The next moment soldiers cam running through the wood, at firstin twos and threes, then ten or twenty together, and at last insuch crowds that they seemed to fill the whole forest. Alice gotbehind a tree, for fear of being run over, and watched them goby.

She thought that in all her life she had never seen soldiers souncertain on their feet: they were always tripping oversomething or other, and whenever one went down, several morealways fell over him, so that the ground was soon covered withlittle heaps of men.

Then came the horses. Having four feet, these managed ratherbetter than the foot-soldiers: but even

`I've sent them all!' the King cried in a tone of delight, onseeing Alice. `Did you happen to meet any soldiers, my dear, asyou came through the wood?'

`Yes, I did,' said Alice: several thousand, I should think.'

`Four thousand two hundred and seven, that's the exact number,'the King said, referring to his book. `I couldn't send all thehorses, you know, because two of them are wanted in the game.And I haven't sent the two Messengers, either. They're both goneto the town. Just look along the road, and tell me if you cansee either of them.'

`I see nobody on the road,' said Alice.

`I only wish

All this was lost on Alice, who was still looking intentlyalong the road, shading her eyes with one hand. `I see somebodynow!' she exclaimed at last. `But he's coming very slowly -- andwhat curious attitudes he goes into!' (For the messenger keptskipping up and down, and wriggling like an eel, as he camealong, with his great hands spread out like fans on each side.)

`Not at all,' said the King. `He's an Anglo-Saxon Messenger --and those are Anglo-Saxon attitudes. He only does them whenhe's happy. His name ia Haigha.' (He pronounced it so as torhyme with `mayor.'

`I love my love with an H,' Alice couldn't help beginning,'because he is Happy. I hate him with an H, because he isHideous. I fed him with -- with -- with Ham-sandwiches and Hay.His name is Haigha, and he lives -- '

`He lives on the Hill,' the King remarked simply, without theleast idea that he was joining in the game, while Alice was stillhesitating for the name of a town beginning with H. `The otherMessenger's called Hatta. I must have

`I beg your pardon?' said Alice.

`It isn't respectable to beg,' said the King.

`I only meant that I didn't understand,' said Alice. `Why oneto come and one to go?'

`Don't I tell you?' the King repeated impatiently. `I musthave Two -- to fetch and carry. One to fetch, and one to carry.'

At this moment the Messenger arrived: he was far too much outof breath to say a word, and could only wave his hands about, andmake the most fearful faces at the poor King.

`This young lady loves you with an H,' the King said,introducing Alice in the hope of turning off the Messenger'sattention from himself -- but it was no use -- the Anglo-Saxonattitudes only got more extraordinary every moment, while thegreat eyes rolled wildly from side to side.

`You alarm me!' said the King. `I feel faint -- Give me a hamsandwich!'

On which the Messenger, to Alice's great amusement, opened abag that hung round his neck, and handed a sandwich to the King,who devoured it greedily.

`Another sandwich!' said the King.

`There's nothing but hay left now,' the Messenger said, peepinginto the bag.

`Hay, then,' the King murmured in a faint whisper.

Alice was glad to see that it revived him a good deal.`There's nothing like eating hay when you're faint,' he remarkedto her, as he munched away.

`I should think throwing cold water over you would be better,'Alice suggested: `or some sal-volatile.'

`I didn't say there was nothing

`Who did you pass on the road?' the King went on, holding outhis hand to the Messenger for some more hay.

`Nobody,' said the Messenger.

`Quite right,' said the King: `this young lady saw him too.So of course Nobody walks slower than you.

`I do my best,' the Messenger said in a sulky tone. `I'm surenobody walks much faster than I do!'

`He can't do that,' said the King, `or else he'd have been herefirst. However, now you've got your breath, you may tell uswhat's happened in the town.'

`I'll whisper it,' said the Messenger, putting his hands to hismouth in the shape of a trumpet, and stooping so as to get closeto the King's ear. Alice was sorry for this, as she wanted tohear the news too. However, instead of whispering, he simplyshouted at the top of his voice `They're at it again!'

`Do you call

`It would have to be a very tiny earthquake!' thought Alice.`Who are at it again?' she ventured to ask.

`Why the Lion and the Unicorn, of course,' said the King.

`Fighting for the crown?'

`Yes, to be sure,' said the King: `and the best of the jokeis, that it's

`The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the crown:

`Dear me, no!' said the King. `What an idea!'

`Would you -- be good enough,' Alice panted out, after runninga little further, `to stop a minute -- just to get -- one'sbreath again?'

`I'm

Alice had no more breath for talking, so the trotted on insilence, till they came in sight of a great crowd, in the middleof which the Lion and Unicorn were fighting. They were in such acloud of dust, that at first Alice could not make out which waswhich: but she soon managed to distinguish the Unicorn by hishorn.

They placed themselves close to where Hatta, the othermessenger, was standing watching the fight, with a cup of tea inone hand and a piece of bread-and-butter in the other.

`He's only just out of prison, and he hadn't finished his teawhen he was sent in,' Haigha whispered to Alice: `and they onlygive them oyster-shells in there -- so you see he's very hungryand thirsty. How are you, dear child?' he went on, putting hisarm affectionately round Hatta's neck.

Hatta looked round and nodded, and went on with his bread andbutter.

`Were you happy in prison, dear child?' said Haigha.

Hatta looked round once more, and this time a tear or twotrickled down his cheek: but not a word would he say.

`Speak, can't you!' Haigha cried impatiently. But Hatta onlymunched away, and drank some more tea.

`Speak, won't you!' cried the King. 'How are they getting onwith the fight?'

Hatta made a desperate effort, and swallowed a large piece ofbread-and-butter. `They're getting on very well,' he said in achoking voice: `each of them has been down about eighty-seventimes.'

`Then I suppose they'll soon bring the white bread and thebrown?' Alice ventured to remark.

`It's waiting for 'em now,' said Hatta: `this is a bit of itas I'm eating.'

There was a pause in the fight just then, and the Lion and theUnicorn sat down, panting, while the King called out `Ten minutesallowed for refreshments!' Haigha and Hatta set to work at once,carrying rough trays of white and brown bread. Alice took apiece to taste, but it was

`I don't think they'll fight any more to-day,' the King said toHatta: `go and order the drums to begin.' And Hatta wentbounding away like a grasshopper.

For a minute or two Alice stood silent, watching him. Suddenlyshe brightened up. `Look, look!' she cried, pointing eagerly."There's the White Queen running across the country! She cameflying out of the wood over yonder -- How fast those Queens

`There's some enemy after, her no doubt,' the King said,without even looking round. `That wood's full of them.'

`But aren't you going to run and help her?' Alice asked, verymuch surprised at his taking it so quietly.

`No use, no use!' said the King. `She runs so fearfully quick.

You might as well try to catch a Bandersnatch! But I'll make amemorandum about her, if you like -- She's a dear good creature,'he repeated softly to himself, as he opened his memorandum-book.`Do you spell "creature" with a double "e"?'

At this moment the Unicorn sauntered by them, with his hands inhis pockets. `I had the best of it this time?' he said to theKing, just glancing at him as he passed.

`A little -- a little,' the King replied, rather nervously.`You shouldn't have run him through with your horn, you know.'

`It didn't hurt him,' the Unicorn said carelessly, and he wasgoing on, when his eye happened to fall upon Alice: he turnedround rather instantly, and stood for some time looking at herwith an air of the deepest disgust.

`What -- is -- this?' he said at last.

`This is a child!' Haigha replied eagerly, coming in front ofAlice to introduce her, and spreading out both his hands towardsher in an Anglo-Saxon attitude. `We only found it to-day. It'sas large as life, and twice as natural!'

`I always thought they were fabulous monsters!' said theUnicorn. `Is at alive?'

`It can talk,' said Haigha, solemnly.

The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice, and said `Talk, child.'

Alice could not help her lips curing up into a smile as shebegan: `Do you know, I always thought Unicorns were fabulousmonsters, too! I never saw one alive before!'

`Well, now that we

`Yes, if you like,' said Alice.

`Come, fetch out the plum-cake, old man!' the Unicorn went on,turning from her to the King. `None of your brown bread for me!'

`Certainly -- certainly!' the King muttered, and beckoned toHaigha. `Open the bag!' he whispered. `Quick! Not that one --that's full of hay!'

Haigha took a large cake out of the bag, and gave it to Aliceto hold, while he got out a dish and carving-knife. How they allcame out of it Alice couldn't guess. It was just like aconjuring-trick, she thought.

The Lion had joined them while this was going on: he lookedvery tired and sleepy, and his eyes were half shut. `What'sthis!' he said, blinking lazily at Alice, and speaking in a deephollow tone that sounded like the tolling of a great bell.

`Ah, what

The Lion looked at Alice wearily. `Are you animal -- vegetable-- or mineral?' he said, yawning at every other word.

`It's a fabulous monster!' the Unicorn cried out, before Alicecould reply.

`Then hand round the plum-cake, Monster,' the Lion said, lyingdown and putting his chin on this paws. `And sit down, both ofyou,' (to the King and the Unicorn): `fair play with the cake,you know!'

The King was evidently very uncomfortable at laving to sit downbetween the two great creatures; but there was no other place forhim.

`What a fight we might have for the crown,

`I should win easy,' said the Lion.

`I'm not so sure of that,' said the Unicorn.

`Why, I beat you all round the town, you chicken!' the Lionreplied angrily, half getting up as he spoke.

Here the King interrupted, to prevent the quarrel going on: hewas very nervous, and his voice quite quivered. `All round thetown?' he said. `That's a good long way. Did you go by the oldbridge, or the market-place? You get the best view by the oldbridge.'

`I'm sure I don't know,' the Lion growled out as he lay downagain. `There was too much dust to see anything. What a timethe Monster is, cutting up that cake!'

Alice had seated herself on the bank of a little brook, withthe great dish on her knees, and was sawing away diligently withthe knife. `It's very provoking!' she said, in reply to the Lion(she was getting quite used to being called `the Monster').`I've cut several slices already, but they always join on again!'

`You don't know how to manage Looking-glass cakes,' the Unicornremarked. `Hand it round first, and cut it afterwards.'

This sounded nonsense, but Alice very obediently got up, andcarried the dish round, and the cake divided itself into threepieces as she did so. `

`I say, this isn't fair!' cried the Unicorn, as Alice sat withthe knife in her hand, very much puzzled how to begin. `TheMonster has given the Lion twice as much as me!'

`She's kept none for herself, anyhow,' said the Lion. `Do youlike plum-cake, Monster?'

But before Alice could answer him, the drums began.

Where the noise came from, she couldn't make out: the airseemed full of it, and it rang through and through her head tillshe felt quite deafened. She started to her feet and sprangacross the little brook in her terror,

and had just time to see the Lion and the Unicorn rise to theirfeet, with angry looks at being interrupted in their feast,before she dropped to her knees, and put her hands over herhears, vainly trying to shut out the dreadful uproar.

`If