【连载中】绿野仙踪 更至14章_派派后花园

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[Novel] 【连载中】绿野仙踪 更至14章

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6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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— 本帖被 舞矽 从 体育沙龙 移动到本区(2012-08-24) —

                        
作者:(美) 莱·弗·鲍姆

内容简介:《绿野仙踪》是美国作家莱·弗·鲍姆的优秀的儿童文学作品。作者以奇特的想象力描述了一个小女孩因被旋风刮到奥芝国,和她的三个朋友:狮子,稻草人,铁皮人团结在一起,共同克服困难,战胜险恶,为了实现自己的愿望,不屈不挠地同恶魔斗争,最终如愿以偿的故事。



Chapter 1. The Cyclone

Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole.

When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.

When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.

Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.

It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.

Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.

From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also.

Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up.

"There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept.

Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand.

"Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!"

Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.

Then a strange thing happened.

The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.

The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.

It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.

Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.

Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again, afterward closing the trap door so that no more accidents could happen.

Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her.

In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

第1章可怕的旋风

多萝茜与亨利叔叔、爱姆婶婶,一起住在堪萨斯州大草原中部的小木屋里。叔叔是个农民,他和婶婶长年在地里干活。

因为建屋子的木材,要从很远的地方用货车运过来,很不容易,因而他们住的一间屋子只是小小的、四垛板壁、一个屋顶和一堂地板构成的;屋子里有一个破旧的烧饭用的炉灶,一个放着盆碟的橱,一张桌子,三四把椅子,只有两张床。亨利叔叔和爱姆婶婶的大床,放在角落里,多萝茜的小床,放在另外一个角落里。

整幢屋子没有阁楼,也没有地下室——只有一个小洞,直通到地面下,这洞叫做“旋风的地洞”。

在大旋风刮来时,全家人可以躲进里面去,因为凡是旋风经过的地方,不论什么屋子它都能够吹倒。在地板的中央,有一扇活动的木门,那里有一座梯子,走下去就进入了那又小又黑的地洞里。

多萝茜站在门口,向四周眺望,茫茫的灰色的大草原,望不到尽头。在那一片宽阔平坦的原野上没有一棵树,也没有一间小屋子。

那草原,似乎一直伸展到天边。那太阳烤炙着这耕作过的田地,使它变成一片灰色的有许多裂缝的荒野。甚至,原野上的草也不是绿色的,因为太阳灼烧着它们的顶部长叶,使得它们不论从何处看,都是灰色的。即使如此,那草却有旺盛的生命力,在这狂风可能卷走的一切中,只有它,依然倔强地伸展着,繁衍在大片大片的荒野中。有一次,屋子油漆过了,太阳却把油漆晒起了泡,雨把它褪尽了,这屋子就像其他东西一样地暗淡了。

当初爱姆婶婶来到这里的时候,年青而美丽。太阳和风使她变了样。

它们带走了她的光辉,留下了一种沉重的灰色;她的面颊上和嘴唇上,失去了红润,也只剩灰色了。如今她消瘦而且憔悴,不再微笑。

多萝茜是一个孤女,当她第一次来到这个灰暗的世界。婶婶惊诧于女孩儿的笑声,无论何时,多萝茜的快活的声音,钻到婶婶的耳朵里,婶婶总会尖叫起来,并用手抚着她的心头;她带着惊奇,看着这个小女孩——因为她在任何东西上,都能够发现笑料来。

亨利叔叔不大爱笑。他从早到晚在地里干活儿,不知道什么是快乐。从他的长须直到他粗糙的鞋子,也全是灰色的,他稳重而严肃,很少说话。

让多萝茜好笑的是托托,在四周一切事物都褪变成灰色的环境中,托托带来了不同的色彩;它是一只小黑狗,有着柔软滑顺的长毛,一对小黑眼睛,在它那逗人的极小的鼻子两边,快乐地眨着。多萝茜整天跟它在一块儿玩着,并且越来越喜欢它。

然而,今天他们没有玩。亨利叔叔坐在门口的阶沿上,烦恼地望着比平时更灰的天空。多萝茜抱着托托,站在门口,也望着那天空。爱姆婶婶正在洗着一叠盆子。

他们听到北风的低低的哀叫声,亨利叔叔和多萝茜看到风暴到来之前的草原,象波浪似的起伏着。接着,从南方的高空中,也传来了一种尖锐的呼啸声。

他们转眼望去,只见在那个方向的草同样掀起了波浪。

亨利叔叔猛然站了起来。

“爱姆,旋风就要来了!”他向他的妻子说:“我要去照料家畜。”说着他就迅速奔向栏舍去,他们的牛和羊都关在那里。

爱姆婶婶立即放下洗着的盆子,跑到门口去。看了一眼之后,她知道危险马上就要来到了。

“多萝茜,快一点儿!”她高声尖叫着;“立刻到地洞里去!”

托托从多萝茜怀抱里跳下来,钻到床底下去,多萝茜便跑过去抓它。

爱姆婶婶非常害怕,打开地板上活动的门,爬下梯子,就躲到那又小又暗的地洞里去。

多萝茜捉到了托托,就奔向屋子的中央,背后传来呼啸的风声,屋子猛然摇晃起来,她立刻摔倒在地板上。

这屋子旋转了几次,慢慢地升上空中。多萝茜觉得好像坐在一个轻气球里缓缓地上升。

那南风和北风,在屋子四周会合着,屋子便成了旋风的中心。在旋风的中央,通常是平稳的,但是四周的强大风力压迫着这屋子,使它更高更高地上升起来,直到旋风的最高顶;屋子在空中被带走好几里,就像你带走一根羽毛那么容易。

这时候,天空异常黑暗,风在屋子的周围可怕地怒吼着。

多萝茜却坐得很舒服。在第一次稍微旋转以后,当那屋子剧烈地震颤时,她似乎觉得自己被轻轻地摇荡着,像一个婴儿躺在一只摇篮里。

托托显然不喜欢这样子摇荡。它满屋子乱跑,一会儿这里,一会儿那里,大声地吠着;但是多萝茜却静静地坐在地板上,猜测着会有什么事情发生。

有一次,托托太靠近那打开着的活动地板的门,并掉了进去;多萝茜原以为它是掉下去了。然而过了一会儿,她看见它的一只耳朵,竖起在洞口,强大的空气压力托住了它,使得它掉不下去。

她就爬到洞口,捉住了托托的耳朵,把它拉进屋子里来,关上了那活动的地板门,避免这意外事情再发生。

时间一小时一小时地过去了,多萝茜慢慢地不害怕了;然而她觉得很孤寂,并且风叫得这般响,使她几乎成了聋子。

起初她担心当那屋子再掉下去时,她将被摔得粉碎;然而几小时过去了,她所担心的事情并没有发生,她就不再担心,心平气静地等待着。然后她从摇荡的地板上,爬上床,躺了下去;托托也躺在她的身边。

尽管那屋子摇荡和旋风在哀叫,多萝茜却很快地睡去了。


[ 此帖被舞矽在2012-08-24 11:38重新编辑 ]
本帖最近评分记录: 2 条评分 派派币 +20
  • 她飛°

    派派币 +10 2015-04-08

    恭喜紀念。

不起程

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縎頭·鮳笂吇
举报 只看该作者 15楼  发表于: 2012-08-27 0
I love this story . It is translated by you?

丽人吧会所

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举报 只看该作者 14楼  发表于: 2012-08-25 0
— (青_池) 请不要恶意灌水,恶意灌水包括:纯表情、纯数字、纯字母等毫无意义的内容,以及同一内容重复连续发帖。请规范发帖,你会喜欢上派派的。 (2012-08-28 23:28) —
舞矽

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6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 13楼  发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 14. The Winged Monkeys

You will remember there was no road--not even a pathway--between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the four travelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming, and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried. They knew, of course, they must go straight east, toward the rising sun; and they started off in the right way. But at noon, when the sun was over their heads, they did not know which was east and which was west, and that was the reason they were lost in the great fields. They kept on walking, however, and at night the moon came out and shone brightly. So they lay down among the sweet smelling yellow flowers and slept soundly until morning--all but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.

The next morning the sun was behind a cloud, but they started on, as if they were quite sure which way they were going.

"If we walk far enough," said Dorothy, "I am sure we shall sometime come to some place."

But day by day passed away, and they still saw nothing before them but the scarlet fields. The Scarecrow began to grumble a bit.

"We have surely lost our way," he said, "and unless we find it again in time to reach the Emerald City, I shall never get my brains."

"Nor I my heart," declared the Tin Woodman. "It seems to me I can scarcely wait till I get to Oz, and you must admit this is a very long journey."

"You see," said the Cowardly Lion, with a whimper, "I haven't the courage to keep tramping forever, without getting anywhere at all."

Then Dorothy lost heart. She sat down on the grass and looked at her companions, and they sat down and looked at her, and Toto found that for the first time in his life he was too tired to chase a butterfly that flew past his head. So he put out his tongue and panted and looked at Dorothy as if to ask what they should do next.

"Suppose we call the field mice," she suggested. "They could probably tell us the way to the Emerald City."

"To be sure they could," cried the Scarecrow. "Why didn't we think of that before?"

Dorothy blew the little whistle she had always carried about her neck since the Queen of the Mice had given it to her. In a few minutes they heard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice came running up to her. Among them was the Queen herself, who asked, in her squeaky little voice:

"What can I do for my friends?"

"We have lost our way," said Dorothy. "Can you tell us where the Emerald City is?"

"Certainly," answered the Queen; "but it is a great way off, for you have had it at your backs all this time." Then she noticed Dorothy's Golden Cap, and said, "Why don't you use the charm of the Cap, and call the Winged Monkeys to you? They will carry you to the City of Oz in less than an hour."

"I didn't know there was a charm," answered Dorothy, in surprise. "What is it?"

"It is written inside the Golden Cap," replied the Queen of the Mice. "But if you are going to call the Winged Monkeys we must run away, for they are full of mischief and think it great fun to plague us."

"Won't they hurt me?" asked the girl anxiously.

"Oh, no. They must obey the wearer of the Cap. Good-bye!" And she scampered out of sight, with all the mice hurrying after her.

Dorothy looked inside the Golden Cap and saw some words written upon the lining. These, she thought, must be the charm, so she read the directions carefully and put the Cap upon her head.

"Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!" she said, standing on her left foot.

"What did you say?" asked the Scarecrow, who did not know what she was doing.

"Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!" Dorothy went on, standing this time on her right foot.

"Hello!" replied the Tin Woodman calmly.

"Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!" said Dorothy, who was now standing on both feet. This ended the saying of the charm, and they heard a great chattering and flapping of wings, as the band of Winged Monkeys flew up to them.

The King bowed low before Dorothy, and asked, "What is your command?"

"We wish to go to the Emerald City," said the child, "and we have lost our way."

"We will carry you," replied the King, and no sooner had he spoken than two of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her. Others took the Scarecrow and the Woodman and the Lion, and one little Monkey seized Toto and flew after them, although the dog tried hard to bite him.

The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were rather frightened at first, for they remembered how badly the Winged Monkeys had treated them before; but they saw that no harm was intended, so they rode through the air quite cheerfully, and had a fine time looking at the pretty gardens and woods far below them.

Dorothy found herself riding easily between two of the biggest Monkeys, one of them the King himself. They had made a chair of their hands and were careful not to hurt her.

"Why do you have to obey the charm of the Golden Cap?" she asked.

"That is a long story," answered the King, with a Winged laugh; "but as we have a long journey before us, I will pass the time by telling you about it, if you wish."

"I shall be glad to hear it," she replied.

"Once," began the leader, "we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master. Perhaps some of us were rather too full of mischief at times, flying down to pull the tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds, and throwing nuts at the people who walked in the forest. But we were careless and happy and full of fun, and enjoyed every minute of the day. This was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land.

"There lived here then, away at the North, a beautiful princess, who was also a powerful sorceress. All her magic was used to help the people, and she was never known to hurt anyone who was good. Her name was Gayelette, and she lived in a handsome palace built from great blocks of ruby. Everyone loved her, but her greatest sorrow was that she could find no one to love in return, since all the men were much too stupid and ugly to mate with one so beautiful and wise. At last, however, she found a boy who was handsome and manly and wise beyond his years. Gayelette made up her mind that when he grew to be a man she would make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and used all her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish. When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called, was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manly beauty was so great that Gayelette loved him dearly, and hastened to make everything ready for the wedding.

"My grandfather was at that time the King of the Winged Monkeys which lived in the forest near Gayelette's palace, and the old fellow loved a joke better than a good dinner. One day, just before the wedding, my grandfather was flying out with his band when he saw Quelala walking beside the river. He was dressed in a rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see what he could do. At his word the band flew down and seized Quelala, carried him in their arms until they were over the middle of the river, and then dropped him into the water.

"`Swim out, my fine fellow,' cried my grandfather, `and see if the water has spotted your clothes.' Quelala was much too wise not to swim, and he was not in the least spoiled by all his good fortune. He laughed, when he came to the top of the water, and swam in to shore. But when Gayelette came running out to him she found his silks and velvet all ruined by the river.

"The princess was angry, and she knew, of course, who did it. She had all the Winged Monkeys brought before her, and she said at first that their wings should be tied and they should be treated as they had treated Quelala, and dropped in the river. But my grandfather pleaded hard, for he knew the Monkeys would drown in the river with their wings tied, and Quelala said a kind word for them also; so that Gayelette finally spared them, on condition that the Winged Monkeys should ever after do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap. This Cap had been made for a wedding present to Quelala, and it is said to have cost the princess half her kingdom. Of course my grandfather and all the other Monkeys at once agreed to the condition, and that is how it happens that we are three times the slaves of the owner of the Golden Cap, whosoever he may be."

"And what became of them?" asked Dorothy, who had been greatly interested in the story.

"Quelala being the first owner of the Golden Cap," replied the Monkey, "he was the first to lay his wishes upon us. As his bride could not bear the sight of us, he called us all to him in the forest after he had married her and ordered us always to keep where she could never again set eyes on a Winged Monkey, which we were glad to do, for we were all afraid of her.

"This was all we ever had to do until the Golden Cap fell into the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who made us enslave the Winkies, and afterward drive Oz himself out of the Land of the West. Now the Golden Cap is yours, and three times you have the right to lay your wishes upon us."

As the Monkey King finished his story Dorothy looked down and saw the green, shining walls of the Emerald City before them. She wondered at the rapid flight of the Monkeys, but was glad the journey was over. The strange creatures set the travelers down carefully before the gate of the City, the King bowed low to Dorothy, and then flew swiftly away, followed by all his band.

"That was a good ride," said the little girl.

"Yes, and a quick way out of our troubles," replied the Lion. "How lucky it was you brought away that wonderful Cap!"

第14章金冠的魔力

你们总还没有忘记,在坏女巫的城堡和翡翠城之间,是没有路的——哪怕一条小路也没有的——他们从翡翠城出发去找寻坏女巫时,倒是坏女巫先看见了他们,因此派了飞猴,把他们抓到这里来的。

他们倘使要穿过阔大的毛茛和鲜艳的雏菊的田野,他们的返程,比起那次被飞猴驮到黄色城堡,显然困难得多了。

当然,他们很清楚,必须对准着起来的太阳,径直朝东方走,他们就用了这方法。但是在中午,当太阳照在他们的头顶上时,就难以分辨哪里是东方,哪里是西方,没走多久,他们便迷失在茫茫的田野里了。

无论如何,他们马不停蹄地走着,直到天黑,月亮出来了,明亮地照着。除了稻草人和铁皮人以外,他们都在散发着淡淡香气的深红色的花丛中,躺下来睡去了。

第二天,太阳藏在云后,他们照样赶路,似乎他们知道,应该走哪一条路似的。

“如果我们不停地走,”多萝茜说,“我相信,我们一定会在某一个时候,走到翡翠城。”

几天就这样过去了,他们仍然没有走出去,在他们的面前,只是一片深红色的田野。

稻草人便开始埋怨了。他说:“我们一定走错了路,除非我们最后能找到一条出路,不然,我将不会得到我的脑子了。”

“我就不会得到我的心了,”铁皮人说,“我几乎没有希望能够到达奥芝那里,你必须承认,这确实是一个漫长的旅程。”

“我们都明白,”胆小的狮子用一种呜咽的声音说,“假如到不了那里,我就没有信心走完这疲倦的长途旅行。”

于是多萝茜也感到很沮丧了。她坐在青青的草地上,呆呆地看着她的同伴们,他们也坐下来,互相看着,托托在它的一生中,恐怕难得这么疲倦吧,也不去追逐在它头顶上飞过的蝴蝶;只是吐出了舌头,喘着气,看着多萝茜,似乎在问她,何时能结束这长途跋涉。

“如果我们招呼那些田鼠来,”她提议着,“它们或者能够把去翡翠城的路,指点给我们。”

“它们能办到的,”稻草人喊着,“哎哟,为什么我们不早一点想到呢?”

多萝茜吹那次田鼠皇后送给她,常挂颈项里的小口笛。很快地,他们听到了淅沥淅沥的脚步声,许多灰色的小田野,已经来到她身边。皇后也来了,它用它的细小啼声问道:“我的朋友们,你们有什么事吗?”

多萝茜:“我们迷失了路,请你告诉我,翡翠城怎么走?”

皇后回答说:“但是离开极远,因为你们走了相反的路了。”

于是它发现多萝茜的金冠,就说道:“你为什么不运用这顶金冠的神奇魔力,叫飞猴们送你们到翡翠城去?它们花不了一个钟头,就能把你们带到奥芝的城里去。”

多萝茜惊奇地说:“我不知道这顶金冠会有这样的魔力,那该怎么做呢?”

“金冠里面已经告诉你了,”田鼠皇后回答说,“既然我们要去叫那些飞猴们来,我们离开这里,因为它们都是最喜欢搞恶作剧的,以困扰我们,当作大大的游戏。”

“它们会伤害我吗?”女孩子焦急地问着。

“啊,决不会;它们绝对服从戴着这顶金冠的人,再会!”

它就很快地消失了,所有的田鼠们,也都匆忙地跟在它的后面走了。

多萝茜就发现金冠里面的夹里上,写着一些字。她相信,说出这些字必然会产生魔力,所以她细心地读着这个用法,再把金冠戴在头上。

“哎—泼,攀—泼,步—基!”

她说着时,她的左脚独立旋转着。

稻草人发觉了她的奇怪行动,问道:“你说些什么?”

“唏—罗,呵—罗,哈—罗!”

多萝茜说下去,然后,她的右脚独立旋转着。

“哈罗!”铁皮人平静地回答着。

现在多萝茜并立着两只脚旋转着,说着:“西—楚,如—楚,西—克!”

她刚说完那神秘的咒语,不远便传来极大的嘻闹声和拍打翅膀的声音,一群飞猴来到了他们面前。那猴王在多萝茜面前恭敬地鞠躬,并且问道:“你有什么吩咐?”

“我们想去翡翠城,”女孩子说,“但我们迷了路。”

“我们可以驮你们去,”猴王回答。立刻,两只猴子就扶起多萝茜,让她坐在它们的手臂上,就飞走了,其它的猴子们带着稻草人,铁皮人和狮子,一只小猴子抓住了托托,飞在他们的前面,这只小狗还奋力地挣扎呢。

稻草人和铁皮人开始感到一阵恐惧,因为他们永远不会忘记,前一次飞猴们的举动,怎样凶暴地想杀死他们;然而后来意识到它们根本不会伤害他们,所以很安心地坐着上天空去,在高空中眺望他们下面的美丽的田园和树林,那真是非常愉快的事情。

多萝茜坐在两只最大的猴子中间,感觉很舒服,一只就是猴王了。它们用手做成一只椅子,大家都小心地不敢伤害她。

她问道:“为什么你们必须听从这顶金冠的魔力?”

“这个说来话长,”猴王大笑着回答说;“假如你愿意听,瞧,前面还有一段路程呢,我就把这个故事告诉你,来消磨这段时间。”

“我很乐意听,”她回答说。

猴王开始说:“从前,我们都自由自在,快乐地生活在大森林中,在树丛之间飞来飞去,丰硬壳果和水果,我们想做什么便做,没有召唤我们的主人。但在我们中间,有不少同伴,时常搞恶作剧了,飞上去拉扯动物们的尾巴,因为它们飞不起来的,还追逐着鸟儿们,把硬壳果投掷在森林中路过的人们身上。但是我们的生活在无忧无虑地、快活地嬉戏之中,每一天,每一分钟都在享乐。早在奥芝从云端里下来统治这个地方之前,这样的生活,已经持续了许多年了。

“离开这里,在南方,有一个非常美丽的公主,她也是一个高明的魔术家,她所有的魔术,都是用来帮助老百姓,从来不愿意去伤害任何人。她是一个好心肠的人,名字叫做甘林达,住在一座用大地的红宝石筑成的精美的宫殿里。谁都敬爱她。

但是她最大的烦恼是没有一个人,可以用爱情来报答她,因为她嫌所有的人都太愚笨了,也太难看了,不配作这个美丽又聪明的公主的丈夫。

“但是,幸运的是,她终于发现了一个男孩子,他潇洒而勇敢,并且他的聪明远远超过了他的年龄。甘林达决定等他长大,让他作她的丈夫,所以她把他带入红宝石的宫殿中去,用了她那神奇的魔术,使得他像所有的女人所喜欢的那么高大、善良、可爱。他终于长大成人了,他被叫做奎拉拉。这名字的意思,是说在世界上,他是最善良最聪明的人,当他具有男子汉的气概时,使得甘林达更爱他了,就急急地安排一切事情,准备举行婚礼。

“我的祖父,在那个时候,是飞猴的王,住在森林里,在那甘林达的宫殿附近。这个老家伙,喜欢搞恶作剧简直比顿午餐来得容易。有一天,恰好在婚礼以前,我的祖父,带着它的随员飞了出去,它们看到奎拉拉在江边散步。他穿着一件淡红色的绸和紫色天鹅绒做的衣服,我的祖父想要看看他究竟懂什么魔术。便命令随员们飞下去,捉住了奎拉拉,挟在它们的臂弯里,直飞到江水的上空,再把他抛了下去。

“‘我的可爱的朋友,游出来吧,’我的祖父嘻笑着,‘看,水把你的衣服沾污了。’奎拉拉很聪明,却不善于游泳,不过他的运气好,没有受到一点儿损伤,当他冒出水面,向岸边游去时,他大笑着。就在这时,甘林达跑了出来,看到这一,她看见他的绸和天鹅绒的衣服,完全给江水弄脏了。

“这位公主非常愤怒,不用说,她知道这是怎么回事儿。

她把所有的飞猴都召集起来,起初她说,它们的翅膀必须捆绑着,必须像他们对待奎拉拉那样地受惩罚,抛入江水中。但是我的祖父竭力阻止她,并辩解说,这些猴子们被捆绑了翅膀,落入江中只有淹死;奎拉拉也替它说情;“因此,最后甘林达想出个办法来惩罚飞猴们,必须在戴金冠的主人命令以后,服役三次,只有答应这个条件,才能赦免了他们。这顶金冠,是为了举行婚礼赠给奎拉拉的,据说费了公主财富的一半。当然,我的祖父和所有的猴子们,不得不同意这个条件。这就是我们为什么会对戴金冠的任何人,只要被召唤,就必须为他服役三次的缘故。”

多萝茜对于这个故事非常感兴趣,问着:“那么,以后又怎么样呢?”

“奎拉拉是这顶金冠的第一个主人,”飞猴回答说,“他在我们身上,第一个吩咐了他的命令。因为他的新娘不想看见他们,他叫我们在举行婚礼之后,一起躲到森林里去,并且命令我们永远待在那里,使她不会再看到一只飞猴。这是我们非常乐意的,因为我们都怕她的。

“直到这顶金冠落在西方坏女巫的手里,我们一直过着平静的生活;坏女巫命令我们奴役着温基人,把奥芝赶出西方的国土。现在你是这顶金冠的主人,凭着你的愿望,你可以召唤我们三次。”

当这个猴王讲完它的故事,多萝茜从高空向下望,望见了那翡翠城的反射着太阳光的绿色城墙,已经出现在他们下面了。

她惊奇那猴子们的快速,并且很高兴结束了这个旅程。这些奇怪的动物,把旅客们小心地放到城门的前面,猴王向多萝茜低低地鞠了躬,轻快地飞走了,它的队伍也尾随而去。

“这是一次舒服的长途旅行,”小女孩子说。

狮子回答说:“是的,在我们最困难的时候,摆脱了烦恼,你得到了这顶金冠,真幸运呀!”


舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 12楼  发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 13. The Rescue

The Cowardly Lion was much pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch had been melted by a bucket of water, and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate of his prison and set him free. They went in together to the castle, where Dorothy's first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell them that they were no longer slaves.

There was great rejoicing among the yellow Winkies, for they had been made to work hard during many years for the Wicked Witch, who had always treated them with great cruelty. They kept this day as a holiday, then and ever after, and spent the time in feasting and dancing.

"If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy."

"Don't you suppose we could rescue them?" asked the girl anxiously.

"We can try," answered the Lion.

So they called the yellow Winkies and asked them if they would help to rescue their friends, and the Winkies said that they would be delighted to do all in their power for Dorothy, who had set them free from bondage. So she chose a number of the Winkies who looked as if they knew the most, and they all started away. They traveled that day and part of the next until they came to the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman lay, all battered and bent. His axe was near him, but the blade was rusted and the handle broken off short.

The Winkies lifted him tenderly in their arms, and carried him back to the Yellow Castle again, Dorothy shedding a few tears by the way at the sad plight of her old friend, and the Lion looking sober and sorry. When they reached the castle Dorothy said to the Winkies:

"Are any of your people tinsmiths?"

"Oh, yes. Some of us are very good tinsmiths," they told her.

"Then bring them to me," she said. And when the tinsmiths came, bringing with them all their tools in baskets, she inquired, "Can you straighten out those dents in the Tin Woodman, and bend him back into shape again, and solder him together where he is broken?"

The tinsmiths looked the Woodman over carefully and then answered that they thought they could mend him so he would be as good as ever. So they set to work in one of the big yellow rooms of the castle and worked for three days and four nights, hammering and twisting and bending and soldering and polishing and pounding at the legs and body and head of the Tin Woodman, until at last he was straightened out into his old form, and his joints worked as well as ever. To be sure, there were several patches on him, but the tinsmiths did a good job, and as the Woodman was not a vain man he did not mind the patches at all.

When, at last, he walked into Dorothy's room and thanked her for rescuing him, he was so pleased that he wept tears of joy, and Dorothy had to wipe every tear carefully from his face with her apron, so his joints would not be rusted. At the same time her own tears fell thick and fast at the joy of meeting her old friend again, and these tears did not need to be wiped away. As for the Lion, he wiped his eyes so often with the tip of his tail that it became quite wet, and he was obliged to go out into the courtyard and hold it in the sun till it dried.

"If we only had the Scarecrow with us again," said the Tin Woodman, when Dorothy had finished telling him everything that had happened, "I should be quite happy."

"We must try to find him," said the girl.

So she called the Winkies to help her, and they walked all that day and part of the next until they came to the tall tree in the branches of which the Winged Monkeys had tossed the Scarecrow's clothes.

It was a very tall tree, and the trunk was so smooth that no one could climb it; but the Woodman said at once, "I'll chop it down, and then we can get the Scarecrow's clothes."

Now while the tinsmiths had been at work mending the Woodman himself, another of the Winkies, who was a goldsmith, had made an axe-handle of solid gold and fitted it to the Woodman's axe, instead of the old broken handle. Others polished the blade until all the rust was removed and it glistened like burnished silver.

As soon as he had spoken, the Tin Woodman began to chop, and in a short time the tree fell over with a crash, whereupon the Scarecrow's clothes fell out of the branches and rolled off on the ground.

Dorothy picked them up and had the Winkies carry them back to the castle, where they were stuffed with nice, clean straw; and behold! here was the Scarecrow, as good as ever, thanking them over and over again for saving him.

Now that they were reunited, Dorothy and her friends spent a few happy days at the Yellow Castle, where they found everything they needed to make them comfortable.

But one day the girl thought of Aunt Em, and said, "We must go back to Oz, and claim his promise."

"Yes," said the Woodman, "at last I shall get my heart."

"And I shall get my brains," added the Scarecrow joyfully.

"And I shall get my courage," said the Lion thoughtfully.

"And I shall get back to Kansas," cried Dorothy, clapping her hands. "Oh, let us start for the Emerald City tomorrow!"

This they decided to do. The next day they called the Winkies together and bade them good-bye. The Winkies were sorry to have them go, and they had grown so fond of the Tin Woodman that they begged him to stay and rule over them and the Yellow Land of the West. Finding they were determined to go, the Winkies gave Toto and the Lion each a golden collar; and to Dorothy they presented a beautiful bracelet studded with diamonds; and to the Scarecrow they gave a gold-headed walking stick, to keep him from stumbling; and to the Tin Woodman they offered a silver oil-can, inlaid with gold and set with precious jewels.

Every one of the travelers made the Winkies a pretty speech in return, and all shook hands with them until their arms ached.

Dorothy went to the Witch's cupboard to fill her basket with food for the journey, and there she saw the Golden Cap. She tried it on her own head and found that it fitted her exactly. She did not know anything about the charm of the Golden Cap, but she saw that it was pretty, so she made up her mind to wear it and carry her sunbonnet in the basket.

Then, being prepared for the journey, they all started for the Emerald City; and the Winkies gave them three cheers and many good wishes to carry with them.

第13章解放温基人

那小胆狮子听到坏女巫被浇了一吊桶的水,溶化得无影无踪了,非常高兴。

多萝茜立刻打开了牢监的门,把它放了出来。他们一同到城堡里去,多萝茜把所有的温基人一起喊来,向他们宣布,他们不再是西方女巫的奴隶了。

在黄色的温基人们中,举行着盛大的祝典,他们为坏女巫作了很多年的苦役,她总是残忍地对待他们,如今他们解放了。

他们为了纪念这一天就把当作一个节日,以后永远在这一天举行宴会和跳舞会。

狮子说:“假如我们的同伴儿,稻草人和铁皮人,还和我们在一起,我会非常快活。”

女孩子十分痛苦地问:“难道我们不能救活他们吗?”

狮子说:“我们可以试试。”

因此,他们便把温基人叫来,请求他们,可愿意帮忙救助他们的朋友。那些温基人说,他们愿意为了多萝茜,欢欢喜喜地尽他们的力量,心甘情愿去做一切的事,因为她把他们从奴役中拯救出来。

于是她带了一些看来非常聪明的温基人,一起出发走了整整走了一天,他们才到了布满岩石的旷野,看见铁皮人躺在那里,身上的铁皮被打击得凹凹凸凸、弯弯曲曲了。他的斧头扔在一边儿,斧口生了锈,斧柄也脱落了。

那些温基人,轻手轻脚地,把他扶起在他们的手臂上,抬着他跋涉着回到黄色的城堡里。多萝茜看见她朋友的悲惨遭遇,流着眼泪。狮子看了,难受得呜呜咽咽的。

多萝茜对温基人说:“在你们城堡里,可有铁皮匠吗?”

他们告诉她:“唔,有的。我们城堡里有些是高明的铁皮匠。”

她说:“那么,请你们把他们带来。”

铁皮匠们迅速聚集在这里,并带了他们所有的工具。

她问道:“你们能不能把这铁皮人身上这些凹凸的、弯曲的地方,整平拉直,再恢复他原来的样子,把他已断裂的地方,焊在一起吗?”

这些铁皮匠细致地把重伤的铁皮人,周身看过一遍,便肯定地说,在他们看来,是能够修理好的,跟以前一样完好。

此后的几天里,他们在这城堡中的一间极大的黄屋子里,开始修复工作,做了三天四夜,在铁皮人的腿上、手臂上和头上、锤击着,扭绞着,压弯着,焊接着,揩擦着,连连敲打着,直敲到最后他全身的铁皮都很平整,他的关节,活力起来也像以前一样灵活。

不过,从此他身上多了好几个补钉,那是难以避免的,这些铁皮匠,已经把工作做得非常精细啦,而且铁皮人并不图慕外表的虚容,这些补钉,他不放在眼里。

最后,他跑到多萝茜跟前,感谢她的帮助,快活得流着喜悦的眼泪,多萝茜用她的罩袍,细心地拭去他的脸上每一滴眼泪,免得他的关节发锈。

同时,她也因为又会见了她的老朋友而激动,自己也流了眼泪,这压抑许久的泪水终于喷涌而出,但是他们又变得愉快起来。

至于狮子呢,它总是用它尾巴的一簇尖端,揩拭它一双眼睛,这簇毛也变得很湿了,它就跪到外面院子里去,晒着太阳,直到晒得干燥。

多萝茜对他讲述了在这城堡里遭遇的每一件事,铁皮人就说:“假使稻草人在这里的话,我一定更加快活。”

多萝茜说:“我们一定要找到他。”

因此她再一次请来温基人,他们又走了一天的路,才找到了飞猴们把稻草人的衣裳,抛在高树枝上的那个地方。

那是一棵非常高大的树,树干却很光滑,因此人们都无法爬上去;但是铁皮人立即说:“我立刻把树砍倒,我们就能拿到稻草人的衣裳了。”

在那些铁皮匠,为铁皮人作修复工作的时候,另外一些温基人,他们是金匠,日夜赶做了一个纯金的斧柄,紧紧地套在铁皮人的斧头上,代替那破旧了的柄。还有一些人细心地揩擦着斧口,把所有的锈都擦去,使它像磨光了的银器一样亮。

铁皮人说了以后,立刻动手砍树,很快地,听到砰礴一声响,树便倒下来了。稻草人的衣裳,也掉了下来,掉到地面上。

多萝茜拾起衣服,交给温基人带回到城堡里,并给它填塞着美好的、干净的稻草;看呀!稻草人被救活了,跟以前一模一样,他正在深深地感谢他们救活了他。

现在,多萝茜和她的伙伴们,又聚集在一起了。他们在黄色的城堡里,过了几天愉快的日子,这个黄色的城堡,给予了他们快乐生活的每一样东西。

忽然有一天,多萝茜想起爱姆婶婶来了,说道:“我们一定要去找奥芝,并且要求他实践他的诺言。”

铁皮人说:“那是应该的,我将终于得到我的心。”

稻草人愉快地接着说:“我将得到我的脑子。”

狮子很关心地说:“我将得到我的胆量。”

“我将回到堪萨斯州去,”多萝茜叫着,跳了起来。“啊,那我们明天就出发到翡翠城去!”

他们都同意了。第二天他们就把温基人叫来了,跟他们最后告别。

他们的离去,使那些温基人很烦恼,因为他们非常喜欢铁皮人,请求它留下来,并且管理这个西方的黄色的国度。

可是看出了他们决心已定,那些温基人就送给托托和狮子金项锁各一副;送给多萝茜一副美丽的手镯用许多金钢钻装饰着的;送给稻草人一条金头头的手杖,免得它跌跤;送给铁皮人一个银的油罐,镶着金子,并且镶嵌着珍贵的宝石。

每一个旅客,对着那些温基人,说了一段精彩的谢辞,并且热情地和他们握着手,最后他们的手臂都酸痛了。

多萝茜走进女巫的厨房,把篮子里放满了食物,预备在走路的时候吃,她在那里,看见了金冠。她试着戴在她自己的头上,觉得恰好合适。

她当然不知道关于这顶金冠的神奇魔力,她只是看到它很美丽,就决意戴着它,脱去她无边的遮阳帽,放进了篮子里。

于是,他们一起出发了,准备到翡翠城去;温基人齐声向他们发出三声欢呼,祝福她们旅途愉快,就欢送着他们动身。


舞矽

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等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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Chapter 12. The Search for the Wicked Witch

The soldier with the green whiskers led them through the streets of the Emerald City until they reached the room where the Guardian of the Gates lived. This officer unlocked their spectacles to put them back in his great box, and then he politely opened the gate for our friends.

"Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?" asked Dorothy.

"There is no road," answered the Guardian of the Gates. "No one ever wishes to go that way."

"How, then, are we to find her?" inquired the girl.

"That will be easy," replied the man, "for when she knows you are in the country of the Winkies she will find you, and make you all her slaves."

"Perhaps not," said the Scarecrow, "for we mean to destroy her."

"Oh, that is different," said the Guardian of the Gates. "No one has ever destroyed her before, so I naturally thought she would make slaves of you, as she has of the rest. But take care; for she is wicked and fierce, and may not allow you to destroy her. Keep to the West, where the sun sets, and you cannot fail to find her."

They thanked him and bade him good-bye, and turned toward the West, walking over fields of soft grass dotted here and there with daisies and buttercups. Dorothy still wore the pretty silk dress she had put on in the palace, but now, to her surprise, she found it was no longer green, but pure white. The ribbon around Toto's neck had also lost its green color and was as white as Dorothy's dress.

The Emerald City was soon left far behind. As they advanced the ground became rougher and hillier, for there were no farms nor houses in this country of the West, and the ground was untilled.

In the afternoon the sun shone hot in their faces, for there were no trees to offer them shade; so that before night Dorothy and Toto and the Lion were tired, and lay down upon the grass and fell asleep, with the Woodman and the Scarecrow keeping watch.

Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere. So, as she sat in the door of her castle, she happened to look around and saw Dorothy lying asleep, with her friends all about her. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.

At once there came running to her from all directions a pack of great wolves. They had long legs and fierce eyes and sharp teeth.

"Go to those people," said the Witch, "and tear them to pieces."

"Are you not going to make them your slaves?" asked the leader of the wolves.

"No," she answered, "one is of tin, and one of straw; one is a girl and another a Lion. None of them is fit to work, so you may tear them into small pieces."

"Very well," said the wolf, and he dashed away at full speed, followed by the others.

It was lucky the Scarecrow and the Woodman were wide awake and heard the wolves coming.

"This is my fight," said the Woodman, "so get behind me and I will meet them as they come."

He seized his axe, which he had made very sharp, and as the leader of the wolves came on the Tin Woodman swung his arm and chopped the wolf's head from its body, so that it immediately died. As soon as he could raise his axe another wolf came up, and he also fell under the sharp edge of the Tin Woodman's weapon. There were forty wolves, and forty times a wolf was killed, so that at last they all lay dead in a heap before the Woodman.

Then he put down his axe and sat beside the Scarecrow, who said, "It was a good fight, friend."

They waited until Dorothy awoke the next morning. The little girl was quite frightened when she saw the great pile of shaggy wolves, but the Tin Woodman told her all. She thanked him for saving them and sat down to breakfast, after which they started again upon their journey.

Now this same morning the Wicked Witch came to the door of her castle and looked out with her one eye that could see far off. She saw all her wolves lying dead, and the strangers still traveling through her country. This made her angrier than before, and she blew her silver whistle twice.

Straightway a great flock of wild crows came flying toward her, enough to darken the sky.

And the Wicked Witch said to the King Crow, "Fly at once to the strangers; peck out their eyes and tear them to pieces."

The wild crows flew in one great flock toward Dorothy and her companions. When the little girl saw them coming she was afraid.

But the Scarecrow said, "This is my battle, so lie down beside me and you will not be harmed."

So they all lay upon the ground except the Scarecrow, and he stood up and stretched out his arms. And when the crows saw him they were frightened, as these birds always are by scarecrows, and did not dare to come any nearer. But the King Crow said:

"It is only a stuffed man. I will peck his eyes out."

The King Crow flew at the Scarecrow, who caught it by the head and twisted its neck until it died. And then another crow flew at him, and the Scarecrow twisted its neck also. There were forty crows, and forty times the Scarecrow twisted a neck, until at last all were lying dead beside him. Then he called to his companions to rise, and again they went upon their journey.

When the Wicked Witch looked out again and saw all her crows lying in a heap, she got into a terrible rage, and blew three times upon her silver whistle.

Forthwith there was heard a great buzzing in the air, and a swarm of black bees came flying toward her.

"Go to the strangers and sting them to death!" commanded the Witch, and the bees turned and flew rapidly until they came to where Dorothy and her friends were walking. But the Woodman had seen them coming, and the Scarecrow had decided what to do.

"Take out my straw and scatter it over the little girl and the dog and the Lion," he said to the Woodman, "and the bees cannot sting them." This the Woodman did, and as Dorothy lay close beside the Lion and held Toto in her arms, the straw covered them entirely.

The bees came and found no one but the Woodman to sting, so they flew at him and broke off all their stings against the tin, without hurting the Woodman at all. And as bees cannot live when their stings are broken that was the end of the black bees, and they lay scattered thick about the Woodman, like little heaps of fine coal.

Then Dorothy and the Lion got up, and the girl helped the Tin Woodman put the straw back into the Scarecrow again, until he was as good as ever. So they started upon their journey once more.

The Wicked Witch was so angry when she saw her black bees in little heaps like fine coal that she stamped her foot and tore her hair and gnashed her teeth. And then she called a dozen of her slaves, who were the Winkies, and gave them sharp spears, telling them to go to the strangers and destroy them.

The Winkies were not a brave people, but they had to do as they were told. So they marched away until they came near to Dorothy. Then the Lion gave a great roar and sprang towards them, and the poor Winkies were so frightened that they ran back as fast as they could.

When they returned to the castle the Wicked Witch beat them well with a strap, and sent them back to their work, after which she sat down to think what she should do next. She could not understand how all her plans to destroy these strangers had failed; but she was a powerful Witch, as well as a wicked one, and she soon made up her mind how to act.

There was, in her cupboard, a Golden Cap, with a circle of diamonds and rubies running round it. This Golden Cap had a charm. Whoever owned it could call three times upon the Winged Monkeys, who would obey any order they were given. But no person could command these strange creatures more than three times. Twice already the Wicked Witch had used the charm of the Cap. Once was when she had made the Winkies her slaves, and set herself to rule over their country. The Winged Monkeys had helped her do this. The second time was when she had fought against the Great Oz himself, and driven him out of the land of the West. The Winged Monkeys had also helped her in doing this. Only once more could she use this Golden Cap, for which reason she did not like to do so until all her other powers were exhausted. But now that her fierce wolves and her wild crows and her stinging bees were gone, and her slaves had been scared away by the Cowardly Lion, she saw there was only one way left to destroy Dorothy and her friends.

So the Wicked Witch took the Golden Cap from her cupboard and placed it upon her head. Then she stood upon her left foot and said slowly:

"Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!"

Next she stood upon her right foot and said:

"Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!"

After this she stood upon both feet and cried in a loud voice:

"Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!"

Now the charm began to work. The sky was darkened, and a low rumbling sound was heard in the air. There was a rushing of many wings, a great chattering and laughing, and the sun came out of the dark sky to show the Wicked Witch surrounded by a crowd of monkeys, each with a pair of immense and powerful wings on his shoulders.

One, much bigger than the others, seemed to be their leader. He flew close to the Witch and said, "You have called us for the third and last time. What do you command?"

"Go to the strangers who are within my land and destroy them all except the Lion," said the Wicked Witch. "Bring that beast to me, for I have a mind to harness him like a horse, and make him work."

"Your commands shall be obeyed," said the leader. Then, with a great deal of chattering and noise, the Winged Monkeys flew away to the place where Dorothy and her friends were walking.

Some of the Monkeys seized the Tin Woodman and carried him through the air until they were over a country thickly covered with sharp rocks. Here they dropped the poor Woodman, who fell a great distance to the rocks, where he lay so battered and dented that he could neither move nor groan.

Others of the Monkeys caught the Scarecrow, and with their long fingers pulled all of the straw out of his clothes and head. They made his hat and boots and clothes into a small bundle and threw it into the top branches of a tall tree.

The remaining Monkeys threw pieces of stout rope around the Lion and wound many coils about his body and head and legs, until he was unable to bite or scratch or struggle in any way. Then they lifted him up and flew away with him to the Witch's castle, where he was placed in a small yard with a high iron fence around it, so that he could not escape.

But Dorothy they did not harm at all. She stood, with Toto in her arms, watching the sad fate of her comrades and thinking it would soon be her turn. The leader of the Winged Monkeys flew up to her, his long, hairy arms stretched out and his ugly face grinning terribly; but he saw the mark of the Good Witch's kiss upon her forehead and stopped short, motioning the others not to touch her.

"We dare not harm this little girl," he said to them, "for she is protected by the Power of Good, and that is greater than the Power of Evil. All we can do is to carry her to the castle of the Wicked Witch and leave her there."

So, carefully and gently, they lifted Dorothy in their arms and carried her swiftly through the air until they came to the castle, where they set her down upon the front doorstep. Then the leader said to the Witch:

"We have obeyed you as far as we were able. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow are destroyed, and the Lion is tied up in your yard. The little girl we dare not harm, nor the dog she carries in her arms. Your power over our band is now ended, and you will never see us again."

Then all the Winged Monkeys, with much laughing and chattering and noise, flew into the air and were soon out of sight.

The Wicked Witch was both surprised and worried when she saw the mark on Dorothy's forehead, for she knew well that neither the Winged Monkeys nor she, herself, dare hurt the girl in any way. She looked down at Dorothy's feet, and seeing the Silver Shoes, began to tremble with fear, for she knew what a powerful charm belonged to them. At first the Witch was tempted to run away from Dorothy; but she happened to look into the child's eyes and saw how simple the soul behind them was, and that the little girl did not know of the wonderful power the Silver Shoes gave her. So the Wicked Witch laughed to herself, and thought, "I can still make her my slave, for she does not know how to use her power." Then she said to Dorothy, harshly and severely:

"Come with me; and see that you mind everything I tell you, for if you do not I will make an end of you, as I did of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow."

Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle until they came to the kitchen, where the Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.

Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she could; for she was glad the Wicked Witch had decided not to kill her.

With Dorothy hard at work, the Witch thought she would go into the courtyard and harness the Cowardly Lion like a horse; it would amuse her, she was sure, to make him draw her chariot whenever she wished to go to drive. But as she opened the gate the Lion gave a loud roar and bounded at her so fiercely that the Witch was afraid, and ran out and shut the gate again.

"If I cannot harness you," said the Witch to the Lion, speaking through the bars of the gate, "I can starve you. You shall have nothing to eat until you do as I wish."

So after that she took no food to the imprisoned Lion; but every day she came to the gate at noon and asked, "Are you ready to be harnessed like a horse?"

And the Lion would answer, "No. If you come in this yard, I will bite you."

The reason the Lion did not have to do as the Witch wished was that every night, while the woman was asleep, Dorothy carried him food from the cupboard. After he had eaten he would lie down on his bed of straw, and Dorothy would lie beside him and put her head on his soft, shaggy mane, while they talked of their troubles and tried to plan some way to escape. But they could find no way to get out of the castle, for it was constantly guarded by the yellow Winkies, who were the slaves of the Wicked Witch and too afraid of her not to do as she told them.

The girl had to work hard during the day, and often the Witch threatened to beat her with the same old umbrella she always carried in her hand. But, in truth, she did not dare to strike Dorothy, because of the mark upon her forehead. The child did not know this, and was full of fear for herself and Toto. Once the Witch struck Toto a blow with her umbrella and the brave little dog flew at her and bit her leg in return. The Witch did not bleed where she was bitten, for she was so wicked that the blood in her had dried up many years before.

Dorothy's life became very sad as she grew to understand that it would be harder than ever to get back to Kansas and Aunt Em again. Sometimes she would cry bitterly for hours, with Toto sitting at her feet and looking into her face, whining dismally to show how sorry he was for his little mistress. Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him; but he knew the little girl was unhappy, and that made him unhappy too.

Now the Wicked Witch had a great longing to have for her own the Silver Shoes which the girl always wore. Her bees and her crows and her wolves were lying in heaps and drying up, and she had used up all the power of the Golden Cap; but if she could only get hold of the Silver Shoes, they would give her more power than all the other things she had lost. She watched Dorothy carefully, to see if she ever took off her shoes, thinking she might steal them. But the child was so proud of her pretty shoes that she never took them off except at night and when she took her bath. The Witch was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy's room at night to take the shoes, and her dread of water was greater than her fear of the dark, so she never came near when Dorothy was bathing. Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way.

But the wicked creature was very cunning, and she finally thought of a trick that would give her what she wanted. She placed a bar of iron in the middle of the kitchen floor, and then by her magic arts made the iron invisible to human eyes. So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, not being able to see it, and fell at full length. She was not much hurt, but in her fall one of the Silver Shoes came off; and before she could reach it, the Witch had snatched it away and put it on her own skinny foot.

The wicked woman was greatly pleased with the success of her trick, for as long as she had one of the shoes she owned half the power of their charm, and Dorothy could not use it against her, even had she known how to do so.

The little girl, seeing she had lost one of her pretty shoes, grew angry, and said to the Witch, "Give me back my shoe!"

"I will not," retorted the Witch, "for it is now my shoe, and not yours."

"You are a wicked creature!" cried Dorothy. "You have no right to take my shoe from me."

"I shall keep it, just the same," said the Witch, laughing at her, "and someday I shall get the other one from you, too."

This made Dorothy so very angry that she picked up the bucket of water that stood near and dashed it over the Witch, wetting her from head to foot.

Instantly the wicked woman gave a loud cry of fear, and then, as Dorothy looked at her in wonder, the Witch began to shrink and fall away.

"See what you have done!" she screamed. "In a minute I shall melt away."

"I'm very sorry, indeed," said Dorothy, who was truly frightened to see the Witch actually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes.

"Didn't you know water would be the end of me?" asked the Witch, in a wailing, despairing voice.

"Of course not," answered Dorothy. "How should I?"

"Well, in a few minutes I shall be all melted, and you will have the castle to yourself. I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out--here I go!"

With these words the Witch fell down in a brown, melted, shapeless mass and began to spread over the clean boards of the kitchen floor. Seeing that she had really melted away to nothing, Dorothy drew another bucket of water and threw it over the mess. She then swept it all out the door. After picking out the silver shoe, which was all that was left of the old woman, she cleaned and dried it with a cloth, and put it on her foot again. Then, being at last free to do as she chose, she ran out to the courtyard to tell the Lion that the Wicked Witch of the West had come to an end, and that they were no longer prisoners in a strange land.

第12章寻找西方女巫

那个绿胡须的兵士,带着他们穿过悲翠城中的一些街道,直送到守城门人住的地方。这个守城门的,用钥匙打开他们的眼镜,放回到大箱子里,随后,又很有礼貌地给他们打开了城门。

多萝茜问:“怎样找到西方女巫,该走哪一条路?”

“没有路通到她那里,因为西方女巫的国土周围都很荒凉,女巫不允许国土内的任何一个人走出来。”守城门的人回答说:“当然没有一个人愿意走上那条路。”

女孩子追问道:“请你告诉我们,怎样才能找到她?”

“那很简单,”这人回答说,“如果女巫知道你们到温基了,她就会把你们一起抓了去做她的奴隶。”

“不会吧,”稻草人说,“我们是要去杀死她的。”

“啊,这就另当别论,”守城门的人说。“在你们以前,没有一个人想去杀死她,所以当然想到她会把你们当作奴隶,就像她把任何一个去温基的人却会抓去一样。但请留神,她残酷而又凶猛,你们恐怕很难杀死她。你们一直向西走,在日落的地方,一定会找到她。”

他们向他道了谢,并且向他说了声再会,就转向西面,走过柔软的长满雏菊的草地,虽然多萝茜仍旧穿着美丽的绿绸衣,现在使她吃惊的,她发现不再是绿色了,却是纯洁的白色了。

系在托托颈里的绿丝带,也褪去了它的绿色,变成白的了。

他们继续向西走着,悲翠城被远远地抛在了后面,路面也渐渐不平坦了,并且高起来,周围没有屋子、田地一片荒凉。

似乎连鸟兽也不愿意被西方女巫统治,从这里逃走了。

到了下午,太阳晒得他们的脸儿发烫,因为这里没有树木遮蔽;所以多萝茜和托托,还有狮子,都跑得很疲倦,躺在草地上睡着了,铁皮人和稻草人守在他们旁边。

那西方的恶女巫只有一只眼睛,然而那只眼睛却像望远镜一样地具有穿透力,能看到老远的地方。

下午的时候,当她坐在城堡的门口,无聊地四处观望时,就望见多萝茜睡熟了,还有她的朋友们在旁边卫护她。他们还有很远的一段路程,但是坏女巫已经看见他们在她的国土上了,因此十分愤怒;吹响了挂在她颈项里的一个银笛。

立刻,从四面八方聚集了一群恶狼。它们的腿很长,瞪着凶恶的绿眼睛,露出尖利的牙齿。

女巫指点着说:“看到他们了吗,去把他们撕成碎片。”

恶狼的头头问道:“你愿意让她们做你的奴隶吗?”

“那倒不必,”她回答说,“一个是铁皮人,一个是稻草人,一个是小女孩子,还有一只是狮子。他们做不了什么工作的,你们把他们撕成一小块一小块罢。”

“太好了,”这只狼说着,它迅速地跑去了,后面跟着许多狼。

铁皮人和稻草人清醒着,发现了恶狼们冲过来了。

“这次我来解决它们,”铁皮人说;“你们躲在我的后面,等它们冲过来时,我跟他们博斗。”

他手举着磨得很快的斧头来,当恶狼的头头奔过来时,铁皮人迅速地一挥,它的头从身上掉了下来,立刻就死了。

另一只狼奔上来,当他又举起斧头来劈过去,也倒在铁皮人锋利的斧头下。这次来了四十只恶狼,斧头挥动了四十次,每一次都准确地命中目标;到了最后,在铁皮人面前,是一堆恶狼支离破碎的尸体。

于是,他放下斧头,坐了下来,对稻草人说:“朋友,这是一场大战斗。”

直到第二天早晨,多萝茜在醒过来,看见了一大堆毛茸茸的恶狼尸体,这个小女孩子惊恐万分,铁皮人详细地告诉她昨晚发生的事情。她感谢了他,坐下来吃着早餐,吃完以后,他们又出发了。

这天早晨,西方女巫来到城堡的门口,用她的单眼四处望着,瞭望远处。她发现恶狼们全都躺着死了,那些陌生的客人,仍旧在她的国土上向前行进。这使得她更加愤怒了,吹了两声银笛。

立刻飞来一大群野乌鸦,遮黑了一大片天空。

女巫命令乌鸦王说:“火速飞到那些陌生的客人走的地方去;啄掉他们的眼睛,把他们撕成碎片罢。”

野乌鸦们疯狂地飞向多萝茜和她的同伴。当这小女孩子看到黑压压的一群鸟儿飞来时,惊慌万分,稻草人却镇定地说:“这次我来解决;请你们躺在我的身旁,就不会伤害到你们了。”

这时,除了稻草人站着外,他们一起躺在地上,他伸出手臂,起初这些乌鸦们看见了他,都很害怕,因为这些鸟儿们,都是被稻草人吓惯了的,远远的徘徊在空中。

然而乌鸦王说道:“那只是一个稻草人。我去啄掉他的眼睛。”

乌鸦王猛然向稻草人冲过去,稻草人掐住它的脖子,绞着,一直把它绞到死去。接着另一只乌鸦向他冲来,也被它绞死了。

就这样,稻草人扭绞了四十次脖子,所有的乌鸦都死了,躺在他的旁边,稻草人喊起他的同伴们,又踏上旅途。

当女巫又望见她的乌鸦们全死掉了,恨恨地咬着牙,她不能再忍受了,发誓要把那帮陌生送进地狱,第三次吹响她的银笛。

立刻听到空中有一阵嗡嗡的声音,是一群黑蜂飞来了。

“飞到那些陌生的客人待着的地方,螫死他们罢!”女巫翻着一只白眼下着这个命令。

黑蜂转过弯来急速地飞着,几乎快飞到多萝茜和她的朋友们赶路的地方。铁皮人已经发现它们来了,稻草人也已经决定做什么了。

他急忙对铁皮人说:“快把我身体里塞着的稻草拿出来,盖在小女孩子和狗以及狮子的身上,黑蜂们就螫不到他们了。”

铁皮人很快的做完了这些,多萝茜在靠近狮子身旁躺着,还把托托抱在她的臂弯里,他们就这样被稻草遮没了。

黑蜂们飞来,找不到他们,只能螫着铁皮人,所以它们都刺向铁皮人,却白白地在铁皮面上,折损了它们所有的刺,铁皮人却没有受到任何伤害。

黑蜂们的刺毁了,那是黑蜂的末日,许多黑蜂散落在铁皮人的四周,厚厚地像一小堆上等的媒。

于是多萝茜和狮子站起来,他们再把稻草塞进稻草人的身体,使他完好如初。接着,他们就出发了。

这个坏女巫疯狂了,她看见黑蜂们像一小堆上等的煤样地死了,顿着她的脚,撕扯着她的头发,咬着她的牙齿。

于是她叫来了十二个奴隶,都是温基人,交给他们锐利的熗,命令他们冲到陌生的客人那里去杀死他们。

这几个温基人都是很怯懦的人,他们还是接受了命令,只能去干;他们向前走去,碰到了那个小团体。于是狮子大吼一声,猛然出现在他们的面前,可怜的温基人,他们害怕极了,四散逃命去了。

当那帮可怜的温基人逃回去后,女巫用铁条惩罚了他们。

女巫便思索她杀人计划失败的原因,她始终没有想明白,而她是个恶毒的女巫,没多久,又想出了新的办法。

在她的橱里,有一顶金冠,四周镶嵌着一圈金钢钻和红宝石。这顶金冠有神奇的魔力。只要戴上它,可以召唤出一批飞猴,飞猴能听从任何命令。然而召唤这些奇怪的动物不能超过三次。

她已经用过两次这顶金冠的魔力了。第一次是当她想奴役温基人,让她能够统治他们的国土。飞猴们曾经帮助她实现她的愿望。第二次是当她对大麽术师奥芝作战,并且把他从这西方赶出去。飞猴们也让她如愿以偿。

这顶金冠,她只能用一次了,现在她那凶猛的恶狼们和野乌鸦们,以及螫人的黑蜂们,都被那帮陌生人杀掉了,她的奴隶们也给小胆狮吓了回来,她明白,她要杀死在她国土上的陌生客人,只能使用这顶金冠,别无其它的办法。

因此,坏女巫就从她的橱里取出金冠来,戴在头上。于是她独立着左脚,慢慢地说:“哎—泼,攀—泼,步—基!”

然后她右脚独立着说:“唏—罗,呵—罗,哈—罗!”

最后她并立着两只脚,高声叫着:“西—楚,如—楚,西—克!”

果然,金冠发挥了魔力。天空乌压压的,发出隆隆的声音,随后飞来了许多飞猴,发出一阵极大的喋喋声和嘻笑声;阳光从黑天空里射出来时,照见了恶女巫身旁围绕着的一群猴子,每一只猴子都有一对阔大有力的翅翼。

其中一只飞猴,看上去比其他的大得多了,它似乎是飞猴的头头,飞近女巫耳畔低声说道:“你这是第三次召唤我们了,也是最后一次了。你又有什么吩咐?”

“把那些在我国土上的陌生客人,除掉狮子以外,全部杀掉罢,”女巫说。“把那只狮子带回来,因为我突然有一个想法,让他像马一样做苦工。”

“完全遵守你的命令,”猴王说,随着一阵极大的喋喋声和嘈杂声,飞猴们向着多萝茜和她的朋友们赶路的地方去了。

好几只猴子捉住了铁皮人,带着他飞出国境,直飞到堆着厚厚的尖锐石头的深谷,把铁皮人扔了下去,铁皮人全身受到损害,支离破碎,动弹不得。

猴子们捉住了稻草人,用长臂拉出他衣服里面所有的稻草,用他的帽子、鞋子和衣服,打成一个小包,抛在一颗高大的树顶上。

其余的猴子们甩出结实的绳子,缚住狮子,左右抛散下来的绳子从狮子的身上、头上,腿上,盘绕了好多圈,直绕到它再也动弹不了。飞猴们举起它来,飞到女巫的城堡里去,把它扔进一个四周围着密密匝匝的铁栅的小天井里,它根本没法逃走。

飞猴们却不伤害多萝茜。她站着,她的臂弯里抱着托托,她眼看着她的朋友遇到不测,并且想着马上就要轮到她自己了。

飞猴的头头在她头顶上盘旋着,伸出它那长而多毛的两臂,它的丑陋的脸扭曲着,露出了碜人的狞笑;但是当它看见善女巫印在她额角上的吻时,就停止了无礼,警告他的猴子们,一定不能触犯她。

“我们不敢冒犯这个小女孩子,”它的同伙说,“因为她是被东方善女巫保护着的,善女巫远比那坏女巫伟大得多。我们只能带她到西方女巫的城堡里去,把她留在那里。”

所以,他们小心翼翼地,很礼貌地,在臂上抬举起了多萝茜,并且轻快地带着她穿过天空,一直飞到城堡,轻轻地把她放下在前面的阶石上,只听见飞猴头头对女巫说:“我们已经尽力做了,我们所能做的。那铁皮人和稻草人都被杀死了,狮子已经缚住在你的院子里了,只有这个小女孩子,我们不能伤害她,也不敢伤害抱在她臂弯里的狗。你的命令我做一切事的权力,现在是完结了,你将永远见不到我们了。”

于是所有的猴子们,伴随着一阵可怕的笑声,喋喋声,喧噪声,飞上天空,马上就无影无踪了。

西方女巫在多萝茜的额角上的吻,她又吃惊,又害怕,因为她很明白,不仅是飞猴们不敢,就是她自己也不敢伤害这个小女孩子。

她俯看多萝茜的脚,发现了一双银鞋子,更是害怕得发抖,因为她清楚这一双银鞋子,它有强大而神奇的魔力。

本来,这个坏女巫想从多萝茜面前逃走;然而她偶然地望着小女孩子的一双眼睛,发觉她眸子清明,灵魂是纯洁的,便明白了小女孩子并不晓得这一双银鞋子的神奇魔力。

恶女巫得意地笑着,并且想道:“我还是能让她做我的奴隶;女孩子根本不懂得去运用它的魔力。”

于是,她对多萝茜粗暴地严厉地命令着说:“跟我来;你要为我做些事情,如果你不好好做,你就没命啦,像铁皮人和稻草人那样。”

多萝茜跟在女巫后面,穿过城堡里的许多美丽的房间,直跑到厨房里,女巫吩咐她洗干净锅子和水壶,打扫地板,并燃起炉火来。

多萝茜顺从地干活,她决定不辞辛苦地做下去;因为坏女巫不会杀死她,她已经很欣慰了。

多萝茜在辛苦地忙碌着。这个女巫想,现在她可以到院子里去,像一匹马那样地驾御着那只庞大的狮子了;她想从中找乐,便决定让狮子拉游览车,她想到什么地方去就让它拉着去。

当她打开栅门时,狮子却对她大吼,凶猛地向她冲过去,女巫怕极了,急忙跑出去,锁上了铁门。

“我倒是有办法治你,”女巫从门柱的缝里对狮子说:“我先把你饿起来。直饿到你先愿意为我做事,在你顺从以前,你不会有任何东西吃。”

以后几天里,她不拿食物给被囚的狮子吃,总是每天中午,她跑到门旁去问:“你想好没有,像一匹马那样地为我拉车?”

狮子坚定地回答说:“不,如果你进来,我要咬死你。”

其实那狮子并没有饿到那种地步,原来每天夜里,女巫熟睡了,多萝茜便从厨房拿食物给它吃。在它吃饱以后,就躺下在稻草铺的床上,多萝茜在它的旁边,她的头枕在它那柔软的、蓬松的长鬣上,他们便讨论如何摆脱困境,想方设法逃出去。

然而他们仍一筹莫展,因为那些黄色的温基人,时时刻刻看守着,他们是女巫的奴隶,不敢违抗她的命令,更不敢做多萝茜要他们做的事。

在白天,多萝茜不得不努力做工,那女巫常常手里拿着一柄旧雨伞,说要打她,恐吓她。可是,事实上,她不敢打多萝茜,因为在她的额角上有东方女巫的吻。不过小女孩并没有意识到这一点,常常为了自己和托托,心中充满着恐惧。

有一次,那女巫用她的伞柄敲了托托一下,这只愤怒的小狗冲上去咬住她的腿。女巫虽然被咬,并不流血,因为她是那么可恶,她的血在多年以前已经干枯了。

多萝茜的生活,变得十分悲惨,她越来越清楚的意识到,她要再回到堪萨斯州,再见到爱姆婶婶,更加困难了。

有时候,她忧愁地哭上几个钟头,托托蹲在她的脚旁,惨然地呜呜地叫着,似乎表明它和主人一样忧愁。托托并不真的关心它是在堪萨斯州还是在奥芝,重要的是和多萝茜住在一起;但是,它发觉了小女孩子不快乐,它也是一副很凄惨的样子。

现在,那坏女巫非常的渴望,把那女孩子的一双银鞋子,据为己有。她的黑蜂和她的恶狼,成了她骄傲的灰烬,她已用完了金冠的魔力;如果能得到银鞋子,那就能能够补偿她失去的一切东西,并且且有更强大的魔力。

她细心地监视着多萝茜,看她什么时候脱掉她的鞋子,就去偷它们。但是女孩子非常珍视她美丽的银鞋子,除非在夜里,当她去洗澡的时候,她才暂时把它脱下来。女巫怕黑暗,不敢在夜里到多萝茜的房间里去拿走她的银鞋子,并且她怕水,这恐怕是她最害怕的了,所以当多萝茜洗澡的时候,恶女巫也害怕走过去。的确,这个老女巫从来不敢触碰过水,无论如何,也从来没有让水触碰着她。

但是,这个坏女巫是十分狡猾的,最后她想出了一个诡计,使她得到她所要得到的东西。

她在厨房间的地板的中央,放着一根铁条,用她的魔术,使得人类的一双眼睛看不见它。

当多萝茜走过这地板上时,就直挺挺地跌下去。摔在铁条上面,她摔得不是很厉害,也没有受伤,一只银鞋子脱落了,在她捡回来以前,却给女巫抢了去,穿在她干瘪的脚上。

那女巫因为她的阴谋得逞,大大地快活,她得到了这一只银鞋子,就得到了魔力的一半,即使将来多萝茜懂得怎样地应用,也不能制服她了。

小女孩子发觉她的一只美丽的鞋子被女巫穿在脚上,就生气起来,对着女巫喊道:“把鞋子还给我!”

“不,”女巫反斥着,“现在这只鞋子属于我了,不是你的了。”

“你这个坏蛋!”多萝茜叫喊着。”为什么拿走我的鞋子?”

“我帮你保存它,就跟你保存它是一样的,”女巫说了,向她大笑着,“以后,你的那一只也会被我拿到。”

这话使得多萝茜愤怒了,她拿起放在旁边的一桶水,对着女巫泼了过去,把她从头到脚淋了透。女巫立刻发出惊惧的叫喊声,多萝茜吃惊地看见,女巫的身体开始萎缩着,倒下去了。

“看,天哪,你怎么能这样!”女巫尖声地叫着。“在一分钟里,我就完全溶化了!”

“真的,我很抱歉,”多萝茜一边说时,一边睁大了眼睛,眼看那个女巫,在她面前冰块在阳光下一样地被溶化了。

“你难道不知道,水是可以结果我的生命吗?”女巫在哀哀哭泣的绝望声中说。

“当然不知道,”多萝茜说;“我怎么可能知道?”

“唔,几分钟后我就彻底溶掉了,你可以占有这座城堡了。

我在过去的日子里,作了很多的坏事,但是我永远不会想到像你这样的小女孩子,结果了我的性命,结束了我的恶行为。看着——我去了!”

说完这几句话,女巫就已经变成一堆棕色的、溶化了的、流质的东西,淌开在清洁光滑的厨房的地板上。

事实上,她已成为一滩没用的秽物了,多萝茜倒着另外一桶水,把它扫出门口。她拾起了那老女巫抢走的一只银鞋子,用一块布把它擦干净,并且揩干了,再穿在另一只脚上。

于是在最后,她想做什么就可以做了。她跑到院子里,告诉那狮子,那西方的女巫已经死了,他们已经获得了自由。


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Chapter 11. The Wonderful City of Oz

Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City. The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble, and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely, and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window panes were of green glass; even the sky above the City had a green tint, and the rays of the sun were green.

There were many people--men, women, and children--walking about, and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skins. They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with wondering eyes, and the children all ran away and hid behind their mothers when they saw the Lion; but no one spoke to them. Many shops stood in the street, and Dorothy saw that everything in them was green. Green candy and green pop corn were offered for sale, as well as green shoes, green hats, and green clothes of all sorts. At one place a man was selling green lemonade, and when the children bought it Dorothy could see that they paid for it with green pennies.

There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous.

The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until they came to a big building, exactly in the middle of the City, which was the Palace of Oz, the Great Wizard. There was a soldier before the door, dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard.

"Here are strangers," said the Guardian of the Gates to him, "and they demand to see the Great Oz."

"Step inside," answered the soldier, "and I will carry your message to him."

So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said politely:

"Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here."

They had to wait a long time before the soldier returned. When, at last, he came back, Dorothy asked:

"Have you seen Oz?"

"Oh, no," returned the soldier; "I have never seen him. But I spoke to him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your message. He said he will grant you an audience, if you so desire; but each one of you must enter his presence alone, and he will admit but one each day. Therefore, as you must remain in the Palace for several days, I will have you shown to rooms where you may rest in comfort after your journey."

"Thank you," replied the girl; "that is very kind of Oz."

The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."

So Dorothy said good-bye to all her friends except Toto, and taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room at the front of the Palace. It was the sweetest little room in the world, with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green silk and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny fountain in the middle of the room, that shot a spray of green perfume into the air, to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin. Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf with a row of little green books. When Dorothy had time to open these books she found them full of queer green pictures that made her laugh, they were so funny.

In a wardrobe were many green dresses, made of silk and satin and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly.

"Make yourself perfectly at home," said the green girl, "and if you wish for anything ring the bell. Oz will send for you tomorrow morning."

She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others. These she also led to rooms, and each one of them found himself lodged in a very pleasant part of the Palace. Of course this politeness was wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his room he stood stupidly in one spot, just within the doorway, to wait till morning. It would not rest him to lie down, and he could not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room, just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world. The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order. The Lion would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room; but he had too much sense to let this worry him, so he sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep in a minute.

The next morning, after breakfast, the green maiden came to fetch Dorothy, and she dressed her in one of the prettiest gowns, made of green brocaded satin. Dorothy put on a green silk apron and tied a green ribbon around Toto's neck, and they started for the Throne Room of the Great Oz.

First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes. These people had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were never permitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered they looked at her curiously, and one of them whispered:

"Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?"

"Of course," answered the girl, "if he will see me."

"Oh, he will see you," said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, "although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence."

Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, "That is the signal. You must go into the Throne Room alone."

She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful manner.

But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center of the chair was an enormous Head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatever. There was no hair upon this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant.

As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say:

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?"

It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come from the big Head; so she took courage and answered:

"I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for help."

The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute. Then said the voice:

"Where did you get the silver shoes?"

"I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house fell on her and killed her," she replied.

"Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?" continued the voice.

"That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she bade me good-bye and sent me to you," said the girl.

Again the eyes looked at her sharply, and they saw she was telling the truth. Then Oz asked, "What do you wish me to do?"

"Send me back to Kansas, where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are," she answered earnestly. "I don't like your country, although it is so beautiful. And I am sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over my being away so long."

The eyes winked three times, and then they turned up to the ceiling and down to the floor and rolled around so queerly that they seemed to see every part of the room. And at last they looked at Dorothy again.

"Why should I do this for you?" asked Oz.

"Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are a Great Wizard and I am only a little girl."

"But you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East," said Oz.

"That just happened," returned Dorothy simply; "I could not help it."

"Well," said the Head, "I will give you my answer. You have no right to expect me to send you back to Kansas unless you do something for me in return. In this country everyone must pay for everything he gets. If you wish me to use my magic power to send you home again you must do something for me first. Help me and I will help you."

"What must I do?" asked the girl.

"Kill the Wicked Witch of the West," answered Oz.

"But I cannot!" exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised.

"You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the silver shoes, which bear a powerful charm. There is now but one Wicked Witch left in all this land, and when you can tell me she is dead I will send you back to Kansas--but not before."

The little girl began to weep, she was so much disappointed; and the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if the Great Oz felt that she could help him if she would.

"I never killed anything, willingly," she sobbed. "Even if I wanted to, how could I kill the Wicked Witch? If you, who are Great and Terrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do you expect me to do it?"

"I do not know," said the Head; "but that is my answer, and until the Wicked Witch dies you will not see your uncle and aunt again. Remember that the Witch is Wicked--tremendously Wicked--and ought to be killed. Now go, and do not ask to see me again until you have done your task."

Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back where the Lion and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were waiting to hear what Oz had said to her. "There is no hope for me," she said sadly, "for Oz will not send me home until I have killed the Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can never do."

Her friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her; so Dorothy went to her own room and lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Scarecrow and said:

"Come with me, for Oz has sent for you."

So the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the great Throne Room, where he saw, sitting in the emerald throne, a most lovely Lady. She was dressed in green silk gauze and wore upon her flowing green locks a crown of jewels. Growing from her shoulders were wings, gorgeous in color and so light that they fluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them.

When the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffing would let him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly, and said:

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?"

Now the Scarecrow, who had expected to see the great Head Dorothy had told him of, was much astonished; but he answered her bravely.

"I am only a Scarecrow, stuffed with straw. Therefore I have no brains, and I come to you praying that you will put brains in my head instead of straw, so that I may become as much a man as any other in your dominions."

"Why should I do this for you?" asked the Lady.

"Because you are wise and powerful, and no one else can help me," answered the Scarecrow.

"I never grant favors without some return," said Oz; "but this much I will promise. If you will kill for me the Wicked Witch of the West, I will bestow upon you a great many brains, and such good brains that you will be the wisest man in all the Land of Oz."

"I thought you asked Dorothy to kill the Witch," said the Scarecrow, in surprise.

"So I did. I don't care who kills her. But until she is dead I will not grant your wish. Now go, and do not seek me again until you have earned the brains you so greatly desire."

The Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to his friends and told them what Oz had said; and Dorothy was surprised to find that the Great Wizard was not a Head, as she had seen him, but a lovely Lady.

"All the same," said the Scarecrow, "she needs a heart as much as the Tin Woodman."

On the next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Tin Woodman and said:

"Oz has sent for you. Follow me."

So the Tin Woodman followed him and came to the great Throne Room. He did not know whether he would find Oz a lovely Lady or a Head, but he hoped it would be the lovely Lady. "For," he said to himself, "if it is the head, I am sure I shall not be given a heart, since a head has no heart of its own and therefore cannot feel for me. But if it is the lovely Lady I shall beg hard for a heart, for all ladies are themselves said to be kindly hearted."

But when the Woodman entered the great Throne Room he saw neither the Head nor the Lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible Beast. It was nearly as big as an elephant, and the green throne seemed hardly strong enough to hold its weight. The Beast had a head like that of a rhinoceros, only there were five eyes in its face. There were five long arms growing out of its body, and it also had five long, slim legs. Thick, woolly hair covered every part of it, and a more dreadful-looking monster could not be imagined. It was fortunate the Tin Woodman had no heart at that moment, for it would have beat loud and fast from terror. But being only tin, the Woodman was not at all afraid, although he was much disappointed.

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible," spoke the Beast, in a voice that was one great roar. "Who are you, and why do you seek me?"

"I am a Woodman, and made of tin. Therefore I have no heart, and cannot love. I pray you to give me a heart that I may be as other men are."

"Why should I do this?" demanded the Beast.

"Because I ask it, and you alone can grant my request," answered the Woodman.

Oz gave a low growl at this, but said, gruffly: "If you indeed desire a heart, you must earn it."

"How?" asked the Woodman.

"Help Dorothy to kill the Wicked Witch of the West," replied the Beast. "When the Witch is dead, come to me, and I will then give you the biggest and kindest and most loving heart in all the Land of Oz."

So the Tin Woodman was forced to return sorrowfully to his friends and tell them of the terrible Beast he had seen. They all wondered greatly at the many forms the Great Wizard could take upon himself, and the Lion said:

"If he is a Beast when I go to see him, I shall roar my loudest, and so frighten him that he will grant all I ask. And if he is the lovely Lady, I shall pretend to spring upon her, and so compel her to do my bidding. And if he is the great Head, he will be at my mercy; for I will roll this head all about the room until he promises to give us what we desire. So be of good cheer, my friends, for all will yet be well."

The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers led the Lion to the great Throne Room and bade him enter the presence of Oz.

The Lion at once passed through the door, and glancing around saw, to his surprise, that before the throne was a Ball of Fire, so fierce and glowing he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it. His first thought was that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was burning up; but when he tried to go nearer, the heat was so intense that it singed his whiskers, and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door.

Then a low, quiet voice came from the Ball of Fire, and these were the words it spoke:

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?"

And the Lion answered, "I am a Cowardly Lion, afraid of everything. I came to you to beg that you give me courage, so that in reality I may become the King of Beasts, as men call me."

"Why should I give you courage?" demanded Oz.

"Because of all Wizards you are the greatest, and alone have power to grant my request," answered the Lion.

The Ball of Fire burned fiercely for a time, and the voice said, "Bring me proof that the Wicked Witch is dead, and that moment I will give you courage. But as long as the Witch lives, you must remain a coward."

The Lion was angry at this speech, but could say nothing in reply, and while he stood silently gazing at the Ball of Fire it became so furiously hot that he turned tail and rushed from the room. He was glad to find his friends waiting for him, and told them of his terrible interview with the Wizard.

"What shall we do now?" asked Dorothy sadly.

"There is only one thing we can do," returned the Lion, "and that is to go to the land of the Winkies, seek out the Wicked Witch, and destroy her."

"But suppose we cannot?" said the girl.

"Then I shall never have courage," declared the Lion.

"And I shall never have brains," added the Scarecrow.

"And I shall never have a heart," spoke the Tin Woodman.

"And I shall never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry," said Dorothy, beginning to cry.

"Be careful!" cried the green girl. "The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it."

So Dorothy dried her eyes and said, "I suppose we must try it; but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again."

"I will go with you; but I'm too much of a coward to kill the Witch," said the Lion.

"I will go too," declared the Scarecrow; "but I shall not be of much help to you, I am such a fool."

"I haven't the heart to harm even a Witch," remarked the Tin Woodman; "but if you go I certainly shall go with you."

Therefore it was decided to start upon their journey the next morning, and the Woodman sharpened his axe on a green grindstone and had all his joints properly oiled. The Scarecrow stuffed himself with fresh straw and Dorothy put new paint on his eyes that he might see better. The green girl, who was very kind to them, filled Dorothy's basket with good things to eat, and fastened a little bell around Toto's neck with a green ribbon.

They went to bed quite early and slept soundly until daylight, when they were awakened by the crowing of a green cock that lived in the back yard of the Palace, and the cackling of a hen that had laid a green egg.

第11章奇怪的翡翠城

多萝茜一行人,虽带着绿墨镜,在他们踏进翡翠城时,就被它炫丽的光芒迷住了:大理石造成的屋子,装饰着耀眼的翡翠;大理石铺成的绿色街道;绿色的窗玻璃,整个城市都泛着绿色,似乎连太阳光也带着淡淡的绿色。

在街道上,来来往往的人群,男人、女人和孩子们,都穿着绿衣服,连皮肤也是淡绿色。

他们都用异样的目光,注视着多萝茜,和她的朋友们,当他们看见了狮子,吓得孩子们都逃走了,或者躲到他们母亲的身后;却没有一个人跟他们说话。

街上店铺林立,多萝茜发现店里面的每一件东西,都是绿色的。出售绿的糖果,绿的爆玉蜀黍,还有各种各样的绿鞋子、绿帽子和绿衣衫。

多萝茜转眼看到另一个地方,有一个人出售绿的柠檬水,孩子们去买它时,她看见他们拿出的钱也是绿的。

街上好像没有马,也没有其他的兽类;有人用绿色的小两轮货车,拉着货物,看上去每一个人都很愉快,满足,安宁而且幸福。

守城门的人,带着他们穿过了几条街道,径直走到一幢大楼的下面,这就是可怕的大魔术家奥芝的宫殿,正好建在这城市的中心。有一个穿着绿制服的兵士站在门前,长着一把长长的绿胡须。

守城门的人对他说:“来了几个客人,他们要求拜见伟大的奥芝。”

兵士回答说:“到里面来。我这就去通报他。”

他们走进了这座大厦,被领进铺着绿地毯的一间大屋子里等候着。摆着翡翠做的可爱的绿家具。在走进这间屋子之前,他们曾在绿的席垫上擦干净他们的鞋底。等他们全部坐定后,他很有礼貌地说:“让我进去通报,告诉奥芝说你们要拜见他,你们可以在这里随便休息一下。”

他们等了很久。当士兵回来以后,多萝茜问道:“你见到奥芝了吗?”

“啊,没有;”兵士回答说,“我从来没有见过他。我就想象着他坐在帐幔的后面,向他禀报,把你们要拜见他的事告诉了他。他说,你们如此热切而急迫,便准许了你们的接见,但是,你们必须一个一个地到他的面前,而且每天会见一个。所以你们必须在这宫中等好几天,我想最好为你们准备几个房间,在你们长途跋涉以后,可以休息得舒服一点儿。”

“非常感谢,”小女孩子回答说,“那是奥芝的好意。”

现在,兵士吹着一个绿色的口笛,立刻有一个穿着绿丝袍的年青女郎,走进屋子来。

她长着可爱的绿发和绿眼,还在多萝茜面前低低地鞠躬,轻轻地说道:“跟我来,我带你去你的房间。”

多萝茜向她的朋友们道了晚安,跟着绿女朗穿过七个门廊,爬了三座楼梯,一直走到宫殿前面的一间房间里。那是在世界上最美丽最可爱的小房间了,放着一只柔软舒适的床,上面有绿绸的被,绿天鹅绒的褥。

在房间的中央,有一个小喷水器,喷射出一股股绿色香水的水花,水花回落在一只雕刻得精美的绿色大理石的盆子里。

窗子旁边放了些美丽的绿花,还有一个放着一行绿色小书的书架。

当多萝茜去翻着书看时,发现里面全是逗人发笑的奇怪的绿色的图画,非常有意思。

在一只衣橱里叠得整整齐齐的绿衣服,用绸缎和天鹅绒做的,都很适合多萝茜穿的。

“你就把它当作自己的家里一样,”绿女郎微笑说,“如果你需要任何东西,只要摇这个铃就好了。明天早晨,奥芝会派人来叫你。”

她留下了多萝茜一个人,自己又到别人那里去。

她也把其它人领到各自的房间去,每一个都感到住在这宫殿里的房间里,非常愉快。

当然,这样的优待,对于稻草人简直是白搭;因为当稻草人发觉自己独个儿待在他的房间里时,傻乎乎地站在门口等待着天亮。

他整夜睁着眼睛,凝视着房间的一个角落里,恰好有一只小蜘蛛,正在织网,好像在这个世界上,这个房间和任何其它普通房间没什么两样。

铁皮人记得过去他是血肉的身体,由于习惯势力,躺在床上;却睡不着,整夜上下左右地活动着,使他的一些关节,保持灵活。

狮子宁愿有一只森林中的干叶子床,而且讨厌被关在一间房间里;然而它很明智,不让这事情给自己带来麻烦,所以它跃上床去,像一只猫样地滚着,并且呜呜地叫着,没多久就睡熟了。

第二天清晨,吃过早餐以后,绿女郎来到多萝茜身边,替她穿上最美丽的一件衣裳——那是绿锦缎做的。多萝茜又穿上一条绿绸的裙子,并且用一条绿丝带,系在托托的颈项里,她们就跟绿衣女郎向奥芝的王宫走去。

起初,她们走进一个大厅里,在那里有许多朝廷上的贵妇和绅士,穿着富丽。这些人很无聊,彼此只是在闲谈,虽然他们从未被准许进去见一见奥芝,然而每天清晨,总是准时跑来在王宫外面侍候。

当多萝茜跑进去了,他们用奇异的目光盯着她,其中有个悄悄地问道:“你真的想抬起头去看看那可怕的奥芝的脸吗?”

小女孩子回答说:“假如他准许我的会见,当然我要抬起头来看看他。”

“唔,他会愿意见你,”那个把她的意思传达给魔术家的兵士说,“虽然他不愿意见任何人。真的,起初他非常愤怒的,还说要把你送回来的地方。后来他问我你的样子,当我说到你的银鞋子时,他很感兴趣。最后,我把你额角上的记号也告诉了他,他就决定允许你的拜见。”

就在这时候,铃响了一声,绿女郎急忙对多萝茜说:“这就是信号,你必须单独走进王宫里去。”

女郎打开一个小门,多萝茜大胆地走了进去,她感到自己正走向一个神秘的地方。一个很大的圆屋子,盖着高拱形的房顶,无论是四周的墙壁,还是天花板和地板,都用大翡翠紧密地接连着的。

在屋顶的中央挂着一盏巨大的灯,亮得像太阳,也是用翡翠做的,在奇妙的光景中闪亮着。

让多萝茜最感兴趣的,是放在屋子中央的一张巨大的绿色大理石宝座,看上去像一只椅子,却和其他的东西一样,闪着绿宝石的光。

在椅子的正中,是一个异常巨大的头,既没有身体支持它,也没有什么手或脚。

这个头,没有头发,只有一双诡秘的眼睛和鼻子及嘴巴,大得比多萝茜想象中最大的巨人的头还要大。

正当多萝茜惊恐万分凝视着时,那一只眼睛缓缓地转动着,异常尖锐可怕地注视着她。于是那嘴巴也动了,多萝茜听得一个声音说:“我是伟大的可怕的奥芝。你是谁?为什么要来找我?”

这声音并非她所想象的,那张大嘴巴里发出的可怕声音,她从胆战中惊醒过来,回答说:“我是渺小的温和的多萝茜。我来到这里,请求你的帮助。”

那一双眼睛,沉思地上下打量着她足足有一分钟。于是那声音又说道:“你是怎么得到这一双银鞋子的?”

她回答说:“在旋风中我的屋子恰好掉在东方的坏女巫的身上,女巫死掉了,我便从那里得到了这鞋子。”

声音继续地说:“你是怎么得到了你额上的记号的?”

“是那位北方的善女巫和我告别时,她吻了我,要我到你这里来,走在路上才有的。”小女孩子说。

那一双眼睛又尖锐地注视她,似乎看出她说的是实情。于是奥芝问道:“你要请求我做什么?”

“请求你把我送回堪萨斯州去,去找我的爱姆婶婶和亨利叔叔,”她急迫地回答。“哪怕你的国土多么美丽,我却不愿意住下来。我相信爱姆婶婶将要为了我而要焦虑伤心呢。”

那一双眼睛眨了三次,随后看看上面的天花板和下面的地板,并奇怪地四周滚动着,想看穿屋子里的每一个部分。最后注意力又回到多萝茜身上。

奥芝问:“我凭什么要为你做这些?”

“因为你是强者,我是弱者;因为你是一个伟大的魔术家,我只是一个柔弱的小女孩子。”

奥芝说:“不,你强得足以杀死东方坏女巫呢。”

多萝茜简单地回答:“那只是意外,并不是我有意的埃”

“那好,”那个头说,“我回答你,你没有权利希望我送你回到堪萨斯州去。除非你为我做一点事情作为代价。在我的国土里,每一个人想得到任何东西,就必须付出代价。假如你要我使用魔术的力量,送你回家,你必须为我做一点事情。你帮助了我,才有权力提出要求。”

女孩子问:“我又能为你做什么呢?”

奥芝回答说:“杀死那个西方的坏女巫。”

多萝茜大吃一惊,高声地说:“不,我做不到!”

“你已经杀掉了东方的女巫,而且穿着这一双银鞋子,它有一种神奇的魔力。现在世界上只剩下一个坏女巫了,当你告诉我她死去的消息时,我便送你回到堪萨斯州去——否则,你说什么都没用。”

这个小女孩伤心地哭起来了,她简直要绝望了。

奥芝的那一双眼睛,烦恼地看着她,好像那伟大的奥芝觉得如果她愿意,她是有能力帮助他的。

“我从来没有杀死过谁,”她呜咽着说;“即使我愿意去做,我怎么能够杀死那坏女巫?好像你,你是伟大而强有力的,你自己不能够杀死她,怎么能盼望一个柔弱无力的小女孩去做这个呢?”

“这跟我没关系,”那个头说;“这是我的回答,除非你把女巫杀死了,你别想看到你的叔叔和婶婶。记住,那女巫是可恶的——很可怕的女巫——她早该死啦。现在去吧,不完成你的任务,别来请求我。”

多萝茜怏怏不乐地离开了宫殿,狮子,稻草人和铁皮人都等着她,要听听奥芝是怎样回答她的。

她懊恼地说:“我没有希望,只有我杀死了西方的女巫,奥芝才肯送我回家去;可是要杀死她,是我绝对办不到的呀。”

她的朋友们都很忧愁,但是也帮不了她什么;所以她躲到房间里去,躺在床上,哭着,喊着,慢慢地睡着了。

第二天清晨,绿胡须的兵士跑到稻草人那里说:“跟我来,奥芝派人来叫你了。”

稻草人便跟着他走,被允许进入大宫殿,他看见翡翠宝座上,坐着一个非常华贵的妇人,穿着绿绸纱,戴上一顶摆动的绿色的宝石皇冠。在她的两只肩膀上,长出两个翅膀来,华丽鲜明,既使是空中有最轻微的气息触及了它们,也会让它们摆动起来的。

当稻草人向这个美丽的妇人鞠躬时,他尽力作出一个美丽的姿势。她微笑地注视他,并且说道:“我是伟大的可怕的奥芝。你是谁?为什么要来找我?”

稻草人非常吃惊,他所看到的并不是多萝茜所告诉他的大头怪物;然而他仍然大胆地回答她:“我只是一个稻草人,是用稻草造成的,因此我没有脑子。

我到你这里来,请求你给我一个脑子好放在脑壳里,代替那稻草,让我能够变成像在你的国土上的任何一个普通人一样。”

妇人问:“我凭什么要为你做这些?”

稻草人回答说:“因为你是聪明和有力量,能够帮助我。”

“我从来不把恩惠给予不付一些酬报的人,”奥芝说;“然而这件事我乐意答应你。你若能为我杀死西方女巫,我便赐你一个大脑子,并且是极好的脑子,让你成为全奥芝最聪明的人。”

稻草人惊讶地说:“但是你已经要求多萝茜杀死那女巫了呀。”

“是的。谁杀掉她这无关紧要,除非她死了,否则,我决不会答应你的请求。去吧,直到你完成了任务可以得到这个渴望着的脑子以前,不要再来找我。”

稻草人也忧愁地回到他的朋友们中间,并告诉他们奥芝说的那些话;多萝茜惊奇地发觉那位大魔术家,并不是像她所看见的那个大头怪物,而是一位贵妇人。

稻草人说:“她虽然是一位美丽的妇人,却和铁皮人一样,缺少一颗心。”

第二天早晨,绿胡须的兵士,又到铁皮人那里来说:“奥芝派人来叫你。跟我走吧。”

因此铁皮人跟着他到那宫殿中去。他不知道会看见一个贵妇人,还是大头怪物,他更希望将是一个贵妇人。

“因为,”他自言自语道,“如果那是头,我相信得不到一颗心,因为一个头,它自己也没有心,当然不可能同情我。假如那是贵妇人,我将苦苦地恳求她,因为所有的妇人们,都被认为有慈善心肠的。”

当铁皮人进入大宫殿中去,他看见的既不是头,也不是妇人,而是一只最最可怕的野兽。它大得差不多像一只象,这个绿的宫殿,似乎载负不起它如此的重量。

这只野兽的头像犀牛,它的脸上却有五只眼睛。在它身上有五只长臂,和五条细长的腿。厚厚的羊毛似的毛覆盖着全身,是一只样子非常恐怖的怪物。

这是铁皮人的幸运,在那时候他还没有心,要不然,他的心会因害怕而跳动很厉害哩。只因为他是铁皮做的,他不害怕,却很失望。

“我是伟大的可怕的奥芝!”那野兽发出一声怒吼。“你是谁?你为什么要来找我?”

“我曾是一个樵夫,用铁皮做成的。我没有心,不会有爱情。我请求你给我一颗心,让我和其它任何普通人一样。”

野兽问道:“我为什么要为你做这些呢?”

铁皮人回答说:“仁慈伟大的奥芝啊,因为只有你,才能够满足我的愿望。”

奥芝听到这个回答,愤怒地发出一声低低的咆哮,粗暴地说道:“假如你真的要求一颗心,你一定能够得到它的。”

铁皮人问:“我怎么做才能得到它呢?”

“你去帮助多萝茜杀死西方的坏女巫,”野兽回答说。

“你们杀死了女巫后,可以我这里来,我将把奥芝最大最仁慈和最可以表示爱情的那颗心给你。”

铁皮人也无奈地回到伙伴们中间,把他所看见的恐怖的野兽,告诉了他们。他们都很困惑,那大魔术家的样子竟然能变化多端。狮子说:“在我去看他的时候,如果他是一只野兽,我将用我最大的吼声,恐吓它,让它答应我的请求。如果他是个贵妇人,我将假装扑到她身上去,强迫她答应我的请求。如果他是个大头怪兽,它将向我讨饶;因为我将在房间里滚动它的头,直滚到它满足我的愿望。我的朋友们,振作些,我们还很有希望呢。”

第二天早晨,绿胡须的兵士,带着狮子到那大宫殿里,让它走进去,走到奥芝的面前。

狮子立刻穿过那门,瞥视四周,使它吃惊的,在宝座前面的是一个火球,那么的猛烈和炽热,几乎容不得它逼视。

开始它以为是奥芝遇到了意外的事情了,着了火烧了起来了;然而,当他走近一点儿的时候,热度非常厉害,几乎要烧焦它的触须,使他浑身发热,似乎要把他整个烧焦似的。他颤栗着退回去,站到靠近门口的地方。

接着一个低沉而沙哑的声音,从火球里迸出来,把狮子从惊恐中猛然振醒,说道:“我是伟大的可怕的奥芝,你是谁?你为什么要来找我?”

狮子怯生生地回答说:“我不过是一只胆小的狮子,很多东西都让胆战心惊。我跑到你这里来请求你给我胆量,让我成为人们所说的那样,名副其实地成为野兽们的皇帝。”

奥芝回道:“为什么我要给你胆量?”

狮子回答说:“因为你是最伟大的魔术家,唯一有力量作任何事情的人。”

这时候,火球燃烧得更加猛烈了。

那声音说:“当你证明坏女巫死掉的时候,再来找我,我立刻就把胆量给你。然而你要记住,只要那个女巫还活着,你一定仍旧是一个胆小鬼。”

狮子对于这些话很愤怒,却也无话可说了,只是静静地站着,凝视着那变得更加猛烈地火球,它立刻转过尾巴来从宫殿中冲出去,它的朋友们在等候着它;它很快找到了他们,告诉了他们与那魔术家会面的可怕情形,多萝茜忧愁地问:“现在我们又能做什么呢?”

“我们只有去做那件事,别无选择,”狮子回答说,“先去到那温基人住的地方,找到西方女巫,杀死她。”

“但是,我们能做到吗?”小女孩子说。

“否则,我将永远作个胆小鬼了,”狮子断然说。

“我将永远不会有一颗心了,”铁皮人说。

“我将永远不能回到家乡了。”多萝茜说着,伤心地哭起来了。

“小心!”绿女郎叫喊着,“别让眼泪掉在你的绿缎衣上,会把它弄污了。”

因此多萝茜抹掉了她的眼泪说道:“我想我们一定要尝试一下;可是我发誓即使为了再见到爱姆婶婶,我也不想杀死任何人。”

“我和你一起去;但是要去杀死那个女巫,我没有那个胆量!”狮子说。

“我也去,“稻草人自告奋勇,“不过由于我没有脑子,对于你,我不会有多大的帮助。”

“既使是一个坏女巫,我也不愿意去伤害她,”铁皮人说;“如果你要去的话,我当然跟你一块儿去。”

这样,他们便在第二天清早出发了,又走上他们的旅途了。

铁皮人在绿的磨石上,磨快了他的斧头,他的一些关节,全部加了油。

稻草人也给自己填充了新鲜的稻草,多萝茜还给他眼睛上涂了新的油漆,他可以看得更加清楚一些。

那个绿女郎对他们友好而仁慈,把多萝茜的篮子里放满各样各样好吃的东西,用一条绿丝带系了一个小铃在托托的颈项里。

他们很早上床去,并且酣睡着,一直睡到天亮,当在宫殿后院子里的绿公鸡,清晨啼鸣,那一只母鸡,已经生下了一只绿蛋,咯咯地叫时,他们才被吵醒了。


舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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Chapter 10. The Guardian of the Gate

It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he had lain among the poppies a long while, breathing in their deadly fragrance; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he was very glad to find himself still alive.

"I ran as fast as I could," he said, sitting down and yawning, "but the flowers were too strong for me. How did you get me out?"

Then they told him of the field mice, and how they had generously saved him from death; and the Cowardly Lion laughed, and said:

"I have always thought myself very big and terrible; yet such little things as flowers came near to killing me, and such small animals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is! But, comrades, what shall we do now?"

"We must journey on until we find the road of yellow brick again," said Dorothy, "and then we can keep on to the Emerald City."

So, the Lion being fully refreshed, and feeling quite himself again, they all started upon the journey, greatly enjoying the walk through the soft, fresh grass; and it was not long before they reached the road of yellow brick and turned again toward the Emerald City where the Great Oz dwelt.

The road was smooth and well paved, now, and the country about was beautiful, so that the travelers rejoiced in leaving the forest far behind, and with it the many dangers they had met in its gloomy shades. Once more they could see fences built beside the road; but these were painted green, and when they came to a small house, in which a farmer evidently lived, that also was painted green. They passed by several of these houses during the afternoon, and sometimes people came to the doors and looked at them as if they would like to ask questions; but no one came near them nor spoke to them because of the great Lion, of which they were very much afraid. The people were all dressed in clothing of a lovely emerald-green color and wore peaked hats like those of the Munchkins.

"This must be the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, "and we are surely getting near the Emerald City."

"Yes," answered the Scarecrow. "Everything is green here, while in the country of the Munchkins blue was the favorite color. But the people do not seem to be as friendly as the Munchkins, and I'm afraid we shall be unable to find a place to pass the night."

"I should like something to eat besides fruit," said the girl, "and I'm sure Toto is nearly starved. Let us stop at the next house and talk to the people."

So, when they came to a good-sized farmhouse, Dorothy walked boldly up to the door and knocked.

A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said, "What do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?"

"We wish to pass the night with you, if you will allow us," answered Dorothy; "and the Lion is my friend and comrade, and would not hurt you for the world."

"Is he tame?" asked the woman, opening the door a little wider.

"Oh, yes," said the girl, "and he is a great coward, too. He will be more afraid of you than you are of him."

"Well," said the woman, after thinking it over and taking another peep at the Lion, "if that is the case you may come in, and I will give you some supper and a place to sleep."

So they all entered the house, where there were, besides the woman, two children and a man. The man had hurt his leg, and was lying on the couch in a corner. They seemed greatly surprised to see so strange a company, and while the woman was busy laying the table the man asked:

"Where are you all going?"

"To the Emerald City," said Dorothy, "to see the Great Oz."

"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed the man. "Are you sure that Oz will see you?"

"Why not?" she replied.

"Why, it is said that he never lets anyone come into his presence. I have been to the Emerald City many times, and it is a beautiful and wonderful place; but I have never been permitted to see the Great Oz, nor do I know of any living person who has seen him."

"Does he never go out?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Never. He sits day after day in the great Throne Room of his Palace, and even those who wait upon him do not see him face to face."

"What is he like?" asked the girl.

"That is hard to tell," said the man thoughtfully. "You see, Oz is a Great Wizard, and can take on any form he wishes. So that some say he looks like a bird; and some say he looks like an elephant; and some say he looks like a cat. To others he appears as a beautiful fairy, or a brownie, or in any other form that pleases him. But who the real Oz is, when he is in his own form, no living person can tell."

"That is very strange," said Dorothy, "but we must try, in some way, to see him, or we shall have made our journey for nothing."

"Why do you wish to see the terrible Oz?" asked the man.

"I want him to give me some brains," said the Scarecrow eagerly.

"Oh, Oz could do that easily enough," declared the man. "He has more brains than he needs."

"And I want him to give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"That will not trouble him," continued the man, "for Oz has a large collection of hearts, of all sizes and shapes."

"And I want him to give me courage," said the Cowardly Lion.

"Oz keeps a great pot of courage in his Throne Room," said the man, "which he has covered with a golden plate, to keep it from running over. He will be glad to give you some."

"And I want him to send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"Where is Kansas?" asked the man, with surprise.

"I don't know," replied Dorothy sorrowfully, "but it is my home, and I'm sure it's somewhere."

"Very likely. Well, Oz can do anything; so I suppose he will find Kansas for you. But first you must get to see him, and that will be a hard task; for the Great Wizard does not like to see anyone, and he usually has his own way. But what do YOU want?" he continued, speaking to Toto. Toto only wagged his tail; for, strange to say, he could not speak.

The woman now called to them that supper was ready, so they gathered around the table and Dorothy ate some delicious porridge and a dish of scrambled eggs and a plate of nice white bread, and enjoyed her meal. The Lion ate some of the porridge, but did not care for it, saying it was made from oats and oats were food for horses, not for lions. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman ate nothing at all. Toto ate a little of everything, and was glad to get a good supper again.

The woman now gave Dorothy a bed to sleep in, and Toto lay down beside her, while the Lion guarded the door of her room so she might not be disturbed. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could not sleep.

The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, they started on their way, and soon saw a beautiful green glow in the sky just before them.

"That must be the Emerald City," said Dorothy.

As they walked on, the green glow became brighter and brighter, and it seemed that at last they were nearing the end of their travels. Yet it was afternoon before they came to the great wall that surrounded the City. It was high and thick and of a bright green color.

In front of them, and at the end of the road of yellow brick, was a big gate, all studded with emeralds that glittered so in the sun that even the painted eyes of the Scarecrow were dazzled by their brilliancy.

There was a bell beside the gate, and Dorothy pushed the button and heard a silvery tinkle sound within. Then the big gate swung slowly open, and they all passed through and found themselves in a high arched room, the walls of which glistened with countless emeralds.

Before them stood a little man about the same size as the Munchkins. He was clothed all in green, from his head to his feet, and even his skin was of a greenish tint. At his side was a large green box.

When he saw Dorothy and her companions the man asked, "What do you wish in the Emerald City?"

"We came here to see the Great Oz," said Dorothy.

The man was so surprised at this answer that he sat down to think it over.

"It has been many years since anyone asked me to see Oz," he said, shaking his head in perplexity. "He is powerful and terrible, and if you come on an idle or foolish errand to bother the wise reflections of the Great Wizard, he might be angry and destroy you all in an instant."

"But it is not a foolish errand, nor an idle one," replied the Scarecrow; "it is important. And we have been told that Oz is a good Wizard."

"So he is," said the green man, "and he rules the Emerald City wisely and well. But to those who are not honest, or who approach him from curiosity, he is most terrible, and few have ever dared ask to see his face. I am the Guardian of the Gates, and since you demand to see the Great Oz I must take you to his Palace. But first you must put on the spectacles."

"Why?" asked Dorothy.

"Because if you did not wear spectacles the brightness and glory of the Emerald City would blind you. Even those who live in the City must wear spectacles night and day. They are all locked on, for Oz so ordered it when the City was first built, and I have the only key that will unlock them."

He opened the big box, and Dorothy saw that it was filled with spectacles of every size and shape. All of them had green glasses in them. The Guardian of the Gates found a pair that would just fit Dorothy and put them over her eyes. There were two golden bands fastened to them that passed around the back of her head, where they were locked together by a little key that was at the end of a chain the Guardian of the Gates wore around his neck. When they were on, Dorothy could not take them off had she wished, but of course she did not wish to be blinded by the glare of the Emerald City, so she said nothing.

Then the green man fitted spectacles for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion, and even on little Toto; and all were locked fast with the key.

Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and told them he was ready to show them to the Palace. Taking a big golden key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate, and they all followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald City.

第10章来到奥芝国

胆小鬼本来在花丛中睡了许久,过了好久,它才从醉人的香气中清醒过来,发现自己还活着,他感到很愉快。

“我竭尽全力快速奔跑,”它说着,坐起来,打着呵欠;“然而花的香气太浓了,还是把我醉倒了。你们怎么可能把我救出来呢?”

于是他们告诉他:是田鼠们,如何勇敢地把它从死亡里解救出来。

小胆狮大笑着说:“我总以为,自己是庞然大物,却因细微的花儿,差点儿性命难保,又被弱小的田鼠救了出来,这个世界真奇怪呀!现在我们要做什么?”

多萝茜说:“我们必须走了,走回那黄砖路,这样我们才能到那翡翠城去。”

因此狮子听了,振作精神,重新站了起来,它和大家一起出发,在柔软而新鲜的草地上,快活地走着;不久,他们走上了黄砖路,在朝着伟大的奥芝所住的翡翠城走去。

现在,路不那么难走了,宽阔而平坦,周围的景色也更加迷人了,他们暗自庆幸,逃离了那个可怕的森林。

他们发现,这里所有的房子都漆着绿色,街上的人们也穿着绿衣裳,戴着尖顶帽子,但因为那狮子的模样很吓人,没有人敢跟他们说话。

“这想必是奥芝国了,”多萝茜说,“我们一定离翡翠城不远了。”

稻草人回答说:“是的,这里一切都是绿的,在那芒奇金人的国里,他们喜爱蓝色。我觉得,这里的人,似乎没有像芒奇金人那般热情,我担心能不能找到住的地方。”

“除了果子以外,我得吃一些东西,”女孩子说,“我想托托差不多也饿了。我们在下一所农舍前停下来,好让居民给我们找个住的地方。”

因此,当他们走到一所不大不小的农舍前面,多萝茜大胆地上前去敲门。一个妇女只把门打开一条缝,细的只能望见她,说道:“孩子,你要什么,怎么带着一只大狮子在身边?”

“假如你愿意,我们想在这里住一夜,”多萝茜回答说:“狮子很友好,又是我们同行的伙伴,它决不会伤害你的。”

“它是驯养过的吗?”妇人问,把门开大了一点儿。

“啊,就算是吧,”女孩子说,“它又是一个胆小鬼;或许它现在更怕你呢。”

妇女迅速地想了一想,又窥视了一下狮子说:“那么,假如真是这样,你们可以进来,我为你们准备一顿晚饭,有一个睡觉的地方。”

因此他们进了屋子,屋子里除了妇人以外,住着两个小孩和一个男人。那男人的腿受了伤,躺在角落里的一张床上。

他们看见进来这么一个奇怪的团体,非常地诧异,那妇人便忙着把晚餐摆上桌子,那男人问道:“你们要上哪里去?”

“到翡翠城去,”多萝茜说,“去拜访那伟大的奥芝。”

“啊,天哪!”男人大声地喊了起来。“你们相信奥芝会接见你们吗?”

“我们毫不怀疑,”她回答说。

“啊,听说他未接见过任何人。我去过翡翠城很多次,那儿的风景奇异而美丽。但是我从来没有被允许去拜见伟大的奥芝,我也知道有谁亲眼看见过他。”

稻草人问:“难道他从来不出来吗?”

“从来不。他每天坐在他宫殿中的崇高宝座上,即使那些侍奉他的人,也从没有面对面地看过他。”

女孩子问:“他长得什么样呢?”

“那就说不清楚了,”男人深沉地说。“你要知道,奥芝是一个伟大的魔术家,他可以随意变幻,因此有人说他像一只鸟;有人说像一头象;有人又说他像一只猫。对着另一些人,他像一个美丽的神仙出现着,或者像一个小神仙。

总之,是他愿意变成什么,就能变成什么。然而,真正的奥芝,他原来的面貌,没有一个人能够说得出来。”

多萝茜说:“那真是奇怪透顶了,既然来了,我们就得想办法试试看,否则,我们的旅行就毫无结果了。”

男人问:“你们为什么要去访问那可怕的奥芝?”

稻草人急切地说:“我请求他给我一个脑子。”

“啊,那简直不费吹灰之力,”男人肯定地说。“他有比他所需要的更多的脑子。”

铁皮人说:“我请求他给我一颗心。”

“那也不难,”男人继续地说,“因为奥芝有一大堆各种形状不一的大大小小的心。”

胆小的狮子说:“我请求他给我一点胆量。”

“在奥芝的皇宫里,藏着一大锅的胆量,”男人说,“他用一只金盆子盖着,免得它们溜掉。他很乐意给你一点儿。”

多萝茜说:“我请求他把我送回堪萨斯州去。”

“堪萨斯州是在哪儿?”男人惊奇地问。

“我也搞不清楚,”多萝茜烦恼地回答:“但是那是我的家乡,我相信它的存在。”

“可能吧。唔,奥芝做这个也不麻烦;我想他能为你找到那堪萨斯州。然而你首先要看到他,那倒是最重要也是最困难事情;因为他不乐意会见任何人,他总有他自己的想法。”

他对着托托继续问道:“但是,你又请求些什么呢?”

托托只是眨着它的眼睛;因为,倒也奇怪,这里所有的动物都会说话,它竟不会说话的。或许是因为它来自文明的地方吧。

现在妇人告诉他们,晚饭预备好了,于是他们围坐在桌子旁,多萝茜快活地吃着燕麦粥,一碟子炒蛋,和一盘精白面包。

狮子尝了一些燕麦粥,它皱了皱眉头说它并喜欢吃,说这是用雀麦做的,当然雀麦是马吃的而不是狮子吃的。

稻草人和铁皮人当然什么都不吃。托托把每一种东西都吃一点儿。

现在妇人给多萝茜一张床去睡觉,托托睡在她的旁边,狮子便把守着她的房门口,这样她可以安然睡去。稻草人和铁皮人,整夜默默地待在一个角落里,因为他们是不睡觉的。

第二天一大早,太阳刚刚升起来,他们就上路了,不久,看见一道绿色的光,闪耀在他们前面的天空中。

多萝茜说:“那想必是翡翠城了。”

他们继续往前走,绿色的光愈来愈亮了,似乎他们终于接近了他们充满希望的翡翠城。下午,他们跑到围绕着城墙的大城前,那城墙又高又厚,涂着鲜亮的绿色。

在他们的面前,是那条黄砖路的尽头,一扇大大的城门,全用翡翠装置的,在太阳光里,灿烂地闪耀着,哪怕是稻草人的一双画出来的眼睛,也被那耀眼的光茫所眩迷了。

在城门旁边,装着一个铃,多萝茜揿着按钮,听到里面响起一阵银铃的丁玲玲声。于是那大门晃动着,缓缓地打开来了,他们毫不犹豫地走了进去,发现他们自己正走在一间高拱形的房子里,周围的墙壁上镶嵌着无数的翡翠,耀出光来。

一个和芒奇金人一般大的矮男人,站在他们的前面。他浑身上下都是绿色的服饰,即使他的皮肤也似乎是一种浅绿色的。

在他的身边,放着一只大绿箱。

当他看见了多萝茜和她的朋友们时,这人就问道:“你们为什么来到翡翠城中?”

多萝茜说:“我们不远千里到这里,请求伟大的奥芝的接见。”

这人听了这个回答吓了一跳,他突然坐下去仔细地想。

“许多年前,曾有人要见奥芝,”他疑惑不解地摇着头说。

“他是有力量的,并且可怕的,假如你们因为一个空想,或者以一些可笑的事情,去打扰这个大魔术师,会使他愤怒,立刻把你们一起杀掉。”

“我们可不是为愚笨的事情,也不是一个空想,”稻草人解释说;“事情是非常重要的。而且我们听说,奥芝是一个好心肠的魔术家。”

“他是善良的,”这个绿衣人说;“他把这翡翠城统治的有条不紊。但是对于那些不诚实的,或者因了好奇心去见他的人,样子是非常骇人的,几乎没有人敢去请求看他的脸。

我是守城门的人,因为你们要求看伟大的奥芝,我可以带你们到他的宫殿里去。然而你们首先得戴上眼镜。”

多萝茜问:“必须要戴吗?”

“假如你们不戴眼镜,那翡翠城灿烂的亮光,将会射瞎你们的眼睛。既使是住在这城里的人们,也得日夜戴着眼镜。眼镜都是用钥匙锁紧的,当这城市刚刚造成的时候,奥芝这样命令我的,唯一的一把钥匙在我手里,只有我能开卸眼镜。”

他们就听从了看门人的话,戴上了各自合适的绿眼镜,连小托托也不例外,并让看门人把眼镜都锁起来,虽然不能随意打开,谁也不愿意让那亮光灼伤了眼睛。

最后,这个守城门的人,他自己戴上了眼镜,并且告诉他们,这就带他们进宫。他从墙壁的一只木钉上,取下一个大金钥匙,打开另外一扇门,他们走在后面,穿过那个入口处,踏上翡翠城街道去了。


舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 8楼  发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 9. The Queen of the Field Mice

"We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now," remarked the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl, "for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us away."

The Tin Woodman was about to reply when he heard a low growl, and turning his head (which worked beautifully on hinges) he saw a strange beast come bounding over the grass toward them. It was, indeed, a great yellow Wildcat, and the Woodman thought it must be chasing something, for its ears were lying close to its head and its mouth was wide open, showing two rows of ugly teeth, while its red eyes glowed like balls of fire. As it came nearer the Tin Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field mouse, and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty, harmless creature.

So the Woodman raised his axe, and as the Wildcat ran by he gave it a quick blow that cut the beast's head clean off from its body, and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces.

The field mouse, now that it was freed from its enemy, stopped short; and coming slowly up to the Woodman it said, in a squeaky little voice:

"Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much for saving my life."

"Don't speak of it, I beg of you," replied the Woodman. "I have no heart, you know, so I am careful to help all those who may need a friend, even if it happens to be only a mouse."

"Only a mouse!" cried the little animal, indignantly. "Why, I am a Queen--the Queen of all the Field Mice!"

"Oh, indeed," said the Woodman, making a bow.

"Therefore you have done a great deed, as well as a brave one, in saving my life," added the Queen.

At that moment several mice were seen running up as fast as their little legs could carry them, and when they saw their Queen they exclaimed:

"Oh, your Majesty, we thought you would be killed! How did you manage to escape the great Wildcat?" They all bowed so low to the little Queen that they almost stood upon their heads.

"This funny tin man," she answered, "killed the Wildcat and saved my life. So hereafter you must all serve him, and obey his slightest wish."

"We will!" cried all the mice, in a shrill chorus. And then they scampered in all directions, for Toto had awakened from his sleep, and seeing all these mice around him he gave one bark of delight and jumped right into the middle of the group. Toto had always loved to chase mice when he lived in Kansas, and he saw no harm in it.

But the Tin Woodman caught the dog in his arms and held him tight, while he called to the mice, "Come back! Come back! Toto shall not hurt you."

At this the Queen of the Mice stuck her head out from underneath a clump of grass and asked, in a timid voice, "Are you sure he will not bite us?"

"I will not let him," said the Woodman; "so do not be afraid."

One by one the mice came creeping back, and Toto did not bark again, although he tried to get out of the Woodman's arms, and would have bitten him had he not known very well he was made of tin. Finally one of the biggest mice spoke.

"Is there anything we can do," it asked, "to repay you for saving the life of our Queen?"

"Nothing that I know of," answered the Woodman; but the Scarecrow, who had been trying to think, but could not because his head was stuffed with straw, said, quickly, "Oh, yes; you can save our friend, the Cowardly Lion, who is asleep in the poppy bed."

"A Lion!" cried the little Queen. "Why, he would eat us all up."

"Oh, no," declared the Scarecrow; "this Lion is a coward."

"Really?" asked the Mouse.

"He says so himself," answered the Scarecrow, "and he would never hurt anyone who is our friend. If you will help us to save him I promise that he shall treat you all with kindness."

"Very well," said the Queen, "we trust you. But what shall we do?"

"Are there many of these mice which call you Queen and are willing to obey you?"

"Oh, yes; there are thousands," she replied.

"Then send for them all to come here as soon as possible, and let each one bring a long piece of string."

The Queen turned to the mice that attended her and told them to go at once and get all her people. As soon as they heard her orders they ran away in every direction as fast as possible.

"Now," said the Scarecrow to the Tin Woodman, "you must go to those trees by the riverside and make a truck that will carry the Lion."

So the Woodman went at once to the trees and began to work; and he soon made a truck out of the limbs of trees, from which he chopped away all the leaves and branches. He fastened it together with wooden pegs and made the four wheels out of short pieces of a big tree trunk. So fast and so well did he work that by the time the mice began to arrive the truck was all ready for them.

They came from all directions, and there were thousands of them: big mice and little mice and middle-sized mice; and each one brought a piece of string in his mouth. It was about this time that Dorothy woke from her long sleep and opened her eyes. She was greatly astonished to find herself lying upon the grass, with thousands of mice standing around and looking at her timidly. But the Scarecrow told her about everything, and turning to the dignified little Mouse, he said:

"Permit me to introduce to you her Majesty, the Queen."

Dorothy nodded gravely and the Queen made a curtsy, after which she became quite friendly with the little girl.

The Scarecrow and the Woodman now began to fasten the mice to the truck, using the strings they had brought. One end of a string was tied around the neck of each mouse and the other end to the truck. Of course the truck was a thousand times bigger than any of the mice who were to draw it; but when all the mice had been harnessed, they were able to pull it quite easily. Even the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman could sit on it, and were drawn swiftly by their queer little horses to the place where the Lion lay asleep.

After a great deal of hard work, for the Lion was heavy, they managed to get him up on the truck. Then the Queen hurriedly gave her people the order to start, for she feared if the mice stayed among the poppies too long they also would fall asleep.

At first the little creatures, many though they were, could hardly stir the heavily loaded truck; but the Woodman and the Scarecrow both pushed from behind, and they got along better. Soon they rolled the Lion out of the poppy bed to the green fields, where he could breathe the sweet, fresh air again, instead of the poisonous scent of the flowers.

Dorothy came to meet them and thanked the little mice warmly for saving her companion from death. She had grown so fond of the big Lion she was glad he had been rescued.

Then the mice were unharnessed from the truck and scampered away through the grass to their homes. The Queen of the Mice was the last to leave.

"If ever you need us again," she said, "come out into the field and call, and we shall hear you and come to your assistance. Good-bye!"

"Good-bye!" they all answered, and away the Queen ran, while Dorothy held Toto tightly lest he should run after her and frighten her.

After this they sat down beside the Lion until he should awaken; and the Scarecrow brought Dorothy some fruit from a tree near by, which she ate for her dinner.

第9章田鼠皇后

稻草人站在女孩子旁边说:“现在我们离那黄砖路已经很近了,因为我们差不多已经走到了被流水带走时的地方了。”

铁皮人正要回答,不远处传来的一种低低的吼声,使她转过头去(他那些铰链是做得很精致的),看见一只奇异的野兽,跳过草地朝他奔来。

的确,是一只黄色的大野猫,铁皮人想道,它想必在追捕什么东西;因为它的一双耳朵,靠紧在头旁边,嘴大大地张开,露出两排可怕的牙齿,一双通红的眼睛,像火球样地发出熠熠的光来。

当它跑近来时,铁皮人发现它在追赶一只灰色的小田鼠;虽然他没有心,但是他也知道,野猫想要杀死这样一只无害的小动物,这是不仁慈的。

铁皮人举起斧头,朝那狂奔的野猫很快地一劈,那只野兽的头迅速地离开了它的身体,四脚乱踢开去,分成了两块。

现在,田鼠逃脱了追捕,停止了奔跑;缓缓地走到铁皮人的身边,用一种近乎耳语的声音啼着说:“啊,谢谢你!多谢你救了我的性命。”

“请不要这么说,”铁皮人回答说。“你不知道我是没有心的,因此我竭尽全力帮助那些遇到灾难的朋友,哪怕是帮助一只小老鼠。”

“仅仅是一只小老鼠!”小动物愤愤地叫喊着;“你要知道!我是一个皇后—是一切田鼠们的皇后!”

“失敬了!”铁皮人说着向它鞠了一个躬。”你救了我的性命,不但是一件大事情,而且是非常勇敢的事情。”田鼠皇后接着说。

在这时候,好几只田鼠气喘吁吁地跑过来,当它们发现了皇后,喊着:“啊,尊敬的皇后,我们以为你被猫抓去了!你怎样能够从那只大野兽爪子下逃生的!”它们一齐向小皇后低低地鞠躬,看上去差不多用头抵在地面上了。

“这一位好心肠的铁皮人,”它回答说,“杀了野猫,救了我的性命。所以你们要尊敬他,服从他所说的每一句话。”

“我们一定听从!”小田鼠们用一种尖锐的合唱叫了出来。

随后它们猛然四处逃散了,因为托托睡醒了,看见成群的田鼠还围在它的四周,它发出一阵喜悦的吠声,跳进这一群的里头去。当托托住在堪萨斯州的时候,就喜欢追逐老鼠们,它感到其乐无穷。

但是铁皮人却把狗捉住,紧紧地挟在他的臂弯里,招呼着田鼠们,“回来吧!回来吧!托托不会咬你们的。”

田鼠皇后从下面的草丛中抬起它的头来,用一种胆怯的声音问道:“你能保证我们的安全吗?”

铁皮人说:“我抓着它,你们就不用担心了。”

田鼠都爬了回来,托托不再吠了,仍在铁皮人的手臂挣扎着,甚至咬他,它忘了他是铁皮做的。

后来其中一只最大的田鼠开口了。

它问道:“你救出我们皇后的性命,我们怎么报答你呢?”

“我想不起有什么事可做,”铁皮人回答说。

稻草人也在思索着,但是他想不出,因为他的头是稻草填塞的,只好信口说到:“啊,有一件事情,你们去救出那只胆小的狮子,它是我们的伙伴儿,它睡倒在罂粟花的田地里。我们毫无办法。”

“一只狮子!”小皇后叫着说;“不可思议,它会把我们全都吃掉的。”

“啊,没关系,”稻草人断然地说;“它是个胆小鬼。”

一只田鼠问:“真的吗?”

“是它自己告诉我们的,”稻草人回答说。“它决不会伤害谁,它是我们的朋友。况且你们帮助我们救它,我保证它将会和善而友好地对待你们。”

“那太好了,”皇后说,“我们相信你。但是我们能做些什么呢?”

“你是这些田鼠的皇后,是不是所有田鼠都听从你的命令?”

“当然,是的,我们还有很多老百姓呢,”它回答说。

“那么,请你尽快地昭唤他们到这里来,并且让它们每一个都带着一根长绳子。”

皇后立刻转过身来吩咐着侍候它的田鼠们,让它们迅速地把所有的老百姓招呼来。它们一听到这命令,很快就向四处散去。

“你呢,”稻草人对铁皮人说,“必须跑到河边的那个树林中去,造一辆大车来装运狮子。”

铁皮人立刻跑到树林中去,开始工作;他砍去所有的叶和小枝,用木栓钉合在一起,在一株大树的干上切成了四片轮子。

他做得这么快,又那么精致,在田鼠们聚集在那儿时,大车已经造好了,赫然立在那里。

它们从各处聚拢来,有好几千,大田鼠,小田鼠,和不大不小的田鼠;每一只都衔着一条绳子。

就在这时候,多萝茜从她的昏睡中醒过来,睁大了眼睛。

她非常惊异地发现自己躺在草地上,好几千只田鼠围在她身边,怯怯地注视着她。

然而铁皮人把事情的来龙去脉详细说给她听,随后转过身来,指着高贵的田鼠皇后,问:“请允许我把田鼠皇后介绍给你?”

多萝茜微笑着点点头,皇后行了礼,很快它就和小女孩子友好相处了。

接着稻草人和铁皮人就用田鼠们带来的绳子,把它们联结在大车上。绳子的一端,缠在每一只田鼠的颈里,另外一端则紧紧缚在大车上。

倘若所有的田鼠装配好了,它们就能轻快地拉动它了。即使稻草人和铁皮人坐在上面,这些貌似弱小的小马们,也能轻松地拉到狮子所熟睡的地方去。

狮子的身体是沉重的,它们费了很大的劲儿才把它弄上了大车。于是皇后焦灼地对它的老百姓发出“拉!”的命令,因为它也担心田鼠们在罂粟花田里待得太久了,同样会醉倒的。

开始,虽然小动物们数量众多,也很难拉如此重负,在铁皮人和稻草人的帮助下,它们才吃力地把狮子拉出了送命的花床。

多萝茜上前来迎接它们,热情地感谢小田鼠们,因为它们从死里救活了她的朋友。她很思念胆小的狮子,它得救了。她很激动。

于是田鼠们都从大车上解下了绳子,迅速地穿过草地,回到它们来的地方去了。

田鼠皇后说:“假如你们遇到什么麻烦,需要我们帮助的话,请到田野来呼唤一声,我们会跑来帮助你们的。再会!”

“再会!”他们齐声回答。田鼠皇后走了,多萝茜抱紧了托托,否则,它会跑去追逐田鼠皇后,或者会咬伤它呢。

现在,他们坐在狮子的旁边,等它醒来;一阵凉风吹来,夹杂着清新的花香,扑进他们的鼻子,还有几只游荡的蜜蜂飞过头项,似乎在空气中洒下蜜香。他们陶醉了。稻草人在近旁的一株树上,摘来了许多新鲜的果子,让多萝茜当午饭吃。


舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 7楼  发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 8. The Deadly Poppy Field

Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river. Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through, although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City.

To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land. But the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woodman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they were ready to start. Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft it tipped badly, for he was big and heavy; but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood upon the other end to steady it, and they had long poles in their hands to push the raft through the water.

They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream, farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick. And the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom.

"This is bad," said the Tin Woodman, "for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West, and she will enchant us and make us her slaves."

"And then I should get no brains," said the Scarecrow.

"And I should get no courage," said the Cowardly Lion.

"And I should get no heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"And I should never get back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can," the Scarecrow continued, and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river. Then, before he could pull it out again--or let go--the raft was swept away, and the poor Scarecrow left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river.

"Good-bye!" he called after them, and they were very sorry to leave him. Indeed, the Tin Woodman began to cry, but fortunately remembered that he might rust, and so dried his tears on Dorothy's apron.

Of course this was a bad thing for the Scarecrow.

"I am now worse off than when I first met Dorothy," he thought. "Then, I was stuck on a pole in a cornfield, where I could make-believe scare the crows, at any rate. But surely there is no use for a Scarecrow stuck on a pole in the middle of a river. I am afraid I shall never have any brains, after all!"

Down the stream the raft floated, and the poor Scarecrow was left far behind. Then the Lion said:

"Something must be done to save us. I think I can swim to the shore and pull the raft after me, if you will only hold fast to the tip of my tail."

So he sprang into the water, and the Tin Woodman caught fast hold of his tail. Then the Lion began to swim with all his might toward the shore. It was hard work, although he was so big; but by and by they were drawn out of the current, and then Dorothy took the Tin Woodman's long pole and helped push the raft to the land.

They were all tired out when they reached the shore at last and stepped off upon the pretty green grass, and they also knew that the stream had carried them a long way past the road of yellow brick that led to the Emerald City.

"What shall we do now?" asked the Tin Woodman, as the Lion lay down on the grass to let the sun dry him.

"We must get back to the road, in some way," said Dorothy.

"The best plan will be to walk along the riverbank until we come to the road again," remarked the Lion.

So, when they were rested, Dorothy picked up her basket and they started along the grassy bank, to the road from which the river had carried them. It was a lovely country, with plenty of flowers and fruit trees and sunshine to cheer them, and had they not felt so sorry for the poor Scarecrow, they could have been very happy.

They walked along as fast as they could, Dorothy only stopping once to pick a beautiful flower; and after a time the Tin Woodman cried out: "Look!"

Then they all looked at the river and saw the Scarecrow perched upon his pole in the middle of the water, looking very lonely and sad.

"What can we do to save him?" asked Dorothy.

The Lion and the Woodman both shook their heads, for they did not know. So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, who, upon seeing them, stopped to rest at the water's edge.

"Who are you and where are you going?" asked the Stork.

"I am Dorothy," answered the girl, "and these are my friends, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; and we are going to the Emerald City."

"This isn't the road," said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck and looked sharply at the queer party.

"I know it," returned Dorothy, "but we have lost the Scarecrow, and are wondering how we shall get him again."

"Where is he?" asked the Stork.

"Over there in the river," answered the little girl.

"If he wasn't so big and heavy I would get him for you," remarked the Stork.

"He isn't heavy a bit," said Dorothy eagerly, "for he is stuffed with straw; and if you will bring him back to us, we shall thank you ever and ever so much."

"Well, I'll try," said the Stork, "but if I find he is too heavy to carry I shall have to drop him in the river again."

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and the Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting.

When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again, he was so happy that he hugged them all, even the Lion and Toto; and as they walked along he sang "Tol-de-ri-de-oh!" at every step, he felt so gay.

"I was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever," he said, "but the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I shall find the Stork again and do her some kindness in return."

"That's all right," said the Stork, who was flying along beside them. "I always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help you."

"Thank you," replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the air and was soon out of sight.

They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy's eyes.

"Aren't they beautiful?" the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the bright flowers.

"I suppose so," answered the Scarecrow. "When I have brains, I shall probably like them better."

"If I only had a heart, I should love them," added the Tin Woodman.

"I always did like flowers," said the Lion. "They of seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these."

They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves in the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers, he sleeps on and on forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.

But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this.

"We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark," he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So they kept walking until Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep.

"What shall we do?" asked the Tin Woodman.

"If we leave her here she will die," said the Lion. "The smell of the flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open, and the dog is asleep already."

It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not troubled by the scent of the flowers.

"Run fast," said the Scarecrow to the Lion, "and get out of this deadly flower bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried."

So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as he could go. In a moment he was out of sight.

"Let us make a chair with our hands and carry her," said the Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothy's lap, and then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.

On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppy bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them.

"We can do nothing for him," said the Tin Woodman, sadly; "for he is much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep on forever, and perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last."

"I'm sorry," said the Scarecrow. "The Lion was a very good comrade for one so cowardly. But let us go on."

They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.

第8章送命的红色花床

第二天清晨,他们都醒了过来,重新振作起精神。多萝茜吃着从树上摘下的桃子和梅子,回想着他们旅程的种种艰辛,再危险的地方也没有难倒他们,想着想着,似乎翡翠城已经张开了它的翅膀,欢迎着他们,一点点困难又算得了什么呢。

当然,这条宽阔的河,暂时把他们和美丽的地方隔开了;然而木筏快要完成了,在铁皮人把砍下的木段,用木钉钉紧后,他们就准备动身了。

多萝茜把托托抱在臂湾里,坐在木筏中央。当胆小的狮子一步步地踩上这木筏时,木筏摇晃起来,因为它又大又重;幸亏有稻草人和铁皮人,站在相对的那一边,稳住了木筏。他们每人握着长杆,撑着木筏在河面行进着。

开始,他们还很顺利,当他们到达河中央,猛烈的急流却把木筏冲向下流去,他们眼看着离开黄砖路越来越远了;水也越来越深,使得长木杆触不到河底。

“糟了,”铁皮人说,“假如我们被急流继续往下游冲的话,我们会被带到西方坏女巫的国土,她就会向我们施妖术,让我们作她的奴隶。”

“这样我就不可能得到脑子了,”稻草人说。

“我得不到胆量了,”小胆狮说。

“我得不到心了,”铁皮人说。

“我永远也回不到家乡了,”多萝茜说。

“如果我们竭尽全力的话,一定能够到达河对岸的,”稻草人鼓舞地说。

他极力撑着长杆,把它插到了河底的淤泥里,在他把木杆拔出来,或者干脆丢掉它以前,木筏已被急流冲走了;可怜的稻草人,他只能抱紧插在河中央的木杆,被留下来吊了起来。

“再会了!”他在他们的后面伤心的喊着。

他们丢了一个伙伴,觉得很难受;的确是这样,铁皮人开始哭了,然而幸亏他记得他会发锈了,便在多萝茜的围裙上抹掉了眼泪。

无疑,这对于稻草人是一件不幸的事情。

“现在我比当初遇见多萝茜的时候更糟了,”他想。“虽然,我被吊起在稻田晨的竹竿上,不管怎么说,在那里我还是伪装着一个人,吓走乌鸦们,但是在这里,一个稻草人戳起在河中的一根木杆子,是根本没有用处的。我将永远得不到脑子了!”

急流继续把木筏向下冲,可怜的稻草人,远远地落在他们后面。

狮子说:“我们必须想法子,否则,只有死路一条。我愿意游到河岸边,把木筏拖在我的后面,只要你们拉紧我的尾巴。”

狮子就奋力跳入水中,当它用全身的力量游向河对岸时,铁皮人抓紧它的尾巴,狮子身体这么大,对他也是艰难的工作,他们摆脱了这股急流。多萝茜拿起铁皮人的长木杆,把木筏推向岸边去。

终于,他们到达了岸边,一步步踏上那美丽的绿草地时,都累极了,并且知道急流带他们走了很长段路,远离了到翡翠城去的黄砖路。

狮子躺在草地上,晒太阳,铁皮人问:“下一步我们要做些什么?”

“不管怎么样,我们一定要回到黄砖路上去,”多萝茜说。

狮子说:“最好是沿着河岸走,就可以走回黄砖路了。”

当他们休息够了,多萝茜便提起她的篮子,沿着长满杂草的堤岸动身,那是一个可爱的地方,有开遍山野的花朵和挂满枝头的果子,太阳光温暖地洒在他们身上,如果他们不是想到,稻草人还挂在水中央的杆上,他们将非常的快乐了。

他们尽快地向前走,为朋友而担忧,无心欣赏面前的美景。

多萝茜也只停了一次,去摘取一朵美丽的花;走了一会儿,铁皮人大声喊了出来:“看呀!”

他们一起向河里望去,看见稻草人孤零零地抱着插在河中的木杆上,非常沮丧而难过。

多萝茜问:“我们用什么办法救出他?”

狮子和铁皮人无奈地摇了摇他们的头,就在岸滩上坐下来,忧愁地盯着稻草人,后来有一只鹳鸟飞过时看见了他们。它发现了这个奇怪的组合,感到很好奇,便在水边停了下来。

鹳鸟问:“你们为什么会在这里?你们要到哪里去?”

“我是多萝茜,”女孩回答;“这些都是我的朋友,铁皮人和小胆狮;我们都要去翡翠城的。”

鹳鸟扭了扭长颈,敏锐地看着这个团体时,说:“你们走错路啦。”

“我知道的,”多萝茜回答说,“只因为我们把稻草人丢在河中,正在想办法去救回他。”

鹳鸟问:“稻草人在哪儿?”

“瞧,在那里。”小女孩子用手指点它。

鹳鸟说:“假如稻草人不是庞大而沉重,我很乐意把他救出来。”

多萝茜急忙说:“他一点儿也不重,他只是用稻草填塞的;如果你能把他救回来,和我们团聚,我们会非常感激你。”

“好,我倒可以尝试一下,”鹳鸟说,“如果我带他时,觉得太重的话,我就不得不仍旧把他放在河当中的木杆上。”

接着,大鹳鸟就飞上水面的上空,直朝抱着木杆的稻草人飞过去。用它的大爪,抓住稻草人的肩膀,提着他飞起来,回到岸滩上。多萝茜和狮子,还有铁皮人和托托,都在那里焦急地等待着。

当稻草人又回到朋友们身边时,他高兴得拥抱着他们,甚至连狮子和托托也不放过;大伙儿继续向前走,他每走一步,唱着“独—提—列—提—呵!”他太高兴了。

“我真怕我会永远留在河当中了,”稻草人解释说,“然而那可爱的鹳鸟救出了我,假如我能够得到脑子,我要再找到鹳鸟,做一些事情来报答它。”

“那很好,”鹳鸟一边说着,一边在他们旁边飞着。“我非常愿意帮助遇到灾难的朋友。现在我必须走了,因为我的孩子们都在窠里等着我。我祝愿你们找到翡翠城,奥芝能帮助你们。”

“非常感谢,”多萝茜回答说,于是仁慈的鹳鸟就飞到空中去,很快就没了踪影。

他们向前走着,听着披着艳丽羽毛的鸟儿们歌唱,看着可爱的花儿,把地面全铺满了。那里有黄色的、白色的、蓝色的、紫色的大花朵。

除此以外,还有一大簇、一大丛的深红色的罂粟花,它们的红色那么炽烈,几乎要灼伤了多萝茜的眼睛。

小女孩快活地吸着那些花儿的香气,她问道:“它们不是很美丽吗?”

“我想是的,”稻草人回答说。“如果我有了脑子,可能会更加喜欢它们。”

“假如我有了一颗心,我一定会爱它们。”铁皮人接着说。

“我也非常喜欢花,”狮子说;“它们虽然看上去娇嫩无力。

那森林里的花,颜色却没有这般鲜亮。”

他们就跑到了茂盛的深红色罂粟花丛中,别的花儿愈来愈少了;没多久他们发觉自己已经走在大罂粟花田中了。

也许他们都不知道,如果许多这种花生长在一起时,它们的香气多么浓烈,谁呼吸了都要昏昏地睡去。如果这个睡着的人,不能远离这些花儿,就要永远地睡着了。

多萝茜当然也不知道,也没有从这炽红色的花丛中走开,所以她的眼皮立刻沉重起来,她想坐下来休息,并且要睡觉了。

然而铁皮人阻止了她,他说:“我们一定要在天黑以前,赶回到黄砖路上。”稻草人也支持他,所以他们用劲跑着,一直跑到多萝茜再也站不起来,她的眼睛不由自主地闭了起来,她便倒在罂粟花中睡熟了。

铁皮人问:“我们将怎么办?”

“假如她继续睡下去,她恐怕会死的,”狮子说。“这些花的香气,我们也不能抗拒。现在我还能够张开眼睛,那狗也睡着了。”

那是真的,托托早已躺在它的小主人的旁边睡着了。但是稻草人和铁皮人,不是血肉做的身体,也就不会受香气的困扰。

“快跑,”稻草人对狮子说,“竭尽全力,快快跑出这个让人送命的花床。我们抬着多萝茜走,假如你倒下去睡着了,你走实在是不可能的了。”

所以狮子跳跃着向前走,尽力快奔,踏倒了大片的罂粟花,没多久就消失在他们视野中了。

“让我们用手当椅子抬着她走,”稻草人说。于是他们把托托放在她的膝上。随后他们用手做成座位,臂做着扶手,抬着熟睡的女孩子,穿越着花丛。

他们就这样走着,然而这送命的罂粟花象个大地毯,围绕在他们周围,似乎走也走不出来。

他们沿着湾幽的河流前进,后来看见了他们的朋友狮子,它已经倒在花丛中,熟睡着呢。

这些花的香气,让这巨兽抵挡不住,它越来越乏力,终于,在就要走出罂粟花床的尽头时,不由自主地倒了下去。在他们面前,芬芳的草地铺展在可爱的绿野中。

铁皮人忧愁地说:“对于它,我们毫无办法,因为举起它来是根本不可能的事情。我们只好由它永远睡在这儿,小胆狮也只能在它梦里,去寻求胆量了。”

“我很难过,”稻草人说:“狮子是一个好伙伴,它只是有点胆校我们继续向前走罢。”

他们抬着这个熟睡的小女孩子,走到河旁,这是远离着罂粟花田的一个美丽的地方,她再也不会从这些花里呼吸到那更多的毒素了;他们轻轻地把她放在青青的草地上,等待着清爽的凉风。


舞矽

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6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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Chapter 7. The Journey to the Great Oz

They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast.

"If you wish," said the Lion, "I will go into the forest and kill a deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very good breakfast."

"Don't! Please don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I should certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again."

But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, so that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and only came near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept her very snug and warm, and she slept soundly until morning.

When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook, and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.

This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They had hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also very deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that their journey must end.

"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy despairingly.

"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.

But the Scarecrow said, "We cannot fly, that is certain. Neither can we climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where we are."

"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, after measuring the distance carefully in his mind.

"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can carry us all over on your back, one at a time."

"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"

"I will," declared the Scarecrow, "for, if you found that you could not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back it will not matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at all."

"I am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the Cowardly Lion, "but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on my back and we will make the attempt."

The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down.

"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied. Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely on the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily he did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lion sprang across the ditch again.

Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has been running too long.

They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.

"What are the Kalidahs?" asked the girl.

"They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers," replied the Lion, "and with claws so long and sharp that they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."

"I'm not surprised that you are," returned Dorothy. "They must be dreadful beasts."

The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the Lion knew at once he could not leap across it.

So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow said:

"Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we can walk across it easily."

"That is a first-rate idea," said the Lion. "One would almost suspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw."

The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that the tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its top branches on the other side.

They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growl made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.

"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble.

"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow. "Let us cross over."

So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodman followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at him in surprise.

But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again rushed forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what they would do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree. And the Lion said to Dorothy:

"We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharp claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as long as I am alive."

"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what was best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.

"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, "I see we are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet."

"Ah," said the Tin Woodman sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."

This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out of the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had to ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the trees became thinner the farther they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On the other side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with bright flowers and all the road bordered with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They were greatly pleased to see this delightful country before them.

"How shall we cross the river?" asked Dorothy.

"That is easily done," replied the Scarecrow. "The Tin Woodman must build us a raft, so we can float to the other side."

So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small trees to make a raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on the riverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripe fruit.

But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious and untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done. So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until the morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good Wizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.

第7章森林遇险

那天夜里,因为附近没有一间屋子,他们不得不露宿在森林里的一株大树底下。那株大树长得高大茂密,在下露的夜里,成了他们的帐篷。

铁皮人用他的斧头,砍了一大堆木柴,多萝茜燃起一堆火来,她感到温暖而和谐。她和托托吃着仅剩的几片面包,她不知道明天拿什么东西来作早餐。

狮子说:“假如你愿意,我去森林中杀一只鹿给你,你可以用火烤它,因为你们的习惯这么奇怪。喜欢吃熟了的食物,这样一烤,你们就有一顿很精美的早餐了。”

“天哪!请不要这样做!”铁皮人恳求着。“假如你要杀死了一只可怜的鹿,我会很难过的,于是我的牙床又要被泪水锈住了。”

于是狮子提议的丰美早餐,便化为泡影。但是狮子跑进森林中去,解决自己的晚餐,他们也不知道它吃了些什么,因为它也没有说。

稻草人发现了一棵挂满了硬壳果的树。他就摘下许多硬壳果,放满了多萝茜的篮子,这样使她在很长一段时间内,不必为吃的东西担忧了。

她想,这倒是稻草人的好意,并且有了思想了,于是她看到那可怜的家伙,笨拙地摘取硬壳果,忍不住大笑了起来。

他那填塞着稻草的手,多么地不灵巧,硬壳果又这么小,因而有很多掉了下去,并不比放进篮子里的少。然而稻草人只要能装满篮子,并不在乎花多长时间,因为使他能够离开那火,他害怕这一股闪闪发光的东西,只要他一沾到它,它就会把他烧荆

所以他和火焰保持着一个相当远的距离,不过当多萝茜躺下去睡觉的时候,他跑过去,用干叶子遮盖着她。这些树叶子,使她觉得十分舒适和温暖,一直酣睡到早晨。

天亮了,小女孩子醒来,走到一条水声潺潺的小河边,洗过了她的脸后,大家就动身了,向翡翠城进发。

这一天是旅行者们多事的日子。他们疲惫地走了一个小时,发现有一条极大的壕沟,横在他们前面,并且把森林隔开来,宽得使他们只能望见对岸的侧壁,那确实是一条非常宽阔的大壕沟。

当他们爬到沟边望下去时,也可以看见,在那深深的沟底下面有许多特大的锯齿形的石块。这侧壁多么陡峭,他们根本不可能爬下去,在这一刻儿时候,他们几乎都绝望了。

多萝茜忧愁地问道:“谁有办法呢?”

铁皮人说:“我毫无办法。”

狮子抖动着蓬松的鬣毛,似乎在沉思。

稻草人说:“我们既不能够飞过去,也不能够爬进这个壕沟里去,除非跳过去,再没有其它办法了。”

胆小的狮子,在它仔细地估计好了壕沟的宽度,就说:“我想我可以跳过去的。”

“那么,问题就解决了,”稻草人回答说:“因为你可以把我们全部背过去,每一次背一个。”

“好,我来试试看,”狮子说。“谁第一个过去?”

“我来吧,”稻草人坚决地说:“因为,假如你不能跳过这个深沟,多萝茜将被摔死的,或者铁皮人跌在沟里的石块上,会因猛烈的碰撞而受损,但是如果是我,就不在乎这些了,因为摔了下去对我也不会造成伤害。”

“就是我自己,也担心会掉下去,”胆小的狮子说,“但是,我想来想去,除了尝试一下以外,没有别的办法,所以你骑上我的背吧,我们试着跳一次。”

稻草人跨上狮子的背,这只大兽走到深沟的边,蹲了下来。

稻草人问:“你为什么不跑着跳过去?”

“蹲着才是我们狮子跳的方式,”它回答说。马上来了一个大跳,迅疾地跃过深沟,平稳地落在那一边。他们看它跳过去这样容易,都非常高兴,稻草人从它背上跳下来,狮子又再回到壕沟的这边来。

多萝茜想她应该第二个过去;她抱紧了托托,爬上狮子的背,一只手紧紧地揪住它的鬣毛,很快,她似乎在空中飞;当她还在遐想时,已经平稳地到了对岸。

狮子回去,第三次把铁皮人驮了过来。于是他们一起坐下来休息了一会儿,好让狮子也歇一会儿;因为它的几次大跳,使它气喘吁吁,像一只跑了好久好久的大狗。

他们看着这一边的森林,十分深密,望进去阴森而且黑暗。

狮子休息好了以后,他们沿着黄砖路出发,缄默无语,几乎每一个都在担心,能不能够跑出这森林,到阳光明媚的地方去。

没过多久,他们走在树林深处,听到有一种奇怪的声音,加深了他们的恐惧感。狮子悄悄地对他们说,这部分的国土,是由开力大统治的。

“开力大是谁?”小女孩子问。

狮子回答说:“它们是一种奇异的怪兽,身体像熊,头像老虎,有着尖锐的脚爪,能轻而易举地把我撕成碎片!就像我要杀死托托一样容易。我很害怕开力大。”

“你害怕它们也不足为奇,”多萝茜回答说。“它们一定是非常可怕的野兽。”

很快,他们走到了另外一条壕沟边。这一条更宽更深,横在路上,使得狮子马上意识到它跳不过去。

他们就坐下来商量,应该怎么办,经过一番思考后,稻草人说:“这儿有一棵大树,挺立在壕沟旁。假如铁皮人能够砍倒它,使它横倒向那一边,这样便在壕沟上搭了一座桥,我们就能够很容易地走过去了。”

“这是一个绝妙的想法,”狮子说。“几乎所有人都要尊敬你,在你的头壳里已经有了脑子而不是稻草了。”

铁皮人马上开始砍起来,他的斧头劈得这样地狂,没要多久,那树就快要倒下去了。于是狮子就用它强劲的前腿,抵住了树干,尽力气推着它。这株大树逐渐倾斜着,砰的一声,就横着倒躺在壕沟上面,桥就搭成了,树顶落到壕沟的那一边。

他们正准备跨过这座大树搭成的桥时,突然听到一声尖锐的咆哮,他们向后看时,只见两只大兽朝他们奔来,头像老虎,身体像熊,他们害怕到了极点。

“它们就是开力大!”胆小的狮子说着,浑身哆嗦起来。

“快!”稻草人高声喊着,“我们快点跨过去。”

多萝茜臂抱紧了托托,第一个走;铁皮人跟在后面,稻草人其次。狮子虽然惊恐至极,只能转过身来面对着开力大,发出一声尖锐的可怕的怒吼,多萝茜害怕地尖叫着,稻草人向后倒退一步,这时候,那凶猛的开力大突然停步,惊奇地观望着。

开力大意识到自己的实力明显比狮子强大,而且它们是两个,它只是一个,于是向前冲去。狮子跨过了树,转过身来看着它们。那凶猛的野兽却紧追不舍,也要跨过树来。

狮子害怕地对多萝茜说:“我们都要完蛋了,它们一定会用那血盆大口,将我们撕成碎片,不过请你站在我后面,只要我还活着,我就要和它们搏斗到底。”

稻草人喊道:“不要急!”他已经想出了一个好办法来,他让铁皮人砍掉靠在他们壕沟这边的树梢。铁皮人马上动手砍着,正当两只开力大快要跨过来时,这树发出一声砰訇,带着那两只丑陋而凶暴地咆哮着的野兽,掉进深沟里去了。它们都摔在沟底下尖锐的石块上,粉身碎骨啦。

“好了,”胆小的狮子吸着一口长长的气安慰地说,“我们都得救了,我很高兴,因为死毕竟不是好事。这些该死的怪兽,那样凶猛的扑过来,使得我的心还跳得很厉害呢。”

铁皮人却忧愁地说:“唉,我倒希望我有一个心被吓得跳着。”

经历了这样的危险,使得这些旅客们,更加急切地要离开这个森林。他们走得如此快,使得多萝茜非常疲倦,她便骑在狮子的背上。为了尽快走出这可怕的森林,他们没有休息,继续向前走着。他们走了很长时间,树木也变得稀疏了,阳光也照耀着他们,他们终于走出了黑暗。这让他们个个都兴奋起来。

下午,他们突然发现一条宽阔的大河横在前面,河水流得很急。他们看见在河对岸,有条黄砖路,穿过一个美丽的地方。

在那绿油油的草地上,点缀着发光的花朵;砖路两旁的树木,挂满了鲜果。他们看见前面有这么一块美好的地方,都忘记了劳累,快乐地望着对面,心中充满了希望。

多萝茜问:“我们怎么过河?”

稻草人回答说:“那很简单的,可以请铁皮人给我们造一个木筏。”

当他正在忙碌,稻草人发现河边的一棵树上,结满了佳果。

这就使多萝茜很快活,她这几天除了硬壳果以外,没有别的东西吃,便以成熟的水果做了一顿滋养的食品。

然而做成一个木筏需要花很长时间,即使像铁皮人那样勤劳,不知疲倦,直到深夜,工作还是没有完成。

他们只好在树下面找一个舒服的地方,一直睡到第二天早晨;多萝茜梦见了翡翠城,那里异常美丽,人民热情的欢迎他们,还有仁慈的魔术家奥芝,非常乐意帮助她,要立刻把她送回堪萨斯洲去。


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舞矽

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6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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Chapter 6. The Cowardly Lion

All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good.

There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy's side, and did not even bark in return.

"How long will it be," the child asked of the Tin Woodman, "before we are out of the forest?"

"I cannot tell," was the answer, "for I have never been to the Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch's kiss, and that will protect you from harm."

"But Toto!" said the girl anxiously. "What will protect him?"

"We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied the Tin Woodman.

Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still.

Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out:

"Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!"

"I didn't bite him," said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw where Dorothy had hit it.

"No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You are nothing but a big coward."

"I know it," said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. "I've always known it. But how can I help it?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. To think of your striking a stuffed man, like the poor Scarecrow!"

"Is he stuffed?" asked the Lion in surprise, as he watched her pick up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into shape again.

"Of course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still angry.

"That's why he went over so easily," remarked the Lion. "It astonished me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed also?"

"No," said Dorothy, "he's made of tin." And she helped the Woodman up again.

"That's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the Lion. "When they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back. What is that little animal you are so tender of?"

"He is my dog, Toto," answered Dorothy.

"Is he made of tin, or stuffed?" asked the Lion.

"Neither. He's a--a--a meat dog," said the girl.

"Oh! He's a curious animal and seems remarkably small, now that I look at him. No one would think of biting such a little thing, except a coward like me," continued the Lion sadly.

"What makes you a coward?" asked Dorothy, looking at the great beast in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.

"It's a mystery," replied the Lion. "I suppose I was born that way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts. I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I've met a man I've been awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run away as fast as he could go. If the elephants and the tigers and the bears had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself--I'm such a coward; but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get away from me, and of course I let them go."

"But that isn't right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward," said the Scarecrow.

"I know it," returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the tip of his tail. "It is my great sorrow, and makes my life very unhappy. But whenever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast."

"Perhaps you have heart disease," said the Tin Woodman.

"It may be," said the Lion.

"If you have," continued the Tin Woodman, "you ought to be glad, for it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot have heart disease."

"Perhaps," said the Lion thoughtfully, "if I had no heart I should not be a coward."

"Have you brains?" asked the Scarecrow.

"I suppose so. I've never looked to see," replied the Lion.

"I am going to the Great Oz to ask him to give me some," remarked the Scarecrow, "for my head is stuffed with straw."

"And I am going to ask him to give me a heart," said the Woodman.

"And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added Dorothy.

"Do you think Oz could give me courage?" asked the Cowardly Lion.

"Just as easily as he could give me brains," said the Scarecrow.

"Or give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"Or send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"Then, if you don't mind, I'll go with you," said the Lion, "for my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage."

"You will be very welcome," answered Dorothy, "for you will help to keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily."

"They really are," said the Lion, "but that doesn't make me any braver, and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy."

So once more the little company set off upon the journey, the Lion walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side. Toto did not approve this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he had been crushed between the Lion's great jaws. But after a time he became more at ease, and presently Toto and the Cowardly Lion had grown to be good friends.

During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to mar the peace of their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing. This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted. When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from Dorothy's basket and oiled the Woodman's jaws, so that after a few moments he could talk as well as before.

"This will serve me a lesson," said he, "to look where I step. For if I should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again, and crying rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak."

Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

"You people with hearts," he said, "have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn't mind so much."

第6章一只小胆狮

多萝茜和她的同伴们,正在穿越深深的树林。虽然他们仍然走在黄砖路上,但是树上掉下来的许多枯枝败叶,把它盖没了,并不好走。

在这一带的树林中,鸟儿很少,因为它们喜欢空旷和阳光充足的地方;但是在这树林中有野兽躲藏着,不时传来深长的吼声。

这些声音,使得小女孩子的心,受到沉重的打击,因为她不知道是什么东西在叫;但是托托知道的,它靠紧着多萝茜的身旁走,不敢用吠声去回答。

小女孩子问铁皮人:“请你告诉我,我们什么时候能走出森林?”

他回答道:“我也不知道,我从来没有去过翡翠城。我小的时候我的父亲去过一次,他说那是一条漫长的旅程,要经过一个危险的地方,不过在奥芝附近的城堡,却是很美丽的。

“只要我有了油罐,就什么也不用怕;也没有东西能够伤害稻草人;在你的额角上,印着善女巫的吻,它也会保护你的。”

小女孩子烦恼地说:“但是托托!用什么来保护它?”

铁皮人回答说:“如果它遇到危险,我们会全力的保护它。”

就在他们说话的时候,一个可怕的吼声从森林中传来。接着一只大狮子突然出现在路当中;它用它的爪袭击稻草人,把稻草人打得旋转了好几次,摔倒路旁;然后它用尖锐的爪子,抓着铁皮人,但是狮子不可能抓伤铁皮人,这倒使它吓了一跳,虽然铁皮人也跌出路外面,英勇地躺倒了。

现在,小托托面对着庞然大物,冲上前去向狮子吠着,这只大野兽就张开它的嘴想去咬这只小狗。这时候,多萝茜怕托托会被咬死,不顾一切,冲向前去,尽力猛掴着它的鼻子,她高声尖叫起来:“你怎么能咬托托!咬一只瘦弱的小狗,像你这么大的野兽,你应当自己惭愧!”

“我并没有咬到它,”狮子说话时,摸着自己的鼻子,那里正是给多萝茜打中的地方。

“不,你真的想咬它,”她反驳着。“你不过一个庞大的胆小鬼罢了。”

“我知道我很怯懦,”狮子说,又害羞又惭愧地低垂着头;“我也知道我的缺点。谁又能帮助我补救这个缺点呢?”

“这我也不知道的。你难道没有想过吗,打击一个填塞着稻草的人,有什么必要呢?就像这个可怜的稻草人!”

“他真是稻草人吗?”狮子惊讶地问,它一直望着她把稻草人扶起,并让他站稳,她又轻轻地拍着他,使它回复原来的样子。

多萝茜生气地回答:“当然,任何人都看得出来。”

“这是他容易跌出去的原因,”狮子批评说。“看他这样地旋转着,倒使我吃惊。另外一个也是稻草人吗?”

“不,”多萝茜说,“他是用铁皮做的。”说着,她又去帮助铁皮人站起来。

“怪不得,几乎都要把我的爪子弄钝了,”狮子说。“当我的脚爪抓着那铁皮时,我的背上一阵冷颤。唔,这是一只什么小兽,你却为它不顾一切呢?”

多萝茜回答说:“它是我的狗,名叫托托。”

狮子问:“它是用铁皮做的,还是用稻草填塞的?”

女孩子说:“都不是。它是有血有肉的狗。”

“啊!它是一只奇怪的动物,我觉得它很小,除非像我这个胆小鬼,否则没有谁会去咬这样的一个小东西,”狮子羞愧地继续说。

“你怎么会变成胆小鬼呢?”多萝茜问,惊奇地注视着这只大野兽,显然它的胆量远不像它的身体那样猛。

“这我也不知道,”狮子回答说。“我想我生下来就是这样的。森林中的一切野兽,都以为我是勇敢的,因为动物们一听到我的吼声就会害怕,逃开我所走的路。”

“不论何时,只要我遇到一个人,就非常害怕,但我仍然对他吼叫,他就会尽快逃走。如果象、老虎和熊,要想和我挑战,那我就逃走了——我就是这样的一个胆小鬼;但是它们在一听到我吼叫以后,一起逃开了,当然,我只能让它们逃掉。”

“这似乎不合常理。百兽之王应该威风凛凛,”稻草人说。

“我也知道这个,”狮子回答说,用它尾巴的末梢,抹去不断从眼里滚出来的泪水,“这是我最大的烦恼,使得我的生活非常不愉快。因为每逢我遇到危险的时候,总是胆战心惊。”

铁皮人说:“恐怕你有心脏病吧。”

“可能吧,”狮子说。

“如果你有心脏病,”铁皮人接下去说,“你应该感到高兴,因为那证明你有一颗心。而我的身体里,没有心;因而也不会有心脏玻”

“可能,”狮子想了一想说,“假如我没有心,就不会是一个胆小鬼了。”

“你有脑子吗?”稻草人问。

“我估计是有的。我从没想过这个,”狮子回答说。

“我到伟大的奥芝那里去,请求他给我一个脑子,”稻草人说,“因为没有脑子是很蠢的。”

“我去请求他给我一颗心,”铁皮人说。

“我去请求他把我和托托送回到堪萨斯州去,”多萝茜附和着说。

胆小的狮子问:“你们觉得奥芝可以给我胆量吗?”

“正像他给我脑子一样轻而易举,”稻草人说。

“或者像给我一颗心一样地简单,”铁皮人说。

“或者像送我回到堪萨斯州去一样地不费吹灰之力。”多萝茜说。

“既然如此,如果你们愿意我加入你们的团体的话,我会很高兴,”狮子说,“因为没有一点儿胆量,这样的日日子我再也过不下去了。”

“非常欢迎你,”多萝茜回答说,“你的吼叫可以吓走别的野兽们。我觉得,既然它们这样容易地被你吓走,他们必定比你更加胆校”

“确实是这样,”狮子说,“它们都不能使我更加勇敢些。

只要我知道自己是一个胆小鬼,我就不会快乐的。”

于是这个小团体出发了,狮子威严地走在多萝茜的身边。

托托起初不满意这个新同伴,因为他无法忘记它几乎在狮子的大牙床里被撕碎。然而没过多久,托托变得友善而高兴了,它和这只胆小的狮子逐渐地变成了朋友。

有一天,铁皮人踏死了那正在沿路爬行的甲虫,这就使得铁皮人非常难受,因为他不愿意去损伤任何旁的有生命的东西;他向前走着,掉了几点忧愁和惋惜的眼泪。

这些眼泪慢慢地从他的脸上淌下来,流过他的牙床的铰链,使它们发锈了。一会儿,当多萝茜跟他说话时,铁皮人却没有答话,因为他的上下牙床都牢牢地锈在一起了。

他非常惊慌,挥着手向多萝茜做着许多手势,要她帮助自己,但是她不懂得,狮子也不知道出了什么问题。

幸亏稻草人迅速从多萝茜的篮子里取出油罐,在铁皮人的牙床上加着油,几秒钟以后,他便能够像以前一样地说话了。

“这真是给了我一个教训,”他说,“我要看清楚才踏上去。

一旦我踏死了旁的小虫或甲虫,我一定会很难受,会哭锈了我的牙床,就会给我造成很大的麻烦。”

于是他十分小心地盯在路面上,慢慢地走着,他看见一个小蚂蚁,正在辛苦地向前爬近来,他便跨了过去,铁皮人很清楚,他是没有心的,所以他要小心翼翼,永远不要残忍地对待着任何东西。

“你们大家都有心。”他说,“仁慈的心会指导你们,一定永远不去做坏事;但是我却没有心,所以必须十分地谨慎。等到奥芝给了我一颗心,当然,我就不必这么紧张了。”


舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
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Chapter 5. The Rescue of the Tin Woodman

When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto had long been out chasing birds around him and squirrels. She sat up and looked around her. Scarecrow, still standing patiently in his corner, waiting for her.

"We must go and search for water," she said to him.

"Why do you want water?" he asked.

"To wash my face clean after the dust of the road, and to drink, so the dry bread will not stick in my throat."

"It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh," said the Scarecrow thoughtfully, "for you must sleep, and eat and drink. However, you have brains, and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think properly."

They left the cottage and walked through the trees until they found a little spring of clear water, where Dorothy drank and bathed and ate her breakfast. She saw there was not much bread left in the basket, and the girl was thankful the Scarecrow did not have to eat anything, for there was scarcely enough for herself and Toto for the day.

When she had finished her meal, and was about to go back to the road of yellow brick, she was startled to hear a deep groan near by.

"What was that?" she asked timidly.

"I cannot imagine," replied the Scarecrow; "but we can go and see."

Just then another groan reached their ears, and the sound seemed to come from behind them. They turned and walked through the forest a few steps, when Dorothy discovered something shining in a ray of sunshine that fell between the trees. She ran to the place and then stopped short, with a little cry of surprise.

One of the big trees had been partly chopped through, and standing beside it, with an uplifted axe in his hands, was a man made entirely of tin. His head and arms and legs were jointed upon his body, but he stood perfectly motionless, as if he could not stir at all.

Dorothy looked at him in amazement, and so did the Scarecrow, while Toto barked sharply and made a snap at the tin legs, which hurt his teeth.

"Did you groan?" asked Dorothy.

"Yes," answered the tin man, "I did. I've been groaning for more than a year, and no one has ever heard me before or come to help me."

"What can I do for you?" she inquired softly, for she was moved by the sad voice in which the man spoke.

"Get an oil-can and oil my joints," he answered. "They are rusted so badly that I cannot move them at all; if I am well oiled I shall soon be all right again. You will find an oil-can on a shelf in my cottage."

Dorothy at once ran back to the cottage and found the oil-can, and then she returned and asked anxiously, "Where are your joints?"

"Oil my neck, first," replied the Tin Woodman. So she oiled it, and as it was quite badly rusted the Scarecrow took hold of the tin head and moved it gently from side to side until it worked freely, and then the man could turn it himself.

"Now oil the joints in my arms," he said. And Dorothy oiled them and the Scarecrow bent them carefully until they were quite free from rust and as good as new.

The Tin Woodman gave a sigh of satisfaction and lowered his axe, which he leaned against the tree.

"This is a great comfort," he said. "I have been holding that axe in the air ever since I rusted, and I'm glad to be able to put it down at last. Now, if you will oil the joints of my legs, I shall be all right once more."

So they oiled his legs until he could move them freely; and he thanked them again and again for his release, for he seemed a very polite creature, and very grateful.

"I might have stood there always if you had not come along," he said; "so you have certainly saved my life. How did you happen to be here?"

"We are on our way to the Emerald City to see the Great Oz," she answered, "and we stopped at your cottage to pass the night."

"Why do you wish to see Oz?" he asked.

"I want him to send me back to Kansas, and the Scarecrow wants him to put a few brains into his head," she replied.

The Tin Woodman appeared to think deeply for a moment. Then he said:

"Do you suppose Oz could give me a heart?"

"Why, I guess so," Dorothy answered. "It would be as easy as to give the Scarecrow brains."

"True," the Tin Woodman returned. "So, if you will allow me to join your party, I will also go to the Emerald City and ask Oz to help me."

"Come along," said the Scarecrow heartily, and Dorothy added that she would be pleased to have his company. So the Tin Woodman shouldered his axe and they all passed through the forest until they came to the road that was paved with yellow brick.

The Tin Woodman had asked Dorothy to put the oil-can in her basket. "For," he said, "if I should get caught in the rain, and rust again, I would need the oil-can badly."

It was a bit of good luck to have their new comrade join the party, for soon after they had begun their journey again they came to a place where the trees and branches grew so thick over the road that the travelers could not pass. But the Tin Woodman set to work with his axe and chopped so well that soon he cleared a passage for the entire party.

Dorothy was thinking so earnestly as they walked along that she did not notice when the Scarecrow stumbled into a hole and rolled over to the side of the road. Indeed he was obliged to call to her to help him up again.

"Why didn't you walk around the hole?" asked the Tin Woodman.

"I don't know enough," replied the Scarecrow cheerfully. "My head is stuffed with straw, you know, and that is why I am going to Oz to ask him for some brains."

"Oh, I see," said the Tin Woodman. "But, after all, brains are not the best things in the world."

"Have you any?" inquired the Scarecrow.

"No, my head is quite empty," answered the Woodman. "But once I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart."

"And why is that?" asked the Scarecrow.

"I will tell you my story, and then you will know."

So, while they were walking through the forest, the Tin Woodman told the following story:

"I was born the son of a woodman who chopped down trees in the forest and sold the wood for a living. When I grew up, I too became a woodchopper, and after my father died I took care of my old mother as long as she lived. Then I made up my mind that instead of living alone I would marry, so that I might not become lonely.

"There was one of the Munchkin girls who was so beautiful that I soon grew to love her with all my heart. She, on her part, promised to marry me as soon as I could earn enough money to build a better house for her; so I set to work harder than ever. But the girl lived with an old woman who did not want her to marry anyone, for she was so lazy she wished the girl to remain with her and do the cooking and the housework. So the old woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East, and promised her two sheep and a cow if she would prevent the marriage. Thereupon the Wicked Witch enchanted my axe, and when I was chopping away at my best one day, for I was anxious to get the new house and my wife as soon as possible, the axe slipped all at once and cut off my left leg.

"This at first seemed a great misfortune, for I knew a one-legged man could not do very well as a wood-chopper. So I went to a tinsmith and had him make me a new leg out of tin. The leg worked very well, once I was used to it. But my action angered the Wicked Witch of the East, for she had promised the old woman I should not marry the pretty Munchkin girl. When I began chopping again, my axe slipped and cut off my right leg. Again I went to the tinsmith, and again he made me a leg out of tin. After this the enchanted axe cut off my arms, one after the other; but, nothing daunted, I had them replaced with tin ones. The Wicked Witch then made the axe slip and cut off my head, and at first I thought that was the end of me. But the tinsmith happened to come along, and he made me a new head out of tin.

"I thought I had beaten the Wicked Witch then, and I worked harder than ever; but I little knew how cruel my enemy could be. She thought of a new way to kill my love for the beautiful Munchkin maiden, and made my axe slip again, so that it cut right through my body, splitting me into two halves. Once more the tinsmith came to my help and made me a body of tin, fastening my tin arms and legs and head to it, by means of joints, so that I could move around as well as ever. But, alas! I had now no heart, so that I lost all my love for the Munchkin girl, and did not care whether I married her or not. I suppose she is still living with the old woman, waiting for me to come after her.

"My body shone so brightly in the sun that I felt very proud of it and it did not matter now if my axe slipped, for it could not cut me. There was only one danger--that my joints would rust; but I kept an oil-can in my cottage and took care to oil myself whenever I needed it. However, there came a day when I forgot to do this, and, being caught in a rainstorm, before I thought of the danger my joints had rusted, and I was left to stand in the woods until you came to help me. It was a terrible thing to undergo, but during the year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one. If he does, I will go back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her."

Both Dorothy and the Scarecrow had been greatly interested in the story of the Tin Woodman, and now they knew why he was so anxious to get a new heart.

"All the same," said the Scarecrow, "I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one."

"I shall take the heart," returned the Tin Woodman; "for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world."

Dorothy did not say anything, for she was puzzled to know which of her two friends was right, and she decided if she could only get back to Kansas and Aunt Em, it did not matter so much whether the Woodman had no brains and the Scarecrow no heart, or each got what he wanted.

What worried her most was that the bread was nearly gone, and another meal for herself and Toto would empty the basket. To be sure neither the Woodman nor the Scarecrow ever ate anything, but she was not made of tin nor straw, and could not live unless she was fed.

第5章铁皮人

当多萝茜睁开朦胧的睡眼时,太阳正穿过树叶的缝隙照进来。托托很早就跑出去了,追逐着四周的鸟儿。稻草人仍旧耐心地站在角落里,等候着她。

她对稻草人说:“我们得走了,去找点水。”

稻草人问:“为什么要找水呢?”

“我们走了很远的路,灰尘不少,要用水来洗洗我的脸,而且还要喝,这样,才吃得下那干面包。”

“这样看来,肉做的身体真不方便,”稻草人关切地说:“因为你要睡觉,吃东西和喝水。然而,你有脑子,能够思想,解决许多烦恼的事,这是最重要的。”

他们从茅舍里走出来,直到他们发现了一小股清清的泉水,多萝茜便高兴地喝着,洗着,吃着她的面包。她看见篮子里的面包不多了,剩下的,只够自己和托托吃一天的了。

当她吃完了面包,正准备跑回到黄砖铺砌的路上去时,路旁一声深长的呻吟。把她吓了一跳。

她胆怯地问:“什么东西在呻吟?”

“我听不出来,”稻草人回答说;“我们可以过去看看。”

另外一声呻吟又传到他们的耳朵里,这声音似乎来自他们的后面。他们转过身来,穿过树林走了几步,多萝茜看见有什么东西被太阳耀出一道光来,反射在树林里。

她跑过去一看,突然停住脚,惊讶的大叫起来。原来有一棵大树,被砍去了一部分,在树旁边,是一个用铁皮做的人。

他高举着一把斧头。他全身上下都很完整,但是他僵硬地站着,好像不能够动弹。

稻草人也同样惊奇地注视着他,托托疯狂地吠着,冲过去一口咬在铁皮人的腿上,却伤了自己的牙齿。

多萝茜问:“是你在呻吟吗?”

“没错,是我。”铁皮人回答她。“我呻吟了一年多了,却没有一个人听到,或者跑来帮助我。”

“我怎么帮你呢?”她给铁皮人的忧愁的声音感动了,急切地问。

“取一个油罐来,给我的各个关节加油。”他回答说。“我的关节都完全锈住了,动不了啦;如果给我加了油,马上就能动弹的。在我茅舍里的一个架子上,有一罐油。”

多萝茜立刻跑进茅舍,找到了油罐,回转来急迫地问:“告诉我你的关节是哪些地方?”

“首先,把油加在我的头颈上,”铁皮人回答说。

她把油加了上去,然而那里绣得太厉害,稻草人便捧着铁皮人的头,左右转动着,至转了好多次,他才能够自己转动了。

“现在,把油加在我手臂的关节上,”他说。

多萝茜把油加在它们上面。

稻草人小心地把它们上下弯曲着,直等到铁皮人的手臂完全自由,灵活得像新生的一样才罢手。

那铁皮人满意地喘了一口气,放下了他举在手上的斧头。

“真的太舒服了,”他说道。“我锈住后,这把斧头一直举在空中。我很幸运,最后到底把它放下来了。现在,你把油加在我腿上的关节上,我就完全恢复了。”

于是她们便把油加在他的腿上,直到他能自如的走动;他因为被救活了,便非常感激他们,似乎是一个十分懂得礼貌的,并且十分知道感激的家伙。

他说:“假如你们不跑进来,也许我会永远举着斧头,是你们救活了我的命。那么你们怎么会到这里来?”

“我们是去翡翠城的,拜访那伟大的奥芝,”她回答说:“我们昨天在你的茅舍里,住了一夜。”

他问:“你们为什么要去拜访奥芝?”

她回答说:“我要请求他把我送回堪萨斯州去;稻草人要请求他给他一个脑子。”

铁皮人沉默了好一会儿。随后说道:“你觉得奥芝能给我一颗心吗?”

多萝茜回答说:“是啊,我想他会的,就像把脑子给稻草人一样地简单。”

“这倒是不错,”铁皮人回答说。“那好,假如你们愿意我和你们一起走的话,我也想去那翡翠城,请求奥芝给我一颗心。”

稻草人热心地说:“我们愿意!”

多萝茜也点着头,他们很高兴又有了新的同伴。于是铁皮人掮着他的斧头,他们一起穿过树林,直走到那黄砖路上。

铁皮人请求多萝茜带上油罐。他说:“假如我淋着了雨,就会发锈的,只有油能解救我。”

他们的新同伴的来到,的确帮了他们的忙。他们走了没多久,来到一个树木芜杂的地方,枝叶以及杂草长得浓密,封住了路,四周也没有别的路可走了。铁皮人挥动他的斧头,熟练地砍着,立刻为他们开出一条路来。

他们就这样走着,多萝茜陷入了沉思,没有留意到稻草人跌进洞里去,滚到了路的一边。真糟糕,他不得不叫她帮助他,把他扶起来。

铁皮人问:“你为什么不绕过洞穴走呢?”

“正因为我没有脑子呀,”稻草人高兴地回答他。“我的脑壳里塞满了稻草,你该明白,这就是我去我奥芝的原因。”

“啊,原来是这样,”铁皮人说。“但是,不管怎样,在这世界上,脑子并不是最重要的东西。”

“你有脑子吗?”稻草人问。

“不,我也没有,”铁皮人回答道;“但是我从前是有脑子的,还有一颗心,经过比较后,我宁愿有一颗心。”

稻草人问:“为什么呢?”

“你若是知道我的故事,你就会明白的。”当他们穿过这树林时,铁皮人就告诉他自己的故事:“我是出生在樵夫家。父亲在树林里砍伐树木,出卖柴薪来过活。我长大后,也做了一个樵夫。在父亲去世以后,我一直侍养着我的老母亲,直到她也离我而去。因此,只剩下我一个人住在那森林里,形单影只。既没有兄弟姐妹,也没有邻居。

我一直过着单调的生活。后来我决定,结束我单身汉的生活,以使得我摆脱孤独和寂寞。”

“有一个芒奇金的女子,她美丽动人,我全心爱着她。她答应,等到我为她造一所好一些的屋子以后,就嫁给我;因而我更加辛苦地工作了。”

“但是这个女子和一个老妇人同住,老妇人不希望把女儿嫁给任何人,因为她很懒惰,愿意留下这个女儿继续服侍她。

所以这个老妇人请求东方的坏女巫帮助,阻止这个婚姻,并答应酬谢她两只羊和一头牛。于是女巫在我的斧头上,施了妖术。

有一天,当我用力地砍树时,那斧头立刻滑出去,砍掉了我的左腿。”

“起初,这事似乎是一个很大的不幸,但我到一个铁皮匠那里去,请他装一条外面包着铁皮的新腿,没多久,我也能自如做工作了;但是我的举动惹怒了东方的恶女巫;因为她答应老妇人阻止那桩婚姻。”

“当我开始再砍树时,斧头又滑过去,砍掉了我的右腿。

我又装了一条外面包着铁皮的脚。从此以后,这把被施了妖术的斧头,又一只一只砍掉了我的手臂,但是我不灰心,不丧气,也用铁皮包着它们。于是恶女巫又使那斧头滑出去,砍掉了我的头,我想一切都结束了。然而这个铁匠发现了我,他替我装了一个包着铁皮的新头。”

“我仍辛苦地工作,充满信心地想打败那个女巫;然而,没想到我的仇敌竟越来越残酷。她想出了一个新方法,让我的斧头再滑出去,恰好划过我的身体,把我劈成两半。这个铁皮匠替我装了一个铁皮的身体,靠着这些关节,使我身体的每一部分紧密联接,使得我能够像以前一样自由移动。”

“但是,唉!我现在没有心了,所以我失去了爱情,不在乎娶到她,或者娶不到她。我想她仍旧和老妇人住在一起,等着我去找她。”

“我的身体在太阳光中,照耀得这般明亮,让我很骄傲,即使现在我滑脱了斧头,都无关紧要了,因为再也不能够砍掉我什么了。现在只有一个危险——那就是我的关节会发锈;因而在我的茅舍里,藏着一个油罐,当我需要它时,我会给自己加油。”

“有一天,我被困在暴风雨中,忘记了加油,在意识到这个危险以前,关节已经锈了,直到你们来救我。

我被迫着留在树林里面,那是一段非常难熬的日子,但这一年的时间,使我有时间去思想,使我意识到,最大的损失是失去了我的心。当我在恋爱中,我是世界上最快乐的人;然而不会有人会爱一个没有心的人,所以我决意去请求奥芝给我一颗心。如果他给了,我将去找那芒奇金女子,并且娶她做妻子。”

多萝茜和稻草人,对于铁皮人所讲的这个故事,非常感动,到现在他们才明白他为什么认为心是世界上最重要的东西。

“即使是这样,”稻草人说,“如果一个蠢货有了一颗心,也不知道怎样去做。”

“我渴望得到一颗心,”铁皮人回答说;“因为脑子不能使我快乐,快乐是世界上最美妙的东西。”

多萝茜也难以评判,因为她也不知道究竟是谁说得对。从他们各自的说法看,似乎都很有道理。她决定如果要回到堪萨斯州和爱姆婶婶那里去,她不关心铁皮人的脑子或稻草人的心,或者它们为什么要这些东西。她最最担心的是面包快吃完了,她和托托再吃一餐,这篮子便要空了。她知道,去翡翠城的旅程,还长着呢!她需要弄到吃的,否则永远别想走到那儿去。



舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 地板   发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 4. The Road Through the Forest

After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length on the hard bricks. It never hurt him, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap.

The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were farther back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, and the farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became.

At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook, and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offered a piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused.

"I am never hungry," he said, "and it is a lucky thing I am not, for my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and that would spoil the shape of my head."

Dorothy saw at once that this was true, so she only nodded and went on eating her bread.

"Tell me something about yourself and the country you came from," said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner. So she told him all about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and how the cyclone had carried her to this queer Land of Oz.

The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, "I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas."

"That is because you have no brains" answered the girl. "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home."

The Scarecrow sighed.

"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains."

"Won't you tell me a story, while we are resting?" asked the child.

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered:

"My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying, `How do you like those ears?'

"`They aren't straight,'" answered the other.

"`Never mind,'" said the farmer. "`They are ears just the same,'" which was true enough.

"`Now I'll make the eyes,'" said the farmer. So he painted my right eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was my first glimpse of the world.

"`That's a rather pretty eye,'" remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer. "`Blue paint is just the color for eyes.'

"`I think I'll make the other a little bigger,'" said the farmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not speak, because at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone.

"`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said the farmer. `He looks just like a man.'

"`Why, he is a man,' said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked away and left me alone.

"I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk after them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to think of, having been made such a little while before. Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person. By and by an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said:

"`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great flock of them about me.

"I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying, `If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.'

"After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."

"I hope so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem anxious to have them."

"Oh, yes; I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."

"Well," said the girl, "let us go." And she handed the basket to the Scarecrow.

There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great forest, where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers did not stop, and went on into the forest.

"If this road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow, "and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must go wherever it leads us."

"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy.

"Certainly; that is why I know it," returned the Scarecrow. "If it required brains to figure it out, I never should have said it."

After an hour or so the light faded away, and they found themselves stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not see at all, but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark; and the Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day. So she took hold of his arm and managed to get along fairly well.

"If you see any house, or any place where we can pass the night," she said, "you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortable walking in the dark."

Soon after the Scarecrow stopped.

"I see a little cottage at the right of us," he said, "built of logs and branches. Shall we go there?"

"Yes, indeed," answered the child. "I am all tired out."

So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached the cottage, and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leaves in one corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside her soon fell into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came.

第4章穿过森林

他们走了没多久,黄砖就越来越坏,路面坑坑洼洼,非常难走。托托跳了过去,多萝茜绕了过去。

轮到稻草人由于没有脑子,就笔直地向前走,结果跌到洞里去了,全身掉在坚硬的砖头上。

当然,他永远不会受伤,多萝茜把他提了起来,扶稳了,他很快就赶上了她,对自己倒楣的事,竟快活地大笑着。

这里远不象以前他们经过的地方,却是荒废的田野,稀疏的果林,更不会有碧绿的草地,偶尔会出现几丛杂草,似乎也要枯萎了。让他们感到压抑和灰暗。

中午,他们坐在一条小河岸边,多萝茜打开篮子,拿出一些面包来,邀请稻草人共进午餐,但是他谢绝了。

“我根本不会饿的,”他说:“这倒是一件运气的事,因为我的嘴巴是画出来的,如果我在那里挖出一个洞来,我就可以吃东西了。如果我这么吃的话,我那被填塞在里面的稻草就会跑出来,我头部的形状就会被破坏了。”

多萝茜很快明白了,那是事实,因而她自顾自,继续吃起面包。

当她吃完了午饭,稻草人问道:“你还没有告诉我,你是从哪儿来的?”

她就向他描绘了灰色的家乡,以及奇妙的旋风给她带来的不幸,她现在的打算。

稻草人仔细听着,疑惑地说:“我不明白你为什么想离开这个美丽的地方,而要千里迢迢回到那既干燥又灰蒙蒙的堪萨斯州。”

“你没有脑子,不会明白的,”女孩子回答说。“我们的家乡无论怎样的凄凉,这无关紧要,因为我们有血有肉的人,都爱自己的家乡,并愿意住在那里。总觉得任何别的地方,都不如自己的家乡好。而且我想念我的叔叔和婶婶,他们知道我被可怕的旋风吹走,不知会多难过呢!”

稻草人叹了一口气。

他说:“我真的不能理解,如果你们的头脑里也塞满着稻草,你们或者就不会离开这个美丽的地方了,于是堪萨斯州就不会有人住了。你们有了脑子,那是堪萨斯州走运。”

多萝茜问:“在我们休息的时候,你能给我们讲个故事吗?”

稻草人责难地看着她,随后回答:“我的生命如此短暂,我还只是前天才做成的。在那以前,对世界上发生的任何事情,我一无所知。当这个农民做好我的头,首先画了我的耳朵,从此我听到这个世界的声音。或许另一个芒奇金人和他站在一起,我第一次听到的事情是这个农民说:‘这两只耳朵画得不错吧?’另一个回答说:‘你把它画成直线了。’‘无所谓,’农民说,‘看上去像耳朵就是了,它们真的够像了。’‘我可以画眼睛了,’农民说。接着他画着我的右眼,没多久就画成了。我用自己的眼睛看着他,并且带着极大的好奇心,观察着周围的每一种事物,这也是我第一次放眼看世界。

‘那只眼睛很美丽,’那个芒奇金人评论着,他在一边看着农民画;‘蓝色正是眼睛的颜色。’‘我想我应该把另外一只画大一点儿,’农民说;在第二只眼睛画成后,我就能看得更加清楚了。他又画出我的鼻子和嘴巴。然而我没有说话,因为在那时候我还不知道嘴能说话。

我好奇地看着他做我的身体,做我的手和脚;当他们最后装上我的头时,我感到很自豪,因为我想我简直就是一个人了。

‘他肯定能够吓退乌鸦了,’农民说,‘的确很像一个人。’‘哦,它是一个人了,’另外一个说。

我也同意他的话。农民把我提起来,走到稻田里,把我撑在一根竹竿上,就像你看到的那个样子。后来,那两个芝奇金农民就走掉了。把我单独留在那里。”

“我不想一个人待着;很想跟在他们后面走,但是被强迫吊在竹竿上,我的脚不能着地。因为我还是在一刻钟以前被造成的,没有什么事情可想,就过着寂寞无聊的生活。许多乌鸦和别的鸟儿们飞到稻田里来,当它们看见我以后,以为我是一个芒奇金人,立刻飞走了,这倒使我高兴。让我感到自己是一个重要的人物了。没过多久,一只老乌鸦飞近我,它在仔细地注视着我以后,站在我的肩头说道:‘真是好笑,那个农民还想用这个蠢笨的家伙来愚弄我。

只要是有见识的乌鸦,都能够看出你不过是个稻草人罢了。’于是它飞到稻田里,吃着它所想吃的谷粒。别的鸟儿们看见它并没有受到伤害,也飞下来啄着谷粒,所以没多久,那一片稻田,被一大群乌鸦占领了。

我当然为此发愁,因为这毕竟说明我不是一个良好的稻草人;然而那老乌鸦安慰我说:’假如在你的脑壳里有了脑子,你就会像农民一般好,甚至比他们更好。在这个世界上,对所有的生灵来说,脑子便是最有价值的东西。”

“乌鸦飞走了以后,我一直思考着这个问题,决心努力取得一个脑子。我还算走运,你把我从竹竿上解救下来,从你的说法看来,一旦我们到了翡翠城,我相信那伟大的奥芝,会赐给我一个脑子。”

“但愿如此,”多萝茜诚恳地说,“因为你非常渴望也非常需要它。”

“啊,是的;我渴望得到它,”稻草人回答道。”知道自己是一个笨蛋,心情多么不愉快啊!”

小女孩子说:“对,我们继续走罢。”她把篮子交给了稻草人。

将近黄昏,他们跑进了一座大森林里,那些树木长得这么高大,树干紧挨着,枝叶互相叉错着,完全遮盖了黄砖铺砌的道路上空。因为浓密的枝叶隔绝了阳光,使得森林显得很黑,然而他们并不停步,一直走进森林中去。

“如果沿着这条路走,一定会走出森林去的,”稻草人说:“如果翡翠城是在路的尽头,我们必须按照这条道路所指引的方向走去。”

多萝茜说:“那是谁都明白的。”

“当然,我也知道它,”稻草人回答。“如果要用脑子计算,我就说不出来。”

大概一小时以后,森林完全黑了,只能看见可爱的小松鼠亮亮的小眼睛,快活地眨着,两个小亮球刚才还在这棵树干上,一会儿,又跑到另一个细小的树叉上,坚硬的牙齿,还在嚼着什么东西。他们在黑暗中慢慢地向前走。

除此以外,多萝茜什么都看不见,但是托托是条狗,在黑暗里也看得很清楚;稻草人说他自己也能够像白天一样地看。

所以她就拉住他的手臂,继续向前走去。

“如果你看见屋子,或者不论什么地方只要能过夜的,”

她说,请你告诉我;因为在黑暗中赶路,是很难受的。”

走了一会儿,稻草人停住了。

他说,“在我们的右边,有一所用木头和树枝造的小茅屋。

你愿意进去吗?”

女孩子回答:“好极了,我跑得累极了。”

于是稻草人便带着她,径直来到那小茅屋前,多萝茜走了进去,发现在角落里放着一张铺着干叶子的床。

对于一个疲惫的旅行者,恐怕是再舒服不过了。她马上躺上去,托托在她的旁边,她很快地睡着了。可是稻草人永远不会疲倦的,他只好站在另外一个角落里,耐心地等待着天亮

舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 板凳   发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 3. How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow

When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread with butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear, sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered some of it, finding it just what she wanted to help out her breakfast.

Then she went back to the house, and having helped herself and Toto to a good drink of the cool, clear water, she set about making ready for the journey to the City of Emeralds.

Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were.

"They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto," she said. And Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant.

At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East.

"I wonder if they will fit me," she said to Toto. "They would be just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out."

She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her.

Finally she picked up her basket.

"Come along, Toto," she said. "We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again."

She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the pocket of her dress. And so, with Toto trotting along soberly behind her, she started on her journey.

There were several roads near by, but it did not take her long to find the one paved with yellow bricks. Within a short time she was walking briskly toward the Emerald City, her silver shoes tinkling merrily on the hard, yellow road-bed. The sun shone bright and the birds sang sweetly, and Dorothy did not feel nearly so bad as you might think a little girl would who had been suddenly whisked away from her own country and set down in the midst of a strange land.

She was surprised, as she walked along, to see how pretty the country was about her. There were neat fences at the sides of the road, painted a dainty blue color, and beyond them were fields of grain and vegetables in abundance. Evidently the Munchkins were good farmers and able to raise large crops. Once in a while she would pass a house, and the people came out to look at her and bow low as she went by; for everyone knew she had been the means of destroying the Wicked Witch and setting them free from bondage. The houses of the Munchkins were odd-looking dwellings, for each was round, with a big dome for a roof. All were painted blue, for in this country of the East blue was the favorite color.

Toward evening, when Dorothy was tired with her long walk and began to wonder where she should pass the night, she came to a house rather larger than the rest. On the green lawn before it many men and women were dancing. Five little fiddlers played as loudly as possible, and the people were laughing and singing, while a big table near by was loaded with delicious fruits and nuts, pies and cakes, and many other good things to eat.

The people greeted Dorothy kindly, and invited her to supper and to pass the night with them; for this was the home of one of the richest Munchkins in the land, and his friends were gathered with him to celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the Wicked Witch.

Dorothy ate a hearty supper and was waited upon by the rich Munchkin himself, whose name was Boq. Then she sat upon a settee and watched the people dance.

When Boq saw her silver shoes he said, "You must be a great sorceress."

"Why?" asked the girl.

"Because you wear silver shoes and have killed the Wicked Witch. Besides, you have white in your frock, and only witches and sorceresses wear white."

"My dress is blue and white checked," said Dorothy, smoothing out the wrinkles in it.

"It is kind of you to wear that," said Boq. "Blue is the color of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color. So we know you are a friendly witch."

Dorothy did not know what to say to this, for all the people seemed to think her a witch, and she knew very well she was only an ordinary little girl who had come by the chance of a cyclone into a strange land.

When she had tired watching the dancing, Boq led her into the house, where he gave her a room with a pretty bed in it. The sheets were made of blue cloth, and Dorothy slept soundly in them till morning, with Toto curled up on the blue rug beside her.

She ate a hearty breakfast, and watched a wee Munchkin baby, who played with Toto and pulled his tail and crowed and laughed in a way that greatly amused Dorothy. Toto was a fine curiosity to all the people, for they had never seen a dog before.

"How far is it to the Emerald City?" the girl asked.

"I do not know," answered Boq gravely, "for I have never been there. It is better for people to keep away from Oz, unless they have business with him. But it is a long way to the Emerald City, and it will take you many days. The country here is rich and pleasant, but you must pass through rough and dangerous places before you reach the end of your journey."

This worried Dorothy a little, but she knew that only the Great Oz could help her get to Kansas again, so she bravely resolved not to turn back.

She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the road of yellow brick. When she had gone several miles she thought she would stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside the road and sat down. There was a great cornfield beyond the fence, and not far away she saw a Scarecrow, placed high on a pole to keep the birds from the ripe corn.

Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed thoughtfully at the Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes, nose, and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on his head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole stuck up its back.

While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face of the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink at her. She thought she must have been mistaken at first, for none of the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed down from the fence and walked up to it, while Toto ran around the pole and barked.

"Good day," said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice.

"Did you speak?" asked the girl, in wonder.

"Certainly," answered the Scarecrow. "How do you do?"

"I'm pretty well, thank you," replied Dorothy politely. "How do you do?"

"I'm not feeling well," said the Scarecrow, with a smile, "for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows."

"Can't you get down?" asked Dorothy.

"No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you."

Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole, for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.

"Thank you very much," said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down on the ground. "I feel like a new man."

Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside her.

"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow when he had stretched himself and yawned. "And where are you going?"

"My name is Dorothy," said the girl, "and I am going to the Emerald City, to ask the Great Oz to send me back to Kansas."

"Where is the Emerald City?" he inquired. "And who is Oz?"

"Why, don't you know?" she returned, in surprise.

"No, indeed. I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all," he answered sadly.

"Oh," said Dorothy, "I'm awfully sorry for you."

"Do you think," he asked, "if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?"

"I cannot tell," she returned, "but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now."

"That is true," said the Scarecrow. "You see," he continued confidentially, "I don't mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesn't matter, for I can't feel it. But I do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?"

"I understand how you feel," said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him. "If you will come with me I'll ask Oz to do all he can for you."

"Thank you," he answered gratefully.

They walked back to the road. Dorothy helped him over the fence, and they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald City.

Toto did not like this addition to the party at first. He smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the Scarecrow.

"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy to her new friend. "He never bites."

"Oh, I'm not afraid," replied the Scarecrow. "He can't hurt the straw. Do let me carry that basket for you. I shall not mind it, for I can't get tired. I'll tell you a secret," he continued, as he walked along. "There is only one thing in the world I am afraid of."

"What is that?" asked Dorothy; "the Munchkin farmer who made you?"

"No," answered the Scarecrow; "it's a lighted match."

第3章稻草人

就剩多萝茜一个人了,她觉得很饿,就走到橱旁去,切了几片面包并涂上牛油,就和托托分享起早餐来。她从架子上拿下一只木桶,去小河里提了清凉的水。

托托兴奋的冲进树林里,向那些停在树上的鸟儿们吠着。

多萝茜跑过去捉托托,却看见了挂满枝头的果子,那些果子早已经成熟了,有很多早熟的果子由于没有人采摘,早已落到树的周围,慢慢变成泥了。她摘下了一些,正好当作早餐。

于是她回到屋子里,和托托喝了些清冷的水吃完甜甜的果子,便准备动身去翡翠城了。

多萝茜的另一件衣服,恰巧洗干净了,挂在床墙上的木钉上,那是格子布的,白色和蓝色组成的棋盘格;虽然洗过很多次,那蓝色有几分褪了,但仍旧是一件漂亮的罩衫。

小女孩儿用心地洗了脸,穿上了这件干净的格子布罩衫,戴上淡红色的遮日帽,提着一只装满面包的小篮子,上面盖了一方白布。随后她低头去看看自己的脚,发现自己的鞋太旧了。

她说:“托托,旧鞋子是不可能走长路的。”托托仰起头来,用它一双小黑眼睛望着她,尾巴一摇一摇的似乎它听懂了主人的话似的。

在这时候,多萝茜发现了放在桌子上的那双银鞋子,那曾是套在东方女巫脚上的。

她对托托说:“如果我能穿上它的话,正适合我走长路,这鞋子看起来很结实。”于是她扔掉旧皮鞋,穿上那双银的,不大不小正合她的脚。

然后她提起了她的篮子。

她说:“托托,我们走吧,我们到翡翠城去,请求伟大的奥芝,指点我们回到堪萨斯州去。”

她锁上了门,很小心地把钥匙放进衣袋里。一切准备就绪,他们就出发了,托托安静地跟在她的背后跑着。

很快,他们就找到一条黄砖铺成的路,就快乐地向翡翠城走去,而抛却了被吹落异乡的不幸。

他们继续往前走,她很惊奇地发现到处都是美丽的地方。

路旁边有整齐的短墙,漆着文雅的蓝色,隔墙满是谷类和蔬菜的田地,显然,芒奇金人都是好农民,一定会有好收成。

有时候,她走过芒奇金人的屋子,大家跑出来看她,并向她低低地鞠着躬,因为每一个人都知道就是她杀死了坏女巫,是她拯救了他们。

芒奇金人的屋子,大都样式奇特,每一幢是圆的,盖着一个大的圆屋顶,全都漆着蓝色,因为在这东方的国度里,大家都喜爱蓝色。

天快黑了,多萝茜走了那么长的路,已经疲倦了,就急忙去找可以过夜的地方,她跑到一所大一点儿的屋子前面。

在屋子前面的绿草地上,有许多人在跳舞。五个小提琴手,拉着美妙的曲子,大家跳着,唱着,旁边的一张大桌子上,摆满了精美的果子和硬壳果,包子和糕点,以及其他好吃的东西。

大家非常热情地欢迎多萝茜,邀她吃晚饭,请她住在这里;因为这是芒奇金地方最富有的一家,正邀请了他的朋友们,庆祝他们从坏女巫的奴役下解脱出来。

多萝茜美美的吃了一顿,有个叫波奎的芒奇金人招待了他。

她坐在一只有靠背的长椅上,欣赏着人群的狂欢。

当波奎看见了她的一双银鞋子,他便说道:“你肯定是个大魔术师吧!”

小女孩子问:“你怎么会这么想?”

“因为你穿着银鞋子,并且杀死了坏女巫。而且你穿着白色的袍子,只有女巫和魔术师才穿着白色的。”

“这是蓝色和白色的格子,”多萝茜一边解释着,一边压平衣服上的皱纹。

波奎说:“你的衣服颜色说明你对我们很友好,蓝色是芒奇金人喜爱的颜色,白色是女巫的颜色;所以我们想你一定是个好女巫。”

多萝茜很无奈,虽然她知道,自己不过是个普通的女孩儿,可这里的人却把她当成女巫,她也解释不清楚。

当她看跳舞看得倦了时,波奎便带她走进屋子里去,在那里给她安排了房间,里面有一张大床,被单是蓝布做的,多萝茜就躺在这上面,一直酣睡到第二天,托托蜷伏在床下的蓝色的地毯上。

她吃着丰美的早餐,看着一个极小的芒奇金婴儿,他和托托在一块儿玩耍,拖拉它的尾巴,欢快地叫着,笑着,逗得多萝茜也笑起来。

托托在所有芒奇金人的眼里,是一个美妙的奇异的东西,因为他们以前从来没见过狗。

多萝茜问:“去翡翠城还有多远?”

“我也不知道,”波奎严肃地回答说,“因为我从来没有去过那儿。除非大家有什么事务来往,否则,我们是不愿意去奥芝的。你到翡翠城去的旅程还有很远,会耗费很长时间。在我们这里是富有而快乐的,但是在你到达翡翠城之前,你必定会路过危险的地方。”

这使得多萝茜有点儿发愁,但是她知道,只有那伟大的奥芝,才能够帮助她回到堪萨斯州去,所以她决定勇敢地向前进。

她向朋友们告了别,便沿着黄砖铺砌的路出发了。她赶了好几里路,实在是太累了,就爬到路旁边短墙的顶上坐下来。

墙那边是一大块稻田,她看见稻田里有一个稻草人,高挂在竹竿上,看管着稻子,不让鸦雀啄走长得成熟的稻子。

多萝茜用手托着下巴,呆呆地凝视着稻草人。他的头是一口塞满稻草的小布袋,上面画着眼睛、鼻子和嘴巴,算是他的脸。

戴在头上的是一顶芒奇金人的破旧的、蓝色的尖顶帽子,身上套着蓝色的衣服,已经褪了色了,身体里面也是用稻草充塞。脚上是一双蓝布面的旧鞋子。用一根竹竿戳入他的背部,这家伙就被高高撑起在稻田上面了。

正当多萝茜认真地看着那稻草人脸上的奇特色彩时,她吃惊地发现他正向她眨眼呢。

她原以为是她看花了眼,因为在堪萨斯州的稻草人,从来不眨眼的;然而眼前这个家伙,却又在友好地向她点点头。

于是她跳下短墙,走到他旁边,这时候托托在竹竿的周围跑着,吠着。

“你好哇,”稻草人说,声音有几分嘶哑。

小女孩奇怪地问道:“你会说话吗?”

“当然,”稻草人回答说;“你好哇?”

“谢谢你,我很好,”多萝茜也以礼相待;“你好吗?”

“我很难受,”稻草人苦笑着说,“因为整天整夜地被撑在这里,吓走乌鸦们,是一件不情愿的事情。”

多萝茜问:“那你为什么不下来呢?”

“我办不到,因为竹竿儿插在我的背里。我不可能自由走动。如果你帮我抽掉它,我会非常感激你的。”

多萝茜伸起两只手臂,把他从竹竿上举了下来,因为里面塞的是稻草,简直是轻而易举。

当稻草人在地面坐下时,他说:“多谢你,我获得新生了。”

多萝茜非常惊异地听稻草人说话,看他鞠躬,还能在旁边自己走动,着实是一件怪事。

当稻草人伸展着他的全身,并且打了几个呵欠以后,他问:“你是谁?你到哪里去?”

“我叫多萝茜,”小女孩子说,“我要去翡翠城,请求伟大奥芝的帮助,把我送回到堪萨斯州的家里。”

他又问道:“翡翠城?奥芝?”

“噢,你也没听说过吗?”她惊诧地回答他。

“没有,真的;我什么也不知道。你想我是用稻草填塞而成的,所以我没有脑子。”他伤心地回答。

“唉,”多萝茜说,“我很难过。”

他继续问:“你以为,假如我们一起去翡翠城,那奥芝也许会给我一个脑子吧?”

“我也不知道,”她回答道;“如果你愿意,可以和我一块儿去。即使奥芝不给你脑子,你也会过得比现在更好。”

“确实是这样,”稻草人说。“你不知道,”他表示信任她,继续说着:“我不在乎一双腿,一双手,以及臂和身体,它们都是用稻草填塞的,如果不论谁践踏我的脚趾,或者拿针刺着我的身体,都无所谓,因为我不会觉得痛也不会受伤的。然而我无法忍受大家叫我蠢货,如果我的脑壳里放进脑子,我就会像你一样,可以知道任何事情了!”

“我很理解你,”小女孩子说,她真的为他担忧。“如果你和我一起儿去,我会尽力请求奥芝帮助你。”

“谢谢你!”他兴奋地回答。

他们又走上黄砖路,多萝茜帮助他翻过了短墙,带着各自的愿望和信心开始他们充满希望的漫漫旅程。

起初,托托不愿意这个陌生的东西加入进来。它嗅着这个稻草人,似乎它能在稻草里嗅出一巢老鼠,常常有一点儿不友好地对着稻草人狺狺地吠着。

“你不要怕托托,”多萝茜对她的新朋友说,“它绝不会咬你的。”

“唔,我没什么可害怕的,”稻草人回答说,“它不会伤害到稻草的。来,让我帮你提着那只篮子,因为我不会疲倦。

我告诉你一个秘密,”他一边向前走,一边继续着说:“在这个世界上,我只怕一件东西。”

“究竟是什么东西?”多萝茜问;“是那个制造你的芒奇金的农民吗?”

“那倒不是,”稻草人回答说,“只是一根燃着的火柴。

你应该知道,稻草是极容易被点燃了,一旦碰到火,顷刻间就会让我化为灰烬的”



舞矽

ZxID:12778187


等级: 派派版主
6.3上任 7.1生日 7.26周年 8.13结婚周年
举报 只看该作者 沙发   发表于: 2012-08-24 0
Chapter 2. The Council with the Munchkins

She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

The cyclone had set the house down very gently--for a cyclone--in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice:

"You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage."

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life.

But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, "You are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything."

"Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman, with a laugh, "and that is the same thing. See!" she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. "There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood."

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. "The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?"

"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman calmly.

"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.

"She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set free, and are grateful to you for the favor."

"Who are the Munchkins?" inquired Dorothy.

"They are the people who live in this land of the East where the Wicked Witch ruled."

"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.

"No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North."

"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy. "Are you a real witch?"

"Yes, indeed," answered the little woman. "But I am a good witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself."

"But I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch. "Oh, no, that is a great mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz--the one who lives in the West."

"But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead--years and years ago."

"Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.

"She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from."

The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, "I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?"

"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.

"Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us."

"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.

"Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking her voice to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds."

Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.

"What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes.

"She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, "that she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear." She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy.

"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said one of the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew."

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:

"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"

The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

"At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great desert, and none could live to cross it."

"It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."

"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way."

"The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you will have to live with us."

Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:

"LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"

The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"

"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.

"Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you."

"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.

"It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of."

"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.

"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him."

"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.

"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."

"Won't you go with me?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend.

"No, I cannot do that," she replied, "but I will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North."

She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.

"The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick," said the Witch, "so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear."

The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.

第2章遇到芒奇金人

一个突然而猛烈的震动,使多萝茜惊醒了,假如她不是躺在柔软的床上,可能会受伤。这个震动使她紧张的屏息着,她预感到什么事情已经发生了。

托托把它那冰冷的小鼻子,凑到她的脸上,凄惨地哀叫着。

她感到一阵眩晕,屋子似乎从高空中掉了下来。

多萝茜跳下床,发现那屋子不动了;明亮的太阳光,从窗子外照进来,温暖地洒在了小屋子里。她跑过去打开了门,托托跟着她。

这个小女孩子,向四周看了一下,发出一声惊讶的叫喊,她的一双眼睛逐渐地张大起来,再张大起来,木然地望着她面前的奇怪景象。

在这奇异美丽的地方,旋风缓缓地——因为这是一阵旋风——把屋子放了下来。

那里到处是可爱的绿草地,高大的树林,树上结满了甜美的果子。斜坡上长满了奇异的花草,鸟儿披着辉煌美丽的羽毛唱着歌儿,它们在树林里和灌木丛中自由地飞舞。

离开不多路有一条小溪,沿着绿的斜坡中间冲流着,起着泡,淙淙的流水声,多萝茜欢快地欣赏着这一切,因为她在那乾燥的、灰色的草原上待得太久了。

正当她悦意地望着,那奇异美丽的景色时,看到了一群人向她走过来,他们看上去很奇怪。

他们不像她所看惯了的成人那样大;也不是太校的确,按照多萝茜的年龄,她算是一个长得较高的孩子,然而他们似乎只有她那么高,虽然从外貌看,他们的年龄是比她大得多了。

过来的是三个男人,一个女人,都穿着奇异的衣服。

男人的头上,都戴着圆帽子,中间耸起了一个小小的尖顶,周围挂着小铃子,在他们走动时,叮噹作响非常好听。男人的帽子是绿的。

女人的帽子是白的,袍子也是白的,从肩上打着褶裥挂下来,上面的小星在闪耀,像太阳光里的多金钢钻。

三个男人们都穿着绿的衣裳,和他们的帽子的颜色完全一样,穿着擦得很亮的靴子,在靴子的上面缠着蓝色的绑腿布。

多萝茜估计,这些男人和亨利叔叔的年纪差不多,因为其中两个已经有胡须了。但是那小妇人无疑更老:她满脸的皱纹,满头银丝,走起路来也有几分呆板。

他们走近了板屋,多萝茜正站在门口,他们犹豫着,低声说着什么,好像不敢再向前迈一步。但是那小老妇人走近多萝茜,恭敬地鞠躬,用了一种好听的声音说话:“最高贵的女魔术家,欢迎你,降临这芒奇金人的国家。

我们很感激你,因为你杀死了东方的坏女巫,把我们从女巫的奴役中解放了出来。”

多萝茜听着这些话,莫名其妙。这个小老妇人称呼她做“魔术家”,并且口口声声地说她杀死了那东方的坏女巫,这究竟是什么意思?

多萝茜是一个幼稚的小女孩儿,被旋风带到这里,她从未杀死过什么人。

然而那小老妇人正热切地等待着她的回答;所以多萝茜只好带着口吃地说:“很抱歉,你们一定弄错了,我并没有杀死人。”

“无论你怎么说,而你的屋子确实这样做了,”小老妇人激动地回答说;“你瞧!确实如此。”她继续说下去,指着屋子的角落里;“女巫的两只脚仍旧伸出在一块木板底下呢。”

多萝茜朝她指点的地方看去,吓得她叫了一声。在那屋子架着大横梁的角落下面,伸出了两只脚,套着一双尖头的银鞋子。

“啊哟!上帝!”多萝茜叫着,惊骇的握着一双手,“肯定是她被屋子压住了。我们要做点什么呢?”

“什么都不用做,”小老妇人平静地说。

“可是她是谁呢?”多萝茜问。

“她就是我刚才说的东方的坏女巫。”小老妇人回答。“她许多年前就奴役了芒奇金人,她让他们整日整夜地做作苦役。

现在,他们完全自由了,因此要感谢你的恩惠。”

“芒奇金人?”多萝茜疑惑地问。

“他们是住在这个东方国土上的人民,这国土是由坏女巫控制着的。”

多萝茜问:“你也是芒奇金人吗?”

“不;我住在北方的国土上,我是他们的朋友。当这些芒奇金人看到这个东方的女巫死了,他们派一个跑得最快的信使,告诉我这个消息,我立刻就来了。我是北方的女巫。”

“噢,主啊!”多萝茜叫喊道;“你真是一个女巫吗?”

“对,真的;”小老妇人回答说。“但我是个好女巫,人民都信任我,我不如坏女巫健壮,否则,我早就把她杀了。”

“可是,我原以为,女巫都是很坏的,”多萝茜发表着议论,并看着眼前的女巫,很惊讶。

“啊,不是这样;你的想法有谬误,在全奥芝地区,共有四个女巫:两个住在北方和南方的,都是好女巫。我知道这事情是真的,因为我自己就是其中的一个,不可能弄错的。那两个住在东方和西方的,确实是坏女巫;现在,你已经把她们中的一个杀死,在全奥芝,就剩下西方的坏女巫了。”

多萝茜思索了一会儿,说道:“然而,爱姆婶婶老早告诉过我,说所有的女巫都死了——很久很久以前。”

小老妇人疑惑地问道:“爱姆婶婶是什么人?”

“她是我的婶婶,家在堪萨斯州,我也是和他们住在一起。”

北方的女巫一片茫然的神情,眼睛盯着地面,似乎想了想,随后抬起头来说道:“我不知道堪萨斯州在哪里,因为我根本没有听说过这个地方。那么请你告诉我,那儿是文明的地方吗?”

多萝茜愉快地回答说:“啊,是的。”

“就是因为这个。在文明的地方,我想不会有女巫留下来,也没有男巫,也没有魔术家。但是,你要知道,奥芝还处在蒙昧时期,因为我们与世隔绝了。所以在我们这里,仍旧保留着女巫和男巫。”

“男巫又是谁呢?”多萝茜问。

“奥芝自己是个大魔术师,”女巫耳语般地低声回答道。

“我们几个的力量合起来却不如他有力。他现在在翡翠城中。”

多萝茜还想问更多的问题,一直站在旁边的芒奇金人大声叫了起来,指着木屋角落里坏女巫躺着的地方。

“怎么了?”小老妇人问;当她往那边看时,便大笑起来。

那死女巫的一双脚消失了,只留下了一双银鞋,没有任何其它东西。

“她竟这么老了,”北方的女巫感叹着说。“她在太阳里迅速地被晒干了。这是她的报应。但是那一双银鞋属于你的了,你可以穿上它。”她跑过去,拾起那双银鞋,拂去了灰尘,把它交给多萝茜。

“东方女巫对于这双银鞋,是向来引以为自豪的,”一个芒奇金人说。“银鞋子有魔力;但究竟是怎么回事,我们不知道。”

多萝茜把银鞋子放回板屋,把它放在桌子上。然后再出来走到芒奇金人的面前,问道:“我非常希望能回到我的婶婶和叔叔身边,因为我想他们一定担心着我。你们能告诉我回去的路吗?”

芒奇金人和女巫对视了一下,随后他们看着多萝茜,摇摇头。

“在东方,离这里不远,”一个芒奇金人说,“那儿是大沙漠,没有一个人能穿越它。”

另外一个芒奇金人说:“在南方也是大沙漠,因为我就住在那儿,看得很清楚的。南方是桂特林人的地方。”

第三个芒奇金人说:“据我所知,在西方也是大沙漠。那地方住着的是温基人,由西方坏女巫控制着,你从那里路过,就会把你抓去做奴隶。”

“我的家在北方,”小老妇人说,“那是边界,围绕着这奥芝地区,都是无尽的沙漠。我的宝贝儿,我想,你不得不和我们一起住了。”

多萝茜伤心地哭了,如果她住在这些奇怪的人们中间会有孤独感,寂寞感。她的眼泪似乎使得好心的芒奇金人受到感染,他们也拿出手帕哭起来了。

至于那小老妇人,脱下她的帽子,将尖端顶在她的鼻尖上,同时用一种庄严的声音,数着“一、二、三。”这帽子马上化做一块石板,上面显出几个巨大的白粉字:让多萝茜去翡翠城吧小老妇人从她的鼻子上拿下石板来,读着这句话,问道:“我的亲爱的宝贝儿,你可是叫多萝茜?”

“没错,”说着,小女孩子抬起头来,揩干她的眼泪。

“那么,你一定要去翡翠城,说不准奥芝能帮助你。”

多萝茜问:“翡翠城在哪里?”

“在全国的中心,由奥芝统治着的,我说过,他是个超级魔术家。”

多萝茜忧郁地问着:“他肯定是个好人喽?”

“我只能告诉你他是一个好魔术师。至于其它的情况,我不清楚也无法告诉你,我也没有见过他。”

多萝茜问:“我怎样才能找到他?”

“你必须走着去。那是一个漫长的旅程,要经过一个国家,既有光明快乐的,又有黑暗和可怕的。不管怎么样,我将用我的魔术帮助你,让你免受祸患。”

“你不能带我去吗?”小女孩子看着小老妇人,恳求她,因为现在她只有这一个朋友。

“不,我不能离开这里,”她回答说。“我要吻你,没有任何人,敢伤害我吻过的人。”

她捧住多萝茜的头,轻轻地吻了一下她的前额。当她的嘴唇触着小女孩子后,就留下了一个又圆又亮的记号,这是多萝茜后来才发现的。

女巫说:“到翡翠城去的路,全部是用黄砖铺成的,所以你不会迷路。你找到奥芝后,不要怕他,就把你的故事告诉他,恳求他帮助。我的亲爱的宝贝,再见了。”

三个芒奇金人也走上前向她低低地鞠着躬,祝愿她有一次愉快的旅行,然后,他们钻进树林里去了。女巫向着多萝茜友好地、轻轻地点一点头,用她的左脚跟旋转了三次,马上就消失了。

小托托吓了一跳,女巫走掉后,它还在她的后面大声地吠着,因为它害怕她,所以当女巫站在旁边时,它根本不敢发出任何声响。

但是多萝茜知道她是一个女巫,她这样子走开,完全在她的意料之中。


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