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第22章

the wonderful wizard of oz-第22章

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this country; and they ruled the people who live in the North and

South and East and West。  Fortunately; the Witches of the North

and South were good; and I knew they would do me no harm; but the

Witches of the East and West were terribly wicked; and had they

not thought I was more powerful than they themselves; they would

surely have destroyed me。  As it was; I lived in deadly fear of

them for many years; so you can imagine how pleased I was when

I heard your house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East。

When you came to me; I was willing to promise anything if you

would only do away with the other Witch; but; now that you have

melted her; I am ashamed to say that I cannot keep my promises。〃



    〃I think you are a very bad man;〃 said Dorothy。



    〃Oh; no; my dear; I'm really a very good man; but I'm a very

bad Wizard; I must admit。〃



    〃Can't you give me brains?〃 asked the Scarecrow。



    〃You don't need them。  You are learning something every day。

A baby has brains; but it doesn't know much。  Experience is the

only thing that brings knowledge; and the longer you are on earth

the more experience you are sure to get。〃



    〃That may all be true;〃 said the Scarecrow; 〃but I shall be

very unhappy unless you give me brains。〃



    The false Wizard looked at him carefully。



    〃Well;〃 he said with a sigh; 〃I'm not much of a magician;

as I said; but if you will come to me tomorrow morning; I will

stuff your head with brains。  I cannot tell you how to use them;

however; you must find that out for yourself。〃



    〃Oh; thank youthank you!〃 cried the Scarecrow。  〃I'll find

a way to use them; never fear!〃



    〃But how about my courage?〃 asked the Lion anxiously。



    〃You have plenty of courage; I am sure;〃 answered Oz。  〃All you need

is confidence in yourself。  There is no living thing that is not afraid

when it faces danger。  The True courage is in facing danger when you are

afraid; and that kind of courage you have in plenty。〃



    〃Perhaps I have; but I'm scared just the same;〃 said the Lion。

〃I shall really be very unhappy unless you give me the sort of

courage that makes one forget he is afraid。〃



    〃Very well; I will give you that sort of courage tomorrow;〃

replied Oz。



    〃How about my heart?〃 asked the Tin Woodman。



    〃Why; as for that;〃 answered Oz; 〃I think you are wrong to

want a heart。  It makes most people unhappy。  If you only knew it;

you are in luck not to have a heart。〃



    〃That must be a matter of opinion;〃 said the Tin Woodman。

〃For my part; I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur;

if you will give me the heart。〃



    〃Very well;〃 answered Oz meekly。  〃Come to me tomorrow and you

shall have a heart。  I have played Wizard for so many years that I

may as well continue the part a little longer。〃



    〃And now;〃 said Dorothy; 〃how am I to get back to Kansas?〃



    〃We shall have to think about that;〃 replied the little man。

〃Give me two or three days to consider the matter and I'll try to

find a way to carry you over the desert。  In the meantime you

shall all be treated as my guests; and while you live in the Palace

my people will wait upon you and obey your slightest wish。  There is

only one thing I ask in return for my helpsuch as it is。  You must

keep my secret and tell no one I am a humbug。〃



    They agreed to say nothing of what they had learned; and went

back to their rooms in high spirits。  Even Dorothy had hope that

〃The Great and Terrible Humbug;〃 as she called him; would find a

way to send her back to Kansas; and if he did she was willing to

forgive him everything。









              16。  The Magic Art of the Great Humbug





    Next morning the Scarecrow said to his friends:



    〃Congratulate me。  I am going to Oz to get my brains at last。

When I return I shall be as other men are。〃



    〃I have always liked you as you were;〃 said Dorothy simply。



    〃It is kind of you to like a Scarecrow;〃 he replied。  〃But surely

you will think more of me when you hear the splendid thoughts my new

brain is going to turn out。〃  Then he said good…bye to them all in a

cheerful voice and went to the Throne Room; where he rapped upon the door。



    〃Come in;〃 said Oz。



    The Scarecrow went in and found the little man sitting down by

the window; engaged in deep thought。



    〃I have come for my brains;〃 remarked the Scarecrow; a little uneasily。



    〃Oh; yes; sit down in that chair; please;〃 replied Oz。  〃You must

excuse me for taking your head off; but I shall have to do it in order

to put your brains in their proper place。〃



    〃That's all right;〃 said the Scarecrow。  〃You are quite welcome to take

my head off; as long as it will be a better one when you put it on again。〃



    So the Wizard unfastened his head and emptied out the straw。

Then he entered the back room and took up a measure of bran; which

he mixed with a great many pins and needles。  Having shaken them

together thoroughly; he filled the top of the Scarecrow's head with

the mixture and stuffed the rest of the space with straw; to hold

it in place。



    When he had fastened the Scarecrow's head on his body again he

said to him; 〃Hereafter you will be a great man; for I have given

you a lot of bran…new brains。〃



    The Scarecrow was both pleased and proud at the fulfillment of

his greatest wish; and having thanked Oz warmly he went back to

his friends。



    Dorothy looked at him curiously。  His head was quite bulged

out at the top with brains。



    〃How do you feel?〃 she asked。



    〃I feel wise indeed;〃 he answered earnestly。  〃When I get used

to my brains I shall know everything。〃



    〃Why are those needles and pins sticking out of your head?〃

asked the Tin Woodman。



    〃That is proof that he is sharp;〃 remarked the Lion。



    〃Well; I must go to Oz and get my heart;〃 said the Woodman。

So he walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door。



    〃Come in;〃 called Oz; and the Woodman entered and said;

〃I have come for my heart。〃



    〃Very well;〃 answered the little man。  〃But I shall have to cut

a hole in your breast; so I can put your heart in the right place。

I hope it won't hurt you。〃



    〃Oh; no;〃 answered the Woodman。  〃I shall not feel it at all。〃



    So Oz brought a pair of tinsmith's shears and cut a small;

square hole in the left side of the Tin Woodman's breast。

Then; going to a chest of drawers; he took out a pretty heart;

made entirely of silk and stuffed with sawdust。



    〃Isn't it a beauty?〃 he asked。



    〃It is; indeed!〃 replied the Woodman; who was greatly pleased。

〃But is it a kind heart?〃



    〃Oh; very!〃 answered Oz。  He put the heart in the Woodman's

breast and then replaced the square of tin; soldering it neatly

together where it had been cut。



    〃There;〃 said he; 〃now you have a heart that any man might be

proud of。  I'm sorry I had to put a patch on your breast; but it

really couldn't be helped。〃



    〃Never mind the patch;〃 exclaimed the happy Woodman。  〃I am

very grateful to you; and shall never forget your kindness。〃



    〃Don't speak of it;〃 replied Oz。



    Then the Tin Woodman went back to his friends; who wished him

every joy on account of his good fortune。



    The Lion now walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door。



    〃Come in;〃 said Oz。



    〃I have come for my courage;〃 announced the Lion; entering the room。



    〃Very well;〃 answered the little man; 〃I will get it for you。〃



    He went to a cupboard and reaching up to a high shelf took

down a square green bottle; the contents of which he poured into

a green…gold dish; beautifully carved。  Placing this before the

Cowardly Lion; who sniffed at it as if he did not like it; the

Wizard said:



    〃Drink。〃



    〃What is it?〃 asked the Lion。



    〃Well;〃 answered O

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