登陆注册
5255700000009

第9章 Chapter Five Ozma$$$$$s Friends Are Perplexed(2)

Button-Bright was not quite as big as the Munchkin boy, but he wore the same kind of clothes, only they were of different colors. As the two came up to the girls, arm in arm, Button-Bright remarked:

"Hello, Dorothy. They say Ozma is lost."

"Who says so?" she asked.

"Ev'rybody's talking about it, in the City," he replied.

"I wonder how the people found it out?" Dorothy asked.

"I know," said Ojo. "Jellia Jamb told them. She has been asking everywhere if anyone has seen Ozma.""That's too bad," observed Dorothy, frowning.

"Why?" asked Button-Bright.

"There wasn't any use making all our people unhappy, till we were dead certain that Ozma can't be found.""Pshaw," said Button-Bright, "It's nothing to get lost. I've been lost lots of times.""That's true," admitted Trot, who knew that the boy had a habit of getting lost and then finding himself again; "but it's diff'rent with Ozma. She's the Ruler of all this big fairyland and we're 'fraid that the reason she's lost is because somebody has stolen her away.""Only wicked people steal," said Ojo. "Do you know of any wicked people in Oz, Dorothy?""No," she replied.

"They're here, though," cried Scraps, dancing up to them and then circling around the group. Ozma's stolen;someone in Oz stole her; only wicked people steal; so someone in Oz is wicked!"There was no denying the truth of this statement. The faces of all of them were now solemn and sorrowful.

"One thing is sure," said Button-Bright, after a time, "if Ozma has been stolen, someone ought to find her and punish the thief.""There may be a lot of thieves," suggested Trot gravely, "and in this fairy country they don t seem to have any soldiers or policemen.""There is one soldier," claimed Dorothy. "He has green whiskers and a gun and is a Major-General; but no one is afraid of either his gun or his whiskers, 'cause he's so tender-hearted that he wouldn't hurt a fly.""Well, a soldier's a soldier," said Betsy, "and perhaps he'd hurt a wicked thief if he wouldn't hurt a fly. Where is he?""He went fishing about two months ago and hasn't come back yet," explained Button-Bright.

"Then I can't see that he will be of much use to us in this trouble," sighed little Trot. "But p'raps Ozma, who is a fairy, can get away from the thieves without any help from anybody.""She might be able to," admitted Dorothy, reflectively, "but if she had the power to do that, it isn't likely she'd have let herself be stolen. So the thieves must have been even more powerful in magic than our Ozma."There was no denying this argument and, although they talked the matter over all the rest of that day, they were unable to decide how Ozma had been stolen against her will or who had committed the dreadful deed.

Toward evening the Wizard came back, riding slowly upon the Sawhorse because he felt discouraged and perplexed. Glinda came, later, in her aerial chariot drawn by twenty milk-white swans, and she also seemed worried and unhappy. More of Ozma's friends joined them and that evening they all had a long talk together.

"I think," said Dorothy, "we ought to start out right away in search of our dear Ozma. It seems cruel for us to live comf'tably in her Palace while she is a pris'ner in the power of some wicked enemy.""Yes," agreed Glinda the Sorceress, "someone ought to search for her. I cannot go myself, because I must work hard in order to create some new instruments of sorcery by means of which I may rescue our fair Ruler. But if you can find her, in the meantime, and let me know who has stolen her, it will enable me to rescue her much more quickly.""Then we'll start to-morrow morning," decided Dorothy. "Betsy and Trot and I won't waste another minute.""I'm not sure you girls will make good detectives,"remarked the Wizard; "but I'll go with you, to protect you from harm and to give you my advice. All my wizardry, alas, is stolen, so I am now really no more a wizard than any of you; but I will try to protect you if any enemies you may meet.""What harm could happen to us in Oz?" inquired Trot.

"What harm happened to Ozma?" returned the Wizard.

"If there is an Evil Power abroad in our fairyland;which is able to steal not only Ozma and her Magic Picture, but Glinda's Book of Records and all her magic, and my black bag containing all my tricks of wizardry, then that Evil Power may yet cause us considerable injury. Ozma is a fairy, and so is Glinda, so no power can kill or destroy them; but you girls are all mortals, and so are Button-Bright and I, so we must watch out for ourselves.""Nothing can kill me," said Ojo, the Munchkin boy.

"That is true," replied the Sorceress, "and I think it may be well to divide the searchers into several parties, that they may cover all the land of Oz more quickly. So I will send Ojo and Unc Nunkie and Dr. Pipt into the Munchkin Country, which they are well acquainted with; and I will send the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman into the Quadling Country, for they are fearless and brave and never tire; and to the Gillikin Country, where many dangers lurk, I will send the Shaggy Man and his brother, with Tik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead. Dorothy may make up her own party and travel into the Winkie Country. All of you must inquire everywhere for Ozma and try to discover where she is hidden."They thought this a very wise plan and adopted it without question. In Ozma's absence Glinda the Good was the most important person in Oz and all were glad to serve under her direction.

同类推荐
  • 瑜伽论

    瑜伽论

    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。
  • 新世说

    新世说

    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。
  • 偶会篇

    偶会篇

    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。
  • 南宗抉秘

    南宗抉秘

    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。
  • 鹖冠子

    鹖冠子

    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
  • 财富之上:刘汉元和他的商业哲学

    财富之上:刘汉元和他的商业哲学

    本书以全国政协委员、通威集团董事局主席刘汉元先生的成长为线索,对通威的发展进行案例式的深入研究,因循逻辑,层层深入,探析通威30年来从无到有、从小到大的制度与管理变革及其决策经营思路,从而挖掘出刘汉元系统性的思维和方法论……
  • 雉尾

    雉尾

    一只雉鸡如果没有受过伤害,一生只能长出一根长而美丽的尾羽。如果受过伤,或者这根雉尾被拔去,就无法再次长出那么长而美丽的羽毛。人生,有时候也是这样。门不当户不对的爱情,说不清道不明的瓜葛,招不来挥不去的朋友,扔不掉放不下的事业。到头来谁活得洒脱,谁活出了自己?试着将雉尾拔去,看如何回到过去……
  • 前方高能

    前方高能

    这里有最危险的任务,有最丰厚的报酬。下一秒可能是生命的终结、可能是不能回头的深渊,也有可能最后成为神,站在众生的顶端!
  • 唐国史补

    唐国史补

    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。
  • 逆天魔尊妃

    逆天魔尊妃

    从来都被冠上不祥之名,身为柳家五小姐,却被废了丹田,世人嘲笑。所谓的家人,更是推她入了无边炼狱,让她受尽业火焚烧!坠入嗜血恶魔的领域,她以为必被吸干鲜血,必死无疑!可却没想到,万人恐惧的魔鬼,竟成了她最后的一道救赎……涅槃重生,她忍受非人煎熬,蚀骨的仇恨,只为了能一朝复仇!可是,她日渐无法忽视的,是魔尊的那颗心……
  • 终有一人,替代你的孤独

    终有一人,替代你的孤独

    用一颗柔软的心抒写尘世间的冷暖,用清新文艺的笔调教会你在这个世界上勇敢坚强。你可以温柔,也可以做你想做的自己。你要去相信,那个美好的你就一直在不远的地方等你。一句话,世界如此之美,你当学会去享受。致你我未曾未曾妥协的青春岁月,前方纵有苦难再多,也当勇敢前行。总有一段情,温柔过你的岁月,赋万物多情;总有一个人,惊艳过时光,令你念念不忘。
  • 满唐春

    满唐春

    一个优秀的首饰技师,因为一个意外,穿越到了唐朝一个苦逼的学徒身上一间生意淡薄、濒临倒闭的金店一个游手好闲、水平一般偏偏又脾气暴躁的师傅还有二个谈不来的师兄最惨的,还签了一份打死勿论的学徒契约幸好,还有一个美丽又对自己暗生情愫的小娘刘远还没决定以后的路没想到一夜剧变,两个师兄杀了师父卷了黄金细软跑路留下一个负债累累的烂摊子欠下的货款、借下的债务、快要到期的租金等等,让小娘无计可施要抄家、变卖家产?PS:小炮新书《筑造我为王》已上传,请多多支持!!!!
  • 夜月之刀剑录

    夜月之刀剑录

    神兵利器,痴情儿女,江湖豪侠,恩怨情仇。本应没有任何交集的两个人,却因种种原因彼此有了不可分割的情义。我曾一剑千里,我曾一刀破天。我有一枪开天辟地,我有一棍万鬼莫敌。十世千年,荒坟十座未葬人。千年以前,仙人如雨落。千年以后,江湖就是江湖,不见仙人。高堂庙宇,权臣将军,平民兵士,古派新门,江湖大侠,隐世高人。落寞的江湖,千年以后再次迎来鼎盛时期。有江湖,就有恩怨情仇,有庙堂,就有权贵相争。看似风平浪静的江湖,已然暗流涌动,风起云涌……
  • 你多哄着我

    你多哄着我

    【当“恐女症”遇到了“厌男症”】他本就是一只小狼狗,可宋恬偏偏要让这只桀骜不驯的小狼狗变成小奶狗。当然,后果就是……被吃干抹净连骨头都不剩。本就是一场心怀鬼胎的商业联姻,某女非要风花雪月一番。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 北国冰王

    北国冰王

    苍凉霸气的北国,一个少年仰望湛蓝的天空,俯瞰萧瑟的大地。感受着体内翻腾的两股元素能量,神色一动,手里出现一柄有着古老味道的利剑,剑刃上缭绕着淡淡的冰晶与雾气,周围的空气顿时像是恭迎王一般向着利剑雀跃而去,男子顿时豪气万丈,挥剑砍下,下方大地顿时被劈裂而去。