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16

CHAPTER III. A CAUCUS-RACE AND A LONG TALE 

'What is a Caucus-race?' said Alice; not that she wanted much to know, but 
the Dodo had paused as if it thought that somebody ought to speak, and no one 
else seemed inclined to say anything. 

'Why,' said the Dodo, 'the best way to explain it is to do it.' (And, as you 
might like to try the thing yourself, some winter day, I will tell you how the Dodo 
managed it.) 

First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle ('the exact shape doesn't 
matter,' it said), and then all the party were placed along the course, here and 
there. There was no 'One, two, three, and away,' but they began running when 
they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the 
race was over. However, when they had been running half an hour or so, and were 
quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out 'The race is over!' and they all 
crowded round it, panting, and asking, 'But who has won?' 

This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought, and 
it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead (the position in 
which you usually see Shakespeare, in the pictures of him), while the rest waited 
in silence. At last the Dodo said, 'everybody has won, and all must have prizes.' 

'But who is to give the prizes?' quite a chorus of voices asked. 

'Why, she, of course,' said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with one finger; and 
the whole party at once crowded round her, calling out in a confused way, 'Prizes! 
Prizes!' 

Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair she put her hand in her pocket, 
and pulled out a box of comfits, (luckily the salt water had not got into it), and 
handed them round as prizes. There was exactly one a-piece all round. 

'But she must have a prize herself, you know,' said the Mouse. 

'Of course,' the Dodo replied very gravely, 'What else have you got in your 
pocket?' he went on, turning to Alice. 

'Only a thimble,' said Alice sadly. 

'Hand it over here,' said the Dodo. 

Then they all crowded round her once more, while the Dodo solemnly pre- 
sented the thimble, saying, 'We beg your acceptance of this elegant thimble'; and, 
when it had finished this short speech, they all cheered. 

Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked so grave that 
she did not dare to laugh; and, as she could not think of anything to say, she simply 
bowed, and took the thimble, looking as solemn as she could. 

The next thing was to eat the comfits; this caused some noise and confusion, 
as the large birds complained that they could not taste theirs and the small ones 
choked and had to be patted on the back. However, it was over at last and they sat 
down again in a ring and begged the Mouse to tell them something more. 

'You promised to tell me your history, you know,' said Alice, 'and why it is you 
hate - C and D,' she added in a whisper, half afraid that it would be offended again.