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第12节

the lost princess of oz-第12节

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standing on her head on the Woozy〃s square back。 〃His



splendid brains would soon show us how to conquer this



field of thistles。〃







〃What's the matter with your brains?〃 asked the boy。







〃Nothing;〃 she said; making a flip…flop into the



thistles and dancing among them without feeling their



sharp points。 〃I could tell you in half a minute how to



get over the thistles; if I wanted to。〃







〃Tell us; Scraps!〃 begged Dorothy。







〃I don't want to wear my brains out with overwork;〃



replied the Patchwork Girl。









〃Don't you love Ozma? And don't you want to find



her?〃 asked Betsy reproachfully。







〃Yes; indeed;〃 said Scraps; walking on her hands as



an acrobat does at the circus。







〃Well; we can't find Ozma unless we get past these



thistles;〃 declared Dorothy。







Scraps danced around them two or three



times; without reply。 Then she said:







〃Don't look at me; you stupid folks; look at those



blankets。〃







The Wizard's face brightened at once。







〃Of course!〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why didn't we



think of those blankets before?〃







〃Because you haven't magic brains;〃 laughed Scraps。



〃Such brains as you have are of the common sort that



grow in your heads; like weeds in a garden。 I'm sorry



for you people who have to be born in order to be



alive。〃







But the Wizard was not listening to her。 He quickly



removed the blankets from the back of the Sawhorse and



spread one of them upon the thistles; just next to the



grass。 The thick cloth rendered the prickers harmless;



so the Wizard walked over this first blanket and spread



the second one farther on; in the direction of the



phantom city。







〃These blankets;〃 said he; 〃are for the Lion and the



Mule to walk upon。 The Sawhorse and the Woozy can walk



on the thistles。〃







So the Lion and the Mule walked over the first



blanket and stood upon the second one until the Wizard



had picked up the one they had passed over and spread



it in front of them; when they advanced to that one and



waited while the one behind them was again spread in



front。







〃This is slow work;〃 said the Wizard; 〃but it will



get us to the city after a while。〃







〃The city is a good half mile away; yet;〃 announced



Button…Bright。







〃And this is awful hard work for the Wizard;〃 added



Trot。







〃Why couldn't the Lion ride on the Woozy's back?〃



asked Dorothy。 〃It's a big; flat back; and the Woozy's



mighty strong。 Perhaps the Lion wouldn't fall off。〃







〃You may try it; if you like;〃 said the Woozy to the



Lion。 〃I can take you to the city in a jiffy and then



come back for Hank。〃







〃I'm  I'm afraid;〃 said the Cowardly Lion。 He was



twice as big as the Woozy。







〃Try it;〃 pleaded Dorothy。







〃And take a tumble among the thistles?〃 asked the



Lion reproachfully。 But when the Woozy came close to



him the big beast suddenly bounded upon its back and



managed to balance himself there; although forced to



hold his four legs so close together that he was in



danger of toppling over。 The great weight of the



monster Lion did not seem to affect the Woozy; who



called to his rider: 〃Hold on tight!〃 and ran swiftly



over the thistles toward the city。







The others stood on the blankets and watched the



strange sight anxiously。 Of course the Lion couldn't



〃hold on tight〃 because there was nothing to hold to;



and he swayed from side to side as if likely to fall



off any moment。 Still; he managed to stick to the



Woozy's back until they were close to the walls of the



city; when he leaped to the ground。 Next moment the



Woozy came dashing back at full speed。







〃There's a little strip of ground next to the wall



where there are no thistles;〃 he told them; when he had



reached the adventurers once more。 〃Now; then; friend



Hank; see if you can ride as well as the Lion did。〃







〃Take the others first;〃 proposed the Mule。 So the



Sawhorse and the Woozy made a couple of trips over the



thistles to the city walls and carried all the people



in safety; Dorothy holding little Toto in her arms。 The



travelers then sat in a group on a little hillock; just



outside the wall; and looked at the great blocks of



gray stone and waited for the Woozy to bring Hank to



them。 The Mule was very awkward and his legs trembled



so badly that more than once they thought he would



tumble off; but finally he reached them in safety and



the entire party was now reunited。 More than that; they



had reached the city that had eluded them for so long



and in so strange a manner。







〃The gates must be around the other side;〃 said the



Wizard。 〃Let us follow the curve of the wall until we



reach an opening in it。〃







〃Which way?〃 asked Dorothy。







〃We must guess at that;〃 he replied。 〃Suppose we go



to the left? One direction is as good as another。〃







They formed in marching order and went around the



city wall to the left。 It wasn't a big city; as I have



said; but to go way around it; outside the high wall;



was quite a walk; as they became aware。 But around it



our adventurers went; without finding any sign of a



gateway or other opening。 When they had returned to the



little mound from which they had started; they



dismounted from the animals and again seated themselves



on the grassy mound。







〃It's mighty queer; isn't it?〃 asked Button…Bright。







〃There must be some way for the people to get out and



in;' declared Dorothy。 〃Do you s'pose they have flying



machines; Wizard?〃







〃No;〃 he replied; 〃for in that case they would be



flying all over the Land of Oz; and we know they have



not done that。 Flying machines are unknown here。 I



think it more likely that the people use ladders to get



over the walls。〃







〃It would be an awful climb; over that high stone



wall;〃 said Betsy。







〃Stone; is it?〃 cried Scraps; who was again dancing



wildly around; for she never tired and could never keep



still for long。







〃Course it's stone;〃 answered Betsy scornfully。



〃Can't you see?〃







〃Yes;〃 said Scraps; going closer; 〃I can see the



wall; but I can't feel it。〃 And then; with her arms



outstretched; she did a very queer thing。 She walked



right into the wall and disappeared。







〃For goodness sake!〃 cried Dorothy amazed; as indeed



they all were。



















Chapter Nine







The High Coco…Lorum of Thi











And now the Patchwork Girl came dancing out of the wall



again。 〃Come on!〃 she called。 〃It isn't there。 There



isn't any wall at all。〃







〃What! No wall?〃 exclaimed the Wizard。







〃Nothing like it;〃 said Scraps。 〃It's a make…believe。



You see it; but it isn't。 Come on into the city; we've



been wasting time。〃







With this she danced into the wall again and once



more disappeared。 Button…Bright; who was rather



venturesome; dashed away after her and also became



invisible to them。 The others followed more cautiously;



stretching out their hands to feel the wall and



finding; to their astonishment; that they could feel



nothing because nothing opposed them。 They walked on a



few steps and found themselves in the streets of a very



beautiful city。 Behind them they again saw the wall;



grim and forbidding as ever; but now they knew it was



merely an illusion; prepared to keep strangers from



entering the city。







But the wall was soon forgotten; for in front of them



were a number of quaint people who stared at them in



amazement; as if wondering where they had come from。



Our friends forgot their good manners; for a time; and



returned the stares with interest; for so remarkable a



people had never before been discovered in all the



remarkable Land of Oz。







Their heads were shaped like diamonds and their



bodies like hearts。 All the hair they had was a little



bunch at the tip top of their diamond…shaped heads and



their eyes were very large and round and their noses



and mouths very small。 Their clothing was tight…fitting



and of brilliant colors; being handsomely embroidered



in quaint designs with gold or silver threads; but on



their feet they wore sandals; with no stockings



whatever。 The expression of their faces was pleasant



enough; although they now showed surprise at the




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