Путешествие в Страну Оз

           OncewaswhentheScoodlerscaughtyou,andagainwhenyoureachedtheDeadlyDesert.Buttheshaggymanwasabletohelpyououtbothtimes,soIdidnotinterfere."

           "DoyouknowwhoButton-Brightis?"askedDorothy.

           "No;Ineversawhimuntilyoufoundhimintheroad,andthenonlyinmyMagicPicture."

           "AnddidyousendPollytous?"

           "No,dear;theRainbow’sDaughterslidfromherfather’sprettyarchjustintimetomeetyou."

           "Well,"saidDorothy,"I’vepromisedKingDoxofFoxvilleandKingKik-a-brayofDunkitonthatI’daskyoutoinvitethemtoyourparty."

           "Ihavealreadydonethat,"returnedOzma,"becauseIthoughtitwouldpleaseyoutofavorthem."

           "Didyou’vitetheMusicker?"askedButton-Bright.

           "No;becausehewouldbetoonoisy,andmightinterferewiththecomfortofothers.Whenmusicisnotverygood,andisindulgedinallthetime,itisbetterthattheperformershouldbealone,"saidthePrincess.

           "IliketheMusicker’smusic,"declaredtheboy,gravely.

           "ButIdon’t,"saidDorothy.

           "Well,therewillbeplentyofmusicatmycelebration,"promisedOzma;"soI’veanideaButton-Brightwon’tmisstheMusickeratall."

           JustthenPolychromedancedin,andOzmarosetogreettheRainbow’sDaughterinhersweetestandmostcordialmanner.

           Dorothythoughtshehadneverseentwoprettiercreaturestogetherthantheselovelymaidens;butPollyknewatonceherowndaintybeautycouldnotmatchthatofOzma,yetwasnotabitjealousbecausethiswasso.

           TheWizardofOzwasannounced,andadried-up,little,oldman,clothedallinblack,enteredthedrawing-room.