the lost princess of oz-第24节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃That is queer；〃 remarked the Frogman thoughtfully。
〃Stealing is a thing practically unknown in Oz； yet
this Ozma has been taken and a friend of mine has also
had her dishpan stolen。 With her I have traveled all
the way from the Yip Country in order to recover it。〃
〃I don't see any connection between a Royal Ruler of
Oz and a dishpan！〃 declared Scraps。
〃They've both been stolen； haven't they？〃
〃True。 But why can't your friend wash her dishes in
another dishpan？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Why can't you use another Royal Ruler？ I suppose you
prefer the one who is lost； and my friend wants her own
dishpan； which is made of gold and studded with
diamonds and has magic powers。
〃Magic； eh？〃 exclaimed Scraps。 〃There is a link that
connects the two steals； anyhow； for it seems that all
the magic in the Land of Oz was stolen at the same
time； whether it was in the Emerald City or in Glinda's
castle or in the Yip Country。 Seems mighty strange and
mysterious； doesn't it？〃
〃It used to seem that way to us；〃 admitted the
Frogman； 〃but we have now discovered who took our
dishpan。 It was Ugu the Shoemaker。〃
〃Ugu？ Good gracious！ That's the same magician we
think has stolen Ozma。 We are now on our way to the
castle of this Shoemaker。〃
〃So are we；〃 said the Frogman。
〃Then follow me； quick！ and let me introduce you to
Dorothy and the other girls and to the Wizard of Oz and
all the rest of us。〃
She sprang up and seized his coat…sleeve； dragging
him off the hilltop and down the other side from that
whence he had come。 And at the foot of the hill the
Frogman was astonished to find the three girls and the
Wizard and Button…Bright； who were surrounded by a
wooden Sawhorse； a lean Mule； a square Woozy and a
Cowardly Lion。 A little black dog ran up and smelled at
the Frogman； but couldn't growl at him。
〃I've discovered another party that has been robbed；〃
shouted Scraps as she joined them。 〃This is their
leader and they're all going to Ugu's castle to fight
the wicked Shoemaker！〃
They regarded the Frogman with much curiosity and
interest and； finding all eyes fixed upon him； the
newcomer arranged his necktie and smoothed his
beautiful vest and swung his gold…headed cane like a
regular dandy。 The big spectacles over his eyes quite
altered his froglike countenance and gave him a learned
and impressive look。 Used as she was to seeing strange
creatures in the Land of Oz； Dorothy was amazed at
discovering the Frogman。 So were all her companions。
Toto wanted to growl at him； but couldn't； and he
didn't dare bark。 The Sawhorse snorted rather
contemptuously； but the Lion whispered to the wooden
steed： 〃Bear with this strange creature； my friend； and
remember he is no more extraordinary than you are。
Indeed； it is more natural for a frog to be big than
for a Sawhorse to be alive。〃
On being questioned； the Frogman told them the whole
story of the loss of Cayke's highly prized dishpan and
their adventures in search of it。 When he came to tell
of the Lavender Bear King and of the Little Pink Bear
who could tell anything you wanted to know； his hearers
became eager to see such interesting animals。
〃It will be best；〃 said the Wizard； 〃to unite our two
parties and share our fortunes together； for we are all
bound on the same errand and as one band we may more
easily defy this shoemaker magician than if separate。
Let us be allies。〃
〃I will ask my friends about that；〃 replied the
Frogman； and climbed over the hill to find Cayke and
the toy bears。 The Patchwork Girl accompanied him and
when they came upon the Cookie Cook and the Lavender
Bear and the Pink Bear it was hard to tell which of the
lot was the most surprised。
〃Mercy me！〃 cried Cayke； addressing the Patchwork
Girl。 〃However did you come alive？〃
Scraps stared at the bears。
〃Mercy me！〃 she echoed； 〃you are stuffed； as I am；
with cotton； and yet you appear to be living。 That
makes me feel ashamed； for I have prided myself on
being the only live cotton…stuffed person in Oz。〃
〃Perhaps you are；〃 returned the Lavender Bear； 〃for I
am stuffed with extra…quality curled hair； and so is
the Little Pink Bear。〃
〃You have relieved my mind of a great anxiety；〃
declared the Patchwork Girl； now speaking more
cheerfully。 〃The Scarecrow is stuffed with straw； and
you with hair； so I am still the Original and Only
Cotton…Stuffed！〃
〃I hope I am too polite to criticize cotton； as
compared with curled hair；〃 said the King； 〃especially
as you seem satisfied with it。〃
Then the Frogman told of his interview with the party
from the Emerald City and added that the Wizard of Oz
had invited the bears and Cayke and himself to travel
in company with them to the castle of Ugu the
Shoemaker。 Cayke was much pleased； but the Bear King
looked solemn。 He set the Little Pink Bear on his lap
and turned the crank in its side and asked：
〃Is it safe for us to associate with those people
from the Emerald City？〃
And the Pink Bear at once replied： 〃Safe for you and
safe for me； Perhaps no others safe will be。〃
〃That 'perhaps' need not worry us；〃 said the King；
〃so let us join the others and offer them our
protection。〃
Even the Lavender Bear was astonished； however； when
on climbing over the hill he found on the other side
the group of queer animals and the people from the
Emerald City。 The bears and Cayke were received very
cordially； although Button…Bright was cross when they
wouldn't let him play with the Little Pink Bear。 The
three girls greatly admired the toy bears； and
especially the pink one； which they longed to hold。
〃You see；〃 explained the Lavender King； in denying
them this privilege； 〃he's a very valuable bear；
because his magic is a correct guide on all occasions；
and especially if one is in difficulties。 It was the
Pink Bear who told us that Ugu the Shoemaker had stolen
the Cookie Cook's dishpan。〃
〃And the King's magic is just as wonderful；〃 added
Cayke； 〃because it showed us the Magician himself。〃
〃What did he look like？〃 inquired Dorothy。
〃He was dreadful！〃
〃He was sitting at a table and examining an immense
Book which had three golden clasps；〃 remarked the King。
〃Why； that must have been Glinda's Great Book of
Records！〃 exclaimed Dorothy。 〃If it is； it proves that
Ugu the Shoemaker stole Ozma； and with her all the
magic in the Emerald City。〃
〃And my dishpan；〃 said Cayke。
And the Wizard added：
〃It also proves that he is following our adventures
in the Book of Records； and therefore knows that we are
seeking him and that we are determined to find him and
rescue Ozma at all hazards。〃
〃If we can；〃 added the Woozy； but everybody frowned
at him。
The Wizard's statement was so true that the faces
around him were very serious until the Patchwork Girl
broke into a peal of laughter。
〃Wouldn't it be a rich joke if he made prisoners of
us； too？〃 she said。
〃No one but a crazy Patchwork Girl would consider
that a joke；〃 grumbled Button…Bright。
And then the Lavender Bear King asked：
〃Would you like to see this magical shoemaker？〃
〃Wouldn't he know it？〃 Dorothy inquired。
〃No； I think not。〃
Then the King waved his metal wand and before them
appeared a room in the wicker castle of Ugu。 On the
wall of the room hung Ozma's Magic Picture； and seated
before it was the Magician。 They could see the Picture
as well as he could； because it faced them； and in the
Picture was the hillside where they were now sitting；
all their forms being reproduced in miniature。 And；
curiously enough； within the scene of the Picture was
the scene they were now beholding； so they knew that
the Magician was at this moment watching them in the
Picture； and also that he saw himself and the room he
was in become visible to the people on the hillside。
Therefore he knew very well that they were watching him
while he was watching them。
In proof of this； Ugu sprang from his seat and turned
a scowling face in their
