Волшебник страны Оз
The Cowardly Lion
TheTinWoodmanbegantousehisaxeatonce,and,justasthetwoKalidahswerenearlyacross,thetreefellwithacrashintothegulf,carryingtheugly,snarlingbruteswithit,andbothweredashedtopiecesonthesharprocksatthebottom.
"Well,"saidtheCowardlyLion,drawingalongbreathofrelief, "Iseewearegoingtolivealittlewhilelonger,andIamgladofit,foritmustbeaveryuncomfortablethingnottobealive. Thosecreaturesfrightenedmesobadlythatmyheartisbeatingyet."
"Ah,"saidtheTinWoodmansadly,"IwishIhadahearttobeat."
Thisadventuremadethetravelersmoreanxiousthanevertogetoutoftheforest,andtheywalkedsofastthatDorothybecametired,andhadtorideontheLion’sback. Totheirgreatjoythetreesbecamethinnerthefarthertheyadvanced,andintheafternoontheysuddenlycameuponabroadriver,flowingswiftlyjustbeforethem. Ontheothersideofthewatertheycouldseetheroadofyellowbrickrunningthroughabeautifulcountry,withgreenmeadowsdottedwithbrightflowersandalltheroadborderedwithtreeshangingfullofdeliciousfruits. Theyweregreatlypleasedtoseethisdelightfulcountrybeforethem.
"Howshallwecrosstheriver?"askedDorothy.
"Thatiseasilydone,"repliedtheScarecrow. "TheTinWoodmanmustbuildusaraft,sowecanfloattotheotherside."
SotheWoodmantookhisaxeandbegantochopdownsmalltreestomakearaft,andwhilehewasbusyatthistheScarecrowfoundontheriverbankatreefulloffinefruit.
