Page:Carroll - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.djvu/11

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
A
A

LL in the golden afternoon.
   Full leisurely we glide;
For both our oars, with little skill,
   By little arms are plied,
While little hands make vain pretence
   Our wanderings to guide.

Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour,
   Beneath such dreamy weather,
To beg a tale of breath too weak
   To stir the tiniest feather!
Yet what can one poor voice avail
   Against three tongues together?

Imperious Prima flashes forth
   Her edict "to begin it"—
In gentler tone Secunda hopes
   "There will be nonsense in it,"
While Tertia interrupts the tale
   Not more than once a minute.

Anon, to sudden silence won,
   In fancy they pursue
The dream-child moving through a land
   Of wonders wild and new,
In friendly chat with bird or beast—
   And half believe it true.