"Would not a slate be better," said Nelly politely, "and then you could copy it neatly into your book afterwards, you know. That's the way we do at school."
"Well, yes, perhaps that would be best. I might make a blot."
Nellie got her slate and a piece of pencil with a nice point. The Queen took it, and sat for about five minutes groaning and turning up her eyes to the ceiling, but nothing came of it. Nellie watched her anxiously.
"Have you not 'most finished?" she asked after a while.
"Could you tell me how to spell honey?" asked the Queen. "I quite forget, it is so long since I went to school."
"I don't know," said Nellie, "I have not learned that yet. I'll get the dictionary.
"There now," said the Queen triumphantly, holding up the slate for Nellie to look at. It was written in large round letters, something like Nellie's writing, with double lines to keep it even.
"Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Dear, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Nellie's so long making tea!
She promised to give me some bread and some honey,
Some cake and some jam--I gave her the money,
What can she be doing? It is very funny, I do want
my afternoon tea."
"There," said the Queen with a deep sigh, "you can't say I never wrote any poetry. By-the-by, don't you think it's nearly time the pie was done?"
"Pie?" asked Nellie, looking surprised.