' indeed,' said Alice

'Come, let's try the first figure ! ' said the Mock Turtle Gryphon ' do without lobsters, Which shall sing ? '

'Oh, you sing,' said the Gryphon 'I've forgotten the words '

So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice, every treading on her toes passed too close, and waving their forepaws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this, very slowly and sadly:--

'" walk little faster ? " said whiting to snail "There's porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail See how eagerly the lobsters turtles all advance ! waiting shingle-- come and join the dance ?

, won't you, , won't you, join the dance ? , won't you, , won't you, won't you join the dance ?

" really have no notion how delightful take us up and throw us, lobsters, out to sea ! " But the snail replied "Too far, too far ! " and gave look askance-- Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but join the dance

, , , , join the dance , , , , join the dance

'"What matters it how far we go ? " his scaly friend replied " another shore, , other side The further off from England the nearer is to France-- Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance

, won't you, , won't you, join the dance ? , won't you, , won't you, won't you join the dance ? "'

' , it's very interesting dance to watch,' said Alice, feeling over at last: 'and I like that curious song whiting ! '

'Oh, whiting,' said the Mock Turtle, 'they--you've seen them, ? '

'Yes,' said Alice, 'I've often seen them at dinn--' she checked herself hastily

'I don't know where Dinn ,' said the Mock Turtle, 'but 've seen them so often, what they're like '

'I believe so,' Alice replied thoughtfully ' their tails in their mouths-- 're all over crumbs '

'You're wrong crumbs,' said the Mock Turtle: 'crumbs would all wash off sea But their tails in their mouths; reason is--' here the Mock Turtle yawned and shut his eyes --'Tell her reason and all that,' Gryphon

'The reason is,' said the Gryphon, 'that go lobsters dance So they got thrown out to sea So they had long way So they got their tails fast in their mouths So they couldn't get them out again That's all '

' ,' said Alice, 'it's very interesting I never knew about whiting before '

' tell you more than that, like,' said the Gryphon ' why it's called whiting ? '

'I never thought ,' said Alice 'Why ? '

'It does the boots and shoes ' the Gryphon replied very solemnly

Alice was thoroughly puzzled 'Does the boots and shoes ! ' she repeated in wondering tone

'Why, your shoes done with ? ' said the Gryphon 'I mean, what makes them so shiny ? '

Alice looked down at them, and considered little before she gave her answer 'They're done with blacking, I believe '

'Boots and shoes under the sea,' the Gryphon went on in deep voice, 'are done with whiting Now '

'And they made of ? ' Alice asked in tone of great curiosity

'Soles and eels, ,' the Gryphon replied rather impatiently: 'any shrimp told you that '

'If I'd been the whiting,' said Alice, whose thoughts were still running song, 'I'd have said porpoise, "Keep back, please: we don't want you ! "'

'They were obliged him ,' the Mock Turtle said: 'no wise fish would go anywhere without porpoise '

'Wouldn't it really ? ' said Alice in tone of great surprise

' not,' said the Mock Turtle: 'why, if fish came , and told me going journey, say "With what porpoise ? "'

'Don't you mean "purpose" ? ' said Alice

'I mean what ,' the Mock Turtle replied in an offended tone Gryphon added 'Come, let's hear some of your adventures '

' tell you my adventures--beginning from ,' said Alice little timidly: 'but it's no use going back to yesterday, because different person then '

'Explain all that,' said the Mock Turtle

'No, no ! The adventures first,' said the Gryphon in an impatient tone: 'explanations take such dreadful time '

So Alice began telling them her adventures time when she first saw the White Rabbit She was little nervous just at first, the two creatures got so close to her, one on each side, and opened their eyes and mouths so very wide, but she gained courage as she went on Her listeners were perfectly quiet till she got part about her repeating ' old, Father William,' Caterpillar, words all coming different, and then the Mock Turtle drew long breath, and said 'That's very curious '

'It's all about as curious as it ,' said the Gryphon

'It all came different ! ' the Mock Turtle repeated thoughtfully ' like to hear her try and repeat something now Tell her ' He looked Gryphon he thought it had some kind of authority over Alice

'Stand up and repeat "'Tis the voice sluggard,"' said the Gryphon

'How the creatures order one about, and make one repeat lessons ! ' thought Alice; ' be at school at once ' However, she got up, and began to repeat it, but her head was so full Lobster Quadrille, that she hardly knew what she was saying, words came very queer indeed:--

"'Tis the voice Lobster; I heard him declare, " baked me too brown, sugar my hair " As duck with its eyelids, so he nose Trims his belt buttons, and turns out his toes '

[later editions continued as follows sands are all dry, gay as lark, And will talk in contemptuous tones Shark, But, tide rises and sharks are around, His voice has timid and tremulous sound ]

'That's different from what I used when child,' said the Gryphon

'Well, I never heard it before,' said the Mock Turtle; 'but it sounds uncommon nonsense '

Alice said nothing; she had sat down with her face in her hands, wondering if anything would ever happen in natural way again

' like it explained,' said the Mock Turtle

' 't explain it,' said the Gryphon hastily 'Go on next verse '

'But about his toes ? ' the Mock Turtle persisted 'How could he turn them out nose, ? '

'It's the first position in dancing ' Alice said; but was dreadfully puzzled whole thing, and longed the subject

'Go on next verse,' the Gryphon repeated impatiently: 'it begins "I passed by his garden "'

Alice dare to disobey, though she felt sure it would all come wrong, and she went on in trembling voice:--

'I passed by his garden, and marked, with one eye, How the Owl Panther were sharing pie--'

[later editions continued as follows The Panther took pie-crust, and gravy, and meat, While the Owl had the dish as its share treat pie was all finished, the Owl, as boon, Was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon While the Panther received knife and fork with growl, And concluded the banquet--]

' the use of repeating all that stuff,' the Mock Turtle interrupted, ' don't explain it go on ? It's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard ! '

'Yes, you'd better leave off,' said the Gryphon: and Alice was only too glad

'Shall another figure Lobster Quadrille ? ' the Gryphon went on 'Or would you like the Mock Turtle to sing you song ? '

'Oh, song, please, Mock Turtle so kind,' Alice replied, so eagerly Gryphon said, in rather offended tone, 'Hm ! No accounting for tastes ! Sing her "Turtle Soup," , old fellow ? '

The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and began, in voice sometimes choked with sobs, to sing this:--

'Beautiful Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in hot tureen ! Who for such dainties stoop ? Soup evening, beautiful Soup ! Soup evening, beautiful Soup ! Beau--ootiful Soo--oop ! Beau--ootiful Soo--oop ! Soo--oop e--e--evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup !

'Beautiful Soup ! Who cares for fish, Game, or dish ? give all else for two Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup ? Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup ? Beau--ootiful Soo--oop ! Beau--ootiful Soo--oop ! Soo--oop e--e--evening, Beautiful, beauti--FUL SOUP ! '

'Chorus again ! ' cried the Gryphon, Mock Turtle had just begun to repeat it, when cry of 'The trial's beginning ! ' was heard distance

'Come on ! ' cried the Gryphon, and, taking Alice hand, it hurried off, without waiting end song

'What trial ? ' Alice panted as she ran; but the Gryphon only answered 'Come on ! ' and ran the faster, while more and more faintly came, carried breeze that followed them, the melancholy words:--

'Soo--oop e--e--evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup ! '

Chapter XI: Who Stole the Tarts ?

The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne arrived, with great crowd assembled --all sorts of little birds and beasts, whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with soldier on each side to guard him; and near the King White Rabbit, with trumpet in one hand, and scroll of parchment other very middle court was table, with large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, made Alice quite hungry to look at them--' they'd get the trial done,' she thought, 'and hand round the refreshments ! ' But there seemed no chance , so she began looking at everything about her, away the time

Alice had never been in court of justice before, but she had read in books, and she was quite pleased that she knew the name of nearly everything there 'That's the judge,' she said to herself, 'because great wig '