有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第20章

There were five long arms growing out of its body, and it also hadfive long, slim legs. Thick, woolly hair covered every part of it, and a moredreadful-looking monster could not be imagined. It was fortunate the TinWoodman had no heart at that moment, for it would have beat loud and fast fromterror. But being only tin, the Woodman was not at all afraid, although he wasmuch disappointed.

“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” spoke the Beast, in a voicethat was one great roar. “Who are you, and why do you seek me?”

“I am a Woodman, and made of tin. Therefore I have no heart, andcannot love. I pray you to give me a heart that I may be as other men are.”

“Why should I do this?” demanded the Beast.

“Because I ask it, and you alone can grant my request,” answeredthe Woodman.

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第19章

So the Tin Woodman followed him and came to the great Throne Room.He did not know whether he would find Oz a lovely Lady or a Head, but he hopedit would be the lovely Lady. “For,” he said to himself, “if it is the head, Iam sure I shall not be given a heart, since a head has no heart of its own andtherefore cannot feel for me. But if it is the lovely Lady I shall beg hard fora heart, for all ladies are themselves said to be kindly hearted.”

But when the Woodman entered the great Throne Room he saw neitherthe Head nor the Lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible Beast. Itwas nearly as big as an elephant, and the green throne seemed hardly strongenough to hold its weight. The Beast had a head like that of a rhinoceros, onlythere were five eyes in its face.

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第18章

“I thought you asked Dorothy to kill the Witch,” said theScarecrow, in surprise.

“So I did. I don’t care who kills her. But until she is dead Iwill not grant your wish. Now go, and do not seek me again until you haveearned the brains you so greatly desire.”

The Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to his friends and told themwhat Oz had said; and Dorothy was surprised to find that the Great Wizard wasnot a Head, as she had seen him, but a lovely Lady.

“All the same,” said the Scarecrow, “she needs a heart as much asthe Tin Woodman.”

On the next morning, the soldier with the green whiskers came tothe Tin Woodman and said:

“Oz has sent for you. Follow me.”

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第17章

Now the Scarecrow, who had expected to see the great Head Dorothyhad told him of, was much astonished; but he answered her bravely.

“I am only a Scarecrow, stuffed with straw. Therefore I have nobrains, and I come to you praying that you will put brains in my head insteadof straw, so that I may become as much a man as any other in your dominions.”

“Why should I do this for you?” asked the Lady.

“Because you are wise and powerful, and no one else can help me,”answered the Scarecrow.

“I never grant favors without some return,” said Oz; “but thismuch I will promise. If you will kill for me the Wicked Witch of the West, Iwill bestow upon you a great many brains, and such good brains that you will bethe wisest man in all the Land of Oz.”

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第16章

The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to theScarecrow and said:

“Come with me, for Oz has sent for you.”

So the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the greatThrone Room, where he saw, sitting in the emerald throne, a most lovely Lady.She was dressed in green silk gauze and wore upon her flowing green locks acrown of jewels. Growing from her shoulders were wings, gorgeous in color andso light that they fluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them.

When the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffingwould let him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly, andsaid:

“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seekme?”

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第15章

“I do not know,” said the Head; “but that is my answer, and untilthe Wicked Witch dies you will not see your uncle and aunt again. Remember thatthe Witch is Wicked–tremendously Wicked -and ought to be killed. Now go, and donot ask to see me again until you have done your task.”

Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back where theLion and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were waiting to hear what Oz hadsaid to her. “There is no hope for me,” she said sadly, “for Oz will not sendme home until I have killed the Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can neverdo.”

Her friends were sorry, but could do nothing tohelp her; so Dorothy went to her own room and lay down on the bed and criedherself to sleep.

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第14章

“But I cannot!” exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised.

“You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the silver shoes,which bear a powerful charm. There is now but one Wicked Witch left in all thisland, and when you can tell me she is dead I will send you back to Kansas–butnot before.”

The little girl began to weep, she was so much disappointed; andthe eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if the Great Oz feltthat she could help him if she would.

“I never killed anything, willingly,” she sobbed. “Even if Iwanted to, how could I kill the Wicked Witch? If you, who are Great andTerrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do you expect me to do it?”

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第13章

“Why should I do this for you?” asked Oz.

“Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are the Great Ozand I am only a little girl.”

“But you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East,”said Oz.

“That just happened,” returned Dorothy simply; “I could not helpit.”

“Well,” said the Head, “I will give you my answer. You have noright to expect me to send you back to Kansas unless you do something for me inreturn. In this country everyone must pay for everything he gets. If you wishme to use my magic power to send you home again you must do something for mefirst. Help me and I will help you.”

“What must I do?” asked the girl.

“Kill the Wicked Witch of the West,” answered Oz.

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第12章

“Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?” continued thevoice.

“That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she bademe good-bye and sent me to you,” said the girl.

Again the eyes looked at her sharply, and they saw she was tellingthe truth. Then Oz asked, “What do you wish me to do?”

“Send me back to Kansas, where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are,”she answered earnestly. “I don’t like your country, although it is sobeautiful. And I am sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over my being awayso long.”

The eyes winked three times, and then they turned up to theceiling and down to the floor and rolled around so queerly that they seemed tosee every part of the room. And at last they looked at Dorothy again.

有声英语少儿童话故事 绿野仙踪 第11卷 第11章

As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turnedslowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, andDorothy heard a voice say:

“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seekme?”

It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come fromthe big Head; so she took courage and answered:

“I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for help.”

The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute. Then saidthe voice:

“Where did you get the silver shoes?”

“I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house fellon her and killed her,” she replied.