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3. A Queer Village
"Don’tasksomanyquestions,littleboy."
"Why?"
"Ah,whyindeed?"exclaimedthecaptain,lookingatButton-Brightadmiringly."Ifyoudon’taskquestionsyouwilllearnnothing.Trueenough.Iwaswrong.You’reaverycleverlittleboy,cometothinkofit—verycleverindeed.Butnow,friends,pleasecomewithme,foritismydutytoescortyouatoncetotheroyalpalace."
Thesoldiersmarchedbackthroughthearchagain,andwiththemmarchedtheshaggyman,Dorothy,Toto,andButton-Bright.Oncethroughtheopeningtheyfoundafine,bigcityspreadoutbeforethem,allthehousesofcarvedmarbleinbeautifulcolors.Thedecorationsweremostlybirdsandotherfowl,suchaspeacocks,pheasants,turkeys,prairie-chickens,ducks,andgeese.Overeachdoorwaywascarvedaheadrepresentingthefoxwholivedinthathouse,thiseffectbeingquiteprettyandunusual.
Asourfriendsmarchedalong,someofthefoxescameoutontheporchesandbalconiestogetaviewofthestrangers.Thesefoxeswereallhandsomelydressed,thegirl-foxesandwomen-foxeswearinggownsoffeatherswoventogethereffectivelyandcoloredinbrighthueswhichDorothythoughtwerequiteartisticanddecidedlyattractive.
Button-Brightstareduntilhiseyeswerebigandround,andhewouldhavestumbledandfallenmorethanoncehadnottheshaggymangraspedhishandtightly.Theywereallinterested,andTotowassoexcitedhewantedtobarkeveryminuteandtochaseandfighteveryfoxhecaughtsightof;butDorothyheldhislittlewigglingbodyfastinherarmsandcommandedhimtobegoodandbehavehimself.