Изумрудный город страны Оз
1. How the Nome King Became Angry
"Oneofmyspies,whoisaBlackbird,flewoverthedeserttotheLandofOz,andsawtheMagicBeltinOzma’spalace,"repliedtheKingwithagroan.
"Nowthatgivesmeanidea,"saidGeneralBlug,thoughtfully."TherearetwowaystogettotheLandofOzwithouttravelingacrossthesandydesert."
"Whatarethey?"demandedtheKing,eagerly.
"OnewayisOVERthedesert,throughtheair;andtheotherwayisUNDERthedesert,throughtheearth."
HearingthistheNomeKingutteredayellofjoyandleapedfromhisthrone,toresumehiswildwalkupanddownthecavern.
"That’sit,Blug!"heshouted."That’stheidea,General!I’mKingoftheUnderWorld,andmysubjectsareallminers.I’llmakeasecrettunnelunderthedeserttotheLandofOz--yes!rightuptotheEmeraldCity--andyouwillmarchyourarmiesthereandcapturethewholecountry!"
"Softly,softly,yourMajesty.Don’tgotoofast,"warnedtheGeneral."MyNomesaregoodfighters,buttheyarenotstrongenoughtoconquertheEmeraldCity."
"Areyousure?"askedtheKing.
"Absolutelycertain,yourMajesty."
"ThenwhatamItodo?"
"Giveuptheideaandmindyourownbusiness,"advisedtheGeneral."Youhaveplentytodotryingtoruleyourundergroundkingdom."
"ButIwanttheMagicBelt--andI’mgoingtohaveit!"roaredtheNomeKing.
"I’dliketoseeyougetit,"repliedtheGeneral,laughingmaliciously.
TheKingwasbythistimesoexasperatedthathepickeduphisscepter,whichhadaheavyball,madefromasapphire,attheendofit,andthrewitwithallhisforceatGeneralBlug
