Allan in Wonderland

Chapter 1: Down the rabbit hole

Allan was getting tired of sitting with his brother. He had tried reading his brother's book, but as it didn't have any pictures or people talking, it was very dull indeed.

He was just wondering whether to pick some daisies for a daisy-chain when White Rabbit ran past. Now, seeing a rabbit isn't so very remarkable.

Allan wasn't even surprised when the Rabbit cried, Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late." But when it took a watch out of its pocket, he jumped up. For whoever saw a rabbit with a pocket—or a watch?

He chased after it and was just in time to see the Rabbit pop down a large hole. In a flash, Allan followed.

At first, the hole went on like a tunnel. Suddenly, it dipped and Allan found himself falling down a deep well.


The well was lined with shelves full of interesting things—and either it was very deep, or Allan fell slowly, for he had plenty of time to look around.
"I must be near the middle of the earth," he thought, after a while. "What if I fall right through? I might end up in New Zealand!"

Down, down, down...
Allan began to think the fall would never end. He was daydreaming about his cat, Denny, when thump! He landed on a heap of dry leaves.

Not in the least hurt, Allan stood up and looked around. A long passage stretched ahead of his and the White Rabbit was hurrying down it. Allan went after her like the wind.
"Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!" cried the White Rabbit.

He had almost caught up with her when she turned a corner... and vanished.


Allan was in a long hall, with doors down both sides. Excitedly, he tried each one. But every single door was locked.
Just as he thought he might never get out, he saw a glass table with a golden key on top.

Allan walked down the hall once more, but the key was too small for the doors. Then he spotted a tiny door, half-hidden by a curtain. Holding his breath, he tried the golden key in the lock. It worked!


Beyond the door was the most beautiful garden Allan had ever seen, with bright flowers and cool, sparkling fountains. Allan tried to squeeze through the door, but not even his head would fit.

"If only I could shrink... I'll go back to the table," he decided. "Perhaps it has another key to a bigger door.


But instead of a key, he found a bottle with a label saying Drink me.
"That wasn't here before," thought Allan, checking it carefully. Since it wasn't marked Poison, he took a sip.
It tasted so delicious (a mix of cherry-tart, custard, toffee, pineapple and hot buttered toast), that he had very soon finished it.


"What a curious feeling," Allan said next. "I think I'm shrinking!" and he was. Soon, he was small enough to go into the garden.
"I hope I don't shrink away to nothing..." he said to himself.

To his huge disappointment, the garden door had closed—and he'd left the golden on the table.
He could see it glittering through the glass, a long way out of reading.


Allan tried to climb a table leg, but it was too slippery. After three tries, he fell to the floor and began to cry. "That won't help," he told himself sharply. As he wiped his eyes, he noticed a glass box under the table.

The box held a cake. "I'll eat it," thought Allan. "If I grow larger, I can reach the key. If I grow smaller, I can creep under the door. Either way, I'll get into the garden."