Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
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again, and made another snatch in_the air . this_time there were two little shrieks, and more sounds of broken glass .' what a number of cucumber-frames there_must_be ! ' thought Alice .'I wonder what they'll do next ! as for pulling me out_of_the window, I only wish they_could ! I'm sure I don't want to stay in here any longer ! '

she waited for some_time without hearing anything more: at last came arumbling of little cartwheels, and_the sound of a good_many voice all talking together: she made out the words: ' where's the other ladder ? -- why, I hadn't to bring but one; bill's got the other-- bill ! fetch it here, lad ! -- here, put 'em up at_this corner-- no, tie 'em together first-- they don't reach half high enough yet--Oh ! they'll do well enough; don't be particular-- here, bill ! catch hold of_this rope-- will the roof bear ? -- mind that loose slate--Oh, it's coming down ! Heads below ! ' (a loud crash)--' now, who did that ? -- it_was bill, I fancy-- who's to_go down the chimney ? --Nay, I shan't ! you_do it ! -- that I won't, then ! -- bill's to_go down-- here, bill ! the master says you're to_go down the chimney ! '

'Oh ! so bill's got to_come down the chimney, has he ? ' said Alice to herself .' shy, they seem to_put everything upon bill ! I wouldn't be in bill's place for a good_deal: this fireplace is narrow, to_be_sure; but i_think I_can kick a little ! '

she drew her foot as far down the chimney as she_could, and waited till she heard a little animal ( she couldn't guess of what sort it_was) scratching and scrambling about in_the chimney close above her: then, saying to herself ' this_is bill,' she gave one sharp kick, and waited to_see what would happen next .

the first thing she heard was a general chorus of ' there goes bill ! ' then the rabbit's voice along--' catch him, you by_the hedge ! ' then silence, and then another confusion of voices--' hold up his head-- brandy now--Don't choke him-- how was_it, old fellow ? what happened to_you ? tell us all about_it ! '

last came a little feeble, squeaking voice, (' that's bill,' thought Alice,) ' well, I hardly know-- no more, thank ye; I'm better now-- but I'm a deal too flustered to_tell you-- all I_know is, something comes at me like a jack- in- the- box, and up I goes like a sky- rocket ! '

' so you_did, old fellow ! ' said the others .

' we_must burn the house down ! ' said the rabbit's voice; and Alice called out as loud as she_could, ' if_you_do .I'll set Dinah at you ! '

there_was a dead silence instantly, and Alice thought to herself, 'I wonder what they_will do next ! if_they had any sense, they'd take_the roof off .' after a minute or two, they began moving about again, and Alice heard the rabbit say, 'A barrowful will do, to_begin with .'

'A barrowful of what ? ' thought Alice; but she had_not long to doubt, for_the next moment a shower of little pebbles came rattling in at_the window, and some_of_them hit her in_the face .'I'll put a stop to_this,' she said to herself, and shouted out, ' you'd better not do_that again ! ' which produced another dead silence .

Alice noticed with some surprise that_the pebbles were all turning into little cakes as_they lay on_the floor, and a bright idea came into her head .' if I eat one_of_these cakes,' she thought, ' it's sure to_make some change in my size; and as it can't possibly make me larger, it must make me smaller, I suppose .'

so she swallowed one_of_the cakes, and was delighted to_find that she began shrinking directly . as_soon_as she was small enough to_get through_the door, she ran out_of_the house, and found quite a crowd of little animals and birds waiting outside . the poor little lizard, bill, was in_the middle, being held up by two guinea-pigs, who were giving it something out of a bottle . they all made a rush at Alice the moment she appeared; but she ran off as hard as she_could, and soon found herself safe in a thick wood .

' the first thing I've got to_do,' said Alice to herself, as she wandered about in_the wood, ' is to grow to my right size again; and_the second thing is to_find my way into that lovely garden . i_think that_will_be the best plan .'

it sounded an excellent plan, no_doubt, and very neatly and simply arranged; the only difficulty was, that she had_not the smallest idea how to set about_it; and while she was peering about anxiously among_the trees, a little sharp bark just over her head made her look up in a great hurry .

an enormous puppy was looking down at her with large round eyes, and feebly stretching out one paw, trying to touch her .' poor little thing ! ' said Alice, in acoaxing tone, and she tried hard to whistle to_it; but she was terribly frightened all the time at_the thought that_it might_be hungry, in_which_case it would_be very likely to eat her up in_spite of all her coaxing .

hardly knowing what she did, she picked up a little bit of stick, and held it out to_the puppy; whereupon the puppy jumped into_the air off all its feet at once, with a yelp of delight, and rushed at_the stick, and made believe to worry it; then Alice dodged behind a great thistle, to_keep herself from being run over; and_the moment she appeared on_the other side, the puppy made another rush at_the stick, and tumbled head over heels in its hurry to_get hold of it; then Alice, thinking it_was very like having a game of play with a cart- horse, and expecting every moment to_be trampled under its feet, ran round the thistle again; then the puppy began a series of short charges at_the stick, running a very little way forwards each_time and a long way back, and barking hoarsely all the while, till at last it sat down a good way off, panting, with its tongue hanging out of_its mouth, and its great eyes half shut .

this seemed to Alice a good opportunity for making her escape; so she set off at once, and ran till she was quite tired and out of breath, and till the puppy' s bark sounded quite faint in_the distance .

' and yet what a dear little puppy it_was ! ' said Alice, as she leant against a buttercup to rest herself, and fanned herself with one_of_the leaves: ' i_should_have liked teaching it tricks very_much, if-- if I'd only been the right size to_do_it ! Oh dear ! I'd nearly forgotten that I've got to grow up again ! let me see-- how is_it to_be managed ? I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is, what ? '

the great question certainly was, what ? Alice looked all round her at_the flowers and_the blades of grass, but she did_not see anything that looked like the right thing to eat or drink under the circumstances . there_was a large mushroom growing near her, about_the same height as herself; and when she had looked under it, and on both sides of it, and behind it, it occurred to her that she might as_well look and_see what_was on_the top of it .

she stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of_the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large caterpillar, that was sitting on_the top with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of anything else .

chapter V: advice from a caterpillar

the caterpillar and Alice looked at each_other for some_time in silence: at last the caterpillar took the hookah out of_its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice .

' who_are you ? ' said the caterpillar .

this_was not an encouraging opening for a conversation .Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at_least I_know who i_was when I got up this_morning, but i_think I_must_have been changed several_times since then .'

' what do_you_mean by_that ? ' said the caterpillar sternly .' explain yourself ! '

' I_can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, ' because I'm not myself, you_see .'

'I don't see,' said the caterpillar .

'I'm afraid I_can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, ' for I_can't understand it myself to_begin with; and being so_many different sizes in a day is very confusing .'

' it isn't,' said the caterpillar .

' well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; ' but when_you have to_turn into a chrysalis-- you_will some day, you_know-- and then after_that into a butterfly, i_should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you ? '

' not a bit,' said the caterpillar .

' well, perhaps your feelings may_be different,' said Alice; ' all I_know is, it would feel very queer to_me .'

' you ! ' said the caterpillar contemptuously .' who_are you ? '

which brought them back again to_the beginning of_the conversation .Alice felt a little irritated at_the caterpillar's making such very short remarks, and she drew herself up and said, very gravely, ' i_think, you ought to_tell me who you_are, first .'

' why ? ' said the caterpillar .

here was another puzzling question; and as Alice could_not think of any good reason, and as_the caterpillar seemed to_be in a very unpleasant state of mind, she turned away .

' come back ! ' the caterpillar called after her .'I've something important to_say ! '

this sounded promising, certainly: Alice turned and came back again .

' keep your temper,' said the caterpillar .

' is_that all ? ' said Alice, swallowing down her anger as_well as she_could .

' no,' said the caterpillar .

Alice thought she might as_well wait, as she had nothing else to_do, and perhaps after all it might tell her something worth hearing . for some minutes it puffed away without speaking, but at last it unfolded its arms, took the hookah out of_its mouth again, and said, ' so you_think you're changed, do_you ? '

'I'm afraid I_am, sir,' said Alice; ' I_can't remember things as I used-- and I don't keep the same size for ten minutes together ! '

' can't remember what things ? ' said the caterpillar .

' well, I've tried to_say " how DOTH the little busy bee," but it all came different ! ' Alice replied in a very melancholy voice .

' repeat, " you_are old, father WILLIAM,"' said the caterpillar .

Alice folded her hands, and began:--

' you_are old, father William,' the young man said, ' and your hair has become very white; and yet you incessantly stand on_your head-- do_you_think, at your age, it_is right ? '

' in my youth,' father William replied to_his son, 'I feared it might injure the brain; but, now that I'm perfectly sure I_have none, why, I do_it again and again .'

' you_are old,' said the youth, ' as I mentioned before, and_have grown most uncommonly fat; yet you turned a back- somersault in at_the door-- pray, what_is the reason of_that ? '

' in my youth,' said the sage, as he shook his grey locks, 'I kept all my limbs very supple by_the use of_this ointment-- one shilling the box-- allow me to_sell you a couple ? '

' you_are old,' said the youth, ' and your jaws are too weak for anything tougher than suet; yet you finished the goose, with_the bones and_the beak-- pray how did you manage to_do_it ? '

' in my youth,' said his father, ' i_took to_the law, and argued each_case with my wife; and_the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw, has lasted the rest of_my life .'

' you_are old,' said the youth, ' one would hardly suppose that your eye was as steady as ever; yet you balanced an eel on_the end of your nose-- what made you so awfully clever ? '

' I_have answered three questions, and_that is enough,' said his father; 'don't give yourself airs ! do_you_think I_can listen all day to such stuff ? be off, or I'll kick you down stairs ! '

' that_is_not said right,' said the caterpillar .

' not quite right, I'm afraid,' said Alice, timidly; ' some_of_the words have got altered .'

' it_is wrong from beginning to end,' said the caterpillar decidedly, and there_was silence for some minutes .

the caterpillar was_the first to_speak .

' what size do_you_want to_be ? ' it asked .

'Oh, I'm not particular as_to size,' Alice hastily replied; ' only_one doesn't like changing so often, you_know .'

'I DON'T know,' said the caterpillar .

Alice said nothing: she had never been so_much contradicted in her life before, and she felt that she was losing her temper .

' are_you content now ? ' said the caterpillar .

' well, i_should like to_be a little larger, sir, if_you wouldn't mind,' said Alice: ' three inches is such a wretched height to_be .'

' it_is a very_good height indeed ! ' said the caterpillar angrily, rearing itself upright as it spoke ( it_was exactly three inches high) .

' but I'm not used to_it ! ' pleaded poor Alice in a piteous tone . and she thought of herself, ' i_wish the creatures wouldn't be so easily offended ! '

' you'll get used to_it in_time,' said the caterpillar; and it put the hookah into its mouth and began smoking again .

this_time Alice waited patiently until it chose to_speak again . in a minute or two the caterpillar took the hookah out of_its mouth and yawned once_or_twice, and shook itself . then it got down off the mushroom, and crawled away in_the grass, merely remarking as it went, ' one side will make you grow taller, and_the other side will make you grow shorter .'

' one side of what ? the other side of what ? ' thought Alice to herself .

' of_the mushroom,' said the caterpillar, just as_if she had asked it aloud; and in another moment it_was out of sight .

Alice remained looking thoughtfully at_the mushroom for a minute, trying to_make out which were the two sides of it; and as it_was

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