Волшебство страны Оз

           We’relivin’inamagiccountry,butneitherofusknowsanymagican’sowecan’thelpourselves."

           "Couldn’ttheWizardofOzhelpus—orGlindatheGood?"askedthelittlegirl.

           "Ah,nowwe’rebeginnin’toreason,"heanswered."I’dprobablythoughto’that,myself,inaminutemore.BygoodlucktheGlassCatisfree,an’soitcanrunbacktotheEmeraldCityan’telltheWizardaboutourfix,an’askhimtocomean’helpusgetloose."

           "Willyougo?"Trotaskedthecat,speakingveryearnestly.

           "I’mnomessenger,tobesenthereandthere,"assertedthecuriousanimalinasulkytoneofvoice.

           "Well,"saidCap’nBill,"you’vegottogohome,anyhow,’causeyoudon’twanttostayhere,Itakeit.And,whenyougethome,itwouldn’tworryyoumuchtotelltheWizardwhat’shappenedtous."

           "That’strue,"saidthecat,sittingonitshaunchesandlazilywashingitsfacewithoneglasspaw."Idon’tmindtellingtheWizard—whenIgethome."

           "Won’tyougonow?"pleadedTrot."Wedon’twanttostayhereanylongerthanwecanhelp,andeverybodyinOzwillbeinterestedinyou,andcallyouahero,andsaynicethingsaboutyoubecauseyouhelpedyourfriendsoutoftrouble."

           ThatwasthebestwaytomanagetheGlassCat,whichwassovainthatitlovedtobepraised.

           "I’mgoinghomerightaway,"saidthecreature,"andI’lltelltheWizardtocomeandhelpyou."

           Sayingthis,itwalkeddowntothewateranddisappearedunderthesurface