The next thing was to eat the comfits; this caused some noise and confusion, as the large birds complained that they could not taste theirs, and the small ones choked and had to be patted on the back. However, it was over at last, and they sat down again in a ring, and begged the Mouse to tell them something more. "You promised to tell me your history, you know," said Alice, "and why it is you hate--C and D," she added in a whisper, half afraid that it would be offended again. [Illustration] "Mine is a long and sad tale!" said the Mouse, turning to Alice and sighing. "It _is_ a long tail, certainly," said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse's tail; "but why do you call it sad?" And she kept on puzzling about it while the Mouse was speaking, so that her idea of the tale was something like this:-- "Fury said to a mouse, That he met in the house, 'Let us both go to law: _I_ will prose- cute _you_.-- Come, I'll take no de- nial: We must have the trial; For really this morn- ing I've nothing to do.' Said the mouse to the cur, 'Such a trial, dear sir, With no jury or judge, would be wast- ing our breath.' 'I'll be judge, I'll be jury,' said cun- ning old Fury: 'I'll try the whole cause, and con- demn you to death.' "You are not attending!" said the Mouse to Alice severely. "What are you thinking of?" "I beg your pardon," said Alice very humbly: "you had got to the fifth bend, I think?" "I had _not_!" cried the Mouse, angrily. "A knot!" said Alice, always ready to make herself useful, and looking anxiously about her. "Oh, do let me help to undo it!" "I shall do nothing of the sort," said the Mouse, getting up and walking away. "You insult me by talking such nonsense!" "I didn't mean it!" pleaded poor Alice. "But you're so easily offended, you know!" The Mouse only growled in reply. "Please come back and finish your story!" Alice called after it. And the others all joined in chorus, "Yes, please do!" but the Mouse only shook its head impatiently and walked a little quicker.