The shop seemed to be full of all manner of curious things but the
oddest part of it all was, that whenever she looked hard at any shelf,
to make out exactly what it had on it, that particular shelf was always
quite empty: though the others round it were crowded as full as they
could hold.
Things flow about so here! she said at last in a plaintive tone,
after she had spent a minute or so in vainly pursuing a large bright
thing, that looked sometimes like a doll and sometimes like a work-box,
and was always in the shelf next above the one she was looking at. And
this one is the most provoking of all but I ll tell you what she
added, as a sudden thought struck her, I ll follow it up to the very
top shelf of all. It ll puzzle it to go through the ceiling, I expect!
But even this plan failed: the thing went through the ceiling as
quietly as possible, as if it were quite used to it.
Are you a child or a teetotum? the Sheep said, as she took up another
pair of needles. You ll make me giddy soon, if you go on turning round
like that. She was now working with fourteen pairs at once, and Alice
couldn t help looking at her in great astonishment.
How _can_ she knit with so many? the puzzled child thought to
herself. She gets more and more like a porcupine every minute!
Can you row? the Sheep asked, handing her a pair of knitting-needles
as she spoke.
Yes, a little but not on land and not with needles Alice was
beginning to say, when suddenly the needles turned into oars in her
hands, and she found they were in a little boat, gliding along between
banks: so there was nothing for it but to do her best.
Feather! cried the Sheep, as she took up another pair of needles.
This didn t sound like a remark that needed any answer, so Alice said
nothing, but pulled away. There was something very queer about the
water, she thought, as every now and then the oars got fast in it, and
would hardly come out again.
48