Волшебник страны Оз
The Guardian of the Gate
ButwhentheWoodmanenteredthegreatThroneRoomhesawneithertheHeadnortheLady,forOzhadtakentheshapeofamostterribleBeast. Itwasnearlyasbigasanelephant,andthegreenthroneseemedhardlystrongenoughtoholditsweight. TheBeasthadaheadlikethatofarhinoceros,onlytherewerefiveeyesinitsface. Therewerefivelongarmsgrowingoutofitsbody,anditalsohadfivelong,slimlegs. Thick,woollyhaircoveredeverypartofit,andamoredreadful-lookingmonstercouldnotbeimagined. ItwasfortunatetheTinWoodmanhadnoheartatthatmoment,foritwouldhavebeatloudandfastfromterror. Butbeingonlytin,theWoodmanwasnotatallafraid,althoughhewasmuchdisappointed.
"IamOz,theGreatandTerrible,"spoketheBeast,inavoicethatwasonegreatroar. "Whoareyou,andwhydoyouseekme?"
"IamaWoodman,andmadeoftin.ThereforeIhavenoheart,andcannotlove. IprayyoutogivemeaheartthatImaybeasothermenare."
"WhyshouldIdothis?"demandedtheBeast.
"BecauseIaskit,andyoualonecangrantmyrequest,"answeredtheWoodman.
Ozgavealowgrowlatthis,butsaid,gruffly: "Ifyouindeeddesireaheart,youmustearnit."
"How?"askedtheWoodman.
"HelpDorothytokilltheWickedWitchoftheWest,"repliedtheBeast. "WhentheWitchisdead,cometome,andIwillthengiveyouthebiggestandkindestandmostlovingheartinalltheLandofOz."
