爱爱小说网 > 其他电子书 > the patchwork girl of oz >

第14章

the patchwork girl of oz-第14章

小说: the patchwork girl of oz 字数: 每页3500字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!






really superb;〃 said the phonograph; growing more



cheerful。







〃That is too bad;〃 remarked Ojo。 〃We've no



objection to you as a machine; you know; but



as a music…maker we hate you。〃







〃Then why was I ever invented?〃 demanded



the machine; in a tone of indignant protest。







They looked at one another inquiringly; but



no one could answer such a puzzling question。



Finally the Shaggy Man said:







〃I'd like to hear the phonograph play。〃







Ojo sighed。 〃We've been very happy since we



met you; sir;〃 he said。







〃I know。 But a little misery; at times; makes



one appreciate happiness more。 Tell me; Phony;



what is this record like; which you say you have



on tap?〃







〃It's a popular song; sir。 In all civilized lands



the common people have gone wild over it。〃







〃Makes civilized folks wild folks; eh? Then



it's dangerous。〃







〃Wild with joy; I mean;〃 explained the



phonograph。 〃Listen。 This song will prove a



rare treat to you; I know。 It made the author



richfor an author。 It is called 'My Lulu。'〃







Then the phonograph began to play。 A strain



of odd; jerky sounds was followed by these



words; sung by a man through his nose with



great vigor of expression:











〃Ah wants mah Lulu; mah coal…black Lulu;



Ah wants mah loo…loo; loo…loo; loo…loo; Lu!



Ah loves mah Lulu; mah coal…black Lulu;



There ain't nobody else loves loo…loo; Lu!〃











〃Here…shut that off!〃 cried the Shaggy Man;



springing to his feet。 〃What do you mean by



such impertinence?〃







〃It's the latest popular song;〃 declared the



phonograph; speaking in a sulky tone of voice。







〃A popular song?〃







〃Yes。 One that the feeble…minded can remember



the words of and those ignorant of music can



whistle or sing。 That makes a popular song



popular; and the time is coming when it will take



the place of all other songs。〃







〃That time won't come to us; just yet;〃 said



the Shaggy Man; sternly: 〃I'm something of a



singer myself; and I don't intend to be throttled



by any Lulus like your coal…black one。 I shall



take you all apart; Mr。 Phony; and scatter your



pieces far and wide over the country; as a matter



of kindness to the people you might meet if



allowed to run around loose。 Having performed



this painful duty I shall〃







But before he could say more the phonograph



turned and dashed up the road as fast as its four



table…legs could carry it; and soon it had entirely



disappeared from their view。







The Shaggy Man sat down again and seemed



well pleased。 〃Some one else will save me the



trouble of scattering that phonograph;〃 said he;



〃for it is not possible that such a music…maker



can last long in the Land of Oz。 When you are



rested; friends; let us go on our way。〃







During the afternoon the travelers found



themselves in a lonely and uninhabited part of the



country。 Even the fields were no longer cultivated



and the country began to resemble a wilderness。



The road of yellow bricks seemed to have been



neglected and became uneven and more difficult to



walk upon。 Scrubby under…brush grew on either side



of the way。 while huge rocks were scattered around



in abundance。







But this did not deter Ojo and his friends from



trudging on; and they beguiled the journey with



jokes and cheerful conversation。 Toward evening



they reached a crystal spring which gushed from a



tall rock by the roadside and near this spring



stood a deserted cabin。 Said the Shaggy Man;



halting here:







〃We may as well pass the night here; where



there is shelter for our heads and good water to



drink。 Road beyond here is pretty bad; worst



we shall have to travel; so let's wait until



morning before we tackle it。〃







They agreed to this and Ojo found some brushwood



in the cabin and made a fire on the hearth。 The



fire delighted Scraps; who danced before it until



Ojo warned her she might set fire to herself and



burn up。 After that the Patchwork Girl kept at a



respectful distance from the darting flames; but



the Woozy lay down before the fire like a big dog



and seemed to enjoy its warmth。







For supper the Shaggy Man ate one of his



tablets; but Ojo stuck to his bread and cheese as



the most satisfying food。 He also gave a portion



to the Woozy。







When darkness came on and they sat in a circle



on the cabin floor; facing the firelightthere



being no furniture of any sort in the placeOjo



said to the Shaggy Man:







〃Won't you tell us a story?〃







〃I'm not good at stories;〃 was the reply; 〃but



I sing like a bird。〃







〃Raven; or crow?〃 asked the Glass Cat。







〃Like a song bird。 I'll prove it。 I'll sing a song



I composed myself。 Don't tell anyone I'm a poet;



they might want me to write a book。 Don't tell



'em I can sing; or they'd want me to make



records for that awful phonograph。 Haven't



time to be a public benefactor; so I'll just sing



you this little song for your own amusement。〃







They were glad enough to be entertained;



and listened with interest while the Shaggy Man



chanted the following verses to a tune that was



not unpleasant:











〃I'll sing a song of Ozland; where wondrous creatures dwell



And fruits and flowers and shady bowers abound in every dell;



Where magic is a science and where no one shows surprise



If some amazing thing takes place before his very eyes。







Our Ruler's a bewitching girl whom fairies love to please;



She's always kept her magic sceptre to enforce decrees



To make her people happy; for her heart is kind and true



And to aid the needy and distressed is what she longs to do。







And then there's Princess Dorothy; as sweet as any rose;



A lass from Kansas; where they don't grow fairies; I Suppose;



And there's the brainy Scarecrow; with a body stuffed with straw;



Who utters words of wisdom rare that fill us all with awe。







I'll not forget Nick Chopper; the Woodman made of Tin;



Whose tender heart thinks killing time is quite a dreadful sin;



Nor old Professor Woggle…Bug; who's highly magnified



And looks so big to everyone that he is filled with pride。







Jack Pumpkinhead's a dear old chum who might be called a chump;



But won renown by riding round upon a magic Gump;



The Sawhorse is a splendid steed and though he's made of wood



He does as many thrilling stunts as any meat horse could。







And now I'll introduce a beast that ev'ryone adores



The Cowardly Lion shakes with fear 'most ev'ry time he roars;



And yet he does the bravest things that any lion might;



Because he knows that cowardice is not considered right。







There's Tik…tok…he's a clockwork man and quite a funny sight



He talks and walks mechanically; when he's wound up tight;



And we've a Hungry Tiger who would babies love to eat



But never does because we feed him other kinds of meat。







It's hard to name all of the freaks this noble Land's acquired;



'Twould make my song so very long that you would soon be tired;



But give attention while I mention one wise Yellow Hen



And Nine fine Tiny Piglets living in a golden pen。







Just search the whole world oversail the seas from coast to coast



No other nation in creation queerer folk can boast;



And now our rare museum will include a Cat of Glass;



A Woozy; andlast but not leasta crazy Patchwork Lass。〃















Ojo was so pleased with this song that he



applauded the singer by clapping his hands; and



Scraps followed suit by clapping her padded



fingers together。 although they made no noise。



The cat pounded on the floor with her glass



pawsgently; so as not to break themand the



Woozy。 which had been asleep; woke up to ask



what the row was about。







〃I seldom sing in public; for fear they might



want me to start an opera company;〃 remarked



the Shaggy Man; who was pleased to know his



effort was appreciated。 〃Voice; just now is a



little out of training; rusty; perhaps。〃







〃Tell me;〃 said the Patchwork Girl earnestly;



〃do all those queer people you mention really



live in the Land of Oz?〃







〃Every one of 'em。 I even forgot one thing:



Dorothy's Pink Kitten。〃







〃For goodness sake!〃 exclaimed Bungle; sitting



up and looking interested。 〃A Pink Kitten? How



absurd! Is it glass?〃









〃No; just ordinary kitten。〃







〃Then it can't amount to much。 I have pink



brains; and you can see 'em work。〃







〃Dorothy's kitten is all pinkbrains and all



except blue eyes。 Name's Eureka。 Great favorite at



the royal palace;〃 said the Shaggy Man; yawning。







The Glass Cat seemed annoyed。







〃Do you think a pink kittencommon meatis as



pretty as I am?〃 she asked。







〃Can't say。 Tastes differ; you know;〃 replied



the Shaggy Man; yawning again。 〃But here's a



pointer that may be of service to you: make



friends with Eureka and you'll be solid at the



palace。〃







〃I'm solid now; solid glass。〃







〃You don't understand;〃 rejoined the Shaggy



Man; sleepily。 〃Anyhow; make friends with the



Pink Kitten and you'll be all right。 If the Pink



Kitten despises you; look out for breakers。〃







〃Would anyone at the royal palace break a



Glass Cat?〃







〃Might。 You never can tell。 Advise you to purr



soft and look humbleif you can。 And now I'm



going to bed。〃







Bungle considered the Shaggy Man's advice



so carefully that her pink brains were busy long



after the others of the party were fast asleep。



















Chapter Twelve







The Giant Porcupine











Next morning they started out bright and early to



follow the road of yellow bricks toward the



Emerald City。 The little Munchkin boy was



beginning to feel tired from the long walk; and he



had a great many things to think of and consider



besides the events of the journey。 At the



wonderful Emerald City; which he would presently



reach; were so many strange and curious people



that he was half afraid of meeting them and



wondered if they would prove friendly and kind。



Above all else; he could not drive fr

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1

你可能喜欢的