Волшебство страны Оз
9. The Isle of the Magic Flower
"WhenIwasherebefore,"remarkedtheGlassCat,lazilyrecliningatthegirl’sfeet,"IsawtwoKalidahsonthisverybank,wheretheyhadcometodrink."
"WhatareKalidahs?"askedthegirl.
"ThemostpowerfulandferociousbeastsinallOz.Thisforestistheirespecialhome,andsotherearefewotherbeaststobefoundexceptmonkeys.ThemonkeysarespryenoughtokeepoutofthewayofthefierceKalidahs,whichattackallotheranimalsandoftenfightamongthemselves."
"Didtheytrytofightyouwhenyousaw’em?"askedTrot,gettingverymuchexcited.
"Yes.Theyspranguponmeinaninstant;butIlayflatontheground,soIwouldn’tgetmylegsbrokenbythegreatweightofthebeasts,andwhentheytriedtobitemeIlaughedatthemandjeeredthemuntiltheywerefranticwithrage,fortheynearlybroketheirteethonmyhardglass.So,afteratime,theydiscoveredtheycouldnothurtme,andwentaway.Itwasgreatfun."
"Ihopetheydon’tcomehereagaintodrink,—notwhilewe’rehere,anyhow,"returnedthegirl,"forI’mnotmadeofglass,norisCap’nBill,andifthosebadbeastsbitus,we’dgethurt."
Cap’nBillwascuttingfromthetreessomelongstakes,makingthemsharpatoneendandleavingacrotchattheotherend.Theseweretobindthelogsofhisrafttogether.HehadfashionedseveralandwasjustfinishinganotherwhentheGlassCatcried:"Lookout!There’saKalidahcomingtowardus.
