dorothy and the wizard in oz-第25章

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They　obeyed　at　once；　and　next　served　a　fine　large　turbot　on　a　silver

platter；　with　drawn　gravy　poured　over　it。



〃Fish！〃　cried　Jim；　with　a　sniff。　　〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　tom…cat？　　Away

with　it！〃



The　servants　were　a　little　discouraged；　but　soon　they　brought　in　a

great　tray　containing　two　dozen　nicely　roasted　quail　on　toast。



〃Well；　well！〃　said　the　horse；　now　thoroughly　provoked。　　〃Do　you　take

me　for　a　weasel？　　How　stupid　and　ignorant　you　are；　in　the　Land　of　Oz；

and　what　dreadful　things　you　feed　upon！　　Is　there　nothing　that　is

decent　to　eat　in　this　palace？〃



The　trembling　servants　sent　for　the　Royal　Steward；　who　came　in　haste

and　said：



〃What　would　your　Highness　like　for　dinner？〃



〃Highness！〃　repeated　Jim；　who　was　unused　to　such　titles。



〃You　are　at　least　six　feet　high；　and　that　is　higher　than　any　other

animal　in　this　country；〃　said　the　Steward。



〃Well；　my　Highness　would　like　some　oats；〃　　declared　the　horse。



〃Oats？　　We　have　no　whole　oats；〃　the　Steward　replied；　with　much　deference。

〃But　there　is　any　quantity　of　oatmeal；　which　we　often　cook　for　breakfast。

Oatmeal　is　a　breakfast　dish；〃　added　the　Steward；　humbly。



〃I'll　make　it　a　dinner　dish；〃　said　Jim。　　〃Fetch　it　on；　but　don't　cook

it；　as　you　value　your　life。〃



You　see；　the　respect　shown　the　worn…out　old　cab…horse　made　him　a

little　arrogant；　and　he　forgot　he　was　a　guest；　never　having　been

treated　otherwise　than　as　a　servant　since　the　day　he　was　born；　until

his　arrival　in　the　Land　of　Oz。　　But　the　royal　attendants　did　not　heed

the　animal's　ill　temper。　　They　soon　mixed　a　tub　of　oatmeal　with　a

little　water；　and　Jim　ate　it　with　much　relish。



Then　the　servants　heaped　a　lot　of　rugs　upon　the　floor　and　the　old

horse　slept　on　the　softest　bed　he　had　ever　known　in　his　life。



In　the　morning；　as　soon　as　it　was　daylight；　he　resolved　to　take　a　walk

and　try　to　find　some　grass　for　breakfast；　so　he　ambled　calmly　through

the　handsome　arch　of　the　doorway；　turned　the　corner　of　the　palace；

wherein　all　seemed　asleep；　and　came　face　to　face　with　the　Sawhorse。



Jim　stopped　abruptly；　being　startled　and　amazed。　　The　Sawhorse　stopped

at　the　same　time　and　stared　at　the　other　with　its　queer　protruding

eyes；　which　were　mere　knots　in　the　log　that　formed　its　body。　　The　legs

of　the　Sawhorse　were　four　sticks　driving　into　holes　bored　in　the　log；

its　tail　was　a　small　branch　that　had　been　left　by　accident　and　its

mouth　a　place　chopped　in　one　end　of　the　body　which　projected　a　little

and　served　as　a　head。　　The　ends　of　the　wooden　legs　were　shod　with

plates　of　solid　gold；　and　the　saddle　of　the　Princess　Ozma；　which　was　of

red　leather　set　with　sparkling　diamonds；　was　strapped　to　the　clumsy　body。



Jim's　eyes　stuck　out　as　much　as　those　of　the　Sawhorse；　and　he　stared

at　the　creature　with　his　ears　erect　and　his　long　head　drawn　back　until

it　rested　against　his　arched　neck。



In　this　comical　position　the　two　horses　circled　slowly　around　each

other　for　a　while；　each　being　unable　to　realize　what　the　singular　thing

might　be　which　it　now　beheld　for　the　first　time。　　Then　Jim　exclaimed：



〃For　goodness　sake；　what　sort　of　a　being　are　you？〃



〃I'm　a　Sawhorse；〃　replied　the　other。



〃Oh；　I　believe　I've　heard　of　you；〃　said　the　cab…horse；　〃but　you　are

unlike　anything　that　I　expected　to　see。〃



〃I　do　not　doubt　it；〃　the　Sawhorse　observed；　with　a　tone　of　pride。　　〃I

am　considered　quite　unusual。〃



〃You　are；　indeed。　　But　a　rickety　wooden　thing　like　you　has　no　right　to

be　alive。〃



〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　returned　the　other；　rather　crestfallen。　　〃Ozma

sprinkled　me　with　a　magic　powder；　and　I　just　had　to　live。　　I　know　I'm

not　much　account；　but　I'm　the　only　horse　in　all　the　Land　of　Oz；　so

they　treat　me　with　great　respect。〃



〃You；　a　horse！〃



〃Oh；　not　a　real　one；　of　course。　　There　are　no　real　horses　here　at　all。

But　I'm　a　splendid　imitation　of　one。〃



Jim　gave　an　indignant　neigh。



〃Look　at　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃Behold　a　real　horse！〃



The　wooden　animal　gave　a　start；　and　then　examined　the　other　intently。



〃Is　it　possible　that　you　are　a　Real　Horse？〃　he　murmured。



〃Not　only　possible；　but　true；〃　replied　Jim；　who　was　gratified　by　the

impression　he　had　created。　　〃It　is　proved　by　my　fine　points。　　For

example；　look　at　the　long　hairs　on　my　tail；　with　which　I　can　whisk

away　the　flies。〃



〃The　flies　never　trouble　me；〃　said　the　Saw…Horse。



〃And　notice　my　great　strong　teeth；　with　which　I　nibble　the　grass。〃



〃It　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　eat；〃　observed　the　Sawhorse。



〃Also　examine　my　broad　chest；　which　enables　me　to　draw　deep；　full

breaths；〃　said　Jim；　proudly。



〃I　have　no　need　to　breathe；〃　returned　the　other。



〃No；　you　miss　many　pleasures；〃　remarked　the　cab…horse；　pityingly。

〃You　do　not　know　the　relief　of　brushing　away　a　fly　that　has　bitten

you；　nor　the　delight　of　eating　delicious　food；　nor　the　satisfaction　of

drawing　a　long　breath　of　fresh；　pure　air。　　You　may　be　an　imitation　of

a　horse；　but　you're　a　mighty　poor　one。〃



〃Oh；　I　cannot　hope　ever　to　be　like　you；〃　sighed　the　Sawhorse。　　〃But　I

am　glad　to　meet　a　last　a　Real　Horse。　　You　are　certainly　the　most

beautiful　creature　I　ever　beheld。〃



This　praise　won　Jim　completely。　　To　be　called　beautiful　was　a　novelty

in　his　experience。　　Said　he：



〃Your　chief　fault；　my　friend；　is　in　being　made　of　wood；　and　that　I

suppose　you　cannot　help。　　Real　horses；　like　myself；　are　made　of　flesh

and　blood　and　bones。〃



〃I　can　see　the　bones　all　right；〃　replied　the　Sawhorse；　〃and　they　are

admirable　and　distinct。　　Also　I　can　see　the　flesh。　　But　the　blood；　I

suppose　is　tucked　away　inside。〃



〃Exactly；〃　said　Jim。



〃What　good　is　it？〃　asked　the　Sawhorse。



Jim　did　not　know；　but　he　would　not　tell　the　Sawhorse　that。



〃If　anything　cuts　me；〃　he　replied；　〃the　blood　runs　out　to　show　where　I

am　cut。　　You；　poor　thing！　cannot　even　bleed　when　you　are　hurt。〃



〃But　I　am　never　hurt；〃　said　the　Sawhorse。　　〃Once　in　a　while　I　get

broken　up　some；　but　I　am　easily　repaired　and　put　in　good　order　again。

And　I　never　feel　a　break　or　a　splinter　in　the　least。〃



Jim　was　almost　tempted　to　envy　the　wooden　horse　for　being　unable　to

feel　pain；　but　the　creature　was　so　absurdly　unnatural　that　he　decided

he　would　not　change　places　with　it　under　any　circumstances。



〃How　did　you　happen　to　be　shod　with　gold？〃　he　asked。



〃Princess　Ozma　did　that；〃　was　the　reply；　〃and　it　saves　my　legs　from

wearing　out。　　We've　had　a　good　many　adventures　together；　Ozma　and　I；

and　she　likes　me。〃



The　cab…horse　was　about　to　reply　when　suddenly　he　gave　a　start　and　a

neigh　of　terror　and　stood　trembling　like　a　leaf。　　For　around　the

corner　had　come　two　enormous　savage　beasts；　treading　so　lightly　that

they　were　upon　him　before　he　was　aware　of　their　presence。　　Jim　was　in

the　act　of　plunging　down　the　path　to　escape　when　the　Sawhorse　cried　out：



〃Stop；　my　brother！　　Stop；　Real　Horse！　　These　are　friends；　and　will　do

you　no　harm。〃



Jim　hesitated；　eyeing　the　beasts　fearfully。　　One　was　an　enormous　Lion

with　clear；　intelligent　eyes；　a　tawney　mane　bushy　and　well　kept；　and　a

body　like　yellow　plush。　　The　other　was　a　great　Tiger　with　purple

stripes　around　his　lithe　body；　powerful　limbs；　and　eyes　that　showed

through　the　half　closed　lids　like　coals　of　fire。　　The　huge　forms　of

these　monarchs　of　the　forest　and　jungle　were　enough　to　strike　terror

to　the　stoutest　heart；　and　it　is　no　wonder　Jim　was　afraid　to　face　them。



But　the　Sawhorse　introduced　the　stranger　in　a　calm　tone；　saying：



〃This；　noble　Horse；　is　my　friend　the　Cowardly　Lion；　who　is　the　valiant　King

of　the　Forest；　but　at　the　same　time　a　faithful　vassal　of　Princess　Ozma。

And　this　is　the　Hungry　Tiger；　the　terror　of　the　jungle；　who　longs　to

devour　fat　babies　but　is　prevented　by　his　conscience　from　doing　so。

These　royal　beasts　are　both　warm　friends　of　little　Dorothy　and　have　come

to　the　Emerald　City　this　morning　to　welcome　her　to　our　fairyland。〃



Hearing　these　wo