you wonder, little maid?" said a deep, deep voice. On looking up,
Alice saw close beside her a great tawny lion. At first she was
afraid, but the great beast looking kindly upon her, placed his great
paw softly on her arm and once more said, "why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma
has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to
Grandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great dark
forest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy, and my feet have grown so
tired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Just
listen! such a funny noise." Alice held the pail close to the great
lion's ear,--"Buzz z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder
what can be inside!" she said.

"Do not wonder, little maid," said the great lion, "but hurry thy
little feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in his
bed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thy
mother's heart will be heavy with watching."

So Alice hastened on. Soon again her little feet were lagging; and
once more her eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again
she said, "Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder." "Why do you wonder,
little maid?" said a deep, gruff voice. On looking up once more Alice
saw close beside her, not her friend the tawny lion, but a shaggy black
bear. At first she was afraid; but the great beast, looking kindly
upon her, placed his great paw softly on her arm and once more said,
"Why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma
has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to