Смарагдове місто країни Оз
10. How the Cuttenclips Lived
Shebuiltthewalltokeepanywindfromblowingawaymypeople,andtoldmeIcouldbuildapapervillagehereandbeitsQueen.ThatiswhyIcamehereandsettleddowntoworkandstartedthevillageyounowsee.ItwasmanyyearsagothatIbuiltthefirsthouses,andI’vekeptprettybusyandmademyvillagegrowfinely;andIneednottellyouthatIamveryhappyinmywork."
"Manyyearsago!"exclaimedAuntEm."Why,howoldareyou,child?"
"Ineverkeeptrackoftheyears,"saidMissCuttenclip,laughing."Yousee,Idon’tgrowupatall,butstayjustthesameasIwaswhenfirstIcamehere.PerhapsI’moldereventhanyouare,madam;butIcouldn’tsayforsure."
Theylookedatthelovelylittlegirlwonderingly,andtheWizardasked:
"Whathappenstoyourpapervillagewhenitrains?"
"Itdoesnotrainhere,"repliedMissCuttenclip."Glindakeepsalltherainstormsaway;soIneverworryaboutmydollsgettingwet.Butnow,ifyouwillcomewithme,itwillgivemepleasuretoshowyouovermypaperkingdom.Ofcourseyoumustgoslowlyandcarefully,andavoidmakinganybreeze."
Theyleftthecottageandfollowedtheirguidethroughthevariousstreetsofthevillage.Itwasindeedanamazingplace,whenoneconsideredthatitwasallmadewithscissors,andthevisitorswerenotonlygreatlyinterestedbutfullofadmirationfortheskilloflittleMissCuttenclip.
InoneplacealargegroupofespeciallynicepaperdollsassembledtogreettheirQueen,whomitwaseasytoseetheylovedearly.
