Tea Party Conversations
"Oh what do children know?" said her Majesty of Hearts, "they be best keeping their wild ideas to themselves at my table!" She, by this time, had grown quite tired of Alice's constant questioning and discussion with her subjects, of which she had been most rudely excluded.
"After all, I am the oldest. Whatever questions you may have, child, I will have seen the answers. Whatever mischief you may conjure, child, shall be answered by my making of law. There is no question, child, in Wonderland that cannot be answered by the Majesty of Hearts."
Finishing her little introduction, (for she had not been formally introduced to Alice prior) the Queen seemed quite pleased with herself and felt quite on top of the world.
"But your majesty, what of the land above the rabbit hole?" inquired Alice, for her curiosity was quite piqued now, "Have you seen all of it too? I've been to the Grand Fair twice when Mother took me, and it was certainly wonderful."
"You have barely taken two steps in Wonderland and you dare compare it with some heathen ground?" replied the Queen rather brusquely, "I have seen all there is to Grandefair and I say there is nothing spectacular of its flamingos!"
"Nay," interrupted Mr Rabbit, "they don't sell flamingos at the Grand Fair."
"Nay, I'd talk to her fan any day, for the fan's the fairer face," whispered the Queen to her handmaiden rather loudly, "and yet she speaks without pause!"
"Your Majesty, we must forgive those who know not of a looking-glass!" replied the handmaiden, suddenly feeling encouraged.
"My fair Ladies," interrupted the wise Hatter, "she is but a child. She must have been too young then to remember seeing flamingoes at the Grand Fair, isn't it, Alice dear?"
"That is but an excuse, Hatter! Children shouldn't lie. Especially the ugly ones. They speak no truth, I tell you." retorted the handmaiden, for she had wanted to win the argument for her mistress.
"Stop being childish," sighed Alice in a rather quiet voice, "it is quite alright to never have seen the Grand Fair before, your Majesty, I don't think it makes you any less knowledgable at all."
"The youngest at the table says to stop being childish!" taunted the Jester, "for she would know how to herself!" His taunt brought about peals of laughter from the crowd.
"I know not of when you stop," replied Alice calmly, "but I do know when you are. Surely, the child herself would know best?"
"After all, I am the oldest. Whatever questions you may have, child, I will have seen the answers. Whatever mischief you may conjure, child, shall be answered by my making of law. There is no question, child, in Wonderland that cannot be answered by the Majesty of Hearts."
Finishing her little introduction, (for she had not been formally introduced to Alice prior) the Queen seemed quite pleased with herself and felt quite on top of the world.
"But your majesty, what of the land above the rabbit hole?" inquired Alice, for her curiosity was quite piqued now, "Have you seen all of it too? I've been to the Grand Fair twice when Mother took me, and it was certainly wonderful."
"You have barely taken two steps in Wonderland and you dare compare it with some heathen ground?" replied the Queen rather brusquely, "I have seen all there is to Grandefair and I say there is nothing spectacular of its flamingos!"
"Nay," interrupted Mr Rabbit, "they don't sell flamingos at the Grand Fair."
"Nay, I'd talk to her fan any day, for the fan's the fairer face," whispered the Queen to her handmaiden rather loudly, "and yet she speaks without pause!"
"Your Majesty, we must forgive those who know not of a looking-glass!" replied the handmaiden, suddenly feeling encouraged.
"My fair Ladies," interrupted the wise Hatter, "she is but a child. She must have been too young then to remember seeing flamingoes at the Grand Fair, isn't it, Alice dear?"
"That is but an excuse, Hatter! Children shouldn't lie. Especially the ugly ones. They speak no truth, I tell you." retorted the handmaiden, for she had wanted to win the argument for her mistress.
"Stop being childish," sighed Alice in a rather quiet voice, "it is quite alright to never have seen the Grand Fair before, your Majesty, I don't think it makes you any less knowledgable at all."
"The youngest at the table says to stop being childish!" taunted the Jester, "for she would know how to herself!" His taunt brought about peals of laughter from the crowd.
"I know not of when you stop," replied Alice calmly, "but I do know when you are. Surely, the child herself would know best?"