Now look at the picture, and you’ll soon guess what happened next. It looks just like the sea, doesn’t it? But it _really_ is the Pool of Tears----all made of _Alice’s_ tears, you know!
And Alice has tumbled into the Pool: and the Mouse has tumbled in: and there they are, swimming about together.
Doesn’t Alice look pretty, as she swims across the picture? You can just see her blue stockings, far away under the water.
But why is the Mouse swimming away from Alice in such a hurry? Well, the reason is, that Alice began talking about cats and dogs: and a Mouse always _hates_ talking about cats and dogs!
Suppose _you_ were swimming about, in a Pool of your own Tears: and suppose somebody began talking to _you_ about lesson-books and bottles of medicine, wouldn’t _you_ swim away as hard as you could go?
When Alice and the Mouse had got out of the Pool of Tears, of course they were very wet: and so were a lot of other curious creatures, that had tumbled in as well. There was a Dodo (that’s the great bird, in front, leaning on a walking-stick); and a Duck; and a Lory (that’s just behind the Duck, looking over its head); and an Eaglet (that’s on the left-hand side of the Lory); and several others.
Well, and so they didn’t know how in the world they were to get dry again. But the Dodo----who was a very wise bird----told them the right way was to have a Caucus-Race. And what do you think _that_ was?
_You don’t know?_ Well, you _are_ an ignorant child! Now, be very attentive, and I’ll soon cure you of your ignorance!
First, you must have a _racecourse_. It ought to be a _sort_ of circle, but it doesn’t much matter _what_ shape it is, so long as it goes a good way round, and joins on to itself again.
Then, you must put all the _racers_ on the course, here and there: it doesn’t matter _where_, so long as you don’t crowd them too much together.
Then, you needn’t say “One, two, three, and away!” but let them all set off running just when they like, and leave off just when they like.
So all these creatures, Alice and all, went on running round and round, till they were all quite dry again. And then the Dodo said _everybody_ had won, and _everybody_ must have prizes!
Of course _Alice_ had to give them their prizes. And she had nothing to give them but a few comfits she happened to have in her pocket. And there was just one a-piece, all round. And there was no prize for Alice!