Волшебство страны Оз
20. The Monkeys Have Trouble
"It’stheonlysawofitskindintheworld;andifthereweremorelikeit,itwouldn’tbesowonderful."
TheynowtiedtheboardontheLion’sback,flatsideup,andCap’nBillcarefullyplacedtheMagicFlowerontheboard.
"Forfearo’accidents,"hesaid,"I’llwalkbesidetheLionandholdontotheflower-pot."
TrotandDorothycouldbothrideonthebackoftheHungryTiger,andbetweenthemtheycarriedthecageofmonkeys.ButthisarrangementlefttheWizard,aswellasthesailor,tomakethejourneyonfoot,andsotheprocessionmovedslowlyandtheGlassCatgrumbledbecauseitwouldtakesolongtogettotheEmeraldCity.
TheCatwassour-temperedandgrumpy,atfirst,butbeforetheyhadjourneyedfar,thecrystalcreaturehaddiscoveredafineamusement.Thelongtailsofthemonkeyswereconstantlystickingthroughthebarsoftheircage,andwhentheydid,theGlassCatwouldslylyseizethetailsinherpawsandpullthem.Thatmadethemonkeysscream,andtheirscreamspleasedtheGlassCatimmensely.TrotandDorothytriedtostopthisnaughtyamusement,butwhentheywerenotlookingtheCatwouldpullthetailsagain,andthecreaturewassoslyandquickthatthemonkeyscouldseldomescape.TheyscoldedtheCatangrilyandshookthebarsoftheircage,buttheycouldnotgetoutandtheCatonlylaughedatthem.
AfterthepartyhadlefttheforestandwereontheplainsoftheMunchkinCountry,itgrewdark,andtheywereobligedtomakecampforthenight,choosingaprettyplacebesideabrook.