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13. The Truth Pond
"That’strue,"shereplied;"sowe’dbetterstartonandseeifwecanfindanyoftheWinkies.They’renicepeople,"shecontinued,asthelittlepartybeganwalkingtowardthegroupoftrees,"andIcamehereoncewithmyfriendstheScarecrow,andtheTinWoodman,andtheCowardlyLion,tofightawickedwitchwhohadmadealltheWinkiesherslaves."
"Didyouconquerher?"askedPolly.
"Why,Imeltedherwithabucketofwater,andthatwastheendofher,"repliedDorothy."Afterthatthepeoplewerefree,youknow,andtheymadeNickChopper—that’stheTinWoodman—theirEmp’ror."
"What’sthat?"askedButton-Bright.
"Emp’ror?Oh,it’ssomethinglikeanalderman,Iguess."
"Oh,"saidtheboy.
"ButIthoughtPrincessOzmaruledOz,"saidtheshaggyman.
"Soshedoes;sherulestheEmeraldCityandallthefourcountriesofOz;buteachcountryhasanotherlittleruler,notsobigasOzma.It’sliketheofficersofanarmy,yousee;thelittlerulersareallcaptains,andOzma’sthegeneral."
Bythistimetheyhadreachedthetrees,whichstoodinaperfectcircleandjustfarenoughapartsothattheirthickbranchestouched—or"shookhands,"asButton-Brightremarked.Undertheshadeofthetreestheyfound,inthecenterofthecircle,acrystalpool,itswaterasstillasglass.Itmusthavebeendeep,too,forwhenPolychromebentoveritshegavealittlesighofpleasure.
"Why,it’samirror!"shecried;forshecouldseeallherprettyfaceandfluffy,rainbow-tintedgownreflectedinthepool,asnaturalaslife.