The yellow brick road
Dorothy and Toto walked along the yellow brick road for a long time. When they were tired, they stopped in a field by the road. Not far away, there was a scarecrow, and Dorothy and Toto walked across to look at it.
'Good day,' said the Scarecrow.
'Oh!' said Dorothy. 'You can speak!'
'Of course I can speak,' said the Scarecrow. 'But I can't move, up here on this pole... I'd like to get down. Can you help me?'
Carefully, Dorothy took the Scarecrow off his pole.
'Thank you very much,' said the Scarecrow. He moved his arms and legs, and straw went everywhere. 'Who are you?' he asked. 'And where are you going?'
'I'm Dorothy, and I'm going to the Emerald City. I want to go home to Kansas, but I don't know the way. I'm going to ask the Wizard of Oz for help.'
'Where is the Emerald City?' asked the Scarecrow. 'And who is the Wizard of Oz? I don't know anything, you see, because I have no brains in my head-only straw.'
'Oh dear!' said Dorothy. 'I'm very sorry.'
'I would very much like to have some brains,' the Scarecrow said. 'Can I go to the Emerald City with you? Perhaps the Wizard of Oz can give me some brains. What do you think?'
'I don't know,' said Dorothy. 'But yes, please come with me. He's a famous wizard, so perhaps he can help you.' She felt very sorry for the Scarecrow. 'Don't be afraid of Toto,' she said. 'He never hurts people.'
'Nothing can hurt me,' said the Scarecrow. 'I'm not afraid of anything... Well, that's not true. I am afraid of fire, of course.'
Dorothy walked along the road with her new friend. Soon she began to feel hungry, so she sat down and she and Toto ate some bread and apples. 'Would you like some, Scarecrow?' said Dorothy.
'No, thank you,' said the Scarecrow. 'I don't need to eat or drink. You can't eat when you're made of straw... Now, tell me about your home.'
So Dorothy told him about Kansas, and Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and the cyclone.
'But why do you want to leave this beautiful country?' asked the Scarecrow. 'Kansas, you say, has no trees, no green hills, no gardens. I don't understand.'
'That's because you have no brains,' said Dorothy. 'Kansas is my home. We say, "East, west-home's best", and it's true. I want to go home.'
They walked along the road for some hours, and then it got dark. Dorothy was tired, and soon the Scarecrow saw a little house behind some trees. There was nobody there, so they went in. Dorothy and Toto slept, but the Scarecrow just stood all night with his eyes open.
'Scarecrows don't sleep,' he said.
* * *
In the morning Dorothy looked for water.
'Why do you want water?' asked the Scarecrow.
'Toto and I are thirsty. And I need to wash.'
'I'm sorry for you,' said the Scarecrow. 'You need a lot of things! But you have brains, and you can think, and that's wonderful.'
They found some water, and Dorothy washed. Then she and Toto ate some bread. Suddenly, they heard a shout from the trees near the house, and they all ran out of the house to look.
They saw a man by a big tree, with an axe in his hand. He was made of tin. He stood very still and shouted 'Help!' again and again.
'What can I do for you?' asked Dorothy.
'I can't move,' said the Tin Man. 'Please oil me. There's an oil-can in my house.'
At once Dorothy ran back to the house and found the oil-can. Then she came back and, with the Scarecrow's help, she carefully oiled the Tin Man. Slowly, he began to move, first his head, and then his arms and legs.
'Thank you,' he said. 'I feel better now.' He put down his axe. 'I went out in the rain, you see, and water is very bad for a tin body. I was there for a long time, and nobody came to help me.'
'We stopped at your house for the night,' Dorothy said, 'and we heard your shout this morning.'
'Where are you going?' asked the Tin Man.
So Dorothy told him about the Wizard of Oz. 'I want to go back to Kansas, and the Scarecrow wants some brains,' she said.
The Tin Man was very interested. 'Can the Wizard give me a heart, do you think? I have no heart, so I can't love, or feel... I would very much like to have a heart.'
'Come with us,' said the Scarecrow.
'Yes,' said Dorothy. 'And then you can ask the Wizard for help, too.'
So they all walked along the yellow brick road. There were many tall trees next to the road, and sometimes the three friends heard noises from animals behind the trees. Dorothy did not like these noises very much.
'How far is it to the Emerald City?' she asked the Tin Man. 'Do you know?'
'It's a long way, I think,' said the Tin Man. 'And we must be careful because-'
But just then a big lion suddenly ran out from the trees, into the road. It opened its mouth-it had long yellow teeth-and began to run after Toto.
Dorothy was afraid for Toto. She ran up to the lion and hit it on the nose with her bag. 'Don't hurt my dog!' she cried angrily. 'He's smaller than you!'
'I didn't hurt him,' said the Lion. 'Don't hit me again- please!'
'Why-you're afraid!' said Dorothy. 'Be quiet, Toto, he isn't going to hurt you. He's more afraid than you are. He's just a big coward.'
'It's true,' said the Lion. 'I am a coward. Everyone thinks lions are brave. I make a lot of noise, but I'm not brave. I'm just a coward.' And the Cowardly Lion began to cry.
Then Dorothy told him about the Wizard of Oz. 'Come with us to the Emerald City,' she said. 'I want to go back to Kansas, the Scarecrow wants some brains, and the Tin Man wants a heart. Perhaps the Wizard of Oz can make you brave.'
'Oh, thank you!' said the Lion. 'I would very much like to be brave.'
And so the Cowardly Lion came with them. At first Toto was afraid of him, but very soon he and the Lion were good friends.
That night Dorothy and Toto slept under a big tree, next to the Cowardly Lion's big, warm body. In the morning they ate the last of their bread.
'Oh dear!' said Dorothy. 'What are we going to eat for dinner?'
'I can kill an animal for you,' said the Cowardly Lion.
'Oh no-please don't kill anything!' the Tin Man said. He began to cry. 'We don't want to hurt any animals. I haven't got a heart, but I feel sorry for them.'
Dorothy quickly got out the oil-can and oiled his face.
'Don't cry,' she said. 'You know water is bad for you.'
They walked along the yellow road, and after an hour or two they came to a big river.
'Oh no!' said Dorothy. 'How can we get across?'
The Lion looked down at the river. 'I'm very afraid of falling,' he said, 'but I think I can jump across.'
'Good!' said the Scarecrow at once. 'You can carry us on your back, one at a time.'
So the Cowardly Lion jumped across the river, first with the Scarecrow on his back, then with Dorothy and Toto, and last with the Tin Man.
But soon they came to a second river. This one was very big, and the Lion could not jump across it. The Scarecrow thought for a minute.
'Look,' he said. 'There's a tall tree next to the river. The Tin Man can cut it down with his axe. And when the tree falls across the river, we can walk across the tree.'
'Very good,' said the Lion. 'For somebody with straw in their head, and not brains.'
So the Tin Man cut down the tree with his axe, and soon they were all across that river, too.
多蘿西和托托沿著黃磚路走了很久。累了,她們便停在路邊的一片稻田里。不遠(yuǎn)處有一個(gè)稻草人。多蘿西和托托穿過田地去看他。
"你好啊。"稻草人說。
"哦!"多蘿西驚叫,"你居然會(huì)說話!"
"我當(dāng)然會(huì)說話了,"稻草人回答道,"不過我不會(huì)動(dòng),只能待在這根桿上......我想下來。你能幫我一下嗎?"
多蘿西小心翼翼地將稻草人從桿上取下來。
"非常感謝,"稻草人說。他動(dòng)動(dòng)胳膊,又動(dòng)動(dòng)腿,稻草掉了一地。"你是誰?"他問道,"到哪里去?"
"我是多蘿西,要去綠寶石城。我想回家鄉(xiāng)堪薩斯,但不知該怎么走,所以我得去找奧茲魔法師幫忙。"
"綠寶石城在哪里?"稻草人問,"奧茲魔法師又是誰?你瞧,我什么都不知道,因?yàn)槲业哪X袋里沒有大腦--只有稻草。"
"哦,天哪!"多蘿西回答,"太遺憾了。"
"我很想長點(diǎn)腦子,"稻草人說,"我能和你一起去綠寶石城嗎?或許奧茲魔法師能給我點(diǎn)腦子。你覺得怎么樣?"
"我也不知道。"多蘿西回答道,"好的,你和我們一起去吧。他是個(gè)偉大的魔法師,或許可以幫你。"她十分同情稻草人。"別怕托托,"她說,"它從不傷人。"
"沒人可以傷害我,"稻草人說,"我什么也不怕......嗯,不對,當(dāng)然我是怕火的。"
多蘿西和她的新朋友沿著路走,沒過多久她就感到餓了。她坐下來,和托托一起吃了些面包和蘋果。"稻草人,你想吃點(diǎn)嗎?"多蘿西問。
"不了,謝謝,"稻草人回答,"我既不需要吃也不需要喝。如果你是稻草做的,你也不用吃東西......現(xiàn)在,給我講講你的家吧。"
于是,多蘿西就給他講起了堪薩斯,講起了亨利舅舅和埃姆舅媽,講起了龍卷風(fēng)。
"那你為什么還要離開這個(gè)美麗的國度呢?"稻草人問她,"你說了,堪薩斯沒有樹木,沒有青山,沒有花園。我不明白。"
"問這個(gè)問題說明你沒有腦子。"多蘿西說,"堪薩斯是我的家鄉(xiāng)呀,我們常說:'無論身在何方--家是最好的地方。'的確是這樣的,我就是想回家。"
他們又沿著路走了幾個(gè)小時(shí)。天色漸黑,多蘿西累了,很快稻草人看見樹叢后有一幢小屋。屋里沒人,他們就進(jìn)去了。多蘿西和托托睡覺了,而稻草人卻睜著眼站了一夜。
"稻草人才不睡覺呢。"他說。
* * *
早上,多蘿西找水喝。
"你為什么要喝水?"稻草人問她。
"我和托托都渴了。我還需要洗臉。"
"我真同情你。"稻草人說,"你有這么多的需要!但你有大腦,你還能思考,真好!"
他們找到一些水。多蘿西洗漱完畢,和托托一起吃了些面包。突然,屋旁的樹林里傳來一聲叫喊,于是他們都從屋里跑出去看。
他們看見一個(gè)錫做的人,手持一把斧頭,站在一棵大樹邊。他一動(dòng)不動(dòng),一遍又一遍地喊"救命"。
"我怎么幫你呢?"多蘿西問。
"我動(dòng)不了了,"錫人回答,"請給我上點(diǎn)油,我的屋里有油罐。"
多蘿西立刻跑進(jìn)房里,找到了油罐。然后她又跑回來,在稻草人的幫助下仔仔細(xì)細(xì)地給錫人加上油。慢慢地,錫人開始動(dòng)了,先是頭,接著是胳膊和腿。
"謝謝你,"錫人說,"現(xiàn)在我感覺好多了。"他放下斧子。"我在下雨時(shí)出來了,瞧,水對一個(gè)錫做的身體是非常有害的。我已經(jīng)在那兒待了很久了,卻沒人來幫我。"
"我們在你的屋里過夜了,"多蘿西說,"早上聽見了你的叫聲。"
"你們?nèi)ツ膬?"錫人問。
于是,多蘿西給他講了奧茲魔法師的事。"我想回堪薩斯,而稻草人想要大腦。"她說。
錫人很感興趣。"魔法師能給我一顆心嗎?我沒有心,所以我不能去愛或感覺......我非常想要一顆心。"
"跟我們走吧。"稻草人說。
"對,"多蘿西說,"你也可以讓奧茲魔法師幫你。"
就這樣,他們一起沿著黃磚鋪成的路往前走。路兩旁有許多高大的樹木,有時(shí)他們?nèi)藭?huì)聽見樹林里傳來的動(dòng)物的叫聲。多蘿西并不想聽見這些聲音。
"我們離綠寶石城還有多遠(yuǎn)?"她問錫人,"你知道嗎?"
"我想,還很遠(yuǎn)呢。"錫人說,"而且我們必須小心點(diǎn)兒,因?yàn)?-"
正在那時(shí),一只巨大的獅子突然從樹林里跑出來,跑到了路上。它張著嘴--露出一嘴黃黃的長牙齒--然后開始追托托。
多蘿西擔(dān)心托托,于是她沖向獅子,用她的包砸獅子的鼻子。"不許傷害我的狗!"她生氣地大喊,"它比你個(gè)頭小!"
"我沒有傷害它,"獅子說,"別打我--求你了!"
"什么--你居然害怕了!"多蘿西說,"安靜,托托,他不會(huì)傷害你的。他比你更害怕。他只不過是一個(gè)身體巨大的膽小鬼。"
"說得對,"獅子說,"我是個(gè)膽小鬼。人人都以為獅子勇敢,雖然我經(jīng)常叫囂,但我并不勇敢。我只是個(gè)懦夫。"接著,膽小鬼獅子哭了起來。
多蘿西告訴他有關(guān)奧茲魔法師的事。"和我們一起去綠寶石城吧。"她說,"我想回堪薩斯,稻草人想要大腦,錫人想要顆心。也許奧茲魔法師會(huì)讓你勇敢起來。"
"哦,謝謝你!"獅子說,"我真的很想變得勇敢起來。"
這樣,膽小鬼獅子就和他們一起上路了。一開始,托托還害怕他,但很快就和他成了好朋友。
當(dāng)晚,多蘿西和托托挨著膽小鬼獅子龐大、溫暖的身體,睡在了一棵大樹下。第二天早上,她們吃光了剩下的面包。
"哦,天呀!"多蘿西說,"我們晚飯吃什么呢?"
"我能為你殺個(gè)動(dòng)物。"膽小鬼獅子說。
"喔,不--別殺任何東西!"錫人說著,哭了起來,"我們不想傷害任何動(dòng)物。雖然我沒有心,但我同情它們。"
多蘿西急忙取出油罐,給他的臉上涂上油。
"別哭了,"她說,"你知道水對你傷害大。"
他們順著黃色的路走了一兩個(gè)小時(shí)后,來到了一條大河前。
"哦,不!"多蘿西說,"我們可怎么過去呢?"
獅子低頭望了望河水。"雖然我很怕掉下去,"他說,"可我想我是可以跳過去的。"
"好啊!"稻草人馬上說道,"你可以一個(gè)一個(gè)地馱我們過河。"
第一次,膽小鬼獅子馱稻草人跳過河去,接著是多蘿西和托托,最后是錫人。
但不久他們又遇到了第二條河。這條河太寬了,獅子跳不過去。稻草人想了一下。
"看!"他說,"河邊有一棵大樹。錫人可以用斧子將它砍倒。樹倒在河上,我們就能踩著樹過河了。"
"太好了,"獅子說,"一個(gè)滿腦袋稻草卻沒有大腦的人能想出這樣一條妙計(jì),真是太好了。"
于是錫人用斧子砍倒了樹,很快他們都過了河。