Alice in Wonderland (52)

Alice in Wonderland (52)

" Come, let's try the first figure ! " said the Mock Turtle to the Gryphon.
" We can do without lobsters, you know. Which shall sing ? "

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

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

" Will you walk a little faster ! " said a whiting to a snail,
 There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.
 See how eagerly the lobstes and the turtles all advance !
 They are waiting on the singleーwill you come and join the dance ?

Will you, won't you, will you, won’t you, wil you join the dance !
Will you, won't you, will you, won’t you, 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 a lobsters, out to sea !
But the snail replied, " Too far, too far ! " and gave a look askanceー
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.

Would not,could not,would not ,could not, would not join the dance.
Would not,could not,would not ,could not, could not 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ーyou've seen them, of course ? "

"Yes, " sadi Alice,  " I've often seen them at dinmー　" 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 you know what they're like. "

" I believe so, " Alice replied thoughtfully, " They have their tails in their mouthーand they're all over crumbs. "

" You've wrong about the crumbs, " said the Mock Turtle, " crumbs would all wash off in the sea. 　But they have their tails in the mouthsー"　
here the　Mock Turtle yawned and shut his eyes.
"Tell her about the reason and all that, " he said to the Gryphon.

(52/65)