Озма из страны Оз
8. The Hungry Tiger
"ItisthatcrossoldPrincesswhoistoblame.ButIwasraisedintheUnitedStates,andIwon’tallowanyone-horsechickenoftheLandofEvtorunovermeandputonairs,aslongasIcanliftaclawinself-defense."
"Verywell,Billina,"saidDorothy."Wewon’ttalkaboutitanymore."
SoontheycametotheCowardlyLionandtheHungryTigertowhomthegirlintroducedtheYellowHen.
"GladtomeetanyfriendofDorothy’s,"saidtheLion,politely."Tojudgebyyourpresentappearance,youarenotacoward,asIam."
"Yourpresentappearancemakesmymouthwater,"saidtheTiger,lookingatBillinagreedily."My,my!howgoodyouwouldtasteifIcouldonlycrunchyoubetweenmyjaws.Butdon’tworry.Youwouldonlyappeasemyappetiteforamoment;soitisn’tworthwhiletoeatyou."
"Thankyou,"saidthehen,nestlingcloserinDorothy’sarms.
"Besides,itwouldn’tberight,"continuedtheTiger,lookingsteadilyatBillinaandclickinghisjawstogether.
"Ofcoursenot,"criedDorothy,hastily."Billinaismyfriend,andyoumustn’tevereatherunderanycirc’mstances."
"I’lltrytorememberthat,"saidtheTiger;"butI’malittleabsent-minded,attimes."
ThenDorothycarriedherpetintothedrawing-roomofthepalace,whereTiktok,beinginvitedtodosobyOzma,hadseatedhimselfbetweentheScarecrowandtheTinWoodman.OppositetothemsatOzmaherselfandthePrincessLangwidere,andbesidethemtherewasavacantchairforDorothy
