glinda of oz-第4章

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〃It　will　be　difficult　even　for　you　and　me　to　get

through　without　tearing　our　dresses；〃　said　Ozma；　〃so　we

must　leave　the　Sawhorse　and　the　Wagon　here　until　our

return。〃



〃That's　all　right；〃　Dorothy　replied；　〃I'm　tired

riding；　anyhow。　Do　you　s'pose；　Ozma；　we're　anywhere

near　the　Skeezer　Country？〃



〃I　cannot　tell；　Dorothy　dear；　but　I　know　we've　been

going　in　the　right　direction；　so　we　are　sure　to　find　it

in　time。〃



The　scrubby　brush　was　almost　like　a　grove　of　small

trees；　for　it　reached　as　high　as　the　heads　of　the　two

girls；　neither　of　whom　was　very　tall。　They　were　obliged

to　thread　their　way　in　and　out；　until　Dorothy　was

afraid　they　would　get　lost；　and　finally　they　were

halted　by　a　curious　thing　that　barred　their　further

progress。　It　was　a　huge　web　　as　if　woven　by　gigantic

spiders　　and　the　delicate；　lacy　film　was　fastened

stoutly　to　the　branches　of　the　bushes　and　continued　to

the　right　and　left　in　the　form　of　a　half　circle。　The

threads　of　this　web　were　of　a　brilliant　purple　color

and　woven　into　numerous　artistic　patterns；　but　it

reached　from　the　ground　to　branches　above　the　heads　of

the　girls　and　formed　a　sort　of　fence　that　hedged　them

in。



〃It　doesn't　look　very　strong；　though；〃　said　Dorothy。

〃I　wonder　if　we　couldn't　break　through。〃　She　tried　but

found　the　web　stronger　than　it　seemed。　All　her　efforts

could　not　break　a　single　thread。



〃We　must　go　back；　I　think；　and　try　to　get　around　this

peculiar　web；〃　Ozma　decided。



So　they　turned　to　the　right　and；　following　the　web

found　that　it　seemed　to　spread　in　a　regular　circle。　On

and　on　they　went　until　finally　Ozma　said　they　had

returned　to　the　exact　spot　from　which　they　had　started。

〃Here　is　a　handkerchief　you　dropped　when　we　were　here

before；〃　she　said　to　Dorothy。



〃In　that　case；　they　must　have　built　the　web　behind

us；　after　we　walked　into　the　trap；〃　exclaimed　the

little　girl。



〃True；〃　agreed　Ozma；　〃an　enemy　has　tried　to　imprison

us。〃



〃And　they　did　it；　too；〃　said　Dorothy。　〃I　wonder　who

it　was。〃



〃It's　a　spider…web；　I'm　quite　sure；〃　returned　Ozma；

〃but　it　must　be　the　work　of　enormous　spiders。〃



〃Quite　right！〃　cried　a　voice　behind　them。　Turning

quickly　around　they　beheld　a　huge　purple　spider　sitting

not　two　yards　away　and　regarding　them　with　its　small

bright　eyes。



Then　there　crawled　from　the　bushes　a　dozen　more　great

purple　spiders；　which　saluted　the　first　one　and　said：



〃The　web　is　finished；　O　King；　and　the　strangers　are

our　prisoners。〃



Dorothy　did　not　like　the　looks　of　these　spiders　at

all。　They　had　big　heads；　sharp　claws；　small　eyes　and

fuzzy　hair　all　over　their　purple　bodies。



〃They　look　wicked；〃　she　whispered　to　Ozma。　〃What

shall　we　do？〃



Ozma　gazed　upon　the　spiders　with　a　serious　face。



〃What　is　your　object　in　making　us　prisoners？〃　she

inquired。



〃We　need　someone　to　keep　house　for　us；〃　answered　the

Spider　King。　〃There　is　sweeping　and　dusting　to　be　done；

and　polishing　and　washing　of　dishes；　and　that　is　work

my　people　dislike　to　do。　So　we　decided　that　if　any

strangers　came　our　way　we　would　capture　them　and　make

them　our　servants。〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma；　Ruler　of　all　Oz；〃　said　the　girl

with　dignity。



〃Well；　I　am　King　of　all　Spiders；〃　was　the　reply；　〃and

that　makes　me　your　master。　Come　with　me　to　my　palace

and　I　will　instruct　you　in　your　work。〃



〃I　won't；〃　said　Dorothy　indignantly。　〃We　won't　have

anything　to　do　with　you。〃



〃We'll　see　about　that；〃　returned　the　Spider　in　a

severe　tone；　and　the　next　instant　he　made　a　dive

straight　at　Dorothy；　opening　the　claws　in　his　legs　as

if　to　grab　and　pinch　her　with　the　sharp　points。　But　the

girl　was　wearing　her　Magic　Belt　and　was　not　harmed。　The

Spider　King　could　not　even　touch　her。　He　turned　swiftly

and　made　a　dash　at　Ozma；　but　she　held　her　Magic　Wand

over　his　head　and　the　monster　recoiled　as　if　it　had

been　struck。



〃You'd　better　let　us　go；〃　Dorothy　advised　him；　〃for

you　see　you　can't　hurt　us。〃



〃So　I　see；〃　returned　the　Spider　King　angrily。　〃Your

magic　is　greater　than　mine。　But　I'll　not　help　you　to

escape。　If　you　can　break　the　magic　web　my　people　have

woven　you　may　go；　if　not　you　must　stay　here　and

starve。〃　With　that　the　Spider　King　uttered　a　peculiar

whistle　and　all　the　spiders　disappeared。



〃There　is　more　magic　in　my　fairyland　than　I　dreamed

of；〃　remarked　the　beautiful　Ozma；　with　a　sigh　of　regret。

〃It　seems　that　my　laws　have　not　been　obeyed；　for　even

these　monstrous　spiders　defy　me　by　means　of　Magic。〃



〃Never　mind　that　now；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃let's　see　what

we　can　do　to　get　out　of　this　trap。〃



They　now　examined　the　web　with　great　care　and　were

amazed　at　its　strength。　Although　finer　than　the　finest

silken　hairs；　it　resisted　all　their　efforts　to　work

through；　even　though　both　girls　threw　all　their　weight

against　it。



〃We　must　find　some　instrument　which　will　cut　the

threads　of　the　web；〃　said　Ozma；　finally。　〃Let　us　look

about　for　such　a　tool。〃



So　they　wandered　among　the　bushes　and　finally　came　to

a　shallow　pool　of　water；　formed　by　a　small　bubbling

spring。　Dorothy　stooped　to　get　a　drink　and　discovered

in　the　water　a　green　crab；　about　as　big　as　her　hand。

The　crab　had　two　big；　sharp　claws；　and　as　soon　as

Dorothy　saw　them　she　had　an　idea　that　those　claws　could

save　them。



〃Come　out　of　the　water；〃　she　called　to　the　crab；　〃I

want　to　talk　to　you。〃



Rather　lazily　the　crab　rose　to　the　surface　and　caught

hold　of　a　bit　of　rock。　With　his　head　above　the　water　he

said　in　a　cross　voice：



〃What　do　you　want？〃



〃We　want　you　to　cut　the　web　of　the　purple　spiders

with　your　claws；　so　we　can　get　through　it；〃　answered

Dorothy。　〃You　can　do　that；　can't　you？〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　replied　the　crab。　〃But　if　I　do　what

will　you　give　me？〃



〃What　do　you　wish？〃　Ozma　inquired。



〃I　wish　to　be　white；　instead　of　green；〃　said　the

crab。　〃Green　crabs　are　very　common；　and　white　ones　are

rare；　besides　the　purple　spiders；　which　infest　this

hillside；　are　afraid　of　white　crabs。　Could　you　make　me

white　if　I　should　agree　to　cut　the　web　for　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Ozma；　〃I　can　do　that　easily。　And；　so　you

may　know　I　am　speaking　the　truth；　I　will　change　your

color　now。〃



She　waved　her　silver　wand　over　the　pool　and　the　crab

instantly　became　snow…white　　all　except　his　eyes；

which　remained　black。　The　creature　saw　his　reflection

in　the　water　and　was　so　delighted　that　he　at　once

climbed　out　of　the　pool　and　began　moving　slowly　toward

the　web；　by　backing　away　from　the　pool。　He　moved　so

very　slowly　that　Dorothy　cried　out　impatiently：　〃Dear

me；　this　will　never　do！〃　Caching　the　crab　in　her　hands

she　ran　with　him　to　the　web。



She　had　to　hold　him　up　even　then；　so　he　could　reach

with　his　claws　strand　after　strand　of　the　filmy　purple

web；　which　he　was　able　to　sever　with　one　nip。



When　enough　of　the　web　had　been　cut　to　allow　them　to

pass；　Dorothy　ran　back　to　the　pool　and　placed　the　white

crab　in　the　water；　after　which　she　rejoined　Ozma。　They

were　just　in　time　to　escape　through　the　web；　for

several　of　the　purple　spiders　now　appeared；　having

discovered　that　their　web　had　been　cut；　and　had　the

girls　not　rushed　through　the　opening　the　spiders　would

have　quickly　repaired　the　cuts　and　again　imprisoned

them。



Ozma　and　Dorothy　ran　as　fast　as　they　could　and

although　the　angry　spiders　threw　a　number　of　strands　of

web　after　them；　hoping　to　lasso　them　or　entangle　them

in　the　coils；　they　managed　to　escape　and　clamber　to　the

top　of　the　hill。









Chapter　Three



The　Mist　Maidens







From　the　top　of　the　hill　Ozma　and　Dorothy　looked　down

into　the　valley　beyond　and　were　surprised　to　find　it

filled　with　a　floating　mist　that　was　as　dense　as　smoke。

Nothing　in　the　valley　was　visible　except　these　rolling

waves　of　mist；　but　beyond；　on　the　other　side；　rose　a

grassy　hill　that　appeared　quite　beautiful。



〃Well；〃　said　D