Волшебство страны Оз
7. The Forest of Gugu
Likewisethebeastsoftheforestsneverdie,sothatlongyearsaddtotheircunningandwisdom,aswellastotheirsizeandstrength.Itispossibleforbeasts—orevenpeople—tobedestroyed,butthetaskissodifficultthatitisseldomattempted.BecauseitisfreefromsicknessanddeathisonereasonwhyOzisafairyland,butitisdoubtfulwhetherthosewhocometoOzfromtheoutsideworld,asDorothyandButton-BrightandTrotandCap’nBillandtheWizarddid,willliveforeverorcannotbeinjured.EvenOzmaisnotsureaboutthis,andsotheguestsofOzmafromotherlandsarealwayscarefullyprotectedfromanydanger,soastobeonthesafeside.
Inspiteofthelawsoftheforeststhereareoftenfightsamongthebeasts;someofthemhavelostaneyeoranearorevenhadalegtornoff.TheKingandtheKing’sCounselorsalwayspunishthosewhostartafight,butsofierceisthenatureofsomebeaststhattheywillattimesfightinspiteoflawsandpunishment.
Overthisvast,wildForestofGuguflewtwoeagles,onemorning,andnearthecenterofthejungletheeaglesalightedonabranchofatalltree.
"Hereistheplaceforustobeginourwork,"saidone,whowasRuggedo,theNome.
"Domanybeastslivehere?"askedKikiAru,theothereagle.
"Theforestisfullofthem,"saidtheNome."ThereareenoughbeastsrightheretoenableustoconquerthepeopleofOz,ifwecangetthemtoconsenttojoinus.Todothat,wemustgoamongthemandtellthemourplans,sowemustnowdecideonwhatshapeswehadbetterassumewhileintheforest.
