Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Chapter 10

Summary

Summary of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Chapter 10"

Podcast: Stories Podcast: A Bedtime Show for Kids of All Ages
Host: Amanda Weldon
Release Date: February 27, 2025

Introduction to the Lobster Quadrille

In this chapter, titled "The Lobster Quadrille," Alice encounters the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon, who introduce her to the whimsical world beneath the sea. The Mock Turtle, visibly emotional, shares his sorrowful tales, prompting the Gryphon to encourage Alice’s participation in their unique dance.

The Mock Turtle's Storytelling: The Lobster Quadrille

The Mock Turtle begins by describing the Lobster Quadrille, a delightful dance performed by sea creatures. He explains:

Mock Turtle [00:44]: "You may not have lived much under the sea... So you can have no idea what a delightful thing a lobster quadrille is."

Explanation of the Dance Steps

The Gryphon elaborates on the complex steps involved in the dance, illustrating the coordination required among various sea animals:

Gryphon [01:34]: "You first form into a line along the seashore... You throw the lobsters... Swim after them... Turn a somersault in the sea."

The Mock Turtle adds details about pairing with lobsters and the sequential nature of the dance moves, emphasizing the intricate teamwork necessary for the performance.

The Curious Song about the Whiting

During the storytelling, the Mock Turtle sings a peculiar song about the whiting, a type of fish. Alice expresses her fascination:

Alice [04:53]: "It's a very interesting dance to watch... I do so like that curious song about the whiting."

The conversation shifts to the characteristics of whiting, blending factual descriptions with the fantastical elements typical of Wonderland.

Alice's Struggle with Repeating the Sentence

The Gryphon challenges Alice to repeat a complex phrase, leading to confusion and humorous misinterpretations:

Gryphon [09:11]: "Stand up and repeat. 'Tis the voice of the sluggard.'"

Alice attempts to comply but struggles due to the muddled instructions:

Alice [09:35]: "'Tis the voice of the lobster... 'you have baked me too brown... must sugar my hair as a duck with its eyelids.'"

This segment highlights Alice's difficulty in navigating the nonsensical language of Wonderland, further accentuated by the Mock Turtle's bewildered reactions.

The Mock Turtle and Gryphon's Interaction

As Alice attempts to make sense of her repeated phrases, the Gryphon and Mock Turtle engage in a somewhat impatient and exasperated dialogue:

Mock Turtle [10:26]: "I should like to have it explained." Gryphon [10:29]: "She can't explain it... Go on with the next verse."

Their interaction underscores the chaotic and illogical nature of the Wonderland environment, where explanations are elusive, and communication is often fraught with confusion.

The "Beautiful Soup" Song and the Interruptions

The Mock Turtle proceeds to sing another whimsical song, "Beautiful Soup," adding to the chapter's melodic and rhythmic elements:

Gryphon [12:19]: "Beautiful soup, soup of the evening..."

As the song progresses, an urgent cry signals the beginning of a trial, abruptly ending the musical interlude:

Gryphon [13:04]: "Chorus again." Mock Turtle [13:04]: (begins to repeat the song)

The sudden departure emphasizes the unpredictable and frenetic pace of events in Wonderland.

Sudden Departure to Attend the Trial

Without warning, the Gryphon and Mock Turtle hastily take Alice by the hand, urging her to follow them to the trial:

Gryphon [13:04]: "Come on." Alice [13:06]: "What trial is it?" Gryphon [13:06]: "Come on."

Alice, though out of breath and curious about the nature of the trial, complies without receiving further explanations. The farewell echoes the transient and surreal experiences Alice continuously faces in Wonderland.

Conclusion

Chapter 10 of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," as presented in the Stories Podcast, immerses listeners in the fantastical elements of the Mock Turtle and Gryphon's underwater society. Through dances, songs, and perplexing dialogues, the chapter encapsulates the whimsical and often puzzling adventures that define Alice's journey.

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Notable Quotes:

• Mock Turtle [03:35]: "Will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you join the dance?"
• Alice [09:35]: "'Tis the voice of the lobster... sugars my hair as a duck with its eyelids."
• Gryphon [12:19]: "Beautiful soup, soup of the evening..."

These excerpts highlight the enchanting and nonsensical charm that the podcast brings to Lewis Carroll's classic tale, making it accessible and engaging for listeners of all ages.

Transcript

[Alice]

Hello.

[Amanda Weldon]

Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is a chapter from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a classic novel written for you by Lewis Carroll. We have Stories Podcast merch, [e-mail] shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast. If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now, here's a word from our sponsors.

[Alice]

Thanks.

[Amanda Weldon]

Enjoy the episode Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

[Alice]

The Lobster Quadrille the Mock Turtle sighed deeply and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but for a minute or two sobs choked his voice. Same as if he had a bone in his throat, said the Gryphon, and it set to work, shaking him and punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again.

[Mock Turtle]

You may not have lived much under the sea.

[Alice]

I haven't, said Alice.

[Mock Turtle]

And perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster.

[Alice]

Alice began to say, I once tasted, but checked herself hastily and said, no, never.

[Mock Turtle]

So you can have no idea what a delightful thing a lobster quadrille is.

[Alice]

No, indeed, said Alice. What sort of dance is it? Why, said the Gryphon, you first form into a line along the seashore.

[Mock Turtle]

Two lines.

[Alice]

Cried the Mock turtle.

[Mock Turtle]

Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on. Then, when you've cleared all the jellyfish out of the way.

[Alice]

That generally takes some time, interrupted the griffin. You advance twice each with a lobster as a partner, Cried the griffin. Of course, the Mock Turtle said. Advance twice, set to partners, change lobsters, and retire in same order, continued the griffin. Then you know, the Mock Turtle went on. You throw the the lobsters. Shouted the griffin with a bound into the air as far out to sea as you can. Swim after em. Screamed the Gryphon.

[Mock Turtle]

Turn a somersault in the sea.

[Alice]

Cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about. Change lobsters again. Yelled the Griffon at the top of its voice, back to land again.

[Mock Turtle]

And that's all the first figure, said.

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice. And the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again, very sadly and quietly, and looked at Alice. It must be a very pretty dance, said Alice timidly.

[Mock Turtle]

Would you like to see a little of it?

[Alice]

Said the Mock Turtle. Very much indeed, said Alice.

[Mock Turtle]

Come, let's try the first figure, said.

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle to the Gryphon.

[Mock Turtle]

We can do it without lobsters, you know, which shall sing.

[Alice]

Oh, you sing, said the Gryphon. I've forgotten the words. So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice every now and then treading on her toes when they passed too close and waving their forepaws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this very slowly and sadly.

[Mock Turtle]

Will you walk a little faster? Said a whiting to a snail. There's a porpoise close behind us and he's treading on my tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance. They are waiting on the shingle. Will you come and join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance? You can really have no notion how delightful it will be when they take us up and throw us with the lobsters out to sea. But the snail replied, too far, too far and gave a look askance said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance. What matters it how far we go? His scaly friend replied. There is another shore you know, upon the other side. The further off from England the nearer is to France. Then turn not, pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance. Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

[Alice]

Thank you. It's a very interesting dance to watch, said Alice, feeling very glad that it was over at last. And I do so like that curious song about the whiting. Oh, as to the whiting, said the Mock Turtle, they.

[Mock Turtle]

You've seen them, of course.

[Alice]

Yes, said Alice. I've often seen them at Din. She checked herself hastily.

[Mock Turtle]

I don't know where Din may be.

[Alice]

Said the Mock Turtle.

[Mock Turtle]

But if you've seen them so often, of course you know what they're like.

[Alice]

I believe so, Alice replied thoughtfully. They have their tails in their mouths and they're all over crumbs. You're wrong about the crumbs, said the Mock Turtle.

[Mock Turtle]

Crumbs would all wash off in the sea, but they have their tails in their mouths, and the reason is here.

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle yawned and shut his eyes.

[Mock Turtle]

Tell her about the reason in all.

[Alice]

That, he said to the Gryphon. The reason is, said the Gryphon, that they would go with the lobsters to the dance, so they got thrown out to sea, so they had to fall a long way, so they got their tails fast in their mouths so they wouldn't get them out again. That's all. Thank you, said Alice. It's very interesting. I never knew so much about her whiting before. I can tell you more than that if you like, said the Gryphon. Do you know why it's called a whiting? I never thought about it, said Alice. Why, it does the boots and shoes, the Gryphon replied very solemnly. Alice was thoroughly puzzled. Does the boots and shoes, she repeated in a wondering tone. Why, what are your shoes done with? Said the Gryphon. I mean, what makes them so shiny? Alice looked down at them and considered a little before she gave her answer. They're done with blacking, I suppose. Boots and shoes under the sea, the Gryphon went on in a deep voice, are done with whiting now you know. And what are they made of? Alice asked in a tone of great curiosity. Souls and eagles, of course, the Gryphon replied rather impatiently. Any shrimp could have told you that. If I'd been the whiting, said Alice, whose thoughts were still running on the song, I'd have said to the Porpoise, keep back, please. We don't want you with us.

[Mock Turtle]

They were obliged to have him with.

[Alice]

Them, The Mock Turtle said.

[Mock Turtle]

No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.

[Alice]

Wouldn't it really? Said Alice in a tone of great surprise. Of course not, said the Mock Turtle.

[Mock Turtle]

Why, if a fish came to me and told me he was going on a journey, I would say, with what, porpoise?

[Alice]

Don't you mean purpose? Said Alice.

[Mock Turtle]

I mean what I say, the Mock.

[Alice]

Turtle replied in an offended tone, and the Gryphon added, come, let's hear some of your adventures. I could tell you my adventures beginning from this morning, said Alice, a little timidly, but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person. Then. Explain all that, said the Mock Turtle. No, no, the adventures first, said the Gryphon in an impatient tone. Explanations take such a dreadful time. So Alice began telling them her adventures from the time when she first saw the White Rabbit. She was a little nervous about it, just at first. The two creatures got so close to her, one on each side, and opened their eyes and mouths so very wide. But she gained courage as she went on. Her listeners were perfectly quiet till she got to the part about her repeating, you are old, Father William to the caterpillar and the words all coming different. And then the Mock Turtle drew a long breath and said, that's very curious. It's all about as curious as it can be, said the Gryphon. It all came different, the Mock Turtle repeated thoughtfully.

[Mock Turtle]

I shall like to hear her try and repeat something. Now tell her to begin.

[Alice]

He looked at the gryphon as though he thought it had some kind of authority over Alice. Stand up and repeat. Tis the voice of the sluggard, said the Gryphon. How the creatures order one about and make one repeat lessons, thought Alice. I might just as well be at school at once. However, she got up and began to repeat it, but her head was so full of the lobster quadrille that she hardly knew what she was saying, and the words came very strange indeed. Tis the voice of the lobster. I heard him declare, you have baked me too brown. I must sugar my hair as a duck with its eyelids. So he with his nose trims his belt and his buttons and turns out his toes. When the sands are all dry he is gay as a lark, and will talk in contemptuous tones of the shark. But when the tide rises and sharks are around, his voice has a timid and tremulous sound that's different from what I used to say when I was a child, said the Gryphon.

[Mock Turtle]

Well, I never heard it before, said.

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle, but it sounds uncommon nonsense. Alice said nothing. She had sat down with her face in her hands, wondering if anything would ever happen in a natural way again.

[Mock Turtle]

I should like to have it explained.

[Alice]

Said the Mock Turtle. She can't explain it, said the Gryphon hastily. Go on with the next verse.

[Mock Turtle]

But what about his toes?

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle persisted.

[Mock Turtle]

How could he turn them out with his nose?

[Alice]

You know, it's the first position in Dancing, Alice said, but she was dreadfully puzzled by the whole thing and longed to change the subject. Go on with the next verse, the Gryphon repeated. It begins, I passed by his garden. Alice did not dare to disobey, though she felt sure it would all come wrong, and she went on in a trembling voice. I passed by his garden and marked with one eye how the owl and the panther were sharing a pie. The panther took pie crust and gravy and meat, while the owl had the dish as its share of the treat. When the pie was all finished, the owl, as a boon, was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon, while the panther received knife and fork with a growl and concluded the banquet by what is.

[Mock Turtle]

The use of repeating all that stuff?

[Alice]

The Mock Turtle interrupted.

[Mock Turtle]

If you don't explain it as you go on, it's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard.

[Alice]

Yes, I think you'd better leave off, said the Gryphon, and Alice was only too glad to do so. Shall we try another figure of the Lobster quadrille? The Gryphon went on, or would you like the Mock Turtle to sing you another song? Oh, a song, please, if the Mock Turtle would be so kind. Alice replied so eagerly that the Gryphon said in a rather offended tone, hmph, no accounting for tastes. Sing her Turtle Soup, will you, old fellow? The Mock Turtle sighed deeply and began in a voice choked with sobs, to.

[Mock Turtle]

Sing this beautiful soup, so rich and.

[Gryphon]

Green, waiting in a hot tureen. Who for such dainties would not Soup, soup of the evening, beautiful soup, soup of the evening, beautiful soup, soup of the evening, Beautiful, beautiful soup, beautiful soup. Who cares for fish, game or any other dish? Who would not give all else for two Penny worth only of beautiful soup Penny worth only of beautiful soup, beautiful soup, beautiful soup of the evening, Beautiful, beautiful soup.

[Alice]

Chorus again. Cried the Gryphon, and the Mock Turtle had just begun to repeat it when a cry of the trial's beginning was heard in the distance. Come on. Cried the Gryphon, and taking Alice by the hand, it hurried off without waiting for the end of the song. What trial is it? Alice panted as she ran, but the Griffin only answered, come on. And ran the faster, while more and more faintly came, carried on the breeze that followed them, the melancholy words soup.

[Gryphon]

Of the evening, beautiful, beautiful soup.

[Amanda Weldon]

Today's story was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a classic novel written for you by Lewis Carroll. It was edited and produced for you by Andrew Martin and performed for you.

[Alice]

By me, Amanda Weldon.

[Amanda Weldon]

If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five star review on itunes. Check out all of our merch [e-mail] Shop Commission a special video on Cameo. Follow us on Instagram storiespodcast or simply tell your friends about us. In case you missed it, Dan and I have a new show on Stories rpg. We play games just like Starsworn with all your Max Goodname friends and Gigacity guardians from Featuring the Brilliant Firefly. Click the link in the episode description or go to patreon.com storiesrpg to get ad free episodes, play along games and coloring books. We've already got a bunch of episodes over there, so check them out now. Thanks for listening.