Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Richard Haydn: Caterpillar

Photos 

Quotes 

• Caterpillar : Who... are... you?

  Alice : I- I hardly know, sir. I've changed so many times since this morning, you see...

  Caterpillar : No, I do not 'C.' Explain yourself.

  Alice : I'm afraid I can't explain myself sir, because I'm not myself, you know.

  Caterpillar : I do not know.

  Alice : Well, I can't put it any more clearly, sir, for it isn't clear to me.

  Caterpillar : You? Who ARE you?

• Caterpillar : Recite.

  Alice : Oh. Yes sir. How doth the little busy bee improve each...

  Caterpillar : Stop. That is not spoken correctically. It goes: How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail. And pour the waters of the Nile, on every golden scale. How cheerfully he seems to grin, how neatly spreads his claws. And welcomes little fishes in with gently smiling jaws.

  Alice : Well, I must say, I've never heard it that way before.

  Caterpillar : I know. I have improoooved it.

• Caterpillar : By the way, I have a few more helpful hints. One side will make you grow taller...

  Alice : One side of what?

  Caterpillar : ...and the other side will make you grow shorter.

  Alice : The other side of what?

  Caterpillar : THE MUSHROOM, OF COURSE!

• [the Caterpillar has called a very frustrated Alice back so he can finish the conversation] 

  Alice : Well?

  Caterpillar : Keep your temper.

  Alice : Is that all?

  Caterpillar : No. "Exaketededly" what is your problem?

  Alice : Well its exak... exact... Its precisely this. I should like to be a little larger, sir.

  Caterpillar : Why?

  Alice : Well, after all, three inches is such a wretched height, and...

  Caterpillar : [suddenly angry]  *I* am "exaketededly" three inches high, and it is a very good height, in-*deed*!

  Alice : But I'm not used to it. And you needn't... *shout*!

• Alice : Oh dear, everything is *so* confusing.

  Caterpillar : It is not.

  Alice : Well, it is to me.

  Caterpillar : Why?

  Alice : Well, I can't remember things like I used to, and...

  Caterpillar : Recite.

• [repeated line] 

  Caterpillar : Who are you?