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Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures Under Ground - Pages 28 and 29

Image of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures Under Ground - Pages 28 and 29
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We lived beneath the mat


       Warm and snug and fat


                But one woe, & that


                          Was the cat!


                                  To our joys


                                   a clog, In


                                  our eyes a


                             fog, On our


                       hearts a log


                  Was the dog!


                When the


           cat's away,


          Then


         the mice


          will


           play,


             But, alas!


                  one day, (So they say)


                           Came the dog and


                                   cat, Hunting


                                       for a


                                      rat,


                                    Crushed


                                the mice


                            all flat,


                           Each


                          one


                         as


                         he


                         sat


                         Underneath the mat


                            warm, & snug, &


                                fat-Think of that!

"You are not attending!" said the mouse to Alice severely, "what are you thinking of?"

"I beg your pardon," said Alice very humbly, "you had got to the fifth bend, I think?"

"I had not!" cried the mouse, sharply and very angrily.

"A knot!" said Alice, always ready to make herself useful, and looking anxiously about her, "oh, do let me help to undo it!"

"I shall do nothing of the sort!" said the mouse, getting up and walking away from the party, "you insult me by talking such nonsense!"

"I didn’t mean it!" pleaded poor Alice, "but you’re so easily offended, you know."

The mouse only growled in reply.

"Please come back and finish your story!" Alice called after it, and the others all joined in chorus "yes, please do!" but the mouse only shook its ears, and walked quickly away, and was soon out of sight.

"What a pity it wouldn’t stay!" sighed the Lory, and an old Crab took the opportunity of saying to its daughter "Ah, my dear! let this be a lesson to you never to lose your temper!"


 		 
  < Pages 26 and 27 (of 91)  
     
     

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