dorothy and the wizard in oz-第27章

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delighted　at　their　appearance　as　even　the　Wizard　could　have　desired。

When　he　had　made　them　all　disappear　again　Ozma　declared　she　was　sorry

they　were　gone；　for　she　wanted　one　of　them　to　pet　and　play　with。　　So

the　Wizard　pretended　to　take　one　of　the　piglets　out　of　the　hair　of　the

Princess　（while　really　he　slyly　took　it　from　his　inside　pocket）　and

Ozma　smiled　joyously　as　the　creature　nestled　in　her　arms；　and　she

promised　to　have　an　emerald　collar　made　for　its　fat　neck　and　to　keep

the　little　squealer　always　at　hand　to　amuse　her。



Afterward　it　was　noticed　that　the　Wizard　always　performed　his　famous

trick　with　eight　piglets；　but　it　seemed　to　please　the　people　just　as

well　as　if　there　had　been　nine　of　them。



In　his　little　room　back　of　the　Throne　Room　the　Wizard　had　found　a　lot

of　things　he　had　left　behind　him　when　he　went　away　in　the　balloon；　for

no　one　had　occupied　the　apartment　in　his　absence。　　There　was　enough

material　there　to　enable　him　to　prepare　several　new　tricks　which　he

had　learned　from　some　of　the　jugglers　in　the　circus；　and　he　had　passed

part　of　the　night　in　getting　them　ready。　　So　he　followed　the　trick　of

the　nine　tiny　piglets　with　several　other　wonderful　feats　that　greatly

delighted　his　audience　and　the　people　did　not　seem　to　care　a　bit

whether　the　little　man　was　a　humbug　Wizard　or　not；　so　long　as　he

succeeded　in　amusing　them。　　They　applauded　all　his　tricks　and　at　the

end　of　the　performance　begged　him　earnestly　not　to　go　away　again　and

leave　them。



〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　little　man；　gravely；　〃I　will　cancel　all　of　my

engagements　before　the　crowned　heads　of　Europe　and　America　and　devote

myself　to　the　people　of　Oz；　for　I　love　you　all　so　well　that　I　can　deny

you　nothing。〃



After　the　people　had　been　dismissed　with　this　promise　our　friends

joined　Princess　Ozma　at　an　elaborate　luncheon　in　the　palace；　where

even　the　Tiger　and　the　Lion　were　sumptuously　fed　and　Jim　the　Cab…horse

ate　his　oatmeal　out　of　a　golden　bowl　with　seven　rows　of　rubies；

sapphires　and　diamonds　set　around　the　rim　of　it。



In　the　afternoon　they　all　went　to　a　great　field　outside　the　city　gates

where　the　games　were　to　be　held。　　There　was　a　beautiful　canopy　for

Ozma　and　her　guests　to　sit　under　and　watch　the　people　run　races　and

jump　and　wrestle。　　You　may　be　sure　the　folks　of　Oz　did　their　best　with

such　a　distinguished　company　watching　them；　and　finally　Zeb　offered　to

wrestle　with　a　little　Munchkin　who　seemed　to　be　the　champion。　　In

appearance　he　was　twice　as　old　as　Zeb；　for　he　had　long　pointed

whiskers　and　wore　a　peaked　hat　with　little　bells　all　around　the　brim

of　it；　which　tinkled　gaily　as　he　moved。　　But　although　the　Munchkin　was

hardly　tall　enough　to　come　to　Zeb's　shoulder　he　was　so　strong　and

clever　that　he　laid　the　boy　three　times　on　his　back　with　apparent　ease。



Zeb　was　greatly　astonished　at　his　defeat；　and　when　the　pretty　Princess

joined　her　people　in　laughing　at　him　he　proposed　a　boxing…match　with

the　Munchkin；　to　which　the　little　Ozite　readily　agreed。　　But　the　first

time　that　Zeb　managed　to　give　him　a　sharp　box　on　the　ears　the　Munchkin

sat　down　upon　the　ground　and　cried　until　the　tears　ran　down　his

whiskers；　because　he　had　been　hurt。　　This　made　Zeb　laugh；　in　turn；　and

the　boy　felt　comforted　to　find　that　Ozma　laughed　as　merrily　at　her

weeping　subject　as　she　had　at　him。



Just　then　the　Scarecrow　proposed　a　race　between　the　Sawhorse　and　the

Cab…horse；　and　although　all　the　others　were　delighted　at　the

suggestion　the　Sawhorse　drew　back；　saying：



〃Such　a　race　would　not　be　fair。〃



〃Of　course　not；〃　added　Jim；　with　a　touch　of　scorn；　〃those　little

wooden　legs　of　yours　are　not　half　as　long　as　my　own。〃



〃It　isn't　that；〃　said　the　Sawhorse；　modestly；　〃but　I　never　tire；　and

you　do。〃



〃Bah！〃　cried　Jim；　looking　with　great　disdain　at　the　other；　〃do　you

imagine　for　an　instant　that　such　a　shabby　imitation　of　a　horse　as　you

are　can　run　as　fast　as　I？〃



〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；〃　replied　the　Sawhorse。



〃That　is　what　we　are　trying　to　find　out；〃　remarked　the　Scarecrow。

〃The　object　of　a　race　is　to　see　who　can　win　itor　at　least　that　is

what　my　excellent　brains　think。〃



〃Once；　when　I　was　young；〃　said　Jim；　〃I　was　a　race　horse；　and　defeated

all　who　dared　run　against　me。　　I　was　born　in　Kentucky；　you　know；　where

all　the　best　and　most　aristocratic　horses　come　from。〃



〃But　you're　old；　now；　Jim；〃　suggested　Zeb。



〃Old！　　Why；　I　feel　like　a　colt　today；〃　replied　Jim。　　〃I　only　wish

there　was　a　real　horse　here　for　me　to　race　with。　　I'd　show　the　people

a　fine　sight；　I　can　tell　you。〃



〃Then　why　not　race　with　the　Sawhorse？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow。



〃He's　afraid；〃　said　Jim。



〃Oh；　no；〃　answered　the　Sawhorse。　　〃I　merely　said　it　wasn't　fair。　　But

if　my　friend　the　Real　Horse　is　willing　to　undertake　the　race　I　am

quite　ready。〃



So　they　unharnessed　Jim　and　took　the　saddle　off　the　Sawhorse；　and　the

two　queerly　matched　animals　were　stood　side　by　side　for　the　start。



〃When　I　say　'Go！'〃　Zeb　called　to　them；　〃you　must　dig　out　and　race

until　you　reach　those　three　trees　you　see　over　yonder。　　Then　circle

'round　them　and　come　back　again。　　The　first　one　that　passes　the　place

where　the　Princess　sits　shall　be　named　the　winner。　　Are　you　ready？〃



〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　give　the　wooden　dummy　a　good　start　of　me；〃

growled　Jim。



〃Never　mind　that；〃　said　the　Sawhorse。　　〃I'll　do　the　best　I　can。〃



〃Go！〃　cried　Zeb；　and　at　the　word　the　two　horses　leaped　forward　and　the

race　was　begun。



Jim's　big　hoofs　pounded　away　at　a　great　rate；　and　although　he　did　not

look　very　graceful　he　ran　in　a　way　to　do　credit　to　his　Kentucky

breeding。　　But　the　Sawhorse　was　swifter　than　the　wind。　　Its　wooden

legs　moved　so　fast　that　their　twinkling　could　scarcely　be　seen；　and

although　so　much　smaller　than　the　cab…horse　it　covered　the　ground　much

faster。　　Before　they　had　reached　the　trees　the　Sawhorse　was　far　ahead；

and　the　wooden　animal　returned　to　the　starting　place　as　was　being

lustily　cheered　by　the　Ozites　before　Jim　came　panting　up　to　the　canopy

where　the　Princess　and　her　friends　were　seated。



I　am　sorry　to　record　the　fact　that　Jim　was　not　only　ashamed　of　his

defeat　but　for　a　moment　lost　control　of　his　temper。　　As　he　looked　at

the　comical　face　of　the　Sawhorse　he　imagined　that　the　creature　was

laughing　at　him；　so　in　a　fit　of　unreasonable　anger　he　turned　around

and　made　a　vicious　kick　that　sent　his　rival　tumbling　head　over　heels

upon　the　ground；　and　broke　off　one　of　its　legs　and　its　left　ear。



An　instant　later　the　Tiger　crouched　and　launched　its　huge　body　through

the　air　swift　and　resistless　as　a　ball　from　a　cannon。　　The　beast

struck　Jim　full　on　his　shoulder　and　sent　the　astonished　cab…horse

rolling　over　and　over；　amid　shouts　of　delight　from　the　spectators；　who

had　been　horrified　by　the　ungracious　act　he　had　been　guilty　of。



When　Jim　came　to　himself　and　sat　upon　his　haunches　he　found　the

Cowardly　Lion　crouched　on　one　side　of　him　and　the　Hungry　Tiger　on　the

other；　and　their　eyes　were　glowing　like　balls　of　fire。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Jim；　meekly。　　〃I　was　wrong　to　kick

the　Sawhorse；　and　I　am　sorry　I　became　angry　at　him。　　He　has　won　the

race；　and　won　it　fairly；　but　what　can　a　horse　of　flesh　do　against　a

tireless　beast　of　wood？〃



Hearing　this　apology　the　Tiger　and　the　Lion　stopped　lashing　their

tails　and　retreated　with　dignified　steps　to　the　side　of　the　Princess。



〃No　one　must　injure　one　of　our　friends　in　our　presence；〃　growled　the

Lion；　and　Zeb　ran　to　Jim　and　whispered　that　unless　he　controlled　his

temper　in　the　future　he　would　probably　be　torn　to　pieces。



Then　the　Tin　Woodman　cut　a　straight　and　strong　limb　from　a　tree　with

his　gleaming　axe　and　made　a　new　leg　and　a　new　ear　for　the　Sawhorse；

and　when　they　had　been　securely　fastened　in　place　Princess　Ozma　took

the　coronet　from　her　own　head　and　placed　it　upon　that　of　the　winner

of　the　race。　　Said　she：



〃My　friend；　I　reward　you　for　your　s