Смарагдове місто країни Оз

           "IfIshouldgointothehouseandthrowmychildoutofthewindow,itwouldrollwaydowntothebottomofthehill;andtheniftherewerealotoftigersandbearsdownthere,theywouldtearmydarlingbabetopiecesandeatitup!"

           "Arethereanytigersandbearsinthisneighborhood?"theWizardasked.

           "I’veneverheardofany,"admittedthewoman,"butiftherewere--"

           "Haveyouanyideaofthrowingyourbabyoutofthewindow?"questionedthelittleman.

           "Noneatall,"shesaid;"butif--"

           "Allyourtroublesareduetothose’ifs’,"declaredtheWizard."IfyouwerenotaFlutterbudgetyouwouldn’tworry."

           "There’sanother’if’,"repliedthewoman."AreyouaFlutterbudget,too?"

           "Iwillbe,ifIstayherelong,"exclaimedtheWizard,nervously.

           "Another’if’!"criedthewoman.

           ButtheWizarddidnotstoptoarguewithher.HemadetheSawhorsecanterallthewaydownthehill,andonlybreathedeasilywhentheyweremilesawayfromthevillage.

           AftertheyhadriddeninsilenceforawhileDorothyturnedtothelittlemanandasked:

           "Do’ifs’reallymakeFlutterbudgets?"

           "Ithinkthe’ifs’help,"heansweredseriously."Foolishfears,andworriesovernothing,withamixtureofnervesandifs,willsoonmakeaFlutterbudgetofanyone."

           Thentherewasanotherlongsilence,forallthetravelerswerethinkingoverthisstatement,andnearlyalldecideditmustbetrue.