登陆注册
5240600000048

第48章 Chapter Twenty Dorothy to the Rescue

One day when Princess Dorothy of Oz was visiting Glinda the Good, who is Ozma's Royal Sorceress, she was looking through Glinda's Great Book of Records -- wherein is inscribed all important events that happen in every part of the world -- when she came upon the record of the destruction of Pingaree, the capture of King Kitticut and Queen Garee and all their people, and the curious escape of Inga, the boy Prince, and of King Rinkitink and the talking goat. Turning over some of the following pages, Dorothy read how Inga had found the Magic Pearls and was rowing the silver-lined boat to Regos to try to rescue his parents.

The little girl was much interested to know how well Inga succeeded, but she returned to the palace of Ozma at the Emerald City of Oz the next day and other events made her forget the boy Prince of Pingaree for a time.

However, she was one day idly looking at Ozma's Magic Picture, which shows any scene you may wish to see, when the girl thought of Inga and commanded the Magic Picture to show what the boy was doing at that moment.

It was the time when Inga and Rinkitink had followed the King of Regos and Queen of Coregos to the Nome King's country and she saw them hiding behind the rock as Cor and Gos passed them by after having placed the King and Queen of Pingaree in the keeping of the Nome King. From that time Dorothy followed, by means of the Magic Picture, the adventures of Inga and his friend in the Nome King's caverns, and the danger and helplessness of the poor boy aroused the little girl's pity and indignation.

So she went to Ozma and told the lovely girl Ruler of Oz all about Inga and Rinkitink.

"I think Kaliko is treating them dreadfully mean," declared Dorothy, "and I wish you'd let me go to the Nome Country and help them out of their troubles."

"Go, my dear, if you wish to," replied Ozma, "but I think it would be best for you to take the Wizard with you."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of the nomes," said Dorothy, "but I'll be glad to take the Wizard, for company. And may we use your Magic Carpet, Ozma?"

"Of course. Put the Magic Carpet in the Red Wagon and have the Sawhorse take you and the Wizard to the edge of the desert. While you are gone, Dorothy, I'll watch you in the Magic Picture, and if any danger threatens you I'll see you are not harmed."

Dorothy thanked the Ruler of Oz and kissed her good-bye, for she was determined to start at once. She found the Wizard of Oz, who was planting shoetrees in the garden, and when she told him Inga's story he willingly agreed to accompany the little girl to the Nome King's caverns. They had both been there before and had conquered the nomes with ease, so they were not at all afraid.

The Wizard, who was a cheery little man with a bald head and a winning smile, harnessed the Wooden Sawhorse to the Red Wagon and loaded on Ozma's Magic Carpet.

Then he and Dorothy climbed to the seat and the Sawhorse started off and carried them swiftly through the beautiful Land of Oz to the edge of the Deadly Desert that separated their fairyland from the Nome Country.

Even Dorothy and the clever Wizard would not have dared to cross this desert without the aid of the Magic Carpet, for it would have quickly destroyed them; but when the roll of carpet had been placed upon the edge of the sands, leaving just enough lying flat for them to stand upon, the carpet straightway began to unroll before them and as they walked on it continued to unroll, until they had safely passed over the stretch of Deadly Desert and were on the border of the Nome King's dominions.

This journey had been accomplished in a few minutes, although such a distance would have required several days travel had they not been walking on the Magic Carpet. On arriving they at once walked toward the entrance to the caverns of the nomes.

The Wizard carried a little black bag containing his tools of wizardry, while Dorothy carried over her arm a covered basket in which she had placed a dozen eggs, with which to conquer the nomes if she had any trouble with them.

Eggs may seem to you to be a queer weapon with which to fight, but the little girl well knew their value.

The nomes are immortal; that is, they do not perish, as mortals do, unless they happen to come in contact with an egg. If an egg touches them -- either the outer shell or the inside of the egg -- the nomes lose their charm of perpetual life and thereafter are liable to die through accident or old age, just as all humans are.

For this reason the sight of an egg fills a nome with terror and he will do anything to prevent an egg from touching him, even for an instant. So, when Dorothy took her basket of eggs with her, she knew that she was more powerfully armed than if she had a regiment of soldiers at her back.

同类推荐
  • 佛说国王不黎先尼十梦经

    佛说国王不黎先尼十梦经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 玄宗直指万法同归

    玄宗直指万法同归

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 具茨集

    具茨集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华岩还初佛禅师语录

    华岩还初佛禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说大三摩惹经

    佛说大三摩惹经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 盛唐见证:大明宫(文化之美)

    盛唐见证:大明宫(文化之美)

    在大唐几百年的历史洪流中,大明宫始终巍然屹立。王维曾写道“九天阊阖开宫殿,万国衣冠拜冕旒”,足以窥见当时之盛况。作为唐朝的政治中心和国家象征,这里曾经充满了后宫的勾心斗角,朝廷的尔虞我诈,也见证了一代代帝王的文才武略,感受到黎民百姓的悲苦与安康。推开大明宫的斑驳城门,呈现在眼前的是一个朝代的恢弘盛世。
  • 唐立淇2013星座运程:水瓶座

    唐立淇2013星座运程:水瓶座

    翻转过去灰蒙蒙的命运,2012年水瓶们的才华终于被看见,有人爆红,有人升官,有人恋情顺利、购置房产,人生宛如重新起步般兴奋。扛起重大的责任,无法有个人意志,的确非常辛苦,但其实压力的背后,是隐藏着“帮助你成气候”的机会,你的身价也通过一件件达成的目标,累积成扎实的分量。2013年是值得你把握、打拼的年份。
  • 天地主宰

    天地主宰

    绝世武神秦阳,因故被神域九帝围攻,自爆元神,重生为一个被宗门暗算的小城世子,且看他如何以体内的封禁战灵,重踏武道,步步为营,杀上九霄,屠戮神魔,成为这天地万界的大主宰!
  • 农家喜当妈

    农家喜当妈

    穿越去农家,睁眼就当妈,都有两个宝了,大叔你怎么还要生?银无半两,地无一亩,两个孩儿嗷嗷待乳,丝丝卷起袖子把活儿干。人家穿越福利多多,她为啥两手空空,什么都要靠自己打拼?大叔拍着胸膛,笑得一脸憨厚:“小喵儿,家里一切交给你,外面天塌下来由我顶。”丝丝睥睨的一挑柳叶眉!“大叔,你还妄想把我困在后院那四角天空不成?”当威武大叔撞上水一般的小女人,谁输谁赢,咱们走着瞧!硬汉+软妹,甜宠文。豆豆的《丑妻来种田:山里汉,别太宠!》《悍女种田:山里汉宠妻成瘾》求支持。
  • 武世雄风

    武世雄风

    全新的武学!全新的江湖!全新的境界!真实的情感!侠义之心永不退缩。抬头笑傲低头醉,醒来还与苍天会!
  • 塑造孩子品质的美德故事(青少年心灵成长直通车)

    塑造孩子品质的美德故事(青少年心灵成长直通车)

    本书从成长中可能遇到的问题出发,内容涵盖了勤奋、坚强、自信、乐观等诸多与孩子健康成长密切相关的方面,人选的故事通俗易懂,道理清晰明了,版式活泼多样,容易激发孩子强烈的阅读兴趣,能够起到极好的教育和熏陶作用,对于提高孩子的文化素养、拓展孩子的知识面大有帮助。好习惯成就好未来,孩子从小养成良好的习惯,成就大事业将不再是遥不可及的梦想。生命需要鼓舞,心灵需要滋润。《国民阅读文库·青少年心灵成长直通车》图书的故事极具启蒙意义,可以启迪孩子的心灵,开发孩子的潜能,塑造孩子健康的人格,为孩子健康茁壮成长创造必要的条件。愿孩子们拥有一次快乐的阅读之旅。
  • 截教多宝仙

    截教多宝仙

    一朝开眼,再次成为了截教多宝道人。封神量劫,虽因果注定,天意如刀,但这一世,他定能扭转乾坤,在这天地大劫之间,再复截教天下……
  • 彼岸花开生死相随

    彼岸花开生死相随

    千里下凡来寻你,轮回一世隔千秋,轮回后你可还记得我,相遇的时候?永远的来寻你,有世候总要相信,其实总世上有一很爱很受你的人。一不相忘,自难忘
  • 我叫锐萌萌

    我叫锐萌萌

    游戏的王者,夙愿终了的时候,来到了瓦洛兰大陆。黑铁,青铜,白银……一切从头,却有一颗王者的心。手中的那柄断剑,是否依然狂乱飞舞,蘸血为画。断剑重铸,骑士归来。我深爱的人啊,愿用一剑放逐,换你一生倾心!PS:书友群536174112,记得加群哦
  • Death by Water