glinda of oz-第18章

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and　in　good　spirits　the　entire　party　formed　a

procession　and　marched　out　of　the　Emerald　City　amid　the

shouts　of　the　people；　who　wished　them　success　and　a

safe　return　with　their　beloved　Ruler。



They　followed　a　different　route　from　that　taken　by

Ozma　and　Dorothy；　for　they　went　through　the　Winkie

Country　and　up　north　toward　Oogaboo。　But　before　they

got　there　they　swerved　to　the　left　and　entered　the

Great　Gillikin　Forest；　the　nearest　thing　to　a

wilderness　in　all　Oz。　Even　the　Cowardly　Lion　had　to

admit　that　certain　parts　of　this　forest　were　unknown　to

him；　although　he　had　often　wandered　among　the　trees；

and　the　Scarecrow　and　Tin　Woodman；　who　were　great

travelers；　never　had　been　there　at　all。



The　forest　was　only　reached　after　a　tedious　tramp；

for　some　of　the　Rescue　Expedition　were　quite　awkward　on

their　feet。　The　Patchwork　Girl　was　as　light　as　a

feather　and　very　spry；　the　Tin　Woodman　covered　the

ground　as　easily　as　Uncle　Henry　and　the　Wizard；　but

Tik…Tok　moved　slowly　and　the　slightest　obstruction　in

the　road　would　halt　him　until　the　others　cleared　it

away。　Then；　too；　Tik…Tok's　machinery　kept　running　down；

so　Betsy　and　Trot　took　turns　in　winding　it　up。



The　Scarecrow　was　more　clumsy　but　less　bother；　for

although　he　often　stumbled　and　fell　he　could　scramble

up　again　and　a　little　patting　of　his　straw…stuffed　body

would　put　him　in　good　shape　again。



Another　awkward　one　was　Jack　Pumpkinhead；　for　walking

would　jar　his　head　around　on　his　neck　and　then　he　would

be　likely　to　go　in　the　wrong　direction。　But　the　Frogman

took　Jack's　arm　and　then　he　followed　the　path　more

easily。



Cap'n　Bill's　wooden　leg　didn't　prevent　him　from

keeping　up　with　the　others　and　the　old　sailor　could

walk　as　far　as　any　of　them。



When　they　entered　the　forest　the　Cowardly　Lion　took

the　lead。　There　was　no　path　here　for　men；　but　many

beasts　had　made　paths　of　their　own　which　only　the　eyes

of　the　Lion；　practiced　in　woodcraft；　could　discern。　So

he　stalked　ahead　and　wound　his　way　in　and　out；　the

others　following　in　single　file；　Glinda　being　next　to

the　Lion。



There　are　dangers　in　the　forest；　of　course；　but　as

the　huge　Lion　headed　the　party　he　kept　the　wild

denizens　of　the　wilderness　from　bothering　the

travelers。　Once；　to　be　sure；　an　enormous　leopard　sprang

upon　the　Glass　Cat　and　caught　her　in　his　powerful　jaws；

but　he　broke　several　of　his　teeth　and　with　howls　of

pain　and　dismay　dropped　his　prey　and　vanished　among　the

trees。



〃Are　you　hurt？〃　Trot　anxiously　inquired　of　the　Glass

Cat。



〃How　silly！〃　exclaimed　the　creature　in　an　irritated

tone　of　voice；　〃nothing　can　hurt　glass；　and　I'm　too

solid　to　break　easily。　But　I'm　annoyed　at　that

leopard's　impudence。　He　has　no　respect　for　beauty　or

intelligence。　If　he　had　noticed　my　pink　brains　work；

I'm　sure　he　would　have　realized　I'm　too　important　to　be

grabbed　in　a　wild　beast's　jaws。〃



〃Never　mind；〃　said　Trot　consolingly；　〃I'm　sure　he

won't　do　it　again。〃



They　were　almost　in　the　center　of　the　forest　when

Ojo；　the　Munchkin　boy；　suddenly　said：　〃Why；　where's

Button　Bright？〃



They　halted　and　looked　around　them。　Button　Bright　was

not　with　the　party。



Dear　me；〃　remarked　Betsy；　〃I　expect　he's　lost　again！〃



〃When　did　you　see　him　last；　Ojo？〃inquired　Glinda。



〃It　was　some　time　ago；〃　replied　Ojo。　〃He　was　trailing

along　at　the　end　and　throwing　twigs　at　the　squirrels　in

the　trees。　Then　I　went　to　talk　to　Betsy　and　Trot；　and

just　now　I　noticed　he　was　gone。〃



〃This　is　too　bad；〃　declared　the　Wizard；　〃for　it　is

sure　to　delay　our　journey。　We　must　find　Button　Bright

before　we　go　any　farther；　for　this　forest　is　full　of

ferocious　beasts　that　would　not　hesitate　to　tear　the

boy　to　pieces。〃



〃But　what　shall　we　do？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。　〃If　any

of　us　leaves　the　party　to　search　for　Button　Bright　he

or　she　might　fall　a　victim　to　the　beasts；　and　if　the

Lion　leaves　us　we　will　have　no　protector。



〃The　Glass　Cat　could　go；〃　suggested　the　Frogman。

〃The　beasts　can　do　her　no　harm；　as　we　have　discovered。〃



The　Wizard　turned　to　Glinda。



〃Cannot　your　sorcery　discover　where　Button　Bright

is？〃　he　asked。



〃I　think　so；〃　replied　the　Sorceress。



She　called　to　Uncle　Henry；　who　had　been　carrying　her

wicker　box；　to　bring　it　to　her；　and　when　he　obeyed　she

opened　it　and　drew　out　a　small　round　mirror。　On　the

surface　of　the　glass　she　dusted　a　white　powder　and　then

wiped　it　away　with　her　handkerchief　and　looked　in　the

mirror。　It　reflected　a　part　of　the　forest；　and　there；

beneath　a　wide…spreading　tree；　Button　Bright　was　lying

asleep。　On　one　side　of　him　crouched　a　tiger；　ready　to

spring；　on　the　other　side　was　a　big　gray　wolf；　its

bared　fangs　glistening　in　a　wicked　way。



〃Goodness　me！〃　cried　Trot；　looking　over　Glinda's

shoulder。　〃They'll　catch　and　kill　him　sure。〃



Everyone　crowded　around　for　a　glimpse　at　the　magic

mirror。



〃Pretty　bad　　pretty　bad！〃　said　the　Scarecrow

sorrowfully。



〃Comes　of　getting　lost！〃　said　Cap'n　Bill；　sighing。



〃Guess　he's　a　goner！〃　said　the　Frogman；　wiping　his

eyes　on　his　purple　silk　handkerchief。



〃But　where　is　he？　　Can't　we　save　him？〃　asked　Ojo　the

Lucky。



〃If　we　knew　where　he　is　we　could　probably　save　him；〃

replied　the　little　Wizard；　〃but　that　tree　looks　so　much

like　all　the　other　trees；　that　we　can't　tell　whether

it's　far　away　or　near　by。〃



〃Look　at　Glinda！〃　exclaimed　Betsy



Glinda；　having　handed　the　mirror　to　the　Wizard；　had

stepped　aside　and　was　making　strange　passes　with　her

outstretched　arms　and　reciting　in　low；　sweet　tones　a

mystical　incantation。　Most　of　them　watched　the

Sorceress　with　anxious　eyes；　despair　giving　way　to　the

hope　that　she　might　be　able　to　save　their　friend。　the

Wizard；　however；　watched　the　scene　in　the　mirror；　while

over　his　shoulders　peered　Trot；　the　Scarecrow　and　the

Shaggy　Man。



What　they　saw　was　more　strange　than　Glinda's　actions。

The　tiger　started　to　spring　on　the　sleeping　boy；　but

suddenly　lost　its　power　to　move　and　lay　flat　upon　the

ground。　The　gray　wolf　seemed　unable　to　lift　its　feet

from　the　ground。　It　pulled　first　at　one　leg　and　then　at

another；　and　finding　itself　strangely　confined　to　the

spot　began　to　back　and　snarl　angrily。　They　couldn't

hear　the　barkings　and　snarls；　but　they　could　see　the

creature's　mouth　open　and　its　thick　lips　move。　Button

Bright；　however；　being　but　a　few　feet　away　from　the

wolf；　heard　its　cries　of　rage；　which　wakened　him　from

his　untroubled　sleep。　The　boy　sat　up　and　looked　first

at　the　tiger　and　then　at　the　wolf。　His　face　showed　that

for　a　moment　he　was　quite　frightened；　but　he　soon　saw

that　the　beasts　were　unable　to　approach　him　and　so　he

got　upon　his　feet　and　examined　them　curiously；　with　a

mischievous　smile　upon　his　face。　Then　he　deliberately

kicked　the　tiger's　head　with　his　foot　and　catching　up　a

fallen　branch　of　a　tree　he　went　to　the　wolf　and　gave　it

a　good　whacking。　Both　the　beasts　were　furious　at　such

treatment　but　could　not　resent　it。



Button　Bright　now　threw　down　the　stick　and　with　his

hands　in　his　pockets　wandered　carelessly　away。



〃Now；〃　said　Glinda；　〃let　the　Glass　Cat　run　and　find

him。　He　is　in　that　direction；〃　pointing　the　way；　〃but

how　far　off　I　do　not　know。　Make　haste　and　lead　him　back

to　us　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃



The　Glass　Cat　did　not　obey　everyone's　orders；　but　she

really　feared　the　great　Sorceress；　so　as　soon　as　the

words　were　spoken　the　crystal　animal　darted　away　and

was　quickly　lost　to　sight。



The　Wizard　handed　the　mirror　back　to　Glinda；　for　the

woodland　scene　had　now　faded　from　the　glass。　Then　those

who　cared　to　rest　sat　down　to　await　Button　Bright's

coming。　It　was　not　long　before　be　appeared　through　the

trees　and　as　he　rejoined　his　friends　he　said　in　a

peevish　tone：



〃Don't　ever　send　that　Glass　Cat　to　find　me　again。　She

was　very　impolite　and；　if　we　didn't　all　know　that　she

had　no　manners；　I'd　say　she　insulted　me