Page:Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.djvu/146

126 "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 the poems that ever were invented and a good many that haven't been invented just yet."

This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated the first verse:

"That's enough to begin with," Humpty Dumpty interrupted: "there are plenty of hard words there. Brillig means four o'clock in the afternoonthe time when you begin broiling things for dinner."

"That'll do very well," said Alice: "and slithy?"

"Well, slithy means 'lithe and slimy.'