Волшебник страны Оз
The Road Through the Forest
ThereupontheWickedWitchenchantedmyaxe,andwhenIwaschoppingawayatmybestoneday,forIwasanxioustogetthenewhouseandmywifeassoonaspossible,theaxeslippedallatonceandcutoffmyleftleg.
"Thisatfirstseemedagreatmisfortune,forIknewaone-leggedmancouldnotdoverywellasawood-chopper. SoIwenttoatinsmithandhadhimmakemeanewlegoutoftin. Thelegworkedverywell,onceIwasusedtoit. ButmyactionangeredtheWickedWitchoftheEast,forshehadpromisedtheoldwomanIshouldnotmarrytheprettyMunchkingirl. WhenIbeganchoppingagain,myaxeslippedandcutoffmyrightleg. AgainIwenttothetinsmith,andagainhemademealegoutoftin. Afterthistheenchantedaxecutoffmyarms,oneaftertheother; but,nothingdaunted,Ihadthemreplacedwithtinones. TheWickedWitchthenmadetheaxeslipandcutoffmyhead,andatfirstIthoughtthatwastheendofme. Butthetinsmithhappenedtocomealong,andhemademeanewheadoutoftin.
"IthoughtIhadbeatentheWickedWitchthen,andIworkedharderthanever; butIlittleknewhowcruelmyenemycouldbe. ShethoughtofanewwaytokillmyloveforthebeautifulMunchkinmaiden,andmademyaxeslipagain,sothatitcutrightthroughmybody,splittingmeintotwohalves. Oncemorethetinsmithcametomyhelpandmademeabodyoftin,fasteningmytinarmsandlegsandheadtoit,bymeansofjoints,sothatIcouldmovearoundaswellasever. But,alas! Ihadnownoheart,sothatIlostallmylovefortheMunchkingirl,anddidnotcarewhetherImarriedherornot. Isupposesheisstilllivingwiththeoldwoman,waitingformetocomeafterher.
"MybodyshonesobrightlyinthesunthatIfeltveryproudofitanditdidnotmatternowifmyaxeslipped,foritcouldnotcutme.
