the lost princess of oz-第19节
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questioned Dorothy。
〃Don't ask me； my dear。 Ugu doesn't tell me why he
does things； I assure you。〃
〃Then we must go and ask him ourselves；〃 declared the
little girl。
〃I wouldn't do that； if I were you；〃 advised the
Czarover； looking first at the three girls and then at
the boy and the little Wizard and finally at the
stuffed Patchwork Girl。 〃If Ugu has really stolen your
Ozma； he will probably keep her a prisoner； in spite of
all your threats or entreaties。 And； with all his
magical knowledge； he would be a dangerous person to
attack。 Therefore； if you are wise； you will go home
again and find a new Ruler for the Emerald City and the
Land of Oz。 But perhaps it isn't Ugu the Shoemaker who
has stolen your Ozma。〃
〃The only way to settle that question；〃 replied the
Wizard； 〃is to go to Ugu's castle and see if Ozma is
there。 If she is； we will report the matter to the
great Sorceress； Glinda the Good； and I'm pretty sure
she will find a way to rescue our darling ruler from
the Shoemaker。〃
〃Well； do as you please；〃 said the Czarover。 〃But； if
you are all transformed into hummingbirds or
caterpillars； don't blame me for not warning you。〃
They stayed the rest of that day in the City of Herku
and were fed at the royal table of the Czarover and
given sleeping rooms in his palace。 The strong monarch
treated them very nicely and gave the Wizard a little
golden vial of zosozo； to use if ever he or any of his
party wished to acquire great strength。
Even at the last the Czarover tried to。 persuade them
not to go near Ugu the Shoemaker； but they were
resolved on the venture and the next morning bade the
friendly monarch a cordial good…bye and； mounting upon
their animals； left the Herkus and the City of Herku
and headed for the mountains that lay to the west。
Chapter Thirteen
The Truth Pond
It seems a long time since we have heard anything of
the Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook； who had left the
Yip Country in search of the diamond…studded gold
dishpan which had been mysteriously stolen the same
night that Ozma had disappeared from the Emerald City。
But you must remember that while the Frogman and the
Cookie Cook were preparing to descend from their
mountain…top； and even while on their way to the
farmhouse of Wiljon the Winkie； Dorothy and the Wizard
and their friends were encountering the adventures we
have just related。
So it was that on the very morning when the travelers
from the Emerald City bade farewell to the Czarover of
the City of Herku； Cayke and the Frogman awoke in a
grove in which they had passed the night sleeping on
beds of leaves。 There were plenty of farmhouses in the
neighborhood； but no one seemed to welcome the puffy；
haughty Frogman or the little dried…up Cookie Cook； and
so they slept comfortably enough underneath the trees
of the grove。
The Frogman wakened first； on this morning； and after
going to the tree where Cayke slept and finding her
still wrapt in slumber； he decided to take a little
walk and seek some breakfast。 Coming to the edge of the
grove he observed； half a mile away； a pretty yellow
house that was surrounded by a yellow picket fence； so
he walked toward this house and on entering the yard
found a Winkie woman picking up sticks with which to
build a fire to cook her morning meal。
〃For goodness sakes！〃 she exclaimed on seeing the
Frogman； 〃what are you doing out of your frogpond？〃
〃I am traveling in search of a jeweled gold dishpan；
my good woman；〃 he replied； with an air of great
dignity。
〃You won't find it here； then；〃 said she。 〃Our
dishpans are tin； and they're good enough for anybody。
So go back to your pond and leave me alone。〃
She spoke rather crossly and with a lack of respect
that greatly annoyed the Frogman。
〃Allow me to tell you； madam；〃 he said； 〃that
although I am a frog I am the Greatest and Wisest Frog
in all the world。 I may add that I possess much more
wisdom than any Winkie man or woman in this land。
Wherever I go； people fall on their knees before me and
render homage to the Great Frogman！ No one else knows
so much as I； no one else is so grand so
magnificent！〃
〃If you know so much；〃 she retorted； 〃why don't you
know where your dishpan is； instead of chasing around
the country after it？〃
〃Presently；〃 he answered； 〃I am going where it is；
but just now I am traveling and have had no breakfast。
Therefore I honor you by asking you for something to
eat。〃
〃Oho！ the Great Frogman is hungry as any tramp； is
he？ Then pick up these sticks and help me to build the
fire；〃 said the woman contemptuously。
〃Me！ The Great Frogman pick up sticks？〃 he exclaimed
in horror。 〃In the Yip Country； where I am more honored
and powerful than any King could be； people weep with
joy when I ask them to feed。 me。〃
〃Then that's the place to go for your breakfast；〃
declared the woman。
〃I fear you do not realize my importance；〃 urged the
Frogman。 〃Exceeding wisdom renders me superior to
menial duties。〃
〃It's a great wonder to me；〃 remarked the woman；
carrying her sticks to the house； 〃that your wisdom
doesn't inform you that you'll get no breakfast here；〃
and she went in and slammed the door behind her。
The Frogman felt he had been insulted； so he gave a
loud croak of indignation and turned away。 After going
a short distance he came upon a faint path which led
across a meadow in the direction of a grove of pretty
trees； and thinking this circle of evergreens must
surround a house where perhaps he would be kindly
received he decided to follow the path。 And by and
by he came to the trees； which were set close together；
and pushing aside some branches he found no house
inside the circle； but instead a very beautiful pond of
clear water。
Now the Frogman； although he was so big and so well
educated and now aped the ways and customs of human
beings； was still a frog。 As he gazed at this solitary；
deserted pond； his love for water returned to him with
irresistible force。
〃If I cannot get a breakfast I may at least have a
fine swim；〃 said he； and pushing his way between the
trees he reached the bank。 There he took off his fine
clothing； laying his shiny purple hat and his gold…
headed cane beside it。 A moment later he sprang with
one leap into the water and dived to the very bottom of
the pond。 The water was deliciously cool and grateful
to his thick； rough skin； and the Frogman swam around
the pond several times before he stopped to rest。 Then
he floated upon the surface and examined the pond with
some curiosity。 The bottom and sides were all lined
with glossy tiles of a light pink color； just one place
in the bottom； where the water bubbled up from a hidden
spring； had been left free。 On the banks the green
grass grew to the edge of the pink tiling。
And now； as the Frogman examined the place； he found
that on one side the pool； just above the water line；
had been set a golden plate on which some words were
deeply engraved。 He swam toward this plate and on
reaching it read the following inscription：
This is
THE TRUTH POND
Whoever bathes in this
water must always
afterward tell
THE TRUTH
This statement startled the Frogman。 It even worried
him； so that he leaped upon the bank and hurriedly
began to dress himself。
〃A great misfortune has befallen me；〃 he told
himself； 〃for hereafter I cannot tell people I am wise；
since it is not the truth。 The truth is that my boasted
wisdom is all a sham； assumed by me to deceive people
and make them defer to me。 In truth； no living creature
can know much more than his fellows； for one may know
one thing； and another know another thing； so that
wisdom is evenly scattered throughout the world。 But
ah； me！ what a terrible fate will now be mine。 Even
Cayke the Cookie Cook will soon discover that my
knowledge is no greater than her own； for having bathed
in the enchanted water of the Truth Pond； I can no
longer deceive her or tell a lie。〃
