Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
5. Dorothy Picks the Princess
ButI’venoticedthatmanyqueerthingshappeninfairycountries."
"Isthisafairycountry?"askedtheboy.
"Ofcourseitis,"returnedDorothypromptly."Onlyafairycountrycouldhaveveg’tablepeople;andonlyinafairycountrycouldEurekaandJimtalkaswedo."
"That’strue,"saidZeb,thoughtfully.
Inthevegetablegardenstheyfoundthestrawberriesandmelons,andseveralotherunknownbutdeliciousfruits,ofwhichtheyateheartily.Butthekittenbotheredthemconstantlybydemandingmilkormeat,andcalledtheWizardnamesbecausehecouldnotbringheradishofmilkbymeansofhismagicalarts.
AstheysatuponthegrasswatchingJim,whowasstillbusilyeating,Eurekasaid:
"Idon’tbelieveyouareaWizardatall!"
"No,"answeredthelittleman,"youarequiteright.InthestrictsenseofthewordIamnotaWizard,butonlyahumbug."
"TheWizardofOzhasalwaysbeenahumbug,"agreedDorothy."I’veknownhimforalongtime."
"Ifthatisso,"saidtheboy,"howcouldhedothatwonderfultrickwiththeninetinypiglets?"
"Don’tknow,"saidDorothy,"butitmusthavebeenhumbug."
"Verytrue,"declaredtheWizard,noddingather."ItwasnecessarytodeceivethatuglySorcererandthePrince,aswellastheirstupidpeople;butIdon’tmindtellingyou,whoaremyfriends,thatthethingwasonlyatrick."
"ButIsawthelittlepigswithmyowneyes!"exclaimedZeb.
"SodidI,"purredthekitten.
"Tobesure,"answeredtheWizard."Yousawthembecausetheywerethere.Theyareinmyinsidepocketnow.
