glinda of oz-第6部分

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called　Flatheads。　Their　heads　were　really　flat　on　top；

as　if　they　had　been　cut　off　just　above　the　eyes　and

ears。　Also　the　heads　were　bald；　with　no　hair　on　top　at

all；　and　the　ears　were　big　and　stuck　straight　out；　and

the　noses　were　small　and　stubby；　while　the　mouths　of

the　Flatheads　were　well　shaped　and　not　unusual。　Their

eyes　were　perhaps　their　best　feature；　being　large　and

bright　and　a　deep　violet　in　color。



The　costumes　of　the　Flatheads　were　all　made　of　metals

dug　from　their　mountain。　Small　gold；　silver；　tin　and

iron　discs；　about　the　size　of　pennies；　and　very　thin；

were　cleverly　wired　together　and　made　to　form　knee

trousers　and　jackets　for　the　men　and　skirts　and　waists

for　the　women。　The　colored　metals　were　skillfully　mixed

to　form　stripes　and　checks　of　various　sorts；　so　that

the　costumes　were　quite　gorgeous　and　reminded　Dorothy

of　pictures　she　had　seen　of　Knights　of　old　clothed

armor。



Aside　from　their　flat　heads；　these　people　were　not

really　bad　looking。　The　men　were　armed　with　bows　and

arrows　and　had　small　axes　of　steel　stuck　in　their　metal

belts。　They　wore　no　hats　nor　ornaments。









Chapter　Six



Flathead　Mountain







When　they　saw　that　the　intruders　on　their　mountain

were　only　two　little　girls；　the　Flatheads　grunted　with

satisfaction　and　drew　back；　permitting　them　to　see　what

the　mountain　top　looked　like。　It　was　shaped　like　a

saucer；　so　that　the　houses　and　other　buildings　　all

made　of　rocks　　could　not　be　seen　over　the　edge　by

anyone　standing　in　the　plain　below。



But　now　a　big　fat　Flathead　stood　before　the　girls　and

in　a　gruff　voice　demanded：



〃What　are　you　doing　here？　Have　the　Skeezers　sent　you

to　spy　upon　us？〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma；　Ruler　of　all　the　Land　of　Oz。〃



〃Well；　I've　never　heard　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　so　you　may

be　what　you　claim；〃　returned　the　Flathead。



〃This　is　the　Land　of　Oz　　part　of　it；　anyway；〃

exclaimed　Dorothy。　〃So　Princess　Ozma　rules　you　Flathead

people；　as　well　as　all　the　other　people　in　Oz。〃



The　man　laughed；　and　all　the　others　who　stood　around

laughed；　too。　Some　one　in　the　crowd　called：



〃She'd　better　not　tell　the　Supreme　Dictator　about

ruling　the　Flatheads。　Eh；　friends？〃



〃No；　indeed！〃　they　all　answered　in　positive　tones。



〃Who　is　your　Supreme　Dictator？〃　answered　Ozma。



〃I　think　I'll　let　him　tell　you　that　himself；〃

answered　the　man　who　had　first　spoken。　〃You　have　broken

our　laws　by　coming　here；　and　whoever　you　are　the

Supreme　Dictator　must　fix　your　punishment。　Come　along

with　me。〃



He　started　down　a　path　and　Ozma　and　Dorothy　followed

him　without　protest；　as　they　wanted　to　see　the　most

important　person　in　this　queer　country。　The　houses　they

passed　seemed　pleasant　enough　and　each　had　a　little

yard　in　which　were　flowers　and　vegetables。　Walls　of

rock　separated　the　dwellings；　and　all　the　paths　were

paved　with　smooth　slabs　of　rock。　This　seemed　their　only

building　material　and　they　utilized　it　cleverly　for

every　purpose。



Directly　in　the　center　of　the　great　saucer　stood　a

larger　building　which　the　Flathead　informed　the　girls

was　the　palace　of　the　Supreme　Dictator。　He　led　them

through　an　entrance　hall　into　a　big　reception　room；

where　they　sat　upon　stone　benches　and　awaited　the

coming　of　the　Dictator。　Pretty　soon　he　entered　from

another　room　　a　rather　lean　and　rather　old　Flathead；

dressed　much　like　the　others　of　this　strange　race；　and

only　distinguished　from　them　by　the　sly　and　cunning

expression　of　his　face。　He　kept　his　eyes　half　closed

and　looked　through　the　slits　of　them　at　Ozma　and

Dorothy；　who　rose　to　receive　him。



〃Are　you　the　Supreme　Dictator　of　the　Flatheads？〃

inquired　Ozma。



〃Yes；　that's　me；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands　slowly

together。　〃My　word　is　law。　I'm　the　head　of　the

Flatheads　on　this　flat　headland。〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　I　have　come　from　the

Emerald　City　to　〃



〃Stop　a　minute；〃　interrupted　the　Dictator；　and　turned

to　the　man　who　had　brought　the　girls　there。　〃Go　away；

Dictator　Felo　Flathead！〃　he　commanded。　〃Return　to　your

duty　and　guard　the　Stairway。　I　will　look　after　these

strangers。〃　The　man　bowed　and　departed；　and　Dorothy

asked　wonderingly：



〃Is　he　a　Dictator；　too？〃



〃Of　course；〃　was　the　answer。　〃Everybody　here　is　a

dictator　of　something　or　other。　They're　all　office

holders。　That's　what　keeps　them　contented。　But　I'm　the

Supreme　Dictator　of　all；　and　I'm　elected　once　a　year。

This　is　a　democracy；　you　know；　where　the　people　are

allowed　to　vote　for　their　rulers。　A　good　many　others

would　like　to　be　Supreme　Dictator；　but　as　I　made　a　law

that　I　am　always　to　count　the　votes　myself；　I　am　always

elected。〃



〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Ozma。



〃I　am　called　the　Su…dic；　which　is　short　for　Supreme

Dictator。　I　sent　that　man　away　because　the　moment　you

mentioned　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　the　Emerald　City；　I　knew　who

you　are。　I　suppose　I'm　the　only　Flathead　that　ever

heard　of　you；　but　that's　because　I　have　more　brains

than　the　rest。〃



Dorothy　was　staring　hard　at　the　Su…dic。



〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　have　any　brains　at　all；〃　she

remarked；　〃because　the　part　of　your　head　is　gone　where

brains　are　kept。〃



〃I　don't　blame　you　for　thinking　that；〃　he　said。　〃Once

the　Flatheads　had　no　brains　because；　as　you　say；　there

is　no　upper　part　to　their　heads；　to　hold　brains。　But

long；　long　ago　a　band　of　fairies　flew　over　this　country

and　made　it　all　a　fairyland；　and　when　they　came　to　the

Flatheads　the　fairies　were　sorry　to　find　them　all　very

stupid　and　quite　unable　to　think。　So；　as　there　was　no

good　place　in　their　bodies　in　which　to　put　brains　the

Fairy　Queen　gave　each　one　of　us　a　nice　can　of　brains　to

carry　in　his　pocket　and　that　made　us　just　as

intelligent　as　other　people。　See；〃　he　continued；　〃here

is　one　of　the　cans　of　brains　the　fairies　gave　us。〃　He

took　from　a　pocket　a　bright　tin　can　having　a　pretty　red

label　on　it　which　said：　Concentrated　Brains；　Extra

Quality。〃



〃And　does　every　Flathead　have　the　same　kind　of

brains？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　they're　all　alike。　Here's　another　can。〃　From

another　pocket　he　produced　a　second　can　of　brains。



〃Did　the　fairies　give　you　a　double　supply？〃　inquired

Dorothy。



〃No；　but　one　of　the　Flatheads　thought　he　wanted　to　be

the　Su…dic　and　tried　to　get　my　people　to　rebel　against

me；　so　I　punished　him　by　taking　away　his　brains。　One

day　my　wife　scolded　me　severely；　so　I　took　away　her　can

of　brains。　She　didn't　like　that　and　went　out　and　robbed

several　women　of　their　brains。　Then　I　made　a　law　that

if　anyone　stole　another's　brains；　or　even　tried　to

borrow　them；　he　would　forfeit　his　own　brains　to　the　Su…

dic。　So　each　one　is　content　with　his　own　canned　brains

and　my　wife　and　I　are　the　only　ones　on　the　mountain

with　more　than　one　can。　I　have　three　cans　and　that

makes　me　very　clever　　so　clever　that　I'm　a　good

Sorcerer；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。　My　poor　wife　had　four

cans　of　brains　and　became　a　remarkable　witch；　but　alas！

that　was　before　those　terrible　enemies；　the　Skeezers；

transformed　her　into　a　Golden　Pig。〃



〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃is　your　wife　really

a　Golden　Pig？〃



〃She　is。　The　Skeezers　did　it　and　so　I　have　declared

war　on　them。　In　revenge　for　making　my　wife　a　Pig　I

intend　to　ruin　their　Magic　Island　and　make　the　Skeezers

the　slaves　of　the　Flatheads！〃



The　Su…dic　was　very　angry　now；　his　eyes　flashed　and

his　face　took　on　a　wicked　and　fierce　expression。　But

Ozma　said　to　him；　very　sweetly　and　in　a　friendly　voice：



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　this。　Will　you　please　tell　me

more　about　your　troubles　with　the　Skeezers？　　Then

perhaps　I　can　help　you。〃



She　was　only　a　girl；　but　there　was　dignity　in　her

pose　and　speech　which　impressed　the　Su…dic。



〃If　you　are　really　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；〃　the　Flathead

said；　〃you　are　one　of　that　band　of　fairies　who；　under

Queen　Lurline；　made　all　Oz　a　Fairyland。　I　have　heard

that　Lurline　left　one　of　her　own　fairies　to　rule　Oz；

and　gave　the　fairy　the　name　of　Ozma。〃



〃If　you　knew　this　why　did　you　not　come　to　me　at　the

Emerald　City　and　tender　me　your　loyalty　and　obedience？〃

asked　the　Ruler　of　Oz。



〃Well；　I　only　learned　the　fact　lately；　and　I've　been

too　busy　to　leave　home；〃　he　explained；　looking　at　the

floor　instead　of　into　Ozma's　eyes。　She　knew　he　had

spoken　a　falsehood；　but　only　said：



〃Why　did　you　quarrel　with　the　Skeezers？〃



〃It　was　this　way；〃　began　the　Su…dic；　glad　to　change

the　subject。　〃We　Flatheads　love　fish；　and　as　we　have　no

fish　on　this　mountain　we　would　sometimes　go　to　the　Lake

of　the　Skeezers　to　catch　fish。　This　made　the　Skeezers

angry；　for　they　declared　the　fish　in　their　lake

belonged　to　them　and　were　under　their　protection　and

they　forbade　us　to　catch　them。　That　was　very　mean　and

unfriendly　in　the　Skeezers；　you　must　admit；　and　when　we

paid　no　attention　to　their　orders　they　set　a　guard　on

the　shore　of　the　lake　to　prevent　our　fishing。



〃Now；　my　wife；　Rora　Flathead；　having　four　cans　of

brains；　had　become　a　wonderful　witch；　and　fish　being

brain　food；　she　loved　to　eat　fish　better　than　any　one

of　us。　So　she　vowed　she　would　destroy　every　fish　in　the

lake；　unless　the　Skeezers　let　us　catch　what　we　wanted。

They　defied　us；　so　Rora　prepared　a　kettleful　of　magic

poison　and　went　down　to　the　lake　one　night　to　dump　it

all　in　the　water　and　poison　the　fish。　It　was　a　clever

idea；　quite　worthy　of　my　dear　wife；　but　the　Skeezer

Queen　　a　young　lady　named　Coo…ee…oh　　hid　on　the

bank　of　the　lake　and　taking　Rora　unawares；　transformed

her　into　a　Golden　Pig。　The　poison　was　spilled　on　the

ground　and　wicked　Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　not　content　with　her

cruel　transformation；　even　took　away　my　wife's　four

cans　of　brains；　so　she　is　now　a　common　grunting　pig

without　even　brains　enough　to　know　her　own　name。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Ozma　thoughtfully；　〃the　Queen　of　the

Skeezers　must　be　a　Sorceress。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Su…