Алиса в стране чудес
The Lobster Quadrille
‘Oh,astothewhiting,’saidtheMockTurtle,‘they—you’veseenthem,ofcourse?’
‘Yes,’saidAlice,‘I’veoftenseenthematdinn—’shecheckedherselfhastily.
‘Idon’tknowwhereDinnmaybe,’saidtheMockTurtle,‘butifyou’veseenthemsooften,ofcourseyouknowwhatthey’relike.’
‘Ibelieveso,’Alicerepliedthoughtfully. ‘Theyhavetheirtailsintheirmouths—andthey’reallovercrumbs.’
‘You’rewrongaboutthecrumbs,’saidtheMockTurtle: ‘crumbswouldallwashoffinthesea. Buttheyhavetheirtailsintheirmouths; andthereasonis—’heretheMockTurtleyawnedandshuthiseyes. —‘Tellheraboutthereasonandallthat,’hesaidtotheGryphon.
‘Thereasonis,’saidtheGryphon,‘thattheywouldgowiththelobsterstothedance. Sotheygotthrownouttosea. Sotheyhadtofallalongway. Sotheygottheirtailsfastintheirmouths. Sotheycouldn’tgetthemoutagain. That’sall.’
‘Thankyou,’saidAlice,‘it’sveryinteresting. Ineverknewsomuchaboutawhitingbefore.’
‘Icantellyoumorethanthat,ifyoulike,’saidtheGryphon. ‘Doyouknowwhyit’scalledawhiting?’
‘Ineverthoughtaboutit,’saidAlice. ‘Why?’
‘Itdoesthebootsandshoes. ’theGryphonrepliedverysolemnly.
Alicewasthoroughlypuzzled. ‘Doesthebootsandshoes! ’sherepeatedinawonderingtone.
