the lost princess of oz-第23节
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answer correctly every question put to him。 We
discovered his talent a long time ago and whenever we
wish to know anything which is not very often we
ask the Pink Bear。 There is no doubt whatever； madam；
that Ugu the Magician has your dishpan； and if you dare
go to him you may be able to recover it。 But of that I
am not certain。〃
〃Can't the Pink Bear tell？〃 asked Cayke anxiously。
〃No； for that is in the future。 He can tell anything
that has happened； but nothing that is going
to happen。 Don't ask me why； for I don't know。〃
〃Well；〃 said the Cookie Cook； after a little thought；
〃I mean to go to this magician； anyhow； and tell him I
want my dishpan。 I wish I knew what Ugu the Shoemaker
is like。〃
〃Then I'll show him to you；〃 promised the King。 〃But
do not be frightened； it won't be Ugu； remember； but
only his image。〃
With this he waved his metal wand again and in the
circle suddenly appeared a thin little man； very old
and skinny； who was seated on a wicker stool before a
wicker table。 On the table lay a Great Book with gold
clasps。 The Book was open and the man was reading in
it。 He wore great spectacles； which were fastened
before his eyes by means of a ribbon that passed around
his head and was tied in a bow at the back。 His hair
was very thin and white； his skin； which clung fast to
his bones； was brown and seared with furrows； he had a
big； fat nose and little eyes set close together。
On no account was Ugu the Shoemaker a pleasant person
to gaze at。 As his image appeared before them； all were
silent and intent until Corporal Waddle； the Brown
Bear； became nervous and Pulled the trigger of his gun。
Instantly the cork flew out of the tin barrel with a
loud 〃pop！〃 that made them all jump。 And； at this
sound； the image of the magician vanished。
〃So！ that's the thief； is it？〃 said Cayke； in an
angry voice。 〃I should think he'd be ashamed of himself
for stealing a poor woman's diamond dishpan！ But I mean
to face him in his wicker castle and force him to
return my property。〃
〃To me；〃 said the Bear King； reflectively； 〃he looked
like a dangerous person。 I hope he won't be so unkind
as to argue the matter with you。〃
The Frogman was much disturbed by the vision of Ugu
the Shoemaker； and Cayke's determination to go to the
magician filled her companion with misgivings。 But he
would not break his pledged word to assist the Cookie
Cook and after breathing a deep sigh of resignation he
asked the King：
〃Will Your Majesty lend us this Pink Bear who answers
questions； that we may take him with us on our journey？
He would be very useful to us and we will promise to
bring him safely hack to you。〃
The King did not reply at once； he seemed to be
thinking。
〃Please let us take the Pink Bear；〃 begged Cayke。
〃I'm sure he would be a great help to us。〃
〃The Pink Bear；〃 said the King； 〃is the best bit of
magic I possess； and there is not another like him in
the world。 I do not care to let him out of my sight；
nor do I wish to disappoint you； so I believe I will
make the journey in your company and carry my Pink Bear
with me。 He can walk； when you wind the other side of
him； but so slowly and awkwardly that he would delay
you。 But if I go along I can carry him in my arms； so I
will join your party。 Whenever you are ready to start；
let me know。
〃But Your Majesty！〃 exclaimed Corporal Waddle in
protest； 〃I hope you do not intend to let these
prisoners escape without punishment。〃
〃Of what crime do you accuse them？〃 inquired the
King。
〃Why； they trespassed on your domain； for one thing；〃
said the Brown Bear。
〃We didn't know it was private property； Your
Majesty；〃 said the Cookie Cook。
〃And they asked if any of us had stolen the dishpan！〃
continued Corporal Waddle indignantly。 〃That is the
same thing as calling us thieves and robbers； and
bandits and brigands； is it not？〃
〃Every person has the right to ask questions；〃 said
the Frogman。
〃But the Corporal is quite correct；〃 declared the
Lavender Bear。 〃I condemn you both to death； the
execution to take place ten years from this hour。〃
〃But we belong in the Land of Oz； where no one ever
dies；〃 Cayke reminded him。
〃Very true； said the King。 〃I condemn you to death
merely as a matter of form。 It sounds quite terrible；
and in ten years we shall have forgotten all about it。
Are you ready to start for the wicker castle of Ugu the
Shoemaker？〃
〃Quite ready； Your Majesty。〃
〃But who will rule in your place； while you are
gone？〃 asked a big Yellow Bear。
〃I myself will rule while I am gone；〃 was the reply。
〃A King isn't required to stay at home forever； and if
he takes a notion to travel； whose business is it but
his own？ All I ask is that you bears behave yourselves
while I am away。 If any of you is naughty； I'll send
him to some girl or boy in America to play with。〃
This dreadful threat made all the toy bears look
solemn。 They assured the King； in a chorus of growls；
that they would be good。 Then the big Lavender Bear
picked up the little Pink Bear and after tucking it
carefully under one arm he said 〃Good…bye till I come
back！〃 and waddled along the path that led through the
forest。 The Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook also said
good…bye to the bears and then followed after the King；
much to the regret of the little Brown Bear； who pulled
the trigger of his gun and popped the cork as a parting
salute。
Chapter Seventeen
The Meeting
While the Frog man and his party were advancing from
the west； Dorothy and her party were advancing from
the east； and so it happened that on the following
night they all camped at a little hill that was only a
few miles from the wicker castle of Ugu the Shoemaker。
But the two parties did not see one another that night；
for one camped on one side of the hill while the other
camped on the opposite side。 But the next morning the
Frogman thought he would climb the hill and see what
was on top of it； and at the same time Scraps； the
Patchwork Girl； also decided to climb the hill to find
if the wicker castle was visible from its top。 So she
stuck her head over an edge just as the Frogman's head
appeared over another edge and both； being surprised；
kept still while they took a good look at one another。
Scraps recovered from her astonishment first and
bounding upward she turned a somersault and landed
sitting down and facing the big Frogman； who slowly
advanced and sat opposite her。
〃Well met； Stranger！〃 cried the Patchwork Girl； with
a whoop of laughter。 〃You are quite the funniest
individual I have seen in all my travels。〃
〃Do you suppose I can be any funnier than you？〃 asked
the Frogman； gazing at her in wonder。
〃I'm； not funny to myself； you know；〃 returned
Scraps。 〃I wish I were。 And perhaps you are so used to
your own absurd shape that you do not laugh whenever
you see your reflection in a pool； or in a mirror。
〃No；〃 said the Frogman gravely； 〃I do not。 I used to
be proud of my great size and vain of my culture and
education； but since I bathed in the Truth Pond I
sometimes think it is not right that I should be
different from all other frogs。〃
〃Right or wrong；〃 said the Patchwork Girl； 〃to be
different is to be distinguished。 Now； in my case； I'm
just like all other Patchwork Girls because I'm the
only one there is。 But； tell me； where did you come
from？〃
〃The Yip Country；〃 said he。
〃Is that in the Land of Oz？〃
〃Of course；〃 replied the Frogman。
〃And do you know that your Ruler； Ozma of Oz； has
been stolen？〃
〃I was not aware that I had a Ruler； so of course I
couldn't know that she was stolen。〃
〃Well； you have。 All the people of Oz；〃 explained
Scraps； 〃are ruled by Ozma； whether they know it or
not。 And she has been stolen。 Aren't you angry？ Aren't
you indignant？ Your Ruler； whom you didn't know you
had； has positively been stolen！〃
〃That is queer；〃 remarked the Frogman thoughtfully。
〃Stealing is
