Волшебник страны Оз
Attacked by the Fighting Trees
"Wemustbeverycarefulhere,"saidthekind-heartedWoodman,"orwemayhurttheseprettylittlepeoplesotheywillnevergetoverit."
AlittlefartheronDorothymetamostbeautifullydressedyoungPrincess,whostoppedshortasshesawthestrangersandstartedtorunaway.
DorothywantedtoseemoreofthePrincess,sosheranafterher.Butthechinagirlcriedout:
"Don’tchaseme!Don’tchaseme!"
ShehadsuchafrightenedlittlevoicethatDorothystoppedandsaid, "Whynot?"
"Because,"answeredthePrincess,alsostopping,asafedistanceaway, "ifIrunImayfalldownandbreakmyself."
"Butcouldyounotbemended?"askedthegirl.
"Oh,yes;butoneisneversoprettyafterbeingmended,youknow,"repliedthePrincess.
"Isupposenot,"saidDorothy.
"NowthereisMr.Joker,oneofourclowns,"continuedthechinalady,"whoisalwaystryingtostanduponhishead. Hehasbrokenhimselfsooftenthatheismendedinahundredplaces,anddoesn’tlookatallpretty. Herehecomesnow,soyoucanseeforyourself."
Indeed,ajollylittleclowncamewalkingtowardthem,andDorothycouldseethatinspiteofhisprettyclothesofredandyellowandgreenhewascompletelycoveredwithcracks,runningeverywhichway andshowingplainlythathehadbeenmendedinmanyplaces.
