Озма з країни Оз
2. The Yellow Hen
"Weseemtobedriftingtowardit,sothatbeforenoonweoughttofindourselvesupondrylandagain."
"Ishalllikethat!"saidDorothy,withalittlesigh,forherfeetandlegswerestillwettednowandthenbythesea-waterthatcamethroughtheopenslats.
"SoshallI,"answeredhercompanion."Thereisnothingintheworldsomiserableasawethen."
Theland,whichtheyseemedtoberapidlyapproaching,sinceitgrewmoredistincteveryminute,wasquitebeautifulasviewedbythelittlegirlinthefloatinghen-coop.Nexttothewaterwasabroadbeachofwhitesandandgravel,andfartherbackwereseveralrockyhills,whilebeyondtheseappearedastripofgreentreesthatmarkedtheedgeofaforest.Buttherewerenohousestobeseen,noranysignofpeoplewhomightinhabitthisunknownland.
"Ihopeweshallfindsomethingtoeat,"saidDorothy,lookingeagerlyattheprettybeachtowardwhichtheydrifted."It’slongpastbreakfasttime,now."
"I’matriflehungry,myself,"declaredtheyellowhen.
"Whydon’tyoueattheegg?"askedthechild."Youdon’tneedtohaveyourfoodcooked,asIdo."
"Doyoutakemeforacannibal?"criedthehen,indignantly."IdonotknowwhatIhavesaidordonethatleadsyoutoinsultme!"
"Ibegyourpardon,I’msureMrs.--Mrs.--bytheway,mayIinquireyourname,ma’am?"askedthelittlegirl.
"MynameisBill,"saidtheyellowhen,somewhatgruffly.
"Bill!Why,that’saboy’sname."
"Whatdifferencedoesthatmake?"
"You’realadyhen,aren’tyou?"
"Ofcourse.