Алиса в зазеркалье

           ‘Iwonderhowyou’dlikeit,ifIweretocutasliceoutofyou,youcreature!’

           Itspokeinathick,suetysortofvoice,andAlicehadn’tawordtosayinreply:shecouldonlysitandlookatitandgasp.

           ‘Makearemark,’saidtheRedQueen:‘it’sridiculoustoleavealltheconversationtothepudding!’

           ‘Doyouknow,I’vehadsuchaquantityofpoetryrepeatedtometo-day,’Alicebegan,alittlefrightenedatfindingthat,themomentsheopenedherlips,therewasdeadsilence,andalleyeswerefixeduponher;‘andit’saverycuriousthing,Ithink—everypoemwasaboutfishesinsomeway.Doyouknowwhythey’resofondoffishes,allabouthere?’

           ShespoketotheRedQueen,whoseanswerwasalittlewideofthemark.‘Astofishes,’shesaid,veryslowlyandsolemnly,puttinghermouthclosetoAlice’sear,‘herWhiteMajestyknowsalovelyriddle—allinpoetry—allaboutfishes.Shallsherepeatit?’

           ‘HerRedMajesty’sverykindtomentionit,’theWhiteQueenmurmuredintoAlice’sotherear,inavoicelikethecooingofapigeon.‘Itwouldbesuchatreat!MayI?’

           ‘Pleasedo,’Alicesaidverypolitely.

           TheWhiteQueenlaughedwithdelight,andstrokedAlice’scheek.Thenshebegan:

           ‘"First,thefishmustbecaught."

           Thatiseasy:ababy,Ithink,couldhavecaughtit.

           "Next,thefishmustbebought."

           Thatiseasy:apenny,Ithink,wouldhaveboughtit.

           "Nowcookmethefish!"

           Thatiseasy,andwillnottakemorethanaminute.