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the lost princess of oz-第20节

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in the enchanted water of the Truth Pond; I can no



longer deceive her or tell a lie。〃







More humbled than he had been for many years; the



Frogman went back to the grove where he had left Cayke



and found the woman now awake and washing her face in a



tiny brook。







〃Where has Your Honor been?〃 she asked。







〃To a farmhouse to ask for something to eat;〃 said



he; 〃but the woman refused me。〃







〃How dreadful!〃 she exclaimed。 〃But never mind; there



are other houses; where the people will be glad to feed



the Wisest Creature in all the World。〃







〃Do you mean yourself?〃 he asked。







〃No; I mean you。〃







The Frogman felt strongly impelled to tell the truth;



but struggled hard against it。 His reason told him



there was no use in letting Cayke know he was not wise;



for then she would lose much respect for him; but each



time he opened his mouth to speak he realized he was



about to tell the truth and shut it again as quickly as



possible。 He tried to talk about something else; but



the words necessary to undeceive the woman would force



themselves to his lips in spite of all his struggles。



Finally; knowing that he must either remain dumb or let



the truth prevail; he gave a low groan of despair and



said:







〃Cayke; I am not the Wisest Creature in all the



World; I am not wise at all。〃







〃Oh; you must be!〃 she protested。 〃You told me so



yourself; only last evening。〃







〃Then last evening I failed to tell you the truth;〃



he admitted; looking very shamefaced; for a frog。 〃I am



sorry I told you that lie; my good Cayke; but; if you



must know the truth; the whole truth and nothing but



the truth; I am not really as wise as you are。〃







The Cookie Cook was greatly shocked to hear this; for



it shattered one of her most pleasing illusions。 She



looked at the gorgeously dressed Frogman in amazement。







〃What has caused you to change your mind so



suddenly?〃 she inquired。







〃I have bathed in the Truth Pond;〃 he said; 〃and



whoever bathes in that water is ever afterward obliged



to tell the truth。〃







〃You were foolish to do that;〃 declared the woman。



〃It is often very embarrassing to tell the truth。 I'm



glad I didn't bathe in that dreadful water!〃







The  Frogman looked at his companion thoughtfully。







〃Cayke;〃 said he; 〃I want you to go to the Truth Pond



and take a bath in its water。 For; if we are to travel



together and encounter unknown adventures; it would not



be fair that I alone must always tell you the truth;



while you could tell me whatever you pleased。 If we



both dip in the enchanted water there will be no chance



in the future of our deceiving one another。〃







〃No;〃 she asserted; shaking her head positively; 〃I



won't do it; Your Honor。 For; if I told you the truth;



I'm sure you wouldn't like me。 No Truth Pond for me。



I'll be just as I am; an honest woman who can say what



she wants to without hurting anyone's feelings。〃







With this decision the Frogman was forced to



be content; although he was sorry the Cookie



Cook would not listen to his advice。



















Chapter Fourteen







The Unhappy Ferryman











Leaving the grove where they had slept; the Frogman and



the Cookie Cook turned to the east to seek another



house and after a short walk came to one where the



people received them very politely。 The children stared



rather hard at the big; pompous Frogman; but the woman



of the house; when Cayke asked for something to eat; at



once brought them food and said they were welcome to



it。







〃Few people in need of help pass this way;〃 she



remarked; 〃for the Winkies are all prosperous and love



to stay in their own homes。 But perhaps you are not a



Winkie;〃 she added。







〃No;〃 said Cayke; 〃I am a Yip; and my home is on a



high mountain at the southeast of your country。







〃And the Frogman  is he; also; a Yip?〃







〃I do not know what he is; other than a very



remarkable and highly educated creature;〃 replied the



Cookie Cook。 〃But he has lived many years among the



Yips; who have found him so wise and intelligent that



they always go to him for advice。〃







〃May I ask why you have left your home; and where you



are going?〃 said the Winkie woman。







Then Cayke told her of the diamond…studded gold



dishpan and how it had been mysteriously stolen from



her house; after which she had discovered that she



could no longer cook good cookies。 So she had resolved



to search until she found her dishpan again; because a



Cookie Cook who cannot cook good cookies is not of much



use。 The Frogman; who wanted to see more of the world;



had accompanied her to assist in the search。 When the



woman had listened to this story she asked。







〃Then you have no idea; as yet; who has stolen your



dishpan?〃







〃I only know it must have been some mischievous



fairy; or a magician; or some such powerful person;



because none other could have climbed the steep



mountain to the Yip Country。 And who else could have



carried away my beautiful; magic dishpan without being



seen?〃







The woman thought about this during the time that



Cayke and the Frogman ate their breakfast。 When they



had finished she said:







〃Where are you going next?〃







〃We have not decided;〃 answered the Cookie Cook。







〃Our plan;〃 explained the Frogman; in his important



way; 〃is to travel from place to place until we learn



where the thief is located; and then to force him to



return the dishpan to its proper owner。〃







〃The plan is all right;〃 agreed the woman; 〃but it



may take you a long time before you succeed; your



method being sort of haphazard and indefinite。 However;



I advise you to travel toward the east。〃







〃Why?〃 asked the Frogman。







〃Because if you went west you would soon come to the



desert; and also because in this part of the Winkie



Country no one steals; so your time here would be



wasted。 But toward the east; beyond the river; live



many strange people whose honesty I would not vouch



for。 Moreover; if you journey far enough east and cross



the river for a second time; you will come to the



Emerald City; where there is much magic and sorcery。



The Emerald City is ruled by a dear little girl called



Ozma; who also rules the Emperor of the Winkies and all



the Land of Oz。 So; as Ozma is a fairy; she may be able



to tell you just who has taken your precious dishpan。



Provided; of course; you do not find it before you



reach her。〃







〃This seems to me to be excellent advice;〃 said the



Frogman; and Cayke agreed with him。







〃The most sensible thing for you to do;〃 continued



the woman; 〃would be to return to your home and use



another dishpan; learning to cook cookies as other



people cook cookies; without the aid of magic。 But; if



you cannot be happy without the magic dishpan you have



lost; you are likely to learn more about it in the



Emerald City than at any other place in Oz。〃







They thanked the good woman and on leaving her house



faced the east and continued in that direction all the



way。 Toward evening they came to the west branch of the



Winkie River and there; on the river bank; found a



ferryman who lived all alone in a little yellow house。







This ferryman was a Winkie with a very small head and



a very large body。 He was sitting in his doorway as the



travelers approached him and did not even turn his head



to look at them。







〃Good evening;〃 said the Frogman。







The ferryman made no reply。







〃We would like some supper and the privilege of



sleeping in your house until morning;〃 continued the



Frogman。 〃At daybreak we would like some breakfast and



then we would like to have you row us across the



river。〃







The ferryman neither moved nor spoke。 He sat in his



doorway and looked straight ahead。







〃I think he must be deaf and dumb;〃 Cayke whispered



to her companion。 Then she stood directly in front of



the ferryman and putting her mouth close to his ear she



yelled as loudly as she could:







〃Good evening!〃







The ferryman scowled。







〃Why do you yell at me; woman?〃 he asked。







〃Can you hear what I say?〃 she asked in her ordinary



tone of voice。




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