the wonderful wizard of oz-第14部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





　　　　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　outhere　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。









　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　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