Озма з країни Оз
15. Billina Frightens the Nome King
"Don’tworry,mydear,"criedBillina,withacluckthatwasmeantforalaugh."Imaynotbehuman,butI’mnofool,ifIAMachicken."
"Oh,Billina!"saidDorothy,"youhaven’tbeenachickeninalongtime.Notsinceyou--you’vebeen--grownup."
"Perhapsthat’strue,"answeredBillina,thoughtfully."ButifaKansasfarmersoldmetosomeone,whatwouldhecallme?--ahenorachicken!"
"YouarenotaKansasfarmer,Billina,"repliedthegirl,"andyousaid--"
"Nevermindthat,Dorothy.I’mgoing.Iwon’tsaygood-bye,becauseI’mcomingback.Keepupyourcourage,forI’llseeyoualittlelater."
ThenBillinagaveseveralloud"cluck-clucks"thatseemedtomakethefatlittleKingMOREnervousthanever,andmarchedthroughtheentranceintotheenchantedpalace.
"IhopeI’veseenthelastofTHATbird,"declaredthemonarch,seatinghimselfagaininhisthroneandmoppingtheperspirationfromhisforeheadwithhisrock-coloredhandkerchief."Hensarebothersomeenoughattheirbest,butwhentheycantalkthey’resimplydreadful."
"Billina’smyfriend,"saidDorothyquietly."Shemaynotalwaysbe’zactlypolite;butsheMEANSwell,I’msure."