6. the duchess and the pig she walked through the wood and soon she came to another little house. “i wonder who lives here,” alice thought. someone in a sort of uniform ran out of the wood and knocked at the door. he looked like a fish and had a big letter in his hand. a frog man opened the door. he had another sort of uniform. the fish-man gave* the frog-man the huge letter. "this is for the duchess,” he said. “it's an invitation from the queen to play croquet.” then the fish-man walked away, and the frog-man sat on the front steps. alice went up to the door and knocked. "why are you knocking? ” asked the frog-man. “i can't let you in, because i’m outside. anyway, no- one can hear you knocking." he was right. there was a terrible noise coming from inside the house. alice heard screams, sneezes, and loud crashes. "well, how can i get in? " asked alice. “why don’t you open the door? ” asked the frog-man. alice opened the door and went into the house. she was in a large kitchen. in the middle of the kitchen was the duchess, with a noisy baby. there was a cook near the fire with a huge pot of soup. the air was full of pepper. alice sneezed. there was a large cat near the fire. it smiled at alice. "why is your cat smiling? ” alice asked the duchess. the duchess sneezed. "it’s a cheshire cat,” she said. then she shouted "pig! ” "excuse me? ” said alice. “i'm talking to the baby,” said the duchess. “well, that’s not a nice thing to say! ” said alice. "mind your own business! " shouted the duchess. "cook! cut off her head! ” alice was scared, but the cook didn’t listen to the duchess. "here! take the baby! " said the duchess, and she gave the baby to alice. “i must get ready for croquet with the queen! " the duchess went to get ready for croquet, and alice took the baby outside. "that’s not a good place for a baby to live," she said. she looked at the baby. it looked like a little pig. it made a noise like a pig, too. "you are a pig! ” said alice to the baby. she put it on the ground and it walked away into the wood. "where am i now? ” thought alice.
