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第28章

the patchwork girl of oz-第28章

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

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〃This war with our neighbors is a terrible



thing;〃 remarked one of the women。 〃Some one is



almost sure to get hurt。〃







〃Why do you say that; madam?〃 inquired the



Scarecrow。







〃Because the horns of our enemies are sharp;



and in battle they will try to stick those horns



into our warriors;〃 she replied。







〃How many horns do the Horners have?〃 asked



Dorothy。







〃Each has one horn in the center of his fore



head;〃 was the answer。







〃Oh; then they're unicorns;〃 declared the



Scarecrow。







〃No; they're Horners。 We never go to war with



them if we can help it; on account of their



dangerous horns; but this insult was so great and



so unprovoked that our brave men decided to fight;



in order to be revenged;〃 said the woman。







〃What weapons do you fight with?〃 the Scarecrow



asked。







〃We have no weapons;〃 explained the Champion。



〃Whenever we fight the Horners; our plan is to



push them back; for our arms are longer than



theirs。〃







〃Then you are better armed;〃 said Scraps。







〃Yes; but they have those terrible horns; and



unless we are careful they prick us with the



points;〃 returned the Champion with a shudder。



〃That makes a war with them dangerous; and a



dangerous war cannot be a pleasant one。〃







〃I see very clearly;〃 remarked the Scarecrow;



〃that you are going to have trouble in conquering



those Hornersunless we help you。〃







〃Oh!〃 cried the Hoppers in a chorus; 〃can



you help us? Please do! We will be greatly



obliged! It would please us very much!〃 and by



these exclamations the Scarecrow knew that his



speech had met with favor。







〃How far is it to the Horner Country?〃 he asked。







〃Why; it's just the other side of the fence;〃



they answered; and the Champion added:







〃Come with me; please; and I'll show you the



Horners。〃







So they followed the Champion and several



others through the streets and just beyond the



village came to a very high picket fence; built



all of marble; which seemed to divide the great



cave into two equal parts。







But the part inhabited by the Horners was in no



way as grand in appearance as that of the Hoppers。



Instead of being marble; the walls and roof were



of dull gray rock and the square houses were



plainly made of the same material。 But in extent



the city was much larger than that of the Hoppers



and the streets were thronged with numerous people



who busied themselves in various ways。







Looking through the open pickets of the fence



our friends watched the Horners; who did not know



they were being watched by strangers; and found



them very unusual in appearance。 They were little



folks in size and had bodies round as balls and



short legs and arms。 Their heads were round; too;



and they had long; pointed ears and a horn set in



the center of the forehead。 The horns did not seem



very terrible; for they were not more than six



inches long; but they were ivory white and sharp



pointed; and no wonder the Hoppers feared them。







The skins of the Horners were light brown; but



they wore snow…white robes and were bare footed。



Dorothy thought the most striking thing about them



was their hair; which grew in three distinct



colors on each and every headred; yellow and



green。 The red was at the bottom and sometimes



hung over their eyes; then came a broad circle of



yellow and the green was at the top and formed a



brush…shaped topknot。







None of the Horners was yet aware of the



presence of strangers; who watched the little



brown people for a time and then went to the



big gate in the center of the dividing fence。 It



was locked on both sides and over the latch was



a sign reading:











〃WAR IS DECLARED〃











〃Can't we go through?〃 asked Dorothy。







〃Not now;〃 answered the Champion。







〃I think;〃 said the Scarecrow; 〃that if I could



talk with those Horners they would apologize to



you; and then there would be no need to fight。〃







〃Can't you talk from this side?〃 asked the



Champion。







〃Not so well;〃 replied the Scarecrow。 〃Do you



suppose you could throw me over that fence?



It is high; but I am very light。〃







〃We can try it;〃 said the Hopper。 〃I am perhaps



the strongest man in my country; so I'll undertake



to do the throwing。 But I won't promise you will



land on your feet。〃







〃No matter about that;〃 returned the Scarecrow。



〃Just toss me over and I'll be satisfied。〃







So the Champion picked up the Scarecrow



and balanced him a moment; to see how much



he weighed; and then with all his strength



tossed him high into the air。







Perhaps if the Scarecrow had been a trifle



heavier he would have been easier to throw and



would have gone a greater distance; but; as it



was; instead of going over the fence he landed



just on top of it; and one of the sharp pickets



caught him in the middle of his back and held him



fast prisoner。 Had he been face downward the



Scarecrow might have managed to free himself; but



lying on his back on the picket his hands waved in



the air of the Horner Country while his feet



kicked the air of the Hopper Country; so there he



was。







〃Are you hurt?〃 called the Patchwork Girl



anxiously。







〃Course not;〃 said Dorothy。 〃But if he wig…gles



that way he may tear his clothes。 How can we get



him down; Mr。 Champion?〃







The Champion shook his head。







〃I don't know;〃 he confessed。 〃If he could



scare Horners as well as he does crows; it might



be a good idea to leave him there。〃







〃This is terrible;〃 said Ojo; almost ready to



cry。 〃I s'pose it's because I am Ojo the Unlucky



that everyone who tries to help me gets into



trouble。〃







〃You are lucky to have anyone to help you;〃



declared Dorothy。 〃But don't worry。 We'll rescue



the Scarecrow somehow。〃







〃I know how;〃 announced Scraps。 〃Here; Mr。



Champion; just throw me up to the Scarecrow。 I'm



nearly as light as he is; and when I'm on top the



fence I'll pull our friend off the picket and toss



him down to you。〃







〃All right;〃 said the Champion; and he picked up



the Patchwork Girl and threw her in the same



manner he had the Scarecrow。 He must have used



more strength this time; however; for Scraps



sailed far over the top of the fence and; without



being able to grab the Scarecrow at all; tumbled



to the ground in the Horner Country; where her



stuffed body knocked over two men and a woman and



made a crowd that had collected there run like



rabbits to get away from her。







Seeing the next moment that she was harmless;



the people slowly returned and gathered around the



Patchwork Girl; regarding her with astonishment。



One of them wore a jeweled star in his hair; just



above his horn; and this seemed a person of



importance。 He spoke for the rest of his people;



who treated him with great respect。







〃Who are you; Unknown Being?〃 he asked。







〃Scraps;〃 she said; rising to her feet and



patting her cotton wadding smooth where it had



bunched up。







〃And where did you come from?〃 he continued。







〃Over the fence。 Don't be silly。 There's no



other place I could have come from;〃 she replied。







He looked at her thoughtfully。







〃You are not a Hopper;〃 said he; 〃for you



have two legs。 They're not very well shaped;



but they are two in number。 And that strange



creature on top the fencewhy doesn't he stop



kicking?must be your brother; or father; or son;



for he also has two legs。〃







〃You must have been to visit the Wise Donkey;〃



said Scraps; laughing so merrily that the crowd



smiled with her; in sympathy。 〃But that reminds



me; Captainor King〃







〃I am Chief of the Horners; and my name is Jak。〃







〃Of course; Little Jack Horner; I might have



known it。 But the reason I volplaned over the



fence was so I could have a talk with you about



the Hoppers。〃







〃What about the Hoppers?〃 asked the Chief;



frowning。







〃You've insulted them; and you'd better beg



their pardon;〃 said Scraps。 〃If you don't; they'll



probably hop over here and conquer you。







〃We're not afraidas long as the gate is



locked;〃 declared the Chief。 〃And we didn't insult



them at all。 One of us made a joke that the stupid



Hoppers couldn't see。〃







The Chief smiled as he said this and the smile



made his face look quite jolly。







〃What was the joke?〃 asked Scraps。







〃A Horner said they have less understanding than



we; because they've only one leg。 Ha; ha! You see



the point; don't you? If you stand on your legs;



and your legs are under you; thenha; ha; ha!



then your legs are your under…standing。 Hee; bee;



hee! Ho; ho! My; but that's a fine joke。 And the



stupid Hoppers couldn't see it! They couldn't see



that with only one leg they must have less



under…standing than we who have two legs。 Ha; ha;



ha! Hee; bee! Ho; ho!〃 The Chief wiped the tears



of laughter from his eyes with the bottom hem of



his white robe; and all the other Horners wiped



their eyes on their robes; for they had laughed



just as heartily as their Chief at the absurd



joke。







〃Then;〃 said Scraps; 〃their understanding of the



understanding you meant led to the



misunderstanding。〃







〃Exactly; and so there's no need for us to



apologize;〃 returned the Chief。







〃No need for an apology; perhaps; but much need



for an explanation;〃 said Scraps decidedly。 〃You



don't want war; do you?〃







〃Not if we can help it;〃 admitted Jak Horner。



〃The question is; who's going to explain the joke



to the Horners? You know it spoils any joke to be



obliged to explain it; and this is the best joke I



ever heard。〃







〃Who made the joke?〃 asked Scraps。







〃Diksey Horner。 He is working in the mines; just



now; but he'll be home before long。 Suppose we



wait and talk with him about it? Maybe he'll be



willing to explain his joke to the Hoppers。〃







〃All right;〃 said Scraps。 〃I'll wait; if Diksey



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