Download the MP3 Audio of Alice Chapter 11
Who Stole the Tarts?
We reach the last but one chapter of the first Alice book. The trial begins of the Knave of Hearts on the charge of stealing the tarts. Many familiar faces are present in the court room. The judge is the King, and his is assisted by the ferocious queen. The Mad Hatter gives some very nervous evidence, and is contradicted by the March Hare. The juror's box is filled with small animals and birds who feaverishly take notes. Alice begins to doubt that justice really will be done.
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Read by Natasha. Duration 14.15.
Read PRC (post recording review) Following the White Rabbit
The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when
they arrived, with a great crowd assembled about them--all sorts
of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards:
the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on
each side to guard him; and near the King was the White Rabbit,
with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the
other. In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large
dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, that it made Alice
quite hungry to look at them--`I wish they'd get the trial done,'
she thought, `and hand round the refreshments!' But there seemed
to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about
her, to pass away the time.
Alice had never been in a court of justice before, but she had
read about them in books, and she was quite pleased to find that
she knew the name of nearly everything there. `That's the
judge,' she said to herself, `because of his great wig.'
The judge, by the way, was the King; and as he wore his crown
over the wig, (look at the frontispiece if you want to see how he
did it,) he did not look at all comfortable, and it was certainly
not becoming.
`And that's the jury-box,' thought Alice, `and those twelve
creatures,' (she was obliged to say `creatures,' you see, because
some of them were animals, and some were birds,) `I suppose they
are the jurors.' She said this last word two or three times over
to herself, being rather proud of it: for she thought, and
rightly too, that very few little girls of her age knew the
meaning of it at all. However, `jury-men' would have done just
as well.
The twelve jurors were all writing very busily on slates.
`What are they doing?' Alice whispered to the Gryphon. `They
can't have anything to put down yet, before the trial's begun.'
`They're putting down their names,' the Gryphon whispered in
reply, `for fear they should forget them before the end of the
trial.'
`Stupid things!' Alice began in a loud, indignant voice, but
she stopped hastily, for the White Rabbit cried out, `Silence in
the court!' and the King put on his spectacles and looked
anxiously round, to make out who was talking.
Alice could see, as well as if she were looking over their
shoulders, that all the jurors were writing down `stupid things!'
on their slates, and she could even make out that one of them
didn't know how to spell `stupid,' and that he had to ask his
neighbour to tell him. `A nice muddle their slates'll be in
before the trial's over!' thought Alice.
One of the jurors had a pencil that squeaked. This of course,
Alice could not stand, and she went round the court and got
behind him, and very soon found an opportunity of taking it
away. She did it so quickly that the poor little juror (it was
Bill, the Lizard) could not make out at all what had become of
it; so, after hunting all about for it, he was obliged to write
with one finger for the rest of the day; and this was of very
little use, as it left no mark on the slate.
`Herald, read the accusation!' said the King.
On this the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and
then unrolled the parchment scroll, and read as follows:--
`The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts,
All on a summer day:
The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts,
And took them quite away!'
`Consider your verdict,' the King said to the jury.
`Not yet, not yet!' the Rabbit hastily interrupted. `There's
a great deal to come before that!'
`Call the first witness,' said the King; and the White Rabbit
blew three blasts on the trumpet, and called out, `First
witness!'
The first witness was the Hatter. He came in with a teacup in
one hand and a piece of bread-and-butter in the other. `I beg
pardon, your Majesty,' he began, `for bringing these in: but I
hadn't quite finished my tea when I was sent for.'
`You ought to have finished,' said the King. `When did you
begin?'
The Hatter looked at the March Hare, who had followed him into
the court, arm-in-arm with the Dormouse. `Fourteenth of March, I
think it was,' he said.
`Fifteenth,' said the March Hare.
`Sixteenth,' added the Dormouse.
`Write that down,' the King said to the jury, and the jury
eagerly wrote down all three dates on their slates, and then
added them up, and reduced the answer to shillings and pence.
`Take off your hat,' the King said to the Hatter.
`It isn't mine,' said the Hatter.
`Stolen!' the King exclaimed, turning to the jury, who
instantly made a memorandum of the fact.
`I keep them to sell,' the Hatter added as an explanation;
`I've none of my own. I'm a hatter.'
Here the Queen put on her spectacles, and began staring at the
Hatter, who turned pale and fidgeted.
`Give your evidence,' said the King; `and don't be nervous, or
I'll have you executed on the spot.'
This did not seem to encourage the witness at all: he kept
shifting from one foot to the other, looking uneasily at the
Queen, and in his confusion he bit a large piece out of his
teacup instead of the bread-and-butter.
Just at this moment Alice felt a very curious sensation, which
puzzled her a good deal until she made out what it was: she was
beginning to grow larger again, and she thought at first she
would get up and leave the court; but on second thoughts she
decided to remain where she was as long as there was room for
her.
`I wish you wouldn't squeeze so.' said the Dormouse, who was
sitting next to her. `I can hardly breathe.'
`I can't help it,' said Alice very meekly: `I'm growing.'
`You've no right to grow here,' said the Dormouse.
`Don't talk nonsense,' said Alice more boldly: `you know
you're growing too.'
`Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace,' said the Dormouse:
`not in that ridiculous fashion.' And he got up very sulkily
and crossed over to the other side of the court.
All this time the Queen had never left off staring at the
Hatter, and, just as the Dormouse crossed the court, she said to
one of the officers of the court, `Bring me the list of the
singers in the last concert!' on which the wretched Hatter
trembled so, that he shook both his shoes off.
`Give your evidence,' the King repeated angrily, `or I'll have
you executed, whether you're nervous or not.'
`I'm a poor man, your Majesty,' the Hatter began, in a
trembling voice, `--and I hadn't begun my tea--not above a week
or so--and what with the bread-and-butter getting so thin--and
the twinkling of the tea--'
`The twinkling of the what?' said the King.
`It began with the tea,' the Hatter replied.
`Of course twinkling begins with a T!' said the King sharply.
`Do you take me for a dunce? Go on!'
`I'm a poor man,' the Hatter went on, `and most things
twinkled after that--only the March Hare said--'
`I didn't!' the March Hare interrupted in a great hurry.
`You did!' said the Hatter.
`I deny it!' said the March Hare.
`He denies it,' said the King: `leave out that part.'
`Well, at any rate, the Dormouse said--' the Hatter went on,
looking anxiously round to see if he would deny it too: but the
Dormouse denied nothing, being fast asleep.
`After that,' continued the Hatter, `I cut some more bread-
and-butter--'
`But what did the Dormouse say?' one of the jury asked.
`That I can't remember,' said the Hatter.
`You MUST remember,' remarked the King, `or I'll have you
executed.'
The miserable Hatter dropped his teacup and bread-and-butter,
and went down on one knee. `I'm a poor man, your Majesty,' he
began.
`You're a very poor speaker,' said the King.
Here one of the guinea-pigs cheered, and was immediately
suppressed by the officers of the court. (As that is rather a
hard word, I will just explain to you how it was done. They had
a large canvas bag, which tied up at the mouth with strings:
into this they slipped the guinea-pig, head first, and then sat
upon it.)
`I'm glad I've seen that done,' thought Alice. `I've so often
read in the newspapers, at the end of trials, "There was some
attempts at applause, which was immediately suppressed by the
officers of the court," and I never understood what it meant
till now.'
`If that's all you know about it, you may stand down,'
continued the King.
`I can't go no lower,' said the Hatter: `I'm on the floor, as
it is.'
`Then you may SIT down,' the King replied.
Here the other guinea-pig cheered, and was suppressed.
`Come, that finished the guinea-pigs!' thought Alice. `Now we
shall get on better.'
`I'd rather finish my tea,' said the Hatter, with an anxious
look at the Queen, who was reading the list of singers.
`You may go,' said the King, and the Hatter hurriedly left the
court, without even waiting to put his shoes on.
`--and just take his head off outside,' the Queen added to one
of the officers: but the Hatter was out of sight before the
officer could get to the door.
`Call the next witness!' said the King.
The next witness was the Duchess's cook. She carried the
pepper-box in her hand, and Alice guessed who it was, even before
she got into the court, by the way the people near the door began
sneezing all at once.
`Give your evidence,' said the King.
`Shan't,' said the cook.
The King looked anxiously at the White Rabbit, who said in a
low voice, `Your Majesty must cross-examine THIS witness.'
`Well, if I must, I must,' the King said, with a melancholy
air, and, after folding his arms and frowning at the cook till
his eyes were nearly out of sight, he said in a deep voice, `What
are tarts made of?'
`Pepper, mostly,' said the cook.
`Treacle,' said a sleepy voice behind her.
`Collar that Dormouse,' the Queen shrieked out. `Behead that
Dormouse! Turn that Dormouse out of court! Suppress him! Pinch
him! Off with his whiskers!'
For some minutes the whole court was in confusion, getting the
Dormouse turned out, and, by the time they had settled down
again, the cook had disappeared.
`Never mind!' said the King, with an air of great relief.
`Call the next witness.' And he added in an undertone to the
Queen, `Really, my dear, YOU must cross-examine the next witness.
It quite makes my forehead ache!'
Alice watched the White Rabbit as he fumbled over the list,
feeling very curious to see what the next witness would be like,
`--for they haven't got much evidence YET,' she said to herself.
Imagine her surprise, when the White Rabbit read out, at the top
of his shrill little voice, the name `Alice!'
IM 1ST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Athena — April 17, 2010
i am second.tnx of all,this is nice story.
maryam — May 12, 2010
I’m 1st favourite fan
deleted — March 9, 2015
i like alice in wounder land beacus iv got it on dvd nice one like it hahahahahahahahaha
tia — July 20, 2010
this is my fave chapter of alice in wonderland!!! It’s so funny!!
Lydia — July 23, 2010
alice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheshire cat — December 5, 2010
what is the lesson learned in chapter 11
abby — February 16, 2011
i loved it
abby — February 16, 2011
i ? Story Nory
Queen of Hearts — March 23, 2011
good story
anna green — June 3, 2011
Hello
Thank you for your comment,
Chapter 11, ‘Who Stole the Tarts’; the chapter in which Alice hears the White Rabbit in the courts of the King and Queen, reading from the parchment; ‘The Queen of hearts she stole some tarts…’ is central to the chapter and starts off the disputes between the other creatures including the door mouse.
Thanks for listening
Bye Bye
N*
Natasha — June 4, 2011
Nice rabbit voice
Lucy — March 9, 2015
I liked the Mad hatter beacause he was funny beacause of his voice it was really funny.
joshua — October 10, 2011
The chapter was full of adventure and it was very interesting.
Benjmin — February 4, 2012
Hello
Thank you for your comment
Alice in Wonderland chapter 11 is an great chapter in the first book. And it comes with an interesting riddle from the Rabbit who present to the court and King the accused in the form of a riddle:
The Knave of hearts he stole some tarts
All on a Sabeth Day
The Queen of hearts she stole
And took them all away
N *
Natasha — February 4, 2012
Thank you!
I love that STORY!
Lucy — April 14, 2012
Thank you!
I love that STORY!
Ailee — April 14, 2012
i love your stories
ella,aime,and arden
may 16,2012
Anonymous — May 13, 2012
i love the book
ella,arden ,aime — May 14, 2012
nice story..
i like this
sybelle — August 30, 2012
it sounds like the courts in my country. i am lucky to be living in a wonderland.
mujdat — December 2, 2012
I love it
Iman — January 23, 2013
I like your voice and when others read i say ahhhhhh!!
Natasha is the best i love your voice.I want to read like you jajajajajaj!!!!!.I speak spanish but my english teachers said me that i have to listen stories to learn more than know.
bye bye Natasha i love you.
shakti (9 years old).
shakti — February 28, 2013
I like your voice and when others read i say ahhhhhh!!
Natasha is the best i love your voice.I want to read like you jajajajajaj!!!!!.I speak spanish but my english teachers said me that i have to listen stories to learn more than now.
bye bye Natasha i love you.
shakti (9 years old).
shakti — February 28, 2013
this is for homework it’s a good thing to listen to, I can do my other pieces at the same time
layomi — January 2, 2014
Can You highlight each word you say?
Ashley — February 5, 2014
I looooooooooooooooooove this story
Lombe — September 13, 2014
I LLOVE THIS CHAPTER!
Hello — November 3, 2014
[…] been listening to an audiobook of Alice in Wonderland (among other things) on our daily commute. Dodgson’s portrayal of […]
Lessons from Childrens’ literature | Govidea | Worldwide Travel , Home Design , ETC — November 20, 2014
Hello Natasha, I am studing english by Duolingo course, and I got here by sugestion of it. I liked very much you initiative, congratulations. One question, what meaning, storynory, or better nory? excuse-me my english faults, I’m beginner.
Álesson David — December 24, 2014
I like this story
Aiden — June 3, 2015
I LOVE IT
jasmine — December 9, 2015
cool
larua — January 18, 2017
who stole the tarts
hi — May 5, 2017
wow thats realy great
ant — May 5, 2017
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[logan — May 5, 2017
cool
jayden — May 5, 2017
I love audio
books
Elli — May 10, 2017
its ok
camdon — May 11, 2017
Thanks for this story nory
Anonymous — September 5, 2017
to long and cool
malia — March 29, 2018
What is this
Anonymous — May 21, 2018
Good story
Vlad reiser — May 21, 2018
I like this story…..
Anonymous — September 28, 2018
it was AMAZING.
Robert. — April 3, 2019
I LOVE THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
LINNAEA — April 6, 2019
YaY
Adrielle — June 3, 2019
YaY, it’s an awesome story
Adrielle — June 3, 2019
LOVE IT
OOOOPppppp sksksksksksks — December 19, 2019
I love this book
hidy — January 29, 2021
i’m the favrite fan.
Mia — February 1, 2021
i have to read this for school and i dont really like it:(:(((((
Anonymous — March 16, 2021
i hate this bookkkkkkkkk
Anonymous — March 20, 2021