Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

CHAPTER 10: The Lobster Quadrille (continued)

`Change lobsters again!' yelled the Gryphon 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 Gryphon. `We can do without lobsters, you know. Which 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 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 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 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.

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