Волшебство страны Оз
8. The Li-Mon-Eags Make Trouble
"Wearenotbrothers,"returnedtheGrayApe,sternly."Whoareyou,andhowcameyouintheforestofGugu?"
"WearetwoLi-Mon-Eags,"saidRuggedo,inventingthename."OurhomeisinSkyIsland,andwehavecometoearthtowarntheforestbeaststhatthepeopleofOzareabouttomakewaruponthemandenslavethem,sothattheywillbecomebeastsofburdenforeverafterandobeyonlythewilloftheirtwo-leggedmasters."
AlowroarofangerarosefromtheCouncilofBeasts.
"WHO’Sgoingtodothat?"askedLootheUnicorn,inahigh,squeakyvoice,atthesametimerisingtohisfeet.
"ThepeopleofOz,"saidRuggedo.
"ButwhatwillWEbedoing?"inquiredtheUnicorn.
"That’swhatI’vecometotalktoyouabout."
"Youneedn’ttalk!We’llfighttheOzpeople!"screamedtheUnicorn."We’llsmash’em;we’lltrample’em;we’llgore’em;we’ll—"
"Silence!"growledGugutheKing,andLooobeyed,althoughstilltremblingwithwrath.Thecold,steadygazeoftheLeopardwanderedoverthetwostrangebeasts."ThepeopleofOz,"saidhe,"havenotbeenourfriends;theyhavenotbeenourenemies.Theyhaveletusalone,andwehaveletthemalone.Thereisnoreasonforwarbetweenus.Theyhavenoslaves.Theycouldnotuseusasslavesiftheyshouldconquerus.Ithinkyouaretellinguslies,youstrangeLi-Mon-Eag—youmixed-upbeastwhoareneitheronethingnoranother."
"Oh,onmyword,it’sthetruth!"protestedtheNomeinthebeast’sshape."Iwouldn’tliefortheworld;I—"
"Silence!"againgrowledGugutheKing;andsomehow,evenRuggedowasabashedandobeyedtheedict.
