Fabulous Monsters

Unicorn, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

At this moment the Unicorn sauntered by them, with his hands in his pockets. `I had the best of it this time?' he said to the King, just glancing at him as he passed.

`A little -- a little,' the King replied, rather nervously. `You shouldn't have run him through with your horn, you know.'

`It didn't hurt him,' the Unicorn said carelessly, and he was going on, when his eye happened to fall upon Alice: he turned round rather instantly, and stood for some time looking at her with an air of the deepest disgust.

`What -- is -- this?' he said at last.

`This is a child!' Haigha replied eagerly, coming in front of Alice to introduce her, and spreading out both his hands towards her in an Anglo-Saxon attitude. `We only found it to-day. It's as large as life, and twice as natural!'

`I always thought they were fabulous monsters!' said the Unicorn. `Is at alive?'

`It can talk,' said Haigha, solemnly.

The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice, and said `Talk, child.'

Alice could not help her lips curing up into a smile as she began: `Do you know, I always thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters, too! I never saw one alive before!'

`Well, now that we HAVE seen each other,' said the Unicorn, `if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?'

`Yes, if you like,' said Alice.

(This mythical creature jumped out at me outside Sancton Wood school yesterday. St. Paul's Road if you want to try and catch it...)