When they arrived in the courtroom,the King and Queen of Hearts were sitting on their thrones.The
room was full of birds and animals and a complete pack of playing cards.
The Knave of Heats was standing between two soldiers at the front of the room.There were chains
around his hands.
Alice saw the White Rabbit there,too.He had a piece of paper in one hand a trumpet in the other.In
the middle of the room there was a table and on it there was a big plate of jam tarts.When Alice saw
them,she started to feel hungry.
'They're probably for tea,'she thought.'I hope the trial isn't long.'
She began to name everything in the courtroom because she didn't want to think about the tarts.
'That's the judge,'she said.'He wears a big wig.'The judge was the King and he was wearing the wig
on top of his crown.He looked very silly.
'And those twelve creatures-'(She had to say'creatures'because some of them were animals.)'-in that
box are the jurors,'Alice said.She felt very happy with herself.She was only a small girl but she
knew a lot of difficult words.
The jurors(one of them was Bill,the lizard)were very busy.They were writing on their blackboards.
'What are they writing?'Alice asked the Gryphon,who was standing next to her.
'Their names,'it said.'They don't want to forget them.'
'Stupid things!'Alice said.
As she said this,the jurors wrote the words"stupid things"on their blackboards.One of them couldn't
spell the word"stupid"and had to ask his friend for help.
Then the White Rabbit blew his trumpet.
'What's the crime?'the King asked.
The Rabbit read:
'The Queen of Hearts,she made some tarts All on a summer day:
The Knave of Hearts,he stole those tarts And took them all away!'
'What's your verdict?'the King asked the jurors.
'No,no,Your Majesty!We must call a witness first,'the White Rabbit said.
'Call the first witness!'the King shouted.
The White Rabbit blew his trumpet three times and the Mad Hatter came in.He was carrying a teacup
and a piece of bread and butter.
'I'm sorry,Your Majesty,I didn't finish my tea before I came here.'
'Why not?When did you begin?'
The Hatter looked at the March Hare,who was walking into the courtroom with the Dormouse.
'The fourteenth of March,I think,'he replied.
'The fifteenth,'the Hare said.
'The sixteenth,'the Dormouse said.
'Write that down!'the King said to the jurors.
The jurors wrote all the three dates on their blackboards and then added the numbers together.
'Give your evidence!'the King said.
Just at that moment Alice began to feel very strange.She was beginning to grow bigger again.The
Dormouse,who was sitting next to her,said,'Stop pushing me!'
'I'm sorry,'Alice said.'I'm growing.'
'Give your evidence!'the King asked the Hatter again.
The Hatter started to speak.'I'm a poor man,Your Majesty-'The King replied,'You're a very poor
speaker!You can go!'
As the Hatter ran out of the courtroom,the Queen shouted,'Off with his head!'But the Hatter was
running too fast and the soldiers couldn't catch him.
'Call the next witness!'the King said.
The next witness was the Duchess's cook.She was carrying her pepper pot and everyone started
sneezing.
'Give your evidence!'the King said to her.
'No!'the cook said.
The King didn't know what to do.
'You must ask her some questions,Your Majesty,'the White Rabbit told him.
'Oh,must I?'the King said.He looked back at the cook.
'What are tarts made of?'
'Pepper!'the cook replied.
The King said,' Call the next witness!'
the White Rabbit looked at the paper in his hand.Then he said in his little high voice,'Alice!'