Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 8: `It's my own Invention' (continued)

`Very much indeed,' Alice said politely.

`I'll tell you how I came to think of it,' said the Knight. `You see, I said to myself, "The only difficulty is with the feet: the HEAD is high enough already." Now, first I put my head on the top of the gate--then I stand on my head--then the feet are high enough, you see--then I'm over, you see.'

`Yes, I suppose you'd be over when that was done,' Alice said thoughtfully: `but don't you think it would be rather hard?'

`I haven't tried it yet,' the Knight said, gravely: `so I can't tell for certain--but I'm afraid it WOULD be a little hard.'

He looked so vexed at the idea, that Alice changed the subject hastily. `What a curious helmet you've got!' she said cheerfully. `Is that your invention too?'

The Knight looked down proudly at his helmet, which hung from the saddle. `Yes,' he said, `but I've invented a better one than that--like a sugar loaf. When I used to wear it, if I fell off the horse, it always touched the ground directly. So I had a VERY little way to fall, you see--But there WAS the danger of falling INTO it, to be sure. That happened to me once--and the worst of it was, before I could get out again, the other White Knight came and put it on. He thought it was his own helmet.'

The knight looked so solemn about it that Alice did not dare to laugh. `I'm afraid you must have hurt him,' she said in a trembling voice, `being on the top of his head.'

`I had to kick him, of course,' the Knight said, very seriously. `And then he took the helmet off again--but it took hours and hours to get me out. I was as fast as--as lightning, you know.'

`But that's a different kind of fastness,' Alice objected.