Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice Through The Looking Glass Chapter 3 - Looking-Glass Insects

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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. And welcome to Sneat Cove. Tonight we're continuing on the story of Alice through the Looking Glass. So let's begin.

Starting point is 00:02:00 Chapter 3. Looking glass insects. Of course, the first thing to do. was to make a grand survey of the country she was going to travel through. It's something very like learning geography, thought Alice, as she stood on tiptoe in hopes of being able to see a little further. Principal rivers, there are none. Principal mountains, I'm on the only one. But I don't think it's got to. any name. Principal towns. Why? What are those creatures? Making honey down there. They can't be

Starting point is 00:02:48 bees. Nobody ever saw bees a mile off, you know. And for some time she stood silent, watching one of them that was bustling about the flowers, poking its proboscis into them. just as if it were a regular bee, thought Alice. However, this was anything but a regular bee. In fact, it was an elephant, as Alice soon found out, though the idea quite took her breath away at first. And what enormous flowers they must be was her next idea. Something like cottages,

Starting point is 00:03:35 with the roofs taken off and storks put to them, and what quantities of honey they must make? I think I'll go down and, no, I won't just yet. She went on checking herself, just as she was beginning to run down the hill and trying to find some excuse for turning shy, so suddenly. It will never do to go down among them without a good to brush them away when they ask me how I like my walk.

Starting point is 00:04:23 I shall say, oh, I like it well enough. Here came the favourite little toss of her head. It was so dusty and hot, and the elephants did tease so, she said. I think I'll go down the other way, she said after a pause, and perhaps I may visit the elephants later on. Besides, I do so want to get into the third square, so with this excuse, she ran down the hill and jumped over the first of the six little Brooks. "'Tickets, please,' said the guard, putting his head in the window. In a moment everybody was holding out a ticket, there were about the same size as the people, and quite seemed to feel the carriage. "'Now then, show your ticket, child,' the guard went on, looking angrily at Alice, and a great many voices all said together.

Starting point is 00:05:38 Like the chorus of a song, thought Alice. Don't keep him waiting, child. Why, his time is worth a thousand pounds a minute. I'm afraid I haven't got one. Alice said in a frightened tone, there wasn't a ticket of this where I came from. And again, the chorus of voices went on. There wasn't room for one where she came from.

Starting point is 00:06:09 "'The land there is worth a thousand pounds an inch.' "'Don't make excuses,' said the guard. "'You should have bought one from the engine driver.' "'And once more the chorus of voices went on with. "'That man drives the engine. "'Why, the smoke alone is worth a thousand pounds a puff.' "'Alice thought to herself, "'there's no use in sense.

Starting point is 00:06:39 speaking. The voices didn't join in this time, as she hadn't spoken. But to her great surprise, they all thought in chorus, I hope you understand what thinking in chorus means, for I must confess that I don't. Better say nothing at all. Language is worth a thousand pounds a word. I shall dream about a thousand pounds to night. This time the guard was looking at her, first through a telescope, and then through a microscope, and then through an opera glass.

Starting point is 00:07:33 At last he said, You're travelling the wrong way, and he shut up the window and went away. So young a child, said the gentleman sitting, sitting opposite to her. He was dressed in white paper, ought to know which way she's going,

Starting point is 00:07:53 even if she doesn't know her own name. A goat that was sitting next to the gentleman in white, shut his eyes, and said in a loud voice, she ought to know her way to the ticket office, even if she doesn't know her alphabet, There was a beetle sitting next to the goat. It was a very queer carriage, full of passengers together,

Starting point is 00:08:25 as the rule seemed to be that they should all speak in turn. He went on with, she'll have to go back from here as luggage. Couldn't see who were sitting beyond the beetle, but a hoarse voice spoke next. Next, change engines. It said and was obliged to leave off. It sounds like a horse, Alice thought to herself, and an extremely small voice close to her ear said. You might make a joke on that something about a horse and horse, you know, and a very gentle voice.

Starting point is 00:09:19 voice in the distance said, She must be labelled, Lass with care you know, and after that other voices went on. What a number of people there are in the carriage, thought others, saying, She must go by post as she's got a head on her. She must be sent by the telegraph.

Starting point is 00:09:46 She must draw the train herself the wrong. rest of the way, and so on. But the gentleman, dressed in white paper, leaned forwards and whispered in her ear. Never mind what they all say, my dear, but take a return ticket every time the train stops. Indeed, I shan't, said Alice quite impatiently. I don't belong to this railway journey at all. I was in a wood just now, and I wish I could get back there. You might make a joke on that, said the little voice, close to her ear. Something about, you would if you could, you know. Don't tease so, said Alice, looking about in vain to see where the voice came from. If you're so anxious to have a joke made, why don't you make one yourself?

Starting point is 00:10:57 The little voice sighed deeply. It was very unhappy evidently, and Alice would have said something pitying to comfort it. If it would only sigh like other people, she thought, but this was such a wonderful small sigh that she wouldn't have heard it at all hadn't come quite close to her ear the consequence of this was that it tickled her ear very much

Starting point is 00:11:37 took off her thoughts from the unhappiness of the poor little creature I know you are a friend her little voice went on. A dear friend, an old hurt me though. I am. What kind of insect what she really wanted to know was whether it could sting or not.

Starting point is 00:12:13 But she thought this wouldn't be quite a civil question to ask. What? Then you don't? The little voice began. When it was drowned by a shield. scream from the engine, and everybody jumped up in an arm and the rest, who had put his head out of the window, quietly drew it in and said, It's only a brook we have to jump over. Everybody seemed satisfied with this, though Alice felt a little nervous, and the idea of trains jumping at all. However, it will take us into the fourth square.

Starting point is 00:13:06 At some comfort, she said to herself. In another moment, she felt the carriage rise straight into the air, and in her fright she caught at the nearest to her hand, which happened to be the goat's beard. but the beard seemed to melt away as she touched it and she found herself sitting quietly under her tree with a nut for that was the insect she had been talking to it was balancing itself on a twig just over her head

Starting point is 00:13:52 funning her with its wings It certainly was a very large nut About the size of a chicken Alice thought Still she couldn't feel nervous with it After they had been talking together So long Then you don't like all insects

Starting point is 00:14:16 The nut went on As quietly as if nothing had happened I like them when they can talk Alice said. None of them ever talk, where I come. What sort of insects do you rejoice in? Where you come from? The nut inquired.

Starting point is 00:14:40 I don't rejoice in insects at all, Alice explained, because I'm rather afraid of them, at least other large kinds. But I can tell you the names of some of them. Of course they answer to their names. I never knew them to do it, said Alice. What's the use of having names? The Nat said, if they won't answer to them.

Starting point is 00:15:16 No use to them, said Alice, but it's useful to the people who name them, I suppose. If not, why do things have names at all? I can't say, their nat replied. Further on in the wood down there, they've got no names. However, go on with your list of insects. You're wasting time. Well, there's the horse fly, Alice began, counting of the names on her fingers. All right, said the nut, halfway up that bush, you'll see a rocking horse fly if you look.

Starting point is 00:16:02 is entirely made of wood and gets about by swinging itself from branch to branch. What does it live on? Alice asked with great curiosity. Sap and sawdust, said the nut. Go on with the nest and the rocking horse fly with great interest and made of her mind that it must have been just repainted. It looked so bright and sticky. And then she went on. And there's the dragonfly.

Starting point is 00:16:46 Look on the branch above your head, said the net. And there you'll find a snap dragonfly. Its body is made of plum pudding. Its wings of holly leaves. and its head is a raisin burning in brandy. And what does it live on? Frumenti and mince pie, Anette replied, and it makes its nest in a Christmas box.

Starting point is 00:17:21 And then there's the butterfly, Alice went on, after she had taken a good look at the insect with its head on fire and had thought to herself I wonder if that's the reason insects are so fond of flying into candles because they want to turn

Starting point is 00:17:44 into snap dragonflies crawling at your feet said the nut Alice drew her feet back observe a bread and butterfly its wings are thin slices of bread and butter. Its body is a crust and its head is a lump of sugar. Live on, said Alice, said the nut. A new difficulty came into Alice's head.

Starting point is 00:18:27 Suppose it couldn't find any, she suggested. Then it would die of course, said the nut to happen very often. Alice remarked thoughtfully. It always happens, said the Nat. After this, Alice was silent for a minute or two pondery. The Nat amused itself, meanwhile, by humming round and round her head. At last, it settled again and remembered. I suppose you don't want to lose your name, and yet I don't know.

Starting point is 00:19:17 the nut went on in a careless tone, only think how convenient it would be if you could manage to go home without it. For instance, if the governess wanted to call you to your lessons, she would call out, come here, and there she would have to leave off, because there wouldn't be any name for her to call. and of course you wouldn't have to go, you know. That would never do, I'm sure, said Alice. The governess would never think of excusing me lessons for that. If she couldn't remember my name, she'd call me miss, as the servants do. Well, if she did say miss and didn't say anything more, The net remarked, of course you'd miss your lesson.

Starting point is 00:20:19 That's a joke. I wish you had made it. Why do you wish I had made it up? It's a very bad one. But the nut only sighed deeply while two large tears came rolling down its cheeks. You shouldn't make jokes, Alice said. If it makes you so unhappy, then came one of those melancholy little sighs. And this time, the poor Nat really seemed to have sighed itself away.

Starting point is 00:21:02 For when Alice looked up, there was nothing whatever to be seen on the twig. She was getting quite chilly, with sitting still so long. She got up. She soon came to an open field, with a wood on the other side of it. It looked much darker than the last wood, and Alice felt a little timid about going into it. However, on second thoughts, she made up her mind to go on. For I certainly won't go back, she thought to herself, and this was the only only one. way to the eighth square.

Starting point is 00:21:52 This must be the wood, she said thoughtfully to herself, where things have no names. I wonder what will become of my name when I go in. I shouldn't like to lose it at all, because they'd have to give me another, and it would almost certainly be an ugly one. But then the fun would be to be. trying to find the creature that had got my old name. That's just like the advertisements, you know, when people lose dogs. Answers to the name of Dash had on a brass collar. Just fancy calling everything you meet Alice till one of them answered, only they wouldn't

Starting point is 00:22:44 answer at all if they were wise. She was rambling on. in this way when she reached the wood. It looked very cool and shady. Well, at any rate, is a great comfort, she said as she stepped under the trees. After being so hot to get into this, into what? She went on, rather surprised and not being able to think of the word. I mean to get under the, under the, under this, you know, putting her hand on the trunk of the tree. What does it call itself, I wonder?

Starting point is 00:23:33 I do believe it's got no name. Why? To be sure it hasn't. She stood silent for a minute, thinking, and she suddenly began. began again. Then it really has happened after all. Who am I?

Starting point is 00:23:56 I will remember if to do it. But being determined didn't help much and all she could say. After a great deal of puzzling was, I know it begins with Elle. Just then

Starting point is 00:24:17 a form came wandering by. It looked at Alice, with its large, gentle eyes, but it didn't seem at all frightened. Here then, here then, Alice said, as she held out her hand, trying to stroke it, but it only started back a little, and then stood looking at her again.

Starting point is 00:24:43 What do you call yourself? The fawn said at last, such a sweet, soft voice. I wish I knew, thought poor Alice. She answered rather sadly. Nothing just now. Think again, it said. That won't do.

Starting point is 00:25:08 Thought but nothing came of it. Please would you tell me what you call yourself? She said timidly. I think that might help a little. I'll tell you if you move a little. further on, the fawn said, I can't remember here. So they walked on together through the wood, Alice with her arms clasped lovingly round the soft neck of the fawn, till they came out into another open field, and here the fawn gave a sudden bound into the air and shook itself free from Alice's

Starting point is 00:25:53 arms. I'm a form, the voice of delight, look of alarm came into its beautiful brown eyes, and in another moment it had darted away at full speed. Alice stood looking after it, almost ready to cry with vexation, at having lost her dear little fellow traveller, so suddenly. However, I know my name now, she said. That's some comfort. Won't forget it again. And now, which of these fingerposts ought I to follow? I wonder.

Starting point is 00:26:51 It was not a very difficult question to answer, as there was only one road through the wood. And the two fingerposts, both, pointed along it. I'll settle it, Anna said to herself, when the road divides and they point different ways. This did not seem likely to happen. She went on and on a long way,

Starting point is 00:27:25 but wherever the road divided, there were sure to be two fingerposts pointing the same way. one marked to Tweedledum's house and the other to the house of Tweedledee. I do believe, Alice said at last, that they live in the same house. I wonder I never thought of that before, but I can't stay there long.

Starting point is 00:27:59 I'll just call and say, How do you do? and asked them the way out of the wood. If I could only get to the eighth square before it gets dark, she wandered on, talking to herself as she went, till, on turning a sharp corner, she came upon two fat little men so suddenly that she could not help starting back. But in another moment she recovered,

Starting point is 00:28:31 feeling sure that they must be.

Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - Alice Through The Looking Glass Chapter 3 - Looking-Glass Insects

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