登陆注册
14717500000028

第28章

The Great SorceressBetsy and Trot, when they heard of the rescue expedition, begged the Wizard to permit them to join it and he consented. The Glass Cat, overhearing the conversation, wanted to go also and to this the Wizard made no objection.

This Glass Cat was one of the real curiosities of Oz.

It had been made and brought to life by a clever magician named Dr. Pipt, who was not now permitted to work magic and was an ordinary citizen of the Emerald City. The cat was of transparent glass, through which one could plainly see its ruby heart beating and its pink brains whirling around in the top of the head.

The Glass Cat's eyes were emeralds; its fluffy tail was of spun glass and very beautiful. The ruby heart, while pretty to look at, was hard and cold and the Glass Cat's disposition was not pleasant at all times.

It scorned to catch mice, did not eat, and was extremely lazy. If you complimented the remarkable cat on her beauty, she would be very friendly, for she loved admiration above everything. The pink brains were always working and their owner was indeed more intelligent than most common cats.

Three other additions to the rescue party were made the next morning, just as they were setting out upon their journey. The first was a little boy called Button Bright, because he had no other name that anyone could remember. He was a fine, manly little fellow, well mannered and good humored, who had only one bad fault.

He was continually getting lost. To be sure, Button Bright got found as often as he got lost, but when he was missing his friends could not help being anxious about him.

"Some day," predicted the Patchwork Girl, "he won't be found, and that will be the last of him." But that didn't worry Button Bright, who was so careless that he did not seem to be able to break the habit of getting lost.

The second addition to the party was a Munchkin boy of about Button Bright's age, named Ojo. He was often called "Ojo the Lucky," because good fortune followed him wherever he went. He and Button Bright were close friends, although of such different natures, and Trot and Betsy were fond of both.

The third and last to join the expedition was an enormous lion, one of Ozma's regular guardians and the most important and intelligent beast in all Oz. He called himself the Cowardly Lion, saying that every little danger scared him so badly that his heart thumped against his ribs, but all who knew him knew that the Cowardly Lion's fears were coupled with bravery and that however much he might be frightened he summoned courage to meet every danger he encountered.

Often he had saved Dorothy and Ozma in times of peril, but afterward he moaned and trembled and wept because he had been so scared.

"If Ozma needs help, I'm going to help her," said the great beast. "Also, I suspect the rest of you may need me on the journey -- especially Trot and Betsy -- for you may pass through a dangerous part of the country. Iknow that wild Gillikin country pretty well. Its forests harbor many ferocious beasts."They were glad the Cowardly Lion was to join them, and in good spirits the entire party formed a procession and marched out of the Emerald City amid the shouts of the people, who wished them success and a safe return with their beloved Ruler.

They followed a different route from that taken by Ozma and Dorothy, for they went through the Winkie Country and up north toward Oogaboo. But before they got there they swerved to the left and entered the Great Gillikin Forest, the nearest thing to a wilderness in all Oz. Even the Cowardly Lion had to admit that certain parts of this forest were unknown to him, although he had often wandered among the trees, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, who were great travelers, never had been there at all.

The forest was only reached after a tedious tramp, for some of the Rescue Expedition were quite awkward on their feet. The Patchwork Girl was as light as a feather and very spry; the Tin Woodman covered the ground as easily as Uncle Henry and the Wizard; but Tik-Tok moved slowly and the slightest obstruction in the road would halt him until the others cleared it away. Then, too, Tik-Tok's machinery kept running down, so Betsy and Trot took turns in winding it up.

The Scarecrow was more clumsy but less bother, for although he often stumbled and fell he could scramble up again and a little patting of his straw-stuffed body would put him in good shape again.

Another awkward one was Jack Pumpkinhead, for walking would jar his head around on his neck and then he would be likely to go in the wrong direction. But the Frogman took Jack's arm and then he followed the path more easily.

Cap'n Bill's wooden leg didn't prevent him from keeping up with the others and the old sailor could walk as far as any of them.

When they entered the forest the Cowardly Lion took the lead. There was no path here for men, but many beasts had made paths of their own which only the eyes of the Lion, practiced in woodcraft, could discern. So he stalked ahead and wound his way in and out, the others following in single file, Glinda being next to the Lion.

There are dangers in the forest, of course, but as the huge Lion headed the party he kept the wild denizens of the wilderness from bothering the travelers. Once, to be sure, an enormous leopard sprang upon the Glass Cat and caught her in his powerful jaws, but he broke several of his teeth and with howls of pain and dismay dropped his prey and vanished among the trees.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 爱上裹糖衣的恶魔

    爱上裹糖衣的恶魔

    [花雨授权]找到救星了!一定是老天爷同情她,不忍心看她没饭吃,所以派个贵人帮助她,只要她扒著他不放,就有机会成为畅销作家——不会吧?他根本不是武侠小说作家,那本旷世巨作是他朋友写的,只是大集团的总经理。
  • 宇宙公务员

    宇宙公务员

    你已进入宇宙公务员系统,异能、美女、黄金,手快有,手慢无!姜子牙申公豹的兄弟恩仇,土行孙邓婵玉的恋人积怨,有纣王、有妲己——闻仲,你不要捣乱啊——小保,机遇来了:所谓一花一世界,一树一菩提,世界不止一个,宇宙到处都是,位面数不胜数,穿越从来不是个事儿……且看都市青年王保保纵横虚拟宇宙,笑傲都市群雄——
  • 万古剑圣

    万古剑圣

    ……一朝梦醒,万年已逝。前世身为绝代剑圣的他,为了人族命运争斗妖域百族,无怨无悔。这一世再世为人,他不再是孤独一人,面对亲人挚爱,他终究再次执起了手中的长剑,而每一次也必将搅动天地,让风云变色!……
  • 天域破

    天域破

    神说,“天若大乱,必先乱其人心。”他说,“若我成天,必先斩道!!!”他说,“若我成仙,必先斩魔!!!”他说,“若我成魔,必先斩己!!!”成天,成仙,成魔。。。渡人,渡魔,渡仙。。。终渡不了己。神说“天若大乱,必先乱其人心。”只好渡三千瓢水,渡情,立地为佛。
  • 默守如初

    默守如初

    人的生命中总会遇见两个人,一个惊艳了时光一个温柔了岁月。在顾以默的生命中也有这样的两个人,简溪惊艳了他的青春年华最终却如灿烂的烟火,繁华落幕余留伤痛;而沈如初就像那抹恰到好处的温暖,温柔灌溉他孤寂的灵魂。他最初要的就不多,不过是有一人温柔以待有一份温暖唾手可得。后来他才明白,沈如初才是他恰似温柔的守候,而简溪不过是强求。对沈如初来说,人生最重要的决定就是慌乱中抓住了顾以默的手。后来她才知道这一切都是注定好了的,在你的生命中无论遇见了谁,他都是你生命中该出现的人绝非偶然。而她和顾以默没有早一步也没有晚一步,一切来得刚刚好。
  • 年少的青春,年少的我们

    年少的青春,年少的我们

    一群六年级毕业生的日常小生活,有开心,有欢乐,有悲伤,有感动……
  • 超神学院血战联盟

    超神学院血战联盟

    第一次文笔不好,请多多包涵,我写的是lol里的英雄的背景故事与超神学院的故事,谢谢。小说致敬我们最爱的《超神学院》与英雄联盟,谢谢
  • 潜水道士

    潜水道士

    洞窟魅影,是勇敢者的游戏。为了揭开灵异事件的我,从此踏上了洞穴潜水的探索之路。感谢阅文评书团提供书评支持
  • 依寒允晴的甜美爱恋

    依寒允晴的甜美爱恋

    两个天才美少女因为家里的缘故转学来到了风岚学院,她们与两个美男子的爱恋就此展开,中间他们遇到很多波折……“苏依依我不会放过你的!……”贵族之间的爱恋是最波折的,就像他们一样。
  • 浮生诺

    浮生诺

    包青天同人文,以展昭艾虎的为背景,策马江湖看遍千山万水,此生最幸能并肩一回。