Озма из страны Оз

           "Don’tworry,mydear,"criedBillina,withacluckthatwasmeantforalaugh."Imaynotbehuman,butI’mnofool,ifIAMachicken."

           "Oh,Billina!"saidDorothy,"youhaven’tbeenachickeninalongtime.Notsinceyou--you’vebeen--grownup."

           "Perhapsthat’strue,"answeredBillina,thoughtfully."ButifaKansasfarmersoldmetosomeone,whatwouldhecallme?--ahenorachicken!"

           "YouarenotaKansasfarmer,Billina,"repliedthegirl,"andyousaid--"

           "Nevermindthat,Dorothy.I’mgoing.Iwon’tsaygood-bye,becauseI’mcomingback.Keepupyourcourage,forI’llseeyoualittlelater."

           ThenBillinagaveseveralloud"cluck-clucks"thatseemedtomakethefatlittleKingMOREnervousthanever,andmarchedthroughtheentranceintotheenchantedpalace.

           "IhopeI’veseenthelastofTHATbird,"declaredthemonarch,seatinghimselfagaininhisthroneandmoppingtheperspirationfromhisforeheadwithhisrock-coloredhandkerchief."Hensarebothersomeenoughattheirbest,butwhentheycantalkthey’resimplydreadful."

           "Billina’smyfriend,"saidDorothyquietly."Shemaynotalwaysbe’zactlypolite;butsheMEANSwell,I’msure."