Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 7: The Lion and the Unicorn (continued)

The King was evidently very uncomfortable at having to sit down between the two great creatures; but there was no other place for him.

`What a fight we might have for the crown, NOW!' the Unicorn said, looking slyly up at the crown, which the poor King was nearly shaking off his head, he trembled so much.

`I should win easy,' said the Lion.

`I'm not so sure of that,' said the Unicorn.

`Why, I beat you all round the town, you chicken!' the Lion replied angrily, half getting up as he spoke.

Here the King interrupted, to prevent the quarrel going on: he was very nervous, and his voice quite quivered. `All round the town?' he said. `That's a good long way. Did you go by the old bridge, or the market-place? You get the best view by the old bridge.'

`I'm sure I don't know,' the Lion growled out as he lay down again. `There was too much dust to see anything. What a time the Monster is, cutting up that cake!'

Alice had seated herself on the bank of a little brook, with the great dish on her knees, and was sawing away diligently with the knife. `It's very provoking!' she said, in reply to the Lion (she was getting quite used to being called `the Monster'). `I've cut several slices already, but they always join on again!'

`You don't know how to manage Looking-glass cakes,' the Unicorn remarked. `Hand it round first, and cut it afterwards.'

This sounded nonsense, but Alice very obediently got up, and carried the dish round, and the cake divided itself into three pieces as she did so. `NOW cut it up,' said the Lion, as she returned to her place with the empty dish.

`I say, this isn't fair!' cried the Unicorn, as Alice sat with the knife in her hand, very much puzzled how to begin. `The Monster has given the Lion twice as much as me!'