登陆注册
5255700000020

第20章 Chapter Nine The High Coco-Lorum of Thi(2)

"To be sure. Our throats and stomachs are lined with solid gold, and we find the thistles nourishing and good to eat. As a matter of fact, there is nothing else in our country that is fit for food. All around the City of Thi grow countless thistles, and all we need do is to go and gather them. If we wanted anything else to eat we would have to plant it, and grow it, and harvest it, and that would be a lot of trouble and make us work, which is an occupation we detest.""But, tell me, please," said the Wizard, "how does it happen that your city jumps around so, from one part of the country to another?""The city doesn't jump; it doesn't move at all,"declared the High Coco-Lorum. "However, I will admit that the land that surrounds it has a trick of turning this way or that; and so, if one is standing upon the plain and facing north, he is likely to find himself suddenly facing west -- or east -- or south. But once you reach the thistle fields you are on solid ground.""Ah, I begin to understand," said the Wizard, nodding his head. "But I have another question to ask: How does it happen that the Thists have no King to rule over them?""Hush!" whispered the High Coco-Lorum, looking uneasily around to make sure they were not overheard.

"In reality, I am the King, but the people don't know it. They think they rule themselves, but the fact is Ihave everything my own way. No one else knows anything about our laws, and so I make the laws to suit myself.

If any oppose me, or question my acts, I tell them it's the law, and that settles it. If I called myself King, however, and wore a crown and lived in royal state, the people would not like me, and might do me harm. As the High Coco-Lorum of Thi, I'm considered a very agreeable person.""It seems a very clever arrangement," said the Wizard. "And now, as you are the principal person in Thi, I beg you to tell us if the Royal Ozma is a captive in your city.""No," answered the diamond-headed man, "we have no captives. No strangers but yourselves are here, and we have never before heard of the Royal Ozma.""She rules all of Oz," said Dorothy, "and so she rules your city and you, because you are in the Winkie Country, which is a part of the Land of Oz.""It may be," returned the High Coco-Lorum, "for we do not study geography and have never inquired whether we live in the Land of Oz or not. And any Ruler who rules us from a distance, and unknown to us, is welcome to the job. But what has happened to your Royal Ozma?""Someone has stolen her," said the Wizard. "Do you happen to have any talented magician among your people -- one who is especially clever, you know?""No, none especially clever. We do some magic, of course, but it is all of the ordinary kind. I do not think any of us has yet aspired to stealing Rulers, either by magic or otherwise.""Then we've come a long way for nothing!" exclaimed Trot regretfully.

"But we are going farther than this," asserted the Patchwork Girl, bending her stuffed body backward until her yarn hair touched the floor and then walking around on her hands with her feet in the air.

The High Coco-Lorum watched Scraps admiringly.

"You may go farther on, of course," said he, "but Iadvise you not to. The Herkus live back of us, beyond the thistles and the twisting lands, and they are not very nice people to meet, I assure you.""Are they giants?" asked Betsy.

"They are worse than that," was the reply. "They have giants for their slaves and they are so much stronger than giants that the poor slaves dare not rebel, for fear of being torn to pieces.""How do you know,?" asked Scraps.

"Everyone says so," answered the High Coco-Lorum.

"Have you seen the Herkus yourself?" inquired Dorothy.

"No, but what everyone says must be true; otherwise, what would be the use of their saying it?""We were told, before we got here, that you people hitch dragons to your chariots," said the little girl.

"So we do," declared the High Coco-Lorum. "And that reminds me that I ought to entertain you, as strangers and my guests, by taking you for a ride around our splendid City of Thi."Coco-Lorum. "Every time I give an order it is in music, which is a much more pleasant way to address servants than in cold, stern word""Does this dragon of yours bite?" asked Button-Bright.

"Mercy, no! Do you think I'd risk the safety of my innocent people by using a biting dragon to draw my chariot? I'm proud to say that my dragon is harmless-unless his steering gear breaks -- and he was manufactured at the famous dragon-factory in this City of Thi. Here he comes and you may examine him for yourselves."They heard a low rumble and a shrill squeaking sound and, going out to the front of the house, they saw coming around the corner a car drawn by a gorgeous jeweled dragon, which moved its head to right and left and flashed its eyes like the headlights of an automobile and uttered a growling noise as it slowly moved toward them.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 修身立世的故事(中华典故故事全集)

    修身立世的故事(中华典故故事全集)

    本套《中华典故故事全集》全部精选我国著名典故故事,并根据具体思想内涵进行相应归类,主要包括《爱国为民的故事》、《军事战争的故事》、《修身立世的故事》、《智慧谋略的故事》、《读书学习的故事》、《品质修养的故事》、《社会世情的故事》、《世事明察的故事》、《心灵情感的故事》和《悟道明理的故事》等十册,书中每个典故都包括诠释、出处和故事等内容,简单明了,短小精悍,具有很强的启迪性、智慧性和内涵性,非常适合青少年用于话题作文的论据,也对青少年的人生成长以及知识增长具有重要的作用,是青少年阅读和收藏的良好版本。
  • 抢呀抢呀抢妈妈

    抢呀抢呀抢妈妈

    在《抢呀抢呀抢妈妈》中,围裙妈妈觉得自己快要变成猫妈妈了,因为只要咪咪一咬罔裙妈妈的脚脖子,她就能知道咪咪想干什么。可是,小饼干却不高兴了,如果围裙妈妈变成了猫妈妈,她就没有妈妈了。于是,小饼干决定要把妈妈抢回来……在《寻找帽子熊》中,小饼干一家外出旅行,可是小饼干最喜欢的帽子熊丢了。小饼干非常伤心,没有帽子熊她会睡不着觉、吃不下饭的。她还非常担心:帽子熊会害怕,会在夜里想小饼干想哭的……小饼干怎样才能找到她的帽子熊呢?
  • 若华的小时空直播间

    若华的小时空直播间

    ps:新书——《花瓶女配开挂了》……为了活着,方若华穿越到一个又一个的小时空。拿到手的底牌再差,方若华也能反转出锦绣人生。
  • 大风缥缈录

    大风缥缈录

    乱世的影子划过大地,他因为随身一枚铜扣而卷入了皇城与九卿府之间的斗争,越来越多的人物登场,他们都是这个帝国中举足轻重的人物,同时越来越多的秘闻也逐一揭开。江南三十八城、西陲子午岭、西南属国以及偏偏在极北之地的京都,他身上究竟背负着怎样的命运,究竟是谁在背后操纵着这一切,只有他自己一个人去全力追寻,而一路上遇到的高官、名将、太子、帝王,都将被悬挂于命运之轮渐渐远去。
  • 有个人爱你很久很久

    有个人爱你很久很久

    乔未若与重利轻义的初恋男友韩苏维分手,辞去了空姐的工作,却不想来到飞机上邂逅的“冰山美男”林霁远的公司,成为他的助理。在与林霁远的朝夕相处中,两人日久生情。在公司的一个新项目中,合作方竟然是韩苏维家的公司韩氏,造成彼此的误会。伤心失望的乔未若决定离开,无意中发现,原来林霁远早在高中时期就暗恋自己,却在表白前遭遇车祸,错失了一段美好的初恋。她意识到他倔强冷漠的外表下是无人能及的深情,重新回到他的身边。
  • 思想道德修养与法律基础专题教学案例解析

    思想道德修养与法律基础专题教学案例解析

    本书以高校“思想道德修养与法律基础”课新教材为基本遵循,紧密结合“问题导入式专题教学”相关理论阐述的重点和难点,着力将近年来特别是近3年来具有典型性、代表性、贴近大学生实际的真实案例和经典案例合理地引入教学过程。本书共设有12个专题、100个案例。每个专题的案例分为“案例文本”、“问题思考”、“案例解析”、“教学建议”、“案例来源”等5个板块。通过专题教学案例解析将理论阐述、知识传播和能力培养有机地结合起来,从而提高“思想道德修养与法律基础”课教学的针对性和实效性。
  • 主持人语言逻辑与管理制度研究

    主持人语言逻辑与管理制度研究

    对于主持人而言,语言的重要性不言而喻,堪称主持人最重要的“武器”。从逻辑层面来研究主持人语言,既将此类研究大大推向深入,同时也给研究者提供了一个新的视角,无疑具有开拓意义。此外,主持人队伍曰益壮大,对这一群体的管理也越来越成为“问题”,这些问题需要既熟悉主持工作又精通管理,还具有深厚理论功底的人来攻克。
  • 社会底蕴

    社会底蕴

    《哲理美文·社会底蕴》荟萃了近百年来中外著名文学家,哲学家、思想家、成功家等有关社会的哲理美文,深刻揭示了社会的真正涵义,闪烁着思想的光辉,是指引我们为人处世的耀眼航灯。这些名篇佳作在思想性和艺术性方面都代表了世界的最高成就,具有广泛而深远的影响,深受广大读者喜爱,极具收藏价值。这些作品不仅为我们提供了一个可供欣赏、学习和研究世界哲理美文的范本,更使我们站到了巨人的肩上,展望未来,不断加深对社会的理解和认识。
  • 以武化修仙

    以武化修仙

    尸身破碎伏满地,山河踏遍行万里。武道苍宇多浮沉,帝王俯视人间戏。胸怀大志却突临厄难,逃出尸山却卷入阴谋。看龙泽如何左右逢源瓦解危机,将利益最大化!脚踏武道绝巅,手拥富可敌国!
  • 三国之凉人崛起

    三国之凉人崛起

    汉失其鹿,谁人逐之。凉州大马,横行天下。霸西州虎视中原,凉人少年志问鼎。幽幽羌管,奏一曲豪杰勇士共谋江山。道一句:凉人悍勇,天下英雄谁人敌?