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第26节

the lost princess of oz-第26节

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didn't suspect; in the least; that he was wicked。 He



wanted to be powerful and great and he hoped to make



himself master of all the Land of Oz; that he might



compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him。 His



ambition blinded him to the rights of others and he



imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone



else happened to be as clever as himself。







When he inhabited his little shoemaking shop in the



City of Herku he had been discontented; for a shoemaker



is not looked upon with high respect and Ugu knew that



his ancestors had been famous magicians for many



centuries past and therefore his family was above the



ordinary。 Even his father practiced magic; when Ugu was



a boy; but his father had wandered away from Herku and



had never come back again。 So; when Ugu grew up; he was



forced to make shoes for a living; knowing nothing of



the magic of his forefathers。 But one day; in searching



through the attic of his house; he discovered all the



books of magical recipes and many magical instruments



which had formerly been in use in his family。 From that



day he stopped making shoes and began to study magic。



Finally he aspired to become the greatest magician in



Oz; and for days and weeks and months he thought on a



plan to render all the other sorcerers and wizards; as



well as those with fairy powers; helpless to oppose



him。







From the books of his ancestors he learned the



following facts:







(1)  That Ozma of Oz was the fairy ruler of the



Emerald City and the Land of Oz; and that she could not



be destroyed by any magic ever devised。 Also; by means



of her Magic Picture she would be able to discover



anyone who approached her royal palace with the idea of



conquering it。







(2)  That Glinda the Good was the most powerful



Sorceress in Oz; among her other magical possessions



being the Great Book of Records; which told her all



that happened anywhere in the world。 This Book of



Records was very dangerous to Ugu's plans and Glinda



was in the service of Ozma and would use her arts of



sorcery to protect the girl Ruler。







(3)  That the Wizard of Oz; who lived in Ozma's



palace; had been taught much powerful magic by Glinda



and had a bag of magic tools with which he might be



able to conquer the Shoemaker。







(4)  That there existed in Oz…in the Yip Country  a



jeweled dishpan made of gold; which dishpan possessed



marvelous powers of magic。 At a magic word; which Ugu



learned from the book; the dishpan would grow large



enough for a man to sit inside it。 Then; when he



grasped both the golden handles; the dishpan would



transport him in an instant to any place he wished to



go within the borders of the Land of Oz。







No one now living; except Ugu; knew of the powers of



this Magic Dishpan; so; after long study; the shoemaker



decided that if he could manage to secure the dishpan



he could; by its means; rob Ozma and Glinda and the



Wizard of Oz of all their magic; thus becoming himself



the most powerful person in all the land。







His first act was to go away from the City of Herku



and built for himself the Wicker Castle in the hills。



Here he carried his books and instruments of magic and



here for a full year he diligently practiced all the



magical arts learned from his ancestors。 At the end of



that time he could do a good many wonderful things。







Then; when all his preparations were made; he set out



for the Yip Country and climbing the steep mountain at



night he entered the house of Cayke the Cookie Cook and



stole her diamond…studded gold dishpan while all the



Yips were asleep。 Taking his prize outside; he set the



pan upon the ground and uttered the required magic



word。 Instantly the dishpan grew as large as a big



washtub and Ugu seated himself in it and grasped the



two handles。 Then he wished himself in the great



drawing…room of Glinda the Good。







He was there in a flash。 First he took the Great Book



of Records and put it in the dishpan。 Then he went to



Glinda's laboratory and took all her rare chemical



compounds and her instruments of sorcery; placing these



also in the dishpan; which he caused to grow large



enough to hold them。 Next he seated himself amongst the



treasures he had stolen and wished himself in the room



in Ozma's palace which the Wizard occupied and where he



kept his bag of magic tools。 This bag Ugu added to his



plunder and then wished himself in the apartments of



Ozma。







Here he first took the Magic Picture from the wall



and then seized all the other magical things which Ozma



possessed。 Having placed these in the dishpan he was



about to climb in himself when he looked up and saw



Ozma standing beside him。 Her fairy instinct had warned



her that danger was threatening her; so the beautiful



girl Ruler rose from her couch and leaving her



bedchamber at once confronted the thief。







Ugu had to think quickly; for he realized that if he



permitted Ozma to rouse the inmates of her palace all



his plans and his present successes were likely to come



to naught。 So he threw a scarf over the girl's head; so



she could not scream; and pushed her into the dishpan



and tied her fast; so she could not move。 Then he



climbed in beside her and wished himself in his own



wicker castle。 The Magic Dishpan was there in an



instant; with all its contents; and Ugu rubbed his



hands together in triumphant joy as he realized that he



now possessed all the important magic in the Land of Oz



and could force all the inhabitants of that fairyland



to do as he willed。







So quickly had his journey been accomplished that



before daylight the robber magician had locked Ozma in



a room; making her a prisoner; and had unpacked and



arranged all his stolen goods。 The next day he placed



the Book of Records on his table and hung the Magic



Picture on his wall and put away in his cupboards and



drawers all the elixirs and magic compounds he had



stolen。 The magical instruments he polished and



arranged; and this was fascinating work and made him



very happy。 The only thing that bothered him was Ozma。



By turns the imprisoned Ruler wept and scolded the



Shoemaker; haughtily threatening him with dire



punishment for the wicked deeds he had done。 Ugu became



somewhat afraid of his fairy prisoner; in spite of the



fact that he believed he had robbed her of all her



powers; so he performed an enchantment that quickly



disposed of her and placed her out of his sight and



hearing。 After that; being occupied with other things;



he soon forgot her。







But now; when he looked into the Magic Picture and



read the Great Book of Records; the Shoemaker learned



that his wickedness was not to go unchallenged。 Two



important expeditions had set out to find him and force



him to give up his stolen property。 One was the party



headed by the Wizard and Dorothy; while the other



consisted of Cayke and the Frogman。 Others were also



searching; but not in the right places。 These two



groups; however; were headed straight for the wicker



castle and so Ugu began to plan how best to meet them



and to defeat their efforts to conquer him。



















Chapter Twenty







More Surprises











All that first day after the union of the two parties



our friends  marched steadily toward the wicker castle



of Ugu the Shoemaker。 When night came they camped in a



little grove and passed a pleasant evening together;



although some of them were worried because Button…



Bright was still lost。







〃Perhaps;〃 said Toto; as the animals lay grouped



together for the night; 〃this Shoemaker who stole my



growl; and who stole Ozma; has also stolen Button



Bright。〃







〃How do you know that the Shoemaker stole your



growl?〃 demanded the Woozy。







〃He has stolen about everything else of value in Oz;



hasn't he?〃 replied the dog。







〃He has stolen everything he wants; perhaps;〃 agreed



the Lion; 〃but what could anyone want with your growl?〃







〃Well;〃 said the dog; wagging his tail slowly; 〃my



recollection is that it was a wonderful growl; soft and



low and  and 〃







〃And ragged at the edges;〃 said the Sawhorse。







〃So;〃 continued Toto; 〃if that magician hadn't any



growl of his own; he might have wanted mine and stolen



it。〃







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