Bedtime Story: Alice In Wonderland Pt. 5

Please enjoy part five of my reading of Alice in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll.

Let's continue our adventure with Alice as she follows the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole one lazy afternoon in summer. What adventures will they get up to tonight?

This is part five of a seven-part reading. You can find all the recordings on my profile page in the playlist titled 'Alice In Wonderland'.

I hope you have a peaceful and relaxing sleep.

Transcript

Good evening beautiful souls and welcome to tonight's reading of the Alice in Wonderland,

Part five.

So just taking a moment to arrive here in your bed,

Knowing that the day is done and there's nothing more for you to do and that it's time to relax,

To rest,

To rejuvenate.

So taking a moment to stretch out your body,

Raising your arms overhead and stretching out your legs and making yourself as long as possible in your bed,

Stretching out all those muscles that have been in use all day long and then allowing yourself to flop down heavily,

Gently onto your bed and taking a few slow,

Deep inhales and exhales,

Making any sounds that you want to make,

Maybe taking a yawn.

Good way to release tension from the jaw and the face.

And when you're ready and you're all snuggled and relaxed in your bed,

We will continue with our adventures with Alice.

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 gryphon.

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 it?

Why,

Said the gryphon,

You 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 gryphon.

You advance twice.

Reach with a lobster as a partner,

Cried the gryphon.

Of course,

The mock turtle said,

Advance twice,

Set two partners,

Change lobsters and retire in same order,

Continued the gryphon.

Then you know,

The mock turtle went on,

You throw that the lobsters,

Shouted the gryphon with a bound into the air.

As far out to sea as you can swim after them,

Screamed the gryphon.

Turn a somersault in the sea,

Cried the mock turtle.

Change lobsters again,

Yelled the gryphon at the top of his 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.

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 gryphon.

We can do without lobsters,

You know.

Which one of us shall sing?

Oh,

You sing,

Said the gryphon.

I've forgotten the words.

So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice,

Every now and then treading on her toes when they passed and waving their fore paws to mark the time,

While the mock turtle sang this,

Very slowly and sadly.

Will you walk a little faster,

Said a witting to a snail.

There's a porpoise close behind us and he's treading on my tail.

See how eagerly the lobsters and the 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 witting 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 it 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 that curious song about the whiting.

Oh,

As to 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.

Well,

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 are 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 Gryphon.

The reason is,

Said the Gryphon,

That they would go with 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 Gryphon.

Do you know why it's called a whiting?

I never thought about it,

Said Alice.

Why?

It does the shoes and the boots,

The Gryphon replied very solemnly.

Alice was thoroughly puzzled.

Does the boots and the shoes?

She repeated in a wondering tone.

Why?

What are your shoes done with?

Said the Gryphon.

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 Gryphon 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 Gryphon 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,

The Mock Turtle said.

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 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 Gryphon added,

Come,

Let's hear some of your adventures.

I could tell you my adventures beginning from this morning,

Said Alice.

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 Gryphon 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 just 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 quiet till she got to the part about her repeating,

You are old,

Father William,

To the Caterpillar.

And the words all coming out 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 Gryphon.

It all came different,

The Mock Turtle repeated.

I should like to hear her try and repeat something now.

Tell her to begin.

He looked at the Gryphon as if he thought it had some kind of authority over Alice.

Stand up and repeat,

Tis the voice of the Slugard,

Said the Gryphon.

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 belt and his buttons and turns out his toes.

That's different from what I used to say when I was a child,

Said the Gryphon.

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 Gryphon,

Hastily.

Go on with the next verse.

But 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 Gryphon repeated.

It begins,

I passed by his garden.

Alice did not dare to disobey,

Though she felt sure it would all come 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.

What is the use of repeating all that stuff?

The Mock Turtle interrupted.

If you don't explain it as you go on,

It's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard.

Yes,

I think you'd better leave off,

Said the Gryphon.

And Alice was only too glad to do so.

Shall we try another figure of the Lobster Quadril?

The Gryphon 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 Gryphon 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 evening,

Beautiful soup.

Soup of 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.

The chorus again,

Cried the Gryphon.

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,

Cried the Gryphon.

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 Gryphon only answered,

Come on,

And ran faster.

While more and more faintly came,

Carried on the breeze that followed them,

The melancholy words,

Soup of the evening.

Beautiful,

Beautiful soup.

Reviews

I love falling asleep to Alice’s adventures. 😌💤❤️

That was beeeeauuuuutiful! Thank you for the next chapter. I look so forward to all of your readings