glinda of oz-第2节

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workers　and　usually　keep　to　themselves　and　allow　no　one

from　outside　to　visit　them。　I　have　learned　that　the

Flatheads　number　about　one　hundred　people　　men；　women

and　children　　while　the　Skeezers　number　just　one

hundred　and　one。〃



〃What　did　they　quarrel　about；　and　why　do　they　wish　to

fight　one　another？〃　was　Ozma's　next　question。



〃I　cannot　tell　your　Majesty　that；〃　said　Glinda。



〃But　see　here！〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃it's　against　the　law

for　anyone　but　Glinda　and　the　Wizard　to　work　magic　in

the　Land　of　Oz；　so　if　these　two　strange　people　are

magic…makers　they　are　breaking　the　law　and　ought　to　be

punished！〃　Ozma　smiled　upon　her　little　friend。



〃Those　who　do　not　know　me　or　my　laws；〃　she　said；

〃cannot　be　expected　to　obey　my　laws。　If　we　know　nothing

of　the　Skeezers　or　the　Flatheads；　it　is　likely　that

they　know　nothing　of　us。〃



〃But　they　ought　to　know；　Ozma；　and　we　ought　to　know。

Who's　going　to　tell　them；　and　how　are　we　going　to　make

them　behave？〃



〃That；〃　returned　Ozma；　〃is　what　I　am　now　considering。

What　would　you　advise；　Glinda？〃



The　Sorceress　took　a　little　time　to　consider　this

question；　before　she　made　reply。　Then　she　said：　〃Had

you　not　learned　of　the　existence　of　the　Flatheads　and

the　Skeezers；　through　my　Book　of　Records；　you　would

never　have　worried　about　them　or　their　quarrels。　So；　if

you　pay　no　attention　to　these　peoples；　you　may　never

hear　of　them　again。〃



〃But　that　wouldn't　be　right；〃　declared　Ozma。　〃I　am

Ruler　of　all　the　Land　of　Oz；　which　includes　the

Gillikin　Country；　the　Quadling　Country；　the　Winkie

Country　and　the　Munchkin　Country；　as　well　as　the

Emerald　City；　and　being　the　Princess　of　this　fairyland

it　is　my　duty　to　make　all　my　people　　wherever　they

may　be　　happy　and　content　and　to　settle　their

disputes　and　keep　them　from　quarreling。　So；　while　the

Skeezers　and　Flatheads　may　not　know　me　or　that　I　am

their　lawful　Ruler；　I　now　know　that　they　inhabit　my

kingdom　and　are　my　subjects；　so　I　would　not　be　doing　my

duty　if　I　kept　away　from　them　and　allowed　them　to

fight。〃



〃That's　　a　　fact；　　Ozma；〃　　commented　　Dorothy。

〃You've　got　to　go　up　to　the　Gillikin　Country　and　make

these　people　behave　themselves　and　make　up　their

quarrels。　But　how　are　you　going　to　do　it？〃



〃That　is　what　is　puzzling　me　also；　your　Majesty；〃

said　the　Sorceress。　〃It　may　be　dangerous　for　you　to　go

into　those　strange　countries；　where　the　people　are

possibly　fierce　and　warlike。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　said　Ozma；　with　a　smile。



〃'Tisn't　a　question　of　being　'fraid；〃　argued　Dorothy。

〃Of　course　we　know　you're　a　fairy；　and　can't　be　killed

or　hurt；　and　we　know　you've　a　lot　of　magic　of　your　own

to　help　you。　But；　Ozma　dear；　in　spite　of　all　this

you've　been　in　trouble　before；　on　account　of　wicked

enemies；　and　it　isn't　right　for　the　Ruler　of　all　Oz　to

put　herself　in　danger。〃



〃Perhaps　I　shall　be　in　no　danger　at　all；〃　returned

Ozma；　with　a　little　laugh。　〃You　mustn't　imagine　danger；

Dorothy；　for　one　should　only　imagine　nice　things；　and

we　do　not　know　that　the　Skeezers　and　Flatheads　are

wicked　people　or　my　enemies。　Perhaps　they　would　be　good

and　listen　to　reason。〃



〃Dorothy　is　right；　your　Majesty；〃　asserted　the

Sorceress。　〃It　is　true　we　know　nothing　of　these　faraway

subjects；　except　that　they　intend　to　fight　one　another；

and　have　a　certain　amount　of　magic　power　at　their

command。　Such　folks　do　not　like　to　submit　to

interference　and　they　are　more　likely　to　resent　your

coming　among　them　than　to　receive　you　kindly　and

graciously；　as　is　your　due。〃



〃If　you　had　an　army　to　take　with　you；〃　added　Dorothy；

〃it　wouldn't　be　so　bad；　but　there　isn't　such　a　thing　as

an　army　in　all　Oz。〃



〃I　have　one　soldier；〃　said　Ozma。



〃Yes；　the　soldier　with　the　green　whiskers；　but　he's

dreadful　'fraid　of　his　gun　and　never　loads　it。　I'm　sure

he'd　run　rather　than　fight。　And　one　soldier；　even　if　he

were　brave；　couldn't　do　much　against　two　hundred　and

one　Flatheads　and　Skeezers。〃



〃What　then；　my　friends；　would　you　suggest？〃　inquired

Ozma。



〃I　advise　you　to　send　the　Wizard　of　Oz　to　them；　and

let　him　inform　them　that　it　is　against　the　laws　of　Oz

to　fight；　and　that　you　command　them　to　settle　their

differences　and　become　friends；〃　proposed　Glinda。　〃Let

the　Wizard　tell　them　they　will　be　punished　if　they

refuse　to　obey　the　commands　of　the　Princess　of　all　the

Land　of　Oz。〃



Ozma　shook　her　head；　to　indicate　that　the　advice　was

not　to　her　satisfaction。



〃If　they　refuse；　what　then？〃　she　asked。　〃I　should　be

obliged　to　carry　out　my　threat　and　punish　them；　and

that　would　be　an　unpleasant　and　difficult　thing　to　do。

I　am　sure　it　would　be　better　for　me　to　go　peacefully；

without　an　army　and　armed　only　with　my　authority　as

Ruler；　and　plead　with　them　to　obey　me。　Then；　if　they

prove　obstinate　I　could　resort　to　other　means　to　win

their　obedience。〃



〃It's　a　ticklish　thing；　anyhow　you　look　at　it；〃

sighed　Dorothy。　〃I'm　sorry　now　that　I　noticed　the

Record　in　the　Great　Book。〃



〃But　can't　you　realize；　my　dear；　that　I　must　do　my

duty；　now　that　I　am　aware　of　this　trouble？〃　asked　Ozma。

〃I　am　fully　determined　to　go　at　once　to　the　Magic　Isle

of　the　Skeezers　and　to　the　enchanted　mountain　of　the

Flatheads；　and　prevent　war　and　strife　between　their

inhabitants。　The　only　question　to　decide　is　whether　it

is　better　for　me　to　go　alone；　or　to　assemble　a　party　of

my　friends　and　loyal　supporters　to　accompany　me。〃



〃If　you　go　I　want　to　go；　too；〃　declared　Dorothy。

〃Whatever　happens　it's　going　to　be　fun　　'cause　all

excitement　is　fun　　and　I　wouldn't　miss　it　for　the

world！〃



Neither　Ozma　nor　Glinda　paid　any　attention　to　this

statement；　for　they　were　gravely　considering　the

serious　aspect　of　this　proposed　adventure。



〃There　are　plenty　of　friends　who　would　like　to　go

with　you；〃　said　the　Sorceress；　〃but　none　of　them　would

afford　your　Majesty　any　protection　in　case　you　were　in

danger。　You　are　yourself　the　most　powerful　fairy　in　Oz；

although　both　I　and　the　Wizard　have　more　varied　arts　of

magic　at　our　command。　However；　you　have　one　art　that　no

other　in　all　the　world　can　equal　　the　art　of　winning

hearts　and　making　people　love　to　bow　to　your　gracious

presence。　For　that　reason　I　believe　you　can　accomplish

more　good　alone　than　with　a　large　number　of　subjects　in

your　train。〃



〃I　believe　that　also；〃　agreed　the　Princess。　〃I　shall

be　quite　able　to　take　care　of　myself；　you　know；　but

might　not　be　able　to　protect　others　so　well。　I　do　not

look　for　opposition；　however。　I　shall　speak　to　these

people　in　kindly　words　and　settle　their　dispute　

whatever　it　may　be　　in　a　just　manner。〃



〃Aren't　you　going　to　take　me？〃　pleaded　Dorothy。

〃You'll　need　some　companion；　Ozma。〃



The　Princess　smiled　upon　her　little　friend。



〃I　see　no　reason　why　you　should　not　accompany　me；〃

was　her　reply。　〃Two　girls　are　not　very　warlike　and　they

will　not　suspect　us　of　being　on　any　errand　but　a　kindly

and　peaceful　one。　But；　in　order　to　prevent　war　and

strife　between　these　angry　peoples；　we　must　go　to　them

at　once。　Let　us　return　immediately　to　the　Emerald　City

and　prepare　to　start　on　our　journey　early　tomorrow

morning。〃



Glinda　was　not　quite　satisfied　with　this　plan；　but

could　not　think　of　any　better　way　to　meet　the　problem。

She　knew　that　Ozma；　with　all　her　gentleness　and　sweet

disposition；　was　accustomed　to　abide　by　any　decision

she　had　made　and　could　not　easily　be　turned　from　her

purpose。　Moreover　she　could　see　no　great　danger　to　the

fairy　Ruler　of　Oz　in　the　undertaking；　even　though　the

unknown　people　she　was　to　visit　proved　obstinate。　But

Dorothy　was　not　a　fairy；　she　was　a　little　girl　who　had

come　from　Kansas　to　live　in　the　Land　of　Oz。　Dorothy

might　encounter　dangers　that　to　Ozma　would　be　as

nothing　but　to　an　〃Earth　child〃　would　be　very　serious。



The　very　fact　that　Dorothy　lived　in　Oz；　and　had　been

made　a　Princess　by　her　friend　Ozma；　prevented　her　from

being　killed　or　suffering　any　great　bodily　pain　as　long

as　she　lived　in　that　fairyland。　She　could　not　grow　big；

either；　and　would　always　remain　the　same　little　girl

who　had　come　to　Oz；　unless　in　some　way　she　left　that

fairyland　or　was　spirited　away　from　it。　But　Dorothy　was

a　mortal；　nevertheless；　and　might　possibly　be

destroyed；　or　hidden　where　none　of　her　friends　could

ever　find　her。　She　could；　for　instance　be　cut　into

pieces；　and　the　pieces；　while　still　alive　and　free　from

pain；　could　be　widely　scattered；　or　she　might　be　buried

deep　underground　or　〃destroyed〃　in　other　ways　by　evil

magicians；　were　she　not　properly　protected。　These　facts

Glinda　was　considering　while　she　paced　with　stately

tread　her　marble　hall。



Finally　the　good　Sorceress　paused　and　drew　a　ring

from　her　finger；　handing　it　to　Dorothy。



〃Wear　this　ring　constantly　until　your　return；〃　she

said　to　the　girl。　〃If　serious　danger　threatens　you；

turn　the　ring　around　on　your　finger　once　to　the　right