Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз

           Thatmeantthattheirworld—therealworld—wasnotveryfaraway,andthatthesuccessionofperilousadventurestheyhadencounteredhadatlastbroughtthemneartheearth’ssurface,whichmeanthometothem.Butwhentheadventurerslookedmorecarefullyaroundthemtheydiscoveredthattherewereinastrongprisonfromwhichtherewasnohopeofescape.

           "Butwe’reALMOSTonearthagain,"criedDorothy,"forthereisthesun—themostBEAU’FULsunthatshines!"andshepointedeagerlyatthecrackinthedistantroof.

           "Almostonearthisn’tbeingthere,"saidthekitten,inadiscontentedtone."Itwouldn’tbepossibleforevenmetogetuptothatcrack—orthroughitifIgotthere."

           "Itappearsthatthepathendshere,"announcedtheWizard,gloomily.

           "Andthereisnowaytogoback,"addedZeb,withalowwhistleofperplexity.

           "Iwassureitwouldcometothis,intheend,"remarkedtheoldcab-horse."Folksdon’tfallintothemiddleoftheearthandthengetbackagaintotelloftheiradventures—notinreallife.AndthewholethinghasbeenunnaturalbecausethatcatandIarebothabletotalkyourlanguage,andtounderstandthewordsyousay."

           "Andsocantheninetinypiglets,"addedEureka."Don’tforgetthem,forImayhavetoeatthem,afterall."

           "I’veheardanimalstalkbefore,"saidDorothy,"andnoharmcameofit."

           "Wereyoueverbeforeshutupinacave,farundertheearth,withnowayofgettingout?"enquiredthehorse,seriously.

           "No,"answeredDorothy."Butdon’tyouloseheart,Jim,forI’msurethisisn’ttheendofourstory,byanymeans.