Allan in Wonderland

Chapter 5: The Caterpillar's advice

The Caterpillar and Allan looked at each other for a while.
"Who are you?" the Caterpillar asked finally, in a sleepy voice.
"I-I hardly know, lady," said Allan.
"What do you mean?" demanded the Caterpillar. "Explain yourself!"


"I can't explain myself," said Allan, "because I'm not myself."
"Who are you?" the Caterpillar asked again.
"I don't know. I keep changing size and it's very confusing." replied Allan.


"Try reciting a poem," ordered the Caterpillar. Clearing his throat, Allan began.

"You are old, Father Willian,"
"And your hair has become very white.
And yet you incessantly stand on your head.
Do you think, at your age, it is right?"
"In my youth," Father replied to his son.
"I feared it might injure the brain,
But, not that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again."

"Wrong from beginning to end!" said the Caterpillar. She paused. "What size do you want to be?"
"Larger than this," said Allan.

"It's such a wretched height."
"It's a very good height indeed,"
And the Caterpillar (who was exactly as tall as Allan). She slid off the mushroom angrily.


"One side makes you taller, the other makes you shorter," she remarked, as she crawled away.
"One side of what?" wondered Allan. "Oh, the mushroom!" he broke off two pieces and nibbled first oner, then the other, until he was back to his right size.

Allan continued through the forest until he came to a little house. "I don't want to scare anyone," he thought and ate more mushroom to shrink himself.