
CHARLES LITNVIDGE DODGSMN
(Leii'is Carroll]
Cbrougb
Che Loohing-Glaes
Hnd Cdbat HUce found Cbere
By
Lewis Carroll
Edited by
FLORENCE MILNER
Harvard College Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Formerly of Detroit University School, Detroit, Michigan
Illustrated by
F. Y. CORY
OPERTV Of
P 14 1936
TVY ftV If*W Vt-:
Ail UJT & *i»w * w
sii*r*m'iA-*t~n-it -^1" -'• -fv "=•».-. •
Rand )Mc)SaUy & Company
Chicago
New York
London
{• I
•
Copyright, 1917
By RAND MCNALLY & COMPANY
IN' -RODUC1 ION
THE series of Canterbury Classics aims to bear its share in
acquainting school children with literature suited to their
years. The culture of the imagination is no less impor-
tant than the culture of memory and the reasoning power. That
childhood is poor which has not for friends many of the goodly
company represented by Hector, Achilles, Roland, Sigurd, My
Cid, Don Quixote, Lancelot, Robin Hood, Percy, the Douglas,
Gulliver, Puck, Rip Van Winkle, and Alice in Wonderland.
College class-rooms, where Dante and Spenser, Goethe and
Coleridge are taught, speedily feel the difference between
minds nourished, from babyhood up, on myths of Olympus
and myths of Asgard, Hans Christian Andersen, old ballads,
the " Pilgrim's Progress, "the "Arabian Nights," the "Alham-
bra," and minds which are still strangers to fairyland and
hero-land and all the dreamlands of the world's inheritance.
Minds of this latter description come almost as barbarians to
the study of poetry, deaf to its music and blind to its visions.
They are in a foreign clime. In the larger college of life, no
less, is felt the lack of an early initiation into literature. A
practical people in a practical age, we need the grace of fable
to balance our fact, the joy of poetry to leaven our prose.
Something of the sort we are bound to have, and if familiarity
in childhood with the classic tone has not armed us against
the cheap, the flimsy, the corrupt in fiction, we fall easy victims
to the trash of the hour. We become the sport of those mock-
ing elves who give dry leaves for gold.
This series must needs conform somewhat, in its choice of
books, to the present demands of the schools. It will furnish
all good reading that is desired, but it aims also to help in
arousing a desire for the more imaginative and inspiring legends
6 Introduction to the Series
of the Aryan race. In the case of every volume issued the text
of the authoritative edition will be faithfully reproduced.
These texts will be furnished with a modest amount of
apparatus hidden away at the end of the book. It is the
classic that is of importance. Often it may be best to disregard
the notes. The series is addressed to children and aims to
stimulate imagination, broaden sympathy, and awaken a love
for literature. The editors strive to keep these aims in view
and to avoid breaking the charm of the story by irrelevant and
burdensome information. "\Vhat is told is meant to be what a
child would naturally like to know about the book that pleases
him and the writer of the book. The biographical sketches
emphasize, whenever it is appropriate, the childhood of the
authors treated, and try throughout to give, by concrete illus-
tration, impressions of personality and character. Special sub-
jects sometimes call for special sketches, but, in general, the
editorial work aims at quality rather than quantity. Kn< >\vledge
which seems essential to intelligent reading, and which dic-
tionary and teacher cannot reasonably be counted on to supply,
has its place in notes, yet it is not forgotten that the notes exist
for the sake of the literature, not the literature for the ^ake of
the notes. Parents and librarians will appreciate the reading
lists of books attractive to children, either by the author of the
classic in hand or along the same lines of interest. Certain
teachers, crowded and wearied with a variety of tasks, will
welcome the section of suggestions.
We have ventured to associate this series with the memory
of the sweetest and most childlike spirit in English song,
hoping that little pilgrims of to-day, journeying by April ways,
may find as much cheer in gentle stories as did the poet of the
Canterbury Tales.
KATHARINE LEE BATES.
We lies ley College.
Child of the pure unclouded brow
And dreaming eyes of wonder!
Though time be fleet, and I and thou
Are half a life asunder,
Thy loving smile will surely hail
The love -gift of a fairy-tale.
I have not seen thy sunny face,
Nor heard thy silver laughter:
No thought of me shall find a place
In thy young life's hereafter-
Enough that now thou wilt not fail
To listen to my fairy-tale.
A tale begun in other days,
When summer suns were glowing — -
A simple chime, that served to time
The rhythm of our rowing —
Whose echoes live in memory yet,
Though envious years would say 'forget?
[7\
Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread,
With bitter tidings laden,
Shall summon to unwelcome bed
A melancholy maiden!
We are but older children, dear,
Who fret to find our bedtime near.
Without, the frost, the blinding snow,
The storm-wind's moody madness — -
Within, the firelight's ruddy glow,
And childhoods nest of gladness.
The magic words shall hold thee fast:
Thon shall not heed the raving blast.
Ami, tJicugJi the shadow of a sigh,
May tremble through the story,
For 'happy summer days' gone by,
And vanish' d summer glory-
It shall not touch, with breath of bale,
The pleasancc of our fairy-tale.
<8
CON' 'ENr 'S
PAGE
Introduction to the Series 5
Dedication 7
Diagram and Chess Problem 10
A List of Illustrations n
THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS
AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE
Chapter I. LOOKING-GLASS HOUSE 13
Chapter II. THE GARDEN OF LIVE FLOWERS ... 29
Chapter III. LOOKING-GLASS INSECTS 43
Chapter IV. TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE ... 57
Chapter V. WOOL AND WATER 75
Chapter VI. HUMPTY DUMPTY 91
Chapter VII. THE LION AND THE UNICORN .... 108
Chapter VIII. "IT'S MY OWN INVENTION" .... 122
Chapter IX. QUEEN ALICE 143
Chapter X. SHAKING 164
Chapter XI. WAKING 165
Chapter XII. WHICH DREAMED IT? 166
An Easter Greeting to Every Child who Loves "Alice" . 170
A Biographical Sketch 173
Notes 194
A Reading List 202
Suggestions to Teachers 206
RED.
W HI T E.
White PaiL'n (Alice) to flay, and win in clcrcn moves.
PAGE
1. Alice meets R. Q. . . 35
2. Alice through Q's 3d
(by railway) 44
to Q's 4th (Twc,--
dlcdum and Twee-
dledee) 49
3. Alice mcfts W. Q.
(with shawl) 75
4. Alice to Q's 5th
(shop, river, shop) 82
5. Alice to Q's 6th
(Hunt ply D iimpty) 90
6. Alice to Q's 7th
(forest) 120
7. W. Kt. takes R. Kt. 125
8. Alice to Q's 8th
(coronation) 141
9. Alice becomes
Queen 142
10. Alice castles (feast) 156
11. Alice takes R. Q. and
wins 163
PAGE
1. R. Q. to K. R's 4th. 41
2. W. Q. to Q. B's 4th
(after shawl) 75
3. W. Q. to Q. B's 5th
(becomes sheep) ... 81
4. W. Q. to K. B's 8th
(leaves egg on
shelf) 90
5. W. Q. to Q. B's 8th
(flying fromR. Kt.) 116
6. R. Kt. to K's 2d
(check) 122
7. W. Kt. toK. B's 5th 140
8. R. Q. to K's sq.
{examination) .... 143
9. Queens castle 156
10. W. Q. to Q. R's 6th
(soup) 162
[10]
ILLUSTRATIONS
LEWIS CARROLL, from a photograph
The Red Queen, The White Queen, and Alice
PAGE
Frontispiece
Facing 13
'That's three faults, Kitty, and you've not been punished" . 16
His eyes and his mouth went on getting larger and larger . 23
Alice curtseyed again 37
A small voice said, " You might make a joke on that" . . 47
She caught at the thing nearest — the Goat's beard .... 49
The next moment they were dancing round in a ring . . . 59
And this was scarcely odd, because
They 'd eaten every one 66
%
"Do I look very pale?" said Tweedledum 72
The Queen spread out her arms again, and went flying after it . 82
11 1 only hope the boat won't tipple over!" she said .... 87
He pursed up his lips, and looked solemn and grand ... 94
A bird with its feathers sticking out all round 102
The Messenger, wriggling like an eel no
The King was evidently very uncomfortable 119
" You will observe the Rules of Battle, of course" . . . .124
The Knight fell heavily on the top of his head 130
The Knight rode slowly away into the forest 141
It was a golden crown 142
Both Queens were fast asleep -...152
"All about fishes. Shall she repeat it?" 158
"Here I am!" cried a voice from the soup-tureen . . . .162
In]
THROUGH THE
LOOKING-GLASS
AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE
CHAPTER I
LOOKING-GLASS HOUSE 5
ONE thing was certain, that the white kitten
had had nothing to do with it — it was the
black kitten's fault entirely. For the
white kitten had been having its face washed by
the old cat for the last quarter of an hour (and 10
bearing it pretty well, considering) : so you see
that it couldn't have had any hand in the mischief.
The way Dinah washed her children's faces
was this : first she held the poor thing down by its
ear with one paw, and then with the other paw 15
she rubbed its face all over, the wrong way,
beginning at the nose : and just now, as I said, she
was hard at work on the white kitten, which was
lying quite still and trying to purr — no doubt feel-
ing that it was all meant for its good. 20
But the black kitten had been finished with
earlier in the afternoon, and so, while Alice was
[13]
14 Througl i tJie Looking-Glass
sitting curled up in a corner of the great arm-chair,
half talking to herself and half asleep, the kitten
25 had been having a grand game of romps with the
ball of worsted Alice had been trying to wind up,
and had been rolling it up and down till it had all
come undone again ; and there it was, spread over
the hearth-rug, all knots and tangles, with the
so kitten running after its own tail in the middle.
'Oh, you wicked, wicked little thing!' cried
Alice, catching up the kitten, and giving it a little
kiss to make it understand that it was in disgrace.
' Really, Dinah ought to have taught you better
35 manners! You cn-ght, Dinah, you know you
ought!' she added, looking reproachfully at the
old cat, and speaking in as cross a voice as she
could manage — and then she scrambled back into
the arm-chair, taking the kitten and the worsted
w with her, and began winding up the ball ug.'iin.
But she didn't get on very fast, as she was talking
all the time, sometimes to the kitten, and some-
times to herself. Kitty sat very demurely on her
knee, pretending to watch the progress of the
45 winding, and now and then putting out one paw
and gently touching the ball, as if it would be glad
to help if it might.
'Do you know what to-morrow is, Kitty?'
Alice began. You'd have guessed if you'd been
so up in the window with im* -only Dinah was mak-
ing you tidy, so you couldn't. I was watching
And What Alice Found TJicre 15
the boys getting in sticks for the bonfire — and
it wants plenty of sticks, Kitty! Only it got
so cold, and it snowed so, they had to leave off.
Never mind, Kitty, we'll go and see the bonfire 55
to-morrow." Here Alice wound two or three
turns of the worsted round the kitten's neck, just
to see how it would look: this led to a scramble,
in which the ball rolled down upon the floor, and
yards and yards of it got unwound again. GO
'Do you know, I was so angry, Kitty," Alice
went on, as soon as they were comfortably settled
again, "when I saw all the mischief you had been
doing, I was very nearly opening the window, and
putting you out into the snow! And you'd have 65
deserved it, you little mischievous darling! What
have you got to say for yourself? Now don't
interrupt me!' she went on, holding up one
finger. ' I'm going to tell you all your faults.
Number one : you squeaked twice while Dinah 70
was washing your face this morning. Now you
can't deny it, Kitty: I heard you! What's that
you say?' (pretending that the kitten was
speaking) . ' Her paw went into your eye ? Well,
that's your fault, for keeping your eyes open — if 75
you'd shut them tight up, it wouldn't have hap-
pened. Now don't make any more excuses, but
listen! Number two: you pulled Snowdrop away
by the tail just as I had put down the saucer
of milk before her! What, you were thirsty, so
i6
Through the Looking-Glass
were you? How do you know she wasn't thirsty
too ? Now for number three : you unwound every
bit of the worsted while I wasn't looking!
; That's three faults, Kitty, and you've not
" ' That's three faults. Kilty, and you're not been punished ' "
85 been punished for any of them yet. You know
I'm saving up all your punishments for Wednes-
day week — Suppose they had saved up all ;;/v
punishments?" she went on, talking more to her-
self than the kitten. ' What iwnLi they do at
»o the end of a year? I should be sent to prison,
I suppose, when the day came. Or — let me see —
And What Alice Found There
suppose each punishment was to be going without
a dinner: then, when the miserable day came, I
should have to go without fifty dinners at once!
Well, I shouldn't mind that much! I'd far rather 95
go without them than eat them !
" Do you hear the snow against the window-
panes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds!
Just as if some one was kissing the window all over
outside. I wonder if the snow loves the trees and 100
fields, that it kisses them so gently ? And then it
covers them up snug, you know, with a white
quilt ; and perhaps it says ' Go to sleep, darlings,
till the summer comes again.' And when they
wake up in the sumnier, Kitty, they dress them- 105
selves all in green, and dance about- — whenever
the wind blows — oh, that's very pretty!' cried
Alice, dropping the ball of worsted to clap her
hands. ' And I do so wish it was true ! I'm sure
the woods look sleepy in the autumn, when the no
leaves are getting brown.
'Kitty, can you play chess? Now, don't
smile, my dear, I'm asking it seriously. Because,
when we were playing just now, you watched just
as if you understood it : and when I said ' Check ! ' us
you purred! Well, it was a nice check, Kitty,
and really I might have won, if it hadn't been for
that nasty Knight, that came wriggling down
among my pieces. Kitty, dear, let's pretend-
And here I wish I could tell you half the things 120
1 8 Through the Looking-Glass
Alice used to say, beginning with her favorite
phrase 'Let's pretend." She had had quite a
long argument with her sister only the day before
-all because Alice had begun with ' Let's pre-
125 tend we're kings and queens" ; and her sister, who
liked being very exact, had argued that they
couldn't, because there were only two of them,
and Alice had been reduced at last to say ' ' Well,
you can be one of them, then, and /'// be all the
130 rest." And once she had really frightened her
old nurse by shouting suddenly in her ear, " Nurse !
Do let's pretend that I'm a hungry hyena, and
you're a bone!'
But this is taking us away from Alice's speech
n.-, to the kitten. 'Let's pretend that you're the
Red Queen, Kitty ! Do you know, I think if you
sat up and folded your arms, you'd look exactly
like her. Now do try, tbnv's a dear! And
Alice got the Red (Jutm off the table, and set it
HO up bcfoiv the kitten as a model for it to imitate:
howrver, the thing didn't succeed, principally,
Alice said, because the kitten wouldn't fold its
arms properly. So, to punish it, she held it up
to the Looking-glass, that it might see how sulky
145 it was, -and if you're not good directly," she
added, Til put you through into Looking-glass
House. How would you like that/
' Xow, if you'll only attend, Kitty, and not
talk so much, I'll tell you all my ideas about
And WJiat Alice Found There
Looking-glass House. First, there's the room iso
you can see through the glass — that's just the
same as our drawing-room, only the things go the
other way. I can see all of it when I get upon a
chair — all but the bit just behind the fireplace.
Oh ! I do so wish I could see that bit ! I want so 155
much to know whether they've a fire in the winter :
you never can tell, you know, unless our fire
smokes, and then smoke comes up in that room
too — but that may be only pretense, just to make
it look as if they had a fire. Well then, the books wo
are something like our books, only the words go
the wrong way: I know that, because I've held up
one of our books to the glass, and then they hold
up one in the other room.
' How would you like to live in Looking-glass ies
House, Kitty? I wonder if they'd give you milk
in there? Perhaps Looking-glass milk isn't good
to drink — but oh, Kitty! now we come to the
passage. You can just see a little peep of the
passage in Looking-glass House, if you leave no
the door of our drawing-room wide open : and it's
very like our passage as far as you can see, only
you know it may be quite different on beyond.
Oh, Kitty, how nice it would be if we could only
get through into Looking-glass House! I'm sure 175
it's got, oh! such beautiful things in it! Let's
pretend there's a way of getting through into it,
somehow, Kitty. Let's pretend the glass has got
2O Through the Looking-Glass
all soft like gauze, so that we can get through.
iso Why, it's turning into a. sort of mist now, I de-
clare ! It'll be easy enough to get through -
She was up on the chimney-piece while she said
this, though she hardly knew how she had got
there. And certainly the glass was beginning to
iso melt away, just like a bright silvery mist.
In another moment .Mice was through the
o
glass, and had jumped lightly down into the
Looking-glass room. The very first thing she did
was to look whether there was a fire in the fire-
i'.'» place, and she was quite pleased to find that there1
was a real one, blazing away as brightly as the
one she had left behind. ' So I shall be as warm
here as I was in the old room," thought Alice:
'warmer, in fact, because there'll be no one here
I-.'- to scold me away from the fire. ( )h, what fun
it'll be, when they see me through the glass in
here, and can't get at me ! '
Then "she began looking about, and noticed
that what could be seen from the old room was
200 quite common and uninteresting, but that all the
rest was as different as possible. For instance,
the pictures on the wall next the fire seemed to
be all alive, and the very clock on the chimney-
piece (you know you can only see the back of it
200 in the Looking-glass) had got the face of a little
old man, and grinned at her.
'They don't keep this room so tidy as the
And What Alice Found There 21
other," Alice thought to herself, as she noticed
several of the chessmen down in the hearth among
the cinders ; but in another moment, with a little 210
'Oh!' of surprise, she was down on her hands
and knees watching them. The chessmen were
walking about, two and two !
" Here are the Red King and the Red Oueen,"
o -^
Alice said (in a whisper, for fear of frightening 215
them), 'and there are the White King and the
White Queen sitting on the edge of the shovel-
and here are two Castles walking arm in arm — I
don't think they can hear me," she went on, as
she put her head closer down, 'and I'm nearly 220
sure they can't see me. I feel somehow as if I
was getting invisible -
Here something began squeaking on the table
behind Alice, and made her turn her head just in
time to see one of the White Pawns roll over and 225
begin kicking : she watched it with great curiosity
to see what would happen next.
' It is the voice of my child ! " the White Queen
cried out, as she rushed past the King, so violently
that she knocked him over among the cinders. 230
' My precious Lily ! My imperial kitten ! " and she
began scrambling wildly up the side of the fender.
' Imperial fiddlestick!" said the King, rubbing
his nose, which had been hurt by the fall. He
had a right to be a little annoyed with the Queen, 235
for he was covered with ashes from head to foot.
22 Through tlie Looking-Glass
Alice was very anxious to be of use, and, as the
poor little Lily was nearly screaming herself into
a fit, she hastily picked up the Queen and set
240 her on the table by the side of her noisy little
daughter.
The Queen gasped and sat down: the rapid
journey through the air had quite taken away her
breath, and for a minute or two she could do
2« nothing but hug the little Lily in silence. As
soon as she had recovered her breath a little, she
called out to the White King, who was sitting
sulkily among the ashes, H Mind the volcano!'
"What volcano?' said the King, looking up
250 anxiously into the fire, as if he thought that was
the most likely place to find one.
'Blew -me- -up," panted the Quern, who was
still a little out of breath. 'Mind you come up
-the regular way -don't get blown up!'
2.-..-, Alice watched the White King as he slowly
struirgled up from bar to bar, till at last she said
"Why, you'll be hours and hours getting to the
table, at that rate. I'd far better help you,
hadn't I?'' But the King took no notice of the
zeo question : it was quite clear that he could neither
hear her nor see her.
So Alice picked him up very gently, and lifted
him across more slowly than she had lifted the
Queen, that she mightn't take his breath away;
2«5 but, before she put him on the table, she thought
And What Alice Found There
she might as well dust him a little, he was so
covered with ashes.
She said afterwards that she had never seen
in all her life such a face as the King made, when
he found himself held in the air by an invisible 270
"His eyes and his mouth went on getting larger and larger "
hand, and being dusted: he was far too much
astonished to cry out, but his eyes and his mouth
went on getting larger and larger, and rounder
and rounder, till her hand shook so with laughing
that she nearly let him drop upon the floor.
' Oh! please don't make such faces, my dear!'
she cried out, quite forgetting that the King
couldn't hear her. " You make me laugh so that
275
24 Through the Locking-Glass
I can hardly hold you! And don't keep your
280 mouth so wide open ! All the ashes will get into
it - - there, now I think you're tidy enough!" she
added, as she smoothed his hair, and set him upon
the table near the Queen.
The King immediately fell flat on his back,
285 and lay perfectly still ; and Alice was a little
alarmed at what she had clone, and went round
the room to see if she could find any water to
throw over him. However, she could find nothing
but a bottle of ink, anil when she got back with
:-."• it she found he had recovered, and he and the
(Jueen were talking together in a frightened
whisper -so low, that Alice could hardly hear
what they said.
The King was saying," I assure you, my dear,
:".'.-. I turned cold to the very ends of my whiskers!'
To which the (Jueen replied," You haven't got
any whiskers."
The horror of that moment," the King went
on, 'I shall never, uc'ccr forget!'
300 'You will, though," the (Jueen said, 'if you
don't make a memorandum of it."
Alice looked on with great interest as the King
took an enormous memorandum-book out of his
pocket, and began writing. A sudden thought
.jo.-, struck her, and she took hold of the end of the
pencil, which came some way over his shoulder,
and began writing for him.
And What Alice Found There 25
The poor King looked puzzled and unhappy,
and struggled with the pencil for some time with-
out saying anything ; but Alice was too strong for 310
him, and at last he panted out " My dear! I really
must get a thinner pencil. I can't manage this
one a bit : it writes all manner of things that I
don't intend -
' What manner of things ? ' said the Queen, 315
looking over the book (in which Alice had put
' The White Knight is sliding down the poker. He
balances very badly'). That's not a memoran-
dum of your feelings!'
There was a book lying near Alice on the table, 320
and while she sat watching the White King (for
she was still a little anxious about him, and had
the ink all ready to throw over him, in case he
fainted again), she turned over the leaves, to
find some part that she could read, - for 325
it's all in some language I don't know," she said
to herself.
It was like this.
UK
26 Through tJic Looking-Glass
She puzzled over this for some time, but at
330 last a bright thought struck her. ' Why, it's a
Looking-glass book, of course! And, if I hold it
up to a glass, the words will all go the right way
again."
This was the poem that Alice read.
335 JABBERWOCKY
'Twas brill ig, and l!ic slitliy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
AH tniinsy were the borogoves,
An. I the inline raths ontgrabe.
340 ' Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The idles tint bite, the elaws that catch!
lleieare the 7nbfnb bird, and shun
The f rum ions Bandersnatch!
j i
He took lu's r(irfal .vavr,/ /;/ hand:
345 Long time the manxeme fe>e he sought
So rested he by the Titmtnm tree.
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in itffisJi thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
350 Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
( I
'
And WJiat Alice Found There
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it 'dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. 355
And hast thou slain the Jabberwockf
Come Jo my arms, my beamish boy!
0 frabjous day! Callooh! C allay!
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
' It seems very pretty," she said when she had
finished it, 'but it's rather hard to understand!" ^
(You see she didn't like to confess, even to her-
self, that she couldn't make it out at all.) ' Some-
how it seems to fill my head with ideas — only I
don't exactly know what they are! However,
somebody killed something: that's clear, at any 370
rate "
'But oh!' thought Alice, suddenly jumping
up, " if I don't make haste, I shall have to go back
through the Looking-glass, before I've seen what
the rest of the house is like ! Let's have a look at 375
the garden first!' She was out of the room in
a moment, and ran downstairs — or, at least, it
28 Through the Looking-Glass
wasn't exactly running, but a new invention for
getting down stairs quickly and easily, as Alice
said to herself. She just kept the tips of her
fingers on the hand-rail, and floated gently down
without even touching the stairs with her feet :
then she floated on through the hall, and would
have gone straight out at the door in the same
way, if she hadn't caught hold of the door-post.
She was getting a little giddy with so much float-
ing in the air. and was rather glad to find herself
walking again in the natural way.
CHAPTER II
THE GARDEN OF LIVE FLOWERS
I SHOULD see the garden far better," said
Alice to herself, " if I could get to the top of
that hill : and here's a path that leads straight
to if — at least, no, it doesn't do tliat- (after
going a few yards along the path, and turning 395
several sharp corners), 'but I suppose it will at
last. But how curiously it twists! It's more
like a corkscrew than a path! Well, this turn
goes to the hill, I suppose — no, it doesn't! This
goes straight back to the house! Well then, I'll 400
try it the other way."
And so she did : wandering up and down, and
trying turn after turn, but always coming back
to the house, do what she would. Indeed, once,
when she turned a corner rather more quickly 405
than usual, she ran against it before she could
stop herself.
" It's no use talking about it," Alice said, look-
ing up at the house and pretending it was arguing
with her. ' I'm not going in again yet. I know 410
I should have to get through the Looking-glass
again- -back into the old room --and there'd be
an end of all my adventures ! '
[29]
Through the Looking-Glass
So, resolutely turning her back upon the house,
415 she set out once more down the path, determined
to keep straight on till she got to the hill. For a
few minutes all went on well, and she was just
saying/' I really shall do it this time- when
the path gave a sudden twist and shook itself (as
420 she described it afterwards) , and the next moment
she found herself actually walking in at the door.
"Oh, it's too bad!' she cried. 'I never saw
such a house for getting in the way! NeverT
However, there was the hill full in sight, so
425 there was nothing to be done but start again.
This time she came upon a large flower-bed, with
a border of daisies, and a willow-tree growing in
the middle.
'O Tiger-lily!' said Alice, addressing herself
4.10 to one that was waving gracefully about in the
wind, "I wish you could talk!'
"We can talk," said the Tiger-lily, "when
there's anybody worth talking to."
Alice was so astonished that she couldn't
435 speak for a minute: it quite seemed to take her
breath away. At length, as the Tiger-lily only
went on waving about, she spoke again, in a timid
voice — almost in a whisper. "And can all the
flowers talk?"
440 'As well as yon can," said the Tiger-lily.
'And a great deal louder."
' It isn't manners for us to begin, you know,"
And WJiat Alice Found There
said the Rose, ' ' and I really was wondering when
you'd speak! Said I to myself, ' Her face has got
some sense in it, though it's not a clever one ! ' Still, 445
you're the right color, and that goes a long way."
"I don't care about the color," the Tiger-lily
remarked. ' If only her petals curled up a little
more, she'd be all right. ':
Alice didn't like being criticized, so she began 430
asking questions. "Aren't you sometimes fright-
ened at being planted out here, with nobody to
take care of you?'
"There's the tree in the middle," said the
Rose. " What else is it good for ? ' 455
" But what could it do, if any danger came?'
Alice asked.
" It could bark," said the Rose.
"It says ' Bough -wough !' cried a Daisy.
" That's why its branches are called boughs ! ' 400
" Didn't you know that?" cried another Daisy.
And here they all began shouting together, till
the air seemed quite full of little shrill voices.
"Silence, every one of you!" cried the Tiger-lily,
waving itself passionately from side to side, and 455
trembling with excitement. ' They know I can't
get at them!' it panted, bending its quivering
head towards Alice, "or they wouldn't dare to
do it!"
"Never mind!' Alice said in a soothing tone, 470
and, stooping down to the daisies, who were just
32 Through tlie Looking-Glass
beginning again, she whispered ' If you don't
hold your tongues, I'll pick you ! '
There was silence in a moment, and several of
475 the pink daisies turned white.
"That's right!" said the Tiger-lily. "The
daisies are worst of all. When one speaks, they
all begin together, and it's enough to make one
wither to hear the way they go on ! '
480 ' How is it you can all talk so nicely ? ' Alice
said, hoping to get it into a better temper by a
compliment. ' I've been in many gardens before,
but none of the flowers could talk."
'Put your hand down, and fed the ground,"
485 said the Tiger-lily. Then you'll know why."
Alice did so. ' It's very hard," she said ; " but
I don't see what that has to do with it."
'In most gardens," the Tiger-lily said, "they
make the beds too soft- -so that the flowers are
490 always asleep."
This sounded a very good reason, and Alice
was quite pleased to know it. "I never thought
of that before!' she said.
'It's my opinion that you never think at (///,"
495 the Rose said, in a rather severe tone.
'I never saw anybody that looked stupider,"
a Violet said, so suddenly, that Alice quite
jumped ; for it hadn't s] v >ken before.
'Hold your tongue !' cried the Tiger-lily.
500 "As if you ever saw anybody! You keep your
And WJiat Alice Found There
head under the leaves, and snore away there, till
you know no more wrhat's going on in the world
than if you were a bud ! '
' Are there any more people in the garden
besides me?' Alice said, not choosing to notice 505
the Rose's last remark.
There's one other flower in the garden that
can move about like you," said the Rose. 'I
wonder how you do it- ("You're always
wondering," said the Tiger-lily), "but she's more 510
bushy than you are."
"Is she like me?' Alice asked eagerly, for
the thought crossed her mind, There's another
little girl in the garden, somewhere ! '
' Well, she has the same awkward shape as 515
you," the Rose said: "but she's redder — and her
petals are shorter, I think."
'They're done up close, like a dahlia," said
the Tiger-lily: "not tumbled about, like yours."
"•But that's not your fault," the Rose added 520
kindly. ; You're beginning to fade, you know-
and then one can't help one's petals getting a
little untidy."
Alice didn't like this idea at all : so, to change
the subject, she asked, " Does she ever come out 525
here?"
' I daresay you'll see her soon," said the Rose.
' She's one of the kind that has nine spikes, you
know.'
Through the Looking-Glass
< <
530
Where does she wear them?' Alice asked
with some curiosity.
"Whv, all round her head, of course," the
J '
Rose replied. ' ' I was wondering you hadn't got
some too. I thought it was the regular rule."
535 "She's coming!' cried the Larkspur. 'I
hear her footstep, thump, thump, along the
gravel-walk ! '
Alice looked round eagerly and found that it
was the Red Queen. ' She's grown a g< >< >d deal ! '
540 was her first remark. She hud indeed: when
Alice first found her in the ashes, she had been
only three inches high — and here she was, half a
head taller than Alice herself!
" It's the fresh air that docs it," said the Rose:
543 " wonderfully fine air it is, out here."
'I think I'll go and meet her," said Alice, for
though the flowers were interesting c-imugh, she
felt that it would be far grander to have a talk
with a real Oueen.
•—
550 'You can't possibly do that," said the Rose:
'/ should advise you to walk the other way."
This sounded nonsense to Alice, so she said
nothing, but set off at once towards the Red
Queen. To her surprise she lost sight of her in a
555 moment, and found herself walking in at the
front-door again.
A little provoked, she drew back, and, after
looking everywhere for the Queen (whom she
And What Alice Found There
spied out at last, a long way off), she thought
she would try the plan, this time, of walking in seo
the opposite direction.
It succeeded beautifully. She had not been
walking a minute before she found herself face to
face with the Red Queen, and full in si^ht of the
•--> o
hill she had been so long aiming at. 563
' Where do you come from ? ' said the Red
Queen. 'And where are you going? Look up,
speak, nicely, and don't twiddle your fingers all
the time."
Alice attended to all these directions, and ex- 570
plained, as well as she could, that she had lost her
way.
' I don't know what you mean by your way,"
said "the 0 ueen : ' ' all the ways about here belong
to me - - but why did you come out here at all? " 575
she added in a kinder tone. ' Curtsey while
you're thinking what to say. It saves time."
Alice wondered a little at this, but she was too
much in awe of the Queen to disbelieve it. 'I'll
try it when I go home," she thought to herself, 530
'the next time I'm a little late for dinner."
"It's time for you to answer now," the Queen
said, looking at her watch : ' open your mouth a
little wider when you speak, and always say
'your Majesty.' sss
' I only wanted to see what the garden was
like, your Majesty
Through the Loo king-Glass
" That's right," said the Queen, patting her on
the head, which Alice didn't like at all: "though
590 when you say 'garden' I've seen gardens, com-
pared with which this would be a wilderness."
Alice didn't dare to argue the point, but went
on: "--and I thought I'd try and find my way to
the top of that hill -
595 "When you say 'hill,' the Queen inter-
rupted, "7 could show you hills, in comparison
with which you'd call that a valley."
" Xo, I shouldn't." id Alice, surprised into
contradicting her at last : "a hill cant be a \allev,
coo you know. That would be nonsense
The Red Oncer, shook her head. You may
call it 'nonsense'' if yoii like," she said, "but I've
heard nonsense, eompared with which that would
be as sensible as a dictionary!'
en; Alice curtseyed again, as she was afraid from
the Queen's tone that she was a little offended:
and they walked on in silence till they got to the
top of the little hill.
For some minutes Alice stood without speak-
er ing, looking out in all directions over the country
-and a most curious country it was. There were
a number of tiny little brooks running straight
across it from side to side, and the ground be-
tween was divided up into squares by a number
«i5 of little green hedges, that reached from brook
to brook.
And What Alice Found There
37
' I declare it's marked out just like a large
chess-board!' Alice said at last. There ought
to be some men moving about somewhere — and
so there are!" she added in a tone of delight, and 620
her heart began to beat quick with excitement
as she went on. " It's a great huge game of chess
"Alice curtseyed again"
that's being played — all over the world — if this
is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is!
How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn't mind 625
being a Pawn, if only I might join — though of
course I should like to be a Queen, best."
She glanced rather shyly at the real Queen as
she said this, but her companion only smiled pleas-
antly, and said, " That's easily managed. Youeso
Through the Loo king-Glass
can be the White Queen's Pawn, if you like, as
Lily's too young to play ; and you're in the Second
Square to begin with : when you get to the Eighth
Square you'll be a Queen- Just at this
ess moment, somehow or other, they began to run.
Alice never could quite make out, in thinking
it over afterwards, how it was that they began:
all she remembers is, that they were running hand
in hand, and the Queen went so fast that it was
640 all she could do to keep up with her: and still the
Queen kept crying, " Faster! Faster!' but Alice
felt she could not go faster, though she had no
breath left to say so.
The most curious part of the thing was, that
643 the trees and the oilier things round them never
changed their places at all: however fast they
went, they never seemed to pass any tiling. " I
wonder if all the things move along with us?'
o o
thought poor puzzled Alice. And the (Jiieen
eso seemed to guess her thoughts, for she cried
" Faster! Don't try t<» talk!"
Xot that Alice had any idea of doing that.
She felt as if she would never be able to talk again,
she was getting so much out of breath: and still
ass the Queen cried," Faster! Faster!' and dragged
her along. 'Are we nearly there?' Alice man-
aged to pant out at last.
' Nearly there!' the Queen repeated. "Why
we passed it ten minutes ago! Faster!" And
And What Alice Found There jp
they ran on for a time in silence, with the wind eeo
whistling in Alice's ears, and almost blowing her
hair off her head, she fancied.
"Now! Now!" cried the Queen. "Faster!
Faster ! ' And they went so fast that at last they
seemed to skim through the air, hardly touching ees
the ground with their feet, till suddenly, just as
Alice was getting quite exhausted, they stopped,
and she found herself sitting on the ground,
breathless and giddy.
The Queen propped her up against a tree, and e?o
said kindly, ' ; You may rest a little, now."
Alice looked round her in great surprise.
'Why, I do believe we've been under this tree
the whole time! Everything's just as it was!'
"Of course it is," said the Queen. "What 675
would you have it ? '
' Well, in our country," said Alice, still panting
a little, "you'd generally get to somewhere else-
if you ran very fast for a long time as we've been
doing." eso
"A slow sort of country!' said the Queen.
" Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you
can do, to keep in the same place. If you want
to get somewhere else, you must run at least
twice as fast as that!' ess
"I'd rather not try, please ! " said Alice. 'I'm
quite content to stay here — only I am so hot and
thirsty!"
40 Through the Looking-Glass
"I know what you -I like!1 the Queen said
89o good-naturedly, taking a little box out of her
pocket. ' Have a biscuit ? '
Alice thought it would not be civil to say
"No," though it wasn't at all what she wanted.
So she took it, and ate it as well as she could:
«>.-. and it was i'cry dry : and she thought she had
never been so nearly choked in all her life.
"While vou'rc refreshing vourself, said the
O J
Queen, 'I'll just take the measurements." And
she took a ribbon out of her pocket, marked in
7-Ki inches, and began measuring the ground, and
sticking little pegs in here and there.
'At the end of tw<> yards," she said, putting
in a peg to mark the distance, 'I shall give you
your directions- -have another biscuit ?"
TOO 'No, thank you," said Alice: 'one's quite
enough ! '
Thirst quenched, I hope?' said the <Juecn.
Alice did not know what to say to tin's, but
luckily the (Jueen did not wait for an answer,
7m but went on. 'At the end of three yards 1 shall
repeat them—for fear of your forgetting them.
At the end of /<••//;', I shall say good-bye. And
at the end of free, I shall go!'
She had got all the pegs put in by this time,
us and Alice looked on with great interest as she
returned to the tree, and then began slowly walk-
ing down the row
And Wtiat Alice Found Tliere 41
At the two-yard peg she faced round, and said
' A pawn goes two squares in its first move, you
know. So you'll go very quickly through the 720
Third Square — by railway, I should think — and
you'll find yourself in the Fourth Square in no
time. Well, that square belongs to Tweedledum
and Tweedledee- -the Fifth is mostly water — the
Sixth belongs to Humpty Dumpty- -But you 725
make no remark ? '
'I- -I didn't know I had to make one- -just
then," Alice faltered out.
'You should have said," the Queen went on
in a tone of grave reproof, ' It's extremely kind 730
of you to tell me all this '- -however, we'll suppose
it said — the Seventh Square is all forest — how-
ever, one of the Knights will show you the way
-and in the Eighth Square we shall be Queens
together, and it's all feasting and fun!' Alice 735
got up and curtseyed, and sat down again.
At the next peg the Queen turned again, and
this time she said, "Speak in French when you
can't think of the English for a thing — turn out
your toes as you walk — and remember who you 740
are!' She did not wait for Alice to curtsey this
time, but walked on quickly to the next peg,
where she turned for a moment to say "Good-
by," and- then hurried on to the last.
How it happened, Alice never knew, but ex- 745
actly as she came to the last peg, she was gone.
42 Through tJic Loo king-Glass
Whether she vanished into the air, or whether she
ran quickly into the wood ("and she can run very
fast!' thought Alice), there svas no way of guess-
750 ing, but she was gone, and Alice began to remem-
ber that she was a Pawn, and that it would soon
be time for her to move.
CHAPTER III
t
LOOKING-GLASS INSECTS
OF course the first thing to do was to make a 755
grand survey of the country she was going
to travel through. ' It's something very
like learning geography," thought Alice, as she
stood on tiptoe in hopes of being able to see a little
further. " Principal rivers — there are none. Prin- 700
cipal mountains- -I'm on the only one, but I don't
think it's got any name. Principal towns— why,
what are those creatures, making honey down
there? They can't be bees- -nobody ever saw
bees a mile off, you know- ' and for some time 763
she stood silent, watching one of them that was
bustling about among the flowers, poking its pro-
boscis into them, 'just as if it was a regular
bee," thought Alice.
However, this was anything but a regular bee : 770
in fact, it was an elephant — as Alice soon found
out, though the idea quite took her breath away
at first. " And what enormous flowers they must
be!' was her next idea. "Something like cot-
tages with the roofs taken off, and stalks put to 775
them — and what quantities of honey they must
make! I think I'll go down and — no, I won't go
[43]
44 Through the Looking-Glass
just yet," she went on, checking herself just as she
was beginning to run down the hill, and trying to
780 find some excuse for turning shy so suddenly.
"It'll never do to go down among them without
a good long branch to brush them away -and
what fun it'll be when they ask me how I liked
my walk. I shall say, 'Oh, I liked it well
785 enough- (here came the favorite little toss of
the head), 'only it icas so dusty and hot, and the
elephants <//./ tease so!'
"I think I'll go down the other way," she said
after a pause; 'and perhaps I may visit the
790 elephants later on. Besides, I </o so want to get
into the Third Square !
So, with this excuse, she ran down the hill, and
jumped over the first of the six little brooks.
; Tickets, please! said the Guard, putting
795 his head in at the window. In a moment every-
body was holding out a ticket : they were about
the same size as the people, and quite seemed to
fill the carriage.
"Now then! Show your ticket, child!" the
soo Guard went on, looking angrily at Alice. And a
great many voices all said together ("like the
chorus of a song," thought Alice), "Don't keep
And What Alice Found There 45
him waiting, child! Why, his time is worth a
thousand pounds a minute!'
' I'm afraid I haven't gbt one," Alice said in sos
a frightened tone: 'there wasn't a ticket-office
where I came from." And again the chorus of
voices went on. There wasn't room for one
where she came from. The land there is worth
a thousand pounds an inch!' sio
'Don't make excuses," said the Guard: "you
should have bought one from the engine-driver."
And once more the chorus of voices went on with
"The man that drives the engine. Why, the
smoke alone is worth a thousand pounds a puff!" sis
Alice thought to herself,' Then there's no use
in speaking." The voices didn't join in, this
time, as she hadn't spoken, but, to her great sur-
prise, they all thought in chorus (I hope you under-
stand wThat thinking in chorus means — for I must 820
confess that 7 don't), ' Better say nothing at all.
Language is worth a thousand pounds a word!'
"I shall dream about a thousand pounds to-
night, I know I shall!" thought Alice.
All this time the Guard was looking at her, 825
first through a telescope, then through a micro-
scope, and then through an opera-glass. At last
he said, "You're traveling the wrong way," and
shut up the window, and went away.
" So young a child," said the gentleman sitting sso
opposite to her (he was dressed in white paper),
46 Through the Loo king-Glass
"ought to know which way she's going, even if
she doesn't know her own name ! '
A Goat, that was sitting next to the gentleman
835 in white, shut his eyes and said in a loud voice,
"She ought to know her way to the ticket-office,
even if she doesn't know her alphabet ! '
There was a Beetle sitting next the Goat (it was
a very queer carriage-full of passengers alto-
siogether), and, as the rule seemed to be that they
should all speak in turn, Jic went <>n with 'She'll
have to go back from here as luggage!
^3 V ^ v 1 « 1
Alice couldn't see who was sitting bcvond the
o j
Beetle, but a hoarse voice spoke next. 'Change
845 engines- ' it said, and there it choked and was
obliged to leave off.
'It sounds like a horse," Alice thought to her-
self. And an extremely small voice, close to her
ear. Said, "You might make a joke on that — something about
800 'horse' and 'hoarse,' you know."
Then a very gentle voice in the distance said,
'She must be labeled 'Lass, with care,1 you
know-
And after that other voices went on ("What
855 a number of people there are in the carriage!'
thought Alice), saying, "She must go by post, as
she's got a head on her- " She miM be sent
as a message by the telegraph- " She must
draw the train herself the rest of the way -,"
seo and so on.
And What Alice Found There
47
\
"A small voice said, 'You might make a joke on that '
But the gentleman dressed in white paper
leaned forwards and whispered in her ear, " Never
mind what they all say, my dear, but take a
return-ticket every time the train stops."
''Indeed, I shan't !' Alice said rather impa- ses
tiently. "I don't belong to this railway journey
at all — I was in a wood just now — and I wish I
could get back there ! '
"You might make a joke on that," Said the little VO1C6
Close tO her ear : " something about ' you would if you could,' 870
you know."
48 Through the Look ing-Glass
'Don't tease so," said Alice, looking about in
vain to see where the voice came from. "If
you're so anxious to have a joke made, why don't
875 you make one yourself? '
The little voice sighed deeply. It was very
unhappy, evidently, and Alice would have said
something pitying to comfort it, " if it would only
sigh like other people!' she thought. But this
»" was such a wonderfully small sigh, that she
wouldn't have heard it at all. if it hadn't come
(jnitc close to her ear. The consequence of this
was that it tickled her ear very much, and quite
took off her thoughts from the unhappiness of
880 the poor little creature.
"ikn-.w yuan.- a frit-mi." the lit tie v- >ice Went < >n : "a dear
friend, and an old friend An>l you won't hnrt me, though I AM an inset • "
' What kind of insect ' ' Alio- inquired, a little
anxiously. What she really wanted to know was,
«'" whether it could sting or not, but she thought
this wouldn't be quite a civil question to ask.
"What, tiu-n y«.u don't-*1 the little voice began, when
it was drowned by a shrill scream from the engine,
and everybody jumped up in alarm, Alice among
895 the rest.
The Horse, who had put his head out of the
window, quietly drew it in and said 'It's only
a brook we have to jump over." Everybody
seemed satisfied with this, though Alice felt a
I** little nervous at the idea of trains jumping at all.
And What Alice Found There
49
' However, it'll take us into the Fourth Square,
that's some comfort!' she said to herself. In
another moment she felt the carriage rise straight
c-
"She caught at the thing nearest — the Goat's beard "
up into the air, and. in her fright she caught at the
thing nearest to her hand, which happened to be 905
the Goat's beard.
*
But the beard seemed to melt away as she
touched it, and she found herself sitting quietly
under a tree — while the Gnat (for that was the
13
50 Through the Looking-Glass
sio insect she had been talking to) was balancing
itself on a twig just over her head, and fanning
her with its wings.
It certainly was a very large Gnat: "about the
size of a chicken," Alice thought. Still, she
915 couldn't feel nervous with it, after they had been
talking together so long.
-then you don't like all insects?' the Gnat
went on, as quietly as if nothing had happened.
'I like them when they can talk," Alice said.
£20 "None of them ever talk, where / come from."
'What sort of insects do you rejoice in, where
you come from'"' the Gnat inquired.
'I don't rejoice in insects at all," Aliee ex-
plained, 'because I'm rather afraid of them at
920 least the large kinds. Hut I can tell you the
names of some of them."
'Of course they answer to their names?' the
Gnat remarked carelessly.
' I never knew them do it."
930 'What's the use of their having nairn the
Gnat said, "if they won't answer to them:''
' Xo use to tlicni" said Alice; "but it's useful
to the people that name them, I suppose. If not,
why do things have names at all?'
935 'I can't say," the Gnat replied. "Further
on, in the wood down there, they've got no names
-however, go on with your list of insects: you're
wasting time."
And WJiat Alice Found There 57
"Well, there's the Horse-fly," Alice began,
counting off the names on her fingers. 940
"All right," said the Gnat. "Half way up
that bush, you'll see a Rocking-horse-fly, if you
look. It's made entirely of wood, and gets about
by swinging itself from branch to branch."
"What does it live on?' Alice asked, with 945
great curiosity.
"Sap and sawdust," said the Gnat. "Go on
with the list."
Alice looked at the Rocking-horse-fly with
great interest, and made up her mind that it must 950
have been just repainted, it looked so bright and
sticky ; and then she went on.
" And there's the Dragon-fly."
" Look on the branch above your head," said
the Gnat, "and there you'll find a Snap-dragon- 955
fly. Its body is made of plum-pudding, its wings
of holly-leaves, and its head is a raisin burning in
brandy."
"And what does it live on?' Alice asked, as
before. seo
"Frumenty and mince-pie," the Gnat re-
plied; "and it makes its nest in a Christmas-
box."
"And then there's the Butterfly," Alice went
on, after she had taken a good look at the insect 905
with its head on fire, and had thought to herself,
" I wonder if that's the reason insects are so fond
52 Through the Looking-Glass
of flying into candles — because they want to turn
into Snap-dragon-flies!'
970 'Crawling at your feet," said the Gnat (Alice
drew her feet back in some alarm), 'you may
observe a Bread-and-butter-fly. Its wings are
thin slices of bread-and-butter, its body is a crust,
and its head is a lump of sugar.'1
075 " And what does // live on?'
'Weak tea with cream in it."
A new difficulty came into Alice's head. ' Sup-
posing it couldn't find any""" she suggested.
"Then it would die, of course."
aw " IUit that must happen very often," Alice
remarked th< >ughti~ully.
'It always happens," said the (mat.
After this, Aliee was silent for a minute or
two, pondering. The (mat amused itself mean-
'.*.-• while by humming round and round her head: at
last it settled again and remarked," I suppose you
don't want to lose your name?1
" \o, indeed," Aliee said, a little anxiously.
'And yet I don't know," the (inat went on in
»oo a careless tone1: 'only think how convenient it
would be if you could manage to go home without
it! For instance, if the governess wanted to call
you to your lessons, she would call out 'Come here
,' and there she w< >uld have to leave off, 1 tecause
905 there wouldn't be any name for her to call, and
of course you wouldn't have to go, you know."
And What Alice Found There 53
"That would never do, I'm sure," said Alice:
' the governess would never think of excusing me
lessons for that. If she couldn't remember my
name, she'd call me ' Miss,' as the servants do." 1000
"Well, if she said 'Miss,' and didn't say any-
thing more," the Gnat remarked, " of course you'd
miss your lessons. That's a joke. I wish you had
made it."
' Why do you wish 7 had made it ? " Alice asked, 1003
" It's a very bad one."
But the Gnat only sighed deeply, while two
large tears came rolling down its cheeks.
'You shouldn't make jokes," Alice said, 'if
it makes you so unhappy." 1010
Then came another of those melancholy little
sighs, and this time the poor Gnat really seemed
to have sighed itself away, for, when Alice looked
up, there was nothing whatever to be seen on the
twig, and, as she was getting quite chilly with sit- 1015
ting still so long, she got up and walked on.
She very soon came to an open field, with a
wood on the other side of it : it looked much
darker than the last wood, and Alice felt a little
timid about going into it. However, on second ioao
thoughts, she made up her mind to go on : ' for
I certainly won't go back" she thought to herself,
and this was the only way to the Eighth Square.
;This must be the wood," she said thought-
fully to herself, "where things have no names. 1 1025
54 Through the Looking-Glass
wonder what '11 become of my name when I go in?
I shouldn't like to lose it at all- -because they'd
have to give me another, and it would be almost
certain to be an ugly one. But then the fun
1030 would be, trying to find the creature that had got
my old name! That's just like the advertise-
ments, you know, when people lose dogs-
'answers to the n.unc of ' Dash" : had on a brass
collar' -just fancy calling everything you met
1035 'Alice,' till one of them answered! Only they
wouldn't answer at all, if they were wise."
She- was rambling on in this way when she
reached the wood: it looked very cool and shady.
1 Well, at any rate it's a great comfort," she said
HMO as she stepped under the trees, 'after being so
hot, to get into the- into the — into II'/M//" she
went on, rather surprised at not being able to
think of the word. "I mean to get under the-
under the- under tin's, you know!' putting her
i"«-. hand on the trunk of the tree. 'What docs it
call itself, I wonder" 1 do believe it's got no
name- why to be sure it hasn't!'
She stood silent for a minute, thinking: then
she suddenly began again. "Then it really Jias
1050 happened, after all! And now, who am I? I
will remember, if I can! I'm determined to do
it!' But being determined didn't help her
much, and all she could say, after a great deal of
puzzling, was " L, I knoii.' it begins with L!'
And What Alice Found There 55
Just then a Fawn came wandering by : it 1055
looked at Alice with its large gentle eyes, but
didn't seem at all frightened. "Here then!
Here then!" Alice said, as she held out her hand
and tried to stroke it ; but it only started back a
little, and then stood looking at her again. iwo
'What do you call yourself?' the Fawn said
at last. Such a soft sweet voice it had !
'I wish I knew!': thought poor Alice. She
answered, rather sadly, " Nothing, just now."
'Think again," it said: "that won't do." ices
Alice thought, but nothing came of it. "Please,
would you tell me what you call yourself?" she
said timidly. ' I think that might help a little."
' I'll tell you, if you'll come a little further
on," the Fawn said. 'I can't remember here" 1070
So they walked on together through the wood,
Alice with her arms clasped lovingly round the
soft neck of the Fawn, till they came out into
another open field, and here the Fawn gave a
sudden bound into the air, and shook itself free 1075
from Alice's arm. ' I'm a Fawn!' it cried out
in a voice of delight. 'And, dear me! you're a
human child!' A sudden look of alarm came
into its beautiful brown eyes, and in another
moment it had darted away at full speed. ioso
Alice stood looking after it, almost ready to
cry with vexation at having lost her dear little
fellow-traveler so suddenly. "However, I know
Through the Looking-Glass
my name now,'1 she said: "that's some comfort.
loss Alice --Alice- -I won't forget it again. And
now, which of these finger-posts ought I to follow,
I wonder ? '
It was not a very difficult question to answer,
as there was only one road through the wood,
1090 and the two finger-posts both poiifted along it.
Til settle it,'1 Alice said to herself, 'when the
road divides and they point different ways."
But this did not seem likely to happen. She
went on and on, a long way, but, wherever the
loos road divided, there were sure to be two finger-
posts ] jointing the same way, one marked 'TO
TWEEDLEDUM'S HOUSE,' and the other 'TO
Till- HOUSE OF T\YEEI)LEDEE.'
'I do believe," said Alice at last, 'that they
in>" live in the same house ! I wonder I never thought
of that before- I>ut 1 can't stay there long.
I'll just call and say 'How d'ye do?' and ask
them the way out of the wood. If I could only
gel to the Eighth Square before it gets dark!'
ii-j.-. So she wandered on, talking to herself as she
went, till, on turning a sharp corner, she came
upon two fat little men, so suddenly that she could
not help starting back, but in another moment
she recovered herself, feeling sure that they must
be
CHAPTER IV
TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE
THEY were standing under a tree, each with
an arm around the other's neck, and Alice
knew which was which in a moment,
because one of them had "DUM' embroidered
on his collar, and the other "DEE.'1 'I suppose
they've each got 'TWEEDLE' round at the back
of the collar," she said to herself.
They stood so still that she quite forgot they 1120
were alive, and she was just going round to see
if the word "TWEEDLE" was written at the
back of each collar, when she was startled by a
voice coming from the one marked "DUM."
" If you think we're wax-works," he said, "you 1125
ought to pay, you know. Wax- works weren't
made to be looked at for nothing. Nohow ! '
' ' Contrariwise, ' ' added the one marked ' ' DEE,
"if you think we're alive you ought to speak. ':
"I'm sure I'm very sorry," was all Alice could nso
say; for the words of the old song kept ringing
through her head like the ticking of a clock, and
she could hardly help saying them out loud :-
[57]
58 Through the Looking-Glass
" Tweedledum and Tweedledee
1135 Agreed to have a battle;
For Tweedledum said Tweedledee
Had spoiled his nice new rattle.
Just then flew down a monstrous crow,
As black as a tar-barrel;
ii4o \VJiicJi frightened both the heroes so,
They quite forgot their quarrel."
"I knrnv what you're thinking about," said
Tweedledum ; " but it isn't so, nohow."
"Contrariwise," continued Tweedledee, 'if it
ii4R was so, it might be ; and if it were so, it would be;
but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."
"I was thinking," Alice said very politely,
"which is the best way out of this wood: it's
getting so dark. Would you tell me, please?'
1150 But the fat little men only looked at each
other and grinned.
They looked so exactly like a couple of great
schoolboys, that Alice couldn't help pointing her
finger at Tweedledum, and saying, " First Boy!'
1155 "Nohow!' Tweedledum cried out briskly,
and shut his mouth up again with a snap.
" Next Boy ! " said Alice, passing on to Tweedle-
dee, though she felt quite certain he would only
shout out " Contrariwise ! " and so he did.
'You've begun wrong!' cried Tweedledum.
And What Alice Found There
59
" The first thing in a visit is to say ' How d'ye do ?'
and shake hands!' And here the two brothers
gave each other a hug, and then they held out the
two hands that were free, to shake hands with her.
Alice did not like shaking hands with either
of them first, for fear of hurting the other one's
feelings ; so, as the best way out of the difficulty,
she took hold of both hands at once: the next
moment they were dancing round in a ring.
" The next moment they were dancing round in a ring
This seemed quite natural (she remembered after- mo
wards), and she was not even surprised to hear
music playing: it seemed to come from the tree
under which they were dancing, and it was done
(as well as she could make it out) by the branches
60 Through tlic Looking-Glass
in.-, rubbing one across the other, like fiddles and
fiddle-sticks.
'But it certainly was funny," (Alice said
afterwards, when she was telling her sister the
history of all this ) "to find myself singing 'Here
HBO 7iT go round the mulberry bush.' I don't know
when I began it, but somehow I felt as if I'd been
singing it a long long time!'
The other two dancers were fat. and very soon
out of breath. ' F- -ur times round is enough for
UBS one dance." Tweedledum panted out, and they
left off dancing as suddenly as they had begun:
the music stopped at the same moment.
Then they Kl go of Alice's hands, and stood
looking at her for a minute: there was a rather
iv" awkward pause, as Alice didn't know how to
begin a conversation with people she1 had just
been dancing with. 'It would never do to say
'How d'ye do?' ;/(>:c." she said to herself: 'we
seem to have got beyond that, somehow!'
'I hope you're not much tired?' she said at
last.
' \ohow. And thank you very much for ask-
ing," said Tweedledum.
'So much obliged !" added Tweedledee. You
like poetry?1
Ye-cs, pretty well -some poetry." Alice said
doubtfully. 'Would you tell me which road
leads out of the wood?'
And What Alice Found TJicre 61
"What shall I repeat to her?' said Tweedle-
dee, looking round at Tweedledum with great 1205
solemn eyes, and not noticing Alice's question.
" 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' is the long-
est," Tweedledum replied, giving his brother an
affectionate hug.
Tweedledee began instantly : 1210
The sun was shining
Here Alice ventured to interrupt him. ' If
it's very long," she said, as politely as she could,
' would you please tell me first which road-
Tweedledee smiled gently, and began again : 1215
" The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with alt his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and briglit-
And this was odd, because it was 1220
The middle of the night.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done- 1225
1 It's very rude of him' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun!'
62 Tliroitvh the Looking-Glass
o o
The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
1230 You could not see a cloud because
Xo cloud was in the sky:
No birds were living overhead
There were no birds to fly.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
IIY/c walking close at hand:
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
' // this were only cleared awiiy,'
They said, ' // would be grand!'
i •-•««' ' // seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,' the \Valrns said,
' That they could get it clear ^
'/ doubt /'/,' said the (\irpenter,
1245 And sJicd a bitter tear.
'0 Oysters, come and walk with us."
The \\'alrus did beseech.
1A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
i2.-.o II V cannot do with jnorc than four,
To give a hand to each.'
And W licit Alice Found There
The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And sJwok his heavy head- 1255
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces
Their shoes were clean and neat-
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four; 1205
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more-
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.
The Walrus and the Carpenter mo
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row. 1275
64 Through the Looking-Glass
'The time lias conic,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of meiny tilings:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax-
Of cabbages— and kings-
mo And n'hy the sea is boiling Jiot
And icJictJicr pigs Jiarc icings.'
'lint leait a hit,' the Oysters cried,
' Before we hair our chat;
For sonic of us arc out of breath,
1285 And all of its are fat.'1
'No hurry!' said the ( \irpcntcr.
They thanked him much for that.
' A loaj <>/ bread,' the Walrus said,
' Is what we chicjly need:
1290 Pepper and rincgar bcsiitcs
. \ re very goo* I indeed
Now, if you're ready, (Oysters dear,
II V Ciin begin to feed.'
'But not on us!1 the Oysters cried,
1295 Turning a little id lie.
'After sitcli kindness that u'onld be
. \ dismal thing to do!'
1 The night is fine,' the Walrus said.
'Do you adniire the view?
And What Alice Found There 65
slt was so kind of you to come! is**
And you are very nice!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
' Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf-
I've had to ask you twice! '
1 It seems a shame,' the Walrus said,
' To play them such a trick.
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
' The butter's spread too thick!'
1 1 weep for you,' the Walrus said:
'I deeply sympathize.'
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size, 1315
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
'0 Oysters,' said the Carpenter,
' You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none —
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one."
14
66
Through tlie Looking-Glass
'I like the Walrus best," said Alice: "because
1325 he was a little sorry for the poor oysters."
4 He ate more than the Carpenter, though,"
said Twcedledee. ' You see he held his hand-
\ilJthi:- :<?<*
They'd
kerchief in front, so that the Carpenter couldn't
count how many he took: contrariwise."
"That was mean!' Alice said indignantly.
"Then I like the Carpenter best — if he didn't eat
so many as the Walrus."
' But he ate as many as he could er I said
Tweedledum.
re..-, This was a puzzler. After a pause. Alice
began, "Well! They were /v/// very unpleasant
And What Alice Found There
characters- Here she checked herself in
some a-larm, at hearing something that sounded
to her like the puffing of a large steam-engine in
the wood near them, though she feared it was 1340
more likely to be a wild beast. ' Are there any
lions or tigers about here?" she asked timidly.
"It's only the Red King snoring," said
Tweedledee.
'Come and look at him!' the brothers cried, 1^45
and they each took one of Alice's hands, and led
her up to where the King was sleeping.
'Isn't he a lovely sight?' said Tweedledum.
Alice couldn't say honestly that he was. He
had a tall red night-cap on, with a tassel, and he 1350
wTas lying crumpled up into a sort of untidy heap,
and snoring loud- 'fit to snore his head off!'
as Tweedledum remarked.
"I'm afraid he'll catch cold with lying on the
damp grass," said Alice, who was a very thought- 1355
ful little girl.
"He's dreaming now," said Tweedledee: "and
what do you think he's dreaming about?'
Alice said, "Nobody can guess that."
'Why. about you!' Tweedledee exclaimed, iseo
clapping his hands triumphantly. ' And if he
left off dreaming about you, where do you sup-
pose you'd be?'
"Where I am now, of course," said Alice.
"Not you!' Tweedledee retorted contemptu- ises
68 Through the Looking-Glass
ously. "You'd be nowhere. Why, you're only
a sort of thing in his dream ! '
"If that there King was to wake," added
Tweedledum, "you'd go out — bang!- -just like a
1370 candle!'
"I shouldn't!' Alice exclaimed indignantly.
" besides, if /'/;/ only a sort of thing in his dream,
what are you, I should like to know?'
"Ditto," said Tweedledum.
"Ditto, ditto!" cried Tweedlcdee.
He shouted this so loud thai Alice couldn't
help saying, " Hush ! You'll be waking him, I'm
afraid, if you make so much noise."
"Well, it's no use y^iir talking about waking
laso him," said Tweedledum, 'when you're only one
of the things in his dream. V«>u know very
well you're in »1 real."
' 1 am real! ' said Alice, and began to cry.
Y< 'U won't make your>clf a bit realler by
crying." Twecdlcdee remarked: 'there's nothing
to cry about.'
"If I wasn't ival," Alice said -half -laughing
through her tears, it all seemed so ridiculous-
" I shouldn't be able I" cry."
'I hope you don't suppose those are n\il
tears?' Tweedledum interrupled in a tone of
great contempt.
'I know they're talking nonsense," Alice
thought to herself: "and it's foolish to cry about
And What Alice Found TJiere 69
it." So she brushed away her tears, and went 1395
on, as cheerfully as she could, 'At any rate I'd
better be getting out of the wood, for really it's
coming on very dark. Do you think it's going
to rain ? '
Tweedledum spread a large umbrella over 1400
himself and his brother, and looked up into it.
"No, I don't think it is," he said: "at least — not
under here. Nohow."
"But it may rain outside?'
"It may- -if it chooses." said Tweedledee : 1405
"we've no objection. Contrariwise."
"Selfish things!' thought Alice, and she was
just going to say ' Good-night ' ' and leave them,
when Tweedledum sprang out from under the
umbrella, and seized her by the wrist. mo
" Do you see that?'' he said, in a voice choking
with passion, and his eyes grew large and yellow
all in a moment, as he pointed with a trembling
finger at a small white tiling lying under the tree.
"It's only a rattle," Alice said, after a careful 1415
examination of the little white thing. 'Not a
rattle -snake, you know," she added hastily, think-
ing that he was frightened: "only an old rattle-
quite old and broken."
"I knew it was!' cried Tweedledum, begin- 1420
ning to stamp about wildly and tear his hair.
"It's spoilt, of course!' Here he looked at
Tweedledee, who immediately sat down on the
jo Through t/ie Lcoking-Glass
ground, and tried to hide himself under the um-
1423 brella.
Alice laid her hand upon his arm, and said, in
a soothing tone, ' You needn't be so angry about
an old rattle."
"But it isnt old! Tweedledum cried, in a
U3o greater fury than ever. 'It's ;/ ; ', I tell you — I
bought it yesterday- -my nice xi:w RATTLE!'
and his voice rose to a perfect scream.
All this time Twcedledee was trying his best
to fold up the umbrella, with himself in it: which
H.V. was such an extraordinary thing to do, that it
quite took off Alice's attention from the angry
brother, l-'it he couHn't finite succeed, and it
ended in his rolling over, bundled up in the um-
bivlh, with only his head out: and there he lay,
MI«. opening and shutting his mouth and his large
CY 'looking more like a fish than anything
else," Alice thought.
'Of course you agree to have a battle?'
Tweedledum said in a calmer tone.
IMS 'I suppose so," the oilier sulkily replied, as
he crawled out of the umbrella: "only slic must
help us to dress up, you know."
So the two brothers went off hand in hand
into the wood, and returned in a minute with
their arms full of thin; -such as bolsters,
blankets, hearth-rugs, table-cloths, dish-covers,
and coal-scuttles. 'I hope you're a good hand
And What Alice Found There 71
at pinning and tying strings?' Tweedledum
remarked. ' Every one of these things has got
to go on, somehow or other." 1455
Alice said afterwards she had never seen such
a fuss made about anything in all her life — the
way those two bustled about — and the quantity
of things they put on — and the trouble they gave
her in tying strings and fastening buttons-
"Really, they'll be more like bundles of old
clothes than anything else, by the time they're
ready!' she said to herself, as she arranged a
bolster round the neck of Tweedledee, 'to keep
his head from being cut off," as he said. 1455
"You know," he added very gravely, "it's one
of the most serious things that can possibly hap-
pen to one in a battle — to get one's head cut off."
Alice laughed loud: but she managed to turn
it into a cough, for fear of hurting his feelings. 1470
' Do I look very pale ? ' said Tweedledum
coming up to have his helmet tied on. (He
called it a helmet, though it certainly looked
much more like a saucepan.)
"Well — yes — a little" Alice replied gently. 1475
'I'm very brave, generally," he went on in a
low voice : " only to-day I happen to have a head-
ache."
'And I've got a toothache!" said Tweedledee,
who had overheard the remark. "I'm far worse
than you!'
Through t/ie Lookinsr-Glass
:Then you'd better not fight to-day," said
Alice, thinking it a good opportunity to make
peace.
'We must have a bit of a fight, but I don't
care about going on long," said Tweedledum.
"What's the time now?"
" ', said Tweedledum"
Tweedledee looked at his watch, and said,
"Half-past four."
' Let's fight till six, and then have dinner,"
said Tweedledum.
'Very well," tliu other said, rather sadly: "and
sJic can watch us only you'd better not come
TV close," IK- added: "I generally hit every -
I*.'-- thing I can see— when I get really excited."
And What Alice Found There
'And I hit everything within reach," cried
Tweedledum, ''whether I can see it or not!"
Alice laughed. You must hit the trees pretty
often, I should think," she said.
Tweedledum looked round him with a satis- 1500
fied smile. "I don't suppose," he said, "there'll
be a tree left standing, for ever so far round, by
the time we've finished! '
'And all about a rattle!" said Alice, still hop-
ing to make them a little ashamed of fighting for isos
such a trifle.
' I shouldn't have minded it so much," said
Tweedledum, "if it hadn't been a new one."
' I wish the monstrous crow would come ! '
thought Alice. mo
There's only one sword, you know," Tweedle-
dum said to his brother: "but yon can have the
umbrella — it's quite as sharp. Only we must
begin quick. It's getting as dark as it can."
'And darker," said Tweedledee. 1515
It was getting dark so suddenly that Alice
thought there must be a thunderstorm coming on.
'What a thick black cloud that is!' she said.
'And how fast it comes! Why, I do believe it's
got wings!'
'It's the crow!' Tweedledum cried out in a
shrill voice of alarm ; and the two brothers took
to their heels and were out of sight in a moment.
Alice ran a little way into the wood, and
74 Through tJic Looking-Glass
1525 stopped under a large tree. "It can never get
at me here'' she thought: "it's far too large to
squeeze itself in among the trees. But I wish it
wouldn't flap its wings so — it makes quite a
hurricane in the wood- -here's somebody's shawl
1530 being blown away!'
CHAPTER V
WOOL AND WATER
SHE caught the shawl as she spoke, and looked
about for the owner: in another moment
the White Queen came running wildly
through the wrood, with both arms stretched out
wide, as if she were flying, and Alice very civilly
went to meet her with the shawl.
' I'm very glad I happened to be in the way,"
Alice said, as she helped her to put on her shawl 1540
again.
The White Queen only looked at her in a help-
less, frightened sort of way, and kept repeating
something in a whisper to herself that sounded
like 'Bread-and-butter, bread-and-butter," and 1545
Alice felt that if there was to be any conversation
at all, she must manage it herself. So she began
rather timidly: 'Am I addressing the White
Queen?"
'Well, yes, if you call that a-dressing," the 1550
Queen said. " It isn't my notion of the thing, at
all."
Alice thought it would never do to have an
argument at the very beginning of their con-
versation, so she smiled and said," If your Majesty 1555
[75]
7 6 Through the Loo king-Glass
will only tell me the right way to begin, I'll do it
as well as I can."
" But I don't want it done at all!' groaned
the poor Queen. 'I've been a-dressing myself
I.-™ for the last two hours."
It would have been all the better, as it seemed
to Alice, if she had got some one else to dress her,
she was so dreadfully untidy. 'Every single
thing's crooked," Alice thought to herself, 'and
1565 she's all over pins!- May I put your shawl
straight for you?" she added aloud,
'I don't know what's the matter with it!'
the (Jucen said, in a melancholy voice. 'It's
out of temper, I think. I've pinned it here,
I.-.;- and I've pinned it there, but there's no pleasing
it!"
'It can't go straight, you know, if you pin it
all on OIK- side," Alice said, as she gently put it
right for her; "and, dear me, what a state your
I.-.T.- hair is in ! '
The brush has g< >t entangled in it ! " the Oueen
said with a sigh. 'And 1 lost the comb yester-
d- >
ay.
Alice carefully released the brush, and did her
1580 best to get the hair into order. 'Come, you look
rather better now!' she said, after altering most
of the pins. ' But really you should have a
lady's-maid!'
I'm sure I'll take yon with pleasure!' the
< t T '
What Alice Found There
Queen said. "Twopence a week, and jam every 1535
other day."
Alice couldn't help laughing, as she said, " I
don't want you to hire me — and I don't care for
jam."
"It's very good jam," said the Queen. 1590
"Well, I don't want any to-day, at any rate."
"You couldn't have it if you did want it,"
the Queen said. "The rule is, jam to-morrow
and jam yesterday- -but never jam to-day."
"It must come sometimes to 'jam to-day,' ' 1093
Alice objected.
"No, it can't," said the Queen. "It's jam
every other day: to-day isn't any other day, you
know."
"I don't understand you," said Alice. 'It's
dreadfully confusing!'
"That's the effect of living backwards," the
Queen said kindly : " it always makes one a little
giddy at first-
" Living backwards!' Alice repeated in great
astonishment. " I never heard of such a thing!'
-but there's one great advantage in it, that
one's memory works both ways."
"I'm sure mine only works one way," Alice
remarked. "I can't remember things before i«io
they happen."
"It's a poor sort of memory that only works
backwards," the Queen remarked.
Through tJic Looking-Glass
'What sort of things do yon remember best?'
1615 Alice ventured to ask.
'Oh, things that happened the week after
next," the Oueen replied in a careless tone. ' For
instance, now," she went on, sticking a large
piece of plaster on her finger as she spokv, "there's
1620 the King's Messenger. He's in prison now, being
punished: and the trial doesn't even begin till
next Wednesday: and of course the crime comes
last of all."
'Suppose he never commits the crime?' said
ir.2.-. Alice1.
"That would be all the better, wouldn't it?"
the (Jueen said, as she bound the plaster round
her finger with a bit of ribbon.
Alice felt there was no de-living thai. "Of
o
i«3o course it would be all the better," she said : 'but
it wouldn't be all the better his being punished."
Y<>u're wrong there, at any rate." said the
(Jueen. ' \Vere v<>// ever punished?'
' ( >nly for faults," said Alice.
i 'And y«»u were all the better for it, I know!'
the (Jueen said triumphantly.
Yes, but then I //</</ done the things I was
punished for," said Alice: 'that makes all the
difference'.'
IMO 'But if you //(/(/;/'/ done them," the (Jueen
said, 'that would have been better still; better,
and better, and better!' Her voice went higher
And What Alice Found There
with each 'better," till it got quite to a squeak
at last.
Alice was just beginning to say, "There's a 1015
mistake somewhere- -," when the Queen began
screaming, so loud that she had to leave the
sentence unfinished. 'Oh, oh, oh!" shouted the
Queen, shaking her hand about as if she wanted
to shake it off. 'My finger's bleeding! Oh, oh, 1050
oh, oh!"
Her screams were so exactly like the whistle
of a steam-engine, that Alice had to hold both
her hands over her ears.
'What is the matter?' she said, as soon as
there was a chance of making herself heard.
' Have you pricked your finger ? '
'I haven't pricked it yet" the Queen said,
"but I soon shall — oh, oh, oh!'
'When do you expect to do it?" Alice asked, ic
feeling very much inclined to laugh.
"When I fasten my shawl again," the poor
Queen groaned out : ' ' the brooch will come undone
directly. Oh, oh!' As she said the words the
brooch flew open, and the Queen clutched wildly
at it, and tried to clasp it again.
"Take care!' cried Alice. "You're holding
it all crooked!' And she caught at the brooch;
but it was too late: the pin had slipped, and the
Queen had pricked her finger. i6?o
"That accounts for the bleeding, you see,"
80 ThrougJi tJic Loo king-Glass
she said to Alice with a smile. ' Xow you under-
stand the way things happen here."
'But why don't you scream j/oie/' Alice
u ", asked, holding her hands ready to put over her
ears again.
' Why, I've done all the screaming already,"
said the Ouccn. "What would be the good of
having it all over again?'
MM By this time it was getting light. The crow
must have ll<>wn away, I think," said Alice:
'I'm so glad it's gone. I thought it was the
night coming on."
" I wish / Ci >uld manage t< > be glad ! " the ( Hieen
CJ . -»
said. '()nly I never can remember the rule.
You must be very happy, living in this wood, and
being glad whenever you like!'
'( Mily it is so I'cry lonely here!' Alice said in
a melancholy voice; and, at the thought of her
loneliness, two large tears came rolling down her
cheeks.
'Oh, don't go on like that!' cried the poor
(Jueen, wringing her hands in despair. 'Con-
sider what a great girl you are. Consider what
a long way you've come to-day. Consider what
< »Y1» ick it is. C< msider anything, only d< >n't cry!'
Alice could not help laughing at this, even in
the midst of her tears. 'Can ;•<>// keep from cry-
ing by considering things:'" she asked.
noo That's the way it's done," the (Jueen said
And What Alice Found There 81
with great decision : ' nobody can do two things
at once, you know. Let's consider your age to
begin with- -how old are you? '
' I'm seven and a half, exactly."
;You needn't say 'exactually,' the Queen noo
remarked. ' I can believe it without that. Now
I'll give you something to believe. I'm just one
hundred and one, five months and a day."
"I can't believe that!" said Alice.
"Can't you?' the Queen said in a pitying 1705
tone. ' Try again: draw a long breath, and shut
your eyes."
Alice laughed. "There's no use trying," she
said: "one can't believe impossible things."
'I daresay you haven't had much practice," mo
said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I
always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why,
sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible
things before breakfast. There goes the shawl
again ! ' ms
The brooch had come undone as she spoke,
and a sudden gust of wind blew the Queen's
shawl across a little brook. The Queen spread
out her arms again, and went flying after it, and
this time she succeeded in catching it for herself. 1720
I've got it!' she cried in a triumphant tone.
Now you shall see me pin it on again, all by
myself!"
'Then I hope your finger is better now?'
4 .
< i
82
Through the Looking-Glass
r .irw.s ' ;lyiiiR niter it "
i .Alice said very politely, as she crossed the little
brook after the Ouecn.
*****
'Oh, much better!' cried the Queen, her
voice rising into a squeak as she went on.
" Muchbc-etter! Be-etter! He-e-e-ettcr! Bc-e-ehh!'
w»The last word ended in a long bleat, so like a
sheep that Alice quite started.
And What Alice Found There 83
She looked at the Queen, who seemed to have
suddenly wrapped herself up in wool. Alice
rubbed her eyes, and looked again. She couldn't
make out what had happened at all. Was she 1735
in a shop? And was that really — was it really
a sheep that was sitting on the other side of the
counter? Rub as she would, she could make
nothing more of it : she was in a little dark shop,
leaning with her elbows on the counter, and 1740
opposite to her was an old Sheep, sitting in an
arm-chair, knitting, and every now and then
leaving off to look at her through a great pair of
spectacles.
"What is it you want to buy?' the Sheep 1745
said at last, looking up for a moment from her
knitting.
"I don't quite know yet," Alice said very
gently. ' I should like to look all around me
first, if I might." iwo
"You may look in front of you, and on both
sides, if you like," said the Sheep ; "but you can't
look all round you — unless you've got eyes at the
back of your head."
But these, as it happened, Alice had not got ; 1755
so she contented herself with turning round,
looking at the shelves as she came to them.
The shop seemed to be full of all manner of
curious things — but the oddest part of it all was
that, whenever she looked hard at any shelf, to
84 Through tJic Looking-Glass
make out exactly what it had on it, that particu-
lar shelf was always quite empty, though the
others round it were crowded as full as they could
hold.
I?',-, Things flow about so here ! ' she said at last
in a plaintive tone, after she had spent a minute
or so in vainly pursuing a large 1 -right thing, that
looked sometimes like a doll and sometimes like
a work-box, and was always in the shelf next
mo above the one she was looking at. 'And this
one is tlh- most provoking of all but I'll tell you
what ' she added, as a sudden thought struck
her. ' I'll f« >llo\v it up to the very top shelf of all.
It'll puzzle it to g" through the ceiling, I expect!'
i::.-. Hut even this plan failed: the " tiling " went
through the ceiling as quietly as possible, as if it
were quite used to it.
'Are you a child or a teetotum?' the Sheep
said, as she took up another pair of needles.
i - You'll make me giddy soon, if you go on turning
n>und like that." She was now working with
fourteen pairs at once, and Alice couldn't help
looking at her in great astonishment.
'How ('•/;/ she knit with so many?' the
ITS puzzled child thought to herself. 'She gets
more and more like a porcupine every minute!'
"Can you row""' the Sheep asked, handing
her a pair of knitting-needles as she spoke.
Yes, a little but not on land and not with
And What Alice Found There
needles- Alice was beginning to say, when
suddenly the needles turned into oars in her
hands, and she found they were in a little boat,
gliding along between banks : so there was nothing
for it but to do her best.
' Feather ! ' cried the Sheep, as she took up 1795
another pair of needles.
This didn't sound like a remark that needed
any answer: so Alice said nothing, but pulled
away. There was something very queer about
the water, she thought, as every now and then isoo
the oars got fast in it, and would hardly come
out again.
"Feather! Feather!' the Sheep cried again,
taking more needles. ; You'll be catching a
crab directly." 1305
"A dear little crab!" thought Alice. "I
should like that."
"Didn't you hear me say 'Feather'?' the
Sheep cried angrily, taking up quite a bunch of
needles.
"Indeed I did," said Alice: 'you've said it
very often — and very loud. Please where are
the crabs ? '
' In the water, of course ! ' said the Sheep,
sticking some of the needles into her hair, as her
hands were full. ' Feather, I say ! '
' Why do you say ' Feather ' so often ? ' ' Alice
asked at last, rather vexed. " I'm not a bird!'
86 TJirougli the Looking-Glass
"You are," said the Sheep: "you're a little
1820 goose."
This offended Alice a little, so there was no
more conversation for a minute or two, while the
boat glided gently on, sometimes among beds of
weeds (which made the oars stick fast in the
1825 water, worse than ever), and sometimes under
trees, but always with the same tall river-banks
frowning over their heads.
' Oh, please ! There are some scented rushes ! '
Alice cried in a sudden transport of delight.
•"There really are and sucli beauties!'
"You needn't say 'please1 to me about 'em,"
the Sheep said, without looking Up from her
knitting: 'I didn't put 'em there, and I'm not
going to take 'em away."
u 'No, but I meant- please, may we wait and
pick some?' Alice pleaded. ' If you don't mind
Stopping the boat for a minute."
"How am / to stop it?' said the Sheep. "If
you leave off rowing, it'll st<>p of itself."
So the boat was left to drift down the stream
as it would, till it glided gently in among the
waving rushes. And then the little sleeves were
carefully rolled up, and the little arms were
plunged in elbow-deep, to get hold of the rushes a
.-. good long way down before breaking them off-
and for a while Alice forgot all about the Sheep
and the knitting, as she bent over the side of the
And What Alice Found There
boat, with just the ends of her tangled hair dip-
ping into the water — while with bright eager eyes
she caught at one bunch after another of the
darling scented rushes.
" '/ only hope. the boat won't tipple over!' she said "
"I only hope the boat won't tipple over!'
she said to herself. "Oh, what a lovely one!
Only I couldn't quite reach it." And it cer-
tainly did seem a little provoking (" almost as 1355
if it happened on purpose," she thought) that,
though she managed to pick plenty of beautiful
rushes as the boat glided by, there was always
a more lovely one that she couldn't reach.
88 Through iJic Looking-Glass
The prettiest are always further!' she said
at last, with a sigh at the obstinacy of the rushes
in growing so far off, as, with flushed cheeks and
dripping hair and hands, she scrambled back into
her place, and began to arrange her new-found
1865 treasures.
\Vhat mattered it to her just then that the
rushes had begun to fade, and to lose all their
scent and beauty, from the very moment that she
picked them:' Even real scented rushes, you
I-:- know, last only a very little while — and these,
1 icing dream-rushes, melted away almost like
snow, as they lay in heaps at her feet -but Alice
hardly noticed this, there were so many other
curious things to think about.
1873 They hadn't gone much farther before the
blade of one of the oars g< >t fast in the water and
u •<>///(///'/ come c >i* again (so Alice explained it
afterwards), and the consequence was that the
handle of it caught her under the chin, and, in
spite of a series of little shrieks of "Oh, oh, oh!'
from poor Alice, it swept her straight off the seat,
and d<>\vn among the heap of rushes.
However, she wasn't a bit hurt, and was soon
up again: the Sheep went on with her knitting
s all the while, just as if nothing had happened.
That was a nice crab you caught!' she re-
marked, as Alice got back into her place, very
much relieved to find herself still in the boat.
And WJiat Alice Found Tlicre 89
"Was it? I didn't see it," said Alice, peeping
cautiously over the side of the boat into the dark
water. "I wish it hadn't let go- -I should so
like a little crab to take home with me!' But
the Sheep only laughed scornfully, and went on
with her knitting.
"Are there many crabs here?" said Alice.
"Crabs, and all sorts of things," said the
Sheep: "plenty of choice, only make up your
mind. Now, what do you want to buy?'
"To buy!' Alice echoed in a tone that was
half astonished and half frightened- -for the oars, 1000
and the boat, and the river, had vanished all in
a moment, and she was back again in the little
dark shop.
" I should like to buy an egg, please," she said
timidly. "How do you sell them?' 1005
" Fivepence farthing for one — two pence for
two," the Sheep replied.
"Then two are cheaper than one?' Alice said
in a surprised tone, taking out her purse.
"Only you must eat them both, if you buy wio
two," said the Sheep.
"Then I'll have one, please," said Alice, as she
put the money down on the counter. For she
thought to herself, "They mightn't be at all nice,
you know." ' m5
The Sheep took the money, and put it away
in a box: then she said," I never put things into
go Through the Looking-Glass
people's hands — that would never do — you must
get it for yourself.'' And so saying, she went off
1920 to the other end of the shop, and set the egg up-
right on a shelf.
'I wonder -idiy it wouldn't do?' thought
Alice, as she groped her way among the tables
and chairs, for the shop was very dark towards
19:25 the end. The egg seems to get further away
the more I walk towards it. Let me see, is this
a chair? Why, it's got branches, I declare!
I low very odd to find lives growing here! And
actually here's a little brook1 Well, this is the
i93o very queerest shop I ever saw!'
So she went on, wondering more and more at
every step, as everything turned into a tree the
moment she came up to it, and she- quite expected
the egg to do the same.
CHAPTER VI 1935
HUMPTY DUMPTY
HOWEVER, the egg only got larger and
larger, and more and more human: when
she had come within a few yards of it, she
saw that it had eyes and a nose and mouth ; and, 1940
when she had come close to it, she saw clearly
that it was HUMPTY DUMPTY himself. "It
can't be anybody else!' she said to herself.
"I'm as certain of it as if his name were written
all over his face!' 1945
It might have been written a hundred times,
easily, on that enormous face. Humpty Dumpty
was sitting, with his legs crossed like a Turk, on
the top of a high wall — such a narrow one that
Alice quite wondered how he could keep his bal- 1950
ance — and, as his eyes were steadily fixed in the
opposite direction, and he didn't take the least
notice of her, she thought he must be a stuffed
figure, after all.
"And how exactly like an egg he is! " she said 1955
aloud, standing with her hands ready to catch
him, for she was every moment expecting him to
fall.
"It's very provoking," Humpty Dumpty said
$2 Through the Looking-Glass
wee after a long silence, looking away from Alice as
he spoke, "to be called an egg — ray!'
'I said you looked like an egg, sir," Alice
gently explained. "And some eggs are very
pretty, you know," she added, hoping to turn
10*5 her remark into a sort of compliment.
'Some people," said Humpty Dumpty, look-
ing away from her as usual, "have no more sense
than a baby!'
Alice didn't know what to say to this: it wasn't
mo at all like conversation, she thought, as he never
said anything to her: in fact, his last remark was
evidently addressed to a tree — so she stood and
softly repeated to herself:-
"Humply Dnmply sat <>;/ t/ :eall:
i'7, 1 1 nmpty Dumpty had a great jail.
. \ll the Kings //<»;->v.v and all the Kings men
( ' 'iddn'l put II nmpty Dnmply in his place again."
That last line is much too long for the
poetry," she added, almost out loud, forgetting
that Humpty Dumpty would hear her.
' Don't stand chattering to yourself like that,"
Humpty Dumpty said, looking at her for the
first time, 'but tell me your name and your
business."
" My name is Alice, but-
'It's a stupid name enough!' Humpty
And What Alice Found There
Dumpty interrupted impatiently. "What does
it mean ? '
'Must a name mean something?' Alice
asked doubtfully. 1990
"Of course it must, ' ' Humpty Dumpty said with
a short laugh :"my name means the shape I am-
and a good handsome shape it is, too. With a
name like yours, you might be any shape, almost."
' Why do you sit out here all alone ? ' said 1095
Alice, not wishing to begin an argument.
'Why, because there's nobody with me!'
cried Humpty Dumpty. " Did you think I
didn't know the answer to that? Ask another."
' Don't you think you'd be safer down on the 2000
ground?' Alice went on, not with any idea of
making another riddle, but simply in her good-
natured anxiety for the queer creature. :That
wall is so very narrow ! '
"What tremendously easy riddles you ask!" 2005
Humpty Dumpty growled out. 'Of course I
don't think so! Why, if ever I did fall off-
which there's no chance of- -but if I did-
Here he pursed up his lips, and looked so solemn
and grand that Alice could hardly help laughing. 2010
"7/1 did fall," he went on, " the King has promised
me — ah, you may turn pale, if you like! You
didn't think I was going to say that, did you?
The King has promised me — with his very own
mouth — to — to ' ' 2015
Through the Looking-Glass
To send all his horses and all his men,"
Alice interrupted, rather unwisely.
'Now I declare that's too bad!' Humpty
Dumpty cried, breaking into a sudden passion.
pursed ;</> his lips, i7>iJ loohcJ
f.rand "
2»:i» ' You've been listening at doors — and behind
trees- and down chimneys — or you couldn't have
known it!'
'I haven't, indeed!' Alice said very gently.
' It's in a book."
ai2:> 'Ah, well! They may write such things in a
'," Humpty Dumpty said in a calmer tone.
That's what you call a History of England, that
is. Now, take a good look at me! I'm one that
<i r\
And What Alice Found Tlicre 95
has spoken to a King, / am : mayhap you'll never
see such another: and, to show you I'm not proud, 2030
you may shake hands with me ! ' And he grinned
almost from ear to ear, as he leant forwards (and
as nearly as possible fell off the wall in doing so)
and offered Alice his hand. She watched him a
little anxiously as she took it. ' If he smiled 2035
much more the ends of his mouth might meet
behind," she thought: "and then I don't know
what would happen to his head! I'm afraid it
would come off!'
"Yes, all his horses and all his men," Humpty 2010
Dumpty went on. "They'd pick me up again
in a minute, they would! However, this con-
versation is going on a little too fast: let's go
back to the last remark but one."
"I'm afraid I can't quite remember it," Alice 2045
said, very politely.
"In that case we start afresh," said Humpty
Dumpty, "and it's my turn to choose a sub-
ject--" ("He talks about it just as if it was a
game!" thought Alice.) "So here's a question 2050
for you. How old did you say you were? '
Alice made a short calculation, and said,
"Seven years and six months."
"Wrong!" Humpty Dumpty exclaimed tri-
umphantly. "You never said a word like it!' 2055
"I thought you meant 'How old are you?'
Alice explained.
Through the Looking-Glass
"If I'd meant that, I'd have said it," said
Humpty Dumpty.
2060 Alice didn't want to begin another argument,
so she said nothing.
"Seven years and six months!' Humpty
Dumpty repeated thoughtfully. ' An uncom-
fortable sort of age. Now if you'd asked my
2065 advice, I'd have said, 'Leave off at seven'
but it's too late now."
"I never ask advice about growing," Alice
said indignantly.
"Too proud?' the other inquired.
2070 Alice- felt even more- indignant at this sugges-
tion. "I mean," she said, 'that one can't help
growing older."
"One can't, perhaps," said Humpty Dumpty;
"but two can. With proper assistance, you
:«':.-, might have left « >ff at seven."
"What a beautiful bell you've got on!' Alice
suddenly remarked. (They had had quite
enough of the subject of age, she thought :
and, if they really were to take turns in choos-
2ubo ing subjects, it was her turn now.) 'At least,"
she corrected herself on second thoughts, 'a
beautiful cravat, I should have said — no, a
belt, I mean- I beg your pardon ! she added
in dismay, for Humpty Dumpty looked thor-
2085oughly offended, and she began to wish she
hadn't chosen that subject. 'If only I knew,"
And What Alice Found There 97
she thought to herself, "which was neck and
which was waist ! '
Evidently Humpty Dumpty was very angry,
though he said nothing for a minute or two. 2000
When he did speak again, it was in a deep growl.
'It is a — most — provoking — thing," he said
at last, 'when a person doesn't know a cravat
from a belt!"
'I know it's very ignorant of me," Alice 2095
said, in so humble a tone that Humpty Dumpty
relented.
'It's a cravat, child, and a beautiful one, as
you say. It's a present from the White King
and Queen. There now!' 2100
'Is it really?' said Alice, quite pleased to
find that she had chosen a good subject, after all.
'They gave it me," Humpty Dumpty con-
tinued thoughtfully, as he crossed one knee over
the other and clasped his hands round it, ' they 2105
gave it me — for an un -birthday present."
' ' I beg your pardon ? ' Alice said with a
puzzled air.
"I'm not offended," said Humpty Dumpty.
"I mean, what is an un -birthday present?' 2110
"A present given when it isn't your birthday,
of course."
Alice considered a little. "I like birthday
presents best," she said at last.
You don't know what you're talking about!" 2115
«
16
Through tJic Looking-Glass
cried Humpty Dumpty. ' How many days
are there in a year?'
"Three hundred and sixty^five," said Alice.
"And how many birthdays have you?'
2120 'One."
'And if you take one from three hundred
and sixty-five, what remains?'
Three hundred and sixty-four, of course."
Ilumpty Dumpty looked doubtful. 'I'd
21:.-. rather see that done on paper," he said.
Alice couldn't help smiling as she took out
her memorandum-book, and worked the sum
for him :
364
Ilumpty Dumpty t<>(>k the- book, and looked
at it carefully. That scums to be done right-
he IK '-an.
2i.r. you're holding it upside down!'1 Alice inter-
rupted.
To be sure I was!1 Humpty Dumpty said
gaily, as she turned it round for him. 'I
thought it looked a little queer. As I was saying,
2Mo that sccnis to be done right — though I haven't
time to look it over thoroughly just now -and
that shows that there arc three hundred and
And What Alice Found There
sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday
presents-
'Certainly," said Alice. 2145
'And only one for birthday presents, you
know. There's glory for you!'
'I don't know what you mean by 'glory,'
Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. 2130
'Of course you don't — till I tell you. I meant
'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'
'But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-
down argument,' ' Alice objected.
'When / use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, 2155
in rather a scornful tone, ' it means just what I
choose it to mean — neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, 'whether
you can make words mean so many different
things." 2i6o
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty,
"which is to be master — that's all."
Alice was too much puzzled to say anything;
so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again.
' They've a temper, some of them — particularly 2165
verbs: they're the proudest — adjectives you can
do anything with, but not verbs — however, 7 can
manage the whole lot of them ! Impenetrability !
That's what / say!'
"Would you tell me, please," said Alice, 2170
' what that means ? '
loo Through the Looking-Glass
'Now you talk like a reasonable child," said
Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased.
'I meant by 'impenetrability' that we've had
2175 enough of that subject, and it would be just as
well if you'd mention what you mean to do next,
as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the
rest of your life."
That's a great deal to make one word mean,"
2180 Alice said in a thoughtful tone.
' When I make a word do a lot of work like
that," said Humpty Dumpty, 'I always pay it
extra."
'Oh!" said Alice. She was too much puzzled
2185 to make any other remark.
'Ah, you should see 'em come round me of
a Saturday night." Humpty Dumpty went on,
wagging his head gravely from side to side, 'for
to get their wages, you kno\v."
2190 (Alice didn't venture to ask what he paid
them with; and so you sec I can't tell you.)
You seem very clever at explaining words,
sir," said Alice. 'Would you kindly tell me the
meaning of the poem called ' Jabberwocky ' ? '
2195 'Let's hear it," said Humpty Dumpty. "I
can explain all the poems that ever we're invented
-and a good many that haven't been invented
just yet."
This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated
2200 the first verse :-
And What Alice Found There 101
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe."
That's enough to begin with," Humpty 2205
Dumpty interrupted: 'there are plenty of hard
words there. 'Brillig' means four o'clock in the
afternoon — the time when you begin broiling
things for dinner."
That'll do very well," said Alice: 'and 2210
' slithy T'
'Well, 'slithy' means 'lithe and slimy.'
'Lithe' is the same as 'active.' You see it's like
a portmanteau — there are two meanings packed
up into one word." 2215
'I see it now," Alice remarked thoughtfully:
" and what are ' toves ' ? '
"Well, 'loves' are something like badgers-
they're something like lizards — and they're some-
thing like corkscrews." 2220
"They must be very curious-looking crea-
tures."
"They are that," said Humpty Dumpty:
'also they make their nests under sun-dials-
also they live on cheese." 2225
"And what's to 'gyre' and to ' gimble T
"To 'gyre' is to go round and round like a
gyroscope. To 'gimble' is to make holes like a
gimblet."
102
Through t/ic Lookinz-Glass
2230 ' And ' the wabe' is the grass-plot round a sun-
dial, I suppose?" said Alice, surprised at her own
ingenuity.
' Of course it is. It's called ' wabe,1 you know,
because it goes a long way before it, and a long
2235 way behind it-
'And a long way beyond it on each side,"
Alice added.
'Exactly so. \Yell then, ' uiiinsy' is 'flimsy
and miserable' (there's another portmanteau for
".1 bird 'hers sticking, out all round
2210 you). And a 'borogove* is a thin shabby-looking
bird witli its feathers sticking out all round
something like a live mop."
"And then * mome raths'l" said Alice. "I'm
afraid I'm giving you a great deal of trouble."
And What Alice Found There 103
' Well, a ' rath ' is a sort of green pig : but 2245
'mome' I'm not certain about. I think it's short
for ' from home '- -meaning that they'd lost their
way, you know."
'And what does ' outgrabe' mean?'
' Well, ' oiitgribing ' is something between bel- 22^0
lowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the
middle: however, you'll hear it done, maybe-
down in the wood yonder — and, when you've
once heard it, you'll be quite content. Who's
been repeating all that hard stuff to you ? ' 2255
' I read it in a book," said Alice. " But I had
some poetry repeated to me much easier than
that, by- -Tweedledee, I think it was."
'As to poetry, you know," said Humpty
Dumpty, stretching out one of his great hands, 2200
'/ can repeat poetry as well as other folk, if it
comes to that-
" Oh, it needn't come to that!' Alice hastily
said, hoping to keep him from beginning.
"The piece I'm going to repeat," he went on 2255
without noticing her remark, 'was written en-
tirely for your amusement."
Alice felt that in that case she really ought to
listen to it; so she sat down, and said, <; Thank
you" rather sadly.
1 In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight -
104 Through tJic Locking-Glass
only I don't sing it," he added, as an explana-
tion.
2275 'I see you don't," said Alice.
"If you can see whether I'm singing or not,
you've sharper eyes than most," Humpty Dumpty
remarked severely. Alice was silent.
'In spring, when woods are getting green,
2280 /'// try and tell you what I mean:1
"Thank you very much," said Alice.
" /;/ summer, wJien the days arc long.
Perhaps \\nCll understand the song:
hi (intnmn, when the Icarcs arc brown,
2285 Take pen and ink, and write it down."
"I will, if I can remember it so long," said
Alice.
"You needn't go on making remarks like
that," Humpty Dumpty said: "they're not sen-
2290 sible, and they put me out.'
"/ sent a message to the fish:
I told them ' This is what I wisli.'
The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.
And What Alice Found There 105
"The little fishes' answer was 2295
1 We cannot do it, sir, because -
Trn afraid I don't quite understand," said
Alice.
"It gets easier further on," Humpty Dumpty
replied. 2300
"/ sent to them again to say,
1 It will be better to obey.'
The fishes answered, with a grin,
' Why, what a temper you are in! '
/ told them once, I told them twice: 2305
They would not listen to advice.
I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.
My heart went hop, my heart went thump:
I filled the kettle at the pump. 2310
Then some one came to me and said,
' The little fishes are in bed.'
I said to him, I said it plain,
' Then you must wake them up again.1
I said it very loud and clear: 2315
/ went and shouted in his ear.'
io6 Through tlie Looking-Glass
Humpty Dumpty raised his voice almost to a
scream as he repeated this verse, and Alice thought
with a shudder, ' I wouldn't have been the mes-
2320 senger for anything!1
' But he n\is "eery stiff and proud:
He said, Tf1// needn't shout so loud."
And he was rery proud and stiff:
lie said, 'I'd ty eind \eake them, if -
2.12:, / tt>ok a corkscrew from the shelf:
I :eent to leake them up myself.
And :elien I found the door was I<\ked,
I pulled and pushed and* kicked and knoeked.
And ;eJien I found the door was shut,
I tried /(> ///;•;/ the liandle, hut
Tln-iv was a 1< >ng pausi-.
"Is tliat all?" Alice timidly asked.
'That's all," said Humpty Dumpty. 'Good-
by.
2335 This was rather sudden, Alice thought: but,
after siu'h a very strong hint that she ought to
be going, she felt that it would hardly be civil
to stay. So she got up, and held out her hand.
'Good-by, till we meet again!' she said as
2340 cheerfully as she could.
And What Alice Found There
' I shouldn't know you again if we did meet,"
Humpty Dumpty replied in a discontented tone,
giving her one of his fingers to shake: " you're so
exactly like other people."
;The face is what one goes by, generally," 2345
Alice remarked in a thoughtful tone.
" That's just what I complain of," said Humpty
Dumpty. Your face is the same as everybody
has — the two eyes, so- (marking their places
in the air with his thumb) 'nose in the middle, 2350
mouth under. It's always the same. Now if
you had the two eyes on the same side of the nose,
for instance — or the mouth at the top — that'
would be some help."
" It wouldn't look nice," Alice objected. But 2355
Humpty Dumpty only shut his eyes, and said,
"Wait till you've tried."
Alice waited a minute to see if he would speak
again, but, as he never opened his eyes or took
any further notice of her, she said, "Good-by!" 2seo
once more, and, getting no answer to this she
quietly walked away: but she couldn't help say-
ing to herself, as she went, ' Of all the unsatis-
factory- (she repeated this aloud, as it was
a great comfort to have such a long word to 2355
say) "of all the unsatisfactory people I ever met
She never finished the sentence, for at
this moment a heavy crash shook the forest from
end to end.
T
CHAPTER VII
THE LIOX AXD THE UXICORN
VHE next moment soldiers came running
through the wood, at first in twos and
threes, then ten or twenty together, and
2375 at last in such crowds that they seemed to fill the
whole forest. Alice got behind a tree, for fear of
being run over, and watched them go by.
She thought that in all her life she had never
seen soldiers so uncertain on their feet: they were
2380 always tripping over something or other, and
whenever one went down, several more always
fell over him, so that the ground was soon covered
with little heaps of men.
Then came the horses. Having four feet, these
2385 managed rather better than the foot-soldiers ; but
even they stumbled now and then ; and it seemed
to be a regular rule that, whenever a horse
stumbled, the rider fell off instantly. The con-
fusion got worse every moment, and Alice was
2390 very glad to get out of the wood into an open
place, where she found the White King seated on
the ground, busily writing in his memorandum-
book.
'I've sent them all!" the King cried in a tone
[ioS]
And What Alice Found There 109
of delight, on seeing Alice. "Did you happen 2395
to meet any soldiers, my dear, as you came
through the wood ? '
:Yes, I did," said Alice: "several thousand,
I should think."
' Four thousand two hundred and seven, that's 2400
the exact number," the King said, referring to his
book. ' I couldn't send all the horses, you know,
because two of them are wanted in the game.
And I haven't sent the two Messengers, either.
They're both gone to the town. Just look along 2405
the road, and tell me if you can see either of
them."
' I see nobody on the road," said Alice.
'I only wish 7 had such eyes," the King
remarked in a fretful tone. "To be able to see 2410
Nobody! And at that distance too! Why, it's
as much as 7 can do to see real people, by this
light!"
All this was lost on Alice, who was still looking
intently along the road, shading her eyes with 2415
one hand. ' I see somebody now!" she exclaimed
at last. ' But he's coming very slowly — and what
curious attitudes he goes into!' (For the Mes-
senger kept skipping up and down, and wriggling
like an eel, as he came along, with his great hands 2420
spread out like fans on each side.)
" Not at all," said the King. " He's an Anglo-
Saxon Messenger — and those are Anglo-Saxon
no
Through the Loo king-Glass
attitudes. He only does them when he's happy.
2425 His name is Haigha." (He pronounced it so as
to rhyme with "mayor.")
'I love my love with an H," Alice couldn't
help beginning, 'because he is Happy. I hate
" T> ' ' ' , ir M'^..,: /»».'£ like i7>/ eel "
him with an II, because IK- is Hideous. I fed him
with—with with Ham-sandwiches and Hay.
I lis name is I hr-gha, and he livcs-
'Ile lives on the Hill," the King remarked
simply, without the least idea that he was joining
in the game, while Aliee was still hesitating for
2-1:'..-. the name of a town beginning with II. ' The
other Messenger's called Ilatta. I must have
two, you know -to come and go. One to come,
and one to go."
"I beg your pardon?" said Alice.
And What Alice Found There in
"It isn't respectable to beg," said the King. 2440
" I only meant that I didn't understand," said
Alice. ' Why one to come and one to go ? '
'Don't I tell you?' the King repeated im-
patiently. ' I must have two — to fetch and carry.
One to fetch, and one to carry." 2445
At this moment the Messenger arrived: he
was far too much out of breath to say a word, and
could only wave his hands about, and make the
most fearful faces at the poor King.
This young lady loves you with an H," the 2450
King said, introducing Alice in the hope of turning
off the Messenger's attention from himself- -but
it was of no use — the Anglo-Saxon attitudes only
got more extraordinary every moment, while the
great eyes rolled wildly from side to side. 2455
"You alarm me!' said the King. 'I feel
faint- -Give me a ham sandwich!'
On wThich the Messenger, to Alice's great
amusement, opened a bag that hung round his
neck, and handed a sandwich to the King, who 2460
devoured it greedily.
"Another sandwich!" said the King.
"There's nothing but hay left now," the
Messenger said, peeping into the bag.
"Hay, then," the King murmured in a faint 2465
whisper.
Alice was glad to see that it revived him a
good deal. "There's nothing like eating hay
ii2 Through the Looking-Glass
when you're faint," he remarked to her, as he
2470 munched away.
' I should think throwing cold water over you
wrould be better," Alice suggested: "--or some
sal-volatile."
'I didn't say there was nothing better," the
2475 King replied. ' I said there was nothing like it."
Which Alice did not venture to deny.
' Who did you pass on the road ? ' the King
went on, holding out his hand to the Messenger
for some more hay.
2480 ' Xobody," said the Messenger.
'Quite right," said the King: 'this young
lady saw him too. So of course Nobody walks
slower than you."
' I do my best," the Messenger said in a sullen
2485 tone. ' I'm sure nobody walks much faster than
I do!"
4 He can't do that," said the King, "or else
he'd have been here first. However, now you've
got your breath, you may tell us what's happened
2400 in the town."
'I'll whisper it,' said the Messenger, putting
his hands to his mouth in the shape of a trumpet
and stooping so as to get close to the King's ear.
Alice was sorry for this, as she wanted to hear
2495 the news too. However, instead of whispering,
he simply shouted, at the top of his voice,
"They're at it again!'
And What Alice Found TJiere
'Do you call that a whisper?' cried the poor
King, jumping up and shaking himself. " If you
do such a thing again, I'll have you buttered! It 2500
went through and through my head like an earth-
quake!'
' It would have to be a very tiny earthquake ! '
thought Alice. "Who are at it again?" she
ventured to ask. 2505
'Why, the Lion and the Unicorn, of course,"
said the King.
"Fighting for the crown?'
;Yes, to be sure," said the King: 'and the
best of the joke is, that it's my crown all the 2510
while! Let's run and see them." And they
trotted off, Alice repeating to herself, as she ran,
the words of the old song:-
"The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the
crown: 2515
The Lion beat the Unicorn all round the town.
Some gave them white bread, some gave them brown:
Some gave them plum-cake and drummed them out
of town."
' ' Does- -the one- -that wins- -get the 2520
crowrn?' she asked, as well as she could, for the
run was putting her quite out of breath.
"Dear me, no!" said the King. "What an
idea!"
"Would you — be good enough- Alice 2525
17
H4 Through the Lookiiig-Glass
panted out, after running a little further, "to
stop a minute- -just to get — one's breath again?'
' I'm good enough," the King said, 'only I'm
not strong enough. You see, a minute goes by
2530 so fearfully quick. You might as well try to stop
a Bandersnatch ! '
Alice had no more breath for talking; so they
trotted on in silence, till they came into sight of
a great crowd, in the middle of which the Lion
2535 and Unicorn were fighting. They were in such a
cloud of dust, that at first Alice could not make
out which was which; but she- soon managed to
distinguish the Unicorn by his horn.
They placed themselves close to where Hatta,
2.-.4<: the other Messenger, was standing watching the
fight, with a cup of tea in one hand and a piece
of bread-and-butter in the other.
'He's only just out of prison, and lie hadn't
finished his tea when lie was sent in," Haigha
-••-.(..whispered to .Mice: 'ami they only give them
oyster-shells in there & > you see he's very hungry
and thirsty. Ho\y are you, dear child?' he went
on, putting his arm affectionately round llatta's
neck.
2550 Hatta looked round and nodded, and went on
with his bread-and-butter.
'Were you happy in prison, dear child?" said
Haigha.
Haita looked round once more, and this time
And What Alice Found There 115
a tear or two trickled down his cheek ; but not a 2555
word would he say.
'Speak, can't you!' Haigha cried impa-
tiently. But Hatta only munched away, and
drank some more tea.
'Speak, won't you!" cried the King. "How 2560
are they getting on with the fight ? '
Hatta made a desperate effort, and swallowed
a large piece of bread-and-butter: "They're
getting on very well," he said in a choking voice:
'each of them has been down about eighty-seven 2565
times."
'Then I suppose they'll soon bring the white
bread and the brown ? ' Alice ventured to remark.
'It's waiting for 'em now," said Hatta; "this
is a bit of it as I'm eating." 2570
There was a pause in the fight just then, and
the Lion and the Unicorn sat down, panting,
while the King called out Ten minutes allowed
for refreshments!' Haigha and Hatta set to
work at once carrying round trays of white and 2575
brown bread. Alice took a piece to taste, but it
was very dry.
" I don't think they'll fight any more to-day,"
the King said to Hatta : " go and order the drums
to begin." And Hatta went bounding away like 2530
a grasshopper.
For a minute or two Alice stood silent, watch-
ing him. Suddenly she brightened up. "Look,
n6 Through the Loo king-Glass
look!' she cried, pointing eagerly. ''There's the
2585 White Queen running across the country ! She
came flying out of the wood over yonder- -How
fast those Queens can run!'
There's some enemy after her, no doubt,"
the King said, without even looking round.
2590 <;That wood's full of them."
' But aren't you going to run and help her''
Alice asked, very much surprised at his taking
it so quietly.
' Xo use, no use! ' said the King. 'She runs
2595 so fearfully quick. You might as well try to
catch a Bandersnatch ! Hut I'll make a memo-
randum about her, if you like She's a dear
good creature," he repeated softly to himself, as
he opened his memorandum-book. "Do you
2000 spell 'creature' with a double 'e'?'
At this moment the Unicorn sauntered by
them, with his hands in his pockets. " I had the
best of it this time?1 he said to the King, just
glancing at him as he passed.
2«o5 'A little — a little,' the King replied, rather
nervously. Y« >u sin -uldn't have run him through
with your horn, you know."
'It didn't hurt him," the Unicorn said care-
lessly, and he was g«ing on, when his eye hap-
2610 pened to fall upon Alice : he turned round instantly
and stood for some time looking at her with an
air of the deepest disgust.
And What Alice Found There 117
"What— is— this?" he said at last.
'This is a child!' Haigha replied eagerly,
coming in front of Alice to introduce her, and 2615
spreading out both his hands towards her in an
Anglo-Saxon attitude. ' We only found it to-day.
It's as large as life, and twice as natural!'
' I always thought they were fabulous mon-
sters!" said the Unicorn. "Is it alive?' 2020
'It can talk," said Haigha solemnly.
The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice, and
said "Talk, child."
Alice could not help her lips curling up into
a smile as she began : ' Do you know, I always 2625
thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters, too?
I never saw one alive before. '
"Well, now that we have seen each other,"
said the Unicorn, 'if you'll believe in me, I'll
believe in you. Is that a bargain?' 2030
; Yes, if you like," said Alice.
"Come, fetch out the plum-cake, old man!'
the Unicorn went on, turning from her to the
King. ' None of your brown bread for me!'
"Certainly — certainly!' the King muttered, 2035
and beckoned to Haigha. 'Open the bag!' he
whispered. "Quick! Not that one — that's full
of hay!"
Haigha took a large cake out of the bag, and
gave it to Alice to hold, while he got out a dish 2040
and carving-knife. How they all came out of it
n8 Through the Looking-Glass
Alice couldn't guess. It was just like a con-
juring-trick, she thought.
The Lion had joined them while this was
2643 going on : he looked very tired and sleepy, and
his (.-yes were half shut. 'What's this!" he said,
blinking lazily at Alice, and speaking in a deep
hollow tone that sounded like the tolling of a
great bell.
2850 "Ah, what is it, now?1 the Unicorn cried
eagerly. ' You'll never guess ! f couldn't."
The Linn looked at Alice wearily. 'Are you
animal -or vegetable -or mineral?' he said,
yawning at every other word.
NSC 'It's a fabulous monster! the Unicorn cried
out, before Alice could reply.
Then hand round the plum-cake. Monster,"
the Lion said, lying down and putting his chin
on his paws. 'And sit down, both of you," (to
the King and the Unicorn >: 'fair play with the
cake, y< >u km >w !
The King was evidently very uncomfortable
at having to sit down between the two great
creatures; but there was no other place- for him.
"What a fight we might have for the crown,
now!' the Unicorn said, looking slyly up at the
crown, which the poor King was nearly shaking
off his head, he trembled so much.
'I should win easy," said the Lion.
'I'm not so sure of that," said the Unicorn.
And What Alice Found There
119
'Why, I beat you all round the town, you
chicken!' the Lion replied angrily, half getting
up as he spoke.
Here the King interrupted, to prevent the
quarrel going on : he was very nervous, and his 2575
" The King way evidently very uncomfortable "
voice quite quivered. ' All round the town ? ' he
said. ' That's a good long way. Did you go by
the old bridge, or the market-place? You get
the best view by the old bridge."
'I'm sure I don't know," the Lion growled 2cso
out as he lay down again. " There was too much
dust to see anything What a time the Monster
is, cutting up that cake ! '
Alice had seated herself on the bank of a little
brook, with the great dish on her knees, and was 2685
sawing away diligently with the knife. 'It's
120 Through the Looking-Glass
C / fr" ( ,' t L A ^ v f / \f *• » * V.
very provoking!' she said, in reply to the Lion
(she was getting quite used to being called "the
Monster"). "I've cut several slices already, but
2690 they always join on again ! '
"You don't know how to manage Looking-
glass cakes," the Unicorn remarked. 'Hand it
round first, and cut it afterwards."
This sounded nonsense, but Alice very obedi-
2eor, ently got up, and carried the dish round, and the
cake divided itself into three pieces as she did so.
"AVti' cut it up," said the Lion, as she returned
to her place1 with the empty dish.
"I say, this isn't fair!' cried the Unicorn,
27.*' as Alice sat with the knife in her hand, very
much puzzled how to begin. The Monster lias
given the Lion twice as much as me!'
"She's kept none for herself, anyhow," said
the Lion. "Do you like' plum-cake. Monster?'
2705 But before Alice could answer him, the drums
began.
Where the noise came from, she couldn't
make out: the air seemed full of it, and it
rang through and through her head till she
2710 felt quite deafened. She started to her feet
and sprang across the little brook in her terror,
And What Alice Found There 121
and had just time to see the Lion and the Uni-
corn rise to their feet, with angry looks at being
interrupted in their feast, before she dropped to
her knees, and put her hands over her ears, vainly 2715
trying to shut out the dreadful uproar.
"If that doesn't 'drum them out of town,'
she thought to herself, "nothing ever will!';
CHAPTER VIII
"IT'S MY ()\VX INVENTION"
A-TER a while the noise seemed gradually tc
die away, till all was dead silence, and
Aliee lifted up her head in some alarm.
There was no one to be seen, and her first thought
27-, was thai she must have been dreaming about the
Lion and the Unicorn and those queer Anglo-
Sax< >n Messengers. I [owever, there was the great
disli still lying at her feet, on which she had tried
to cut the plum-cake. ' So I wasn't dreaming,
mo after all," she said t< > herself, " unless unless we're
all part of the- same dream. ( hily I do hope it's
my dream, and not the I\ed King's! I don't
like belonging to another person's dream/' she
went on in a rather complaining tone: T\e a
:•::<.-• great mind to g< > and wake him, and sec what
happens!1
At this moment her thoughts were interrupted
by a loud shouting of 'Ahoy! Ahoy! Check!'
and a Knight, dressed in crimson armor, came
•-•7i" galloping down upon her, brandishing a great
club. Just as he reached her, the horse stopped
suddenly: You're my prisoner!' the Knight
cried, as he tumbled off his horse.
And What Alice Found There 123
Startled as she was, Alice was more frightened
for him than for herself at the moment, and 2745
watched him with some anxiety as he mounted
again. As soon as he was comfortably in the
saddle, he began once more/ ; You're my -
but here another voice broke in, ' ' Ahoy ! Ahoy !
Check!" and Alice looked round in some surprise 2750
for the new enemy.
This time it was a White Knight. He drew
up at Alice's side, and tumbled off his horse just
as the Red Knight had done : then he got on again,
and the two Knights sat and looked at each other 2755
for some time without speaking. Alice looked
from one to the other in some bewilderment.
"She's my prisoner, you know!' the Red
Knight said at last.
"Yes, but then / came and rescued her!' the 2?eo
White Knight replied.
"Well, we must fight for her, then," said the
Red Knight, as he took up his helmet (which
hung from the saddle, and was something the
shape of a horse's head) and put it on. 2765
"You will observe the Rules of Battle, of
course?' the White Knight remarked, putting
on his helmet too.
"I always do," said the Red Knight, and
they began banging away at each other with such 2770
fury that Alice got behind a tree to be out of the
way of the blows.
124
Through the Locking-Glass
" I wonder, now, what the Rules of Battle are,"
she said to herself, as she watched the fight,
2775 timidly peeping out from her hiding-place. ' One
Rule seems to be, that if one Knight hits the
other, he knocks him off his horse; and, if he
misses, he tumbles off himself — and another Rule
"Vc'« wilt ' /'':<• Rules <>;" /'ii'.'/r, <'/
seems to be that they hold their clubs with their
2780 arms, as if they were Punch and Judy What a
noise they make when they tumble! Just like a
whole set of fire-irons falling into the fender!
And how quiet the horses are! They let them
get on and off them just as if they were tables!'
Another Rule of Battle, that Alice had not
278o
And What Alice Found There 125
noticed, seemed to be that they always fell on
their heads ; and the battle ended with their both
falling off in this way, side by side. When they
got up again, they shook hands, and then the Red
Knight mounted and galloped off. 2790
"It was a glorious victory, wasn't it?' said
the White Knight, as he came up panting.
"I don't know," Alice said doubtfully. "I
don't wTant to be anybody's prisoner. I want to
be a Queen." 2795
4 So you will, when you've crossed the next
brook," said the White Knight. "I'll see you
safe to the end of the wood — and then I must go
back, you know. That's the end of my move."
"Thank you very much," said Alice. 'May 2800
I help you off with your helmet?' It was evi-
dently more than he could manage by himself:
however, she managed to shake him out of it at
last.
"Now one can breathe more easily," said the 2805
Knight, putting back his shaggy hair with both
hands, and turning his gentle face and large mild
eyes to Alice. She thought she had never seen
such a strange-looking soldier in all her life.
He was dressed in tin armor, which seemed 2810
to fit him very badly, and he had a queer-shaped
little deal box fastened across his shoulders,
upside-down, and with the lid hanging open.
Alice looked at it with great curiosity.
126 Through Ike Looking-Glass
2815 "I see you're admiring my little box," the
Knight said in a friendly tone. ' It's my own
invention — to keep clothes and sandwiches in.
You see I carry it upside down, so that the rain
can't get in."
2820 "But the things can get out,"' Alice gently
remarked. "Do you know the lid's open?'
"I didn't know it," the Knight said, a shade
of vexation passing over his face. Then all the
tilings must have fallen out! And the box is no
282.-, use- with< >ut them." 1 Ic unfastened it as he spoke,
and was just going to throw it into the bushes,
when a sudden thought seemed to strike him,
and he hung it carefully on a tree, '('an you
guess why I did that?' he said to Alice.
2830 Alice shook her head.
'In hopes some bees may make a nest in it
then I should get the honey."
'hut you've got a bee-hive -or something
like one fastened to the saddle," said Alice.
SKI.-. Yes, it's a very good bee-hive," the Knight
said in a discontented tone, 'one of the best
kind. hut not a single bee has come near it yet.
And the other thing is a mouse-trap. I suppose
the mice keep the bees out — or the bees keep
the mice out, I don't know which."
' I was wondering what the mouse-trap was
for," said Alice. 'It isn't very likely there
would be any mice on the horse's back.
And What Alice Found There
"Not very likely, perhaps," said the Knight;
'but, if they do come, I don't choose to have IM*
them running all about."
; You see," he went on after a pause, "it's as
well to be provided for everything. That's the
reason the horse has all those anklets round his
feet." 2850
'But what are they for?' Alice asked in a
tone of great curiosity.
;To guard against the bites of sharks," the
Knight replied. 'It's an invention of my own.
And now help me on. I'll go with you to the 2355
end of the wood- -What's that dish for?'
'It's meant for plum-cake," said Alice.
"We'd better take it with us," the Knight
said. 'It'll come in handy if we find any plum-
cake. Help me to get it into this bag." 2800
This took a Ion* time to manage, though Alice
held the bag open very carefully, because the
Knight was so very awTkward in putting in the
dish; the first two or three times that he tried
he fell in himself instead. 'It's rather a tight 2865
fit, you see," he said, as they got it in at last;
'there are so many candlesticks in the bag."
And he hung it to the saddle, which was already
loaded w^ith bunches of carrots, and fire-irons,
and many other things. 2370
' I hope you've got your hair well fastened
on?" he continued, as they set off.
128 Through the Looking-Glass
'Only in the usual way," Alice said, smiling.
That's hardly enough," he said, anxiously.
2875 <; You see the wind is so very strong here. It's
as strong as soup."
' Have you invented a plan for keeping the
hair from being blown off?' Alice inquired.
"Not yet," said the Knight. "But I've got
2880 a plan for keeping it from jailing off."
'I should like to hear it, very much."
' First you take an upright stick," said the
Knight. Then you make your hair creep up
it, like a fruit-tree. \<>w the reason hair falls
28«5 off is because it hangs </<';•.';/ tilings never fall
n/>u'(/r./.v, you know. It's a plan of my own
invention. You may try it if you like."
It didn't sound a comfortable plan, Alice
thought, and for a few minutes she walked on
280" in silence, puzzling over the idea, and every now
and then stopping t«> help the poor Knight, who
certainly was >/<>/ a good rider.
Whenever the horse stopped (which it did
very often), lie fell off in front; and, whenever
it went on again (which it generally did rather
suddenly), he fell off behind. Otherwise he
kept on pretty well, except that he had a habit of
now and then falling off sideways; and, as he
generally did this on the side on which Alice was
2»oo walking, she soon found that it was the best plan
not to walk quite close to the horse.
And What Alice Found There 129
' I'm afraid you've not had much practice in
riding," she ventured to say, as she was helping
him up from his fifth tumble.
The Knight looked very much surprised, and a 2905
little offended at the remark. " What makes you
say that?' he asked, as he scrambled back into
the saddle, keeping hold of Alice's hair with one
hand, to save himself from falling over on the
other side. 2010
"Because people don't fall off quite so often,
when they've had much practice."
'I've had plenty of practice," the Knight said
very gravely : ' plenty of practice ! '
Alice could think of nothing better to say 2915
than " Indeed?' but she said it as heartily as she
could. They went on a little way in silence
after this, the Knight with his eyes shut, mutter-
ing to himself, and Alice watching anxiously for
the next tumble. 2920
" The great art of riding," the Knight suddenly
began in a loud voice, waving his right arm as he
spoke, " is to keep- Here the sentence ended
as suddenly as it had begun, as the Knight fell
heavily on the top of his head exactly in the path 2025
where Alice was walking. She was quite fright-
ened this time, and said in an anxious tone, as she
picked him up, "I hope no bones are broken?'
"None to speak of," the Knight said, as if
he didn't mind breaking two or three of them. 2930
18
130
Through t/te Looking-Glass
"The great art of riding, as I was saying, is-
to keep your balance properly. Like this, you
know
"7 • . - •- >jJ "
lie let go the bridle, and stretched out both
2'.':.-. his arms to show Alice what he meant, and this
time lie fell llat on his back, right under the
horse's feet.
'Plenty of practice1' he went on repeating,
all the time that Alice was getting him on his
feet again. ' Plenty <>f practice!1
'It's too ridiculous!' cried Alice, losing all
And What Alice Found There 131
her patience this time. :You ought to have a
wooden horse 011 wheels, that you ought!'
'Does that kind go smoothly?' the Knight
asked in a tone of great interest, clasping his 2045
arms round the horse's neck as he spoke, just in
time to save himself from tumbling off again.
"Much more smoothly than a live horse,"
Alice said, with a little scream of laughter, in
spite of all she could do to prevent it. 2050
"I'll get one," the Knight said thoughtfully
to himself. 'One or two — several."
There was a short silence after this, and then
the Knight went on again. ' I'm a great hand
at inventing things. Now, I daresay you noticed, 2955
the last time you picked me up, that I was looking
rather thoughtful ? '
You were a little grave," said Alice.
"Well, just then I was inventing a new way
of getting over a gate — would you like to hear 2000
it?"
"Very much indeed," Alice said politely.
"I'll tell you how I came to think of it," said
the Knight. "You see, I said to myself, 'The
only difficulty is with the feet : the head is high 2955
enough already.' Now, first I put my head on
the top of the gate — then the head's high enough
-then I stand on my head- -then the feet are
high enough, you see — then I'm over, you see."
"Yes, I suppose you'd be over when that was 2970
132 Through the Locking-Glass
done," Alice said thoughtfully: "but don't you
think it would be rather hard?'
' I haven't tried it yet," the Knight said,
gravely; "so I can't tell for certain — but I'm
2975 afraid it would be a little hard."
He looked so vexed at the idea, that Alice
changed the subject hastily. 'What a curious
helmet you've got ! she said cheerfully. ' Is
that your invention too""'
2980 The Knight looked down proudly at his helmet,
which hung from the saddle. Yes," he said;
"but I've invented a better < >ne than that -like
a sugar-loaf. When I used to wear it, if I fell off
the horse, it always touched the ground directly.
2985 So I had a very little way to fall, you see--But
there was the danger of falling /;//(> it, to be sure.
That happened to me once- and the worst of it
was, before I could get out again, the other White
Knight came and put it on. He thought it was
2990 his own helmet."
The Knight looked so solemn about it that
Alice did not dare to laugh. 'I'm afraid you
must have hurt him," she said in a trembling
voice, "being on the- top of his head."
2u».-. 'I had to kick him, of course," the Knight
said, very seriously. 'And then he took the
helmet off again — but it took hours and hours
to get me out. I was as fast as —as lightning,
you know."
And What Alice Found There
'But that's «a different kind of fastness," 3000
Alice objected.
The Knight shook his head. ' It was all
kinds of fastness with me, I can assure you ! ' he
said. He raised his hands in some excitement as
he said this, and instantly rolled out of the saddle, 3005
and fell headlong into a deep ditch.
Alice ran to the side of the ditch to look for
him. She was rather startled by the fall, as for
some time he had kept on very well, and she was
afraid that he really was hurt this time. However, 3010
though she could see nothing but the soles of his
feet, she was much relieved to hear that he was
talking on in his usual tone. 'All kinds of fast-
ness, ' he repeated : ' but it was careless of him
to put another man's helmet on — with the man 3015
in it, too."
"How can you go on talking so quietly, head
downwards?' Alice asked, as she dragged him
out by the feet, and laid him in a heap on the
bank. 3020
The Knight looked surprised at the question.
"What does it matter where my body happens
to be?' he said. "My mind goes on working all
the same. In fact, the more head-downwards I
am, the more I keep inventing new things." 3025
"Now the cleverest thing of the sort that I
ever did," he went on after a pause, "was invent-
ing a new pudding during the meat-course."
Through tJic Looking-Glass
" In time to have it cooked for* the next course?"
3030 said Alice. ' ' Well, that was quick work, certainly!"
"Well, not the next course," the Knight said
in a slow, thoughtful tone: "no, certainly not the
next course."
Then it would have to be the next day. I
3035 suppose- you wouldn't have two pudding-courses
in one dinner ' '
'Well, not the ;/t\\7 day," the Knight repeated
as before: "not the next day. In fact," lie went
on, holding his head down, and his voice getting
a- in lower and lower, 'I don't believe that pudding
ever was cooked' In fact, I don't believe that
pudding ever will be cook And yet it was a
very clever pudding to invent."
'What did you mean it to be made of?'
:i"'i> Alice asked, hoping to cheer him tip, for the poor
Knight seemed quite low-spirited about it.
'It began with blotting-paper." the Knight
answered with a gr< >an.
That wouldn't be very nice, I'm afraid
3050 ' Xot very nice alone" he interrupted, quite
eagerly: 'but you've no idea what a difference
it makes, mixing it with other things — such as
gunpowder and sealing-wax. And here I must
leave you." They had just come to the end of
: the w< )od.
Alice could only lock puzzled: she was think-
ing of the pudding.
And What Alice Found There
"You are sad," the Knight said in an anxious
tone: "let me sing you a song to comfort you."
'Is it very long?' Alice asked, for she had see
heard a good deal of poetry that day.
"It's long," said the Knight, "but it's very,
very beautiful. Everybody that hears me sing
it — either it brings the tears into their eyes, or
else "
' Or else what ? " said Alice, for the Kinght had
made a sudden pause.
' Or else it doesn't, you know. The name of
the song is called 'Haddocks' Eyes.'
' Oh, that's the name of the song, is it? " Alice 3070
said, trying to feel interested.
"No, you don't understand," the Knight said,
looking a little vexed. That's what the name
is called. The name really is ' The Aged Aged
Man: "
"Then I ought to have said, 'That's what the
song is called' ?" Alice corrected herself.
" No, you oughtn't : that's quite another thing !
The song is called 'Ways and Means' : but that's
only what it's called, you know!'
"Well, what is the song, then?' said Alice,
who was by this time completely bewildered.
"I was coming to that," the Knight said.
"The song really is 'A-sitting on a Gate' : and the
tune's my own invention." 3085
So saying, he stopped his horse and let the
ij6 Through the Looking-Glass
reins fall on its neck: then, slowly beating time
with one hand, and with a faint smile lighting up
his gentle foolish face, as if he enjoyed the music
3090 of his song, he began.
Of all the strange things that Alice saw in her
journey Through the Looking-Glass, this was
the one that she always remembered most clearly.
Years afterwards she could bring the whole scene
3095 back again, as if it had been only yesterday — the
mild blue eyes and kindly smile of the Knight-
the setting sun gleaming through his hair, and
shining on his armor in a blaze of light that quite
dazzled her — the horse quietly moving about,
3100 with the reins hanging loose on his neck, cropping
the grass at her feet — and the black shadows of
the forest behind — all this she took in like a pic-
ture, as, with one hand shading her eyes, she leant
against a tree, watching the strange pair, and
3105 listening, in a half-dream, to the melancholy
music of the song.
'But the tune isn't his own invention," she
said to herself: "it's '/ ^irc tlicc all, I can no
more.' She stood and listened very attentively,
3110 but no tears came into her eyes.
' Fll tell thee everything I can:
There's little to relate.
I sait' an aged aged man,
A-sitting on a gate.
And What Alice Found There
'Who are you, aged man?' I said. 3115
'And how is it you live?'
And his answer trickled through my head,
Like water through a sieve.
He said ' I look for butterflies
That sleep among the wheat: 3120
/ make them into mutton-pies,
And sell them in the street.
I sell them unto men,' he said,
' Who sail on stormy seas;
And that's the way I get my bread - 3125
A trifle, if you please.'
But I was thinking of a plan
To dye ones whiskers green,
And always use so large a fan
That they could not be seen. 3130
So, having no reply to give
To what the old man said,
I cried ' Come, tell me how you live! '
And thumped him on the head.
His accents mild took up the tale: 3135
He said, ' / go my ways,
And when I find a mountain-rill,
I set it in a blaze;
And thence they make a stuff they call
Rowland's Macassar-Oil —
Through the Looking-Glass
Yet twopence-halfpenny is all
They give me for my toil.'
But I was thinking of a way
To feed oneself on better,
3H5 And so go on from day to day
Getting a little fatter.
I sliook him well from side to side,
Until his face was blue:
'Come, tell me how you lire,' / cried,
3150 l Ami what it is yon do/'
He sail.],' I hunt for Jiad<locks' eyes
Among the heather bright,
And work them into waistcoat-buttons
In the silent night.
3155 And these I do not sell jor gold
Or coin of silrery sliine,
Hut for a copper halfpenny,
And that will purchase nine.
'/ sometimes dig for buttered ;v//.v,
Or set limed twigs for cra!>s:
I sometimes search the grassv km*lls
I-' or wheels of Iliinstwi-cabs.
And tliat's the way1 (he gave a wink)
'By which I get mv wealth
And very gladly will I drink
\\nir Honor's noble health.'
And What Alice Found There 139
I heard him then, for I had just
Completed my design
To keep the Menai bridge from rust
By boiling it in wine. 3170
/ thanked him much for telling me
The way he got his wealth,
But chiefly for his wish that he
Might drink my noble health.
And now, if e'er by chance I put 3175
My fingers into glue,
Or madly squeeze a right-hand foot
Into a left-hand shoe,
Or if I drop upon my toe
A very heavy weight,
I weep, for it reminds me so
Of that old man I used to know -
Whose look was mild, whose speech was slow,
Whose hair was whiter than the snow,
Whose face was very like a crow,
With eyes, like cinders, all aglow,
Who seemed distracted with his woe,
Who rocked his body to and fro,
And muttered mumblingly and low,
As if his mouth were full of dough,
Who snorted like a buffalo -
That summer evening long ago,
A-sitting on a gate"
140 Through the Looking-Glass
As the Knight sang the last words of the ballad,
3195 he gathered up the reins, and turned his horse's
head along the road by which they had come.
You've only a few yards to go," he said, "down
the hill and over that little brook, and then you'll
be a Queen- -But you'll stay and see me off
3200 first ? " he added as Alice turned with an eager look
in the direction to which he pointed. "I shan't
be long. You'll wait and wave your handker-
chief when I get to that turn in the road ! I think
it'll encourage me, you see."
3205 'Of course I'll wait," said Alice: "and thank
you very much for coming so far — and for the
song — I liked it very much."
'I hope so," the Knight said doubtfully:
'but you didn't cry so much as I thought you
3210 would."
So they shook hands, and then the Knight
rode slowly away into the forest. "It won't
take long to see him off, I expect," Alice said to
herself, as she stood watching him. "There he
3215 goes! Right on his head as usual! However,
he gets on again pretty easily — that comes of hav-
ing so many things hung round the horse-
So she went on talking to herself, as she watched
the horse walking leisurely along the road, and the
Knight tumbling off, first on one side and then
on the other. After the fourth or fifth tumble
he reached the turn, and then she waved her
And What Alice Found There
141
handkerchief to him, and waited till he was out
of sight.
'I hope it encouraged him," she said, as she 3225
turned to run down the hill: "and now for the
"The Knight rode slowly away into the forest "
last brook, and to be a Queen! How grand it
sounds!' A very few steps brought her to the
edge of the brook. "The Eighth Square
at last!' she cried as she bounded across, 3230
*
*
142
Through tJic Loo king-Glass
and threw herself down to rest on a lawn as soft
as moss, with little flower-beds dotted about it
here and there. ' Oh, how glad I am to get here!
And what is this on my head?' she exclaimed
3235 in a tone of dismay, as she put her hands up
to something very heavy, that fitted tight all
round her head.
'But how can it have got there without my
knowing it ? ' she said to herself, as she lifted it
3240 off, and set it on her lap to make out what it
could possibly be.
It was a golden crown.
u golden crown "
CHAPTER IX
QUEEN ALICE
ELL, this is grand ! ' ' said Alice. ' ' I never 3245
expected I should be a Queen so soon-
and I'll tell you what it is, your Majesty,"
she went on, in a severe tone (she was always
rather fond of scolding herself), "it'll never do
for you to be lolling about on the grass like that ! 3250
Queens have to be dignified, you know ! '
So she got up and walked about — rather
stiffly just at first, as she was afraid that the
crown might come off: but she comforted herself
with the thought that there was nobody to see 3255
her, " and if I really am a Queen," she said as she
sat down again, ' I shall be able to manage it
quite well in time."
Everything wras happening so oddly that she
didn't feel a bit surprised at finding the Red 3250
Queen and the White Queen sitting close to her,
one on each side : she would have liked very much
to ask them how they came there, but she feared
it would not be quite civil. However, there
would be no harm, she thought, in asking if the
game was over. " Please, would you tell me-
she began, looking timidly at the Red Queen.
[143]
Through the Looking-Glass
11 Speak when you're spoken to!' the Queen
sharply interrupted her.
3270 "But if everybody obeyed that rule," said
Alice, who was always ready for a little argu-
ment, "and if you only spoke when you were
spoken to, and the other person always waited
for you to begin, you see nobody would ever say
3275 anything, so that-
" Ridiculous !" cried the Queen. "Why,
don't you see, child- here she broke off with
a frown, and, after thinking for a minute, sud-
denly changed the subject of the conversation.
3280 "What do you mean by 'If you really are a
Queen'? What right have you to call yourself
so? You can't be a (Juccn, you know, till you've
passed the proper examination. And the sooner
we begin it, the better."
3285 ' I only said ' if ' ! ' poor Alice pleaded in a
piteous tone.
The two Queens looked at each other, and
the Red Oueen remarked, with'a little shudder,
-«w
4 She says she only said ' if '
3290 'But she said a great deal more than that!'
the White Queen moaned, wringing her hands.
'Oh, ever so much more than that!'
'So you did, you know," the Red Queen said
to Alice. ' Always speak the truth — think before
s»5 you speak — and write it down afterwards."
"I'm sure I didn't mean " Alice was
And What Alice Found There 145
beginning, but the Red Queen interrupted her
impatiently ,
' That's just what I complain of! You should
have meant ! What do you suppose is the use 3300
of a child without any meaning? Even a joke
should have some meaning — and a child's more
important than a joke, I hope. You couldn't
deny that, even if you tried with both hands."
'I don't deny things with my hands," Alice 3305
objected.
'Nobody said you did," said the Red Queen.
' I said you couldn't if you tried."
'She's in that state of mind," said the White
Queen, 'that she wants to deny something — only 3210
she doesn't know what to deny ! '
"A nasty, vicious temper," the Red Queen
remarked; and then there was an uncomfortable
silence for a minute or two.
The Red Queen broke the silence by saying, 3315
to the White Queen, ' I invite you to Alice's
dinner-party this afternoon."
The White Queen smiled feebly, and said,
"And I invite you."
" I didn't know I was to have a party at all," 3320
said Alice; "but, if there is to be one, I think /
ought to invite the guests."
"We gave you the opportunity of doing it,"
the Red Queen remarked : "but I dare say you've
not had many lessons in manners yet ? ' 3325
19
146 Through the Looking-Glass
"Manners are not taught in lessons," said
Alice. ' Lessons teach you to do sums, and
things of that sort."
'Can you do Addition?' the White Queen
3330 asked. ' What's one and one and one and one
and one and one and one and one and one and
one?"
'I don't know," said Alice. 'I lost count."
"She can't do Addition," the Red Queen
3335 interrupted. ' Can you do Subtraction ? Take
nine from eight."
"Nine from eight I can't, you know," Alice
replied very readily: "but-
"She can't do Subtraction," said the White
3840 Queen. 'Can you do Division"-' Divide a loaf
by a knife — what's the answer to ///<///'
'I suppose ' Aliee was beginning, but the
Red Queen answered for her. ' Bread-and-butter,
of course. Try another Subtract ion sum. Take
3345 a bone from a dog: what remains? '
Alice considered. The 1 >< >ne wouldn't remain,
of course, if I took it- and the dog wouldn't
remain: it would come to bite me - and I'm sure
7 shouldn't remain !'
3350 Then you think nothing would remain?'
said the Red Queen.
'I think that's the answer."
'Wrong, as usual," said the Red Queen:
'the dog's temper would remain."
And What Alice Found There
" But I don't see how- 3355
"Why, look here!' the Red Queen cried.
"The dog would lose its temper, wouldn't it?'
'Perhaps it would," Alice replied cautiously.
'Then if the dog went away, its temper
would remain ! ' the Queen exclaimed trium- sseo
pliant ly.
Alice said, as gravely as she could, "They
might go different ways." But she couldn't help
thinking to herself, ' What dreadful nonsense we
are talking ! ' 3335
"She can't do sums a bit!' the Queens said
together, with great emphasis.
" Can you do sums? ' ' Alice said, turning sud-
denly on the White Queen, for she didn't like
being found fault with so much. 3370
The Queen gasped and shut her eyes. 'I
can do Addition," she said, "if you give me time
— but I can't do Subtraction under any circum-
stances ! '
"Of course you know your ABC?' said the 3375
Red Oueen.
"
To be sure I do," said Alice.
"So do I," the White Queen whispered: "we'll
often say it over together, dear. And I'll tell you
a secret — I can read words of one letter! Isn't
that grand? However, don't be discouraged.
You'll come to it in time."
Here the Red Queen began again. "Can you
148 Through the Looking-Glass
answer useful questions?' she said. "How is
3385 bread made ? '
"I know that!' Alice cried eagerly. "You
take some flour-
' Where do you pick the flower ? ' the White
Queen asked. ' In a garden or in the hedges?'
3390 'Well, it isn't picked at all," Alice explained:
"it's ground "
' How many acres of ground?" said the White
Queen. : You mustn't leave out so many things."
' Fan her head ! ' the Red Queen anxiously
3395 interrupted. ' She'll be feverish after so much
thinking." So they set t<> work and fanned her
with bunches of leaves, till she had to beg them
to leave off, it blew her hair about so.
'She's all right again now," said the Red
3400 Queen. 'Do you know Languages? What's
the French for fiddle-de-dee?'
'Fiddle-de-dee's not English," Alice replied
gravely.
"Who ever said it was?" said the Red Queen.
•^
3405 Alice thought she saw a way out of the diffi-
culty, this time. ' If you'll tell me what lan-
guage 'fiddle-de-dee' is, I'll tell you the French
for it!' she exclaimed triumphantly.
But the Red Queen drew herself up rather
3410 stiffly, and said ' (Jueens never make bargains."
'I wish Queens never asked questions." Alice
thought to herself.
And What Alice Found There 149
"Don't let us quarrel," the White Queen said
in an anxious tone. "What is the cause of
lightning?' 3415
"The cause of lightning," Alice said very
decidedly, for she felt quite certain about this,
'is the thunder — no, no!' she hastily corrected
herself. ' I meant the other way."
'It's too late to correct it," said the Red 3420
Queen: 'when you've once said a thing, that
fixes it, and you must take the consequences."
"Which reminds me- the White Queen
said, looking down and nervously clasping and
unclasping her hands, ' we had suck a thunder- 3425
storm last Tuesday — I mean one of the last set of
Tuesdays, you know."
Alice was puzzled. "In our country," she
remarked, "there's only one day at a time."
The Red Queen said, "That's a poor thin way 3430
of doing things. Now here, we mostly have days
and nights two or three at a time, and sometimes
in the winter we take as many as five nights
together — for warmth, you know."
" Are five nights warmer than one night, then ?" 3435
Alice ventured to ask.
" Five times as warm, of course."
" But they should be five times as cold, by
the same rule "
;Just so!' cried the Red Queen. ' Five 3440
times as warm, and five times as cold- -just as
750 TJirougJi the Looking-Glass
I'm five times as rich as you are, and five times
as clever!'
Alice sighed and gave it up. ' It's exactly
3445 like a riddle with no answer!" she thought.
' Humpty Dumpty saw it too," the White
Queen went on in a low voice, more as if she were
talking to herself. ' He came to the door with
a corkscrew in his hand-
3460 ' What did he want ?" said the Red Queen.
' He said he 7<:v///c/ come in," the White Queen
went on, 'because he was looking for a hippo-
potamus. Xow, as it happened, there wasn't
such a thing in the house, that morning."
34.-.-. 'Is there generally'' Alice asked in an
astonished tone.
' Well, only on Thursdays," said the Queen.
'I know what lie came for," said Alice: "he
wanted to punish the fish, because-
34«o Here the White (Jueen began again. "It was
such a thunderstorm, you can't think!' ("She
never could, you know," said the Red (Jueen.)
' And part of the roof came oil, and ever so much
thunder got in- and it went rolling round the
3465 room in great lumps and knocking over the
tables and things- till I was so frightened, I
couldn't remember my own name!1
Alice thought to herself, " I never should try
to remember my name in the middle of an acci-
3470 dent! Where would be the use of it?" but she
And What Alice Found There
did not say this aloud, for fear of hurting the poor
Queen's feelings.
:Your Majesty must excuse her," the Red
Queen said to Alice, taking one of the White
Queen's hands in her own, and gently stroking 3475
it: 'she means well, but she can't help saying
foolish things, as a general rule."
The White Queen looked timidly at Alice, who
felt she ought to say something kind, but really
couldn't think of anything at the moment. 3430
'She never was really well brought up," the
Red Queen went on: 'but it's amazing how
good-tempered she is! Pat her on the head,
and see how pleased she'll be!' But this was
more than Alice had courage to do. 3485
"A little kindness- -and putting her hair in
papers — would do wonders with her-
The White Queen gave a deep sigh, and laid
her head on Alice's shoulder. " I am so sleepy!'
she moaned. 349°
" She's tired, poor thing! " said the Red Queen.
"Smooth her hair — lend her your nightcap —
and sing her a soothing lullaby."
"I haven't got a nightcap with me," said
Alice, as she tried to obey the first direction : 3495
"and I don't know any soothing lullabies."
"I must do it myself, then," said the Red
Queen, and she began : —
152
Through the Looking-Glass
3500
" Hush-a-by lady, in Alices lap!
Till the feast's ready, we've time for a nap.
When the feasfs over, we'll go to the ball
Red Queen, and White Queen, and Alice, and
all!
"And now you know the words," she added,
3505 as she put her head down on Alice's other shoulder,
"just sing it through to me. I'm getting sleepy,
too." In another moment both Oueens were
fast asleep, and snoring loud.
"Both Queens u'crc fast ,;<;/
"What am I to do?*' exclaimed Alice, looking
3510 about in great per])lexity, as first one round
head, and then the other, rolled down from her
shoulder, and lay like a heavy lum]) in her lap.
"I don't think it ever happened before, that any
And What Alice Found There
one had to take care of two Queens asleep at once !
No, not in all the History of England — it couldn't, 3515
you know, because there never was more than one
Queen at a time. Do wake up, you heavy
things!' she went on in an impatient tone; but
there was no answer but a gentle snoring.
The snoring got more distinct every minute, 3520
and sounded more like a tune : at last she could
even make out words, and she listened so
eagerly that, when the two great heads suddenly
vanished from her lap, she hardly missed them.
She was standing before an arched doorway, 3525
over which were the words "QUEEN ALICE"
in large letters, and on each side of the arch there
was a bell-handle ; one wTas marked ' Visitors'
Bell," and the other "Servants' Bell."
"I'll wait till the song's over," thought Alice, 3530
"and then I'll ring the — the — which bell must I
ring?' she went on, very much puzzled by the
names. "I'm not a visitor, and I'm not a serv-
ant. There ought to be one marked 'Queen,'
you know- 3535
Just then the door opened a little way, and
a creature with a long beak put its head out for
a moment and said, "No admittance till the week
after next ! " and shut the door again with a bang.
Alice knocked and rang in vain for a long 3540
time ; but at last a very old Frog, who was sitting
under a tree, got up and hobbled slowly towards
Through the Looking-Glass
her: he was dressed in bright yellow, and had
enormous boots on.
3545 'What is it, now?' the Frog said in a deep
hoarse whisper.
Alice turned round, ready to find fault with
anybody. ' Where's the servant whose business
it is to answer the door' " she began angrily.
3550 'Which door?" said the Frog.
Alice almost stamped with irritation at the
slo\v drawl in which he spoke. ; Tin's door, of
course !
The Frog looked at the door with his large dull
3555 eyes for a minute : then he went nearer and rubbed
it with his thumb, as if he were trying whether
the paint would come off: then lie looked at Alice.
To answer the door?' he said. "What's
it been asking of?' He was so hoarse that
4560 Alice could scarcely hear him.
'I don't know what you mean," she said.
'I speaks English, doesn't I?' the Frog went
on. 'Or are you deaf? What did it ask you?"
'Nothing!' Alice said impatiently. "I've
3365 been knocking at it ! '
"Shouldn't do that—shouldn't do that "
the Frog muttered. "Wexes it, you know."
Then he went up and gave the door a kick with
one of his great feet. "You let // alone," he
3570 panted out, as he hobbled back to his tree, "and
it'll let yon alone, you know."
And What Alice Found There 155
At this moment the door was flung open, and
a shrill voice was heard singing :-
44 To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said,
' Fve a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head. 3575
Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be,
Come and dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen,
and me!'
And hundreds of voices joined in the chorus :-
" Then fill up the glasses as quick as you can, 3530
And sprinkle the table with buttons and bran:
Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea-
And welcome Queen Alice with thirty -times-three!'
Then followed a confused noise of cheering,
and Alice thought to herself, " Thirty times three ssss
makes ninety. I wonder if any one's counting?'
In a minute there was silence again, and the same
shrill voice sang another verse :-
" V Looking-Glass creatures,' quoth Alice, ldraw
near! ™°
' Tis an honour to see me, a favour to hear:
' Tis a privilege high to have dinner and tea
Along with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and
me!'"
Then came the chorus again : — 85»5
Through the Looking-Glass
" Then fill up the glasses with treacle and ink,
Or anything else that is pleasant to drink:
Mix sand with the cider, and wool with the winc-
And welcome Queen Alice with ninety-times-nine!'
" Ninety times nine ! " Alice repeated in despair.
"Oh, that'll never be done! I'd better go in at
once- ' and in she went, and there was a dead
silence the moment she appeared.
Alice glanced nervously along the table, as
aeos she walked up the large hall, and noticed that
there were about fifty guests, of all kinds: some
were animals, some birds, and there were even a
few flowers among them. ' I'm glad they've
come without waiting to be asked," she thought:
3610 " I should never have known who were the right
people to invite!
There were three chairs at the head of the
table: the Red and White (Jueens had already
taken two of them, but the middle one was empty.
3615 Alice sat down in it, rather uncomfortable at the
silence, and longing for some one to speak.
At last the Red (Jueen began. "You've
missed the soup and fish," she said. "Put on
the joint ! ' And the waiters set a leg of mutton
3620 before Alice, who looked at it rather anxiously,
as she had never had to carve a joint before.
You look a little shy: let me introduce you
to that leg of mutton," said the Red Queen.
And What Alice Found There
1 ' Alice — Mutton : Mutton — Alice . ' ' The leg of
mutton got up in the dish and made a little bow
to Alice ; and Alice returned the bow, not knowing
whether to be frightened or amused.
'May I give you a slice?" she said, taking up
the knife and fork, and looking from one Queen
to the other.
'Certainly not," the Red Queen said, very
decidedly: 'it isn't etiquette to cut any one
you've been introduced to. Remove the joint!'
And the waiters carried it off, and brought a
large plum-pudding in its place. 3035
' I won't be introduced to the pudding,
please," Alice said rather hastily, "or we shall get
no dinner at all. May I give you some?'
But the Red Queen looked sulky, and growled
' Pudding - - Alice : Alice - - Pudding. Remove 3640
the pudding!' and the waiters took it away so
quickly that Alice couldn't return its bow.
However, she didn't see why the Red Queen
should be the only one to give orders; so, as an
experiment, she called out 'Waiter! Bring back 3645
the pudding ! " and there it was again in a moment,
like a con juring-t rick. It was so large that she
couldn't help feeling a little shy with it, as she had
been with the mutton : however, she conquered
her shyness by a great effort, and cut a slice 3050
and handed it to the Red Queen.
"What impertinence!" said the Pudding. "I
Throngl i the Locking-Glass
wonder how you'd like it, if I were to cut a slice
out of you, you creature ! '
3855 It spoke in a thick, suety sort of voice, and
Alice hadn't a word to say in reply : she could only
sit and look at it and gasp.
"Make a remark,'" said the Red Queen: "it's
ridiculous to leave all the conversation to the
pudding ! '
'All about fishes. Shall she rcfc.it i: ' '
'Do you know, I've had such a quantity of
poetry repeated to me to-day," Alice began, a
little frightened at finding that, the moment she
opened her lips, there was dead silence, and all
eyes were fixed upon her; "and it's a very curi-
ous thing, I think — every poem was about fishes
in some way. Do you know why they're so fond
of fishes, all about here?'
3670
And What Alice Found There
She spoke to the Red Queen, whose answer
was a little wide of the mark. 'As to fishes,"
she said, very slowly and solemnly, putting her
mouth close to Alice's ear, "her White Majesty
knows a lovely riddle — all in poetry — all about
fishes. Shall she repeat it ?'
"Her Red Majesty's very kind to mention 3075
it," the White Queen murmured into Alice's other
ear, in a voice like the cooing of a pigeon. ' It
would be such a treat! May I?'
" Please do," Alice said very politely.
The White Queen laughed with delight, and 3<*o
stroked Alice's cheek. Then she began :
"
'First, the fish must be caught.'
That is easy: a baby, I think, could have caught it.
'Next, the fish must be bought.'
That is easy: a penny, I think, would have bought it.
1 Noiv cook me the fish! '
That is easy, and will not take more than a minute.
1 Let it lie in a dish!1
That is easy, because it already is in it.
' Bring it here! Let me sup! ' 369°
It is easy to set such a dish on the table.
1 Take the dish-cover up! '
Aht that is so hard that I fear Pm unable!
160 Through the Looking-Glass
For it holds it like glue -
Holds the lid to the dish, while it lies in the middle:
Which is easiest to do,
Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle?'
Take a minute to think about it, and then
guess," said the Red Queen. 'Meanwhile, we'll
3700 drink your health - -Queen Alice's health! she
screamed at the top of her voice, and all the
guests began drinking it directly, and very
queerly they managed it : some of them put their
glasses upon their heads like extinguishers, and
3705 drank all that trickled down their faces — others
upset the decanters, and drank the wine as it
ran off the edges of the table — and three of them
(who looked like kangaroos) scrambled into the
dish of roast mutton, and began eagerly lapping
3710 up the gravy, "just like pigs in a trough ! " th< night
Alice.
You ought to return thanks in a neat speeeh,"
the Red Queen said, frowning at Alice as she sp< >ke.
' \Ve must support you, you know," the White
3710 Queen whispered, as Alice got up to do it, very
obediently, but a little frightened.
Thank you very much," she whispered in
reply, "but I can do quite well without.'
"That wouldn't be- at all the thing," the Red
8720 Queen said very decidedly: so Alice tried to sub-
mit to it with a good grace.
And What Alice Found There 161
(" And they did push so ! " she said afterwards,
when she was telling her sister the history of the
feast. :You would have thought they wanted
to squeeze me flat!") 3725
In fact, it wras rather difficult for her to keep
in her place while she made her speech : the two
Queens pushed her so, one on each side, that they
nearly lifted her up into the air. ' I rise to return
thanks- ' Alice began : and she really did rise 3730
as she spoke, several inches; but she got hold of
the edge of the table, and managed to pull herself
down again.
'Take care of yourself!' screamed the White
Queen, seizing Alice's hair with both her hands. 3735
' Something's going to happen ! '
And then (as Alice afterwards described it)
all sorts of things happened in a moment. The
candles all grew up to the ceiling, looking some-
thing like a bed of rushes with fireworks at the 3740
top. As to the bottles, they each took a pair of
plates, which they hastily fitted on as wings, and
so, with forks for legs, went fluttering about in all
directions: 'and very like birds they look,"
Alice thought to herself, as well as she could in the 3745
dreadful confusion that was beginning.
At this moment she heard a hoarse laugh at
her side, and turned to see what was the matter
with the White Queen ; but, instead of the Queen,
there was the leg of mutton sitting in the chair. 3750
1 62
Through the Looking-Glass
' Here I am ! ' cried a voice from the soup-tureen,
and Alice turned again, just in time to see the
Queen's broad good-natured face grinning at her
for a moment over the edge of the tureen, before
3755 she disappeared into the soup.
There was not a moment to be lost. Already
several of the guests were lying down in the
dishes, and the soup-ladle was walking up the
'Here I am .' ' cried a voice !nrccn "
table towards Alice's chair, and beek<»ning to her
3700 impatiently to get out of its way.
'I can't stand this any longer!' she cried, as
she jumped up and seized the table-cloth with
both hands: one good pull, and plates, dishes,
guests, and candles came crashing down together
3765 in a heap on the floor.
'And as for you,'" she \\vnt on, turning fiercely
upon the Red Queen, whom she considered as the
And What Alice Found There 163
cause of all the mischief- -but the Queen was no
longer at her side; she had suddenly dwindled
down to the size of a little doll, and was now on 3770
the table, merrily running round and round after
her own shawl, which was trailing behind her.
At any other time, Alice would have felt sur-
prised at this, but she was far too much excited
to be surprised at anything now. 'As for you" 3775
she repeated, catching hold of the little creature
in the very act of jumping over a bottle which
had just lighted upon the table, Til shake you
into a kitten, that I will!''
CHAPTER X
SHAKING
SHE took her off the table as she spoke, and
shook her backwards and forwards with all
her might.
3785 The Red Queen made no resistance whatever:
only her face grew very small, and her eyes got
large and green : and still, as Alice went on shak-
ing her, she kept on growing shorter - and fatu-r
— and softer - and rounder — and
{164}
CHAPTER XI 3790
WAKING
-and it really was a kitten, after all.
CHAPTER XII
WHICH DRKAMED IT?
3795 " A 7 OUR Red Majesty shouldn't purr so loud,"
J[ Alice said, rubbing her eyes, and address-
ing the kitten, respectfully, yet with some
severity. "You woke me out of oh! such a nice
dream! And you've been along with me, Kitty
3800 --all through the Looking-Glass world. Did you
know it, dear?'
It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens
(Alice had once made the remark) that, what-
ever you say to them, they always purr. ' If
3805 they would only purr for ' yes,' and mew for 'no,'
or any rule of that sort," she had said, 'so that
one could keep up a conversation! But how can
you talk with a person if they always say the
same thing?'
38io On this occasion the kitten only purred: and
it was impossible to guess whether it meant "yes"
or "no/
So Alice hunted among the chessmen on the
table till she had found the Red (Jueen : then she
3815 went down on her knees on the hearth-rug, and
put the kitten and the (Jueen to look at each
other. 'Now, Kilty!' she cried, clapping her
[166]
And What Alice Found There 167
hands triumphantly. 'Confess that was what
you turned into ! '
(" But it wouldn't look at it," she said, when 3820
she was explaining the thing afterwards to her
sister : ' it turned away its head, and pretended
not to see it: but it looked a little ashamed of
itself, so I think it must have been the Red
Queen.") 3825
'Sit up a little more stiffly, dear!' Alice
cried with a merry laugh. ' And curtsey while
you're thinking what to — what to purr. It saves
time, remember!' And she caught it up and
gave it one little kiss, "just in honour of its having ssso
been a Red Queen."
"Snowdrop, my pet!' she went on, looking
over her shoulder at the White Kitten, which
was still patiently undergoing its toilet, ' when
will Dinah have finished with your White Majesty, 3835
I wonder? That must be the reason you were
so untidy in my dream.- -Dinah! Do you
know that vou're scrubbing a White Oueen?
•/ ****
Really, it's most disrespectful of you!
"And what did Dinah turn to, I wonder?" SSM
she prattled on, as she settled comfortably down,
with one elbow on the rug, and her chin in her
hand, to watch the kittens. "Tell me, Dinah,
did you turn to Humpty Dumpty? I think you
did- -however, you'd better not mention it to 3345
your friends just yet, for I'm not sure.
168 Through the Looking-Glass
C f t- I- / fr-C J — * 1/lX/l- fr ' * w
" By the way, Kitty, if only you'd been really
with me in my dream, there was one thing you
would have enjoyed- -I had such a quantity of
3350 poetry said to me, all about fishes ! To-morrow
morning you shall have a real treat. All the
time you're eating your breakfast, I'll repeat
1 The Walrus and the Carpenter ' to you ; and
then you can make believe it's oysters, dear!
3855 ' Now, Kitty, let's consider who it was that
dreamed it all. This is a serious question, my
dear, and you should not go on licking your paw
like that — as if Dinah hadn't washed you this
morning! You see, Kitty, it must have been
either me or the Red King. He was part of my
dream, of course — but then I was part of his
dream, too! Was it the Red King, Kitty? You
were his wife, my dear, so you ought to know
Oh, Kitty, do help to settle it! I'm sure your
paw can wait!' But the provoking kitten only
began on the other paw, and pivU-ntk'd it hadn't
heard the question.
Which do you think it was?
And What Alice Found There 160,
A boat, beneath a sunny sky
Lingering onward dreamily 38?o
In an evening of July —
Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear —
Long has paled that sunny sky: 3375
Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream —
Lingering in the golden gleam —
Life, what is it but a dream?
THE END 3890
AN EASTER GREETING
TO EVERY CHILD WHO LOVES
"ALICE "
DEAR CHILD:
Please to fancy, if you can, that you arc reading a
real letter, from a real friend wJiom you have seen, and
whose voice you can seem to yourself to Jiear wishing
you, as I do now with all my heart, a liappy Easter.
Do you know tliat delicious, dreamy feeling when
one first wakes on a summer morning, with tlie twitter
of birds in the air, and the fresh breeze coming in at
the open window when, lying lazily with eyes half shut,
one sees as in a dream green boughs waring, or waters
rippling in a golden light ? It is a pleasure very near
to sadness, bringing tears to one's eyes like a beautiful
picture or poem. And is not t/iat a Mother's gentle
hand that undraws your curtains, and a Mother S
sweet voice t/iat summons you to rise/ To rise and
forget, in tlie brig/it sunlig/it, t/ie ugly dreams that
frightened you so when all was dark --to rise and
enjoy another happy day, first k /ice I ing to thank that
unseen Friend, wJio sends you the beautiful sun /
[170]
An Easter Greeting
A re these strange words from a writer of such tales
as "Alice " ? And is t/iis a strange letter to find in a
book of nonsense ? It may be so. Some, perhaps, may
blame one for tints mixing together t hi Jigs grave and
gay ; others may smile and think it odd that anyone
should speak of solemn tilings at all, except in church
and on a Sunday ; but I think — nay, I am sure — that
some children will read this gently and lovingly, and in
the spirit in which I have written it.
For I do not believe God means 21 s thus to divide
life into two halves — to wear a grave face on Sunday,
and to tlii nk it O2it-of-place to even so mucli as men-
tion Him on a week-day. Do you think He cares to see
only kneeling figures, and to hear only tones of prayer
— and that He does not also love to see the lambs leap-
ing in the sunlight, and to hear the merry voices of the
children, as they roll among the hay ? Surely their
innocent laughter is as sweet in His ears as the grand-
est anthem that ever rolled up from the " dim, religious
light " of some solemn cathedral ?
And if I have written anything to add to those
stores of innocent and healthy amusement that are laid
up in books for the children I love so well, it is surely
something I may hope to look back upon without shame
and sorrow (as how much of life must then be
recalled !) when MY turn comes to walk through the
valley of shadows.
This Easter sun ivill rise on you, dear child, feeling
your " life in every limb" and eager to rush out into
the fresh morning air - -and many an Easter-day will
come and go, before it finds you feeble and gray-headed,
172
An Easter Greeting
creeping wearily out to bask once more in the sunlight —
but it is good, ei'cn now, to think sometimes of that
great morning w/ien t/ie "Sun of Rig/iteousness shall
arise with healing in his wings"
Surely your gladness need not be the less for the
thought that you will one day see a brighter dawn
t/tan t/iis — when lorelier sights will meet your eyes
than any wai'ing trees or rippling waters- -when
angel hands shall undraw your curtains, and sweeter
tones than ever loring Mother breathed shall wake you
to a new and glorious day- -and when all the sadness
and the sin t licit darkened life on this little earth shall
be forgotten like the dream of a night that is past !
} 'our ajj'ectionatc friend,
EASTER, 1876 LEWIS CARROLL
A BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH
LEWIS CARROLL
ON the title page of A lice's Adventures in Won-
derland, " Lewis Carroll ' appears as the
name of the author; but, while to chil-
dren he should always remain Lewis Carroll, his
real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.
He was born January 27, 1832, in a little village
called Daresbury, near Liverpool. His father
was rector of the parish, a truly
religious man, well educated, and
especially interested in mathemat-
ics. His mother was "one of the
sweetest and gentlest women that
ever lived." She had eleven chil-
dren, and these children agree that
they do not remember ever hearing
her utter a harsh or impatient word.
The parsonage was a quiet place
and the children lived much out
of doors, making friends with the
animals, knowing their haunts and
habits, and finding interest even in
toads, angleworms, and insects.
When Charles was eleven years old the family
moved to Croft in Yorkshire. The rectory was
a tile-roofed, ivy-hung building with beautiful
gardens and greenhouses, and here the children
[173}
Lewis Carroll^
aged 8
174
A Biographical Sketch
continued their out-of-door life. Charles was a
leader in all their sports, drawing pictures, tell-
ing stories, inventing games, and planning new
plays.
Most of the drawings in the text of this sketch
were drawn by Lewis Carroll for a book of
sketches entitled The Rectory Umbrella, and illus-
trated his poem, The Tico Brothers^ and another
poem, Lays of .Wvvre, which caricatured Macau-
lay's L.iys of Ancient Rome. Others
of the drawings were made by
Lewis Carroll for a copy of Alice s
Adi'cntitres in Wonderland^ which
all the text and illustrations were
in his hand, and presented by him
to the original Alice of the story.
With a wheelbarrow, a barrel,
and a small truck he constructed a
train that made regular trips from
station to station in the rectory
garden. He knew how to use
to- -Is, and, with a little help, built
a tiny theater and made a set of
puppets, for whom he wrote
appropriate plays. I le was a skill-
ful conjurer and gave good sleight-
of-hand performances, at which he
wore a brown wig and a long white
robe. His work with his pencil was crude and
showed no especial talent, yet there was always
an idea, and an original one, in all of his draw-
ings. \Vhen twelve years old he was sent to
Richmond to scho.,1. Later he went to Rugby,
where he won credit for scholarship, especially
in mathematics.
During his vacations this gifted boy amused
himscH by publishing illustrated periodicals
Flureesa, from a
drawin
l.c:i'is Cur roll
A Biographical Sketch 175
which were circulated in the family. These
papers were given different names, but the favor-
ite was The Rectory Umbrella. They contained
drawings, stories, and poems of his own, which
reveal the talent for parody used so happily by
Lewis Carroll in his later writings. The best
o
thing in The Rectory Umbrella was a series of
poems called Lays of Sorrow, in imitation of
Lord Macaulay's Lays of Ancient
Rome. One stanza from a long
poem will show how w^ell he suc-
ceeded :
" Then out spake Ulfrid Longbow,
A valiant youth was he,
* Lo! I will stand on thy right hand
And guard the pass for thee! '
And out spake fair Flureeza,
His sister eke was she,
4 1 will abide on thy other side,
And turn thy steed for thee! "
His childhood hints at his man-
hood. He wras never idle and so
never lonely. He knew the woods ^frid f:.om a
and the fields, animals, books, pic- ing by Lewis carroii
tures, and the delight of using
his mind both for serious things and in play.
In May, 1850, Charles entered Christ Church
College at Oxford, in which beautiful, historic
place, as student and instructor, he spent the
remainder of his life, forty-seven years. He was
only an average student in history and philosophy,
but was excellent in logic and the classics, and
won First Class Honors in mathematics. He took
his Bachelor's degree in 1854 and his Master's
degree in 1857. He was appointed to a fellow-
ship which required him to take Holy Orders and
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A Biographical Sketch
to remain unmarried as long as he held the posi-
tion. From 1 86 1 to 1881 he was mathematical
lecturer, and, although he resigned in the latter
year, he continued to live at the house. Here he
died January 14, 1898.
As this man had two names, so he had two
almost distinct lives, which he delighted in keep-
ing separate in the eyes of the public. Charles
Lutwidge iJodgson was a lecturer in mathematics,
and a delightful one, too. His students have
declared that no matter what their attitude may
have been toward the subject before,
they always went from under his
teaching with a genuine love for it.
Although never a wonderful mathe-
matician, as far as he went his work
was accurate and its teaching value
good. lie did some original work
<j D
and wr«>te books for wise heads with
such titles as t ' •aiti-ustition of Deter-
minants and Cnrios.i Mathematica.
Through much of his work, however,
there runs a vein of humor, a readi-
adran,_ ness to see the absurd side of a ques-
tion, that lessens somewhat the value
of his serious productions. This play-
ful attitude toward his chosen subject is illus-
trated by his "Monkey and Weight Problem."
Mathematicians have given various answers to
it. so there is still a chance for some bright mind
to reach the correct one.
"A rope is supposed to be hung over a wheel
fixed to the roof of a building; at one end of the
rope a weight is fixed, which exactly counterbal-
ances a monkey which is hanging on to the other
end. Suppose that the monkey begins to climb
the rope, what will be the result?'
(>y
Lewis
A Biographical Sketch
Often he wrote just for the sake of the joke, as
when he gave the following suggestions for added
accommodations for the department of mathe-
matics at Christ Church :
"A. A very large room for calculating Great-
est Common Measure. To this a small one might
be attached for Least Common Multiple: this,
however, might be dispensed with.
" B. A piece of open ground for keeping Roots
and practicing their extraction ; it would be advis-
able to keep Square Roots by themselves as their
corners are apt to damage others.
"C. A room for reducing fractions to their
Lowest Terms. This should be provided with a
cellar for keeping the Lowest Terms when found.
# # #
" D. A large room which might be darkened,
and fitted up with a magic lantern, for the pur-
pose of exhibiting circulating Decimals in the act
of circulation.
" E. A narrow strip of ground, railed off and
carefully leveled, for testing
practically whether Parallel Lines meet or not :
for this purpose it should reach, to use the expres-
sive language of Euclid, 'ever so far.'
But it is as "Lewis Carroll' that the man
becomes most interesting. This name is merely
a part of his real name made over. and turned
around. Write Lutwidge in Latin and it is Lu-
dovicus. Change it back into English and it
becomes Lewis. Likewise Charles- -Carolus- —
Carroll. This name he kept always for children
and never allowed it to be confused with the
name of the man who wrote about mathemat-
ics. So particular was he in this matter that
when people wrote to Mr. Dodgson about Alice s
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1 82 A Biographical Sketch
Adventures in Wonderland, he would reply that the
book was written by a man called Lewis Carroll.
He kept a large corner of his heart for children,
and much of his time was devoted to them. He
was very fond of inventing puzzles, and went
about with his pockets full of them and of little
games. Whenever he traveled he made friends
with children, entertaining them with these treas-
ures, but he never t< >ld who he was, and they were
often astonished afterwards to discover that their
playfellow was such a noted man.
Little girls pleased him most, and they were
frequently entertained b« »th in his beautiful
rooms at Christ Church and at Eastbourne, where
he spent his summers by the sea. While with him
the young guests had
to live very systematic-
ally" ~g° t-° 1JL'(1 early,
eat proper food, and ex-
ercise regularly. I'.ut
l-rom a drawing by UT.-IS Can . tllCSC tilings had tllcir
compensations. His
rooms were a treasure-house of delights for chil-
dren. Photography was one of his especial recre-
ations, and he had a well-equipped studio for
that work. There were all sorts of costumes and
properties, and he amused himself and the chil-
dren by photographing them in various charac-
ters. Xow the picture would be a little Japanese
girl, now the princes in the tower, now only a
beggar, and sometimes just the dear child herself
as Lewis Carroll knew her.
Among other things he had a large collection
of music boxes. Some wound up; others the
children turned to make their own music. ( )eca-
sionally he would put the rolls in backwards and
make the music "stand on its head." Then there
A Biographical Sketch
183
were other toys, — bears, frogs, and
mice containing some mechanical de-
vice to give them life, and best of all
a bat that could fly. There were puz-
zles and games of his own invention,
and when these things became a wea-
riness and the tired head felt glad of a
rest upon the friendly shoulder, there
were always the enchanting stories
such as no one else in the world ever
told.
Even when his little friends were
away from him, he had unusual ways
of entertaining them. Sometimes he
would write what pretended to be the
diary of some little girl during her visit
to him. He would tell about things
that really happened, but in a way to
make a surprising and amusing story.
The one for Isa Bowman, the child who
took the part of u Alice" when Alice in
Wonder land was first put upon the stage,
is especially interesting. A few lines
will show its spirit.
"The next morning Isa set off,
almost before she was awake, with the
A. A. M. [Aged Aged Man] to pay a
visit to a little College called 'Christ
Church.' You go in under a magnifi-
cent tower called 'Tom Tower,' nearly
four feet high (so that Isa had
hardly to stoop at all, to go
under) into the Great Quad-
rangle (which very vulgar peo-
ple call 'Tom Quad'). You
should always be polite, even
when speaking to a Quadrangle :
From a draining by
Lewis Carroll
duLL and ^(jLjsicL foT -lfu.-n.qe,
t./ -»-. A** s~^ xJif. Coi~r\.-m.<m. -way
sAe. Set "to wiyftc, OL.TT.J. ve
Soon. $ini.skt(L off ~tke, Ca/re,
x" /"
CuTfou-Se-r a-n.ec ^L±ri.oust '
Wfl.S S<> S u. T pri 5 cdf
forqcrt' Aow fo 5/jca/C good
I;"
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ever was: Goodbye. t
looked
s<>
trr*y poor
LL f) uJ: on. youj-
O-rtd
r* T /-„' 'A ;
J 77j Sure Ji Cant
\,de aJ. "too ffif off- ~tb trcrtJitf myselj- alrotLi
tcu : you, rrtu-S^" ma.-n.a^ge ~tsi£. ire str
can. - -- lni-t~ L Trz-u-st" be fcir^rL
OT
TvTe, way
i/
oo f Le.tr Trif. See : I'LL a
a. 7?dH/ pact* p^- boots Cvfr-y
on,
A fagc i>/ "AIu c'.- . \Jrt-ntK res in Ji '<•;/,/,•/-/.///./," us printed and
illustrated l>\ Lcmis Carroll
"the.
~tke .kjioha.fi- ouJb
A.VO am.
cis
.- "Mm "top wilt
you,
Of
an
"th.*
rn.ovnx.Tit- &
looking iAou.
for 0. 'minute,, a.n.JL
6ro.k,e* d? in.
-n.J. ruLl'll* cL - CL
•LUtl** I, Jr
A page of "Alice's Advenfures in Wonderland," as printed and
illustrated by Lewis Carroll
i86
A Biographical Sketch
It might seem not to take any notice, but it
doesn't like being called name^.
"They had breakfast at Ch. Ch., in the rooms
of the A. A. M., and Isa then learned how to print
on the ' Type-Writer,' and printed several beau-
tiful volumes of poetry, all of her own inven-
tion. By this time it was i o'clock, so Isa paid
a visit {o the Kitchen, to make sure that the
chicken for her dinner was being properly
roasted. * * *
Alice I/;/.////, •• A\i' '' . ',J>\ in,. . . n
" Then they saw the 1 >i:iing Hall, in which the
A. A. M. has dined several times (about 8,000
times, perhaps ). After dinner they went through
the quadrangle of the Bodleian Library into
Broad Street, and as a band was just going by, of
course they followed it. (Isa likes Bands better
than anything in the world, except Lands, and
walking on Sands, and wringing her Hands)."
A Biographical Sketch
He wrote letters to his child friends different
from all other letters. One he wrote backwards,
each word properly faced, but the whole had to be
read from the bottom up to make any sense.
A little girl once sent him "millions of hugs
and kisses." In answering, he first explains that
he could not manage over twenty a minute and
then continues :
" ' Millions ' must mean 2 millions at least.
20 2,000,000 hugs and kisses
60 1 1 00,000 minutes
1 2 i ,666 hours
6 1 138 days (at twelve hours a day)
23 weeks
"I couldn't go on hugging and kissing more
than twelve hours a day : and I wouldn't like to
spend Sundays that way. So you see it would
take 23 weeks of hard work. Really, my dear
child, / cannot spare the time"
The following is in a different vein :
"Mv DEAR BIRDIE,--! met her just outside
Tom Gate, walking very stiffly, and I think she
was trying to find her way to my rooms. So I said,
'Why have you come here without Birdie?' So
she said, * Birdie's gone ! and Emily's gone ! and
Mabel isn't kind to me ! ' And two little waxy
tears came running down her cheeks.
" Why, how stupid of me ! I've never told you
who it is all the time ! It was your new doll. I
was very glad to see her, and I took her to my
room, and gave her some Vesta matches to eat,
and a cup of nice melted wax to drink, for the
poor thing was very hungry and thirsty after her
long walk. So I said, ' Come and sit down by the
fire, and let's have a comfortable chat ? ' ' Oh no !
i88
A Biographical Sketch
no ! ' she said, ' I'd much rather not. You know I
do melt so very easily ! '
" ' You've no idea how careful we have to be,
we dolls,' she said. ' Why, there was a sister of
mine- -would you believe it?- -she went up to
the fire to warm her hands, and one of her hands
dropped right off ! There now ! ' 'Of course it
dropped riglit off, ' I said, ' because it was the right
hand.' * And how do you know it was the right
hand, Mr. Carroll?' the doll said. So I said, 'I
think it must have been the
right hand because the other
« 6 -i , r • ••
hand was (eft.
In a letter to his little
brother and sister, he gives
a droll description of his
attempt, in his first tutoring,
to preserve a dignified dis-
tance between himself and his
one pupil :
" I sit at the further end of
the room; outside the door
(which is shut) sits the scout;
outside the outer door (also
shut) sits the sub-scout; half-
way downstairs sits the sub-sub-scout ; and down
in the yard sits the pupil,
"The questions are shouted from one to the
other, and the answers come back in the same
way— it is rather confusing till you are used to
it. The lecture goes on something like this: —
" Tutor. ' What is twice three ? '
41 Scout. ' What's a rice tree ? '
" Sub-Scout. ' When is ice free ? '
" Sub-sub-Scout. ' What's a nice fee ? '
" Pupil (timidly). ' Half a guinea ! '
" Sub-sub-Scout. ' Can't forge any ! '
/ om >
1 . 'is Carroll
A Biographical Sketch
189
" Sub-Scout. ' Ho for Jinny ! '
" Scout. ' Don't be a ninny.'
" Tutor (looks offended, but tries another question)"
He sent the children acrostics on their names,
telling them that the first letters of lines of
poetry sometimes spell words. These were fre-
quently written on the fly-leaf of books which
he gave them, and often contained reference
Alice and the Caterpillar . from a draining by Lewis Carroll
to some familiar subject. (See Notes, page 180,
Alice in Wonderland^) In fact, no pains was too
great to bestow upon children.
Alice in Wonderland grew out of one of these
delightful child companionships. Lewis Carroll
used to make frequent excursions with the three
children of Dr. Liddell, Dean of Christ Church,
sometimes over the fields, sometimes on the river.
A Biographical Sketch
The beginning of the ever delightful story was
made July 4, 1862, on one of their river trips. In
the verses at the beginning of the book, Lewis
Carroll tells ho\v the story grew. Aliee Liddell
was " Seeimda," " Prima ' was her elder sister,
and " Tertia " the younger.
Aliee Liddell in writing about the story says,
"Sometimes to tease us -and perhaps being
really tired- -Mr. I)<>dgs<>n would stop suddenly
and say, 'And that's all till next time.' 'Ah, but
it is next time!' would be the exclamation from
all three; and after some persuasion the story
would start afresh. Another day, perhaps, Mr.
I)')dgs(.n, in the middle of telling a thrilling
adventure would pretend to go fast asleep, to our
great dismay."
Aliee Liddcll was so charmed with the story
that she asked Mr. Dodgson to write it out for
lu-r. This he did, just t<> please this one little
girl, preparing the manuscript very carefully and
illustrating it himself, and he called the story
Alice's Adventures l'ndcr^rouu,L Later his friends
urged him t<> publish it that others might know
its delights, and, just three years from the day
that he told the first story <m the river, he sent
the first presentation copy to Miss Alice Liddell,
July 4, 1865. The second copy went to the
Princess Deatrice, and (Jucen Victoria was so
pleased with the story that Lewis Carroll was
asked t<> send any other books that he had written.
.
In answer there came a package of his books on
mathematics.
Probably no one knows how many copies of
the book have been printed, for besides the num-
berless editions in English, the book has been
translated into French, (icrman, Italian, and
Dutch, and the poem " Lather William " has been
CLntL
To
a-
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On our
a. £0
I
The Mouse's tail as it appeared in "Alice's Adventures Underground"
Drawn by Lewis Carroll
IQ2 A Biographical Sketch
turned into Arabic. It is a book first for children
and then for everybody, for the newspapers and
all recent literature are full of allusions to it.
Alice in Wonderland was followed by TJirough
the Looking-Glass, a sequel almost if not quite equal
to the first book. The game of chess furnishes
the foundation of the story just as a pack of cards
does in Alice. It contains "Jabberwocky," prob-
ably the most characteristic poem that Lewis
Carroll ever wrote.
Syhic and Bruno is a story a little like the Alice
books. It differs from them, however, in contain-
ing, besides the same delightful absurdities and
shifting scenes of fairyland, pages of moralizing
and philosophizing. The effect of mingling the
two is often confusing and sometimes tiresome.
The talk of Sylvic and Bruno is really charming.
It is drawn from notes which Lewis Carroll took
for a long series of years upon the things which
children actually say, and so is far better than any
make-believe could ever be.
The Hunting of the Snark has no equal in non-
sense rhyme. Then there arc other poems, grave
and gay, puzzles, and essays, besides many books
and pamphlets on mathematics. Most of these
are little known and will soon be forgotten, but
Alice s Adventures in \Vonderland and Through the
Looking-Glass will live as long as children love
wonder-stories and grown-ups have young hearts.
How sweet those happy days gone by,
Those days of sunny weather,
When Alice fair, with golden hair,
And we — were young together; —
When first with eager gaze we scanned
The page that told of Wonderland.
On hearthrug in the winter-time
We lay and read it over;
We read it in the summer's prime,
Amidst the hay and clover.
The trees by evening breezes fann'd,
Murmured sweet tales of Wonderland.
We climbed the mantlepiece and broke
The jars of Dresden china;
In Jabberwocky tongue we spoke,
We called the kitten 'Dinah!'
And, oh! how earnestly we planned
To go ourselves to Wonderland.
The path was fringed with flowers rare
With rainbow-colors tinted;
The way was 'up a winding stair,1
Our elders wisely hinted.
We did not wish to understand
"Bed" was the road to Wonderland.
Yet still the Hatter drinks his tea,
The Duchess finds a moral,
And Tweedledum and Tweed! edee
Forget in flight their quarrel.
The Walrus still weeps on the sand,
That strews the shores of Wonderland.
The above are verses selected from a long
poem by "One who loves Alice" which appeared
in the Christmas number of "Sylvia's Home
Journal, 1855.''
[193]
NOTES
(The numbers refer to lines in the
57. Worsted. A soft yarn.
112. Chess. The ^ame upon which the story is
based.
iiS. Wriszling. The knight's move is not in a
straight line, hence "came wri^lin^."
£32. Hyena. A laive animal similar to a wolf;
native of Asia and Afri
154. 1'chind the fireplace. Why couldn't Alice see
what was there?
329. Jabberwocky. Beginning with line 2207,
Ilumpty Dumpty explains the meaning of many of
the words in tlie poem.
The poem in its present form was composed one eve-
ning while Lewi- < 'arr«>ll was visiting some cousins, the
Misses \Vilcox. as his contribution to a j^ame of verse
There is evid . however, that the poem or the
idea for the poem had been loni: in his mind. One of
his contributions to MiscJi-Match, of which he was
an editor during his college days, j^ives a very lucid
explanation of the meaning and derivation of the words
in the first stanza. There are twenty-three words in
all, and only twelve of these arc pure, honest English.
Mr. rollins^vood, Carroll's biographer, in an article
in the Strand Ma^r.iue skives Lewis Carroll's e\])lana-
tion of the remaining eli-ven. written down in learned
fashion, brimful of his own quaint humor. For a
real i^uide it cannot be cxeelled.
[194]
Notes
Brillig (derived from the verb to bryl or boil).
The time of broiling dinner — that is, the close of the
afternoon.
Slithy (compounded of slimy and lithe) , smoothe and
active.
Tove (a species of badger) . They had smoothe white
hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag; lived
chiefly on cheese.
Gyre, derived from gay our or Giaour, a dog, to
scratch like a dog.
Gymble (whence gimlet), to screw out holes in
anything.
Wabe (derived from the verb to swab or soak), "the
side of a hill' (from its being soaked by the rain).
Mimsy (whence mimserable and miserable) , unhappy.
Borogrove, "an extinct kind of parrot. They had no
wings, beaks turned up, and made their nests in sun-
dials; lived on veal."
Mome (hence solemome, solemne, and solemn),
"grave."
Raths, "a species of land turtle, head erect, mouth
like a shark ; the forelegs curved out so that the animal
walked on his knees; smoothe green body; lived on
swallows and oysters."
Outgrabe, past tense of the verb to outgrib; it is
connected with the old verb to grike or strike, from
whence are derived "shriek," "creak," "squeaked."
Hence the literal English of the passage is,
"It was evening and the smoothe active badgers
were scratching and boring holes in the hillside; all
unhappy were the parrots, and the green turtles
squeaked out.
"There were probably sun-dials on the top of the
hill and the borogroves were afraid their nests would
be undermined. The hill was probably full of the
nests of 'raths' which ran out squeaking with fear
on hearing the 'toves' scratching outside. This is an
obscure yet deeply affecting relic of ancient poetry."
ip6 Notes
Lewis Carroll even invented a name for the kind
of words which he coined here, calling them "portman-
teau ' ' words because there were two meanings wrapped
up in one.
In a preface to a collection of his poems he gives
a rule for building these words:
'Take two words, 'fuming' and 'furious.' Make
up your mind that you will say both words but leave
it unsettled which you will say first. If your thoughts
incline ever so little toward 'fuming' you will say
'fuming-furious' ; if they turn by even a hair's breadth
toward 'furious,' you will say 'furious-fuming,' but
if you have- that rarest of gifts, a perfectly balanced
mind, you will say 'frumious.'
551. U'hy did she have t<> walk the other way?
(>.}}. (}n>'cii. According to the rules of the game,
when a pawn crossed the entire board to the eighth
row, it becomes a queen.
721. '////;</ >'(///<;/•<-. ( 'ho< >sing to move two squares
at first, Alice does not stop in the third square.
793. First br<>ok. The great chessboard was marked
off in one direction by brooks (1. (>i.?_) and in the other
by hedges.
804. 7V//;/J. A sum of English money equivalent
to about $4. Sri. The actual gold coin is commonly
called a sovereign.
826. VV/r.svo/v, microscope, opera glass. How does
an object look through each one of these?
838. Beetle. An insect with four wings, the outer
pair being stiff and hard to furnish protection for the
inner ones.
SgX. 11 rook. End of third square.
961. l''rnmcnty. A food made of hulled wheat
boiled in milk with sugar, plums, and so on.
1113. Tweedledum auJ T\\\\!li'Jcc. These very
familiar names appear in a stanza written by John
Byrom (1691-1763) :
Notes
"Some say compared to Boncinini
That Mynheer Handel's but a Ninny;
Others aver that he to Handel
Is scarcely fit to hold a candle.
Strange all this difference should be
'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee."
1125. Wax-works. Figures made of wax, represent-
ing historical or imaginary characters, and sometimes
made to move by machinery.
1146. Logic. The science of reasoning.
1343. "Red King snoring." Alice has now reached
the fourth square. The diagram of the chess prob-
lem (facing p. 2) shows the Red King in the next
square to the right. This was a dangerous position
for Alice, as the king is allowed to move one square in
any direction and so could take the pawn. Tweedle-
dum warns her that " If that there King was to awake
[1. 1368], you'd go out- -bang!- -just like a candle!"
1374. Ditto. Same as before.
1417. Rattle-snake. A poisonous American snake
with horny joints at the end of the tail, which rattle
when shaken.
1450. Bolster. A long pillow used on a bed under
other pillows.
1472. Helmet. A special protection for the head.
1585. Twopence. In England pronounced :<tup'-
<?ns." An English penny is worth 2.03 of our money.
Twopence is a little over four cents.
1602. "Living backwards." Because it is Looking-
Glass Country, in which everything is reversed.
1725. Crossed the little brook. Alice is now in the
fifth square.
1766. Plaintive. Mournful, sorrowful.
1778. Teetotum. A child's toy, similar to a top,
whirled by the fingers. Originally it was used in
games of chance. It was four-sided, one side bearing
the letter T, standing for totum, all, meaning Hake
all the stakes"; whence the name.
Notes
1786. Porcupine. An animal similar to a rat but
larger, with stiff spines mingled with hair which, under
excitement, rise up over the body.
1795. Feather. To turn an oar blade almost
horizontal as it is lifted from the water so as to pass
it easily through the air.
1804. ''Catching a crab.'1 Striking the water on
the back stroke, so that it splashes. Avoided when
the oarsman feathers properly.
[861. ( >!'*tinacy. Stubborness.
i -'-7. Lose all their scent and beauty. The same
idea is in the I Hue Ilird. When the birds are caught,
they cither turn some other color or are dead in the
hands of the children.
K)o6. /• . . farthing. See note on 1. 1585.
Four farthings in a penny.
[929. 'Here's a little brook." The fourth one that
Aliee er< •
[942. Hum fly l^umpty. An egg is the answer to
tile <>!<! riddle. 1. [955.)
21! . This arithmetic example is very funny
when one remembers that Lewis Carroll was a great
mathematician.
21 Impenetrability. Difficult to arouse; almost
stupidity.
231 Unsatisfactory. Alice took especial delight
in using long won:
2402. //<>r.sv.s. The two horses needed in the game
were for the knights. Each king has two knights.
2422. Anglo-Saxon. The Angles and the Saxons
were Low (German tribes which invaded England in
the fifth and sixth centuries. The union of these
races made the beginning of the English race.
2427. '/ love my /<>;v icith an //." This is an
allusion to an old game in which the players sat in a
line and went steadily through the alphabet according
to a set f«>nn a- given on the next page. The words
in the parentheses are to be supplied by the player.
Notes igg
I love my love with an A because he is (adorable).
I hate him with an A because he is (apish).
He took me to the sign of the (alderman) and
treated me to (arrow-root) and (ale). [Three words
must be supplied in this sentence.]
His name is (Arnold) and he comes from ( Ayreshire) .
2473. Sal-volatile. Smelling-salts.
2506. The Lion and the Unicorn. England's coat
of arms.
2539. Hatta. With his cup of tea, bread and
butter, and big hat, he sends the mind back to the
mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
2570. " This is a bit of it as I Jm eating." Looking-
Glass Country order again. Hatta eats the bread
before it is brought.
2594. "She runs so fearfully quick" The queen
can go all the way across the board if the course is
clear. As the king can move only one square, the
queen's rate of travel naturally seems "fearfully quick"
to him.
2653. "A nimal - - or vegetable - - or mineral. " "A
guessing game in which one player goes out of the room.
The others decide upon some object which he is to
discover through a series of questions, as, ;<Is it
animal?" "No." "Is it vegetable?'1 :'No." He
then knows it must be mineral. With this knowledge,
he narrows the range of questions until he discovers
the object selected.
2692. " 'Hand it round first ." Looking-Glass order
again.
2738. "Check!' Here the Red Knight, accord-
ing to rule, moves to the square next to Alice. This
puts the king in danger, as he is now in the square to
which the knight could move and capture any piece
except the king. The king cannot be taken. Now,
having been warned by the "check," either he must
move or some other piece must come to the rescue.
200 Notes
2749. "Ahoy! Ahoy! " This is the cry of the White
Knight, for the Red Knight has moved into a square
where he can be taken by the White Knight.
2752. [lHe dmc up at Alice's side." In the battle
that follows, the White Knight captures the Red
Knight and so releases the White King from immediate
danger.
2780. Punch and Judy. A famous puppet show.
2790. Galloped of. The captured piece is removed
from the board, and this is the end of the Red Knight.
2812. Deal. Soft board of fir or pine.
2884. Fruit-tree. In England the branches of
fruit trees are frequently spread out as flat as possible
and trained against the wall, the better to get the light,
air, and sun.
2983. Sugar-loaf. Sugar was once made in a cone-
shaped loaf.
3069. ' Haddocks' Eyes." Haddock is a fish similar
to a cod but smaller.
3111. '/'// tell thee everything I can." This is a
parody upon "My Heart and Lute," by Thomas
Moore.
I give thee all, I can no more
Though poor the off'ring b
My heart ami lute arv all the store
That I can bring to thee.
3194. Ballad. A song or poem that tells a story.
3230. Alice crosses the last brook and becomes a
queen.
3250. Lolling. Reclining in a lazy, indolent
manner.
3452. Hippopotamus. A large animal belonging
to the hog family, that lives both on land and in the
water.
3499. ''Hnsh-a-by lady, in Alice's lap!' A parody
upon the familiar lullaby:
Notes 201
Hush-a-by baby upon the tree top,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock;
When the bough bends, the cradle will fall,
And down comes rock-a-by, baby, and all.
3567. Wexes. A pronunciation for vexes common
among ignorant people in England.
3 596. Treacle. Common English name for molasses.
3619. Joint. An English term for any large piece
of meat for roasting or boiling.
3655. Suety. Suet is the hard fat of beef and
mutton.
3704. Extinguishers. Little metal or horn caps
used to put out the light of candles so they will not
smoke when blown out.
3708. Kangaroos. Animals found in Australia.
They have long and powerful hind legs and a long
thick tail which is used as a support in standing or
walking. The forelegs are small and not used for
walking.
3787. Large and green. Cat's eyes.
3797. Respectfully. Because the dream notion of
the Red Queen was still in her mind.
3835. White Majesty. Still confusing Snowdrop
with the White Queen.
A-RHADING 1ST
I. BOOKS BY LEWIS CARROLL.
"Phantasmagoria and Other Poems." By Lewis
Carroll. London : Macmillan & Company,
1869.
"Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice
Found There." By Lewis Carroll. With fifty
illustrations by John Tennicl. London. Mac-
millan & Company, 1X71.
" The Hunting of the Snark : An Agony in Eight
Fits." By Lewis Carroll. With nine illustra-
tions by Henry Holliday. London: Macmillan
& Company, 1876.
A bewildering story told in verse. Stu-
dents have tried in vain to determine what
it was all about, but the author, when asked
t" interpret it, replied that he feared that
he meant only nonsense.
"Doublets : A Word-Puzzle." By Lewis Carroll.
( >xford: Printed at the University Press, iSSo.
" Rhyme ? and Reason ?" By Lewis Carroll. With
sixty-live illustrations by Arthur B. Frost and
nine by Henry Holliday. London: Macmillan
tV Company, itt.S^.
The book has since been reprinted with
fewer illustrations.
"Alice's Adventures Underground." By Lewis
Carroll. With thirty-seven illustrations by the
author. London: Macmillan & Company, iSS6.
This book is a facsimile of the original
manuscript story, afterward developed into
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
[ 102 }
A Reading List 203
"A Tangled Tale." By Lewis Carroll. With six
illustrations by Arthur B. Frost. London:
Macmillan & Company, 1885.
A very successful attempt to combine
mathematics and humor.
"The Game of Logic." By Lewis Carroll. Lon-
don: Macmillan & Company, 1887.
This book furnishes, after the author's own
peculiar manner, a method of teaching the
first principles of logic to children.
"Sylvie and Bruno." By Lewis Carroll. Illus-
trated by Harry Furniss. London: Macmil-
lan & Company, 1889.
All who care for the Alice books will enjoy
' Sylvie and Bruno," although it contains
much that is addressed only to mature minds.
"The Nursery Alice." By Lewis Carroll. Con-
taining twenty colored enlargements from
Tenniel's illustrations to "Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland." With text adapted to Nur-
sery readers by Lewis Carroll. London: Mac-
millan & Company, 1890.
"Three Sunsets and Other Poems." By Lewis
Carroll. With twelve Fairy-Fancies by E.
Gertrude Thompson. London: Macmillan &
Company, 1898.
This book is a reprint, with additions, of
the serious portions of " Phantasmagoria and
Other Poems."
II. BOOKS ADAPTED FROM THOSE OF LEWIS CARROLL.
"Alice and Other Fairy Plays for Children." By
Kate Freiligrath-Kroeker. London: W. Swan
Sonnenschein & Allen, 1880; New York:
Scribner & Welford, 1880.
"Alice Thro' the Looking-Glass and Other Fairy
Plays for Children." By Kate Freiligrath-
Kroeker. London: Swan Sonnenschein &
Co., Ld., 1896.
204 A Reading List
"Alice in Wonderland: A Play." Compiled from
Lewis Carroll's stories, "Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-
Glass, and What Alice Found There." By
Emily Prime Delafield. New York: Dodd,
Mead & Co., 1898.
III. BOOKS ABOUT LEWIS CARROLL.
'The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll." By
Stuart Dodgson Collingwood. London : T.
Fisher Unwin, 1888; New York: The Century
Company, 1889.
"The Lewis Carroll Picture Book." A Collection
from the Unpublished Writings and Drawings
of Lewis Carroll, together with Reprints from
Scarce and Unacknowledged Work. By Stuart
Dodgson Collingwood. London: T. Fisher
Unwin, 1899.
"The Story of Lewis Carroll." Told for Young
People by the Real Alice in Wonderland,
Miss Isa Bowman. With a Diary and Nu-
merous Facsimile Letters written to Miss Isa
Bowman and Others. Also many Sketches
and Photos by Lewis Carroll, and Other Illus-
trations London: J. M. Dent & Co., 1899.
Isa Jn>icinan is the "real Alice" only as
she acted the part when the story was first
dramatized.
" Dictionary of National Biography." Edited by
Sidney Lee. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
Supplement, Vol. II., contains the life of C. L.
Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) by E. V. Lucas.
" Warner's Library of the World's Best Literature,"
Vol. VI., gives an excellent appreciation of
Lewis Carroll.
'Lewis Carroll in Wonderland and at Home." By
Belle Moses. New York: D. Appleton & Co.
The periodicals current at the time of his death
(January 14, 1898) give many interesting dis-
cussions of Lewis Carroll and his work.
A Reading List 205
IV. KINDRED BOOKS.
"Pinocchio: The Adventures of a Marionette."
By C. Collpdi. Translated by W. S. Cramp.
Boston: Ginn & Co.
"Pinocchio in Africa." By Cherubini. Trans-
lated from the Italian by Angelo Patri. Bos-
ton: Ginn & Co.
"The Water- Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-
Baby." By Charles Kingsley. Edited by
S. W. Hiestand. Chicago : Rand McNally & Co.
" Gulliver's Voyages to Lilliput and Brobdignag."
New York: Henry Holt & Co.
"Gulliver's Travels." By Jonathan Swift. Illus-
trated. Chicago : Rand McNally & Co.
"A Wonder-Book." By Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Illustrated. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co.
"Tanglewood Tales." By Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Illustrated. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co.
"Puck of Pook's Hill." By Rudyard Kipling.
Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co.
"The Little White Bird." By J. M. Barrie. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
"Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens." By J. M.
Barrie. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
"The Peter Pan Picture Book." By Woodward and
O'Connor. New York : The Macmillan Company.
"Peter and Wendy." By J. M. Barrie. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
"The Wizard of Oz." By L. Frank Baum. Indi-
anapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Co.
"The Blue Bird." By Maurice Maeterlink. New
York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
"The Children's Blue Bird." By G. Le Blanc.
New York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
"The Princess and Curdie." By George Mac-
donald. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co.
"The Princess and the Goblin." By George Mac-
donald. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co.
SUGGESTIONS
TEACHERS
"This nonsense is far more charming than half the literature
bought and sold as solid sense."
Times
TO ENJOY to the full Through the Looking-
(jlass and \Vhat Alice /''<>// ;/J There one
must, as in Alice's AJi'entitres -in ]\'o)iJer-
hind, plunge with complete1 abandon into all the
inconsistencies of the rapidly changing events
without the slightest feeling of sur])rise at any-
thing. The child will do this, for "Let's pretend'
is the ma.^ic phrase that opens to the childish
imagination all the wonders of the known uni-
verse as well as those of undreamed-of worlds.
The story meets completely the attitude of the
child mind; the adult may have to go through a
process of con^-ions adjustment. To the child
it will be perfectly natural for Alice to run down
hill toward the brook, jump tin- little stream,
and instantly find herself sitting in the railroad
train with a beetle and a goal and a man dressed
in white paper and the engine driver acting as
official ticket seller.
What does it matter to the child that the old
woman in the shop suddenly changes to a sheep,
or that the shop is the next minute a boat? What
could be more natural than that the elusive egg
which Alice bought "without money," although a
[306]
Suggestions to Teachers 207
price was set upon it, should prove to be Humpty
Dumpty ?
When we learned the old riddle,
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Could n't put Humpty Dumpty together again
did n't we also learn that the answer to it was
an egg? _
Is n't it all in the order of events that a queen
should wrap herself up in wool and the next
instant a sheep be sitting where the queen had
been? 'That the knitting needles which the sheep
handed Alice should turn into oars, and the
child find herself in the boat? It seems so as
we read.
This illusion of naturalness in both stories is
greatly helped by the abruptness of the beginnings.
There is no introduction, no elaborate description.
The moment we read "Alice was beginning to get
very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and
of having nothing to do," we feel that Alice has
always been our friend. The opening sentence in
Through the Looking-Glass is equally abrupt:
'One thing was certain, that the white kitten had
had nothing to do with it - - it was the black
kitten's fault entirely," and we are instantly at
home with Dinah and her family.
In both the Alice stories, the passages most
easily remembered are the dialogues. Much of
our conversation is conventional; we accept with-
out question definite meanings for certain set
expressions without once thinking of the possi-
bility of any other interpretation. But Lewis
208 Suggestions to Teachers
Carroll leads Alice into all sorts of conversational
pitfalls and surprises. For instance, when Alice
claims to be addressing the queen, the queen
instantly perverts the meaning into dressing.
Again, with her usual politeness (Alice is always
polite), she says, 'I beg your pardon," but the
king curtly responds, "It isn't respectable to
beg."
There are also countless clever conceits and
clever plays upon words, all of which seem per-
fectly natural. Of course a rose would know that
the trees bark and say "Bough-wough."
In Alice's Adi'cntnrcs in Wonderland the vivid
imagination of the author personified a pack of
cards, with the king and queen of hearts rulers of
the kingdom. Through the Looking-Glass is, in
similar manner, based upon the game of chess. In
the first story, the cards are little more than an
episode; in the second, the game of chess is made
the foundation of the story and is adhered to
strictly throughout. In reality the story is the
chess problem shown on page 10, with the solu-
tion below. The end of the game is reached soon
after Alice becomes queen.
This adaptation of the story to a game of chess
is foreshadowed in Alice's conversation with the
black kitten before she floats from her own
drawing room into Looking-Glass House (1. 112).
Once on the other side of the glass she finds the
chessmen, some in the cinders, some walking
about, but all as disorganized as Alice's mind in
this strange country.
In the garden she encounters the Red
Queen and together they go to the top of the hill
Suggestions to Teachers 20p
(1. 607). Here Alice looks at the country spread
out before her.
"It's a great huge game of chess that's being
played — all over the world — if this is the world
at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I
wish I was one of them ! I would n't mind being
a Pawn, if only I might join — though of course
I should like to be a Queen, best."
As Lily, the Queen's daughter, the one rescued
from the Red King (1. 239), is too young to play,
Alice is allowed to take her place and at once
becomes a part of the game. She goes through
all sorts of adventures, but at intervals comes
back to the game itself. Even the adventures,
which at first may seem to have no relation to
the game, are more or less in accordance with it.
The story is far more interesting when one
knows something of the rules governing the play-
ing of the game of chess. The game is played
upon an ordinary checkerboard, with sixteen
pieces on each side, namely:
king two knights
queen two castles or rooks
two bishops eight pawns
These are placed on the board according to the
diagram given on the following page, the queen
on her own color.
The different pieces have different moves and,
in the story, their actions are governed strictly
by the rules.
The king is the only piece on the board that may
not be taken. When any piece on the opposite
side reaches a position where it might take if the
210
Suggestions to Teachers
attacked were anything less than a king, the
player must say ' ' Check ' as he makes the move
and places the attacking piece. Either the king
must move out of danger or the check must be
broken by placing some other piece between the
king and the attacking piece. For instance, a
queen might say ' Check ' from across the entire
board. If the defense had a bishop or pawn or
a
i i i 1 1 i f
ft .:*&*
y ,-• i a j«i « i^f -y i$
•v 9 , -V
S.*~t'S. *~~* ..t?rh..
castle or other ]>iecc that, under the rules, could
be saiely iinerposc'd between the king and the
attacking queen, the1 check would be destroyed.
The purpose of. the game is to get the oppos-
ing king in such a position that he cannot move
out of. check, or in the terms of. the g: ne to
"checkmate."
The queen may move in a straight line in any
direction right or left, forward or backward, or
diagonally, any distance unobstructed by any
other piece.
Suggestions to Teachers
211
Bishops may move any distance diagonally over
an unobstructed path.
Castles may go any free distance to the right
or left, forward or backward.
Knights may move to the opposite corner of a
parallelogram, two squares in width by three in
length. In the diagram the knight may move
from the indicated position to any one of the
eight numbered squares.
Pawns, in the first move, may go either one
square or two straight forward, as the player
chooses; after the first move, they may go only
one square. To take another piece they must
move diagonally one square only. On reaching
the last or eighth row, a pawn becomes a queen.
All pieces except the pawns take in the direc-
tion of their regular moves. A piece is taken
by the opposing piece moving on to the square
occupied by the one attacked.
212
Suggestions to Teachers
The story is really a chess problem worked out
so far as to make Alice a queen. The problem
is shown facing page 2, with the solution below.
S ,t. '
- •*I"
Taking the place of Lily, the While Queen's
I >a\vn, Alice's p< >sition is in t he second r< >w, whence
she moves across the- board in accordance with
the rules of the game.
With the privilege of two squares for the first
in«»ve, she passes 'very quiekly through the
Third S(juare by railway' and finds her-
self in the Fourth Square. He-re she eneounters
Tweedledum and Twecdledee and hears the- amaz-
ing story of "The Walru< and the Carpenter, "
and is startled by the snoring of the Red King
in the next square. (See diagram.)
The Fifth Square is mostly water, with its
weird transition from shop to boat and back
again, where the leading figure is sometimes a
Suggestions to Teachers 213
queen and sometimes a sheep, but always the
same individual.
The Sixth Square is crowded with adventure,
for here Alice meets Humpty Dumpty and holds
long converse with him; here he explains the
meaning of the words in " Jabberwocky " ; here
she sees the Lion and the Unicorn, and the
Anglo-Saxon messengers, Hatta and Haigha.
The Seventh Square is a vast forest in which is
fought the battle between the Red Knight and
the White Knight. The rules of the game are
very cleverly adhered to in this encounter. The
Red Knight comes from the eighth row (see dia-
gram) to the square next to Alice, shouting
;<Ahoy! Ahoy! Check!' In the position which
he reaches through his regular move, he attacks
the White King. But notice that he also puts
himself in the way of the White Knight, who
immediately gallops up, gives battle, and over-
throws the Red Knight.
Alice jumps the last brook and puts ''her hands
up to something very heavy, that fitted tight all
round her head ... It was a golden crown."
Alice had attained her ambition; she was a
queen.
Lewis Carroll was fond of all outdoor life. He
knew the worms, insects, and animals, and was
familiar with their habits. Because of this
knowledge, the animals in Through the Looking-
Glass, if collected, would make quite a menagerie,
especially when those which his quick wit in-
vented are added to the number. We meet
within its pages specimens of the beetle, goat,
gnat, sheep, elephant, horse, horse-fly, dragon-
214 Suggestions to Teachers
fly, fawn, hippopotamus, pigeon, kangaroo, pig,
and hyena. These we have encountered else-
where, but we are no more surprised to find in
Looking-Glass Country not only a horse-fly
but a rocking-horse-fly, a snap-dragon-fly, and
a bread-and-butter-fly. We have seen pictures
of the unicorn, but here we are brought face to
face with the battle of the lion and the unicorn,
and are not in the least surprised that this last
creature takes Alice for a mythical animal.
There is a remarkable universality to both the
Alice stories. As some one writing about them
at the time of Lewis Carroll's death most aptly
said:
'They IK -long to no one period but to alj.
They touch n< -.thing actual but human nature1;
and human nature is continuous and unchanging.
'It is almost impMS.'ible to believe that there
is not somewhere such a region, win-re dwell for-
ever the Cheshir < i and the Mock Turtle-, the
Gryphon and Ilumpty Dumpty, the Red Knight
and the Duel:. They have each and all an
•
individuality, and they are at once so mad and
so reasonable; as real and recognizable as the
IHM >p!e in I )icki r
Most real of all is the Jabbcrwock.
For nonsense pure and simple, nothing has ever
been produced to compete with ' Jabberwocky."
Lewis Carroll himself is his own closest rival
with The Hunting of the Snark but, absurd as
that is, it has never gained the universal popu-
larity of this first poem in Through the Looking-
(Jlass. This 1 )(•]« »ngs to all time and to all English-
speaking peoples, and it possesses some quality
Suggestions to Teachers 215
to grip every one with any appreciation of the
live humor in the tricks of words.
Where the idea for such a creature as the
Jabberwock came from will always remain a
mystery, although some one has suggested that
the author might have had in mind the story of
St. George and the Dragon.
Just to read the poem one conjures up in his
mind's eye a fearsome creature, but Tenniel's
drawing is most deliciously blood-curdling. Half
snake, half dragon, with "jaws that bite'1 and
'claws that catch," even the perfectly proper
buttons on his waistcoat and the funny semi-
shoes upon his three-clawed feet cannot do away
with those enjoyable shivers evoked by con-
templation of the creature as a whole.
It was Carroll's first plan to use this drawing
as a frontispiece to the book, but after consulting
several mothers, who considered it too terrifying
for little children, he decided against it.
After the children have translated the first
stanza with the aid of the notes, they might be
encouraged to interpret the others themselves.
It would also be entertaining to let them show
by rival drawings their individual conceptions
of "Jabberwock," the "Jubjub bird," the "frumi-
ous Bander snatch," "Tumtum tree," 'tulgey
wood," and "vorpal blade." Under right direc-
tion children will evolve wonderful creatures.
With the inspiration of an enthusiastic teacher, a
certain class let their imaginations run riot and
not only drew illustrations for this and other
poems, but invented names for weird animals
and drew pictures of them. They called the
216 Suggestions to Teachers
class collection 'The Terrible Creatures of
Where," and among others produced "Dickyle
Fumpus," 'Great Three-horned Kerflopogus,"
"Inky Gulump," the "Terrible Ogleumple,"
"Bubbly-Goo," and the "Horned Kerflump."
Every child who reads the poem immediately
adopts the language of it. The experience of
children who were children at the time of its
publication as told by one of them, will apply
pretty accurately to all of them:
"As for 'Jabberwocky,' it became the language
of the household. If any one asked what any-
thing was, we replied it was 'brillig.' If any one
pondered, he was 'in uffish thought'; no one
came running, it was always 'whiffling'; we never
merely came back, we came 'galumphing' back;
the day was not fine, it was ' frabjous ' ; we never
laughed, we 'chortled' in our joy."
In this connection, the experiment might be
tried of inventing a language, a favorite occupa-
tion of children. The opening chapters of Jean
Ingelow's Off the Skclligs would supplement the
suggestion.
The poem immediately sprang almost to world-
wide popularity. It was translated into several
foreign languages in spite of the difficulties of
transferring the jokes. One learned man even
turned it into Latin elegiacs.
A class in the Girls' Latin School in Boston
started a magazine and asked if they might call
it The Jdbberwock. The author sent this letter
in reply to the request:
' ' Mr. Lewis Carroll has much pleasure in giving
to the editors of the proposed magazine permission
Suggestions to Teachers 217
to use the title they wish for. He finds that the
Anglo-Saxon 'wocer' or 'wocor' signifies 'off-
spring' or 'fruit.' Taking 'jabber' in its ordinary
acceptation of 'excited and voluble discussion,'
this would give the meaning of 'the result of
much excited discussion.' Whether this phrase
will have any application to the projected peri-
odical will be for the future historian of American
literature to determine.
"Mr. Carroll wishes all success to the forth-
coming magazine."
From this time forward he took great interest
in the magazine and thought very well of it. It
used, I believe, to be regularly supplied to him.
Once he offered a criticism upon a Washington
anecdote which appeared in it. Later he made
full compensation in a poem entitled
A LESSON IN LATIN
Our Latin books in motley row,
Invite us to the task —
Gay Horace, stately Cicero;
Yet there's one verb, which once we know
No higher skill we ask:
This ranks all other lore above —
We've learned 'amare' means 'to love'!
So hour by hour, from flower to flower,
We sip the sweets of life:
Till, ah! too soon the clouds arise,
And knitted brows and angry eyes
Proclaim the dawn of strife.
With half a smile and half a sigh,
'Amare! Bitter One!' we cry.
Last night we owned, with looks forlorn,
'Too well the scholar knows
There is no rose without a thorn.'
But peace is made! We sing this morn,
' No thorn without a rose! '
Our Latin lesson is complete
We've learned that love is 'Bitter-sweet'!
218 Suggestions to Teachers
The book is full of allusions, of suggestions that
lead to wonderful fields of knowledge,- - knowl-
edge of animals and flowers, of poetry, and of a
world of common things. How many of the
opening paths should be followed, must be deter-
mined by the temper of the children and the
amount of time that can be spared. These by-
paths offer tempting excursions, but they should
never be followed so far as to lose sight of the
delight of the highway, which is the story of
Looking-Glass Country.
The story as originally written contained thir-
teen chapters, but the published book consists
of twelve only. The omitted chapter introduced
a wasp in the character of a judge or barrister.
This chapter was not up to the level of the rest
of the book, and besides offered difficulties in
illustration. Mr. Tenniel, who was usually equal
to anything in the way of extraordinary test of
the imagination, wrote that 'a wasp with a wig
was altogether beyond the appliance of art."
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