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.'`That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in athoughtful tone.`When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said HumptyDumpty, `I always pay it extra.'`Oh!' said Alice.She was too much puzzled to make any otherremark.`Ah, you should see `em come round me of a Saturday night,'Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side toside: `for to get their wages, you know.'(Alice didn't venture to ask what he paid them with; and so yousee I can't tell YOU.)`You seem very clever at explaining words, Sir,' said Alice.`Would you kindly tell me the meaning of the poem called"Jabberwocky"?'`Let's hear it,' said Humpty Dumpty.`I can explain all thepoems that were ever invented -- and a good many that haven'tbeen invented just yet.'This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated the first verse:`Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.`That's enough to begin with,' Humpty Dumpty interrupted:`there are plenty of hard words there."BRILLIG" means fouro'clock in the afternoon -- the time when you begin BROILINGthings for dinner.'`That'll do very well,' said Alice: and "SLITHY"?'`Well, "SLITHY" means "lithe and slimy." "Lithe" is the sameas "active." You see it's like a portmanteau -- there are twomeanings packed up into one word.'`I see it now,' Alice remarked thoughtfully: `and what are"TOVES"?'`Well, "TOVES' are something like badgers -- they're somethinglike lizards -- and they're something like corkscrews.'`They must be very curious looking creatures.'`They are that,' said Humpty Dumpty: `also they make theirnests under sun-dials -- also they live on cheese.'`Andy what's the "GYRE" and to "GIMBLE"?'`To "GYRE" is to go round and round like a gyroscope.To"GIMBLE" is to make holes like a gimblet.'`And "THE WABE" is the grass-plot round a sun-dial, I suppose?'said Alice, surprised at her own ingenuity.`Of course it is.It's called "WABE," you know, because itgoes a long way before it, and a long way behind it -- '`And a long way beyond it on each side,' Alice added.`Exactly so.Well, then, "MIMSY" is "flimsy and miserable"(there's another portmanteau for you).And a "BOROGOVE" is athing shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out allround -- something like a live mop.'`And then "MOME RATHS"?' said Alice.`I'm afraid I'm givingyou a great deal of trouble.'`Well, a "RATH" is a sort of green pig: but "MOME" I'm notcertain about.I think it's short for "from home" -- meaningthat they'd lost their way, you know.'`And what does "OUTGRABE" mean?'`Well, "OUTGRIBING" is something between bellowing andwhistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle: however, you'llhear it done, maybe -- down in the wood yonder -- and when you'veonce heard it you'll be QUITE content.Who's been repeating allthat hard stuff to you?'`I read it in a book,' said Alice.`But I had some poetryrepeated to me, much easier than that, by -- Tweedledee, I thinkit was.'`As to poetry, you know,' said Humpty Dumpty, stretching outone of his great hands, `_I_ can repeat poetry as well as otherfolk, if it comes to that -- '`Oh, it needn't come to that!' Alice hastily said, hoping tokeep him from beginning.`The piece I'm going to repeat,' he went on without noticingher remark,' was written entirely for your amusement.'Alice felt that in that case she really OUGHT to listen to it,so she sat down, and said `Thank you' rather sadly.`In winter, when the fields are white,I sing this song for your delight --only I don't sing it,' he added, as an explanation.`I see you don't,' said Alice.`If you can SEE whether I'm singing or not, you're sharper eyesthan most.' Humpty Dumpty remarked severely.Alice was silent.`In spring, when woods are getting green,I'll try and tell you what I mean.'`Thank you very much,' said Alice.`In summer, when the days are long,Perhaps you'll understand the song:In autumn, when the leaves are brown,Take pen and ink, and write it down.'`I will, if I can remember it so long,' said Alice.`You needn't go on making remarks like that,' Humpty Dumptysaid: `they're not sensible, and they put me out.'`I sent a message to the fish:I told them "This is what I wish."The little fishes of the sea,They sent an answer back to me.The little fishes' answer was"We cannot do it, Sir, because -- "'`I'm afraid I don't quite understand,' said Alice.`It gets easier further on,' Humpty Dumpty replied.`I sent to them again to say"It will be better to obey."The fishes answered with a grin,"Why, what a temper you are in!"I told them once, I told them twice:They would not listen to advice.I took a kettle large and new,Fit for the deed I had to do.My heart went hop, my heart went thump;I filled the kettle at the pump.Then some one came to me and said,"The little fishes are in bed."I said to him, I said it plain,"Then you must wake them up again
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