Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll

It was a warm summer day and Alice was getting bored sitting beside her sister, who had her nose buried in a book. Suddenly, a little White Rabbit with pink eyes ran in front of her shouting, "On dear, oh dear, I'm late."

The Rabbit pulled a watch out of his pocket to check the time. He shook his head, then disappeared down a rabbit's hole. "I must find out why he's in such a hurry !" cried Alice. Filled with curiosity, she ran to the rabbit's hole and peeped through the entrance.

The hole dropped suddenly and Alice fell. "When will I ever reach the bottom of this dreadful hole?" she shouted, while falling helplessly downwards.

Finally she landed in a long, narrow hallway with doors of many sizes. On a three-legged table, Alice found a tiny gold key and a green bottle that said "DRINK ME". "This key must fit one of the doors," she said.

"It's the one behind the table," she cried, "but I'm too big to fit through such a little door. May be the potion in that bottle will help me," she decided. And she drank it.

Alice began to shrink until she was no bigger than a doll. She opened the door and quickly ran through it. "What a splendid garden !" she exclaimed. "Why, I'm no bigger than the insects that crawl on these flowers." But the excitement soon wore off. Alice grew bored with her tiny size. "I want to be big again," she shouted.

Her shouts startled the White Rabbit, who ran past her again. Mistaking her for his maid, he ordered, "Go to my cottage and fetch my gloves and fan."

Alice was confused by the Rabbit's behaviour. "May be I'll find something at the cottage to help me," she said hopefully.

A piece of chocolate cake was kept on a table by the doorway. Next to the cake was a note that read "EAT ME". "I'm so hungry," Alice said as she ate the cake. "I feel strange. Oh no ! I've grown larger than this house !" she cried.

"Get out of my way ! You're blocking the door!" shouted the White Rabbit. Alice managed to pick up his fan. Immediately, she began to shrink.

"Oh, I'll never get back to the right size," Alice cried. She went looking for help. Soon, she saw a green caterpillar dressed in a pink jacket. He was sitting on the top of a large mushroom, smoking a bubble pipe. "One side makes you big, the other side makes you small," he said to Alice before slithering away.

"One side of what?" Alice called after him.

"The mushroom, silly," he answered.

Alice ate a piece of the mushroom."Thank goodness, I'm growing !" she cried, "But which way do I go?"

"That path leads to the Mad Hatter. The other way leads to -Lae March Hare," said a voice. Alice turned to find a smiling Cheshire Cat in a tree. "I'll see you later at the Queen's croquet game," he said before disappearing.
Alice walked down a path, "How lovely ! A tea party," she thought.
"There's no room for you !" shouted the Mad Hatter, "You may stay if you answer my riddle." Alice smiled. She loved riddles.
After several riddles, Alice became confused. "Every time I answer, you ask a question," she told the Mad Hatter.
"We don't know any answers," he giggled. "This is a waste of time," scolded Alice. The others ignored her. They were trying to wake the Dormouse.
Alice continued her walk. She found herself in the middle of a field where the Queen of Hearts was playing croquet. Her guards and gardeners were shaped like cards. One gardener had planted white roses by mistake and then painted them red, "Off with their heads !" shrieked the Queen. "I hate white roses !" "Have you ever played croquet?" the Queen asked Alice.

"Yes," Alice timidly answered. "But I've never used a flamingo or a hedgehog." "Play with me !" ordered the Queen."And let me win or I'll have your head !" Alice tried her best to play we,l, but she had trouble with her flamingo. "Off with her head !" cried the Queen. Just then a trumpet sounded at the distance calling court to session.
Everyone rushed into the courtroom. "Court is now in session," announced the White Rabbit, "Will Alice please come to the stand?" Alice took the stand and looked at the jury box, where the March Hare and the Mad Hatter were making noise. The Dormouse slept and the Cheshire Cat smiled at her. "What's going on?" asked Alice.