Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз

           You’resuretolikeBillina,whenyouknowher,"assertedDorothy.

           "Yourfriendssoundlikeamenagerie,"remarkedZeb,uneasily."Couldn’tyouwishmeinsomesaferplacethanOz."

           "Don’tworry,"repliedthegirl."You’lljustlovethefolksinOz,whenyougetacquainted.Whattimeisit,Mr.Wizard?"

           Thelittlemanlookedathiswatch—abigsilveronethathecarriedinhisvestpocket.

           "Half-pastthree,"hesaid.

           "Thenwemustwaitforhalfanhour,"shecontinued;"butitwon’ttakelong,afterthat,tocarryusalltotheEmeraldCity."

           Theysatsilentlythinkingforatime.ThenJimsuddenlyasked:

           "ArethereanyhorsesinOz?"

           "Onlyone,"repliedDorothy,"andhe’sasawhorse."

           "Awhat?"

           "Asawhorse.PrincessOzmaoncebroughthimtolifewithawitch-powder,whenshewasaboy."

           "WasOzmaonceaboy?"askedZeb,wonderingly.

           "Yes;awickedwitchenchantedher,soshecouldnotruleherkingdom.Butshe’sagirlnow,andthesweetest,loveliestgirlinalltheworld."

           "Asawhorseisathingtheysawboardson,"remarkedJim,withasniff.

           "Itiswhenit’snotalive,"acknowledgedthegirl."Butthissawhorsecantrotasfastasyoucan,Jim;andhe’sverywise,too."

           "Pah!I’llracethemiserablewoodendonkeyanydayintheweek!"criedthecab-horse.

           Dorothydidnotreplytothat.ShefeltthatJimwouldknowmoreabouttheSaw-Horselateron.

           Thetimedraggedwearilyenoughtotheeagerwatchers,butfinallytheWizardannouncedthatfouro’clockhadarrived,andDorothycaughtupthekittenandbegantomakethesignalthathadbeenagreedupontothefar-awayinvisibleOzma.