Волшебник страны Оз
The Cowardly Lion
Toaddtotheirdiscomfort,theysoonheardstrangenoisesinthedepthsoftheforest,andtheLionwhisperedtothemthatitwasinthispartofthecountrythattheKalidahslived.
"WhataretheKalidahs?"askedthegirl.
"Theyaremonstrousbeastswithbodieslikebearsandheadsliketigers,"repliedtheLion, "andwithclawssolongandsharpthattheycouldtearmeintwoaseasilyasIcouldkillToto. I’mterriblyafraidoftheKalidahs."
"I’mnotsurprisedthatyouare,"returnedDorothy. "Theymustbedreadfulbeasts."
TheLionwasabouttoreplywhensuddenlytheycametoanothergulfacrosstheroad. ButthisonewassobroadanddeepthattheLionknewatoncehecouldnotleapacrossit.
Sotheysatdowntoconsiderwhattheyshoulddo,andafterseriousthoughttheScarecrowsaid:
"Hereisagreattree,standingclosetotheditch. IftheTinWoodmancanchopitdown,sothatitwillfalltotheotherside,wecanwalkacrossiteasily."
"Thatisafirst-rateidea,"saidtheLion. "Onewouldalmostsuspectyouhadbrainsinyourhead,insteadofstraw."
TheWoodmansettoworkatonce,andsosharpwashisaxethatthetreewassoonchoppednearlythrough.
