Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
11. They Meet the Wooden Gargoyles
Crack!crash!bang!wenthisiron-shodhoofsagainstthewoodenbodiesoftheGargoyles,andtheywerebatteredrightandleftwithsuchforcethattheyscatteredlikestrawsinthewind.ButthenoiseandclatterseemedasdreadfultothemasJim’sheels,forallwhowereableswiftlyturnedandflewawaytoagreatdistance.Theotherspickedthemselvesupfromthegroundonebyoneandquicklyrejoinedtheirfellows,soforamomentthehorsethoughthehadwonthefightwithease.
ButtheWizardwasnotsoconfident.
"Thosewoodenthingsareimpossibletohurt,"hesaid,"andallthedamageJimhasdonetothemistoknockafewsplintersfromtheirnosesandears.Thatcannotmakethemlookanyuglier,I’msure,anditismyopiniontheywillsoonrenewtheattack."
"Whatmadethemflyaway?"askedDorothy.
"Thenoise,ofcourse.Don’tyourememberhowtheChampionescapedthembyshoutinghisbattle-cry?"
"Supposeweescapedownthestairs,too,"suggestedtheboy."Wehavetime,justnow,andI’dratherfacetheinvis’blebearsthanthosewoodenimps."
"No,"returnedDorothy,stoutly,"itwon’tdotogoback,forthenwewouldnevergethome.Let’sfightitout."
"ThatiswhatIadvise,"saidtheWizard."Theyhaven’tdefeatedusyet,andJimisworthawholearmy."
ButtheGargoyleswerecleverenoughnottoattackthehorsethenexttime.Theyadvancedinagreatswarm,havingbeenjoinedbymanymoreoftheirkind,andtheyflewstraightoverJim’sheadtowheretheotherswerestanding
