Alice comes face to face with the March Hare and Mad Hatter.A table has been set under a tree, and both the March Hare and Mad Hatter are in festive moods.He asks her, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Alice's answer instigates a long argument over semantics. When it ends, they sit in silence until the Mad Hatter asks the March Hare for the time. When he realizes the March Hare's watch is broken, the Mad Hatter gets angry. He blames the March Hare for breaking the watch while spreading butter on bread. In retaliation, the March Hare dips the watch into his tea, saying, "It was the best butter."When Alice scolds the Mad Hatter for his rudeness, he responds with a riddle.When Alice realizes that the Mad Hatter does not know the answers to his own riddle, she cautions him against telling them, saying that he is wasting "time." The Mad Hatter responds that "Time" is a "he," not an "it."In part rebuttal and part self-defense, the March Hare informs Alice that she too is uncivil to sit down without an invitation.Soon, the Mad Hatter joins the conversation by informing Alice that she needs a haircut.Alice reprimands the March Hare for his incivility.