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第21节

the lost princess of oz-第21节

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



tone of voice。







〃Of course;〃 replied the man。







〃Then why didn't you answer the Frogman?〃







〃Because;〃 said the ferryman; 〃I don't understand the



frog language。







〃He speaks the same words that I do and in the same



way;〃 declared Cayke。







〃Perhaps;〃 replied the ferryman; 〃but to me his voice



sounded like a frog's croak。 I know that in the Land of



Oz animals can speak our language; and so can the



birds and bugs and fishes; but in my ears they sound



merely like growls and chirps and croaks。〃







〃Why is that?〃 asked the Cookie Cook in surprise。







〃Once; many years ago; I cut the tail off a fox which



had taunted me; and I stole some birds eggs from a nest



to make an omelet with; and also I pulled a fish from



the river and left it lying on the bank to gasp for



lack of water until it died。 I don't know why I did



those wicked things; but I did them。 So the Emperor of



the Winkies  who is the Tin Woodman and has a very



tender tin heart  punished me by denying me any



communication with beasts; birds or fishes。 I cannot



understand them when they speak to me; although I know



that other people can do so; nor can the creatures



understand a word I say to them。 Every time I meet one



of them I am reminded of my former cruelty; and it



makes me very unhappy。〃







〃Really;〃 said Cayke; 〃I'm sorry for you; although



the Tin Woodman is not to blame for punishing you。〃







〃What is he mumbling about?〃 asked the Frogman。







〃He is talking to me; but you don't understand him;〃



she replied。 And then she told him of the ferryman's



punishment and afterward explained to the ferryman that



they wanted to stay all night with him and be fed。







He gave them some fruit and bread; which was the only



sort of food he had; and he allowed Cayke to sleep in a



room of his cottage。 But the Frogman he refused to



admit to his house; saying that the frog's presence



made him miserable and unhappy。 At no time would he



look directly at the Frogman; or even toward him;



fearing he would shed tears if he did so; so the big



frog slept on the river bank; where he could hear



little frogs croaking in the river all the night



through。 But that did not keep him awake; it merely



soothed him to slumber; for he realized how much



superior he was to them。







Just as the sun was rising on a new day the ferryman



rowed the two travelers across the river  keeping his



back to the Frogman all the way  and then Cayke



thanked him and bade him good…bye and the ferryman



rowed home again。







On this side the river there were no paths at all; so



it was evident they had reached a part of the country



little frequented by travelers。 There was a marsh at



the south of them; sandhills at the north and a growth



of scrubby underbrush leading toward a forest at the



east。 So the east was really the least difficult way to



go and that direction was the one they had determined



to follow。







Now the Frogman; although he wore green patent…



leather shoes with ruby buttons; had very large and



flat feet; and when he tramped through the scrub his



weight crushed down the underbrush and made a path for



Cayke to follow him。 Therefore they soon reached the



forest; where the tall trees were set far apart but



were so leafy that they shaded all the spaces between



them with their branches。







〃There are no bushes here;〃 said Cayke; much pleased;



〃so we can now travel faster and with more comfort。〃



















Chapter Fifteen







The Big Lavender Bear











It was a pleasant place to wander in and the two



travelers were proceeding at a brisk pace when suddenly



a voice shouted:







〃Halt!〃







They looked around in surprise; seeing at first no



one at all。 Then from behind a tree there stepped a



brown fuzzy bear; whose head came about as high as



Cayke's waist  and Cayke was a small woman。 The bear



was chubby as well as fuzzy; his body was even puffy;



while his legs and arms seemed jointed at the knees and



elbows and fastened to his body by pins or rivets。 His



ears were round in shape and stuck out in a comical



way; while his round black eyes were bright and



sparkling as heads。 Over his shoulder the little brown



bear bore a gun with a tin barrel。 The barrel had a



cork in the end of it and a string was attached to the



cork and to the handle of the gun。







Both the Frogman and Cayke gazed hard at this curious



bear; standing silent for some time。 But finally the



Frogman recovered from his surprise and remarked:







〃It seems to me that you are stuffed with sawdust and



ought not to be alive。〃







〃That's all you know about it;〃 answered the little



Brown Bear in a squeaky voice。 〃I am stuffed with a



very good quality of curled hair and my skin is the



best plush that was ever made。 As for my being alive;



that is my own affair and cannot concern you at all



except that it gives me the privilege to say you are my



prisoners。〃







〃Prisoners! Why do you speak such nonsense?〃 asked



the Frogman angrily。 〃Do you think we are afraid of a



toy bear with a toy gun?〃







〃You ought to be;〃 was the confident reply; 〃for I am



merely the sentry guarding the way to Bear Center;



which is a city containing hundreds of my race; who are



ruled by a very powerful sorcerer known as the Lavender



Bear。 He ought to be a purple color; you know; seeing



he is a King; but he's only light lavender; which is;



of course; second cousin to royal purple。 So; unless



you come with me peaceably; as my prisoners; I shall



fire my gun and bring a hundred bears  of all sizes



and colors  to capture you。〃







〃Why do you wish to capture us?〃 inquired the



Frogman; who had listened to this speech with much



astonishment。







〃I don't wish to; as a matter of fact;〃 replied the



little Brown Bear; 〃but it is my duty to; because you



are now trespassing on the domain of His Majesty the



King of Bear Center。 Also I will admit that things are



rather quiet in our city; just now; and the excitement



of your capture; followed by your trial and execution;



should afford us much entertainment。〃







〃We defy you!〃 said the Frogman。







〃Oh; no; don't do that;〃 pleaded Cayke; speaking to



her companion。 〃He says his King is a sorcerer; so



perhaps it is he or one of his bears who ventured to



steal my jeweled dishpan。 Let us go to the City of the



Bears and discover if my dishpan is there。〃







〃I must now register one more charge against you;〃



remarked the little Brown Bear; with evident



satisfaction。 〃You have just accused us of stealing;



and that is such a dreadful thing to say that I am



quite sure our noble King will command you to be



executed。〃







〃But how could you execute us?〃 inquired the Cookie



Cook。







〃I've no idea。 But our King is a wonderful inventor



and there is no doubt he can find a proper way to



destroy you。 So; tell me; are you going to struggle; or



will you go peaceably to meet your doom?〃







It was all so ridiculous that Cayke laughed aloud and



even the Frogman's wide mouth curled in a smile。



Neither was a bit afraid to go to the Bear City and it



seemed to both that there was a possibility they might



discover the missing dishpan。 So the Frogman said:







〃Lead the way; little Bear; and we will follow



without a struggle。〃







〃That's very sensible of you; very sensible; indeed!〃



declared the Brown Bear。 〃So  forward march!〃 and



with the command he turned around and began to waddle



along a path that led between the trees。







Cayke and the Frogman; as they followed their



conductor; could scarce forbear laughing at his stiff;



awkward manner of walking and; although he moved his



stuffy legs fast; his steps were so short that they had



to go slowly in order not to run into him。 But after a



time they reached a large; circular space in the center



of the forest; which was clear of any stumps or



underbrush。 The ground was covered by a soft gray moss;



pleasant to tread upon。 All the trees surrounding this



space seemed to be hollow and had round holes in their



trunks; set a little way above the ground; but



otherwise there was nothin

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