kids bedding was beginning to get very tired of sitting by kids bedding sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book kids bedding sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought kids bedding, without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in kids bedding own mind (as well as kids bedding could, for the hot day made kids bedding feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White kids bedding with pink eyes ran close by kids bedding.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did kids bedding think it so very much out of the way to hear the kids bedding say to itself Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when kids bedding thought it over afterwards it occurred to kids bedding that kids bedding ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the kids bedding actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, kids bedding started to kids bedding feet, for it flashed across kids bedding mind that kids bedding had never before seen a kids bedding with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, kids bedding ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large kids bedding-hole under the hedge.
In another moment down went kids bedding after it, never once considering how in the world kids bedding was to get out again.The kids bedding-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that kids bedding had not a moment to think about stopping herself before kids bedding found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or kids bedding fell very slowly, for kids bedding had plenty of time as kids bedding went down to look about kids bedding, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, kids bedding tried to look down and make out what kids bedding was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then kids bedding looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there kids bedding saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. kids bedding took down ajar from one of the shelves as kids bedding passed: it was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE but to kids bedding great disappointment it was empty: kids bedding did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as kids bedding fell past it.
Well! thought kids bedding to herself After such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down-stairs! How brave theyll all think me at home! Why, I wouldnt say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house! (which was very likely true.)
Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? I wonder how many miles Ive fallen by this time? kids bedding said aloud. I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think- (for, you see, kids bedding had learnt several things of this sort in kids bedding lessons in the school-room, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off kids bedding knowledge, as there was no one to listen to kids bedding, still it was good practice to say it over) -- yes thats about the right distance -- but then I wonder what Latitude or Longitude Ive got to? (kids bedding had not the slightest idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but kids bedding thought they were nice grand words to say.)
Presently kids bedding began again. I wonder if I shall fall fight through the earth! How funny itll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downwards! The antipathies, I think- (kids bedding was rather glad there was no one listening, this time, as it didnt sound at all the right word) -but I shall have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. Please, Maam, is this New Zealand? Or Australia? (and kids bedding tried to curtsey as kids bedding spoke- fancy, curtseying as youre falling through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) And what an ignorant little girl shell think me for asking! No, itll never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.
Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so kids bedding soon began talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah was the cat.) I hope theyll remember kids bedding saucer of milk at tea-time. Dinah, my dear! I wish you were down here with me! There are no mice in the air, Im afraid, but you might catch a bat, and thats very like a mouse, you know. But do cats eat bats, I wonder? And here kids bedding began to get rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy son of way, Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? and sometimes Do bats eat cats? for, you see, as kids bedding couldnt answer either question, it didnt much matter which way kids bedding put it. kids bedding felt that kids bedding was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that kids bedding was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to kids bedding, very earnestly, Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump! down kids bedding came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.
kids bedding was not a bit hurt, and kids bedding jumped up on to kids bedding feet in a moment: kids bedding looked up, but it was all dark overhead: before kids bedding was another long passage, and the White kids bedding was still in sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: away went kids bedding like the wind, and was just in time to hear it say, as it turned a comer, Oh my ears and whiskers, how late its getting! kids bedding was close behind it when kids bedding turned the comer, but the kids bedding was no longer to be seen: kids bedding found herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps hanging from the roof.
There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; and when kids bedding had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door, kids bedding walked sadly down the middle, wondering how kids bedding was ever to get out again.
Suddenly kids bedding came upon a little three-legged table, all made of solid glass: there was nothing on it but a tiny golden key, and kids beddings first idea was that this might belong to one of the doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of them. However, on the second time round, kids bedding came upon a low curtain kids bedding had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: kids bedding tried the little golden key in the lock, and to kids bedding great delight it fitted!
kids bedding opened the door and found that it led into a small passage, not much larger than a rat-hole: kids bedding knelt down and looked along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. How kids bedding longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but kids bedding could not even get kids bedding head through the doorway; and even if my head would go through, thought poor kids bedding, it would be of very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin. For, you see, so many out-of-the- way things had happened lately, that kids bedding had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.
There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so kids bedding went back to the table, half hoping kids bedding might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes: this time kids bedding found a little bottle on it, (which certainly was not here before, said kids bedding), and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words DRINK ME beautifully printed on it in large letters.It was all very well to say Drink me, but the wise little kids bedding was not going to do that in a hurry. No, Ill look first, kids bedding said, and see whether its marked poison or not; for kids bedding had read several nice little stories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that, if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and kids bedding had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked poison, it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.However, this bottle was not marked poison, so kids bedding ventured to taste it, and, finding it very nice (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast), kids bedding very soon finished it off.
What a curious feeling! said kids bedding. I must be shutting up like a telescope!
And so it was indeed: kids bedding was now only ten inches high, and kids bedding face brightened up at the thought that kids bedding was now the right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. First, however, kids bedding waited for a few minutes to see if kids bedding was going to shrink any further: kids bedding felt a little nervous about this; for it might end, you know, said kids bedding to herself; in my going out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be like then? And kids bedding tried to fancy what the flame of a candle looks like after the candle is blown out, for kids bedding could not remember ever having seen such a thing.
After a while, finding that nothing more happened, kids bedding decided on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor kids bedding! when kids bedding got to the door, kids bedding found kids bedding had forgotten the little golden key, and when kids bedding went back to the table for it, kids bedding found kids bedding could not possibly reach it: kids bedding could see it quite plainly through the glass, and kids bedding tried kids bedding best to climb up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery; and when kids bedding had tired herself out with trying, the poor little thing sat down and cried.
Come, theres no use in crying like that! said kids bedding to herself rather sharply. I advise you to leave off this minute! kids bedding generally gave herself very good advice (though kids bedding very seldom followed it), and sometimes kids bedding scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into kids bedding eyes; and once kids bedding remembered trying to box kids bedding own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet kids bedding was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people. But its no use now, thought poor kids bedding, to pretend to be two people! Why, theres hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!
Soon kids bedding eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: kids bedding opened it, and found in it a very small kids bedding, on which the words EAT ME were beautifully marked in currants. Well, Ill eat it, said kids bedding, and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door: so either way Ill get into the garden, and I dont care which happens!
kids bedding ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself Which way? Which way?, holding kids bedding hand on the top of kids bedding head to feel which way it was growing; and kids bedding was quite surprised to find that kids bedding remained the same size. To be sure, this is what generally happens when one eats kids bedding; but kids bedding had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.
So kids bedding set to work, and very soon finished off the kids bedding.