Озма з країни Оз
2. The Yellow Hen
ButwhenIwasfirsthatchedoutnoonecouldtellwhetherIwasgoingtobeahenorarooster;sothelittleboyatthefarmwhereIwasborncalledmeBill,andmadeapetofmebecauseIwastheonlyyellowchickeninthewholebrood.WhenIgrewup,andhefoundthatIdidn’tcrowandfight,asalltheroostersdo,hedidnotthinktochangemyname,andeverycreatureinthebarn-yard,aswellasthepeopleinthehouse,knewmeas’Bill.’SoBillI’vealwaysbeencalled,andBillismyname."
"Butit’sallwrong,youknow,"declaredDorothy,earnestly;"and,ifyoudon’tmind,Ishallcallyou’Billina.’Puttingthe’eena’ontheendmakesitagirl’sname,yousee."
"Oh,Idon’tminditintheleast,"returnedtheyellowhen."Itdoesn’tmatteratallwhatyoucallme,solongasIknowthenamemeansME."
"Verywell,Billina.MYnameisDorothyGale--justDorothytomyfriendsandMissGaletostrangers.YoumaycallmeDorothy,ifyoulike.We’regettingveryneartheshore.Doyousupposeitistoodeepformetowadetherestoftheway?"
"Waitafewminuteslonger.Thesunshineiswarmandpleasant,andweareinnohurry."
"Butmyfeetareallwetandsoggy,"saidthegirl."Mydressisdryenough,butIwon’tfeelrealcomfor’bletillIgetmyfeetdried."
Shewaited,however,asthehenadvised,andbeforelongthebigwoodencoopgratedgentlyonthesandybeachandthedangerousvoyagewasover.
Itdidnottakethecastawayslongtoreachtheshore,youmaybesure.Theyellowhenflewtothesandsatonce,butDorothyhadtoclimboverthehighslats.