Through the Looking-Glass

rst thought was that she must have been dreaming about the Lion and the Unicorn and those queer Anglo-Saxon Messengers. However, there was the great dish still lyin

longing to another person's dream,' she went on in a rather complaini

dressed in crimson armour came galloping down upon her, brandishing a great club. Just as he reached

me anxiety as he mounted again. As soon as he was comfortably in the saddle, he began once more 'You're my-' b

s the Red Knight had done: then he got on again, and the two Knights sat and looked at each o

you know!' the Red

and rescued her!' th

as he took up his helmet (which hung from the saddle, and

tle, of course?' the White Knight

anging away at each other with such fury that Alice

other, he knocks him off his horse, and if he misses, he tumbles off himself-and another Rule seems to be that they hold their clubs with their arms, as if they were Punch and Judy-What a

their heads, and the battle ended with their both falling off in this way, side by side: w

wasn't it?' said the White K

ully. 'I don't want to be anybody

White Knight. 'I'll see you safe to the end of the wood-an

your helmet?' It was evidently more than he could manage by

ir with both hands, and turning his gentle face and large mild eyes to Alice.

ad a queer-shaped little deal box fastened across his shoulder, upside-dow

dly tone. 'It's my own invention-to keep clothes and sandwiches i

,' Alice gently remarked. '

And the box is no use without them.' He unfastened it as he spoke, and was just going to throw it into the bushes, when a

hook he

make a nest in it-then

r something like one-fastene

st kind. But not a single bee has come near it yet. And the other thing is a mouse-trap.

or,' said Alice. 'It isn't very likely the

night: 'but if they do come, I don't c

l to be provided for everything. That's the reaso

?' Alice asked in a to

d. 'It's an invention of my own. And now help me on. I'll

or plum-cake,

said. 'It'll come in handy if we find any

first two or three times that he tried he fell in himself instead. 'It's rather a tight fit, you see,' he said, as they got it in a last; 'There are s

ir well fastened on?' he c

ual way,' Alice

iously. 'You see the wind is so very

r keeping the hair from bein

'But I've got a plan for k

ke to hear i

t, like a fruit-tree. Now the reason hair falls off is because it hangs down-things nev

s she walked on in silence, puzzling over the idea, and every now and t

uddenly), 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

in riding,' she ventured to say, as she

makes you say that?' he asked, as he scrambled back into the saddle, keeping hold

off quite so often, when

e,' the Knight said very gr

ly as she could. They went on a little way in silence after this, the Knight with h

sentence ended as suddenly as it had begun, as the Knight fell heavily on the top of his head exactly in the path where Alice w

king two or three of them. 'The great art of riding, as I was

rms to show Alice what he meant, and this time he

g, all the time that Alice was getting hi

ll her patience this time. 'You ought to hav

reat interest, clasping his arms round the horse's neck as he

ce said, with a little scream of laughter,

said thoughtfully to hims

n. 'I'm a great hand at inventing things. Now, I daresay you noticed,

little grave

g a new way of getting over a g

deed,' Alice

difficulty is with the feet: the head is high enough already." Now, first I put my head on the top

was done,' Alice said thoughtfully: 'but

, gravely: 'so I can't tell for certain-b

he subject hastily. 'What a curious helmet you've go

wear it, if I fell off the horse, it always touched the ground directly. So I had a very little way to fall, you see-But there was the danger of falling into it, to

dare to laugh. 'I'm afraid you must have hurt him,' she

y. 'And then he took the helmet off again-but it took hours an

rent kind of fastne

ure you!' he said. He raised his hands in some excitement as he said this,

id that he really was hurt this time. However, though she could see nothing but the soles of his feet, she was much relieved to hear that he was tal

wnwards?' Alice asked, as she dragged him out

y body happens to be?' he said. 'My mind goes on working all the same. In

ever did,' he went on after a pause, 'was in

ice. 'Well, not the next course,' the Knight said in a s

day. I suppose you wouldn't have

g his head down, and his voice getting lower and lower, 'I don't believe that pudding ever was cooked! I

asked, hoping to cheer him up, for the poo

ng paper,' the Knight

t be very nic

a difference it makes mixing it with other things-such as gunpowder and seali

puzzled: she was thi

in an anxious tone: 'let me s

ked, for she had heard a go

eautiful. Everybody that hears me sing it-eithe

lice, for the Knight h

now. The name of the song

e song, is it?' Alice said

oking a little vexed. 'That's what the name is

That's what the song is call

ing! The song is called "Ways and Means":

?' said Alice, who was by thi

. 'The song really is "A-sitting On A G

, slowly beating time with one hand, and with a faint smile lighting up

ue eyes and kindly smile of the Knight-the setting sun gleaming through his hair, and shining on his armour in a blaze of light that quite dazzled her-the horse quietly moving about, with the reins hanging loose on his neck, cropping the grass at

f: 'it's "I give thee all, I can no more."' She stood and

thee everyt

little t

n aged

ing on

ou, aged m

is it y

r trickled th

r through

look for

p among t

em into m

them in t

m unto men

l on sto

the way I g

, if you

thinking

e's whisk

s use so

could no

g no repl

the old

me, tell me

ed him on

mild took

"I go

find a mo

it in

hey make a s

' Macas

nce-halfp

e me for

thinking

oneself

on from

a little

well from

s face w

me how you l

t it is

hunt for ha

e heathe

m into waist

silen

I do not s

of silve

copper h

will purc

dig for but

med twigs

search the g

ls of Ha

he way" (he

h I get

gladly wi

ur's nobl

m then, fo

ted my

Menai brid

ing it

im much for

he got h

y for his

nk my nob

f e'er by

gers i

ueeze a rig

left-ha

drop upo

heavy

or it rem

d man I us

mild, whose s

as whiter th

was very

like cinder

distracted

his body

ed mumblin

outh were f

ed like a

r evening,

ng on a

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 first?' he added as Alice turned with an eager look i

thank you very much for coming so far-

ubtfully: 'but you didn't cry s

d as usual! However, he gets on again pretty easily-that comes of having so many things hung round the horse-' So she went on talking to herself, as she watched the horse walking leisurely along the road,

the last brook, and to be a Queen! How grand it sounds!' A very few steps brought her

* *

*

* *

here and there. 'Oh, how glad I am to get here! And what is this on my head?' she exclaimed in a t

?' she said to herself, as she lifted it off, and se

a golde