Which would _not_ be an advantage, said Alice, who felt very glad to
get an opportunity of showing off a little of her knowledge. Just
think of what work it would make with the day and night! You see the
earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis
Talking of axes, said the Duchess, chop off her head!
Alice glanced rather anxiously at the cook, to see if she meant to take
the hint; but the cook was busily stirring the soup, and seemed not to
be listening, so she went on again: Twenty-four hours, I _think_; or
is it twelve? I
Oh, don t bother _me_, said the Duchess; I never could abide
figures! And with that she began nursing her child again, singing a
sort of lullaby to it as she did so, and giving it a violent shake at
the end of every line:
Speak roughly to your little boy,
And beat him when he sneezes:
He only does it to annoy,
Because he knows it teases.
CHORUS.
(In which the cook and the baby joined):
Wow! wow! wow!
While the Duchess sang the second verse of the song, she kept tossing
the baby violently up and down, and the poor little thing howled so,
that Alice could hardly hear the words:
I speak severely to my boy,
I beat him when he sneezes;
For he can thoroughly enjoy
The pepper when he pleases!
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