Alice in Wonderland

So let's have a race — a Caucus race.'

'What is a Caucus race?'Alice asked.

' I can tell you,' said the Dodo,'but I won't. I'll show you! That will be easier.'

He put the animals and birds in different places in the room. In a race, somebody usually says,' One, two, three, go!' But the Dodo didn't do that. Everybody started to run at different times and stopped at different times too. After half an hour, the Dodo cried,' Everybody stop!' All the birds and animals stopped. Then they all came to the Dodo and stood round it. 'Who was first? Who was first?' they shouted.

The Dodo had to think about it. He sat for a long time with his finger in his mouth. Then he said, 'Everybody was first. So everybody can have a chocolate.'

' But who will give us the chocolates ?' the Mouse asked.

' She will,' the Dodo said and looked at Alice. The birds and animals came and stood round Alice.

' Chocolates, chocolates!' they cried.

' What am I going to do ?' thought Alice.' I haven't got any chocolates.' But then she saw a box of chocolates near her feet.

' Here we are,' she said, and opened the box. There was one chocolate for each bird and animal.

' But Alice has to have something, you know,' said the Mouse.

' Of course,' the Dodo answered. He turned to Alice.' What can you have ?' he asked.

' I can have the box,' said Alice sadly.

' Give it to me,' said the Dodo and Alice gave it to him.

They all stood round Alice again, and the Dodo gave her the box.

' Please take this beautiful box,' he said.

' This is very stupid,' thought Alice and she wanted to laugh. But she didn't. She took the box and smiled politely.

♦

The animals and birds ate their chocolates noisily. Some of them cried. The big animals and birds wanted more. But the chocolates were too big for the small birds, and they had to eat them very slowly. When they finished their chocolates, they sat and looked at Alice.

' Oh, where is Dinah ?' said Alice.' I want her with me.'

'And who is Dinah?' the Dodo asked.

Alice loved to talk about her cat.