Озма з країни Оз
8. The Hungry Tiger
"Howareyou?"
"Ascowardlyasever,"thebeastansweredinameekvoice."Everylittlethingscaresmeandmakesmyheartbeatfast.Butletmeintroducetoyouanewfriendofmine,theHungryTiger."
"Oh!Areyouhungry?"sheasked,turningtotheotherbeast,whowasjustthenyawningsowidelythathedisplayedtworowsofterribleteethandamouthbigenoughtostartleanyone.
"Dreadfullyhungry,"answeredtheTiger,snappinghisjawstogetherwithafierceclick.
"Thenwhydon’tyoueatsomething?"sheasked.
"It’snouse,"saidtheTigersadly."I’vetriedthat,butIalwaysgethungryagain."
"Why,itisthesamewithme,"saidDorothy."YetIkeeponeating."
"Butyoueatharmlessthings,soitdoesn’tmatter,"repliedtheTiger."Formypart,I’masavagebeast,andhaveanappetiteforallsortsofpoorlittlelivingcreatures,fromachipmunktofatbabies."
"Howdreadful!"saidDorothy.
"Isn’tit,though?"returnedtheHungryTiger,lickinghislipswithhislongredtongue."Fatbabies!Don’ttheysounddelicious?ButI’venevereatenany,becausemyconsciencetellsmeitiswrong.IfIhadnoconscienceIwouldprobablyeatthebabiesandthengethungryagain,whichwouldmeanthatIhadsacrificedthepoorbabiesfornothing.No;hungryIwasborn,andhungryIshalldie.ButI’llnothaveanycrueldeedsonmyconsciencetobesorryfor."
"Ithinkyouareaverygoodtiger,"saidDorothy,pattingthehugeheadofthebeast.
"Inthatyouaremistaken,"wasthereply."Iamagoodbeast,perhaps,butadisgracefullybadtiger.