Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 9: Queen Alice (continued)

        `"First, the fish must be caught."
     That is easy:  a baby, I think, could have caught it.
         "Next, the fish must be bought."
     That is easy:  a penny, I think, would have bought it.

        "Now cook me the fish!"
     That is easy, and will not take more than a minute.
         "Let it lie in a dish!"
     That is easy, because it already is in it.

        "Bring it here!  Let me sup!"
     It is easy to set such a dish on the table.
         "Take the dish-cover up!"
     Ah, THAT is so hard that I fear I'm unable!

        For it holds it like glue--
     Holds the lid to the dish, while it lies in the middle:
         Which is easiest to do,
     Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle?'

`Take a minute to think about it, and then guess,' said the Red Queen. `Meanwhile, we'll drink your health--Queen Alice's health!' she screamed at the top of her voice, and all the guests began drinking it directly, and very queerly they managed it: some of them put their glasses upon their heads like extinguishers, and drank all that trickled down their faces--others upset the decanters, and drank the wine as it ran off the edges of the table--and three of them (who looked like kangaroos) scrambled into the dish of roast mutton, and began eagerly lapping up the gravy, `just like pigs in a trough!' thought Alice.

`You ought to return thanks in a neat speech,' the Red Queen said, frowning at Alice as she spoke.

`We must support you, you know,' the White Queen whispered, as Alice got up to do it, very obediently, but a little frightened.

`Thank you very much,' she whispered in reply, `but I can do quite well without.'

`That wouldn't be at all the thing,' the Red Queen said very decidedly: so Alice tried to submit to it with a good grace.