I?’ the Frog went on. ‘Or are you deaf? What did it ask you?’

‘Nothing!’ Alice said impatiently. ‘I’ve been knocking at it!’

‘Shouldn’t do that — shouldn’t do that — ’ the Frog muttered. ‘Vexes it, you know.’ Then he went up and gave the door a kick with one of his great feet. ‘You let it alone,’ he panted out, as he hobbled back to his tree, ‘and it’ll let you alone, you know.’

At this moment the door was flung open, and a shrill voice was heard singing:

‘To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said,

“I’ve a sceptre in hand, I’ve a crown on my head;