Волшебство страны Оз

           Itissaidthatifonepickstheflowerswhiletheyareinbloomtheywillremainperfectforalongtime,butiftheyarenotpickedtheysoondisappearandarereplacedbyotherflowers.That,inmyopinion,maketheMagicPlantthemostwonderfulinexistence."

           "Buttheseareonlystories,"saidthegirl."Hasanyofyourfriendseverpickedaflowerfromthewonderfulplant?"

           "No,"admittedtheCowardlyLion,"forifanylivingthingventuresupontheMagicIsle,wherethegoldenflower-potstands,thatmanorbeasttakesrootinthesoilandcannotgetawayagain."

           "Whathappenstothem,then?"askedDorothy.

           "Theygrowsmaller,hourbyhouranddaybyday,andfinallydisappearentirely."

           "Then,"saidthegirlanxiously,"wemusthurryup,orCap’nBillan’Trotwillgettoosmalltobecomf’table."

           Theywereproceedingatarapidpaceduringthisconversation,fortheHungryTigerandtheCowardlyLionwereobligedtomoveswiftlyinordertokeeppacewiththeGlassCat.AfterleavingtheForestofGugutheycrossedamountainrange,andthenabroadplain,afterwhichtheyreachedanotherforest,muchsmallerthanthatwhereGuguruled.

           "TheMagicIsleisinthisforest,"saidtheGlassCat,"buttheriverisattheothersideoftheforest.Thereisnopaththroughthetrees,butifwekeepgoingeast,wewillfindtheriver,andthenitwillbeeasytofindtheMagicIsle."

           "Haveyouevertraveledthiswaybefore?"inquiredtheWizard.

           "Notexactly,"admittedtheCat,"butIknowweshallreachtheriverifwegoeastthroughtheforest."

           "Leadon,then,"saidtheWizard.