[英文]绿野仙踪(英文版)-第8章

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When　Oz　gives　me　a　heart　of　course　I　needn't　mind　so　much。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　7。　　The　Journey　to　the　Great　Oz

　　　　They　were　obliged　to　camp　out　that　night　under　a　large　tree　in
the　forest；　for　there　were　no　houses　near。　　The　tree　made　a　good；
thick　covering　to　protect　them　from　the　dew；　and　the　Tin　Woodman
chopped　a　great　pile　of　wood　with　his　axe　and　Dorothy　built　a
splendid　fire　that　warmed　her　and　made　her　feel　less　lonely。　　She
and　Toto　ate　the　last　of　their　bread；　and　now　she　did　not　know
what　they　would　do　for　breakfast。
　　　　〃If　you　wish；〃　said　the　Lion；　〃I　will　go　into　the　forest　and
kill　a　deer　for　you。　　You　can　roast　it　by　the　fire；　since　your
tastes　are　so　peculiar　that　you　prefer　cooked　food；　and　then　you
will　have　a　very　good　breakfast。〃
　　　　〃Don't！　　Please　don't；〃　begged　the　Tin　Woodman。　　〃I　should
certainly　weep　if　you　killed　a　poor　deer；　and　then　my　jaws　would
rust　again。〃
　　　　But　the　Lion　went　away　into　the　forest　and　found　his　own　supper；
and　no　one　ever　knew　what　it　was；　for　he　didn't　mention　it。　　And　the
Scarecrow　found　a　tree　full　of　nuts　and　filled　Dorothy's　basket　with　them；
so　that　she　would　not　be　hungry　for　a　long　time。　　She　thought　this　was
very　kind　and　thoughtful　of　the　Scarecrow；　but　she　laughed　heartily　at　the
awkward　way　in　which　the　poor　creature　picked　up　the　nuts。　　His　padded
hands　were　so　clumsy　and　the　nuts　were　so　small　that　he　dropped　almost
as　many　as　he　put　in　the　basket。　　But　the　Scarecrow　did　not　mind　how　long
it　took　him　to　fill　the　basket；　for　it　enabled　him　to　keep　away　from　the　fire；
as　he　feared　a　spark　might　get　into　his　straw　and　burn　him　up。　　So　he　kept　a
good　distance　away　from　the　flames；　and　only　came　near　to　cover　Dorothy　with
dry　leaves　when　she　lay　down　to　sleep。　　These　kept　her　very　snug　and　warm；
and　she　slept　soundly　until　morning。
　　　　When　it　was　daylight；　the　girl　bathed　her　face　in　a　little　rippling　brook；
and　soon　after　they　all　started　toward　the　Emerald　City。
　　　　This　was　to　be　an　eventful　day　for　the　travelers。　　They　had
hardly　been　walking　an　hour　when　they　saw　before　them　a　great
ditch　that　crossed　the　road　and　divided　the　forest　as　far　as　they
could　see　on　either　side。　　It　was　a　very　wide　ditch；　and　when　they
crept　up　to　the　edge　and　looked　into　it　they　could　see　it　was　also
very　deep；　and　there　were　many　big；　jagged　rocks　at　the　bottom。
The　sides　were　so　steep　that　none　of　them　could　climb　down；　and
for　a　moment　it　seemed　that　their　journey　must　end。
　　　　〃What　shall　we　do？〃　asked　Dorothy　despairingly。
　　　　〃I　haven't　the　faintest　idea；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　the
Lion　shook　his　shaggy　mane　and　looked　thoughtful。
　　　　But　the　Scarecrow　said；　〃We　cannot　fly；　that　is　certain。
Neither　can　we　climb　down　into　this　great　ditch。　　Therefore；
if　we　cannot　jump　over　it；　we　must　stop　where　we　are。〃
　　　　〃I　think　I　could　jump　over　it；〃　said　the　Cowardly　Lion；　after
measuring　the　distance　carefully　in　his　mind。
　　　　〃Then　we　are　all　right；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow；　〃for　you　can
carry　us　all　over　on　your　back；　one　at　a　time。〃
　　　　〃Well；　I'll　try　it；〃　said　the　Lion。　　〃Who　will　go　first？〃
　　　　〃I　will；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow；　〃for；　if　you　found　that　you
could　not　jump　over　the　gulf；　Dorothy　would　be　killed；　or　the　Tin
Woodman　badly　dented　on　the　rocks　below。　　But　if　I　am　on　your　back
it　will　not　matter　so　much；　for　the　fall　would　not　hurt　me　at　all。〃
　　　　〃I　am　terribly　afraid　of　falling；　myself；〃　said　the　Cowardly
Lion；　〃but　I　suppose　there　is　nothing　to　do　but　try　it。　　So　get　on
my　back　and　we　will　make　the　attempt。〃
　　　　The　Scarecrow　sat　upon　the　Lion's　back；　and　the　big　beast
walked　to　the　edge　of　the　gulf　and　crouched　down。
　　　　〃Why　don't　you　run　and　jump？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　　　〃Because　that　isn't　the　way　we　Lions　do　these　things；〃　he　replied。
Then　giving　a　great　spring；　he　shot　through　the　air　and　landed　safely
on　the　other　side。　　They　were　all　greatly　pleased　to　see　how　easily
he　did　it；　and　after　the　Scarecrow　had　got　down　from　his　back　the　Lion
sprang　across　the　ditch　again。
　　　　Dorothy　thought　she　would　go　next；　so　she　took　Toto　in　her
arms　and　climbed　on　the　Lion's　back；　holding　tightly　to　his　mane
with　one　hand。　　The　next　moment　it　seemed　as　if　she　were　flying
through　the　air；　and　then；　before　she　had　time　to　think　about　it；
she　was　safe　on　the　other　side。　　The　Lion　went　back　a　third　time
and　got　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　then　they　all　sat　down　for　a　few
moments　to　give　the　beast　a　chance　to　rest；　for　his　great　leaps
had　made　his　breath　short；　and　he　panted　like　a　big　dog　that　has
been　running　too　long。
　　　　They　found　the　forest　very　thick　on　this　side；　and　it　looked
dark　and　gloomy。　　After　the　Lion　had　rested　they　started　along　the
road　of　yellow　brick；　silently　wondering；　each　in　his　own　mind；　if
ever　they　would　come　to　the　end　of　the　woods　and　reach　the　bright
sunshine　again。　　To　add　to　their　discomfort；　they　soon　heard　strange
noises　in　the　depths　of　the　forest；　and　the　Lion　whispered　to　them
that　it　was　in　this　part　of　the　country　that　the　Kalidahs　lived。
　　　　〃What　are　the　Kalidahs？〃　asked　the　girl。
　　　　〃They　are　monstrous　beasts　with　bodies　like　bears　and　heads
like　tigers；〃　replied　the　Lion；　〃and　with　claws　so　long　and　sharp
that　they　could　tear　me　in　two　as　easily　as　I　could　kill　Toto。
I'm　terribly　afraid　of　the　Kalidahs。〃
　　　　〃I'm　not　surprised　that　you　are；〃　returned　Dorothy。
〃They　must　be　dreadful　beasts。〃
　　　　The　Lion　was　about　to　reply　when　suddenly　they　came　to　another
gulf　across　the　road。　　But　this　one　was　so　broad　and　deep　that　the
Lion　knew　at　once　he　could　not　leap　across　it。
　　　　So　they　sat　down　to　consider　what　they　should　do；　and　after
serious　thought　the　Scarecrow　said：
　　　　〃Here　is　a　great　tree；　standing　close　to　the　ditch。　　If　the
Tin　Woodman　can　chop　it　down；　so　that　it　will　fall　to　the　other
side；　we　can　walk　across　it　easily。〃
　　　　〃That　is　a　first…rate　idea；〃　said　the　Lion。　　〃One　would　almost
suspect　you　had　brains　in　your　head；　instead　of　straw。〃
　　　　The　Woodman　set　to　work　at　once；　and　so　sharp　was　his　axe　that
the　tree　was　soon　chopped　nearly　through。　　Then　the　Lion　put　his
strong　front　legs　against　the　tree　and　pushed　with　all　his　might；
and　slowly　the　big　tree　tipped　and　fell　with　a　crash　across　the
ditch；　with　its　top　branches　on　the　other　side。
　　　　They　had　just　started　to　cross　this　queer　bridge　when　a　sharp　growl
made　them　all　look　up；　and　to　their　horror　they　saw　running　toward　them
two　great　beasts　with　bodies　like　bears　and　heads　like　tigers。
　　　　〃They　are　the　Kalidahs！〃　said　the　Cowardly　Lion；　beginning　to　tremble。
　　　　〃Quick！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow。　　〃Let　us　cross　over。〃
　　　　So　Dorothy　went　first；　holding　Toto　in　her　arms；　the　Tin
Woodman　followed；　and　the　Scarecrow　came　next。　　The　Lion；　although
he　was　certainly　afraid；　turned　to　face　the　Kalidahs；　and　then　he
gave　so　loud　and　terrible　a　roar　that　Dorothy　screamed　and　the
Scarecrow　fell　over　backward；　while　even　the　fierce　beasts　stopped
short　and　looked　at　him　in　surprise。
　　　　But；　seeing　they　were　bigger　than　the　Lion；　and　remembering
that　there　were　two　of　them　and　only　one　of　him；　the　Kalidahs
again　rushed　forward；　and　the　Lion　crossed　over　the　tree　and
turned　to　see　what　they　would　do　next。　　Without　stopping　an
instant　the　fierce　beasts　also　began　to　cross　the　tree。
And　the　Lion　said　to　Dorothy：
　　　　〃We　are　lost；　for　they　will　surely　tear　us　to　pieces　with
their　sharp　claws。　　But　stand　close　behind　me；　and　I　will　fight
them　as　long　as　I　am　alive。〃
　　　　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　called　the　Scarecrow。　　He　had　been　thinking
what　was　best　to　be　done；　and　now　he　asked　the　Woodman　to　chop
away　the　end　of　the　tree　that　rested　on　their　side　of　the　ditch。
The　Tin　Woodman　began　to　use　his　axe　at　once；　and；　just　as　the　two
Kalidahs　were　nearly　across；　the　tree　fell　with　a　crash　into　the
gulf；　carrying　the　ugly；　snarling　brutes　with　it；　and　both　were
dashed　to　pieces　on　the　sharp　rocks　at　the　bottom。
　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　Cowardly　Lion；　drawing　a　long　breath　of
relief；　〃I　see　we　are　going　to　live　a　little　while　longer；　and　I
am　glad　of　it；　for　it　must　be　a　very　uncomfortable　thing　not　to　be
alive。　　Those　creatures　frightened　me　so　badly　that　my　heart　is
beating　ye