Путешествие в Страну Оз
4. King Dox
"Good!Verygoodindeed!Youcertainlyhaveabrilliantmind.Doyouknowwhytwoandtwomakefour?"
"No,"saidButton-Bright.
"Clever!cleverindeed!Ofcourseyoudon’tknow.Nobodyknowswhy;weonlyknowit’sso,andcan’ttellwhyit’sso.Button-Bright,thosecurlsandblueeyesdonotgowellwithsomuchwisdom.Theymakeyoulooktooyouthful,andhideyourrealcleverness.Therefore,Iwilldoyouagreatfavor.Iwillconferuponyoutheheadofafox,sothatyoumayhereafterlookasbrightasyoureallyare."
AshespoketheKingwavedhispawtowardtheboy,andatoncetheprettycurlsandfreshroundfaceandbigblueeyesweregone,whileintheirplaceafox’sheadappeareduponButton-Bright’sshoulders—ahairyheadwithasharpnose,pointedears,andkeenlittleeyes.
"Oh,don’tdothat!"criedDorothy,shrinkingbackfromhertransformedcompanionwithashockedanddismayedface.
"Toolate,mydear;it’sdone.Butyoualsoshallhaveafox’sheadifyoucanproveyou’reascleverasButton-Bright."
"Idon’twantit;it’sdreadful!"sheexclaimed;and,hearingthisverdict,Button-Brightbegantoboo-hoojustasifhewerestillalittleboy.
"Howcanyoucallthatlovelyheaddreadful?"askedtheKing."It’samuchprettierfacethanhehadbefore,tomynotion,andmywifesaysI’magoodjudgeofbeauty.Don’tcry,littlefox-boy.Laughandbeproud,becauseyouaresohighlyfavored.Howdoyoulikethenewhead,Button-Bright?"
"D-d-don’tn-n-n-know!"sobbedthechild.
"Please,PLEASEchangehimbackagain,yourMajesty!"beggedDorothy.
