Alice talks to a Caterpillar

Chapter Seven

ALICE TALKS TO A CATERPILLAR

“I think,” said Alice again, “I must eat or drink something. But what?”

She looked about. At first she saw nothing that she could eat or drink. Then she saw a large mushroom in front of her. It was as big as Alice was. A large blue caterpillar was sitting on it.

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time and said nothing. At last the Caterpillar asked:

“Who are you?”

Poor Alice thought for a minute and answered politely: “I do not know myself[1] who I am, sir. I know who I was in the morning when I got up. But first I grew big, then I grew small, then I grew big again, then I grew small, and now I can’t tell you who I am.”

“I don’t understand,” said the Caterpillar. “Your words are very silly.”

“I don’t understand it myself,” said Alice very politely. “I grow big and then I grow small every ten minutes. It is very funny.”

“No, it isn’t,” said the Caterpillar.

“I think it is,” said Alice again.

“You think,” said the Caterpillar. “And who are you? This is the second time that I am asking you. Will you give me an answer?”

Alice saw that the Caterpillar was very angry now. She thought: “But I gave it the answer the first time.” Now she was angry too.

“You must tell me, who you are, first,” said Alice to the Caterpillar.

“Why, must I?[2]” asked the Caterpillar.

Alice did not know what to say. So she said nothing and walked away from the Caterpillar.

“Come back,” cried the Caterpillar. “I want to tell you something.”

Alice turned and came back. “I hope the Caterpillar will tell me how to grow larger,” she thought.

“You mustn’t be angry,” said the Caterpillar. “Is that all you wanted to tell me?” said Alice.

For some time the Caterpillar said nothing, then it spoke again.

“You say you grow bigger or smaller every ten minutes. Is that right?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Alice.

“Do you want to stay as big as you are now?” asked the Caterpillar.

“I want to be a little larger, sir,” answered she.

The Caterpillar got down off the mushroom and went into the grass. Alice waited for some time. Then the Caterpillar said:

“One side will make you larger, and the other will make you smaller.”

“One side of what?” thought poor Alice. “The other side of what? I don’t understand.” She was afraid to ask.

“Of the mushroom,” said the Caterpillar suddenly. And in another moment[3] it was out of sight.

Alice looked at the mushroom for a long time. She tried to understand the Caterpillar’s words. “But the mushroom is round,” she thought. “Where is one side and where is the other? I don’t know.”

She broke off a piece of the mushroom with her right hand and another piece with her left hand. Then she took a bite from the piece in her right hand. The next moment she was very, very small. She grew small so suddenly that her chin hit her foot. Alice at once took a bite from the piece in her left hand. The next moment she was very, very big.

She could not see her feet now. And she could not see her shoulders, they were too far away.

[1] I do not know myself — Я и сама не знаю

[2] Why, must I? — Неужели должен? (why здесь не вопрос, а восклицание, выражающее удивление)

[3] in another moment — в следующее же мгновение

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04