Mr. C and Mr. T is a story by Lewis Carroll, which he told many times. Unlike his famous story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland he never wrote it down, but fortunately some of the children he told the story to remembered it and wrote it down.
The story is not just a simple story, but is acompanied by a picture which is drawn while the story is told.
The story exists in two variants:
You can find the original of the stories together with some background (and many other works) in the Lewis Carroll Collection of Christ Church, Oxford.
I’ll tell you a story about two friends. One of them was called Mr. C.
His friend was called Mr. T.
One day Mr. C determined to go and see Mr. T’s new house, but he was not very sure of the way, so he took a path which he knew was in the right direction.
But the path was very hilly and frightfully muddy, so at the bottom of the first hill he slipped badly and fell in the mud.
However, nothing daunted, he picked himself up and scrambled back to the path.
But, alas, he had only gone a few yards when he fell again.
Up he scrambled again, muddier than ever, and went on.
Luckily, he came to a nice straight bit of the path.
But, alas, he was striding along a little too quickly and he came across another muddy bit and down the hill he fell again.
Very annoyed with himself, he scrambled up yet again.
But he had hardly got on the path when he slipped again.
And again he picked himself up
Then he came to a steep hill up.
However, he managed that alright, and then, to his delight, he saw Mr. T’s house in front of him with.
Mr. T came out to greet him and said “Do you like the lovely flowers in my garden?”
He also showed him the chimneys. “My fires never smoke because I have such good chimneys.”
Then Mr. T took him upstairs and showed him the lovely view from his windows.
They had a lovely tea together and much chat and Mr. T asked Mr. C which way he had come. When Mr. C told him, Mr. T said “Oh, that is entirely the wrong way. I will show you the proper way home,” and when he did so Mr. C found there was a perfectly good road, absolutely straight, and not muddy at all, back to his own home.
I’ll tell you a story about two friends. One of them was called Mr. C.
His friend was called Mr. T.
One day, Mr. C thought he would like to ask Mr. T to dinner, so he went across to his house.
Soon he arrived at Mr. T’s house.
But there were so many bushes round the door.
He had to climb up to the window. He knocked and called out: “Are you there, Mr. T?” but no answer.
So he climbed up a chimney and called down: “ARE you there Mr. T?”
No answer, and he climbed up the other chimney. “ARE YOU THERE?” he shouted. No answer.
So he banged on the other window: “ARE-YOU-THERE Mr. T?” This time a little voice said “Go downstairs and wait for me.”
When he came, he said he’d like to come for dinner and said “Let’s go home the other way.”
So they set off, and soon, DOWN fell Mr. T.
Mr. C helped his friend and pulled him up.
But then DOWN fell Mr. C.
This time Mr. T had to pull him up!
They went a bit further along the path.
But after a while DOWN fell Mr. T again!
Mr. C pulled him up again.
But now again down fell Mr. C.
Mr. T had to pull him up again.
After that, they walked very carefully till they got right home and what do you think they had for dinner?