glinda of oz-第23章

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make　them　turtles；　or　cute　little　sea…horses；　or　I

could　make　them　piglets；　or　rabbits；　or　guinea…pigs；

or；　if　you　like　I　can　make　chickens　of　them；　or　eagles；

or　bluejays。〃



〃Let　them　alone！〃　repeated　Ervic。



〃You're　not　a　very　pleasant　visitor；〃　laughed　Red

Reera。　〃People　accuse　me　of　being　cross　and　crabbed

and　unsociable；　and　they　are　quite　right。　If　you　had

come　here　pleading　and　begging　for　favors；　and　half

afraid　of　my　Yookoohoo　magic；　I'd　have　abused　you　until

you　ran　away；　but　you're　quite　different　from　that。

You're　the　unsociable　and　crabbed　and　disagreeable　one；

and　so　I　like　you；　and　bear　with　your　grumpiness。　It's

time　for　my　midday　meal；　are　you　hungry？〃



〃No；〃　said　Ervic；　although　he　really　desired　food。



〃Well；　I　am；〃　Reera　declared　and　clapped　her　hands

together。　Instantly　a　table　appeared；　spread　with　linen

and　bearing　dishes　of　various　foods；　some　smoking　hot。

There　were　two　plates　laid；　one　at　each　end　of　the

table；　and　as　soon　as　Reera　seated　herself　all　her

creatures　gathered　around　her；　as　if　they　were

accustomed　to　be　fed　when　she　ate。　The　wolf　squatted　at

her　right　hand　and　the　kittens　and　chipmunks　gathered

at　her　left。



〃Come；　Stranger；　sit　down　and　eat；〃　she　called

cheerfully；　〃and　while　we're　eating　let　us　decide　into

what　forms　we　shall　change　your　fishes。〃



〃They're　all　right　as　they　are；〃　asserted　Ervic；

drawing　up　his　bench　to　the　table。　〃The　fishes　are

beauties　　one　gold；　one　silver　and　one　bronze。

Nothing　that　has　life　is　more　lovely　than　a　beautiful

fish。〃



〃What！　Am　I　not　more　lovely？〃　Reera　asked；　smiling　at

his　serious　face。



〃I　don't　object　to　you　　for　a　Yookoohoo；　you　know；〃

he　said；　helping　himself　to　the　food　and　eating　with

good　appetite。



〃And　don't　you　consider　a　beautiful　girl　more　lovely

than　a　fish；　however　pretty　the　fish　may　be？〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Ervic；　after　a　period　of　thought；

〃that　might　be。　If　you　transformed　my　three　fish　into

three　girls　　girls　who　would　be　Adepts　at　Magic；　you

know　they　might　please　me　as　well　as　the　fish　do。　You

won't　do　that　of　course；　because　you　can't；　with　all

your　skill。　And；　should　you　be　able　to　do　so；　I　fear　my

troubles　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear。　They　would

not　consent　to　be　my　slaves　　especially　if　they　were

Adepts　at　Magic　　and　so　they　would　command　me　to　obey

them。　No；　Mistress　Reeraq　let　us　not　transform　the

fishes　at　all。〃



The　Skeezer　had　put　his　case　with　remarkable

cleverness。　He　realized　that　if　he　appeared　anxious　for

such　a　transformation　the　Yookoohoo　would　not　perform

it；　yet　he　had　skillfully　suggested　that　they　be　made

Adepts　at　Magic。











Chapter　Nineteen



Red　Reera；　the　Yookoohoo







After　the　meal　was　over　and　Reera　had　fed　her　pets；

including　the　four　monster　spiders　which　had　come　down

from　their　webs　to　secure　their　share；　she　made　the

table　disappear　from　the　floor　of　the　cottage。



〃I　wish　you'd　consent　to　my　transforming　your

fishes；〃　she　said；　as　she　took　up　her　knitting　again。



The　Skeezer　made　no　reply。　He　thought　it　unwise　to

hurry　matters。　All　during　the　afternoon　they　sat

silent。　Once　Reera　went　to　her　cupboard　and　after

thrusting　her　hand　into　the　same　drawer　as　before；

touched　the　wolf　and　transformed　it　into　a　bird　with

gorgeous　colored　feathers。　This　bird　was　larger　than　a

parrot　and　of　a　somewhat　different　form；　but　Ervic　had

never　seen　one　like　it　before。



〃Sing！〃　said　Reera　to　the　bird；　which　had　perched

itself　on　a　big　wooden　peg　　as　if　it　had　been　in　the

cottage　before　and　knew　just　what　to　do。



And　the　bird　sang　jolly；　rollicking　songs　with　words

to　them　　just　as　a　person　who　had　been　carefully

trained　might　do。　The　songs　were　entertaining　and　Ervic

enjoyed　listening　to　them。　In　an　hour　or　so　the　bird

stopped　singing；　tucked　its　head　under　its　wing　and

went　to　sleep。　Reera　continued　knitting　but　seemed

thoughtful。



Now　Ervic　had　marked　this　cupboard　drawer　well　and

had　concluded　that　Reera　took　something　from　it　which

enabled　her　to　perform　her　transformations。　He　thought

that　if　he　managed　to　remain　in　the　cottage；　and　Reera

fell　asleep；　he　could　slyly　open　the　cupboard；　take　a

portion　of　whatever　was　in　the　drawer；　and　by　dropping

it　into　the　copper　kettle　transform　the　three　fishes

into　their　natural　shapes。　Indeed；　he　had　firmly

resolved　to　carry　out　this　plan　when　the　Yookoohoo　put

down　her　knitting　and　walked　toward　the　door。



〃I'm　going　out　for　a　few　minutes；〃　said　she；　〃do　you

wish　to　go　with　me；　or　will　you　remain　here？〃



Ervic　did　not　answer　but　sat　quietly　on　his　bench。　So

Reera　went　out　and　closed　the　cottage　door。



As　soon　as　she　was　gone；　Ervic　rose　and　tiptoed　to

the　cupboard。



〃Take　care！　Take　care！〃　cried　several　voices；　coming

from　the　kittens　and　chipmunks。　〃If　you　touch　anything

we'll　tell　the　Yookoohoo！〃



Ervic　hesitated　a　moment　but；　remembering　that　he

need　not　consider　Reera's　anger　if　he　succeeded　in

transforming　the　fishes；　he　was　about　to　open　the

cupboard　when　he　was　arrested　by　the　voices　of　the

fishes；　which　stuck　their　heads　above　the　water　in　the

kettle　and　called　out：



〃Come　here；　Ervic！〃



So　he　went　back　to　the　kettle　and　bent　over　it



〃Let　the　cupboard　alone；〃　said　the　goldfish　to　him

earnestly。　〃You　could　not　succeed　by　getting　that　magic

powder；　for　only　the　Yookoohoo　knows　how　to　use　it。　The

best　way　is　to　allow　her　to　transform　us　into　three

girls；　for　then　we　will　have　our　natural　shapes　and　be

able　to　perform　all　the　Arts　of　Magic　we　have　learned

and　well　understand。　You　are　acting　wisely　and　in　the

most　effective　manner。　We　did　not　know　you　were　so

intelligent；　or　that　Reera　could　be　so　easily　deceived

by　you。　Continue　as　you　have　begun　and　try　to　persuade

her　to　transform　us。　But　insist　that　we　be　given　the

forms　of　girls。〃



The　goldfish　ducked　its　head　down　just　as　Reera　re…

entered　the　cottage。　She　saw　Ervic　bent　over　the

kettle；　so　she　came　and　joined　him。



〃Can　your　fishes　talk？〃　she　asked。



〃Sometimes；〃　he　replied；　〃for　all　fishes　in　the　Land

of　Oz　know　how　to　speak。　Just　now　they　were　asking　me

for　some　bread。　They　are　hungry。〃



〃Well；　they　can　have　some　bread；〃　said　Reera。　〃But　it

is　nearly　supper…time；　and　if　you　would　allow　me　to

transform　your　fishes　into　girls　they　could　join　us　at

the　table　and　have　plenty　of　food　much　nicer　than

crumbs。　Why　not　let　me　transform　them？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Ervic；　as　if　hesitating；　〃ask　the

fishes。　If　they　consent；　why　　why；　then；　I'll　think

it　over。〃



Reera　bent　over　the　kettle　and　asked：



〃Can　you　hear　me；　little　fishes？〃



All　three　popped　their　heads　above　water。



〃We　can　hear　you；〃　said　the　bronzefish。



〃I　want　to　give　you　other　forms；　such　as　rabbits；　or

turtles　or　girls；　or　something；　but　your　master；　the

surly　Skeezer；　does　not　wish　me　to。　However；　he　has

agreed　to　the　plan　if　you　will　consent。〃



〃We'd　like　to　be　girls；〃　said　the　silverfish。



〃No；　no！〃　exclaimed　Ervic。



〃If　you　promise　to　make　us　three　beautiful　girls；

we　will　consent；〃　said　the　goldfish。



〃No；　no！〃　exclaimed　Ervic　again。



〃Also　make　us　Adepts　at　Magic；〃　added　the　bronzefish。



〃I　don't　know　exactly　what　that　means；〃　replied　Reera

musingly；　〃but　as　no　Adept　at　Magic　is　as　powerful　as

Yookoohoo；　I'll　add　that　to　the　transformation。〃



〃We　won't　try　to　harm　you；　or　to　interfere　with　your

magic　in　any　way；〃　promised　the　goldfish。　〃On　the

contrary；　we　will　be　your　friends。〃



〃Will　you　agree　to　go　away　and　leave　me　alone　in　my

cottage；　whenever　I　command　you　to　do　so？〃　asked　Reera。



〃We　promise　that；〃　cried　the　three　fishes。



〃Don't　do　it！　Don't　consent　to　the　transformation；〃

urged　Ervic。



〃They　have　already　consented；〃　said　the　Yookoohoo；

laughing　in　his　face；　〃and　you　have　promised　me　to

abide　by　their　decision。　So；　fri