glinda of oz-第5节

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shaped　hill　that　towered　above　the　plain　like　a

mountain。　The　sides　of　this　hill　were　straight　up　and

down；　it　was　oblong　in　shape　and　the　top　seemed　flat

and　level。



〃Oh；　ho！〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃I'll　bet　that's　the

mountain　Glinda　told　us　of；　where　the　Flatheads　live。〃



〃If　it　is；〃　replied　Ozma；　〃the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers

must　be　just　beyond　the　line　of　palm　trees。　Can　you

walk　that　far；　Dorothy？〃



〃Of　course；　in　time；〃　was　the　prompt　answer。　〃I'm

sorry　we　had　to　leave　the　Sawhorse　and　the　Red　Wagon

behind　us；　for　they'd　come　in　handy　just　now；　but　with

the　end　of　our　journey　in　sight　a　tramp　across　these

pretty　green　fields　won't　tire　us　a　bit。〃



It　was　a　longer　tramp　than　they　suspected；　however；

and　night　overtook　them　before　they　could　reach　the

flat　mountain。　So　Ozma　proposed　they　camp　for　the　night

and　Dorothy　was　quite　ready　to　approve。　She　didn't　like

to　admit　to　her　friend　she　was　tired；　but　she　told

herself　that　her　legs　〃had　prickers　in　'em；〃　meaning

they　had　begun　to　ache。



Usually　when　Dorothy　started　on　a　journey　of

exploration　or　adventure；　she　carried　with　her　a　basket

of　food；　and　other　things　that　a　traveler　in　a　strange

country　might　require；　but　to　go　away　with　Ozma　was

quite　a　different　thing；　as　experience　had　taught　her。

The　fairy　Ruler　of　Oz　only　needed　her　silver　wand　

tipped　at　one　end　with　a　great　sparkling　emerald　　to

provide　through　its　magic　all　that　they　might　need。

Therefore　Ozma；　having　halted　with　her　companion　and

selected　a　smooth；　grassy　spot　on　the　plain；　waved　her

wand　in　graceful　curves　and　chanted　some　mystic　words

in　her　sweet　voice；　and　in　an　instant　a　handsome　tent

appeared　before　them。　The　canvas　was　striped　purple　and

white；　and　from　the　center　pole　fluttered　the　royal

banner　of　Oz。



〃Come；　dear；〃　said　Ozma；　taking　Dorothy's　hand；　〃I　am

hungry　and　I'm　sure　you　must　be　also；　so　let　us　go　in

and　have　our　feast。〃



On　entering　the　tent　they　found　a　table　set　for　two；

with　snowy　linen；　bright　silver　and　sparkling

glassware；　a　vase　of　roses　in　the　center　and　many

dishes　of　delicious　food；　some　smoking　hot；　waiting　to

satisfy　their　hunger。　Also；　on　either　side　of　the　tent

were　beds；　with　satin　sheets；　warm　blankets　and　pillows

filled　with　swansdown。　There　were　chairs；　too；　and

tall　lamps　that　lighted　the　interior　of　the　tent　with　a

soft；　rosy　glow。



Dorothy；　resting　herself　at　her　fairy　friend's

command；　and　eating　her　dinner　with　unusual　enjoyment；

thought　of　the　wonders　of　magic。　If　one　were　a　fairy

and　knew　the　secret　laws　of　nature　and　the　mystic　words

and　ceremonies　that　commanded　those　laws；　then　a　simple

wave　of　a　silver　wand　would　produce　instantly　all　that

men　work　hard　and　anxiously　for　through　weary　years。

And　Dorothy　wished　in　her　kindly；　innocent　heart；　that

all　men　and　women　could　be　fairies　with　silver　wands；

and　satisfy　all　their　needs　without　so　much　work　and

worry；　for　then；　she　imagined；　they　would　have　all

their　working　hours　to　be　happy　in。　But　Ozma；　looking

into　her　friend's　face　and　reading　those　thoughts；　gave

a　laugh　and　said：



〃No；　no；　Dorothy；　that　wouldn't　do　at　all。　Instead　of

happiness　your　plan　would　bring　weariness　to　the　world。

If　every　one　could　wave　a　wand　and　have　his　wants

fulfilled　there　would　be　little　to　wish　for。　There

would　be　no　eager　striving　to　obtain　the　difficult；　for

nothing　would　then　be　difficult；　and　the　pleasure　of

earning　something　longed　for；　and　only　to　be　secured　by

hard　work　and　careful　thought；　would　be　utterly　lost。

There　would　be　nothing　to　do　you　see；　and　no　interest

in　life　and　in　our　fellow　creatures。　That　is　all　that

makes　life　worth　our　while　　to　do　good　deeds　and　to

help　those　less　fortunate　than　ourselves。〃



〃Well；　you're　a　fairy；　Ozma。　Aren't　you　happy？〃　asked

Dorothy



〃Yes；　dear；　because　I　can　use　my　fairy　powers　to　make

others　happy。　Had　I　no　kingdom　to　rule；　and　no　subjects

to　look　after；　I　would　be　miserable。　Also；　you　must

realize　that　while　I　am　a　more　powerful　fairy　than　any

other　inhabitant　of　Oz；　I　am　not　as　powerful　as　Glinda

the　Sorceress；　who　has　studied　many　arts　of　magic　that

I　know　nothing　of。　Even　the　little　Wizard　of　Oz　can　do

some　things　I　am　unable　to　accomplish；　while　I　can

accomplish　things　unknown　to　the　Wizard。　This　is　to

explain　that　I'm　not　all…powerful；　by　any　means。　My

magic　is　simply　fairy　magic；　and　not　sorcery　or

wizardry。〃



〃All　the　same；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃I'm　mighty　glad　you

could　make　this　tent　appear；　with　our　dinners　and　beds

all　ready　for　us。〃



Ozma　smiled。



〃Yes；　it　is　indeed　wonderful；〃　she　agreed。　〃Not　all

fairies　know　that　sort　of　magic；　but　some　fairies　can

do　magic　that　fills　me　with　astonishment。　I　think　that

is　what　makes　us　modest　and　unassuming　　the　fact　that

our　magic　arts　are　divided；　some　being　given　each　of

us。　I'm　glad　I　don't　know　everything；　Dorothy；　and　that

there　still　are　things　in　both　nature　and　in　wit　for　me

to　marvel　at。〃



Dorothy　couldn't　quite　understand　this；　so　she　said

nothing　more　on　the　subject　and　presently　had　a　new

reason　to　marvel。　For　when　they　had　quite　finished

their　meal　table　and　contents　disappeared　in　a　flash。



〃No　dishes　to　wash；　Ozma！〃　she　said　with　a　laugh。　〃I

guess　you'd　make　a　lot　of　folks　happy　if　you　could

teach　'em　just　that　one　trick。〃



For　an　hour　Ozma　told　stories；　and　talked　with

Dorothy　about　various　people　in　whom　they　were

interested。　And　then　it　was　bedtime；　and　they　undressed

and　crept　into　their　soft　beds　and　fell　asleep　almost

as　soon　as　their　heads　touched　their　pillows。









Chapter　Five



The　Magic　Stairway







The　flat　mountain　looked　much　nearer　in　the　clear

light　of　the　morning　sun；　but　Dorothy　and　Ozma　knew

there　was　a　long　tramp　before　them；　even　yet。　They

finished　dressing　only　to　find　a　warm；　delicious

breakfast　awaiting　them；　and　having　eaten　they　left　the

tent　and　started　toward　the　mountain　which　was　their

first　goal。　After　going　a　little　way　Dorothy　looked

back　and　found　that　the　fairy　tent　had　entirely

disappeared。　She　was　not　surprised；　for　she　knew　this

would　happen。



〃Can't　your　magic　give　us　a　horse　an'　wagon；　or　an

automobile？〃　inquired　Dorothy。



〃No；　dear；　I'm　sorry　that　such　magic　is　beyond　my

power；〃　confessed　her　fairy　friend。



〃Perhaps　Glinda　could；〃　said　Dorothy　thoughtfully。



〃Glinda　has　a　stork　chariot　that　carries　her　through

the　air；〃　said　Ozma；　〃but　even　our　great　Sorceress

cannot　conjure　up　other　modes　of　travel。　Don't　forget

what　I　told　you　last　night；　that　no　one　is　powerful

enough　to　do　everything。〃



〃Well；　I　s'pose　I　ought　to　know　that；　having　lived　so

long　in　the　Land　of　Oz；〃　replied　Dorothy；　〃but　I　can't

do　any　magic　at　all；　an'　so　I　can't　figure　out　e'zactly

how　you　an'　Glinda　an'　the　Wizard　do　it。〃



〃Don't　try；〃　laughed　Ozma。　〃But　you　have　at　least　one

magical　art；　Dorothy：　you　know　the　trick　of　winning　all

hearts。〃



〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　Dorothy　earnestly。　〃If　I　really

can　do　it；　Ozma；　I　am　sure　I　don't　know　how　I　do　it。〃



It　took　them　a　good　two　hours　to　reach　the　foot　of

the　round；　flat　mountain；　and　then　they　found　the

sides　so　steep　that　they　were　like　the　wall　of　a　house。



〃Even　my　purple　kitten　couldn't　climb　'em；〃　remarked

Dorothy；　gazing　upward。



〃But　there　is　some　way　for　the　Flatheads　to　get　down

and　up　again；〃　declared　Ozma；　〃otherwise　they　couldn't

make　war　with　the　Skeezers；　or　even　meet　them　and

quarrel　with　them。〃



〃That's　so；　Ozma。　Let's　walk　around　a　ways；　perhaps

we'll　find　a　ladder　or　something。〃



They　walked　quite　a　distance；　for　it　was　a　big

mountain；　and　as　they　circled　around　it　and　came　to　the

side　that　faced　the　palm　trees；　they　suddenly

discovered　an　entrance　way　cut　out　of　the　rock　wall。

This　entrance　was　arched　overhead　and　not　very　deep

because　it　merely　led　to　a　short　flight　of　stone

stairs。



〃Oh；　we've　found　a　way　to　the　top　at　last；〃　announced

Ozma；　and　the　two　girls　turned　and　walked　straight

toward　the　entrance。　Suddenly　they　bumped　against

something　and　stood　still；　unable　to　proceed　farther。



〃Dear　me！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　rubbing　her　nose；　which

had　struck　something　hard；　although　she　could　not　see

what　it　was；　〃this　isn't　as　easy　as　it　looks。　What　has

stopped　us；　Ozma？　Is　it　magic　of　some　sort？〃



Ozma　was　feeling　around；　her　bands　outstretched

before　her。



〃Yes；　dear；　it　is　magic；〃　she　replied。　〃The　Flatheads

had　to　have　a　way　from　their　mountain　top　from　the

plain　below；　but　to　prevent　enemies　from　rushing　up　the

stairs　to　conquer　them；　they　have　built；　at　a　small

distance　before　the　entrance　a　wall　of　solid　stone；　the

stones　being　held　in　place　by　cement；　and　then　they

made　the　wall　invisible。〃



〃I　wonder　why　they　did　that？〃　mused　Dorothy。　〃A　wall

would　keep　folks　out　anyhow；　whether　it　could　be　seen

or　not；　so　the