La reina y el despertar

The queen and the awakening

Adapted from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll.

El jardín que Alicia había deseado conocer estaba gobernado por una reina cuya autoridad dependía de amenazas. Ni el croquet, con animales por utensilios, ni el juicio por el robo de unas tartas respetaban reglas comprensibles. Los testigos aportaban confusión, y la Reina de Corazones pretendía imponer la sentencia antes del veredicto. Alicia empezó a distinguir entre una orden pronunciada con fuerza y una razón que mereciera obediencia.

Conforme recuperaba su tamaño, dejó de tener miedo y redujo a sus jueces a lo que eran: una baraja. Las cartas se abalanzaron sobre ella, pero su supuesto poder terminó al despertar. Al final solo quedaban el río, su hermana y unas hojas caídas sobre su rostro. Alicia contó el sueño y se fue; su hermana conservó por un momento la posibilidad de mirar el mundo con aquella imaginación.

The garden Alice had longed to discover was governed by a queen whose authority depended on threats. Neither croquet, with animals as equipment, nor the trial over stolen tarts followed understandable rules. The witnesses added confusion, and the Queen of Hearts intended to impose the sentence before the verdict. Alice began to distinguish between an order spoken forcefully and a reason that deserved obedience.

As she regained her size, she stopped being afraid and reduced her judges to what they were: a deck of cards. The cards lunged at her, but their supposed power ended when she woke. In the end only the river, her sister and some leaves that had fallen on her face remained. Alice told her dream and left; for a moment, her sister retained the possibility of seeing the world with that imagination.

Key Phrases

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tener miedo

to be afraid

Names the fear Alice stops feeling toward the court.

Al final

in the end

Marks the conclusion of her adventure.

baraja

deck of cards

The playing cards that make up the queen’s court.

You’ve reached the end of this reader.

Original source and edition

Adapted from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll.

A short, abridged Spanish retelling by Read Spanish Daily, adapted from the original English novel. Events and dialogue are simplified for each reading level; this is not the complete novel or a literal translation.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland — Project Gutenberg eBook 11, English text. Project Gutenberg, 2008.

Original source and edition →