` In my youth , ' said the sage , as he shook his grey locks , ' I kept all my limbs very supple By the use of this ointment -- one shilling the box -- Allow me to sell you a couple ? ' ` You are old , ' said the youth , ` and your jaws are too weak For anything tougher than suet ; Yet you finished the goose , with the bones and the beak -- Pray how did you manage to do it ? ' ` In my youth , ' said his father , ' I took to the law , And argued each case with my wife ; And the muscular strength , which it gave to my jaw , Has lasted the rest of my life . ' ` You are old , ' said the youth , ` one would hardly suppose That your eye was as steady as ever ; Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose -- What made you so awfully clever ? ' ' I have answered three questions , and that is enough , ' Said his father ; ` do n't give yourself airs ! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff ? Be off , or I 'll kick you down stairs ! ' ` That is not said right , ' said the Caterpillar . ` Not QUITE right , I 'm afraid , ' said Alice , timidly ; ` some of the words have got altered . ' ` It is wrong from beginning to end , ' said the Caterpillar decidedly , and there was silence for some minutes . The Caterpillar was the first to speak . ` What size do you want to be ? ' it asked . ` Oh , I 'm not particular as to size , ' Alice hastily replied ; ` only one does n't like changing so often , you know . ' ' I DO N'T know , ' said the Caterpillar . Alice said nothing : she had never been so much contradicted in her life before , and she felt that she was losing her temper . ` Are you content now ? ' said the Caterpillar . ` Well , I should like to be a LITTLE larger , sir , if you would n't mind , ' said Alice : ` three inches is such a wretched height to be . ' ` It is a very good height indeed ! '
said the Caterpillar angrily , rearing itself upright XXXXX it spoke -LRB- it was exactly three inches high -RRB- .
By For as before if in on than that with