Дороті та Чарівник у країні Оз
17. The Nine Tiny Piglets
InhislittleroombackoftheThroneRoomtheWizardhadfoundalotofthingshehadleftbehindhimwhenhewentawayintheballoon,fornoonehadoccupiedtheapartmentinhisabsence.Therewasenoughmaterialtheretoenablehimtoprepareseveralnewtrickswhichhehadlearnedfromsomeofthejugglersinthecircus,andhehadpassedpartofthenightingettingthemready.SohefollowedthetrickoftheninetinypigletswithseveralotherwonderfulfeatsthatgreatlydelightedhisaudienceandthepeopledidnotseemtocareabitwhetherthelittlemanwasahumbugWizardornot,solongashesucceededinamusingthem.Theyapplaudedallhistricksandattheendoftheperformancebeggedhimearnestlynottogoawayagainandleavethem.
"Inthatcase,"saidthelittleman,gravely,"IwillcancelallofmyengagementsbeforethecrownedheadsofEuropeandAmericaanddevotemyselftothepeopleofOz,forIloveyouallsowellthatIcandenyyounothing."
AfterthepeoplehadbeendismissedwiththispromiseourfriendsjoinedPrincessOzmaatanelaborateluncheoninthepalace,whereeventheTigerandtheLionweresumptuouslyfedandJimtheCab-horseatehisoatmealoutofagoldenbowlwithsevenrowsofrubies,sapphiresanddiamondssetaroundtherimofit.
Intheafternoontheyallwenttoagreatfieldoutsidethecitygateswherethegamesweretobeheld.TherewasabeautifulcanopyforOzmaandhergueststositunderandwatchthepeoplerunracesandjumpandwrestle.
