[英文]绿野仙踪(英文版)-第17章

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　he　knew　the　little　girl　was　unhappy；　and　that　made　him　unhappy　too。
　　　　Now　the　Wicked　Witch　had　a　great　longing　to　have　for　her　own
the　Silver　Shoes　which　the　girl　always　wore。　　Her　bees　and　her
crows　and　her　wolves　were　lying　in　heaps　and　drying　up；　and　she
had　used　up　all　the　power　of　the　Golden　Cap；　but　if　she　could
only　get　hold　of　the　Silver　Shoes；　they　would　give　her　more　power
than　all　the　other　things　she　had　lost。　　She　watched　Dorothy　carefully；
to　see　if　she　ever　took　off　her　shoes；　thinking　she　might　steal　them。
But　the　child　was　so　proud　of　her　pretty　shoes　that　she　never　took
them　off　except　at　night　and　when　she　took　her　bath。　　The　Witch　was
too　much　afraid　of　the　dark　to　dare　go　in　Dorothy's　room　at　night
to　take　the　shoes；　and　her　dread　of　water　was　greater　than　her
fear　of　the　dark；　so　she　never　came　near　when　Dorothy　was　bathing。
Indeed；　the　old　Witch　never　touched　water；　nor　ever　let　water
touch　her　in　any　way。
　　　　But　the　wicked　creature　was　very　cunning；　and　she　finally　thought　of
a　trick　that　would　give　her　what　she　wanted。　　She　placed　a　bar　of　iron
in　the　middle　of　the　kitchen　floor；　and　then　by　her　magic　arts　made　the
iron　invisible　to　human　eyes。　　So　that　when　Dorothy　walked　across　the　floor
she　stumbled　over　the　bar；　not　being　able　to　see　it；　and　fell　at　full　length。
She　was　not　much　hurt；　but　in　her　fall　one　of　the　Silver　Shoes　came　off；　and
before　she　could　reach　it；　the　Witch　had　snatched　it　away　and　put　it　on　her
own　skinny　foot。
　　　　The　wicked　woman　was　greatly　pleased　with　the　success　of　her　trick；
for　as　long　as　she　had　one　of　the　shoes　she　owned　half　the　power　of
their　charm；　and　Dorothy　could　not　use　it　against　her；　even　had　she
known　how　to　do　so。
　　　　The　little　girl；　seeing　she　had　lost　one　of　her　pretty　shoes；
grew　angry；　and　said　to　the　Witch；　〃Give　me　back　my　shoe！〃
　　　　〃I　will　not；〃　retorted　the　Witch；　〃for　it　is　now　my　shoe；　and
not　yours。〃
　　　　〃You　are　a　wicked　creature！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃You　have　no　right
to　take　my　shoe　from　me。〃
　　　　〃I　shall　keep　it；　just　the　same；〃　said　the　Witch；　laughing　at　her；
〃and　someday　I　shall　get　the　other　one　from　you；　too。〃
　　　　This　made　Dorothy　so　very　angry　that　she　picked　up　the　bucket
of　water　that　stood　near　and　dashed　it　over　the　Witch；　wetting　her
from　head　to　foot。
　　　　Instantly　the　wicked　woman　gave　a　loud　cry　of　fear；　and　then；　as
Dorothy　looked　at　her　in　wonder；　the　Witch　began　to　shrink　and　fall　away。
　　　　〃See　what　you　have　done！〃　she　screamed。　　〃In　a　minute　I　shall　melt　away。〃
　　　　〃I'm　very　sorry；　indeed；〃　said　Dorothy；　who　was　truly　frightened　to
see　the　Witch　actually　melting　away　like　brown　sugar　before　her　very　eyes。
　　　　〃Didn't　you　know　water　would　be　the　end　of　me？〃　asked　the
Witch；　in　a　wailing；　despairing　voice。
　　　　〃Of　course　not；〃　answered　Dorothy。　　〃How　should　I？〃
　　　　〃Well；　in　a　few　minutes　I　shall　be　all　melted；　and　you　will
have　the　castle　to　yourself。　　I　have　been　wicked　in　my　day；　but　I
never　thought　a　little　girl　like　you　would　ever　be　able　to　melt　me
and　end　my　wicked　deeds。　　Look　outhere　I　go！〃
　　　　With　these　words　the　Witch　fell　down　in　a　brown；　melted；
shapeless　mass　and　began　to　spread　over　the　clean　boards　of　the
kitchen　floor。　　Seeing　that　she　had　really　melted　away　to　nothing；
Dorothy　drew　another　bucket　of　water　and　threw　it　over　the　mess。
She　then　swept　it　all　out　the　door。　　After　picking　out　the　silver
shoe；　which　was　all　that　was　left　of　the　old　woman；　she　cleaned
and　dried　it　with　a　cloth；　and　put　it　on　her　foot　again。　　Then；
being　at　last　free　to　do　as　she　chose；　she　ran　out　to　the
courtyard　to　tell　the　Lion　that　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West　had
come　to　an　end；　and　that　they　were　no　longer　prisoners　in　a
strange　land。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　13。　　The　Rescue

　　　　The　Cowardly　Lion　was　much　pleased　to　hear　that　the　Wicked
Witch　had　been　melted　by　a　bucket　of　water；　and　Dorothy　at　once
unlocked　the　gate　of　his　prison　and　set　him　free。　　They　went　in
together　to　the　castle；　where　Dorothy's　first　act　was　to　call　all
the　Winkies　together　and　tell　them　that　they　were　no　longer　slaves。
　　　　There　was　great　rejoicing　among　the　yellow　Winkies；　for　they
had　been　made　to　work　hard　during　many　years　for　the　Wicked　Witch；
who　had　always　treated　them　with　great　cruelty。　　They　kept　this
day　as　a　holiday；　then　and　ever　after；　and　spent　the　time　in
feasting　and　dancing。
　　　　〃If　our　friends；　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman；　were　only
with　us；〃　said　the　Lion；　〃I　should　be　quite　happy。〃
　　　　〃Don't　you　suppose　we　could　rescue　them？〃　asked　the　girl　anxiously。
　　　　〃We　can　try；〃　answered　the　Lion。
　　　　So　they　called　the　yellow　Winkies　and　asked　them　if　they　would
help　to　rescue　their　friends；　and　the　Winkies　said　that　they　would
be　delighted　to　do　all　in　their　power　for　Dorothy；　who　had　set　them
free　from　bondage。　　So　she　chose　a　number　of　the　Winkies　who　looked
as　if　they　knew　the　most；　and　they　all　started　away。　　They　traveled
that　day　and　part　of　the　next　until　they　came　to　the　rocky　plain
where　the　Tin　Woodman　lay；　all　battered　and　bent。　　His　axe　was　near　him；
but　the　blade　was　rusted　and　the　handle　broken　off　short。
　　　　The　Winkies　lifted　him　tenderly　in　their　arms；　and　carried　him
back　to　the　Yellow　Castle　again；　Dorothy　shedding　a　few　tears　by
the　way　at　the　sad　plight　of　her　old　friend；　and　the　Lion　looking
sober　and　sorry。　　When　they　reached　the　castle　Dorothy　said　to　the
Winkies：
　　　　〃Are　any　of　your　people　tinsmiths？〃
　　　　〃Oh；　yes。　　Some　of　us　are　very　good　tinsmiths；〃　they　told　her。
　　　　〃Then　bring　them　to　me；〃　she　said。　　And　when　the　tinsmiths　came；
bringing　with　them　all　their　tools　in　baskets；　she　inquired；
〃Can　you　straighten　out　those　dents　in　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　bend　him
back　into　shape　again；　and　solder　him　together　where　he　is　broken？〃
　　　　The　tinsmiths　looked　the　Woodman　over　carefully　and　then
answered　that　they　thought　they　could　mend　him　so　he　would　be　as
good　as　ever。　　So　they　set　to　work　in　one　of　the　big　yellow　rooms
of　the　castle　and　worked　for　three　days　and　four　nights；　hammering
and　twisting　and　bending　and　soldering　and　polishing　and　pounding
at　the　legs　and　body　and　head　of　the　Tin　Woodman；　until　at　last　he
was　straightened　out　into　his　old　form；　and　his　joints　worked　as
well　as　ever。　　To　be　sure；　there　were　several　patches　on　him；　but
the　tinsmiths　did　a　good　job；　and　as　the　Woodman　was　not　a　vain
man　he　did　not　mind　the　patches　at　all。
　　　　When；　at　last；　he　walked　into　Dorothy's　room　and　thanked　her
for　rescuing　him；　he　was　so　pleased　that　he　wept　tears　of　joy；
and　Dorothy　had　to　wipe　every　tear　carefully　from　his　face　with
her　apron；　so　his　joints　would　not　be　rusted。　　At　the　same　time
her　own　tears　fell　thick　and　fast　at　the　joy　of　meeting　her　old
friend　again；　and　these　tears　did　not　need　to　be　wiped　away。　　As
for　the　Lion；　he　wiped　his　eyes　so　often　with　the　tip　of　his　tail
that　it　became　quite　wet；　and　he　was　obliged　to　go　out　into　the
courtyard　and　hold　it　in　the　sun　till　it　dried。
　　　　〃If　we　only　had　the　Scarecrow　with　us　again；〃　said　the
Tin　Woodman；　when　Dorothy　had　finished　telling　him　everything
that　had　happened；　〃I　should　be　quite　happy。〃
　　　　〃We　must　try　to　find　him；〃　said　the　girl。
　　　　So　she　called　the　Winkies　to　help　her；　and　they　walked　all　that　day
and　part　of　the　next　until　they　came　to　the　tall　tree　in　the　branches　of
which　the　Winged　Monkeys　had　tossed　the　carecrow's　clothes。
　　　　It　was　a　very　tall　tree；　and　the　trunk　was　so　smooth　that　no
one　could　climb　it；　but　the　Woodman　said　at　once；　〃I'll　chop　it
down；　and　then　we　can　get　the　Scarecrow's　clothes。〃
　　　　Now　while　the　tinsmiths　had　been　at　work　mending　the　Woodman
himself；　another　of　the　Winkies；　who　was　a　goldsmith；　had　made　an
axe…handle　of　solid　gold　and　fitted　it　to　the　Woodman's　axe；
instead　of　the　old　broken　handle。　　Others　polished　the　blade　until
all　the　rust　was　removed　and　it　glistened　like　burnished　silver。
　　　　As　soon　as　he　had　spoken；　the　Tin　Woodman　began　to　chop；　and　in　a
short　time　the　tree　fell　over　with　a　crash；　whereupon　the　Scarecrow's
clothes　fell　out　of　the　branches　and　rolled　off　on　the　ground。
　　　　Dorothy　picked　them　up　and　had　the　Winkies　carry　them　back　to
the　cas