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the lost princess of oz-第5节

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at once they turned and began to climb up the steep



mountain; feeling they had had quite enough of this



unsatisfactory adventure。 Cayke the Cookie Cook did not



go with them; however。 She sat on a rock and wept and



wailed and was very miserable。







〃Well;〃 said the Frogman to her; 〃I will now bid you



good…bye。 If I find your diamond decorated gold dishpan



I will promise to see that it is safely returned to



you。〃







〃But I prefer to find it myself!〃 she said。 〃See



here; Frogman; why can't you carry me across the gulf



when you leap it? You are big and strong; while I am



small and thin。〃







The Frogman gravely thought over this suggestion。 It



was a fact that Cayke the Cookie Cook was not a heavy



person。 Perhaps he could leap the gulf with her on his



back。







〃If you are willing to risk a fall;〃 said he; 〃I will



make the attempt。〃







At once she sprang up and grabbed him around his neck



with both her arms。 That is; she grabbed him where his



neck ought to be; for the Frogman had no neck at all。



Then he squatted down; as frogs do when they leap; and



with his powerful rear legs he made a tremendous jump。







Over the gulf he sailed; with the Cookie Cook on his



back; and he had leaped so bard  to make sure of not



falling in that he sailed over a lot of bramble…bushes



that grew on the other side and landed in a clear space



which was so far beyond the gulf that when they looked



back they could not see it at all。







Cayke now got off the Frogman's back and he stood



erect again and carefully brushed the dust from his



velvet coat and rearranged his white satin necktie。







〃I had no idea I could leap so far;〃 he said



wonderingly。 〃leaping is one more accomplishment I can



now add to the long list of deeds I am able to



perform。〃







〃You are certainly fine at leap…frog;〃 said the



Cookie Cook; admiringly; 〃but; as you say; you are



wonderful in many ways。 If we meet with any people down



here I am sure they will consider you the greatest and



grandest of all living creatures。〃







〃Yes;〃 he replied; 〃I shall probably astonish



strangers; because they have never before had the



pleasure of seeing me。 Also they will marvel at my



great learning。 Every time I open my mouth; Cayke; I am



liable to say something important。







〃That is true;〃 she agreed; 〃and it is fortunate your



mouth is so very wide and opens so far; for otherwise



all the wisdom might not be able to get out of it。〃







〃Perhaps nature made it wide for that very reason;



said the Frogman。 〃But come; let us now go on; for it



is getting late and we must find some sort of shelter



before night overtakes us。〃



















Chapter Four







Among the Winkies











The settled parts of the Winkie Country are full of



happy and contented people who are ruled by a tin



Emperor named Nick Chopper; who in turn is a subject of



the beautiful girl Ruler; Ozma of Oz。 But not all of



the Winkie Country is fully settled。 At the east; which



part lies nearest the Emerald City; there are beautiful



farmhouses and roads; but as you travel west you first



come to a branch of the Winkie River; beyond which



there is a rough country where few people live; and



some of these are quite unknown to the rest of the



world。 After passing through this rude section of



territory; which no one ever visits; you would come to



still another branch of the Winkie River; after



crossing which you would find another well settled part



of the Winkie Country; extending westward quite to the



Deadly Desert that surrounds all the Land of Oz and



separates that favored fairyland from the more common



outside world。 The Winkies who live in this west



section have many tin mines; from which metal they make



a great deal of rich jewelry and other articles; all of



which are highly esteemed in the Land of Oz because tin



is so bright and pretty; and there is not so much of it



as there is of gold and silver。







Not all the Winkies are miners; however; for some



till the fields and grow grains for food; and it was at



one of these far west Winkie farms that the Frogman and



Cayke the Cookie Cook first arrived after they had



descended from the mountain of the Yips。







〃Goodness me!〃 cried Nellary; the Winkie wife; when



she saw the strange couple approaching her house。 〃I



have seen many queer creatures in the Land of Oz; but



none more queer than this giant frog; who dresses like



a man and walks on his hind legs。 Come here; Wiljon;〃



she called to her husband; who was eating his



breakfast; 〃and take a look at this astonishing freak。〃







Wiljon the Winkie came to the door and looked out。 He



was still standing in the doorway when the Frogman



approached and said with a haughty croak:







〃Tell me; my good man; have you seen a diamond…



studded gold dishpan?〃







〃No; nor have I seen a copper…plated lobster;〃



replied Wiljon; in an equally haughty tone。







The Frogman stared at him and said:







〃Do not be insolent; fellow!〃







〃No;〃 added Cayke the Cookie Cook; hastily; 〃you must



be very polite to the great Frogman; for he is the



wisest creature in all the world。〃







〃Who says that?〃 inquired Wiljon。







〃He says so himself;〃 replied Cayke; and the Frogman



nodded and strutted up and down; twirling his gold…



headed cane very gracefully。







〃Does the Scarecrow admit that this overgrown frog is



the wisest creature in the world?〃 asked Wiljon。







〃I do not know who the Scarecrow is;〃 answered Cayke



the Cookie Cook。







〃Well; he lives at the Emerald City; and he is



supposed to have the finest brains in all Oz。 The



Wizard gave them to him; you know。〃







〃Mine grew in my head;〃 said the Frogman pompously;



〃so I think they must be better than any wizard brains。



I am so wise that sometimes my wisdom makes my head



ache。 I know so much that often I have to forget part



of it; since no one creature; however great; is able to



contain so much knowledge。〃







〃It must be dreadful to be stuffed full of wisdom;〃



remarked Wiljon reflectively; and eyeing the Frogman



with a doubtful look。 〃It is my good fortune to know



very little。〃







〃I hope; however; you know where my jeweled dishpan



is;〃 said the Cookie Cook anxiously。







〃I do not know even that;〃 returned the Winkie。 〃We



have trouble enough in keeping track of our own



dishpans; without meddling with the dishpans of



strangers。〃







Finding him so ignorant; the Frogman proposed that



they walk on and seek Cayke's dishpan elsewhere。



Wiljon the Winkie did not seem greatly impressed by the



great Frogman; which seemed to that personage as



strange as it was disappointing; but others in this



unknown land might prove more respectful。







〃I'd like to meet that Wizard of Oz;〃 remarked Cayke;



as they walked along a path。 〃If he could give a



Scarecrow brains he might be able to find my dishpan。〃







〃Poof!〃 grunted the Frogman scornfully; 〃I am greater



than any wizard。 Depend on me。 If your dishpan is



anywhere in the world I am sure to find it。〃







〃If you do not; my heart will be broken;〃 declared



the Cookie Cook in a sorrowful voice。







For a while the Frogman walked on in silence。 Then he



asked: 〃Why do you attach so much importance to a



dishpan?〃







〃It is the greatest treasure I posess;〃 replied the



woman。 〃It belonged to my mother and to all my



grandmothers; since the beginning of time。 It is; I



believe; the very oldest thing in all the Yip Country



 or was while it was there  and;〃 she added;



dropping her voice to an awed whisper; 〃it has magic



powers!〃







〃In what way?〃 inquired the Frogman; seeming to be



surprised at this statement。







〃Whoever has owned that dishpan has been a good cook;



for one thing。 No one else is able to make such good



cookies as I have cooked; as you and all the Yips know。



Yet; the very morning after my dishpan was stolen。 I



tried to make a batch of cookies and they burned up in



the oven! I made another batch that proved too tough to



eat; and I was so ashamed of them that I buried them in



the ground。 Even the third batch of cookies; which I



brought with me in my basket; were pretty poor stuff


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