Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

CHAPTER 10: The Lobster Quadrille (continued)

`Shall we try another figure of the Lobster Quadrille?' 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, `Hm! 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!
         Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
         Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
     Soo--oop of the e--e--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?
         Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
         Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
     Soo--oop of the e--e--evening,
         Beautiful, beauti--FUL SOUP!'

`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 the faster, while more and more faintly came, carried on the breeze that followed them, the melancholy words:--

     `Soo--oop of the e--e--evening,
         Beautiful, beautiful Soup!'