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第10章

the patchwork girl of oz-第10章

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Facing fortunes good and bad;



Meeting dangers grave and sad;



Sometimes worried; sometimes glad



Where you're going you don't know;



Nor do I; but off you go!〃











〃Sounds like a hint; to me;〃 said the Patchwork Girl。







〃Then let's take it and go;〃 replied Ojo。







They said good…bye to the Wise Donkey and the



Foolish Owl and at once resumed their journey。



















Chapter Nine







They Meet the Woozy















〃There seem to be very few houses around here;



after all;〃 remarked Ojo; after they had walked



for a time in silence。







〃Never mind;〃 said Scraps; 〃we are not looking



for houses; but rather the road of yellow bricks。



Won't it be funny to run across something yellow



in this dismal blue country?〃







〃There are worse colors than yellow in this



country;〃 asserted the Glass Cat; in a spiteful



tone。







〃Oh; do you mean the pink pebbles you call



your brains; and your red heart and green eyes?〃



asked the Patchwork Girl。







〃No; I mean you; if you must know it;〃 growled



the cat。







〃You're jealous!〃 laughed Scraps。 〃You'd give



your whiskers for a lovely variegated complexion



like mine。〃







〃I wouldn't!〃 retorted the cat。 〃I've the



clearest complexion in the world; and I don't



employ a beauty…doctor; either。〃







〃I see you don't;〃 said Scraps。







〃Please don't quarrel;〃 begged Ojo。 〃This is an



important journey; and quarreling makes me



discouraged。 To be brave; one must be cheerful; so



I hope you will be as good…tempered as possible。〃







They had traveled some distance when suddenly



they faced a high fence which barred any further



progress straight ahead。 It ran directly across



the road and enclosed a small forest of tall



trees; set close together。 When the group of



adventurers peered through the bars of the fence



they thought this forest looked more gloomy and



forbidding than any they had ever seen before。







They soon discovered that the path they had



been following now made a bend and passed



around the enclosure; but what made Ojo stop



and look thoughtful was a sign painted on the



fence which read:











〃BEWARE OF THE WOOZY!〃











〃That means;〃 he said; 〃that there's a Woozy



inside that fence; and the Woozy must be a



dangerous animal or they wouldn't tell people



to beware of it。〃







〃Let's keep out; then;〃 replied Scraps。 〃That



path is outside the fence; and Mr。 Woozy may have



all his little forest to himself; for all we care。〃







〃But one of our errands is to find a Woozy;〃



Ojo explained。 〃The Magician wants me to get



three hairs from the end of a Woozy's tail。〃







〃Let's go on and find some other Woozy;〃



suggested the cat。 〃This one is ugly and



dangerous; or they wouldn't cage him up。 Maybe



we shall find another that is tame and gentle。〃







〃Perhaps there isn't any other; at all;〃



answered Ojo。 〃The sign doesn't say: 'Beware a



Woozy'; it says: 'Beware the Woozy;' which may;



mean there's only one in all the Land of Oz。







〃Then;〃 said Scraps; 〃suppose we go in and



find him? Very likely if we ask him politely to



let us pull three hairs out of the tip of his tail



he won't hurt us。〃







〃It would hurt him; I'm sure; and that would



make him cross;〃 said the cat。







〃You needn't worry; Bungle;〃 remarked the



Patchwork Girl; 〃for if there is danger you can



climb a tree。 Ojo and I are not afraid; are we;



Ojo?〃







〃I am; a little;〃 the boy admitted; 〃but this



danger must be faced; if we intend to save poor







Unc Nunkie。 How shall we get over the fence?〃







〃Climb;〃 answered Scraps; and at once she began



climbing up the rows of bars。 Ojo followed and



found it more easy than he had expected。 When they



got to the top of the fence they began to get down



on the other side and soon were in the forest。 The



Glass Cat; being small; crept between the lower



bars and joined them。







Here there was no path of any sort; so they



entered the woods; the boy leading the way;



and wandered through the trees until they were



nearly in the center of the forest。 They now



came upon a clear space in which stood a rocky



cave。







So far they had met no living creature; but



when Ojo saw the cave he knew it must be the



den of the Woozy。







It is hard to face any savage beast without



a sinking of the heart; but still more terrifying



is it to face an unknown beast; which you have



never seen even a picture of。 So there is little



wonder that the pulses of the Munchkin boy



beat fast as he and his companions stood facing



the cave。 The opening was perfectly square;



and about big enough to admit a goat。







〃I guess the Woozy is asleep;〃 said Scraps。



〃Shall I throw in a stone; to waken him?〃







〃No; please don't;〃 answered Ojo; his voice



trembling a little。 〃I'm in no hurry。〃







But he had not long to wait; for the Woozy



heard the sound of voices and came trotting out



of his cave。 As this is the only Woozy that has



ever lived; either in the Land of Oz or out of



it; I must describe it to you。







The creature was all squares and flat surfaces



and edges。 Its head was an exact square; like



one of the building…blocks a child plays with;



therefore it had no ears; but heard sounds



through two openings in the upper corners。 Its



nose; being in the center of a square surface;



was flat; while the mouth was formed by the



opening of the lower edge of the block。 The



body of the Woozy was much larger than its



head; but was likewise block…shapedbeing



twice as long as it was wide and high。 The tail



was square and stubby and perfectly straight;



and the four legs were made in the same way;



each being four…sided。 The animal was covered



with a thick; smooth skin and had no hair at all



except at the extreme end of its tail; where there



grew exactly three stiff; stubby hairs。 The beast



was dark blue in color and his face was not



fierce nor ferocious in expression; but rather



good…humored and droll。







Seeing the strangers; the Woozy folded his



hind legs as if they Lad been hinged and sat



down to look his visitors over。







〃Well; well;〃 he exclaimed; 〃what a queer lot



you are! at first I thought some of those



miserable Munchkin farmers had come to annoy me;



but I am relieved to find you in their stead。 It



is plain to me that you are a remarkable groupas



remarkable in your way as I am in mineand so you



are welcome to my domain。 Nice place; isn't it?



But lonesome…dreadfully lonesome。〃







〃Why did they shut you up here?〃 asked



Scraps; who was regarding the queer; square



creature with much curiosity。







〃Because I eat up all the honey…bees which



the Munchkin farmers who live around here



keep to make them honey。〃







〃Are you fond of eating honey…bees?〃 inquired



the boy。







〃Very。 They are really delicious。 But the



farmers did not like to lose their bees and so



they tried to destroy me。 Of course they couldn't



do that。〃







〃Why not?〃







〃My skin is so thick and tough that nothing can



get through it to hurt me。 So; finding they could



not destroy me; they drove me into this forest and



built a fence around me。 Unkind; wasn't it?〃







〃But what do you eat now?〃 asked Ojo。







〃Nothing at all。 I've tried the leaves from the



trees and the mosses and creeping vines; but they



don't seem to suit my taste。 So; there being no



honey…bees here; I've eaten nothing for years。







〃You must be awfully hungry;〃 said the boy。



〃I've got some bread and cheese in my basket。



Would you like that kind of food?〃







〃Give me a nibble and I will try it; then I



can tell you better whether it is grateful to my



appetite;〃 returned the Woozy。







So the boy opened his basket and broke a



piece off the loaf of bread。 He tossed it toward



the Woozy; who cleverly caught it in his mouth



and ate it in a twinkling。







〃That's rather good;〃 declared the animal。



〃Any more?〃







〃Try some cheese;〃 said Ojo; and threw down a



piece。







The Woozy ate that; too; and smacked its long;



thin lips。







〃That's mighty good!〃 it exclaimed。 〃Any more?〃







〃Plenty;〃 replied Ojo。 So he sat down on a Stump



and fed the Woozy bread and cheese for a long



time; for; no matter how much the boy broke off;



the loaf and the slice remained just as big。







〃That'll do;〃 said the Woozy; at last; 〃I'm



quite full。 I hope the strange food won't give



me indigestion。







〃I hope not;〃 said Ojo。 〃It's what I eat。〃







〃Well; I must say I'm much obliged; and



I'm glad you came;〃 announced the beast。 〃Is



there anything I can do in return for your



kindness?〃







〃Yes;〃 said Ojo earnestly; 〃you have it in



your power to do me a great favor; if you will。〃







〃What is it?〃 asked the Woozy。 〃Name the



favor and I will grant it。〃







〃II want three hairs from the tip of your



tail;〃 said Ojo; with some hesitation。







〃Three hairs! Why; that's all I haveon my



tail or anywhere else;〃 exclaimed the beast。







〃I know; but I want them very much。〃







〃They are my sole ornaments; my prettiest



feature;〃 said the Woozy; uneasily。 〃If I give



up those three hairs II'm just a blockhead。〃







〃Yet I must have them;〃 insisted the boy;



firmly; and he then told the Woozy all about the



accident to Unc Nunkie and Margolotte; and how the



three hairs were to be a part of the magic charm



that would restore them to life。 The beast



listened with attention and when Ojo had finished



the recital it said; with a sigh。







〃I always keep my word; for I pride myself on



being square。 So you may have the three hairs; and



welcome。 I think; under such circumstances; it



would be selfish in me to refuse you。〃







〃Thank you! Thank you very much;〃 cried



the boy; joyfully。 〃May I pull out the hairs



now?〃







〃Any time you like;〃 answered the Woozy。



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