Волшебство страны Оз

           "

           "Nevertheless,"saidtheRulerofOz,"wemustfreethemfromtheirpresentenchantments.Whenyourestorethemtotheirnaturalformswewilldiscoverwhotheyreallyare,andsurelyweneednotfearanytwopeople,eventhoughtheyprovetobemagiciansandourenemies."

           "Iamnotsosureofthat,"protestedtheWizard,withashakeofhisbaldhead."TheonebitofmagicIrobbedthemof—whichwastheWordofTransformation—issosimple,yetsopowerful,thatneitherGlindanorIcanequalit.Itisn’tallintheword,youknow,it’sthewaythewordispronounced.Soifthetwostrangemagicianshaveothermagicofthesamesort,theymightproveverydangeroustous,ifweliberatedthem."

           "I’veanidea!"exclaimedDorothy."I’mnowizard,andnofairy,butifyoudoasIsay,weneedn’tfearthesepeopleatall."

           "Whatisyourthought,mydear?"askedOzma.

           "Well,"repliedthegirl,"hereisthisFountainoftheWaterofOblivion,andthat’swhatputthenotionintomyhead.WhentheWizardspeaksthatter’blewordthatwillchange’embacktotheirrealforms,hecanmake’emdreadfulthirsty,too,andwe’llputacuprightherebythefountain,soit’llbehandy.Thenthey’lldrinkthewaterandforgetallthemagictheyeverknew—andeverythingelse,too."

           "That’snotabadidea,"saidtheWizard,lookingatDorothyapprovingly.

           "It’saveryGOODidea,"declaredOzma."Runforacup,Dorothy."

           SoDorothyrantogetacup,andwhileshewasgonetheWizardsaid:

           "Idon’tknowwhethertherealformsofthesemagiciansarethoseofmenorbeasts.