dorothy and the wizard in oz-第12章

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contented　in　his　new　surroundings。



〃We　can't　walk　in　the　air　here；　though；〃　called　Eureka；　who　had　tried

it　and　failed；　but　the　others　were　satisfied　to　walk　on　the　ground；

and　the　Wizard　said　they　must　be　nearer　the　surface　of　the　earth　then

they　had　been　in　the　Mangaboo　country；　for　everything　was　more　homelike

and　natural。



〃But　where　are　the　people？〃　asked　Dorothy。



The　little　man　shook　his　bald　head。



〃Can't　imagine；　my　dear；〃　he　replied。



They　heard　the　sudden　twittering　of　a　bird；　but　could　not　find　the

creature　anywhere。　　Slowly　they　walked　along　the　path　toward　the

nearest　cottage；　the　piglets　racing　and　gambolling　beside　them　and　Jim

pausing　at　every　step　for　another　mouthful　of　grass。



Presently　they　came　to　a　low　plant　which　had　broad；　spreading　leaves；

in　the　center　of　which　grew　a　single　fruit　about　as　large　as　a　peach。

The　fruit　was　so　daintily　colored　and　so　fragrant；　and　looked　so

appetizing　and　delicious　that　Dorothy　stopped　and　exclaimed：



〃What　is　it；　do　you　s'pose？〃



The　piglets　had　smelled　the　fruit　quickly；　and　before　the　girl　could

reach　out　her　hand　to　pluck　it　every　one　of　the　nine　tiny　ones　had

rushed　in　and　commenced　to　devour　it　with　great　eagerness。



〃It's　good；　anyway；〃　said　Zeb；　〃or　those　little　rascals　wouldn't　have

gobbled　it　up　so　greedily。〃



〃Where　are　they？〃　asked　Dorothy；　in　astonishment。



They　all　looked　around；　but　the　piglets　had　disappeared。



〃Dear　me！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　〃they　must　have　run　away。　　But　I　didn't

see　them　go；　did　you？〃



〃No！〃　replied　the　boy　and　the　girl；　together。



〃Here；piggy；　piggy；　piggy！〃　called　their　master；　anxiously。



Several　squeals　and　grunts　were　instantly　heard　at　his　feet；　but　the

Wizard　could　not　discover　a　single　piglet。



〃Where　are　you？〃　he　asked。



〃Why；　right　beside　you；〃　spoke　a　tiny　voice。　　〃Can't　you　see　us？〃



〃No；〃　answered　the　little　man；　in　a　puzzled　tone。



〃We　can　see　you；〃　said　another　of　the　piglets。



The　Wizard　stooped　down　and　put　out　his　hand；　and　at　once　felt　the

small　fat　body　of　one　of　his　pets。　　He　picked　it　up；　but　could　not　see

what　he　held。



〃It　is　very　strange；〃　said　he；　soberly。　　〃The　piglets　have　become

invisible；　in　some　curious　way。〃



〃I'll　bet　it's　because　they　ate　that　peach！〃　cried　the　kitten。



〃It　wasn't　a　peach；　Eureka；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃I　only　hope　it　wasn't　poison。〃



〃It　was　fine；　Dorothy；〃　called　one　of　the　piglets。



〃We'll　eat　all　we　can　find　of　them；〃　said　another。



〃But　WE　mus'n't　eat　them；〃　the　Wizard　warned　the　children；　〃or　we　too

may　become　invisible；　and　lose　each　other。　If　we　come　across　another

of　the　strange　fruit　we　must　avoid　it。〃



Calling　the　piglets　to　him　he　picked　them　all　up；　one　by　one；　and　put

them　away　in　his　pocket；　for　although　he　could　not　see　them　he　could

feel　them；　and　when　he　had　buttoned　his　coat　he　knew　they　were　safe

for　the　present。



The　travellers　now　resumed　their　walk　toward　the　cottage；　which　they

presently　reached。　　It　was　a　pretty　place；　with　vines　growing　thickly

over　the　broad　front　porch。　　The　door　stood　open　and　a　table　was　set

in　the　front　room；　with　four　chairs　drawn　up　to　it。　　On　the　table

were　plates；　knives　and　forks；　and　dishes　of　bread；　meat　and　fruits。

The　meat　was　smoking　hot　and　the　knives　and　forks　were　performing

strange　antics　and　jumping　here　and　there　in　quite　a　puzzling　way。

But　not　a　single　person　appeared　to　be　in　the　room。



〃How　funny！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　who　with　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　now　stood

in　the　doorway。



A　peal　of　merry　laughter　answered　her；　and　the　knives　and　forks　fell

to　the　plates　with　a　clatter。　　One　of　the　chairs　pushed　back　from　the

table；　and　this　was　so　astonishing　and　mysterious　that　Dorothy　was

almost　tempted　to　run　away　in　fright。



〃Here　are　strangers；　mama！〃　cried　the　shrill　and　childish　voice　of

some　unseen　person。



〃So　I　see；　my　dear；〃　answered　another　voice；　soft　and　womanly。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　demanded　a　third　voice；　in　a　stern；　gruff　accent。



〃Well；　well！〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃are　there　really　people　in　this　room？〃



〃Of　course；〃　replied　the　man's　voice。



〃Andpardon　me　for　the　foolish　questionbut；　are　you　all　invisible？〃



〃Surely；〃　the　woman　answered；　repeating　her　low；　rippling　laughter。

〃Are　you　surprised　that　you　are　unable　to　see　the　people　of　Voe？〃



〃Why；　yes；〃　stammered　the　Wizard。　　〃All　the　people　I　have　ever　met

before　were　very　plain　to　see。〃



〃Where　do　you　come　from；　then？〃　asked　the　woman；　in　a　curious　tone。



〃We　belong　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　explained　the　Wizard；　〃but

recently；　during　an　earthquake；　we　fell　down　a　crack　and　landed　in　the

Country　of　the　Mangaboos。〃



〃Dreadful　creatures！〃　exclaimed　the　woman's　voice。　　〃I've　heard　of　them。〃



〃They　walled　us　up　in　a　mountain；〃　continued　the　Wizard；　〃but　we　found

there　was　a　tunnel　through　to　this　side；　so　we　came　here。　　It　is　a

beautiful　place。　　What　do　you　call　it？〃



〃It　is　the　Valley　of　Voe。〃



〃Thank　you。　　We　have　seen　no　people　since　we　arrived；　so　we　came　to

this　house　to　enquire　our　way。〃



〃Are　you　hungry？〃　asked　the　woman's　voice。



〃I　could　eat　something；〃　said　Dorothy。



〃So　could　I；〃　added　Zeb。



〃But　we　do　not　wish　to　intrude；　I　assure　you；〃　the　Wizard　hastened　to　say。



〃That's　all　right；〃　returned　the　man's　voice；　more　pleasantly　than

before。　　〃You　are　welcome　to　what　we　have。〃



As　he　spoke　the　voice　came　so　near　to　Zeb　that　he　jumped　back　in

alarm。　　Two　childish　voices　laughed　merrily　at　this　action；　and

Dorothy　was　sure　they　were　in　no　danger　among　such　light…hearted

folks；　even　if　those　folks　couldn't　be　seen。



〃What　curious　animal　is　that　which　is　eating　the　grass　on　my　lawn？〃

enquired　the　man's　voice。



〃That's　Jim；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃He's　a　horse。〃



〃What　is　he　good　for？〃　was　the　next　question。



〃He　draws　the　buggy　you　see　fastened　to　him；　and　we　ride　in　the　buggy

instead　of　walking；〃　she　explained。



〃Can　he　fight？〃　asked　the　man's　voice。



〃No！　he　can　kick　pretty　hard　with　his　heels；　and　bite　a　little；　but

Jim　can't　'zactly　fight；〃　she　replied。



〃Then　the　bears　will　get　him；〃　said　one　of　the　children's　voices。



〃Bears！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　　〃Are　these　bears　here？〃



〃That　is　the　one　evil　of　our　country；〃　answered　the　invisible　man。

〃Many　large　and　fierce　bears　roam　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；　and　when　they

can　catch　any　of　us　they　eat　us　up；　but　as　they　cannot　see　us；　we

seldom　get　caught。〃



〃Are　the　bears　invis'ble；　too？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃Yes；　for　they　eat　of　the　dama…fruit；　as　we　all　do；　and　that　keeps

them　from　being　seen　by　any　eye；　whether　human　or　animal。〃



〃Does　the　dama…fruit　grow　on　a　low　bush；　and　look　something　like　a

peach？〃　asked　the　Wizard。



〃Yes；〃　was　the　reply。



〃If　it　makes　you　invis'ble；　why　do　you　eat　it？〃　Dorothy　enquired。



〃For　two　reasons；　my　dear；〃　the　woman's　voice　answered。　　〃The

dama…fruit　is　the　most　delicious　thing　that　grows；　and　when　it　makes

us　invisible　the　bears　cannot　find　us　to　eat　us　up。　　But　now；　good

wanderers；　your　luncheon　is　on　the　table；　so　please　sit　down　and　eat

as　much　as　you　like。〃







9。　　They　Fight　the　Invisible　Bears





The　strangers　took　their　seats　at　the　table　willingly　enough；　for　they

were　all　hungry　and　the　platters　were　now　heaped　with　good　things　to

eat。　　In　front　of　each　place　was　a　plate　bearing　one　of　the　delicious

dama…fruit；　and　the　perfume　that　rose　from　these　was　so　enticing　and

sweet　that　they　were　sorely　tempted　to　eat　of　them　and　become　invisible。



But　Dorothy　satisfied　her　hunger　with　other　things；　and　her　companions

did　likewise；　resisting　the　temptation。



〃Why　do　you　not　eat　the　damas？〃　asked　the　woman's　voice。



〃We　don't　want　to　get　invis'ble；〃　answered　the　girl。



〃But　if　you　remain　visible　the　bears　will　see　you　and　devour　you；〃

said　a　girlish　young　voice；　that　belonged　to　one　of　the　children。　　〃