Волшебство страны Оз
13. The Loss of the Black Bag
"Here!"
TheBoyandtheWomanandtheRabbitnowjoinedtheFoxandtheLamb,andtheyallstoodbeforetheGlassCatandspeakingtogether,almostlikeachorus,asked:"HaveyouseentheBlackBag?"
"Often,"repliedtheGlassCat,"butnotlately."
"It’slost,"saidtheFox,"andwemustfindit."
"AreyoutheWizard?"askedtheCat.
"Yes."
"Andwhoaretheseothers?"
"I’mDorothy,"saidtheLamb.
"I’mtheCowardlyLion,"saidtheMunchkinboy.
"I’mtheHungryTiger,"saidtheRabbit.
"I’mGugu,KingoftheForest,"saidthefatWoman.
TheGlassCatsatonitshindlegsandbegantolaugh."My,whatafunnylot!"exclaimedtheCreature."Whoplayedthisjokeonyou?"
"It’snojokeatall,"declaredtheWizard."Itwasacruel,wickedtransformation,andtheMagicianthatdidithastheheadofalion,thebodyofamonkey,thewingsofaneagleandaroundballontheendofhistail."
TheGlassCatlaughedagain."ThatMagicianmustlookfunnierthanyoudo,"itsaid."Whereishenow?"
"Somewhereintheforest,"saidtheCowardlyLion."Hejustjumpedintothattallmapletreeoverthere,forhecanclimblikeamonkeyandflylikeaneagle,andthenhedisappearedintheforest."
"AndtherewasanotherMagician,justlikehim,whowashisfriend,"addedDorothy,"buttheyprobablyquarreled,forthewickedestonechangedhisfriendintotheformofaGoose."
"WhatbecameoftheGoose?"askedtheCat,lookingaround.
"Hemusthavegoneawaytofindhisfriend,"answeredGugutheKing."ButaGoosecan’ttravelveryfast,sowecouldeasilyfindhimifwewantedto
