Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 3: Looking-Glass Insects (continued)

`This must be the wood, she said thoughtfully to herself, `where things have no names. I wonder what'll become of MY name when I go in? I shouldn't like to lose it at all--because they'd have to give me another, and it would be almost certain to be an ugly one. But then the fun would be trying to find the creature that had got my old name! That's just like the advertisements, you know, when people lose dogs--"ANSWERS TO THE NAME OF `DASH:' HAD ON A BRASS COLLAR"--just fancy calling everything you met "Alice," till one of them answered! Only they wouldn't answer at all, if they were wise.'

She was rambling on in this way when she reached the wood: it looked very cool and shady. `Well, at any rate it's a great comfort,' she said as she stepped under the trees, `after being so hot, to get into the--into WHAT?' she went on, rather surprised at not being able to think of the word. `I mean to get under the--under the--under THIS, you know!' putting her hand on the trunk of the tree. `What DOES it call itself, I wonder? I do believe it's got no name--why, to be sure it hasn't!'

She stood silent for a minute, thinking: then she suddenly began again. `Then it really HAS happened, after all! And now, who am I? I WILL remember, if I can! I'm determined to do it!' But being determined didn't help much, and all she could say, after a great deal of puzzling, was, `L, I KNOW it begins with L!'

Just then a Fawn came wandering by: it looked at Alice with its large gentle eyes, but didn't seem at all frightened. `Here then! Here then!' Alice said, as she held out her hand and tried to stroke it; but it only started back a little, and then stood looking at her again.

`What do you call yourself?' the Fawn said at last. Such a soft sweet voice it had!

`I wish I knew!' thought poor Alice. She answered, rather sadly, `Nothing, just now.'

`Think again,' it said: `that won't do.'