章节正文
the effect was so marvelous that Trot drew in her
breath with a sort of a gasp, and stood quite still in
wonder.
But the walls and roof of the cavern were merely a
setting for a more wonderful scene. In the center was a
bubbling caldron of water, for here the river rose again,
splashing and dashing till its spray rose high in the
air, where it took the ruby color of the jewels and
seemed like a seething mass of flame. And while they
gazed into the tumbling, tossing water, the body of the
Scarecrow suddenly rose in the center, struggling and
kicking, and the next instantwholly disappeared from
view.
"My, but he's wet!" exclaimed Button-Bright; but none
of the others heard him.
Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge --
covered, like the walls, with glittering rubies -- ran
all around the cavern; so they followed this gorgeous
path to the rear and found where the water made its final
dive underground, before it disappeared entirely. Where
it plunged into this dim abyss the river was black and
dreary looking, and they stood gazing in awe until just
beside them the body of the Scarecrow again popped up
from the water.
Chapter Twenty Three
The Land of Oz
The straw man's appearance on the water was so sudden
that it startled Trot, but Cap'n Bill had the presence of
mind to stick his wooden leg out over the water and the
Scarecrow made a desperateclutch and grabbed the leg
with both hands. He managed to hold on until Trot and
Button-Bright knelt down and seized his clothing, but the
children would have been powerless to drag the soaked
Scarecrow ashore had not Cap'n Bill now assisted them.
When they laid him on the ledge of rubies he was the most
useless looking Scarecrow you can imagine -- his straw
sodden and dripping with water, his clothing wet and
crumpled, while even the sack upon which his face was
painted had become so wrinkled that the old jolly
expression of their stuffed friend's features was
entirely gone. But he could still speak, and when Trot
bent down her ear she heard him say:
"Get me out of here as soon as you can."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so Cap'n Bill lifted
his head and shoulders, and Trot and Button-Bright each
took a leg; among them they partly carried and partly
dragged the damp Scarecrow out of the Ruby Cavern, along
the tunnel, and up the flight of rock steps. It was
somewhat difficult to get him past the edge of the
waterfall, but they succeeded, after much effort, and a
few minutes later laid their poor comrade on a grassy
bank where the sun shone upon him freely and he was
beyond the reach of the spray.
Cap'n Bill now knelt down and examined the straw that
the Scarecrow was stuffed with.
"I don't believe it'll be of much use to him, any
more," said he, "for it's full of polliwogs an' fish
eggs, an' the water has took all the crinkle out o' the
straw an ruined it. I guess, Trot, that the best thing
for us to do is to empty out all his body an' carry his
head an' clothes along the road till we come to a field
or a house where we can get some fresh straw."
"Yes, Cap'n," she agreed, "there's nothing else to be
done. But how shall we ever find the road to Glinda's
palace, without the Scarecrow to guide us?"
"That's easy," said the Scarecrow, speaking in a rather
feeble but distinct voice. "If Cap'n Bill will carry my
head on his shoulders, eyes front, I can tell him which
way to go."
So they followed that plan and emptied all the old, wet
straw out of the Scarecrow's body. Then the sailor-man
wrung out the clothes and laid them in the sun till they
were quite dry. Trot took charge of the head and pressed
the wrinkles out of the face as it dried, so that after a
while the Scarecrow's expression became natural again,
and as jolly as before.
This work consumed some time, but when it was completed
they again started upon their journey, Button-Bright
carrying the boots and hat, Trot the bundle of clothes,
and Cap'n Bill the head. The Scarecrow, having regained
his composure and being now in a good humor, despite his
recent mishaps, beguiled their way with stories of the
Land of Oz.
It was not until the next morning, however, that they
found straw with which to restuff the Scarecrow. That
evening they came to the same little house they had slept
in before, only now it was magically transferred to a new
place. The same bountiful supper as before was found
smoking hot upon the table and the same cosy beds were
ready for them to sleep in.
They rose early and after breakfast went out of doors,
and there, lying just beside the house, was a heap of
clean, crisp straw. Ozma had noticed the Scarecrow's
accident in her Magic Picture and had notified the Wizard
to provide the straw, for she knew the adventurers were
not likely to find straw in the country through which
they were now traveling.
They lost no time in stuffing the Scarecrow anew, and
he was greatly delighted at being able to walk around
again and to assume the leadership of the little party.
"Really," said Trot, "I think you're better than you
were before, for you are fresh and sweet all through and
rustle beautifully when you move."
"Thank you, my dear," he replied gratefully. "I always
feel like a new man when I'm freshly stuffed. No one
likes to get musty, you know, and even good straw may be
spoiled by age."
"It was water that spoiled you, the last time,"
remarked Button-Bright, "which proves that too much
bathing is as bad as too little. But, after all,
Scarecrow, water is not as dangerous for you as fire."
"All things are good in moderation," declared the
Scarecrow. "But now, let us hurry on, or we shall not
reach Glinda's palace by nightfall."
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Royal Reception
At about four o'clock of that same day the Red Wagon
drew up at the entrance to Glinda's palace and Dorothy
and Betsy jumped out. Ozma's Red Wagon was almost a
chariot, being inlaid with rubies and pearls, and it was
drawn by Ozma's favorite steed, the wooden Sawhorse.
"Shall I unharness you," asked Dorothy, "so you can
come in and visit?"
"No," replied the Sawhorse. "I'll just stand here and
think. Take your time. Thinking doesn't seem to bore me
at all."
"What will you think of?" inquired Betsy.
"Of the acorn that grew the tree from which I was
made."
So they left the wooden animal and went in to see
Glinda, who welcomed the little girls in her most cordial
manner.
"I knew you were on your way," said the good Sorceress
when they were seated in her library, "for I learned from
my Record Book that you intended to meet Trot and Button-
Bright on their arrival here."
"Is the strange little girl named Trot?" asked Dorothy.
"Yes; and her companion, the old sailor, is named Cap'n
Bill. I think we shall like them very much, for they are
just the kind of people to enjoy and appreciate our
fairyland and I do not see any way, at present, for them
to return again to the outside world."
"Well, there's room enough here for them, I'm sure,"
said Dorothy. "Betsy and I are already eager to welcome
Trot. It will keep us busy for a year, at least, showing
her all the wonderful things in Oz."
Glinda smiled.
"I have lived here many years," said she, "and I have
not seen all the wonders of Oz yet."
Meantime the travelers were drawing near to the palace,
and when they first caught sight of its towers Trot
realized that it was far more grand and imposing than was
the King's castle in Jinxland. The nearer they came, the
more beautiful the palace appeared, and when finally the
Scarecrow led them up the great marble steps, even
Button-Bright was filled with awe.
"I don't see any soldiers to guard the place," said the
little girl.
"There is no need to guard Glinda's palace," replied
the Scarecrow. "We have no wicked people in Oz, that we
know of, and even if there were any, Glinda's magic would
be powerful enough to protect her."
Button-Bright was now standing on the top steps of the
entrance, and he suddenly exclaimed:
"Why, there's the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon! Hip,
hooray!" and next moment he was rushing down to throw his
arms around the neck of the wooden horse, which good-
naturedly permitted this familiarity when it recognized
in the boy an old friend.
Button-Bright's shout had been heard inside the palace,
so now Dorothy and Betsy came running out to embrace
their beloved friend, the Scarecrow, and to welcome Trot
and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz.
"We've been watching you for a long time, in Ozma's
Magic Picture," said Dorothy, "and Ozma has sent us to
invite you to her own palace in the Em'rald City. I don't
know if you realize how lucky you are to get that
invitation, but you'll understand it better after you've
seen the royal palace and the Em'rald City."
Glinda now appeared in person to lead all the party
into her Azure Reception Room. Trot was a little afraid
of the stately Sorceress, but gained courage by holding
fast to the hands of Betsy and Dorothy. Cap'n Bill had no
one to help him feel at ease, so the old sailor sat
stiffly on the edge of his chair and said:
"Yes, ma'am," or "No, ma'am," when he was spoken to,
and was greatly embarrassed by so much splendor.
The Scarecrow had lived so much in palaces that he felt
quite at home, and he chatted to Glinda and the Oz girls
in a merry, light-hearted way. He told all about his
adventures in Jinxland, and at the Great Waterfall, and
on the journey hither -- most of which his hearers knew
already -- and then he asked Dorothy and Betsy what had
happened in the Emerald City since he had left there.
They all passed the evening and the night at Glinda's
palace, and the Sorceress was so gracious to Cap'n Bill
that the old man by degrees regained his self-possession
and began to enjoy himself. Trot had already come to the
conclusion that in Dorothy and Betsy she had found two
delightful comrades, and Button-Bright was just as much
at home here as he had been in the fields of Jinxland or
breath with a sort of a gasp, and stood quite still in
wonder.
But the walls and roof of the cavern were merely a
setting for a more wonderful scene. In the center was a
bubbling caldron of water, for here the river rose again,
splashing and dashing till its spray rose high in the
air, where it took the ruby color of the jewels and
seemed like a seething mass of flame. And while they
gazed into the tumbling, tossing water, the body of the
Scarecrow suddenly rose in the center, struggling and
kicking, and the next instantwholly disappeared from
view.
"My, but he's wet!" exclaimed Button-Bright; but none
of the others heard him.
Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge --
covered, like the walls, with glittering rubies -- ran
all around the cavern; so they followed this gorgeous
path to the rear and found where the water made its final
dive underground, before it disappeared entirely. Where
it plunged into this dim abyss the river was black and
dreary looking, and they stood gazing in awe until just
beside them the body of the Scarecrow again popped up
from the water.
Chapter Twenty Three
The Land of Oz
The straw man's appearance on the water was so sudden
that it startled Trot, but Cap'n Bill had the presence of
mind to stick his wooden leg out over the water and the
Scarecrow made a desperateclutch and grabbed the leg
with both hands. He managed to hold on until Trot and
Button-Bright knelt down and seized his clothing, but the
children would have been powerless to drag the soaked
Scarecrow ashore had not Cap'n Bill now assisted them.
When they laid him on the ledge of rubies he was the most
useless looking Scarecrow you can imagine -- his straw
sodden and dripping with water, his clothing wet and
crumpled, while even the sack upon which his face was
painted had become so wrinkled that the old jolly
expression of their stuffed friend's features was
entirely gone. But he could still speak, and when Trot
bent down her ear she heard him say:
"Get me out of here as soon as you can."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so Cap'n Bill lifted
his head and shoulders, and Trot and Button-Bright each
took a leg; among them they partly carried and partly
dragged the damp Scarecrow out of the Ruby Cavern, along
the tunnel, and up the flight of rock steps. It was
somewhat difficult to get him past the edge of the
waterfall, but they succeeded, after much effort, and a
few minutes later laid their poor comrade on a grassy
bank where the sun shone upon him freely and he was
beyond the reach of the spray.
Cap'n Bill now knelt down and examined the straw that
the Scarecrow was stuffed with.
"I don't believe it'll be of much use to him, any
more," said he, "for it's full of polliwogs an' fish
eggs, an' the water has took all the crinkle out o' the
straw an ruined it. I guess, Trot, that the best thing
for us to do is to empty out all his body an' carry his
head an' clothes along the road till we come to a field
or a house where we can get some fresh straw."
"Yes, Cap'n," she agreed, "there's nothing else to be
done. But how shall we ever find the road to Glinda's
palace, without the Scarecrow to guide us?"
"That's easy," said the Scarecrow, speaking in a rather
feeble but distinct voice. "If Cap'n Bill will carry my
head on his shoulders, eyes front, I can tell him which
way to go."
So they followed that plan and emptied all the old, wet
straw out of the Scarecrow's body. Then the sailor-man
wrung out the clothes and laid them in the sun till they
were quite dry. Trot took charge of the head and pressed
the wrinkles out of the face as it dried, so that after a
while the Scarecrow's expression became natural again,
and as jolly as before.
This work consumed some time, but when it was completed
they again started upon their journey, Button-Bright
carrying the boots and hat, Trot the bundle of clothes,
and Cap'n Bill the head. The Scarecrow, having regained
his composure and being now in a good humor, despite his
recent mishaps, beguiled their way with stories of the
Land of Oz.
It was not until the next morning, however, that they
found straw with which to restuff the Scarecrow. That
evening they came to the same little house they had slept
in before, only now it was magically transferred to a new
place. The same bountiful supper as before was found
smoking hot upon the table and the same cosy beds were
ready for them to sleep in.
They rose early and after breakfast went out of doors,
and there, lying just beside the house, was a heap of
clean, crisp straw. Ozma had noticed the Scarecrow's
accident in her Magic Picture and had notified the Wizard
to provide the straw, for she knew the adventurers were
not likely to find straw in the country through which
they were now traveling.
They lost no time in stuffing the Scarecrow anew, and
he was greatly delighted at being able to walk around
again and to assume the leadership of the little party.
"Really," said Trot, "I think you're better than you
were before, for you are fresh and sweet all through and
rustle beautifully when you move."
"Thank you, my dear," he replied gratefully. "I always
feel like a new man when I'm freshly stuffed. No one
likes to get musty, you know, and even good straw may be
spoiled by age."
"It was water that spoiled you, the last time,"
remarked Button-Bright, "which proves that too much
bathing is as bad as too little. But, after all,
Scarecrow, water is not as dangerous for you as fire."
"All things are good in moderation," declared the
Scarecrow. "But now, let us hurry on, or we shall not
reach Glinda's palace by nightfall."
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Royal Reception
At about four o'clock of that same day the Red Wagon
drew up at the entrance to Glinda's palace and Dorothy
and Betsy jumped out. Ozma's Red Wagon was almost a
chariot, being inlaid with rubies and pearls, and it was
drawn by Ozma's favorite steed, the wooden Sawhorse.
"Shall I unharness you," asked Dorothy, "so you can
come in and visit?"
"No," replied the Sawhorse. "I'll just stand here and
think. Take your time. Thinking doesn't seem to bore me
at all."
"What will you think of?" inquired Betsy.
"Of the acorn that grew the tree from which I was
made."
So they left the wooden animal and went in to see
Glinda, who welcomed the little girls in her most cordial
manner.
"I knew you were on your way," said the good Sorceress
when they were seated in her library, "for I learned from
my Record Book that you intended to meet Trot and Button-
Bright on their arrival here."
"Is the strange little girl named Trot?" asked Dorothy.
"Yes; and her companion, the old sailor, is named Cap'n
Bill. I think we shall like them very much, for they are
just the kind of people to enjoy and appreciate our
fairyland and I do not see any way, at present, for them
to return again to the outside world."
"Well, there's room enough here for them, I'm sure,"
said Dorothy. "Betsy and I are already eager to welcome
Trot. It will keep us busy for a year, at least, showing
her all the wonderful things in Oz."
Glinda smiled.
"I have lived here many years," said she, "and I have
not seen all the wonders of Oz yet."
Meantime the travelers were drawing near to the palace,
and when they first caught sight of its towers Trot
realized that it was far more grand and imposing than was
the King's castle in Jinxland. The nearer they came, the
more beautiful the palace appeared, and when finally the
Scarecrow led them up the great marble steps, even
Button-Bright was filled with awe.
"I don't see any soldiers to guard the place," said the
little girl.
"There is no need to guard Glinda's palace," replied
the Scarecrow. "We have no wicked people in Oz, that we
know of, and even if there were any, Glinda's magic would
be powerful enough to protect her."
Button-Bright was now standing on the top steps of the
entrance, and he suddenly exclaimed:
"Why, there's the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon! Hip,
hooray!" and next moment he was rushing down to throw his
arms around the neck of the wooden horse, which good-
naturedly permitted this familiarity when it recognized
in the boy an old friend.
Button-Bright's shout had been heard inside the palace,
so now Dorothy and Betsy came running out to embrace
their beloved friend, the Scarecrow, and to welcome Trot
and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz.
"We've been watching you for a long time, in Ozma's
Magic Picture," said Dorothy, "and Ozma has sent us to
invite you to her own palace in the Em'rald City. I don't
know if you realize how lucky you are to get that
invitation, but you'll understand it better after you've
seen the royal palace and the Em'rald City."
Glinda now appeared in person to lead all the party
into her Azure Reception Room. Trot was a little afraid
of the stately Sorceress, but gained courage by holding
fast to the hands of Betsy and Dorothy. Cap'n Bill had no
one to help him feel at ease, so the old sailor sat
stiffly on the edge of his chair and said:
"Yes, ma'am," or "No, ma'am," when he was spoken to,
and was greatly embarrassed by so much splendor.
The Scarecrow had lived so much in palaces that he felt
quite at home, and he chatted to Glinda and the Oz girls
in a merry, light-hearted way. He told all about his
adventures in Jinxland, and at the Great Waterfall, and
on the journey hither -- most of which his hearers knew
already -- and then he asked Dorothy and Betsy what had
happened in the Emerald City since he had left there.
They all passed the evening and the night at Glinda's
palace, and the Sorceress was so gracious to Cap'n Bill
that the old man by degrees regained his self-possession
and began to enjoy himself. Trot had already come to the
conclusion that in Dorothy and Betsy she had found two
delightful comrades, and Button-Bright was just as much
at home here as he had been in the fields of Jinxland or
- marvelous [´mɑ:viləs]
(=marvellous) a.奇异的 (初中英语单词) - instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)
- wooden [´wudn] a.木制的；呆板的 (初中英语单词)
- desperate [´despərit] a.拼死的；绝望的 (初中英语单词)
- clutch [klʌtʃ] v.抓住 n.爪子；控制 (初中英语单词)
- ashore [ə´ʃɔ:] ad.向岸上 (初中英语单词)
- partly [´pɑ:tli] ad.部分地；不完全地 (初中英语单词)
- tunnel [´tʌnl] n.隧道 v.挖隧道 (初中英语单词)
- flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)
- freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)
- distinct [di´stiŋkt] a.清楚的；独特的 (初中英语单词)
- charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
- bundle [´bʌndl] n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词)
- despite [di´spait] prep.尽管 (初中英语单词)
- gratefully [´greitfuli] ad.感激地 (初中英语单词)
- arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- appreciate [ə´pri:ʃieit] v.评价；珍惜；感激 (初中英语单词)
- marble [´mɑ:bəl] n.大理石 a.大理石的 (初中英语单词)
- wicked [´wikid] a.邪恶的；不道德的 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为....所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)
- welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)
- gracious [´greiʃəs] a.和蔼可亲的；任慈的 (初中英语单词)
- cavern [´kævən] n.大山洞；大岩洞 (高中英语单词)
- underground [,ʌndə´graund] ad.&a.地下(的) (高中英语单词)
- leadership [´li:dəʃip] n.领导(能力) (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- reception [ri´sepʃən] n.接待；欢迎；招待会 (高中英语单词)
- stately [´steitli] a.庄严的，雄伟的 (高中英语单词)
- waterfall [´wɔ:təfɔ:l] n.瀑布 (高中英语单词)
- composure [kəm´pəuʒə] n.镇静，沉着 (英语四级单词)
- delighted [di´laitid] a.高兴的；喜欢的 (英语四级单词)
- beautifully [´bju:tifəli] ad.美丽地；优美地 (英语四级单词)
- freshly [´freʃli] ad.新近，刚才 (英语四级单词)
- drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)
- emerald [´emərəld] n.纯绿宝石；翠绿色 (英语四级单词)
- dashing [´dæʃiŋ] a.勇猛的；生气勃勃的 (英语六级单词)
- powerless [´pauələs] a.软弱的；无资源的 (英语六级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- imposing [im´pəuziŋ] a.壮丽的，堂皇的 (英语六级单词)
- familiarity [fə,mili´æriti] n.熟悉；新近；随便 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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