dorothy and the wizard in oz-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃But　I　am　never　hurt；〃　said　the　Sawhorse。　　〃Once　in　a　while　I　get

broken　up　some；　but　I　am　easily　repaired　and　put　in　good　order　again。

And　I　never　feel　a　break　or　a　splinter　in　the　least。〃



Jim　was　almost　tempted　to　envy　the　wooden　horse　for　being　unable　to

feel　pain；　but　the　creature　was　so　absurdly　unnatural　that　he　decided

he　would　not　change　places　with　it　under　any　circumstances。



〃How　did　you　happen　to　be　shod　with　gold？〃　he　asked。



〃Princess　Ozma　did　that；〃　was　the　reply；　〃and　it　saves　my　legs　from

wearing　out。　　We've　had　a　good　many　adventures　together；　Ozma　and　I；

and　she　likes　me。〃



The　cab…horse　was　about　to　reply　when　suddenly　he　gave　a　start　and　a

neigh　of　terror　and　stood　trembling　like　a　leaf。　　For　around　the

corner　had　come　two　enormous　savage　beasts；　treading　so　lightly　that

they　were　upon　him　before　he　was　aware　of　their　presence。　　Jim　was　in

the　act　of　plunging　down　the　path　to　escape　when　the　Sawhorse　cried　out：



〃Stop；　my　brother！　　Stop；　Real　Horse！　　These　are　friends；　and　will　do

you　no　harm。〃



Jim　hesitated；　eyeing　the　beasts　fearfully。　　One　was　an　enormous　Lion

with　clear；　intelligent　eyes；　a　tawney　mane　bushy　and　well　kept；　and　a

body　like　yellow　plush。　　The　other　was　a　great　Tiger　with　purple

stripes　around　his　lithe　body；　powerful　limbs；　and　eyes　that　showed

through　the　half　closed　lids　like　coals　of　fire。　　The　huge　forms　of

these　monarchs　of　the　forest　and　jungle　were　enough　to　strike　terror

to　the　stoutest　heart；　and　it　is　no　wonder　Jim　was　afraid　to　face　them。



But　the　Sawhorse　introduced　the　stranger　in　a　calm　tone；　saying：



〃This；　noble　Horse；　is　my　friend　the　Cowardly　Lion；　who　is　the　valiant　King

of　the　Forest；　but　at　the　same　time　a　faithful　vassal　of　Princess　Ozma。

And　this　is　the　Hungry　Tiger；　the　terror　of　the　jungle；　who　longs　to

devour　fat　babies　but　is　prevented　by　his　conscience　from　doing　so。

These　royal　beasts　are　both　warm　friends　of　little　Dorothy　and　have　come

to　the　Emerald　City　this　morning　to　welcome　her　to　our　fairyland。〃



Hearing　these　words　Jim　resolved　to　conquer　his　alarm。　　He　bowed　his

head　with　as　much　dignity　as　he　could　muster　toward　the　savage　looking

beasts；　who　in　return　nodded　in　a　friendly　way。



〃Is　not　the　Real　Horse　a　beautiful　animal？〃　asked　the　Sawhorse　admiringly。



〃That　is　doubtless　a　matter　of　taste；〃　returned　the　Lion。　　〃In　the

forest　he　would　be　thought　ungainly；　because　his　face　is　stretched　out

and　his　neck　is　uselessly　long。　　His　joints；　I　notice；　are　swollen　and

overgrown；　and　he　lacks　flesh　and　is　old　in　years。〃



〃And　dreadfully　tough；〃　added　the　Hungry　Tiger；　in　a　sad　voice。　　〃My

conscience　would　never　permit　me　to　eat　so　tough　a　morsel

as　the　Real　Horse。〃



〃I'm　glad　of　that；〃　said　Jim；　〃for　I；　also；　have　a　conscience；　and　it

tells　me　not　to　crush　in　your　skull　with　a　blow　of　my　powerful　hoof。〃



If　he　thought　to　frighten　the　striped　beast　by　such　language　he　was

mistaken。　　The　Tiger　seemed　to　smile；　and　winked　one　eye　slowly。



〃You　have　a　good　conscience；　friend　Horse；〃　it　said；　〃and　if　you

attend　to　its　teachings　it　will　do　much　to　protect　you　from　harm。

Some　day　I　will　let　you　try　to　crush　in　my　skull；　and　afterward　you

will　know　more　about　tigers　than　you　do　now。〃



〃Any　friend　of　Dorothy；〃　remarked　the　Cowardly　Lion；　〃must　be　our

friend；　as　well。　　So　let　us　cease　this　talk　of　skull　crushing　and

converse　upon　more　pleasant　subjects。　　Have　you　breakfasted；　Sir　Horse？〃



〃Not　yet；〃　replied　Jim。　　〃But　here　is　plenty　of　excellent　clover；　so

if　you　will　excuse　me　I　will　eat　now。〃



〃He's　a　vegetarian；〃　remarked　the　Tiger；　as　the　horse　began　to　munch

the　clover。　　〃If　I　could　eat　grass　I　would　not　need　a　conscience；　for

nothing　could　then　tempt　me　to　devour　babies　and　lambs。〃



Just　then　Dorothy；　who　had　risen　early　and　heard　the　voices　of　the

animals；　ran　out　to　greet　her　old　friends。　　She　hugged　both　the　Lion

and　the　Tiger　with　eager　delight；　but　seemed　to　love　the　King　of

Beasts　a　little　better　than　she　did　his　hungry　friend；　having　known

him　longer。



By　this　time　they　had　indulged　in　a　good　talk　and　Dorothy　had　told

them　all　about　the　awful　earthquake　and　her　recent　adventures；　the

breakfast　bell　rang　from　the　palace　and　the　little　girl　went　inside　to

join　her　human　comrades。　　As　she　entered　the　great　hall　a　voice　called

out；　in　a　rather　harsh　tone：



〃What！　are　YOU　here　again？〃



〃Yes；　I　am；〃　she　answered；　looking　all　around　to　see　where　the　voice

came　from。



〃What　brought　you　back？〃　was　the　next　question；　and　Dorothy's　eye

rested　on　an　antlered　head　hanging　on　the　wall　just　over　the

fireplace；　and　caught　its　lips　in　the　act　of　moving。



〃Good　gracious！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　thought　you　were　stuffed。〃



〃So　I　am；〃　replied　the　head。　　〃But　once　on　a　time　I　was　part　of　the

Gump；　which　Ozma　sprinkled　with　the　Powder　of　Life。　　I　was　then　for　a

time　the　Head　of　the　finest　Flying　Machine　that　was　ever　known　to

exist；　and　we　did　many　wonderful　things。　　Afterward　the　Gump　was　taken

apart　and　I　was　put　back　on　this　wall；　but　I　can　still　talk　when　I

feel　in　the　mood；　which　is　not　often。〃



〃It's　very　strange；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃What　were　you　when　you　were

first　alive？〃



〃That　I　have　forgotten；〃　replied　the　Gump's　Head；　〃and　I　do　not　think

it　is　of　much　importance。　　But　here　comes　Ozma；　so　I'd　better　hush　up；

for　the　Princess　doesn't　like　me　to　chatter　since　she　changed　her　name

from　Tip　to　Ozma。〃



Just　then　the　girlish　Ruler　of　Oz　opened　the　door　and　greeted　Dorothy

with　a　good…morning　kiss。　　The　little　Princess　seemed　fresh　and　rosy

and　in　good　spirits。



〃Breakfast　is　served；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am　hungry。　　So　don't　let

us　keep　it　waiting　a　single　minute。〃







17。　　The　Nine　Tiny　Piglets





After　breakfast　Ozma　announced　that　she　had　ordered　a　holiday　to　be

observed　throughout　the　Emerald　City；　in　honor　of　her　visitors。　　The

people　had　learned　that　their　old　Wizard　had　returned　to　them　and　all

were　anxious　to　see　him　again；　for　he　had　always　been　a　rare　favorite。

So　first　there　was　to　be　a　grand　procession　through　the　streets；　after

which　the　little　old　man　was　requested　to　perform　some　of　his

wizardries　in　the　great　Throne　Room　of　the　palace。　　In　the　afternoon

there　were　to　be　games　and　races。



The　procession　was　very　imposing。　　First　came　the　Imperial　Cornet　Band

of　Oz；　dressed　in　emerald　velvet　uniforms　with　slashes　of　pea…green

satin　and　buttons　of　immense　cut　emeralds。　　They　played　the　National

air　called　〃The　Oz　Spangled　Banner；〃　and　behind　them　were　the　standard

bearers　with　the　Royal　flag。　　This　flag　was　divided　into　four

quarters；　one　being　colored　sky…blue；　another　pink；　a　third　lavender

and　a　fourth　white。　　In　the　center　was　a　large　emerald…green　star；　and

all　over　the　four　quarters　were　sewn　spangles　that　glittered

beautifully　in　the　sunshine。　　The　colors　represented　the　four

countries　of　Oz；　and　the　green　star　the　Emerald　City。



Just　behind　the　royal　standard…bearers　came　the　Princess　Ozma　in　her

royal　chariot；　which　was　of　gold　encrusted　with　emeralds　and　diamonds

set　in　exquisite　designs。　　The　chariot　was　drawn　on　this　occasion　by

the　Cowardly　Lion　and　the　Hungry　Tiger；　who　were　decorated　with

immense　pink　and　blue　bows。　　In　the　chariot　rode　Ozma　and　Dorothy；　the

former　in　splendid　raiment　and　wearing　her　royal　coronet；　while　the

little　Kansas　girl　wore　around　her　waist　the　Magic　Belt　she　had　once

captured　from　the　Nome　King。



Following　the　chariot　came　the　Scarecrow　mounted　on　the　Sawhorse；　and

the　people　cheered　him　almost　as　loudly　as　they　did　their　lovely

Ruler。　　Behind　him　stalked　with　regular；　jerky　steps；　the　famous

machine…man　called　Tik…tok；　who　had　been　wound　up　by　Dorothy　for　the

occasion。　　Tik…tok　moved　by　clockwork；　and　was　made　all　of　burnished

copper。　　He　really　belonged　to　the　Kansas　girl；　who　had　much　respect

for　his　thoughts　after　they　had　been　properly　wound　and　set　going；　but

as　the　copper　man　would　be　useless　in　any　place　but　a　fairy　country

Dorothy　had　left　him　in　charge　of　Ozma；　who　saw　that　he　was　suitably

cared　for。



There　followed　another　band　after　this；　which　was　called　the　Royal

Court　Band；　because　the　members　all　lived　in　the　palace。　　They　wore

white　uniforms　with　real　diamond　buttons　and　played　〃What　is　Oz

without　Ozma〃　very　sweetly。



Then　came　Professor　Woggle…Bug；　with　a　group　of　students　from　the

Royal　College　of　Scientific　Athletics。　　The　boys　wore　long　hair　and

striped　sweaters　and　yelled　their　college　yell　every　other　step　they

took；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　populace；　which　was　glad　to

have　this　evidence　that　their　lungs　were　in　good　condition。



The　brilliantly　polished　Tin　Woodman　marched　next；　at　the　head　of　the

Royal　Army　of　Oz　which　consisted　of　twenty…eight　officers；　from

Generals　down　to　Captains。　　There　were　no　privates　in　the　army　because

all　were　so　courageous　and　skillful