'You may not have lived much under the sea––' ('I haven't,' said Alice)–– 'and perhaps you were nevereven introduced to a lobster––' (Alice began to say 'I once tasted––' but checked herself hastily, and said'No, never') '––so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster Quadrille is!''No, indeed,' said Alice. 'What sort of a dance is it?''Why,' said the Gryphon, 'you first form into a line along the sea-shore––''Two lines!' cried the Mock Turtle. 'Se<strong>als</strong>, turtles, salmon, and so on; then, when you've cleared all thejelly-fish out of the way––''THAT generally takes some time,' interrupted the Gryphon.'––you advance twice––''Each with a lobster as a partner!' cried the Gryphon.'Of course,' the Mock Turtle said: 'advance twice, set to partners––''––change lobsters, and retire in same order,' continued the Gryphon.'Then, you know,' the Mock Turtle went on, 'you throw the––''The lobsters!' shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air.'––as far out to sea as you can––''Swim after them!' screamed the Gryphon.'Turn a somersault in the sea!' cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about.'Change lobster's again!' yelled the Gryphon at the top of its voice.'Back to land again, and that's all the first figure,' said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice;and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again verysadly and quietly, and looked at Alice.'It must be a very pretty dance,' said Alice timidly.'Would you like to see a little of it?' said the Mock Turtle.'Very much indeed,' said Alice.'Come, let's try the first figure!' said the Mock Turtle to the Gryphon. 'We can do without lobsters, youknow. Which shall sing?''Oh, YOU sing,' said the Gryphon. 'I've forgotten the words.'So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice, every now and then treading on her toes whenthey passed too close, and waving their forepaws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this, veryslowly and sadly:––'"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail. "There's a porpoise close behind us, and he'streading on my tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! They are waiting on theshingle––will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won'tyou, won't you join the dance?"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, with thelobsters, out to sea!" But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance–– Said he thankedthe whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, would notjoin the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.'"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied. "There is another shore, you know, upon theother side. The further off from England the nearer is to France–– Then turn not pale, beloved snail, butcome and join the dance.Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won'tyou, won't you join the dance?"''Thank you, it's a very interesting dance to watch,' said Alice, feeling very glad that it was over at last:'and I do so like that curious song about the whiting!''Oh, as to the whiting,' said the Mock Turtle, 'they––you've seen them, of course?''Yes,' said Alice, 'I've often seen them at dinn––' she checked herself hastily.'I don't know where Dinn may be,' said the Mock Turtle, 'but if you've seen them so often, of course youknow what they're like.''I believe so,' Alice replied thoughtfully. 'They have their tails in their mouths––and they're all overcrumbs.''You're wrong about the crumbs,' said the Mock Turtle: 'crumbs would all wash off in the sea. But theyhave their tails in their mouths; and the reason is––' here the Mock Turtle yawned and shut hiseyes.––'Tell her about the reason and all that,' he said to the Gryphon.'The reason is,' said the Gryphon, 'that they would go with the lobsters to the dance. So they got thrownout to sea. So they had to fall a long way. So they got their tails fast in their mouths. So they couldn't getthem out again. That's all.''Thank you,' said Alice, 'it's very interesting. I never knew so much about a whiting before.''I can tell you more than that, if you like,' said the Gryphon. 'Do you know why it's called a whiting?''I never thought about it,' 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 a wondering tone.'Why, what are your shoes done with?' said the Gryphon. 'I mean, what makes them so shiny?'Alice looked down at them, and considered a little before she gave her answer. 'They're done with blacking,I believe.''Boots and shoes under the sea,' the Gryphon went on in a deep voice, 'are done with a whiting. Now youknow.''And what are they made of?' Alice asked in a tone of great curiosity.
- Page 1 and 2: The Project Gutenberg Etext of Alic
- Page 3 and 4: cal medium, you must return it with
- Page 5 and 6: I. Down the Rabbit-HoleAlice was be
- Page 7 and 8: 'What a curious feeling!' said Alic
- Page 9 and 10: 'How cheerfully he seems to grin,Ho
- Page 11 and 12: 'Ahem!' said the Mouse with an impo
- Page 13 and 14: The Mouse only growled in reply.'Pl
- Page 15: window, she suddenly spread out her
- Page 18 and 19: 'No,' said the Caterpillar.Alice th
- Page 20 and 21: sharp hiss made her draw back in a
- Page 22 and 23: 'How am I to get in?' asked Alice a
- Page 24 and 25: and then keep tight hold of its rig
- Page 26 and 27: VII. A Mad Tea-PartyThere was a tab
- Page 28 and 29: 'Ah! that accounts for it,' said th
- Page 30 and 31: 'Treacle,' said the Dormouse, witho
- Page 32 and 33: name, child?''My name is Alice, so
- Page 34 and 35: should have croqueted the Queen's h
- Page 36 and 37: 'Ah, well! It means much the same t
- Page 38 and 39: 'I'll tell it her,' said the Mock T
- Page 42 and 43: 'Soles and eels, of course,' the Gr
- Page 44 and 45: XI. Who Stole the Tarts?The King an
- Page 46 and 47: not.''I'm a poor man, your Majesty,
- Page 48 and 49: quickly as she could, for the accid
- Page 50 and 51: yourself and me.''That's the most i