Дороті та Чарівник у країні Оз
10. The Braided Man of Pyramid Mountain
"TheyaretheCloudFairies."
"Theyseemlikeopen-work,"remarkedtheboy,gazingintently."IfIshouldsqueezeone,therewouldn’tbeanythingleftofit."
Intheopenspacebetweenthecloudsandtheblack,bubblingseafarbeneath,couldbeseenanoccasionalstrangebirdwingingitswayswiftlythroughtheair.Thesebirdswereofenormoussize,andremindedZeboftherocshehadreadaboutintheArabianNights.Theyhadfierceeyesandsharptalonsandbeaks,andthechildrenhopednoneofthemwouldventureintothecavern.
"Well,Ideclare!"suddenlyexclaimedthelittleWizard."Whatintheworldisthis?"
Theyturnedaroundandfoundamanstandingonthefloorinthecenterofthecave,whobowedverypolitelywhenhesawhehadattractedtheirattention.Hewasaveryoldman,bentnearlydouble;butthequeerestthingabouthimwashiswhitehairandbeard.Theseweresolongthattheyreachedtohisfeet,andboththehairandthebeardwerecarefullyplaitedintomanybraids,andtheendofeachbraidfastenedwithabowofcoloredribbon.
"Wheredidyoucomefrom?"askedDorothy,wonderingly.
"Noplaceatall,"answeredthemanwiththebraids;"thatis,notrecently.OnceIlivedontoptheearth,butformanyyearsIhavehadmyfactoryinthisspot—halfwayupPyramidMountain."
"Areweonlyhalfwayup?"enquiredtheboy,inadiscouragedtone.
"Ibelieveso,mylad,"repliedthebraidedman."ButasIhaveneverbeenineitherdirection,downorup,sinceIarrived,Icannotbepositivewhetheritisexactlyhalfwayornot.
