Озма из страны Оз

           "Howareyou?"

           "Ascowardlyasever,"thebeastansweredinameekvoice."Everylittlethingscaresmeandmakesmyheartbeatfast.Butletmeintroducetoyouanewfriendofmine,theHungryTiger."

           "Oh!Areyouhungry?"sheasked,turningtotheotherbeast,whowasjustthenyawningsowidelythathedisplayedtworowsofterribleteethandamouthbigenoughtostartleanyone.

           "Dreadfullyhungry,"answeredtheTiger,snappinghisjawstogetherwithafierceclick.

           "Thenwhydon’tyoueatsomething?"sheasked.

           "It’snouse,"saidtheTigersadly."I’vetriedthat,butIalwaysgethungryagain."

           "Why,itisthesamewithme,"saidDorothy."YetIkeeponeating."

           "Butyoueatharmlessthings,soitdoesn’tmatter,"repliedtheTiger."Formypart,I’masavagebeast,andhaveanappetiteforallsortsofpoorlittlelivingcreatures,fromachipmunktofatbabies."

           "Howdreadful!"saidDorothy.

           "Isn’tit,though?"returnedtheHungryTiger,lickinghislipswithhislongredtongue."Fatbabies!Don’ttheysounddelicious?ButI’venevereatenany,becausemyconsciencetellsmeitiswrong.IfIhadnoconscienceIwouldprobablyeatthebabiesandthengethungryagain,whichwouldmeanthatIhadsacrificedthepoorbabiesfornothing.No;hungryIwasborn,andhungryIshalldie.ButI’llnothaveanycrueldeedsonmyconsciencetobesorryfor."

           "Ithinkyouareaverygoodtiger,"saidDorothy,pattingthehugeheadofthebeast.

           "Inthatyouaremistaken,"wasthereply."Iamagoodbeast,perhaps,butadisgracefullybadtiger.