Подорож до Країни Оз
4. King Dox
KingRenardIVshookhishead.
"Ican’tdothat,"hesaid;"Ihaven’tthepower,evenifIwantedto.No,Button-Brightmustwearhisfoxhead,andhe’llbesuretoloveitdearlyassoonashegetsusedtoit."
BoththeshaggymanandDorothylookedgraveandanxious,fortheyweresorrowfulthatsuchamisfortunehadovertakentheirlittlecompanion.Totobarkedatthefox-boyonceortwice,notrealizingitwashisformerfriendwhonowworetheanimalhead;butDorothycuffedthedogandmadehimstop.Asforthefoxes,theyallseemedtothinkButton-Bright’snewheadverybecomingandthattheirKinghadconferredagreathonoronthislittlestranger.Itwasfunnytoseetheboyreachuptofeelofhissharpnoseandwidemouth,andwailafreshwithgrief.Hewaggedhisearsinacomicalmannerandtearswereinhislittleblackeyes.ButDorothycouldn’tlaughatherfriendjustyet,becauseshefeltsosorry.
Justthenthreelittlefox-princesses,daughtersoftheKing,enteredtheroom,andwhentheysawButton-Brightoneexclaimed:"Howlovelyheis!"andthenextonecriedindelight:"Howsweetheis!"andthethirdprincessclappedherhandswithpleasureandsaid,"Howbeautifulheis!"
Button-Brightstoppedcryingandaskedtimidly:
"AmI?"
"Inalltheworldthereisnotanotherfacesopretty,"declaredthebiggestfox-princess.
"Youmustlivewithusalways,andbeourbrother,"saidthenext.
"Weshallallloveyoudearly,"thethirdsaid.
Thispraisedidmuchtocomforttheboy,andhelookedaroundandtriedtosmile.
