Изумрудный город страны Оз

           "YoupromisednottopinchifIwouldcarryyouhere!"

           "Andyoupromisedtotreatmerespectfully,"saidthecrab,lettinggotheear.

           "Well,haven’tI?"demandedthezebra.

           "No;youcalledmealobster,"saidthecrab.

           "Ladiesandgentlemen,"continuedthezebra,"pleasepardonmypoorfriend,becauseheisignorantandstupid,anddoesnotunderstand.Alsothepinchofhisclawisveryannoying.Sopraytellhimthattheworldcontainsmorelandthanwater,andwhenhehasheardyourjudgmentIwillcarryhimbackanddumphimintohispool,whereIhopehewillbemoremodestinthefuture."

           "Butwecannottellhimthat,"saidDorothy,gravely,"becauseitwouldnotbetrue."

           "What!"exclaimedthezebra,inastonishment;"doIhearyouaright?"

           "Thesoft-shellcrabiscorrect,"declaredtheWizard."Thereisconsiderablymorewaterthanthereislandintheworld."

           "Impossible!"protestedthezebra."Why,Icanrunfordaysupontheland,andfindbutlittlewater."

           "Didyoueverseeanocean?"askedDorothy.

           "Never,"admittedthezebra."ThereisnosuchthingasanoceanintheLandofOz."

           "Well,thereareseveraloceansintheworld,"saidDorothy,"andpeoplesailinshipsupontheseoceansforweeksandweeks,andneverseeabitoflandatall.Andthejoggerfyswilltellyouthatalltheoceansputtogetherarebiggerthanallthelandputtogether."

           AtthisthecrabbeganlaughinginqueerchucklesthatremindedDorothyofthewayBillinasometimescackled.

           "NOWwillyougiveup,Mr.Zebra?"itcried,jeeringly;"nowwillyougiveup?"

           Thezebraseemedmuchhumbled.