Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice Through the Looking Glass - Chapter 1 Looking-Glass House

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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 a 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. Hi and welcome to Sleep Cove with me, Christopher Fitten. Tonight, relaxation and storytelling will intertwine. I'm thrilled to hear that you listeners enjoyed the chapters of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Starting point is 00:02:05 that I read on the podcast. This timeless tale holds a special place in my heart, and I vividly recall watching the Disney movie as a child, as it was one of the few VHS tapes we had. I loved reading the book and finding the difference between the movie and the original literature. If you want to hear the entire Alice in Wonderland book, as one long eight-hour track, please go and join Sleepcove Premium by going to

Starting point is 00:02:43 sleepcove.com slash support. There's a seven-day trial, so please go and delve into the back catalogue. Tonight, I invite you to embark on a new journey as we delve into the opening chapter in sequel with a looking glass. If you like this first chapter I want to hear more Please let me know in the reviews And the comments of the show So get cozy and relaxed

Starting point is 00:03:19 And allow yourself to sink into a state of tranquility I hope you enjoy this story As much as I enjoyed reading it So let's begin Through the looking glass Chapter 1 looking glass house one thing was certain

Starting point is 00:03:45 that the white kitten had nothing to do with it it was the black kitten's fault entirely for the white kitten had been having its face washed by the old cat for the last quarter of an hour yet pretty well considering so you can see that it couldn't have had any hand in the mischief. The way

Starting point is 00:04:14 Dinah washed her children's faces was this. First she held the poor thing down by its ear with one poor. She rubbed its face all over the wrong way.

Starting point is 00:04:35 Beginning at the nose and just now, as I said, she was hard at work on the white kitten, which was lying quite still and trying to purr, no doubt feeling that it was all meant for its good. The kitten had been having a grand game of ralts with a ball of worsted. Alice had been trying to wind up and had been rolling it up and down till it had all come and done again. Spread over the half

Starting point is 00:05:16 rug, all knots and tangles, with a kitten running after its own tail in the middle. You wicked little thing, cried Alice, catching up the kitten and giving it a little kiss to make it understand that it was in disgrace. Really, Dinah ought to have taught you better manners. You ought, Dinah, you know you ought. added, looking reproachfully at the old cat, and speaking in as cross of a voice as she could manage. And then she scrambled back into the armchair, taking the kitten and the worsted with her, and began winding at the ball again. But she didn't get on very fast, as she was talking all the time. sometimes to the kitten and sometimes to herself.

Starting point is 00:06:23 Kitty sat very demurely on her knee, pretending to watch the progress of the winding and now and then putting out one paw and gently touching the ball, as if it will be glad to help, if it might. Do you know what tomorrow is Kitty? Alice began. You'd have guessed if you had been up in the window with me.

Starting point is 00:06:51 Only Dina was making you tidy, so you couldn't. I was watching the boys getting in sticks for the bonfire, and it wants plenty of sticks, Kitty. Only it got so cold, and it snowed so. They had to leave off. Never mind, Kitty. We'll go and see the bonfire tomorrow, wound two or three turns of the worsted round the kitten's neck, just to see how it would look. This led to a scramble in which the ball rolled down upon the floor, and yards and yards of it got unwound again.

Starting point is 00:07:41 Do you know, I was so angry kitty? Alice went on as soon as they were comfortable settled again. When I saw all the mischief you had been doing, I was very nearly opening the window and putting you out into the snow. And you'd have deserved it, you little mischievous darling. What have you got to say for yourself? Now don't interrupt me, she went on, holding at one finger, I'm going to tell you all of your fault.

Starting point is 00:08:20 Number one, you squeaked twice while Dinah was washing your face this morning. Now you can't deny it, Kitty, I heard you. What's that you say? Pretending that the kitten was speaking. Her paw went into your eye. Well, that's your fault for keeping your eyes open. If you'd shut them tight up, it wouldn't have happened. Now don't make any more excuses, but listen.

Starting point is 00:08:55 Number two, you pulled snowdrop away by the tail, just as I had put down the saucer of milk before her. You were thirsty, were you? How do you know she wasn't thirsty too? Now for number three, you unwound every bit of the worsted while I wasn't looking. That's three false kitty, and you have not been punished for any of them yet. You know I'm saving up all your punishments for Wednesday week. Suppose they had saved up all my punishments.

Starting point is 00:09:37 She went on, talking more to herself. than the kitten. What would they do at the end of a year? I should be sent to prison, I suppose, when the day came. Or let me see. Suppose each punishment was going to be without a dinner. Then, when the miserable day came, I should have to go without 50 dinners at once. Well, I shouldn't mind that much. I'd far rather go without them than eat them. Did you hear the snow against the window panes, kitty? How nice and soft it sounds,

Starting point is 00:10:24 just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that it kisses them so gently. And then it covers them. them up snug, you know, with a white quilt, and perhaps it says, go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again. And when they wake up in the summer kitty, they dress themselves all in green and dance about. Whenever the wind blows. Oh, that's very pretty, cried Alice, dropping the ball of Wollstead to clap her hands.

Starting point is 00:11:16 And I do so wish it was true. I'm sure the woods look sleepy in the autumn and the leaves are getting brown. Kitty, can you play chess? Now don't smile, my dear. I'm asking it seriously. Because when we were playing just now, You watched just as if you understood it, and when I said check, you purred.

Starting point is 00:11:47 Kitty dear, let's pretend. And here I wish I could tell you half the things Alice used to say, beginning with her favourite phrase. Let's pretend. And she had had with her sister, only you. Or because Alice had begun with, let's pretend we're kings and queens. And her sister, who liked being very exact, had argued that there couldn't,

Starting point is 00:12:28 because there were only two of them, had been reduced at last to say, well, you can be one of them, and I'll be all the rest. she had really frightened her old nurse by shouting suddenly in her ear Nurse, do let's pretend that I'm a hungry hyena and you're a pound

Starting point is 00:12:59 but this is taking as away from Alice's speech to the kitten let's pretend that you're the red queen kitty do you know I think if you sat up and folded your arm you'd look exactly like her. Now do try, there's a dear, the red queen off the table, and set it up before the kitten, as a model for it to imitate.

Starting point is 00:13:34 However, the thing didn't succeed. Principally, Alice said, because the kitten wouldn't fold its arms properly. So to punish it, she helped. it up to the looking glass, but it might see how sulky it was. And if you're not good directly, she added, I'll put you through into looking glass house. How would you like that? If you only attend Kitty and not talk so much, I'll tell you all my ideas about the looking glass house. First, there's the room you can see through the glass

Starting point is 00:14:23 That's just the same as our drawing room I can see all of it When I get upon a chair All but the bit behind the fireplace Oh, I do so wish I could see that bit I want so much to know Whether there's a fire in the winter you never can tell you know unless our fire smokes and then smoke comes up into that room too but that may be only pretense

Starting point is 00:15:04 just to make it look as if they had a fire well then the books are something like our books only the words go the wrong way i know that because i have held up one of our books to the glass, and then they hold up one to the other room. How would you like to live in Looking Glass House, Kitty? I wonder if they would give you milk in there. Perhaps Looking Glass milk isn't good to drink, Kitty. Now we've come to the passage. You can just see a little. peep of the passage in looking-class house.

Starting point is 00:15:57 If you leave the door of our drawing-room wide open and it's very like our passage, as far as you can see, you know it beyond. Oh, Kitty, how nice it would be if we could only get through into the looking-glass house. I'm sure it's got, oh, such beautiful things in it. Let's pretend there's a way of getting through into it somehow, kitty. Let's pretend the glass has got all soft like gauze

Starting point is 00:16:44 so that we can get through. It's turning into a sort of mist now, I declare. It will be easy enough to get through. She was up on the chimney piece while she said this, though she hardly knew how she got there, and certainly the glass was beginning to melt away, just like a bright silvery mist. In another moment, Alice was through the glass, and it jumped lightly down into the looking glass room. The very first thing she did was to look whether there was a fire in the fireplace, and she was quite pleased to find that there was a real one, blazing away,

Starting point is 00:17:43 as brightly as the one she had left behind. So I shall be as warm here as I was in the old room, warmer in fact because there'll be no one here to scold me away from the fire oh what fun it'll be when they see me through the glass in here and can't get it to me than she began looking about and noticed that what could be seen that what could be seen from the old room was quite common and uninteresting but that all the rest was as different as possible. For instance, the pictures on the wall next to the fire seemed to be alive. And the very clock on the chimney piece, you can only see the back of it, through the looking-glass, had got the face of a little old man and grinned at her. They don't keep this room so tidy as the other.

Starting point is 00:18:59 As she noticed several of the chessmen down in the half among the cinders. But in another moment, with a little O of surprise, she was down on her hands and knees watching them. The chessmen were walking about two and two. here are the Red King and the Red Queen Alice said in a whisper the fear of frightening them sitting on the edge of the shovel

Starting point is 00:19:42 and here are the two castles walking arm in arm I don't think they can hear me she went on as she put her head closer down and see me I feel somehow began squeaky on the table behind Alice. The head, just in time, to see what of the white pawns roll over and be.

Starting point is 00:20:25 She watched it with great curiosity to see what would happen next. It is the voice of my child. The white queen cried out as she rushed past the king, so violently that she knocked him over among the cinders. My precious Lily, my imperial kitten, and she began scrambling wildly up the side of the fender. Imperial fiddlestick, said the king, rubbing his nose, which had been hurt by the fall.

Starting point is 00:21:09 He had a right to be a little, annoyed with the queen, for he was covered with ashes from head to foot, was very anxious to be of use into a fit. She hastily the queen, and set her on the table by the side of her nosy little daughter, gasped. A rapid journey through the air had quite taken. She could do nothing but hug their little a lily in silence. As soon as she had recovered her breath a little she called out to the white

Starting point is 00:22:08 king. He was sitting sulkily among the ashes. Mind the volcano. What volcano? said the king, looking up anxiously into the fire, as if he full likely place to find

Starting point is 00:22:28 one, blue, me, the regular way. don't get blown up, Alice watched the White King, as he slowly struggled up from bar to bar, till at last she said, Why, you'll be hours and hours getting to the table at that rate. I'd far better help you, hadn't I? But the King took no notice of the question.

Starting point is 00:23:09 It was quite clear that he could need, neither hear her nor see her. So Alice picked him up very gently and lifted him across more slowly than she had lifted the Queen that she mightn't take his breath away. But before she put him on the table she thought she might as well dust him a little.

Starting point is 00:23:39 He was so covered with ashes. She said afterwards that she had never seen all her life such a face as the king made. When he found himself held in the air by an invisible hand and being dusted, he was far too much astonished to cry out, but his eyes and his mouth went on getting larger and larger and round and rounder, till her hand shook so with a laughing, that she nearly let him drop upon the floor. Please don't make such faces, my dear,

Starting point is 00:24:29 she cried out, quite forgetting the king couldn't hear her. You make me laugh, so that I can hardly hold you, and don't keep your mouth so wide open, or the ashes will get in. into it. There now I think you're tidy enough. She added as she smoothed his hair and set him upon the table near the queen. The king immediately fell flat on his back and lay perfectly still. And Alice was a little alarmed at what she had done to see if she could find any water to throw over him. However, she could find nothing but a bottle of ink, and when she got back with it,

Starting point is 00:25:24 she found he had recovered, and he and the queen were talking together in a frightened whisper, so low that Alice could hardly hear what they said. The king was saying, I assure you, my dear, I turned cold to the very. ends of my whiskers. To which the queen replied, You haven't got any whiskers. The horror of that moment, the king went on, I shall never, never forget. You will, though, said the queen, if you don't make a memorandum of it. Alice looked on with great interest, as the king took an enormous memorandum book

Starting point is 00:26:13 out of his pocket and began writing. A sudden thought struck her and she took hold of the end of the pencil, which came some way over his shoulder, writing, puzzled and unhappy, and struggled with a pencil for some time without saying anything. But Alice was too strong for him,

Starting point is 00:26:48 and at last he panted out. My dear, I really must get a thinner pencil. I cannot manage this one a bit. It writes all manner of things, but I don't intend. What manner of things? So the queen looking over the book, in which Alice had put, the white knight is sliding down the poker.

Starting point is 00:27:17 he balances very badly. That's not a memorandum of your feelings. There was a book lying near Alice on the table. She sat watching the white king, for she was still a little anxious about him and had the ink already to furrow over him in case he fainted again. she turned over the leaves

Starting point is 00:27:50 to find some part that she could read for it's all in some language I don't know she said to herself it was like this complete gibberish the word sounded like Yakokrao Rabbalcha She puzzled over this for some time

Starting point is 00:28:16 as the words just didn't make sense. But at last a bright fault struck her. It's a looking-glass book, of course. And if I hold it up to a glass, the words will all go the right way again. This was the poem that Alice read. Jabberwocky, T'was Brillig and the Sly The Toes,

Starting point is 00:28:48 did Guy and Kimble, in the wabe. All Mimsy were the Borogovs, and the moan wraths the Jebawok my son, the jaws that bite, the claws that catch, there were the Jub-Jub-Jub-Bird and Shun, the Frumius Bander-Snatch. He took his vulgar sword in hand, long time the Manzoam foe he sought. He rested, he, by the tum-tum tree and stood a while in full. A fish thought he stood, the Gemmowoc with eyes of flame, came wiffling through the toggy wood as it came. One two, one, two, and through and through, the verbal blade went snick-a-snack.

Starting point is 00:29:50 He left it dead, and with his head he went go lumping back. back, and how'st thou slain the Javarwok? Come to my arms, my beamish boy. O frabptuous day, Kuloo Kaleigh, he chortled in his joy. T'was Brinick and the slithy Toves, did Gaya and Gimble in the wabe. Or mimsy were the borogovs, and the moan wraths out great. It seems very pretty, she said when she had finished it. But it's rather hard to understand. You see, she didn't like to confess, even to herself,

Starting point is 00:30:42 that she couldn't make it out at, somehow, it seems to fill my head with ideas, only I don't exactly know what they are. However, somebody killed something. That's clear at any wrong. but oh, thought Alice, suddenly jumping up. If I don't make haste, I shall have to go back through the looking-glass before I've seen what the rest of the house is like. Let's have a look at the garden first.

Starting point is 00:31:18 She was out of the room in a moment and ran downstairs. Or at least it wasn't exactly running, but a new invention of hers for getting down the stairs quickly and easily as Alice said to herself she just kept the tips of her fingers on the handrail and floated gently down

Starting point is 00:31:42 without even touching the stairs with her feet then she floated on through the hall and would have gone straight out of the door in the same way if she hadn't caught a hole on the doorpost she was getting a little giddy

Starting point is 00:32:00 with so much floating in the air and was rather glad to find herself walking again the natural way

Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice Through the Looking Glass - Chapter 1 Looking-Glass House

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