English
Itwasabeautifulevening,sotheydrewtheircampchairsinacirclebeforeoneofthetentsandbegantotellstoriestoamusethemselvesandpassawaythetimebeforetheywenttobed.
Prettysoonazebrawasseencomingoutoftheforest,andhetrottedstraightuptothemandsaidpolitely:
“Goodevening,people.”
Thezebrawasasleeklittleanimalandhadaslenderhead,astubbymaneandapaint-brushtail—verylikeadonkey’s.
Hisneatlyshapedwhitebodywascoveredwithregularbarsofdarkbrown,andhishoofsweredelicateasthoseofadeer.
“Goodevening,friendZebra,”saidOmbyAmby,inreplytothecreature’sgreeting.“Canwedoanythingforyou?”
“Yes,”answeredthezebra.“Ishouldlikeyoutosettleadisputethathaslongbeenabothertome,astowhetherthereismorewaterorlandintheworld.”
“Whoareyoudisputingwith?”askedtheWizard.
“Withasoft-shellcrab,”saidthezebra.
“HelivesinapoolwhereIgotodrinkeveryday,andheisaveryimpertinentcrab,Iassureyou.
Ihavetoldhimmanytimesthatthelandismuchgreaterinextentthanthewater,buthewillnotbeconvinced.
Eventhisveryevening,whenItoldhimhewasaninsignificantcreaturewholivedinasmallpool,heassertedthatthewaterwasgreaterandmoreimportantthantheland.
So,seeingyourcamp,Idecidedtoaskyoutosettlethedisputeforonceandall,thatImaynotbefurtherannoyedbythisignorantcrab.”
WhentheyhadlistenedtothisexplanationDorothyinquired:
“Whereisthesoft-shellcrab?”
“Notfaraway,”repliedthezebra.“IfyouwillagreetojudgebetweenusIwillrunandgethim.”
“Runalong,then,”saidthelittlegirl.
Sotheanimalprancedintotheforestandsooncametrottingbacktothem.
Whenhedrewneartheyfoundasoft-shellcrabclingingfasttothestiffhairofthezebra’shead,whereitheldonbyoneclaw.
“Nowthen,Mr.Crab,”saidthezebra,“herearethepeopleItoldyouabout;andtheyknowmorethanyoudo,wholivesinapool,andmorethanIdo,wholivesinaforest.
Fortheyhavebeentravelersallovertheworld,andknoweverypartofit.”
“ThereismoreoftheworldthanOz,”declaredthecrab,inastubbornvoice.
“Thatistrue,”saidDorothy;“butIusedtoliveinKansas,intheUnitedStates,andI’vebeentoCaliforniaandtoAustraliaandsohasUncleHenry.”
“Formypart,”addedtheShaggyMan,“I’vebeentoMexicoandBostonandmanyotherforeigncountries.”
“AndI,”saidtheWizard,“havebeentoEuropeandIreland.”
“Soyousee,”continuedthezebra,addressingthecrab,“herearepeopleofrealconsequence,whoknowwhattheyaretalkingabout.”
“Thentheyknowthere’smorewaterintheworldthanthereisland,”assertedthecrab,inashrill,petulantvoice.
“Theyknowyouarewrongtomakesuchanabsurdstatement,andtheywillprobablythinkyouarealobsterinsteadofacrab,”retortedtheanimal.
Atthistauntthecrabreachedoutitsotherclawandseizedthezebra’sear,andthecreaturegaveacryofpainandbeganprancingupanddown,tryingtoshakeoffthecrab,whichclungfast.
“Stoppinching!”criedthezebra.“YoupromisednottopinchifIwouldcarryyouhere!”
“Andyoupromisedtotreatmerespectfully,”saidthecrab,lettinggotheear.
“Well,haven’tI?”demandedthezebra.
“No;youcalledmealobster,”saidthecrab.
“Ladiesandgentlemen,”continuedthezebra,“pleasepardonmypoorfriend,becauseheisignorantandstupid,anddoesnotunderstand.
Alsothepinchofhisclawisveryannoying.
Sopraytellhimthattheworldcontainsmorelandthanwater,andwhenhehasheardyourjudgmentIwillcarryhimbackanddumphimintohispool,whereIhopehewillbemoremodestinthefuture.”
“Butwecannottellhimthat,”saidDorothy,gravely,“becauseitwouldnotbetrue.”
“What!”exclaimedthezebra,inastonishment;“doIhearyouaright?”
“Thesoft-shellcrabiscorrect,”declaredtheWizard.“Thereisconsiderablymorewaterthanthereislandintheworld.”
“Impossible!”protestedthezebra.“Why,Icanrunfordaysupontheland,andfindbutlittlewater.”
“Didyoueverseeanocean?”askedDorothy.
“Never,”admittedthezebra.“ThereisnosuchthingasanoceanintheLandofOz.”
“Well,thereareseveraloceansintheworld,”saidDorothy,“andpeoplesailinshipsupontheseoceansforweeksandweeks,andneverseeabitoflandatall.
Andthejoggerfyswilltellyouthatalltheoceansputtogetherarebiggerthanallthelandputtogether.”
AtthisthecrabbeganlaughinginstrangechucklesthatremindedDorothyofthewayBillinasometimescackled.
“NOWwillyougiveup,Mr.Zebra?”itcried,jeeringly;“nowwillyougiveup?”
Thezebraseemedmuchhumbled.
“OfcourseIcannotreadgeographys,”hesaid.
“YoucouldtakeoneoftheWizard’sSchoolPills,”suggestedBillina,“andthatwouldmakeyoulearnedandwisewithoutstudying.”
Thecrabbeganlaughingagain,whichsoprovokedthezebrathathetriedtoshakethelittlecreatureoff.
Thisresultedinmoreear-pinching,andfinallyDorothytoldthemthatiftheycouldnotbehavetheymustgobacktotheforest.
“I’msorryIaskedyoutodecidethisquestion,”saidthezebra,crossly.
“Solongasneitherofuscouldprovewewererightwequiteenjoyedthedispute;butnowIcanneverdrinkatthatpoolagainwithoutthesoft-shellcrablaughingatme.SoImustfindanotherdrinkingplace.”
“Do!Do,youignoramus!”shoutedthecrab,asloudlyashislittlevoicewouldcarry.“Rilesomeotherpoolwithyourclumsyhoofs,andletyourbettersaloneafterthis!”
Thenthezebratrottedbacktotheforest,bearingthecrabwithhim,anddisappearedamidthegloomofthetrees.
Andasitwasnowgettingdarkthetravelerssaidgoodnighttooneanotherandwenttobed.
Dorothyawokejustasthelightwasbeginningtogetstrongnextmorning,andnotcaringtosleepanylatershequietlygotoutofbed,dressedherself,andleftthetentwhereAuntEmwasyetpeacefullyslumbering.
OutsideshenoticedBillinabusilypeckingaroundtosecurebugsorotherfoodforbreakfast,butnoneofthemenintheothertentseemedawake.
Sothelittlegirldecidedtotakeawalkinthewoodsandtrytodiscoversomepathorroadthattheymightfollowwhentheyagainstartedupontheirjourney.
ShehadreachedtheedgeoftheforestwhentheYellowHencameflutteringalongandaskedwhereshewasgoing.
“Justtotakeawalk,Billina;andmaybeI’llfindsomepath,”saidDorothy.
“ThenI’llgoalong,”decidedBillina,andscarcelyhadshespokenwhenTotoranupandjoinedthem.
TotoandtheYellowHenhadbecomequitefriendlybythistime,althoughatfirsttheydidnotgetalongwelltogether.
Billinahadbeenrathersuspiciousofdogs,andTotohadhadanideathatitwaseverydog’sdutytochaseahenonsight.
ButDorothyhadtalkedtothemandscoldedthemfornotbeingagreeabletooneanotheruntiltheygrewbetteracquaintedandbecamefriends.
Iwon’tsaytheylovedeachotherdearly,butatleasttheyhadstoppedquarrelingandnowmanagedtogetontogetherverywell.
Thedaywasgrowinglightereveryminuteanddrivingtheblackshadowsoutoftheforest;soDorothyfounditverypleasantwalkingunderthetrees.
Shewentsomedistanceinonedirection,butnotfindingapath,presentlyturnedinadifferentdirection.
Therewasnopathhere,either,althoughsheadvancedquiteawayintotheforest,windinghereandthereamongthetreesandpeeringthroughthebushesinanendeavortofindsomebeatentrack.
“Ithinkwe’dbettergoback,”suggestedtheYellowHen,afteratime.“Thepeoplewillallbeupbythistimeandbreakfastwillbeready.”
“Verywell,”agreedDorothy.“Let’ssee—thecampmustbeoverthisway.”
Shehadprobablymadeamistakeaboutthat,foraftertheyhadgonefarenoughtohavereachedthecamptheystillfoundthemselvesinthethickofthewoods.
Sothelittlegirlstoppedshortandlookedaroundher,andTotoglancedupintoherfacewithhisbrightlittleeyesandwaggedhistailasifheknewsomethingwaswrong.
Hecouldn’ttellmuchaboutdirectionhimself,becausehehadspenthistimeprowlingamongthebushesandrunninghereandthere;norhadBillinapaidmuchattentiontowheretheyweregoing,beinginterestedinpickingbugsfromthemossastheypassedalong.
TheYellowHennowturnedoneeyeuptowardthelittlegirlandasked:
“Haveyouforgottenwherethecampis,Dorothy?”
“Yes,”sheadmitted;“haveyou,Billina?”
“Ididn’ttrytoremember,”returnedBillina.“I’dnoideayouwouldgetlost,Dorothy.”
“It’sthethingwedon’texpect,Billina,thatusuallyhappens,”observedthegirl,thoughtfully.“Butit’snousestandinghere.
Let’sgointhatdirection,”pointingafingeratrandom.
“Itmaybewe’llgetoutoftheforestoverthere.”
Soontheywentagain,butthiswaythetreeswereclosertogether,andthevinesweresotangledthatoftentheytrippedDorothyup.
Suddenlyavoicecriedsharply:
“Halt!”
Atfirst,Dorothycouldseenothing,althoughshelookedaroundverycarefully.ButBillinaexclaimed:
“Well,Ideclare!”
“Whatisit?”askedthelittlegirl:forTotobeganbarkingatsomething,andfollowinghisgazeshediscoveredwhatitwas.
Arowofspoonshadsurroundedthethree,andthesespoonsstoodstraightupontheirhandlesandcarriedswordsandmuskets.
Theirfaceswereoutlinedinthepolishedbowlsandtheylookedverysternandsevere.
Dorothylaughedatthestrangethings.
“Whoareyou?”sheasked.
“We’retheSpoonBrigade,”saidone.
“IntheserviceofhisMajestyKingKleaver,”saidanother.
“Andyouareourprisoners,”saidathird.
Dorothysatdownonanoldstumpandlookedatthem,hereyestwinklingwithamusement.
“Whatwouldhappen,”sheinquired,“ifIshouldsetmydogonyourBrigade?”
“Hewoulddie,”repliedoneofthespoons,sharply.“Oneshotfromourdeadlymusketswouldkillhim,bigasheis.”
“Don’triskit,Dorothy,”advisedtheYellowHen.“Rememberthisisafairycountry,yetnoneofusthreehappenstobeafairy.”
Dorothygrewsoberatthis.
“P’rapsyou’reright,Billina,”sheanswered.“Buthowfunnyitis,tobecapturedbyalotofspoons!”
“Idonotseeanythingveryfunnyaboutit,”declaredaspoon.“We’retheregularmilitarybrigadeofthekingdom.”
“Whatkingdom?”sheasked.
“Utensia,”saidhe.
“Ineverheardofitbefore,”assertedDorothy.Thensheaddedthoughtfully,“Idon’tbelieveOzmaeverheardofUtensia,either.Tellme,areyounotsubjectsofOzmaofOz?”
“Wehaveneverheardofher,”retortedaspoon.
“WearesubjectsofKingKleaver,andobeyonlyhisorders,whicharetobringallprisonerstohimassoonastheyarecaptured.
Sosteplively,mygirl,andmarchwithus,orwemaybetemptedtocutoffafewofyourtoeswithourswords.”
ThisthreatmadeDorothylaughagain.Shedidnotbelieveshewasinanydanger;butherewasanewandinterestingadventure,soshewaswillingtobetakentoUtensiathatshemightseewhatKingKleaver’skingdomwaslike.
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