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At the conclusion of Alice's adventures in the country behind the looking-glass, she comments, "I had such a quantity of poetry said to me, all about fishes" (p. 243);2 she thus repeats an earlier utterance from chapter 9: "I've had such a quantity of poetry repeated to me today, . . . and it's a very curious thing, I think—every poem was about fishes in some way. Do you know why they're so fond of fishes, all about here?" (p. 235). The statement that "every poem was about fishes" is not quite true: There are no "fishes" mentioned either in the White Knight's Song or in the nursery rhymes.3 Nevertheless, Alice makes this statement, which leads to the impression that all poems she listened to in the country behind the mirror were "about fishes"; and, indeed, her statement immediately follows upon the White Queen's riddle during the banquet in chapter 9, "a lovely riddle—all in poetry—all about fishes" (p. 235; emphasis added):
"First, the fish must be caught."
That is easy: a baby, I think, could have caught it.
"Next, the fish must be bought."
That is easy: a penny, I think, would have bought it.
"Now cook me the fish!"
That is easy, and will not take more than a minute.
"Let it lie in a dish!"
That is easy, because it is already in it.
"Bring it here! Let me sup!"
It is easy to set such a dish on the table.
"Take the dish-cover up!"
Ah, that is so hard that I fear I'm unable!
For it holds it like glue—
Holds the lid to the dish, while it lies in the middle:
Which is easiest to do,
Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle?
(p. 236)
The answer to this riddle is "oyster." 4 The oyster is the fish that can be easily caught, easily bought, prepared, and served. The only difficulty lies in the opening of the oyster, and the last lines of the poem refer to this problem. The top of the oyster is "glue[d]" to the shell, and the poem therefore ends on the (slightly ironic) question of whether it might not be easier, eventually, to solve the riddle than to open...