the dark arch that led to the witch's cave was hung with a black-and-yellow fringe of live snakes. as the queen went in, keeping carefully in the middle of the arch, all the snakes lifted their wicked, flat heads and stared at her with their wicked, yellow eyes. you know it is not good manners to stare, even at royalty, except of course for cats. and the snakes had been so badly brought up that they even put their tongues out at the poor lady. nasty, thin, sharp tongues they were too.