Волшебник страны Оз
The Deadly Poppy Field
"Oh,indeed,"saidtheWoodman,makingabow.
"Thereforeyouhavedoneagreatdeed,aswellasabraveone,insavingmylife,"addedtheQueen.
Atthatmomentseveralmicewereseenrunningupasfastastheirlittlelegscouldcarrythem, andwhentheysawtheirQueentheyexclaimed:
"Oh,yourMajesty,wethoughtyouwouldbekilled! HowdidyoumanagetoescapethegreatWildcat?" TheyallbowedsolowtothelittleQueenthattheyalmoststoodupontheirheads.
"Thisfunnytinman,"sheanswered,"killedtheWildcatandsavedmylife. Sohereafteryoumustallservehim,andobeyhisslightestwish."
"Wewill!"criedallthemice,inashrillchorus. Andthentheyscamperedinalldirections,forTotohadawakenedfromhissleep,andseeingallthesemicearoundhimhegaveonebarkofdelightandjumpedrightintothemiddleofthegroup. TotohadalwayslovedtochasemicewhenhelivedinKansas,andhesawnoharminit.
ButtheTinWoodmancaughtthedoginhisarmsandheldhimtight,whilehecalledtothemice,"Comeback! Comeback! Totoshallnothurtyou."
AtthistheQueenoftheMicestuckherheadoutfromunderneathaclumpofgrassandasked,inatimidvoice, "Areyousurehewillnotbiteus?"
"Iwillnotlethim,"saidtheWoodman;"sodonotbeafraid."
Onebyonethemicecamecreepingback,andTotodidnotbarkagain,althoughhetriedtogetoutoftheWoodman’sarms, andwouldhavebittenhimhadhenotknownverywellhewasmadeoftin.
