The Mock Turtle drew a long breath and said, 'That's very curious' 

Arthur Rackham brings us this ink and watercolor illustration, populated by figures that swim in the depths of our cultural memory. Here, Alice sits between the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon—mythical creatures that blend animal forms. The turtle, often a symbol of longevity and wisdom, is made mock through the addition of a calf’s head, a grotesque hybrid suggesting the absurd distortions of the subconscious mind. Beside her is the griffin, a chimera of eagle and lion, long associated with guardianship and power. These hybrid creatures are not unique to Rackham, but echo through history, from ancient Egyptian sphinxes to medieval bestiaries. The image speaks to the enduring human fascination with the merging of different forms, embodying both the monstrous and the marvelous. Such symbols tap into our primal anxieties and desires, surfacing in dreams and fantasies across cultures and epochs. Rackham's use of these characters evokes a powerful, emotional connection. The way they converge reflects the collective, often irrational, narratives that shape our understanding of the world.