Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
she felt that there was no time to be lost, as she was shrinking `
` rapidly; so she set to work at once to eat some of the other bit. `
` Her chin was pressed so closely against her foot, that there was `
` hardly room to open her mouth; but she did it at last, and `
` managed to swallow a morsel of the lefthand bit. `
` `
` `
` * * * * * * * `
` `
` * * * * * * `
` `
` * * * * * * * `
` `
` `Come, my head's free at last!' said Alice in a tone of `
` delight, which changed into alarm in another moment, when she `
` found that her shoulders were nowhere to be found: all she could `
` see, when she looked down, was an immense length of neck, which `
` seemed to rise like a stalk out of a sea of green leaves that lay `
` far below her. `
` `
` `What CAN all that green stuff be?' said Alice. `And where `
` HAVE my shoulders got to? And oh, my poor hands, how is it I `
` can't see you?' She was moving them about as she spoke, but no `
` result seemed to follow, except a little shaking among the `
` distant green leaves. `
` `
` As there seemed to be no chance of getting her hands up to her `
` head, she tried to get her head down to them, and was delighted `
` to find that her neck would bend about easily in any direction, `
` like a serpent. She had just succeeded in curving it down into a `
` graceful zigzag, and was going to dive in among the leaves, which `
` she found to be nothing but the tops of the trees under which she `
` had been wandering, when a sharp hiss made her draw back in a `
` hurry: a large pigeon had flown into her face, and was beating `
` her violently with its wings. `
` `
` `Serpent!' screamed the Pigeon. `
` `
` `I'm NOT a serpent!' said Alice indignantly. `Let me alone!' `
` `
` `Serpent, I say again!' repeated the Pigeon, but in a more `
` subdued tone, and added with a kind of sob, `I've tried every `
` way, and nothing seems to suit them!' `
` `
` `I haven't the least idea what you're talking about,' said `
` Alice. `
` `
` `I've tried the roots of trees, and I've tried banks, and I've `
` tried hedges,' the Pigeon went on, without attending to her; `but `
` those serpents! There's no pleasing them!' `
` `
` Alice was more and more puzzled, but she thought there was no `
` use in saying anything more till the Pigeon had finished. `
` `
` `As if it wasn't trouble enough hatching the eggs,' said the `
` Pigeon; `but I must be on the look-out for serpents night and `
` day! Why, I haven't had a wink of sleep these three weeks!' `
` `
` `I'm very sorry you've been annoyed,' said Alice, who was `
` beginning to see its meaning. `
` `
` `And just as I'd taken the highest tree in the wood,' continued `
` the Pigeon, raising its voice to a shriek, `and just as I was `
` thinking I should be free of them at last, they must needs come `
` wriggling down from the sky! Ugh, Serpent!' `
` `
` `But I'm NOT a serpent, I tell you!' said Alice. `I'm a--I'm `
` a--' `
` `
` `Well! WHAT are you?' said the Pigeon. `I can see you're `
` trying to invent something!' `
` `
` `I--I'm a little girl,' said Alice, rather doubtfully, as she `
` remembered the number of changes she had gone through that day. `
` `
` `A likely story indeed!' said the Pigeon in a tone of the `
` deepest contempt. `I've seen a good many little girls in my `
` time, but never ONE with such a neck as that! No, no! You're a `
` serpent; and there's no use denying it. I suppose you'll be `
` telling me next that you never tasted an egg!' `
` `
` `I HAVE tasted eggs, certainly,' said Alice, who was a very `
` truthful child; `but little girls eat eggs quite as much as `
` serpents do, you know.' `
` `
` `I don't believe it,' said the Pigeon; `but if they do, why `
` then they're a kind of serpent, that's all I can say.' `
` `
` This was such a new idea to Alice, that she was quite silent `
` for a minute or two, which gave the Pigeon the opportunity of `
` adding, `You're looking for eggs, I know THAT well enough; and `
` what does it matter to me whether you're a little girl or a `
` serpent?' `
` `
` `It matters a good deal to ME,' said Alice hastily; `but I'm `
` not looking for eggs, as it happens; and if I was, I shouldn't `
` want YOURS: I don't like them raw.' `
` `
` `Well, be off, then!' said the Pigeon in a sulky tone, as it `
` settled down again into its nest. Alice crouched down among the `
` trees as well as she could, for her neck kept getting entangled `
` among the branches, and every now and then she had to stop and `
` untwist it. After a while she remembered that she still held the `
` pieces of mushroom in her hands, and she set to work very `
` carefully, nibbling first at one and then at the other, and `
` growing sometimes taller and sometimes shorter, until she had `
` succeeded in bringing herself down to her usual height. `
` `
` It was so long since she had been anything near the right size, `
` that it felt quite strange at first; but she got used to it in a `
` few minutes, and began talking to herself, as usual. `Come, `
` there's half my plan done now! How puzzling all these changes `
` are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to `
` another! However, I've got back to my right size: the next `
` thing is, to get into that beautiful garden--how IS that to be `
` done, I wonder?' As she said this, she came suddenly upon an `
` open place, with a little house in it about four feet high. `
` `Whoever lives there,' thought Alice, `it'll never do to come `
` upon them THIS size: why, I should frighten them out of their `
` wits!' So she began nibbling at the righthand bit again, and did `
` not venture to go near the house till she had brought herself `
` down to nine inches high. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VI `
` `
` Pig and Pepper `
` `
` `
` For a minute or two she stood looking at the house, and `
` wondering what to do next, when suddenly a footman in livery came `
` running out of the wood--(she considered him to be a footman `
` because he was in livery: otherwise, judging by his face only, `
` she would have called him a fish)--and rapped loudly at the door `
` with his knuckles. It was opened by another footman in livery, `
` with a round face, and large eyes like a frog; and both footmen, `
` Alice noticed, had powdered hair that curled all over their `
` heads. She felt very curious to know what it was all about, and `
` crept a little way out of the wood to listen. `
` `
` The Fish-Footman began by producing from under his arm a great `
` letter, nearly as large as himself, and this he handed over to `
` the other, saying, in a solemn tone, `For the Duchess. An `
` invitation from the Queen to play croquet.' The Frog-Footman `
` repeated, in the same solemn tone, only changing the order of the `
` words a little, `From the Queen. An invitation for the Duchess `
` to play croquet.' `
` `
` Then they both bowed low, and their curls got entangled `
` together. `
` `
` Alice laughed so much at this, that she had to run back into `
` the wood for fear of their hearing her; and when she next peeped `
` out the Fish-Footman was gone, and the other was sitting on the `
` ground near the door, staring stupidly up into the sky. `
` `
` Alice went timidly up to the door, and knocked. `
` `
` `There's no sort of use in knocking,' said the Footman, `and `
` that for two reasons. First, because I'm on the same side of the `
` door as you are; secondly, because they're making such a noise `
` inside, no one could possibly hear you.' And certainly there was `
` a most extraordinary noise going on within--a constant howling `
` and sneezing, and every now and then a great crash, as if a dish `
` or kettle had been broken to pieces. `
` `
` `Please, then,' said Alice, `how am I to get in?' `
` `
` `There might be some sense in your knocking,' the Footman went `
` on without attending to her, `if we had the door between us. For `
` instance, if you were INSIDE, you might knock, and I could let `
` you out, you know.' He was looking up into the sky all the time `
` he was speaking, and this Alice thought decidedly uncivil. `But `
` perhaps he can't help it,' she said to herself; `his eyes are so `
` VERY nearly at the top of his head. But at any rate he might `
` answer questions.--How am I to get in?' she repeated, aloud. `
` `
` `I shall sit here,' the Footman remarked, `till tomorrow--' `
` `
` At this moment the door of the house opened, and a large plate `
` came skimming out, straight at the Footman's head: it just `
` grazed his nose, and broke to pieces against one of the trees `
` behind him. `
` `
` `--or next day, maybe,' the Footman continued in the same tone, `
` exactly as if nothing had happened. `
` `
` `How am I to get in?' asked Alice again, in a louder tone. `
` `
` `ARE you to get in at all?' said the Footman. `That's the `
` first question, you know.' `
` `
` It was, no doubt: only Alice did not like to be told so. `
` `It's really dreadful,' she muttered to herself, `the way all the `
` creatures argue. It's enough to drive one crazy!' `
` `
` The Footman seemed to think this a good opportunity for `
` repeating his remark, with variations. `I shall sit here,' he `
` said, `on and off, for days and days.' `
` `
`
` rapidly; so she set to work at once to eat some of the other bit. `
` Her chin was pressed so closely against her foot, that there was `
` hardly room to open her mouth; but she did it at last, and `
` managed to swallow a morsel of the lefthand bit. `
` `
` `
` * * * * * * * `
` `
` * * * * * * `
` `
` * * * * * * * `
` `
` `Come, my head's free at last!' said Alice in a tone of `
` delight, which changed into alarm in another moment, when she `
` found that her shoulders were nowhere to be found: all she could `
` see, when she looked down, was an immense length of neck, which `
` seemed to rise like a stalk out of a sea of green leaves that lay `
` far below her. `
` `
` `What CAN all that green stuff be?' said Alice. `And where `
` HAVE my shoulders got to? And oh, my poor hands, how is it I `
` can't see you?' She was moving them about as she spoke, but no `
` result seemed to follow, except a little shaking among the `
` distant green leaves. `
` `
` As there seemed to be no chance of getting her hands up to her `
` head, she tried to get her head down to them, and was delighted `
` to find that her neck would bend about easily in any direction, `
` like a serpent. She had just succeeded in curving it down into a `
` graceful zigzag, and was going to dive in among the leaves, which `
` she found to be nothing but the tops of the trees under which she `
` had been wandering, when a sharp hiss made her draw back in a `
` hurry: a large pigeon had flown into her face, and was beating `
` her violently with its wings. `
` `
` `Serpent!' screamed the Pigeon. `
` `
` `I'm NOT a serpent!' said Alice indignantly. `Let me alone!' `
` `
` `Serpent, I say again!' repeated the Pigeon, but in a more `
` subdued tone, and added with a kind of sob, `I've tried every `
` way, and nothing seems to suit them!' `
` `
` `I haven't the least idea what you're talking about,' said `
` Alice. `
` `
` `I've tried the roots of trees, and I've tried banks, and I've `
` tried hedges,' the Pigeon went on, without attending to her; `but `
` those serpents! There's no pleasing them!' `
` `
` Alice was more and more puzzled, but she thought there was no `
` use in saying anything more till the Pigeon had finished. `
` `
` `As if it wasn't trouble enough hatching the eggs,' said the `
` Pigeon; `but I must be on the look-out for serpents night and `
` day! Why, I haven't had a wink of sleep these three weeks!' `
` `
` `I'm very sorry you've been annoyed,' said Alice, who was `
` beginning to see its meaning. `
` `
` `And just as I'd taken the highest tree in the wood,' continued `
` the Pigeon, raising its voice to a shriek, `and just as I was `
` thinking I should be free of them at last, they must needs come `
` wriggling down from the sky! Ugh, Serpent!' `
` `
` `But I'm NOT a serpent, I tell you!' said Alice. `I'm a--I'm `
` a--' `
` `
` `Well! WHAT are you?' said the Pigeon. `I can see you're `
` trying to invent something!' `
` `
` `I--I'm a little girl,' said Alice, rather doubtfully, as she `
` remembered the number of changes she had gone through that day. `
` `
` `A likely story indeed!' said the Pigeon in a tone of the `
` deepest contempt. `I've seen a good many little girls in my `
` time, but never ONE with such a neck as that! No, no! You're a `
` serpent; and there's no use denying it. I suppose you'll be `
` telling me next that you never tasted an egg!' `
` `
` `I HAVE tasted eggs, certainly,' said Alice, who was a very `
` truthful child; `but little girls eat eggs quite as much as `
` serpents do, you know.' `
` `
` `I don't believe it,' said the Pigeon; `but if they do, why `
` then they're a kind of serpent, that's all I can say.' `
` `
` This was such a new idea to Alice, that she was quite silent `
` for a minute or two, which gave the Pigeon the opportunity of `
` adding, `You're looking for eggs, I know THAT well enough; and `
` what does it matter to me whether you're a little girl or a `
` serpent?' `
` `
` `It matters a good deal to ME,' said Alice hastily; `but I'm `
` not looking for eggs, as it happens; and if I was, I shouldn't `
` want YOURS: I don't like them raw.' `
` `
` `Well, be off, then!' said the Pigeon in a sulky tone, as it `
` settled down again into its nest. Alice crouched down among the `
` trees as well as she could, for her neck kept getting entangled `
` among the branches, and every now and then she had to stop and `
` untwist it. After a while she remembered that she still held the `
` pieces of mushroom in her hands, and she set to work very `
` carefully, nibbling first at one and then at the other, and `
` growing sometimes taller and sometimes shorter, until she had `
` succeeded in bringing herself down to her usual height. `
` `
` It was so long since she had been anything near the right size, `
` that it felt quite strange at first; but she got used to it in a `
` few minutes, and began talking to herself, as usual. `Come, `
` there's half my plan done now! How puzzling all these changes `
` are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to `
` another! However, I've got back to my right size: the next `
` thing is, to get into that beautiful garden--how IS that to be `
` done, I wonder?' As she said this, she came suddenly upon an `
` open place, with a little house in it about four feet high. `
` `Whoever lives there,' thought Alice, `it'll never do to come `
` upon them THIS size: why, I should frighten them out of their `
` wits!' So she began nibbling at the righthand bit again, and did `
` not venture to go near the house till she had brought herself `
` down to nine inches high. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VI `
` `
` Pig and Pepper `
` `
` `
` For a minute or two she stood looking at the house, and `
` wondering what to do next, when suddenly a footman in livery came `
` running out of the wood--(she considered him to be a footman `
` because he was in livery: otherwise, judging by his face only, `
` she would have called him a fish)--and rapped loudly at the door `
` with his knuckles. It was opened by another footman in livery, `
` with a round face, and large eyes like a frog; and both footmen, `
` Alice noticed, had powdered hair that curled all over their `
` heads. She felt very curious to know what it was all about, and `
` crept a little way out of the wood to listen. `
` `
` The Fish-Footman began by producing from under his arm a great `
` letter, nearly as large as himself, and this he handed over to `
` the other, saying, in a solemn tone, `For the Duchess. An `
` invitation from the Queen to play croquet.' The Frog-Footman `
` repeated, in the same solemn tone, only changing the order of the `
` words a little, `From the Queen. An invitation for the Duchess `
` to play croquet.' `
` `
` Then they both bowed low, and their curls got entangled `
` together. `
` `
` Alice laughed so much at this, that she had to run back into `
` the wood for fear of their hearing her; and when she next peeped `
` out the Fish-Footman was gone, and the other was sitting on the `
` ground near the door, staring stupidly up into the sky. `
` `
` Alice went timidly up to the door, and knocked. `
` `
` `There's no sort of use in knocking,' said the Footman, `and `
` that for two reasons. First, because I'm on the same side of the `
` door as you are; secondly, because they're making such a noise `
` inside, no one could possibly hear you.' And certainly there was `
` a most extraordinary noise going on within--a constant howling `
` and sneezing, and every now and then a great crash, as if a dish `
` or kettle had been broken to pieces. `
` `
` `Please, then,' said Alice, `how am I to get in?' `
` `
` `There might be some sense in your knocking,' the Footman went `
` on without attending to her, `if we had the door between us. For `
` instance, if you were INSIDE, you might knock, and I could let `
` you out, you know.' He was looking up into the sky all the time `
` he was speaking, and this Alice thought decidedly uncivil. `But `
` perhaps he can't help it,' she said to herself; `his eyes are so `
` VERY nearly at the top of his head. But at any rate he might `
` answer questions.--How am I to get in?' she repeated, aloud. `
` `
` `I shall sit here,' the Footman remarked, `till tomorrow--' `
` `
` At this moment the door of the house opened, and a large plate `
` came skimming out, straight at the Footman's head: it just `
` grazed his nose, and broke to pieces against one of the trees `
` behind him. `
` `
` `--or next day, maybe,' the Footman continued in the same tone, `
` exactly as if nothing had happened. `
` `
` `How am I to get in?' asked Alice again, in a louder tone. `
` `
` `ARE you to get in at all?' said the Footman. `That's the `
` first question, you know.' `
` `
` It was, no doubt: only Alice did not like to be told so. `
` `It's really dreadful,' she muttered to herself, `the way all the `
` creatures argue. It's enough to drive one crazy!' `
` `
` The Footman seemed to think this a good opportunity for `
` repeating his remark, with variations. `I shall sit here,' he `
` said, `on and off, for days and days.' `
` `
`