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第24节

the lost princess of oz-第24节

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〃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

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