Turn a somersault in the sea. GRYPHON Change lobsters again! MOCK TURTLE Back to land again, and--that's all the first figure. ALICE It must be a very pretty dance. MOCK TURTLE Would you like to see a little of it? ALICE Very much indeed. MOCK TURTLE Come, let's try the first figure. We can do it without lobsters, you know; which shall sing? GRYPHON Oh, _you_ sing, I've forgotten the words. [_Creatures solemnly dance round and round ALICE, treading on her toes, waving fore-paws to mark time while MOCK TURTLE sings._] First Verse "Will you walk a little faster!" said a whiting to a snail, "There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance? Second Verse "You can really have no notion how delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!" But the snail replied, "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance-- Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance. [_The creatures dance against ALICE, pushing her back and forth between them. She protests and finally escapes; they bump against each other._] ALICE Thank you; it's a very interesting dance to watch, and I do so like that curious song about the whiting. MOCK TURTLE Oh, as to the whiting, they--you've seen them, of course? ALICE Yes, I've often seen them at din-- [_Checks herself hastily._] MOCK TURTLE I don't know where Din may be, but if you've seen them so often, of course you know what they're like. ALICE I believe so, they have their tails in their mouths--and they're all over crumbs. MOCK TURTLE You're wrong about the crumbs, crumbs would all wash off in the sea. But they _have_ their tails in their mouths; and the reason is-- [_MOCK TURTLE yawns and shuts his eyes._] Tell her about the reason and all that. GRYPHON The reason is, that they _would_ go with the lobsters to the dance. So they got thrown out to sea. So they had to fall a long way. So they got their tails fast in their mouths. So they couldn't get them out again. That's all. ALICE Thank you, it's very interesting. I never knew so much about a whiting before. GRYPHON I can tell you more than that, if you like. Do you know why it's called a whiting? ALICE I never thought about it. Why? GRYPHON _It does the boots and shoes._ ALICE Does the boots and shoes! GRYPHON Why, what are _your_ shoes done with? I mean, what makes them so shiny? ALICE They're done with blacking, I believe. GRYPHON Boots and shoes under the sea, are done with whiting. Now you know. ALICE