Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice in Wonderland Chapters 1-3

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Starting point is 00:00:46 please go to sleepcove.com slash support. That's sleepcove.com slash support. If you can't support the show right now, please subscribe with the bell to get alerts on all new free content thank you have you ever gazed in wonder at the great pyramid have you marvelled at the golden face of Tudankhamun

Starting point is 00:01:16 or admired the delicate features of Queen Nefertiti if you have you'll probably like the History of Egypt podcast every week we explore tales of this ancient culture The history of Egypt is available wherever you get your podcasting fix. Come, let me introduce you to the world of ancient Egypt. Hello and welcome to Sleep Cove, the place to come for a great night's sleep. Please listen to this recording in a place where if you were to fall asleep, you could safely do so. Tonight I'll be reading the first three chapters of Alice's Eighty's Eclipse.

Starting point is 00:02:06 Adventures in Wonderland. I'll be reading this classic novel in a bedtime story style. I really hope you enjoy it. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Chapter 1 Down the Rabbit Hall Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by his sister on the bank and of having nothing to do. Once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading but it had no pictures or conversations in it. What is the use of a book? Thought Alice

Starting point is 00:02:55 without pictures or conversations. She was considering in her own mind as well as she could for the hot day meet her 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 ran close by her. There was nothing so very remarkable in that, nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the rabbit say to itself, Oh dear, oh dear, I shall be late.

Starting point is 00:03:40 When she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural. But when the rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat pocket and looked at it and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat pocket or a watch to take it out of. and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit hole under the hedge. In another moment, Down went Alice after once considering how in the world she was to get out again,

Starting point is 00:04:41 the rabbit hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way. and then dipped suddenly down. So suddenly a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep, was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her, and to wonder what was going to happen next. She tried to look down and make out what she was coming,

Starting point is 00:05:25 to, but it was too dark to see anything. Then she looked at the sides of the well and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and bookshelves. Here and there, she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She took down a jar from one of the shells as she passed. It was labelled orange marmalade. but to her great disappointment, it was empty. She did not like to drop the jar for fear of killing somebody underneath,

Starting point is 00:06:07 so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she fell past it. Well, thought Alice to herself, after such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling downstairs. How brave they all think of me at home! I wouldn't say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house, which was very likely true. Down the fall never come to an end. I've fallen by this time, she said aloud. I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth.

Starting point is 00:06:55 Let me see. That would be four thousand miles down, I think. for you see Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her lessons in the schoolroom and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off her knowledge as there was no one to listen to her still it was good practice to say it over yes that's about the right distance but then I wonder what latitude or longitude I've got to had no idea what latitude was or longitude either

Starting point is 00:07:40 but thought they were nice grand words to say presently she began again I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth how funny it will seem to come among the people that war with their heads downward. The antipathies, I think. She was rather glad there was no one listening this time, as it didn't sound at all the right word.

Starting point is 00:08:13 But I shall have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. Please, ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia? As you try to curtsy as she spoke? Fancy courteeing as you're falling through the air Do you think you could manage it? Ignorant little girl, she'll think me for asking. No, it would never do to ask. Perhaps I'll see it written up somewhere.

Starting point is 00:08:52 There was nothing else to do. So Alice soon began talking again. Dina, I'll miss you very much tonight. I think so. Dina was the cat. They'll remember her source of milk at tea time. Dina, my dear, I wish you were down here with me. There are no mice in the air, I'm afraid, but you might catch a bat, and that's very like a mouse, you know. But do cats eat bats, I wonder, began to get rather sleepy and went on saying to her, in a dreamy sort of way. Do cats eat sometimes? Do bats eat? Can you see? As she couldn't

Starting point is 00:09:53 answer either question. It didn't much matter which way she put it. She felt that she was dozing off and it just begun to dream that she was walking hand in hand with Dina and saying to her earnestly, Now Dina tell me the truth, did you ever eat a bat? When suddenly, thump, thump, down she came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves was not a bit hurt, and she jumped up to her feet in a moment. She looked up, but it was all dark overhead. Before her was another long passage, and the white rabbit was still a little.

Starting point is 00:10:48 in sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost. And just in time to hear it say as it turned to corner, oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting. She was close behind it. When she turned the corner, it was no longer to be seen. She found herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up, was that it might belong to one of 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, she had noticed before, and behind it was a little door about 15 inches high. She tried the little golden key in the lock And to her great delight It fitted

Starting point is 00:12:44 Not much larger than a rat hole She knelt down The loveliest garden you ever saw How she longed to get out of that dark hall We could not either would go through Thought poor Alice Very little use without my shoulders That happened lately

Starting point is 00:13:47 Every few things indeed were printed on it. Wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. It's marked poison or not. For she had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt and eaten up by wild they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them.

Starting point is 00:15:19 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 she had never forgotten that, if you drunk much from a bottle marked poison, it is almost certain to disagree with you. Sooner or however this bottle was not marked poison, ventured to taste it, and finding it very nice, sort of mixed flavour, top. coffee and toast. She very soon finished it off. The curious feeling, said Alice, I must be shutting up like a telescope brightened up. She was now the right size for going through the little door into the lovely garden. However, she waited for a few minutes

Starting point is 00:16:47 to see if she was going to shrink any further. She felt a little. little nervous about this. For it might end you know, said Alice to herself, in my going out altogether, like a candle, like then, as she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is like, not remember ever having seen such a thing, finding that nothing more happened, she decided on going into the garden at once. But alas for Paul. Alice, when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the little golden key, and when she went back to the table for it, she found she could not possibly reach it. She could see it quite plainly through the glass,

Starting point is 00:17:52 as she tried her best to climb up one of the legs of the table. But it was too slippery, he had tired herself out with trying. The poor little thing sat down and said others to herself rather sharply. I advise you to leave off this minute. She generally gave herself very good advice, though she very seldom followed it, and sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes, and once she remembered trying to box.

Starting point is 00:18:42 her own ears, for having cheated herself in a game of croquet, she was playing against herself. For this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people. But it's no use now to pretend to be two people. There's hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person. soon her other little glass box that was lying under the table. She opened it and found in it, in which the words, eat me, were beautifully marked in currents, said Alice. To me grow larger, I can reach the key,

Starting point is 00:19:45 and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door. So either way, I'll get into the garden, and I don't care which happens. She ate a little bit and said anxiously to herself, which way, which way? Holding her hand on the top of her head to feel which way it was growing.

Starting point is 00:20:14 She was quite surprised to find that she remained the same size, to be sure. This generally happens when one eats cake but Alice 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 she set to work and very soon finished off to two the pool of curiouser and curiouser

Starting point is 00:20:57 I was so much surprised that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English. The largest telescope that ever was. Goodbye feet. For when she looked down at her feet, they seemed to be almost out of sight. They were getting so far off. I'm looking for you now, dears. I shall be able. I shall be a great deal too far off.

Starting point is 00:21:42 to trouble myself about you. You must manage the best way you can. But I must be kind to them, thought Alice, want to go. Let me see. I'll give them a new pair of boots every Christmas. And she went on planning to herself how she would manage it. They must go by the carrier, she thought. And how funny it'll seem, sending me.

Starting point is 00:22:15 presence to one's own feet, the directions will look. Alice's right foot esquire, her throg, near the fender, with Alice's love. Oh dear, what nonsense I'm talking, just that her head struck against the roof of the hall. In fact, she was now more than nine feet high, stuck up the little gold. and key, and hurried off to the garden door. It was as much as she could do to look through into the garden with one eye, but to get through was more hopeless than ever. She sat down and began to cry. A great girl, to go on crying in this way. Stop this moment, I tell you, but she went on all the same, shedding gallons of tears, until there was a large paw-half down the hall. She heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, as she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming to rabbit returning,

Starting point is 00:24:00 splendidly dressed with a pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a large fan in the other. He came trotting along in a great hurry, muttering to himself as he came, Oh, the Duchess, the Duchess, oh, won't she be savage if I've kept her waiting? This felt so desperate that she was ready to ask help of came near here. She began in a low, timid voice. If you please, sir, the rabbit startled violently, hid gloves and the fern

Starting point is 00:24:44 and scurried away into the darkness as hard as he could go. very hot. She kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking, Dear, dear, how queer everything is today. And yesterday things went on just as usual. It changed at me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. If I'm not the same, the next question is, That's the great puzzle.

Starting point is 00:25:38 And she began thinking over all the children she knew that were the same age as herself to see if she could have been changed for any, she said, for her hair goes in such long ringlets and mine doesn't go in ringlets at all. And I'm sure I can't be Mabel, for I know all sorts of things and she owes such a very little.

Starting point is 00:26:15 Beside she's she and I'm I. How puzzling it all is. I'll try if I know all the things I used to know. Four times five is twelve, and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is, oh dear. I shall never get to twenty at that rate, However, the multiplication table doesn't signify.

Starting point is 00:26:50 Let's try geography. London is the capital of Paris, and Paris is the capital of Rome. And Rome, no, that's all wrong. I'm certain. I must have been changed for Mabel. I'll try and say, hold off the little, as she crossed her hands on her lap, As if she was saying lessons sounded hoarse and strange,

Starting point is 00:27:24 and the words did not cut off their little crocodile, improve his shining tail from the waters of the Nile on every golden scale. How cheerfully he seemed to grin, how neatly spread his claws, and welcome little fishes in, with gently smiling jaws. I'm not sure those are not the right words, said poor Alice, and her eyes filled with tears again as she went on.

Starting point is 00:28:06 I must be Mabel after all, and I shall have to go and live in that pokey little house, and have next no toys to play with, and oh, ever so many lessons to learn, no, I've made up my day down here. It will be no use putting their heads down and saying, Come up again, dear. I shall owe them. Tell me that first. I'll stay down here till I'm somebody else with a sudden burst of tears. So very tired of being. She said this and was surprised to see that she had put on one of the rabbit's little white kid gloves

Starting point is 00:29:23 while she was talking. Must be growing small again. She got up and went to the table to measure herself by it. She could guess she was now about two feet high and it was going on shrinking rapidly. She soon found out that the course of this was the fan she was holding as she dropped it hastily just in time to avoid shrinking. and was a narrow good deal frightened at the sudden change

Starting point is 00:30:16 but very glad to find herself still in existence for the garden and she ran with the table never and I declare it's too bad that it is as she said these words her foot slipped

Starting point is 00:31:00 and in another moment splash to her chin insult the first idea was that she had somehow fallen into the sea. In that case, I can go back by railway, she said to herself, as had been to the seaside once in her life, and had come to the general conclusion that wherever you go to on the English coast, you find a number of bathing machines in the sea,

Starting point is 00:31:36 some children digging in the sand with woolen spades, then a row of lodging houses, and behind them a railway station. However, she soon made out that she was in the pool of tears, which she had wept when she was nine feet. I wish I hadn't cried so much, said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. I shall be punished for it now, I suppose,

Starting point is 00:32:12 by being drowned in my own tears. That will be a quick, thing to be sure. However, everything is queer today. Just then, she heard something splashing about in the pool, a little way off, make out what it was. She thought it must be a warrus, or hippopotamus. But then she remembered how small she was now, and she soon made out that it was only a mouse that had slipped in like herself.

Starting point is 00:32:53 Would it be of any use now to speak to this mouse? Everything is so out of the way down here that I should think very likely it can talk so she began. Oh mouse, do you know

Starting point is 00:33:16 the way out of this pool of swimming about here, O mouse. Alice thought that this must be the right way of speaking to a mouse. She had never done such a thing before, but she had remembered having seen in her brother's Latin grammar, a mouse of a mouse, to a mouse, a mouse looked at her rather inquisitively and seemed to her to wink with one of its little eyes, but it said nothing.

Starting point is 00:33:58 Perhaps it doesn't understand English, dare say it's a French mouse. Come over with William the Conqueror, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened. So she began again, Uwe Meshatt, which was the first sentence in her French lesson book, Moss gave such a sudden leap out of the water and seemed to quiver all over with fright. Oh, I beg your pardon, cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the poor animal's feelings. I quite forgot that you didn't like cats.

Starting point is 00:34:55 Not like cats, passionate voice. Would you like cats if you were me? I'm not. She is such an animal. she sits purring so nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face, and she is such a nice, soft thing to nurse, and she's such a capital one for catching mice.

Starting point is 00:35:55 Oh, I beg your pardon, cried Alice again, for this time the mouse was bristling all over, and she felt certain it must be really offended. We won't talk about her anymore if you'd rather not. We indeed, cried the mouse, who was trembling down to the end of his tale. As if I would talk on such a subject, our family always hated cats. Nasty, low, vulgar things. Don't let me hear that name again.

Starting point is 00:36:37 I won't need, said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. Are you fond of? Dogs, Alice went on eagerly. There is such a nice little dog near our house. I should like to show you. A little bright eye terror, you know. With oh such a long, it will fetch things when you throw them. and it will sit up and beg for its dinner, and all sorts of things.

Starting point is 00:37:19 But he says it's so useful, it's worth a hundred pounds. He says it kills all the rats, and cried Alice. I'm afraid I've offended it again, for the mouse were swimming away from her as hard as it could go. Light a commotion, so she called softly after it. Mouse dear, do come back again. No like them heard this. It turned round and swam slowly back to her.

Starting point is 00:38:13 Its face wiped to the shore, time to go, with the bird's corcus race and a long tail. They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank. The birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, all dripping wet. cross, the first question of course, was how to get dry again. They had a consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with them,

Starting point is 00:39:45 as if she had known them all her life had quite a long argument with the lorry, who at last turned sulkily must know better, would not allow without knowing how old it was. And as the lorry positively refused to tell its age, there was no more to be said. At last the mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority among them, called out,

Starting point is 00:40:25 sit down all of you, and listen to me, I'll soon make you dry enough. They all sat down with the mouse in the middle, anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad cold if she did not get dry very soon. Silence all round, if you please. William the Conqueror, whose cause was favoured by the Pope, was soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, Anne had been of late, much accustomed to absorption and conquerors.

Starting point is 00:41:21 quest of Mercia and Northumbria, said the Lorry with a shiver. I beg your pardon, said the mouse, frowning, but very politely. Did you speak? Not I, said the Lory hastily. I thought you did, said the mouse. I proceed. Edwin and Morcair the earls of Mercia and Northumbria declared for him, and even stagand, the patriotic Archbishop of Canterbury, found it advisable.

Starting point is 00:42:05 Found what? said the duck. Found it. I'd rather crossly. A course you know what it means. I know what it means well enough, when I found a thing, said the duck. It's generally a frog. The question is, what did the arch. Bishop find, House did not notice this question, but hurriedly went on. I found it advisable to go with Edgar Aethling to meet William and offer him the crown. William's conduct at first was moderate, but the insolence of his Normans. How are you getting on now, my dear? It continued, turning to Alice as it spoke.

Starting point is 00:43:04 As wet as ever, said Alice in a melancholy tone, "'It doesn't seem to dry me at all,' said the dodo solemnly, rising to his feet. "'I move that the meeting adjourn for the immediate adoption of more energetic remedies.' "'Speak English,' said the eaglet. "'Those's long words, tittered audibly. "'What to say?' said the dodo in an event. offended tone, whilst that the best thing to get us dry would be a corcus race. What is a corcus race? said Alice. Not that she wanted much to know, but the dodo had paused

Starting point is 00:44:10 as if it thought that somebody ought to speak, whilst deemed inclined to say anything, said the dodo. The best way to explain it is to do it. Like to try the first thing. yourself somewhere today, I will tell you how the dodo managed it. First it marked out a race course in a sort of circle. The exact shape doesn't matter, it said, the party were placed along the course here and there, two, three and away, but they began running when they liked and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the race was over, been running half an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the dodo suddenly called out, the race is over, and they all crowded round it, panting and asking, but who has won? This question the dodo could not answer

Starting point is 00:45:32 without a great deal that for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead, the position in which you usually see Shakespeare in the pictures of him, while the rest waited in silence. At last the dodo said, everybody has won the prizes. But who is to give the prizes?

Starting point is 00:46:01 Why, a chorus of voices asked, Why? She, of course, said the dodo, pointing to Alice with one finger, and the whole party at once crowded round her, calling out in a confused way. Prizes, prizes! Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a box of comforts. Luckily the salt water. had not got into it, and she handed them round as prizes. There was exactly one apiece, but she must have a prize herself, you know, said the mouse. The dodo replied very gravely,

Starting point is 00:46:56 what else have you got in your pocket? He went on turning to Alice. Only a thimble, said Alice sadly. Hand it over, said the dover, said the dover. Then they all crowded round her once more, Father Dodo solemnly presented the thimble, saying, We beg your acceptance of this elegant thimble. When it had finished this short speech, They all simply bowed. Promise to tell me your history, you know, said Alice,

Starting point is 00:48:30 And why it is you hate C and D? She added in a whisper, Half afraid that it would be offended again to law. Your breath. Be judge, I'll be jury, said cunning old fury. I'll try the whole course who are not attending. Said the mouse to Alice severely. I beg your pardon, said Alice very humbly.

Starting point is 00:50:15 You had got to the fifth bend, I think. I had not, cried the mouth. He's ready to make herself usefulfully about her. Do let me help to undo it. I shall do nothing of the sort, said the mouse, getting up and walking away. You insult me by talking such nonsense. I didn't mean it, pleaded poor others, but you're so easily offended, you know. Please come back and finish your story after it.

Starting point is 00:51:07 Yes, please do. But the mouse only shook his head impatiently. It wouldn't stoutunity of seeing to her daughter this be a lesson to you never to lose your temper. Hold your tongue, ma'er, said the little crab, a little snuffishly. You're enough to try the patience of an oyster. I wish I had a diner here. I know I do.

Starting point is 00:51:56 said Alice addressing nobody in particular she'll soon fetch it back and who is diner if I might venture to ask the question said the lorry Alice replied evil she was always ready to talk about her pet diners are cat

Starting point is 00:52:22 and she's such a capital one for catching mice you can't think she'll eat her little bird as soon as look at it. This speech caused a remarkable sensation among the party. Some of the birds hurried off at once. One old magpie began wrapping itself up very carefully remarking, I really must be getting home, the night air doesn't suit my throat, and the canary called out in a trembling voice to his children, Come away my dear! It's high time, you are all in bed.

Starting point is 00:53:10 Various pretext, often a melancholy. Nobody seems to like her down here. And I'm sure she's the best cat in the world. Oh my dear diner, I wonder if I shall ever see you anymore.

Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice in Wonderland Chapters 1-3

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