Ходячий замок

           Insteadofpullingittopiecesandtakingthestick,shestuckitbetweentwobranchesofthehedge,sothatitstoodloomingrakishlyabovethemay,withthetatteredsleevesonitsstickarmsflutteringoverthehedge.

           “There,”shesaid,andhercrackledoldvoicesurprisedherintogivingacrackedoldcackleoflaughter.“Neitherofusareuptomuch,arewe,myfriend?Maybeyou’llgetbacktoyourfieldifIleaveyouwherepeoplecanseeyou.”Shesetoffupthelaneagain,butathoughtstruckherandsheturnedback.“NowifIwasn’tdoomedtofailurebecauseofmypositioninthefamily,”shetoldthescarecrow,“youcouldcometolifeandoffermehelpinmakingmyfortune.ButIwishyouluckanyway.”

           Shecackledagainasshewalkedon.Perhapsshewasalittlemad,butoldwomenoftenwere.

           Shefoundastickanhourorsolaterwhenshesatdownonthebanktorestandeatherbreadandcheese.Therewerenoisesinthehedgebehindher:littlestrangledsqueakings,followedbyheavingsthatshookmaypetalsoffthehedge.Sophiecrawledonherbonykneestopeerpastleavesandflowersandthornsintotheinsideofthehedge,anddiscoveredathingraydoginthere.Itwashopelesslytrappedbyastoutstickwhichhadsomehowgottwistedintoaropethatwastiedarounditsneck.Thestickhadwedgeditselfbetweentwobranchesonthehedgesothatthedogcouldbarelymove.ItrolleditseyeswildlyatSophie’speeringface.

           Asagirl,Sophiewasscaredofalldogs.Evenasanoldwoman,shewasquitealarmedbythetworowsofwhitefangsinthecreature’sopenjaws.