the patchwork girl of oz-第17章

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Ojo　sulked　a　while；　but　finally　returned　to　the



road　and　kept　away　from　the　green　clover。　The



boy　was　moody　and　bad　tempered　for　an　hour



or　two　afterward；　because　he　could　really　see



no　harm　in　picking　a　six…leaved　clover；　if　he



found　one；　and　in　spite　of　what　the　Shaggy



Man　had　said　he　considered　Ozma's　law　to　be



unjust。







They　presently　came　to　a　beautiful　grove　of　tall



and　stately　trees；　through　which　the　road　wound　in



sharp　curvesfirst　one　way　and　then　another。　As



they　were　walking　through　this　grove　they　heard



some　one　in　the　distance　singing；　and　the　sounds



grew　nearer　and　nearer　until　they　could



distinguish　the　words；　although　the　bend　in　the



road　still　hid　the　singer。　The　song　was　something



like　this：











〃Here's　to　the　hale　old　bale　of　straw



That's　cut　from　the　waving　grain；



The　sweetest　sight　man　ever　saw



In　forest；　dell　or　plain。



It　fills　me　with　a　crunkling　joy



A　straw…stack　to　behold；



For　then　I　pad　this　lucky　boy



With　strands　of　yellow　gold。〃











〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　Shaggy　Man；　〃here　comes　my



friend　the　Scarecrow。







〃What；　a　live　Scarecrow？〃　asked　Ojo。







〃Yes；　the　one　I　told　you　of。　He's　a　splendid



fellow；　and　very　intelligent。　You'll　like　him；



I'm　sure。







Just　then　the　famous　Scarecrow　of　Oz　came



around　the　bend　in　the　road；　riding　astride　a



wooden　Sawhorse　which　was　so　small　that　its



rider's　legs　nearly　touched　the　ground。







The　Scarecrow　wore　the　blue　dress　of　the



Munchkins；　in　which　country　he　was　made；



and　on　his　head　was　set　a　peaked　hat　with　a　flat



brim　trimmed　with　tinkling　bells。　A　rope　was



tied　around　his　waist　to　hold　him　in　shape。　for



he　was　stuffed　with　straw　in　every　part　of　him



except　the　top　of　his　head；　where　at　one　time



the　Wizard　of　Oz　had　placed　sawdust；　mixed



with　needles　and　pins；　to　sharpen　his　wits。　The



head　itself　was　merely　a　bag　of　cloth；　fastened



to　the　body　at　the　neck；　and　on　the　front　of　this



bag　was　painted　the　faceears；　eyes；　nose　and



mouth。







The　Scarecrow's　face　was　very　interesting；　for



it　bore　a　comical　and　yet　winning　expression；



although　one　eye　was　a　bit　larger　than　the　other



and　ears　were　not　mates。　The　Munchkin　farmer　who



had　made　the　Scarecrow　had　neglected　to　sew　him



together　with　close　stitches　and　therefore　some　of



the　straw　with　which　he　was　stuffed　was　inclined



to　stick　out　between　the　seams。　His　hands



consisted　of　padded　white　gloves；　with　the　fingers



long　and　rather　limp；　and　on　his　feet　he　wore



Munchkin　boots　of　blue　leather　with　broad　turns　at



the　tops　of　them。







The　Sawhorse　was　almost　as　curious　as　its　rider。



It　had　been　rudely　made；　in　the　beginning；　to　saw



logs　upon；　so　that　its　body　was　a　short　length　of



a　log；　and　its　legs　were　stout　branches　fitted



into　four　holes　made　in　the　body。　The　tail　was



formed　by　a　small　branch　that　had　been　left　on　the



log；　while　the　head　was　a　gnarled　bump　on　one　end



of　the　body。　Two　knots　of　wood　formed　the　eyes；



and　the　mouth　was　a　gash　chopped　in　the　log。　When



the　Sawhorse　first　came　to　life　it　had　no　ears　at



all；　and　so　could　not　hear；　but　the　boy　who　then



owned　him　had　whittled　two　ears　out　of　bark　and



stuck　them　in　the　head；　after　which　the　Sawhorse



heard　very　distinctly。







This　queer　wooden　horse　was　a　great　favorite



with　Princess　Ozma；　who　had　caused　the　bottoms　of



its　legs　to　be　shod　with　plates　of　gold；　so　the



wood　would　not　wear　away。　Its　saddle　was　made　of



cloth…of…gold　richly　encrusted　with　precious　gems。



It　had　never　worn　a　bridle。







As　the　Scarecrow　came　in　sight　of　the　party　of



travelers；　he　reined　in　his　wooden　steed　and



dismounted；　greeting　the　Shaggy　Man　with　a　smiling



nod。　Then　he　turned　to　stare　at　the　Patchwork　Girl



in　wonder；　while　she　in　turn　stared　at　him。







〃Shags；〃　he　whispered；　drawing　the　Shaggy　Man



aside；　〃pat　me　into　shape；　there's　a　good　fellow！〃







While　his　friend　punched　and　patted　the



Scarecrow's　body；　to　smooth　out　the　humps；　Scraps



turned　to　Ojo　and　whispered：　〃Roll　me　out；　please；



I've　sagged　down　dreadfully　from　walking　so　much



and　men　like　to　see　a　stately　figure。〃







She　then　fell　upon　the　ground　and　the　boy　rolled



her　back　and　forth　like　a　rolling…pin；　until　the



cotton　had　filled　all　the　spaces　in　her　patchwork



covering　and　the　body　had　lengthened　to　its



fullest　extent。　Scraps　and　the　Scarecrow　both



finished　their　hasty　toilets　at　the　same　time；　and



again　they　faced　each　other。







〃Allow　me；　Miss　Patchwork；〃　said　the　Shaggy　Man；



〃to　present　my　friend；　the　Right　Royal　Scarecrow



of　Oz。　Scarecrow；　this　is　Miss　Scraps　Patches；



Scraps；　this　is　the　Scarecrow。　ScarecrowScraps；



ScrapsScarecrow。〃







They　both　bowed　with　much　dignity。







〃Forgive　me　for　staring　so　rudely；〃　said　the



Scarecrow；　〃but　you　are　the　most　beautiful　sight



my　eyes　have　ever　beheld。〃







〃That　is　a　high　compliment　from　one　who　is



himself　so　beautiful；〃　murmured　Scraps；　casting



down　her　suspender…button　eyes　by　lowering　her



head。　〃But；　tell　me；　good　sir；　are　you　not　a



trifle　lumpy？〃







〃Yes；　of　course；　that's　my　straw；　you　know。



It　bunches　up；　sometimes；　in　spite　of　all　my



efforts　to　keep　it　even。　Doesn't　your　straw　ever



bunch？〃







〃Oh；　I'm　stuffed　with　cotton；〃　said　Scraps。



〃It　never　bunches；　but　it's　inclined　to　pack　down



and　make　me　sag。〃







〃But　cotton　is　a　high…grade　stuffing。　I　may　say



it　is　even　more　stylish；　not　to　say　aristocratic；



than　straw；〃　said　the　Scarecrow　politely。　〃Still；



it　is　but　proper　that　one　so　entrancingly　lovely



should　have　the　best　stuffing　there　is　going。　I



erI'm　so　glad　I've　met　you；　Miss　Scraps！



Introduce　us　again；　Shaggy。〃







〃Once　is　enough；〃　replied　the　Shaggy　Man；



laughing　at　his　friend's　enthusiasm。







〃Then　tell　me　where　you　found　her；　andDear　me；



what　a　queer　cat！　What　are　you　made　ofgelatine？〃







〃Pure　glass；〃　answered　the　cat；　proud　to　have



attracted　the　Scarecrow's　attention。　〃I　am　much



more　beautiful　than　the　Patchwork　Girl。　I'm



transparent；　and　Scraps　isn't；　I've　pink　brains



you　can　see　'em　work；　and　I've　a　ruby　heart；



finely　polished；　while　Scraps　hasn't　any　heart　at



all。〃







〃No　more　have　I；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　shaking



hands　with　Scraps；　as　if　to　congratulate　her　on



the　fact。　〃I've　a　friend；　the　Tin　Woodman；　who　has



a　heart；　but　I　find　I　get　along　pretty　well



without　one。　And　soWell；　well！　here's　a　little



Munchkin　boy；　too。　Shake　hands；　my　little　man。　How



are　you？〃







Ojo　placed　his　hand　in　the　flabby　stuffed　glove



that　served　the　Scarecrow　for　a　hand；　and　the



Scarecrow　pressed　it　so　cordially　that　the　straw



in　his　glove　crackled。







Meantime；　the　Woozy　had　approached　the　Sawhorse



and　begun　to　sniff　at　it。　The　Sawhorse　resented



this　familiarity　and　with　a　sudden　kick　pounded



the　Woozy　squarely　on　its　Lead　with　one　gold…shod



foot。







〃Take　that；　you　monster！〃　it　cried　angrily。







The　Woozy　never　even　winked。







〃To　be　sure；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　take　anything　I



have　to。　But　don't　make　me　angry；　you　wooden



beast；　or　my　eyes　will　flash　fire　and　burn　you



up。〃







The　Sawhorse　rolled　its　knot　eyes　wickedly



and　kicked　again；　but　the　Woozy　trotted　away



and　said　to　the　Scarecrow：







〃What　a　sweet　disposition　that　creature　has！



I　advise　you　to　chop　it　up　for　kindling…wood



and　use　me　to　ride　upon。　My　back　is　flat　and



you　can't　fall　off。〃







〃I　think　the　trouble　is　that　you　haven't　been



properly　introduced；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；



regarding　the　Woozy　with　much　wonder；　for　he　had



never　seen　such　a　queer　animal　before。







〃The　Sawhorse　is　the　favorite　steed　of　Princess



Ozma；　the　Ruler　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　he　lives　in



a　stable　decorated　with　pearls　and　emeralds；　at



the　rear　of　the　royal　palace。　He　is　swift　as　the



wind；　untiring；　and　is　kind　to　his　friends。　All



the　people　of　Oz　respect　the　Sawhorse　highly；　and



when　I　visit　Ozma　she　sometimes　allows　me　to　ride



himas　I　am　doing　to…day。　Now　you　know　what　an



important　personage　the　Sawhorse　is；　and　if　some



oneperhaps　your…selfwill　tell　me　your　name；



your　rank　and　station；　and　your　history；　it　will



give　me　pleasure　to　relate　them　to　the　Sawhorse。



This　will　lead　to　mutual　respect　and　friendship。〃







The　Woozy　was　somewhat　abashed　by　this　speech



and　did　not　know　how　to　reply。　But　Ojo　said：







〃This　square　beast　is　called　the　Woozy；　and　he



isn't　of　much　importance　except　that　he　has　three



hairs　growing　on　the　tip　of　his　tail。〃







The　Scarecrow　looked　and　saw　that　this　was　true。







〃But；〃　said　he；　in　a　puzzled　way；　〃what　makes



those　three　hairs　important？　The　Shaggy　Man　has



thousands　of　hairs；　but　no　one　has　ever　accused



him　of　being　important。〃







So　Ojo　related　the　sad　story　of　Unc　Nunkie's



transformation　into　a　marble　statue；　and　told　how



he　had　set　out　to　find　the　things　the　Crooked



Magician　wanted；　in　order　to　make　a　charm　that



would　restore　his　uncle　to　life。　One　of　the



requirements　was　three　hairs　from　a　Woozy's　tail；



but　not　being　able　to　pull　out　the　hairs　they　had



been　obliged　to　take　the　Woozy　with　them。







The　Scarecrow　looked　grave　as　he　listened　and　he



shook　his　head　several　times；　as　if　in



disapproval。







〃We　must　see　Ozma　about　this　matter；〃　he



said。　〃That　Crooked　Magician　is　breaking　the



Law　by　practicing　magic　without　a　license；　and



I'm　not　sure　Ozma　will　allow　him　to　restore　your



uncle　to　life。〃







〃Already　I　have　warned　the　boy　of　that；〃



declared　the　Shaggy　Man。







At　this　Ojo　began　to　cry。　〃I　want　my　Unc



Nunkie！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　know　how　he　can　be



restored　to　life；　and　I'm　going　to　do　itOzma　or



no　Ozma！　What　right　has　this　girl　Ruler　to　keep　my



Unc　Nunkie　a　statue　forever？〃







〃Don't　worry　about　that　just　now；〃　advised



the　Scarecrow。　〃Go　on　to　the　Emerald　City；



and　when　you　reach　it　have　the　Shaggy　Man



take　you　to　see　Dorothy。　Tell　her　your　story　and



I'm　sure　she　will　help　you。　Dorothy　is　Oz