There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. "No room!" thought Alice; "No room!"
The table was a large one, but three were all crowded together at one corner of it. "Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse; only as it's asleep, I suppose it doesn't mind," they cried out when they saw Alice coming.
"Have some wine," said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.
"There's plenty of room!" the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.
Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. "There isn't any," she remarked.
"I don't see any wine," said the March Hare.
"It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited," said Alice angrily.
"It wasn't very civil of you to offer it," said the March Hare.
"Your hair," said Alice, "wants cutting."
"I didn't know it was your table: it's laid out for a great many more than three," said the Hatter. He had been looking at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and this was his first speech.
"Why is a raven," Alice said with some severity, "like a writing desk?"
The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this, but all he said was, "You should learn not to make personal remarks: It's very rude.
Do you mean that?" thought Alice; "You think you can find out the answer?" she added aloud.
"Come we shall have some fun now! I'm glad they've begun asking riddles—I believe I can guess that," said the March Hare.
"Then you should say," Alice hastily replied, "what you mean."
"Exactly so," the March Hare went on.
"You might just as well say,"said the Hatter, "that ‘I like what I get' is the same thing as ‘I get what I like'!"
"Not the same thing a bit!" said the March Hare, "Why you might just as well say ‘I see what I eat' is the same thing as ‘I eat what I see'!"
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