The Queen of the Field Mice

           ItwassometimebeforetheCowardlyLionawakened,forhehadlainamongthepoppiesalongwhile,breathingintheirdeadlyfragrance; butwhenhedidopenhiseyesandrolloffthetruckhewasverygladtofindhimselfstillalive. 

           "IranasfastasIcould,"hesaid,sittingdownandyawning,"buttheflowersweretoostrongforme. Howdidyougetmeout?" 

           Thentheytoldhimofthefieldmice,andhowtheyhadgenerouslysavedhimfromdeath; andtheCowardlyLionlaughed,andsaid: 

           "Ihavealwaysthoughtmyselfverybigandterrible; yetsuchlittlethingsasflowerscameneartokillingme,andsuchsmallanimalsasmicehavesavedmylife. Howstrangeitallis! But,comrades,whatshallwedonow?" 

           "Wemustjourneyonuntilwefindtheroadofyellowbrickagain,"saidDorothy,"andthenwecankeepontotheEmeraldCity." 

           So,theLionbeingfullyrefreshed,andfeelingquitehimselfagain,theyallstarteduponthejourney,greatlyenjoyingthewalkthroughthesoft,freshgrass; anditwasnotlongbeforetheyreachedtheroadofyellowbrickandturnedagaintowardtheEmeraldCitywheretheGreatOzdwelt. 

           Theroadwassmoothandwellpaved,now,andthecountryaboutwasbeautiful, sothatthetravelersrejoicedinleavingtheforestfarbehind,andwithitthemanydangerstheyhadmetinitsgloomyshades. Oncemoretheycouldseefencesbuiltbesidetheroad;butthesewerepaintedgreen,andwhentheycametoasmallhouse,inwhichafarmerevidentlylived,thatalsowaspaintedgreen.