Bedtime Tale: Alice's Adventures In Wonderland Ch 10
Enjoy this bedtime tale to help you drift off into a peaceful slumber. Tonight's reading is Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Chapter ten describes the story-telling of the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle. This audio is perfect for children or adults who want to relax, discover magic, or find adventure before a great night's sleep.
Transcript
ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll CHAPTER 10 THE LOBSTER QUADRIL The mock turtle sighed deeply and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes.
He looked at Alice and tried to speak,
But for a minute or two sobs choked his voice.
Same as if he had a bone in his throat,
Said the griffon,
And it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back.
At last the mock turtle recovered his voice,
And with tears running down his cheeks he went on again.
You may not have lived much under the sea.
I haven't,
Said Alice,
And perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster.
Alice began to say,
I once tasted,
But checked herself hastily and said,
No,
Never.
So you can have no idea what a delightful thing a lobster quadril is.
No,
Indeed,
Said Alice.
What sort of a dance is that?
Why,
Said the griffon,
You must first form into a line along the seashore.
Two lines,
Cried the mock turtle.
Seals,
Turtles,
Salmon,
And so on.
Then,
When you've cleared all the jellyfish out of the way,
That generally takes some time,
Interrupted the griffon.
You advance twice,
Each with a lobster as a partner,
Cried the griffon.
Of course,
The mock turtle said,
Advance twice,
Set to partners.
Change lobsters and retire in same ordered,
Continued the griffon.
Then you know,
The mock turtle went on,
You throw the,
The lobsters,
Shouted the griffon,
With a bound into the air,
As far out to sea as you can.
And then you swim after them,
Screamed the griffon.
Turn a somersault in the sea,
Cried the mock turtle,
Capering wildly about.
Change lobsters again,
Yelled the griffon at the top of its voice.
Back to land again,
And that's all the first figure,
Said the mock turtle,
Suddenly dropping his voice.
And the two creatures who had been jumping about like mad things all this time,
Sat down again,
Very sadly and quietly,
And looked at Alice.
It must be a very pretty dance,
Said Alice timidly.
Would you like to see a little of it?
Said the mock turtle.
Very much indeed,
Said Alice.
Come,
Let's try the first figure,
Said the mock turtle to the griffon.
We can do without lobsters,
You know.
What shall we sing?
Oh,
You sing,
Said the griffon.
I've forgotten the words.
So they began,
Solemnly dancing around and round for Alice,
Every now and then treading on her toes when they passed too close,
And waving their forepaws to mark the time,
While the mock turtle sang this very slowly and sadly.
Will you walk a little faster?
Said a whiting to a snail.
There's a purpose close behind us,
And he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and turtles all advance?
They are waiting on the shingle.
Will you come and join the dance?
Will you,
Won't you,
Will you,
Won't you,
Will 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 the lobsters out to sea.
But the snail replied,
Too far,
Too far,
And gave a look askance.
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.
What matters is how far we go,
His scaly friend replied.
There is another shore,
You know,
Upon the other side.
The further off from England,
The nearer is to France.
Then turn not pale,
Beloved snail,
But come and join the dance.
Will you,
Won't you,
Will you,
Won't you,
Will you join the dance?
Will you,
Won't you,
Will you,
Won't you,
Won't you 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 the curious song about the whiting.
Oh,
As do the whiting,
Said the mock turtle.
They,
You've seen them,
Of course.
Yes,
Said Alice.
I've often seen them at din,
She checked herself hastily.
I don't know where din 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 mouths,
And they're all over crumbs.
You're wrong about the crumbs,
Said the mock turtle.
Crumbs would all wash off in the sea,
But they have their tails in their mouths.
And the reason is,
Here the mock turtle yawned and shut his eyes.
Tell her about the reason and all that,
He said to the griffin.
The reason is,
Said the griffin,
That they would go to the lobsters to the dance,
So they got thrown out to sea.
So they had to fall a long way.
So they got their tails fast in their mouths,
So they couldn't get them out again.
That's all.
Thank you,
Said Alice.
It's very interesting.
I never knew so much about a whiting before.
I can tell you more than that,
If you like,
Said the griffin.
Do you know why it's called a whiting?
I never thought about it,
Said Alice.
Why?
It does the boots and shoes,
The griffin replied very solemnly.
Alice was thoroughly puzzled.
Does the boots and shoes,
She repeated in a wondering tone.
Why?
What are your shoes done with?
Said the griffin.
I mean,
What makes them so shiny?
Alice looked down at them and considered a little before she gave her answer.
They're done with blacking,
I believe.
Boots and shoes under the sea,
The griffin went on in a deep voice,
Are done with a whiting.
Now you know.
And what are they made of?
Alice asked in a tone of great curiosity.
Souls and eels,
Of course,
The griffin replied rather impatiently.
Any shrimp could have told you that.
If I'd been the whiting,
Said Alice,
Whose thoughts were still running on the song,
I'd have said to the porpoise,
Keep back,
Please,
We don't want you with us.
They were obliged to have him with them,
Said the mock turtle.
No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.
Wouldn't it really?
Said Alice in a tone of great surprise.
Of course not,
Said the mock turtle.
Why,
If a fish came to me and told me he was going on a journey,
I should say,
With what porpoise?
Don't you mean purpose?
Said Alice.
I mean what I say,
The mock turtle replied in an offended tone.
And the griffin added,
Come,
Let's hear some of your adventures.
I could tell you my adventures beginning from this morning,
Said Alice a little timidly.
But it's no use going back to yesterday,
Because I was a different person then.
Explain all that,
Said the mock turtle.
No,
No,
The adventures first,
Said the griffin in an impatient tone.
Explanations take such a dreadful time.
So Alice began telling them her adventures,
From the time when she first saw the white rabbit.
She was a little nervous about it at first.
The two creatures got so close to her,
One on each side,
And opened their eyes and mouths so very wide.
But she gained courage as she went on.
Her listeners were perfectly quite still,
Till she got to the part about her repeating,
You are old Father William to the caterpillar,
And the words all coming different.
And then the mock turtle drew a long breath and said,
That's very curious.
It's all about as curious as it can be,
Said the griffin.
It all came different,
The mock turtle repeated thoughtfully.
I should like to hear her try and repeat something now.
Tell her to begin.
He looked at the griffin as if he thought,
It had some kind of authority over Alice.
Stand up and repeat,
Tis the voice of the sluggard,
Said the griffin.
How the creatures order one about,
And make one repeat lessons,
Thought Alice.
I might as well be at school at once.
However,
She got up and began to repeat it.
But her head was so full of the lobster quadrille,
That she hardly knew what she was saying.
And the words came very queer indeed.
Tis the voice of the lobster,
I heard him declare.
You have baked me too brown.
I must sugar my hair.
As a duck with its eyelids,
So he with his nose,
Trims his belts and his buttons and turns out his toes.
Later additions continued as follows.
When the sands are all dry,
He is gay as a lark,
And will talk in contemptuous tones of the shark.
But when the tide rises and sharks are around,
His voice has a timid and tremulous sound.
That's different from what I used to say when I was a child,
Said the griffin.
Well,
I never heard it before,
Said the mock turtle,
But it sounds uncommon nonsense.
Alice said nothing.
She had sat down with her face in her hands,
Wondering if anything would ever happen in a natural way again.
I should like to have it explained,
Said the mock turtle.
She can't explain it,
Said the griffin hastily.
Go on with the next verse.
But what about his toes?
The mock turtle persisted.
How could he turn them out with his nose?
You know?
It's the first position in dancing,
Alice said,
But was dreadfully puzzled by the whole thing and longed to change the subject.
Go on with the next verse,
The griffin repeated impatiently.
It begins,
I passed by his garden.
Alice did not dare to disobey,
Though she felt sure it would all come out wrong.
And she went on in a trembling voice.
I passed by his garden and marked with one eye how the owl and the panther were sharing a pie.
Later additions continued as follows.
The panther took pie crust and gravy and meat,
While the owl had the dish as its share of the treat.
When the pie was all finished,
The owl as a boon was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon.
While the panther received knife and fork with a growl and concluded the banquet.
What is the use of repeating all this stuff?
The mock turtle interrupted.
If you don't explain it as you go on,
It's by far the most confusing thing I've ever heard.
Yes,
I think you'd better leave off,
Said the griffin.
And Alice was only too glad to do so.
Shall we try another figure of the lobster quadrille?
The griffin went on.
Or would you like the mock turtle to sing you a song?
Oh,
A song,
Please,
If the mock turtle would be so kind.
Alice replied so eagerly that the griffin said in a rather offended tone.
Hmm,
No accounting for tastes.
Sing her turtle soup,
Will you,
Old fellow?
The mock turtle sighed deeply and began in a voice sometimes choked with sobs to sing this.
Beautiful soup,
So rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen.
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful soup.
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful soup.
Beautiful soup,
Beautiful soup.
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful,
Beautiful soup.
Beautiful soup,
Who cares for fish,
Game,
Or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two pennyworth only of beautiful soup?
Pennyworth only of beautiful soup?
Beautiful soup,
Beautiful soup.
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful,
Beautiful soup.
Chorus again,
Cried the griffin,
And the mock turtle had just begun to repeat it when a cry of,
The trial's beginning,
Was heard in the distance.
Come on,
Said the griffin,
And taking Alice by the hand,
It hurried off without waiting for the end of the song.
What trial is it?
Alice panted as she ran.
But the griffin only answered,
Come on,
And ran the faster.
While more and more faintly came,
Carried on the breeze and followed them,
The melancholy words,
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful,
Beautiful soup.
And that is the end of our story this evening.
Until next time,
Sweet dreams.
