English
“Wherenext?”askedtheWizardwhentheyhadleftthetownofFuddlecumjigandtheSawhorsehadstartedbackalongtheroad.
“Why,Ozmalaidoutthistrip,”repliedDorothy,“andshe‘visedustoseetheRigmarolesnext,andthenvisittheTinWoodman.”
“Thatsoundsgood,”saidtheWizard.“ButwhatroaddowetaketogettotheRigmaroles?”
“Idon’tknow,‘zactly,”returnedthelittlegirl;“butitmustbesomewherejustsouthwestfromhere.”
“Thenwhyneedwegowaybacktothecrossroads?”askedtheShaggyMan.“Wemightsavealotoftimebybranchingoffhere.”
“Thereisn’tanypath,”assertedUncleHenry.
“Thenwe’dbettergobacktothesignposts,andmakesureofourway,”decidedDorothy.
ButaftertheyhadgoneashortdistancefarthertheSawhorse,whohadoverheardtheirconversation,stoppedandsaid:
“Hereisapath.”
Sureenough,adimpathseemedtobranchofffromtheroadtheywereon,anditledacrossprettygreenmeadowsandpastleafygroves,straighttowardthesouthwest.
“Thatlookslikeagoodpath,”saidOmbyAmby.“Whynottryit?”
“Allright,”answeredDorothy.“I’manxioustoseewhattheRigmarolesarelike,andthispathoughttotakeustherethequickestway.”
Noonemadeanyobjectiontothisplan,sotheSawhorseturnedintothepath,whichprovedtobenearlyasgoodastheonetheyhadtakentogettotheFuddles.
Asfirsttheypassedafewretiredfarmhouses,butsoonthesescattereddwellingswereleftbehindandonlythemeadowsandthetreeswerebeforethem.
Buttheyrodealongincheerfulcontentment,andAuntEmgotintoanargumentwithBillinaabouttheproperwaytoraisechickens.
“Idonotcaretocontradictyou,”saidtheYellowHen,withdignity,“butIhaveanideaIknowmoreaboutchickensthanhumanbeingsdo.”
“Pshaw!”repliedAuntEm.“I’veraisedchickensfornearlyfortyyears,Billina,andIknowyou’vegottostarve‘emtomake‘emlaylotsofeggs,andstuff‘emifyouwantgoodbroilers.”
“Broilers!”exclaimedBillina,inhorror.“Broilmychickens!”
“Why,that’swhatthey’refor,ain’tit?”askedAuntEm,astonished.
“No,Aunt,notinOz,”saidDorothy.“Peopledonoteatchickenshere.
Yousee,Billinawasthefirsthenthatwaseverseeninthiscountry,andIbroughtherheremyself.
Everybodylikedheran’respectedher,sotheOzpeoplewouldn’tanymoreeatherchickensthantheywouldeatBillina.”
“Well,Ideclare,”gaspedAuntEm.“Howabouttheeggs?”
“Oh,ifwehavemoreeggsthanwewanttohatch,weallowpeopletoeatthem,”saidBillina.“Indeed,IamverygladtheOzfolkslikeoureggs,forotherwisetheywouldspoil.”
“Thiscertainlyisastrangecountry,”sighedAuntEm.
“Excuseme,”calledtheSawhorse,“thepathhasendedandI’dliketoknowwhichwaytogo.”
Theylookedaroundandsureenoughtherewasnopathtobeseen.
“Well,”saidDorothy,“we’regoingsouthwest,anditseemsjustaseasytofollowthatdirectionwithoutapathaswithone.”
“Certainly,”answeredtheSawhorse.“Itisnothardtodrawthewagonoverthemeadow.Ionlywanttoknowwheretogo.”
“There’saforestoverthereacrosstheprairie,”saidtheWizard,“anditliesinthedirectionwearegoing.Makestraightfortheforest,Sawhorse,andyou’reboundtogoright.”
Sothewoodenanimaltrottedonagainandthemeadowgrasswassosoftunderthewheelsthatitmadeeasyriding.
ButDorothywasalittleuneasyatlosingthepath,becausenowtherewasnothingtoguidethem.
Nohousesweretobeseenatall,sotheycouldnotasktheirwayofanyfarmer;andalthoughtheLandofOzwasalwaysbeautiful,whereveronemightgo,thispartofthecountrywasstrangetoalltheparty.
“Perhapswe’relost,”suggestedAuntEm,aftertheyhadproceededquiteawayinsilence.
“Nevermind,”saidtheShaggyMan;“I’vebeenlostmanyatime—andsohasDorothy—andwe’vealwaysbeenfoundagain.”
“Butwemaygethungry,”remarkedOmbyAmby.“Thatistheworstofgettinglostinaplacewheretherearenohousesnear.”
“WehadagooddinnerattheFuddletown,”saidUncleHenry,“andthatwillkeepusfromstarvingtodeathforalongtime.”
“NooneeverstarvedtodeathinOz,”declaredDorothy,positively;“butpeoplemaygetprettyhungrysometimes.”
TheWizardsaidnothing,andhedidnotseemespeciallyanxious.
TheSawhorsewastrottingalongbriskly,yettheforestseemedfartherawaythantheyhadthoughtwhentheyfirstsawit.
Soitwasnearlysundownwhentheyfinallycametothetrees;butnowtheyfoundthemselvesinamostbeautifulspot,thewide-spreadingtreesbeingcoveredwithfloweringvinesandhavingsoftmossesunderneaththem.
“Thiswillbeagoodplacetocamp,”saidtheWizard,astheSawhorsestoppedforfurtherinstructions.
“Camp!”theyallechoed.
“Certainly,”assertedtheWizard.“Itwillbedarkbeforeverylongandwecannottravelthroughthisforestatnight.
Soletusmakeacamphere,andhavesomesupper,andsleepuntildaylightcomesagain.”
Theyalllookedatthelittlemaninastonishment,andAuntEmsaid,withasniff:
“Aprettycampwe’llhave,Imustsay!Isupposeyouintendustosleepunderthewagon.”
“Andchewgrassforoursupper,”addedtheShaggyMan,laughing.
ButDorothyseemedtohavenodoubtsandwasquitecheerful
“It’sluckywehavethewonderfulWizardwithus,”shesaid;“becausehecando‘mostanythinghewantsto.”
“Oh,yes;IforgotwehadaWizard,”saidUncleHenry,lookingatthelittlemancuriously.
“Ididn’t,”chirpedBillina,contentedly.
TheWizardsmiledandclimbedoutofthewagon,andalltheothersfollowedhim.
“Inordertocamp,”saidhe,“thefirstthingweneedistents.Willsomeonepleaselendmeahandkerchief?”
TheShaggyManofferedhimone,andAuntEmanother.
Hetookthembothandlaidthemcarefullyuponthegrassneartotheedgeoftheforest.
Thenhelaidhisownhandkerchiefdown,too,andstandingalittlebackfromthemhewavedhislefthandtowardthehandkerchiefsandsaid:
“Tentsofcanvas,whiteassnow,
Letmeseehowfastyougrow!”
Then,loandbehold!thehandkerchiefsbecametinytents,andasthetravelerslookedatthemthetentsgrewbiggerandbiggeruntilinafewminuteseachonewaslargeenoughtocontaintheentireparty.
“This,”saidtheWizard,pointingtothefirsttent,“isfortheaccommodationoftheladies.Dorothy,youandyourAuntmaystepinsideandtakeoffyourthings.”
Everyonerantolookinsidethetent,andtheysawtwoprettywhitebeds,allreadyforDorothyandAuntEm,andasilverroostforBillina.
Rugswerespreaduponthegrassyfloorandsomecampchairsandatablecompletedthefurniture.
“Well,well,well!ThisbeatsanythingIeversaworheardof!”exclaimedAuntEm,andsheglancedattheWizardalmostfearfully,asifhemightbedangerousbecauseofhisgreatpowers.
“Oh,Mr.Wizard!Howdidyoumanagetodoit?”askedDorothy.
“It’satrickGlindatheSorceresstaughtme,anditismuchbettermagicthanIusedtopracticeinOmaha,orwhenIfirstcametoOz,”heanswered.
“WhenthegoodGlindafoundIwastoliveintheEmeraldCityalways,shepromisedtohelpme,becauseshesaidtheWizardofOzoughtreallytobeacleverWizard,andnotahumbug.
SowehavebeenmuchtogetherandIamlearningsofastthatIexpecttobeabletoaccomplishsomereallywonderfulthingsintime.”
“You’vedoneitnow!”declaredDorothy.“Thesetentsarejustwonderful!”
“Butcomeandseethemen’stent,”saidtheWizard.
Sotheywenttothesecondtent,whichhadshaggyedgesbecauseithasbeenmadefromtheShaggyMan’shandkerchief,andfoundthatcompletelyfurnishedalso.
ItcontainedfourneatbedsforUncleHenry,OmbyAmby,theShaggyManandtheWizard.
AlsotherewasasoftrugforTototolieupon.
“Thethirdtent,”explainedtheWizard,“isourdiningroomandkitchen.”
Theyvisitedthatnext,andfoundatableanddishesinthediningtent,withplentyofthosethingsnecessarytouseincooking.
TheWizardcarriedoutabigkettleandsetitswingingonacrossbarbeforethetent.
WhilehewasdoingthisOmbyAmbyandtheShaggyManbroughtasupplyoftwigsfromtheforestandthentheybuiltafireunderneaththekettle.
“Now,Dorothy,”saidtheWizard,smiling,“Iexpectyoutocookoursupper.”
“Butthereisnothinginthekettle,”shecried.
“Areyousure?”inquiredtheWizard.
“Ididn’tseeanythingputin,andI’malmostsureitwasemptywhenyoubroughtitout,”shereplied.
“Nevertheless,”saidthelittleman,winkingslylyatUncleHenry,“youwilldowelltowatchoursupper,mydear,andseethatitdoesn’tboilover.”
Thenthementooksomepailsandwentintotheforesttosearchforaspringofwater,andwhiletheyweregoneAuntEmsaidtoDorothy:
“IbelievetheWizardisfoolingus.Isawthekettlemyself,andwhenhehungitoverthefiretherewasn’tathinginitbutair.”
“Don’tworry,”remarkedBillina,confidently,asshenestledinthegrassbeforethefire.“You’llfindsomethinginthekettlewhenit’stakenoff—anditwon’tbepoor,innocentchickens,either.”
“Yourhenhasverybadmanners,Dorothy,”saidAuntEm,lookingsomewhatdisdainfullyatBillina.“Itseemstoobadsheeverlearnedhowtotalk.”
TheremighthavebeenanotherunpleasantquarrelbetweenAuntEmandBillinahadnotthemenreturnedjustthenwiththeirpailsfilledwithclear,sparklingwater.
TheWizardtoldDorothythatshewasagoodcookandhebelievedtheirsupperwasready.
SoUncleHenryliftedthekettlefromthefireandpoureditscontentsintoabigplatterwhichtheWizardheldforhim.
Theplatterwasfairlyheapedwithafinestew,smokinghot,withmanykindsofvegetablesanddumplingsandarich,deliciousgravy.
TheWizardtriumphantlyplacedtheplatteruponthetableinthediningtentandthentheyallsatdownincampchairstothefeast.
Therewereseveralotherdishesonthetable,allcarefullycovered,andwhenthetimecametoremovethesecoverstheyfoundbreadandbutter,cakes,cheese,picklesandfruits—includingsomeofthelusciousstrawberriesofOz.
Nooneventuredtoaskaquestionastohowthesethingscamethere.
Theycontentedthemselvesbyeatingheartilythegoodthingsprovided,andTotoandBillinahadtheirfullshare,youmaybesure.
Afterthemealwasover,AuntEmwhisperedtoDorothy:
“Thatmayhavebeenmagicfood,mydear,andforthatreasonperhapsitwon’tbeverynourishing;butI’mwillingtosayittastedasgoodasanythingIeveret.”
Thensheadded,inaloudervoice:“Who’sgoingtodothedishes?”
“Noone,madam,”answeredtheWizard.“Thedisheshave‘done’themselves.”
“Lasakes!”ejaculatedthegoodlady,holdingupherhandsinamazement.
For,sureenough,whenshelookedatthedishestheyhadamomentbeforeleftuponthetable,shefoundthemallwashedanddriedandpiledupintoneatstacks.
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