Alice Meets Tweedledee and Tweedledum, by Daniel Tenniel
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There appears to be a motif of characters that make their way into the mythology of Alice in Wonderland as well as the Looking Glass: the tricksters. It would seem that nearly all of the characters encountered in Wonderland or through the Looking Glass possess this characteristic to a certain extent, and this helps keep those worlds interesting and fun.
The first character, or characterS, in the Looking Glass to prominently show this characteristic is that of the duo of Tweedledee and Tweedledum: they evidently know where Alice wants to head off to, but they are reticent on the helpful details that simply help her on her way. They instead seek to waste her time with nonsensical puzzles and riddles, as well as games to distract her from her way. They also tell her oodles of long stories, even though Alice implores them to keep their stories short. And their first story is that of the Walrus and the Carpenter.
The Walrus and the Carpenter both serve as tricksters in their own story-world. The first occasion comes when they trick the oysters, who are so innocent and naive that they mindlessly follow the Walrus to a secluded place where he can eat them with the Carpenter. And not only this, but the Walrus keeps the largest, most succulent oysters hidden away in his handkerchief, so as not to share them with his partner in crime.
Another character that isn't necessarily in the Looking Glass stories is that of the Cheshire Cat: he too presents Alice with logical conundrums, with seemingly full knowledge that Alice doesn't realize the depths to which her reason has degraded whilst in Wonderland. He provides even a more complex task than Tweedledee and Tweedledum: he blatantly misleads and endangers Alice on multiple occasions without remorse. This not only makes him a trickster, but a dangerous one at that.
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