The Lion and the Unicorn

           henextmomentsoldierscamerunningthroughthewood,atfirstintwosandthrees,thentenortwentytogether,andatlastinsuchcrowdsthattheyseemedtofillthewholeforest.Alicegotbehindatree,forfearofbeingrunover,andwatchedthemgoby.

           Shethoughtthatinallherlifeshehadneverseensoldierssouncertainontheirfeet:theywerealwaystrippingoversomethingorother,andwheneveronewentdown,severalmorealwaysfelloverhim,sothatthegroundwassooncoveredwithlittleheapsofmen.

           Thencamethehorses.Havingfourfeet,thesemanagedratherbetterthanthefoot-soldiers:buteventheystumblednowandthen;anditseemedtobearegularrulethat,wheneverahorsestumbledtheriderfelloffinstantly.Theconfusiongotworseeverymoment,andAlicewasverygladtogetoutofthewoodintoanopenplace,whereshefoundtheWhiteKingseatedontheground,busilywritinginhismemorandum-book.

           ‘I’vesentthemall!’theKingcriedinatoneofdelight,onseeingAlice.‘Didyouhappentomeetanysoldiers,mydear,asyoucamethroughthewood?’

           ‘Yes,Idid,’saidAlice:‘severalthousand,Ishouldthink.’

           ‘Fourthousandtwohundredandseven,that’stheexactnumber,’theKingsaid,referringtohisbook.‘Icouldn’tsendallthehorses,youknow,becausetwoofthemarewantedinthegame.AndIhaven’tsentthetwoMessengers,either.They’rebothgonetothetown.Justlookalongtheroad,andtellmeifyoucanseeeitherofthem.’

           ‘Iseenobodyontheroad,’saidAlice.