glinda of oz-第8章

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label　on　it　which　said：　Concentrated　Brains；　Extra

Quality。〃



〃And　does　every　Flathead　have　the　same　kind　of

brains？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　they're　all　alike。　Here's　another　can。〃　From

another　pocket　he　produced　a　second　can　of　brains。



〃Did　the　fairies　give　you　a　double　supply？〃　inquired

Dorothy。



〃No；　but　one　of　the　Flatheads　thought　he　wanted　to　be

the　Su…dic　and　tried　to　get　my　people　to　rebel　against

me；　so　I　punished　him　by　taking　away　his　brains。　One

day　my　wife　scolded　me　severely；　so　I　took　away　her　can

of　brains。　She　didn't　like　that　and　went　out　and　robbed

several　women　of　their　brains。　Then　I　made　a　law　that

if　anyone　stole　another's　brains；　or　even　tried　to

borrow　them；　he　would　forfeit　his　own　brains　to　the　Su…

dic。　So　each　one　is　content　with　his　own　canned　brains

and　my　wife　and　I　are　the　only　ones　on　the　mountain

with　more　than　one　can。　I　have　three　cans　and　that

makes　me　very　clever　　so　clever　that　I'm　a　good

Sorcerer；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。　My　poor　wife　had　four

cans　of　brains　and　became　a　remarkable　witch；　but　alas！

that　was　before　those　terrible　enemies；　the　Skeezers；

transformed　her　into　a　Golden　Pig。〃



〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃is　your　wife　really

a　Golden　Pig？〃



〃She　is。　The　Skeezers　did　it　and　so　I　have　declared

war　on　them。　In　revenge　for　making　my　wife　a　Pig　I

intend　to　ruin　their　Magic　Island　and　make　the　Skeezers

the　slaves　of　the　Flatheads！〃



The　Su…dic　was　very　angry　now；　his　eyes　flashed　and

his　face　took　on　a　wicked　and　fierce　expression。　But

Ozma　said　to　him；　very　sweetly　and　in　a　friendly　voice：



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　this。　Will　you　please　tell　me

more　about　your　troubles　with　the　Skeezers？　　Then

perhaps　I　can　help　you。〃



She　was　only　a　girl；　but　there　was　dignity　in　her

pose　and　speech　which　impressed　the　Su…dic。



〃If　you　are　really　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；〃　the　Flathead

said；　〃you　are　one　of　that　band　of　fairies　who；　under

Queen　Lurline；　made　all　Oz　a　Fairyland。　I　have　heard

that　Lurline　left　one　of　her　own　fairies　to　rule　Oz；

and　gave　the　fairy　the　name　of　Ozma。〃



〃If　you　knew　this　why　did　you　not　come　to　me　at　the

Emerald　City　and　tender　me　your　loyalty　and　obedience？〃

asked　the　Ruler　of　Oz。



〃Well；　I　only　learned　the　fact　lately；　and　I've　been

too　busy　to　leave　home；〃　he　explained；　looking　at　the

floor　instead　of　into　Ozma's　eyes。　She　knew　he　had

spoken　a　falsehood；　but　only　said：



〃Why　did　you　quarrel　with　the　Skeezers？〃



〃It　was　this　way；〃　began　the　Su…dic；　glad　to　change

the　subject。　〃We　Flatheads　love　fish；　and　as　we　have　no

fish　on　this　mountain　we　would　sometimes　go　to　the　Lake

of　the　Skeezers　to　catch　fish。　This　made　the　Skeezers

angry；　for　they　declared　the　fish　in　their　lake

belonged　to　them　and　were　under　their　protection　and

they　forbade　us　to　catch　them。　That　was　very　mean　and

unfriendly　in　the　Skeezers；　you　must　admit；　and　when　we

paid　no　attention　to　their　orders　they　set　a　guard　on

the　shore　of　the　lake　to　prevent　our　fishing。



〃Now；　my　wife；　Rora　Flathead；　having　four　cans　of

brains；　had　become　a　wonderful　witch；　and　fish　being

brain　food；　she　loved　to　eat　fish　better　than　any　one

of　us。　So　she　vowed　she　would　destroy　every　fish　in　the

lake；　unless　the　Skeezers　let　us　catch　what　we　wanted。

They　defied　us；　so　Rora　prepared　a　kettleful　of　magic

poison　and　went　down　to　the　lake　one　night　to　dump　it

all　in　the　water　and　poison　the　fish。　It　was　a　clever

idea；　quite　worthy　of　my　dear　wife；　but　the　Skeezer

Queen　　a　young　lady　named　Coo…ee…oh　　hid　on　the

bank　of　the　lake　and　taking　Rora　unawares；　transformed

her　into　a　Golden　Pig。　The　poison　was　spilled　on　the

ground　and　wicked　Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　not　content　with　her

cruel　transformation；　even　took　away　my　wife's　four

cans　of　brains；　so　she　is　now　a　common　grunting　pig

without　even　brains　enough　to　know　her　own　name。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Ozma　thoughtfully；　〃the　Queen　of　the

Skeezers　must　be　a　Sorceress。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Su…dic；　〃but　she　doesn't　know　much

magic；　after　all。　She　is　not　as　powerful　as　Rora

Flathead　was；　nor　half　as　powerful　as　I　am　now；　as

Queen　Coo…ee…oh　will　discover　when　we　fight　our　great

battle　and　destroy　her。〃



〃The　Golden　Pig　can't　be　a　witch　any　more；　of

course；〃　observed　Dorothy。



〃No；　even　had　Queen　Coo…ee…oh　left　her　the　four　cans

of　brains；　poor　Rora；　in　a　pig's　shape；　couldn't　do　any

witchcraft。　A　witch　has　to　use　her　fingers；　and　a　pig

has　only　cloven　hoofs。〃



〃It　seems　a　sad　story；〃　was　Ozma's　comment；　〃and　all

the　trouble　arose　because　the　Flatheads　wanted　fish

that　did　not　belong　to　them。〃



〃As　for　that；〃　said　the　Su…dic；　again　angry；　〃I　made

a　law　that　any　of　my　people　could　catch　fish　in　the

Lake　of　the　Skeezers；　whenever　they　wanted　to。　So　the

trouble　was　through　the　Skeezers　defying　my　law。〃



〃You　can　only　make　laws　to　govern　your　own　people；〃

asserted　Ozma　sternly。　〃I；　alone；　am　empowered　to　make

laws　that　must　be　obeyed　by　all　the　peoples　of　Oz。〃



〃Pooh！〃　cried　the　Su…dic　scornfully。　〃You　can't　make

me　obey　your　laws；　I　assure　you。　I　know　the　extent　of

your　powers；　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　I　know　that　I　am

more　powerful　than　you　are。　To　prove　it　I　shall　keep

you　and　your　companion　prisoners　in　this　mountain　until

after　we　have　fought　and　conquered　the　Skeezers。　Then；

if　you　promise　to　be　good；　I　may　let　you　go　home

again。〃



Dorothy　was　amazed　by　this　effrontery　and　defiance　of

the　beautiful　girl　Ruler　of　Oz；　whom　all　until　now　had

obeyed　without　question。　But　Ozma；　still　unruffled　and

dignified；　looked　at　the　Su…dic　and　said：



〃You　did　not　mean　that。　You　are　angry　and　speak

unwisely；　without　reflection。　I　came　here　from　my

palace　in　the　Emerald　City　to　prevent　war　and　to　make

peace　between　you　and　the　Skeezers。　I　do　not　approve　of

Queen　Coo…ee…oh's　action　in　transforming　your　wife　Rora

into　a　pig；　nor　do　I　approve　of　Rora's　cruel　attempt　to

poison　the　fishes　in　the　lake。　No　one　has　the　right　to

work　magic　in　my　dominions　without　my　consent；　so　the

Flatheads　and　the　Skeezers　have　both　broken　my　laws　

which　must　be　obeyed。〃



〃If　you　want　to　make　peace；〃　said　the　Su…dic；　〃make

the　Skeezers　restore　my　wife　to　her　proper　form　and

give　back　her　four　cans　of　brains。　Also　make　them　agree

to　allow　us　to　catch　fish　in　their　lake。〃



〃No；〃　returned　Ozma；　〃I　will　not　do　that；　for　it

would　be　unjust。　I　will　have　the　Golden　Pig　again

transformed　into　your　wife　Rora；　and　give　her　one　can

of　brains；　but　the　other　three　cans　must　be　restored　to

those　she　robbed。　Neither　may　you　catch　fish　in　the

Lake　of　the　Skeezers；　for　it　is　their　lake　and　the　fish

belong　to　them。　This　arrangement　is　just　and　honorable；

and　you　must　agree　to　it。〃



〃Never！〃　cried　the　Su…dic。　Just　then　a　pig　came

running　into　the　room；　uttering　dismal　grunts。　It　was

made　of　solid　gold；　with　joints　at　the　bends　of　the

legs　and　in　the　neck　and　jaws。　The　Golden　Pig's　eyes

were　rubies；　and　its　teeth　were　polished　ivory。



〃There！〃　said　the　Su…dic；　〃gaze　on　the　evil　work　of

Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　and　then　say　if　you　can　prevent　my

making　war　on　the　Skeezers。　That　grunting　beast　was

once　my　wife　　the　most　beautiful　Flathead　on　our

mountain　and　a　skillful　witch。　Now　look　at　her！〃



〃Fight　the　Skeezers；　fight　the　Skeezers；　fight　the

Skeezers！〃　grunted　the　Golden　Pig。



〃I　will　fight　the　Skeezers；〃　exclaimed　the　Flathead

chief；　〃and　if　a　dozen　Ozmas　of　Oz　forbade　me　I　would

fight　just　the　same。〃



〃Not　if　I　can　prevent　it！〃　asserted　Ozma。



〃You　can't　prevent　it。　But　since　you　threaten　me；

I'll　have　you　confined　in　the　bronze　prison　until　the

war　is　over；〃　said　the　Su…dic。　He　whistled　and　four

stout　Flatheads；　armed　with　axes　and　spears；　entered

the　room　and　saluted　him。　Turning　to　the　men　he　said：

〃Take　these　two　girls；　bind　them　with　wire　ropes　and

cast　them　into　the　bronze　prison。〃



The　four　men　bowed　low　and　o