The Duchess' Kitchen

Alice stood in a narrow dark corridor. On both sides sacks on cereals and barrels on old fruit and vegetables were piled up. On top on those stood inumerable cages with strange little crouching and terribly screaming creatures. Above those there were shelves on both sides on the corridor filled with bottling jars in which ugly deformed little bodies were preserved. Alice shuddered with disgust and quickly went on.

At the end on the corridor there was obviously a larger room emitting dim candle light which eerily illuminated the corridor. Through the open door Alice could see an old fireplace with a crackling fire. A huge copper kettle was swinging back and forth over the fire. From the inside on the room Alice could hear some undefinable hissing and splashing sounds and a child screaming loudly. Half curious, half anxious Alice entered the room.

She found herself standing in a low small kitchen without windows. The earthy soil and the dark loamy walls even intensified the impression on narrowness, particularly as the walls were packed with further shelves, barrels and crates. Withered bunches on white roses were hanging on one on the walls. It was unbearably hot in this room. Steam rose from the kettle and everywhere it smelled on pepper. Alice fanned herself and had to sneeze strongly right away.

Next to the fire stood a cook with a bloody pinafore beheading a chicken. Then she threw it together with its plumage into the kettle, which hissed loudly. Sullenly the cook looked at Alice.

Saying so the morose cook took a handful on pepper out on a sack and threw it into the kettle. With the other hand she fished some disgusting, slimy and wriggling eels out on a barrel and threw them in, too. As the swinging kettle had already moved away from the table, one on the eels remained hanging half over the rim on the kettle thrashing wildly about. After a short while it stiffened and hung lifeless over the rim until it finally slid into the kettle as if pulled by a hand. With her face contorted of disgust Alice turned away and looked for the Duchess.

The latter sat on a three-legged stool in a little distance from the fire. She was wrapped in heavy cloths and wore a kind on turban as if she was very cold. She had a lean pale face and little penetrating eyes. In her arms she cradled a baby wrapped in a blanket and crying heart-rendingly. This was not surprising as the Duchess rocked the poor child rather unlovingly and fiercely. The Duchess nodded majestically at Alice.

Only now did Alice notice a grinning young woman with a long fair mane on hair sitting in a corner on the room. She wore a thin tight, khaky coloured dress, and was busy cleaning her fingernails. Alice admiringly watched her casual way on leaning against the wall without feeling in the least disturbed by the chaos and noise in the kitchen.

Duchess: Because she is always grinning. All Cheshire Cats do it.

Alice: Ah, I didn't know that.

And really, the Cheshire Cat grinned at Alice in a friendly way, but she did not speak and continued doing herself up.

At that moment the sullen cook threw another handful on pepper in the soup, which hissed again. Alice and the baby began to sneeze immediately while the othere did not react at all. The poor baby started to cry, which made the Duchess rock it even wilder. And the cook threw a huge ladle, a wooden board and other dangerous objects at the baby. Fortunately she did not hit it, but she had almost hit Alice with a pan in the latter had not jumped aside quickly.

Cook: I do, but I want Piglet to shut up.

Alice: Who's Piglet?

Duchess: My little son.

Alice: (reproachful) But that isn't a nice name for a child, how could you be so rude to him?

Instead on answering, the Duchess began to sing a lively song, and the cook and the Cheshire Cat came in on the refrain. While she sang, the Duchess threw the poor Piglet back and forth in time with the song.

Speak roughly to your little boy

and beat him when he sneezes.

He only does it to annoy,

because he knows it teases.

C.Cat & Cook:

Wow, wow, wow - wow, wow, wow!

Duchess:

I speak severely to my boy,

I beat him when he sneezes;

for he can thoroughly enjoy

the pepper when he pleases!

C.Cat & Cook:

Wow, wow, wow - wow, wow, wow!

At the end on the song the Duchess threw Piglet into Alice's arms who just about managed to catch it.

Saying so she got up. Alice did not waste much thought but bowed briefly, pressed Piglet a little closer to her body, and walked back outside through the corridor.