All in the golden afternoon full leisurely we glide
For both our oars, with little skill, by little arms are plied
While little hands make vain pretence our wanderings to guide
Our wanderings to guide
Ah, cruel three! In such an hour, beneath such dreamy weather
To beg a tale of breath too weak to stir the tiniest feather
Yet what can one poor voice avail against three tongues together
Against three tongues together
Anon, to sudden silence won, in fancy they pursue
The dream child moving through a land of wonders wild and new
In friendly chat with bird or beast and half believe it true
And half believe it true
And ever, as the story drained the wells of fancy dry
And faintly strove that weary one to put the subject by
"The next time - it is next time" the happy voices cry
The happy voices cry
Thus grew the tale of Wonderland, thus slowly one by one
It's quaint events were hammered out and now the tale is done
And home we steer
A merry crew
Beneath the setting sun
Lyrics: Lewis Carroll
Music: Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd, Ricky Echolette, Rainer Bloss
Notes:
The lyrics for this song are taken (almost) verbatim from the opening to
Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but there are a
couple of missing verses. The third verse of the poem - which should appear
immediately after "against three tongues together" - is missing from the song:
Imperious Prima flashes forth
Her edict "to begin it" -
In gentler tone Secunda hopes
"There will be nonsense in it" -
While Tertia interrupts the tale
Not more than once a minute.
The seventh and final verse is also missing:
Alice! a childish story take,
And with a gentle hand
Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined
In Memory's mystic band,
Like pilgrim's wither'd wreath of flowers
Pluck'd in a far-off land.
There are one or two other minor differences, but these can be put down to
the pacing of the song.
See also: All in a Golden Afternoon