dorothy and the wizard in oz-第8章

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melon　vines　and　berry　bushes。　　Follow　me；　please；　to　meet　your　doom。〃







5。　　Dorothy　Picks　the　Princess





The　words　of　the　cold　and　moist　vegetable　Prince　were　not　very

comforting；　and　as　he　spoke　them　he　turned　away　and　left　the

enclosure。　　The　children；　feeling　sad　and　despondent；　were　about　to

follow　him　when　the　Wizard　touched　Dorothy　softly　on　her　shoulder。



〃Wait！〃　he　whispered。



〃What　for？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃Suppose　we　pick　the　Royal　Princess；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃I'm　quite

sure　she's　ripe；　and　as　soon　as　she　comes　to　life　she　will　be　the

Ruler；　and　may　treat　us　better　than　that　heartless　Prince　intends　to。〃



〃All　right！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　eagerly。　　〃Let's　pick　her　while　we

have　the　chance；　before　the　man　with　the　star　comes　back。〃



So　together　they　leaned　over　the　great　bush　and　each　of　them　seized

one　hand　of　the　lovely　Princess。



〃Pull！〃　cried　Dorothy；　and　as　they　did　so　the　royal　lady　leaned　toward

them　and　the　stems　snapped　and　separated　from　her　feet。　　She　was　not

at　all　heavy；　so　the　Wizard　and　Dorothy　managed　to　lift　her　gently　to

the　ground。



The　beautiful　creature　passed　her　hands　over　her　eyes　an　instant；

tucked　in　a　stray　lock　of　hair　that　had　become　disarranged；　and　after

a　look　around　the　garden　made　those　present　a　gracious　bow　and　said；

in　a　sweet　but　even　toned　voice：



〃I　thank　you　very　much。〃



〃We　salute　your　Royal　Highness！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　kneeling　and

kissing　her　hand。



Just　then　the　voice　of　the　Prince　was　heard　calling　upon　them　to

hasten；　and　a　moment　later　he　returned　to　the　enclosure；　followed　by　a

number　of　his　people。



Instantly　the　Princess　turned　and　faced　him；　and　when　he　saw　that　she

was　picked　the　Prince　stood　still　and　began　to　tremble。



〃Sir；〃　said　the　Royal　Lady；　with　much　dignity；　〃you　have　wronged　me

greatly；　and　would　have　wronged　me　still　more　had　not　these　strangers

come　to　my　rescue。　　I　have　been　ready　for　picking　all　the　past　week；

but　because　you　were　selfish　and　desired　to　continue　your　unlawful

rule；　you　left　me　to　stand　silent　upon　my　bush。〃



〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　ripe；〃　answered　the　Prince；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Give　me　the　Star　of　Royalty！〃　she　commanded。



Slowly　he　took　the　shining　star　from　his　own　brow　and　placed　it　upon

that　of　the　Princess。　　Then　all　the　people　bowed　low　to　her；　and　the

Prince　turned　and　walked　away　alone。　　What　became　of　him　afterward　our

friends　never　knew。



The　people　of　Mangaboo　now　formed　themselves　into　a　procession　and

marched　toward　the　glass　city　to　escort　their　new　ruler　to　her　palace

and　to　perform　those　ceremonies　proper　to　the　occasion。　　But　while　the

people　in　the　procession　walked　upon　the　ground　the　Princess　walked　in

the　air　just　above　their　heads；　to　show　that　she　was　a　superior　being

and　more　exalted　than　her　subjects。



No　one　now　seemed　to　pay　any　attention　to　the　strangers；　so　Dorothy

and　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　let　the　train　pass　on　and　then　wandered　by

themselves　into　the　vegetable　gardens。　　They　did　not　bother　to　cross

the　bridges　over　the　brooks；　but　when　they　came　to　a　stream　they

stepped　high　and　walked　in　the　air　to　the　other　side。　　This　was　a　very

interesting　experience　to　them；　and　Dorothy　said：



〃I　wonder　why　it　is　that　we　can　walk　so　easily　in　the　air。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　answered　the　Wizard；　〃it　is　because　we　are　close　to　the

center　of　the　earth；　where　the　attraction　of　gravitation　is　very　slight。

But　I've　noticed　that　many　queer　things　happen　in　fairy　countries。〃



〃Is　this　a　fairy　country？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃Of　course　it　is；〃　returned　Dorothy　promptly。　　〃Only　a　fairy　country

could　have　veg'table　people；　and　only　in　a　fairy　country　could　Eureka

and　Jim　talk　as　we　do。〃



〃That's　true；〃　said　Zeb；　thoughtfully。



In　the　vegetable　gardens　they　found　the　strawberries　and　melons；　and

several　other　unknown　but　delicious　fruits；　of　which　they　ate

heartily。　　But　the　kitten　bothered　them　constantly　by　demanding　milk

or　meat；　and　called　the　Wizard　names　because　he　could　not　bring　her　a

dish　of　milk　by　means　of　his　magical　arts。



As　they　sat　upon　the　grass　watching　Jim；　who　was　still　busily　eating；

Eureka　said：



〃I　don't　believe　you　are　a　Wizard　at　all！〃



〃No；〃　answered　the　little　man；　〃you　are　quite　right。　　In　the　strict

sense　of　the　word　I　am　not　a　Wizard；　but　only　a　humbug。〃



〃The　Wizard　of　Oz　has　always　been　a　humbug；〃　agreed　Dorothy。　　〃I've

known　him　for　a　long　time。〃



〃If　that　is　so；〃　said　the　boy；　〃how　could　he　do　that　wonderful　trick

with　the　nine　tiny　piglets？〃



〃Don't　know；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃but　it　must　have　been　humbug。〃



〃Very　true；〃　declared　the　Wizard；　nodding　at　her。　　〃It　was　necessary

to　deceive　that　ugly　Sorcerer　and　the　Prince；　as　well　as　their　stupid

people；　but　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　who　are　my　friends；　that　the

thing　was　only　a　trick。〃



〃But　I　saw　the　little　pigs　with　my　own　eyes！〃　exclaimed　Zeb。



〃So　did　I；〃　purred　the　kitten。



〃To　be　sure；〃　answered　the　Wizard。　　〃You　saw　them　because　they　were

there。　　They　are　in　my　inside　pocket　now。　　But　the　pulling　of　them

apart　and　pushing　them　together　again　was　only　a　sleight…of…hand　trick。〃



〃Let's　see　the　pigs；〃　said　Eureka；　eagerly。



The　little　man　felt　carefully　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　the　tiny

piglets；　setting　them　upon　the　grass　one　by　one；　where　they　ran　around

and　nibbled　the　tender　blades。



〃They're　hungry；　too；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　what　cunning　things！〃　cried　Dorothy；　catching　up　one　and　petting　it。



〃Be　careful！〃　said　the　piglet；　with　a　squeal；　〃you're　squeezing　me！〃



〃Dear　me！〃　murmured　the　Wizard；　looking　at　his　pets　in　astonishment。

〃They　can　actually　talk！〃



〃May　I　eat　one　of　them？〃　asked　the　kitten；　in　a　pleading　voice。　　〃I'm

awfully　hungry。〃



〃Why；　Eureka；〃　said　Dorothy；　reproachfully；　〃what　a　cruel　question！

It　would　be　dreadful　to　eat　these　dear　little　things。〃



〃I　should　say　so！〃　grunted　another　of　the　piglets；　looking　uneasily　at

the　kitten；　〃cats　are　cruel　things。〃



〃I'm　not　cruel；〃　replied　the　kitten；　yawning。　　〃I'm　just　hungry。〃



〃You　cannot　eat　my　piglets；　even　if　you　are　starving；〃　　declared　the

little　man；　in　a　stern　voice。　　〃They　are　the　only　things　I　have　to

prove　I'm　a　wizard。〃



〃How　did　they　happen　to　be　so　little？〃　asked　Dorothy。　　〃I　never　saw

such　small　pigs　before。〃



〃They　are　from　the　Island　of　Teenty…Weent；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃where

everything　is　small　because　it's　a　small　island。　　A　sailor　brought

them　to　Los　Angeles　and　I　gave　him　nine　tickets　to　the　circus　for　them。〃



〃But　what　am　I　going　to　eat？〃　wailed　the　kitten；　sitting　in　front　of

Dorothy　and　looking　pleadingly　into　her　face。　　〃There　are　no　cows　here

to　give　milk；　or　any　mice；　or　even　grasshoppers。　　And　if　I　can't　eat

the　piglets　you　may　as　well　plant　me　at　once　and　raise　catsup。〃



〃I　have　an　idea；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃that　there　are　fishes　in　these

brooks。　　Do　you　like　fish？〃



〃Fish！〃　cried　the　kitten。　　〃Do　I　like　fish？　　Why；　they're　better　than

pigletsor　even　milk！〃



〃Then　I'll　try　to　catch　you　some；〃　said　he。



〃But　won't　they　be　veg'table；　like　everything　else　here？〃　asked　the　kitten。



〃I　think　not。　　Fishes　are　not　animals；　and　they　are　as　cold　and　moist

as　the　vegetables　themselves。　　There　is　no　reason；　that　I　can　see；　why

they　may　not　exist　in　the　waters　of　this　strange　country。〃



Then　the　Wizard　bent　a　pin　for　a　hook　and　took　a　long　piece　of　string

from　his　pocket　for　a　fish…line。　　The　only　bait　he　could　find　was　a

bright　red　blossom　from　a　flower；　but　he　knew　fishes　are　easy　to　fool

if　anything　bright　attracts　their　attention；　so　he　decided　to　try　the

blossom。　　Having　thrown　the　end　of　his　line　in　the　water　of　a　nearby

brook　he　soon　felt　a　sharp　tug　that　told　him　a　fish　had　bitten　and　was

caught　on　the　bent　pin；　so　the　little　man　drew　in　the　string　and；　sure

enough；　the　fish　came　with　it　and　was　landed　safely　on　the　shore；

wh