Alice's Adventures Under Ground: A Mad Tea-Party... “Nurse It For A Bit.”
The Duchess: Nurse it for a bit. (She flings the baby at Alice)
I must go and get ready to play croquet with the Queen
(The Duchess exits as the Cook throws a frying pan at her)
Cheshire Cat: Do you play croquet with the Queen today?
Alice: I would like to, but I haven't been invited yet
Cheshire Cat: You'll see me there
(He vanishes and then reappears)
Cheshire Cat: Did you say pig', or fig'?
Alice: Pig
Cheshire Cat: (Enigmatic) All right
(This time the Cheshire Cat vanishes quite slowly, beginning with the end of his tail, and ending with the grin, which remains some time after the rest of it has gone)
A MAD TEA-PARTY
(A table is set outside under a tree, and the March Hare and the Hatter are having tea at it: a Dormouse is sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two are using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. The table is a large one, but the three are all crowded together at one corner)
Hatter: (Bossy, rude) No room! No room! No room!
Alice: (Protesting) There's plenty of room! (Sits down at one end of the table)
March Hare: Have some wine. Have some wine. Have some wine
Alice: I don't see any wine!
Hatter: (Maliciouscrowing) There isn't any. There isn't any. There isn't any
March HareHatter: (Bullying) Your hair needs cutting. Your hair needs cutting
Your hair needs cutting
Dormouse: I breathe when I sleep is the same as I sleep when I breathe
Hatter: (Fantastic) Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly
Like a tea-tray in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle
twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle!
(Cries out in anguish) It's always six o'clock now.
It's always tea-time
(Shout) I want a clean cup, let's all move one place on
(The Hatter moves as he speaks, and the Dormouse follows him: the March Hare moved into the Dormouse's place, and Alice takes the place of the March Hare)
Hatter: (Mounting Hysteria) Mouse-traps, Mausefallen, and the moon
Und der Mond, and memory, und das Gedächtnis. Lovucshkimyshi i luna, a pamyit!
Mousetraps, the moon and memory!
Trappole per topi, e la luna, e le memoria
Mousetraps, and the moon and the memory
Mus in laqueum diaboli, et lunam, et memoria
A mouse in the devil's snare, the moon and memory
The Queen! The Queen!
(A large rose-tree stands near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it are white, but there are three gardeners at it, busily painting them red
The gardeners throw themselves flat on their faces. The sound of many footsteps. First come ten soldiers carrying clubs all shaped like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the corners: Next ten courtiers: these are ornamented all over with diamonds, and they walk two and two, as the soldiers did. After these come the ten royal children
Next come the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice recognises the White Rabbit: he is talking in a hurried nervous manner, smiling at everything that is said, and goes by without noticing her
Then follow the Knave of Hearts, carrying the King's crown on a crimson velvet cushion. And, last of all come The King and Queen of Hearts
When the procession comes opposite to Alice, they all stop and look at her)
The Queen: Who is this? What's your name, child?
Alice: Alice
The Queen: (Pointing to the three gardeners lying around the rose-tree)
Who are these?
Turn them over
(The Knave of Hearts turns the gardeners over, very carefully, with one foot)
The Queen: Get up!
(The three gardeners jump up and begin bowing to the King, the Queen, the royal children and everybody else)
The Queen: Stop
I see.
Are their heads off?
Soldier: Their heads are gone
The Queen: (To Alice) Can you play croquet?
Alice: (Softly) Yes
White Rabbit: (To Alice) It's a very fine day
Alice: Very
