Путешествие в Страну Оз

           "

           Thispraiseseemedtopleasethelittlefatmusicker,forheswelledouthischest,lookedimportantandsangasfollows:

           Iwearnobandaroundme,

           AndyetIamaband!

           Idonotstraintomakemystrains

           But,ontheotherhand,

           Mytootisalwaysdestitute

           Offlatsorothererrors;

           Toseesharpandbenaturalare

           Formebutminorterrors.

           "Idon’tquiteunderstandthat,"saidPolychrome,withapuzzledlook;"butperhapsit’sbecauseI’maccustomedonlytothemusicofthespheres."

           "What’sthat?"askedButton-Bright.

           "Oh,Pollymeanstheatmosphereandhemisphere,Is’pose,"explainedDorothy.

           "Oh,"saidButton-Bright.

           "Bow-wow!"saidToto.

           Butthemusickerwasstillbreathinghisconstant

           Oom,pom-pom;Oompom-pom—

           anditseemedtojarontheshaggyman’snerves.

           "Stopit,can’tyou?"hecriedangrily;"orbreatheinawhisper;orputaclothes-pinonyournose.Dosomething,anyhow!"

           Butthefatone,withasadlook,sangthisanswer:

           Musichathcharms,anditmay

           Sootheeventhesavage,theysay;

           Soifsavageyoufeel

           Justlisttomyreel,

           Forsoothtosaythat’stherealway.

           Theshaggymanhadtolaughatthis,andwhenhelaughedhestretchedhisdonkeymouthwideopen.SaidDorothy:

           "Idon’tknowhowgoodhispoetryis,butitseemstofitthenotes,sothat’sallthatcanbe’xpected."

           "Ilikeit,"saidButton-Bright,whowasstaringhardatthemusicker,hislittlelegsspreadwideapart.Tothesurpriseofhiscompanions,theboyaskedthislongquestion:

           "IfIswallowedamouth-organ,whatwouldIbe?"

           "Anorganette,"saidtheshaggyman.