第12章（1 / 1）

Please don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I should

certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would

rust again."

But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper,

and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the

Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them,

so that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was

very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the

awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded

hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost

as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how long

it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire,

as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up. So he kept a

good distance away from the flames, and only came near to cover Dorothy with

dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept her very snug and warm,

and she slept soundly until morning.

When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook,

and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.

This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They had

hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a great

ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they

could see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they

crept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also

very deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom.

The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and

for a moment it seemed that their journey must end.

"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy despairingly.

"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman, and the

Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.

But the Scarecrow said, "We cannot fly, that is certain.

Neither can we climb down into this great ditch. Therefore,

if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where we are."

"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, after

measuring the distance carefully in his mind.

"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can

carry us all over on your back, one at a time."

"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"

"I will," declared the Scarecrow, "for, if you found that you

could not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin

Woodman badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back

it will not matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at all."

"I am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the Cowardly

Lion, "but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on

my back and we will make the attempt."

The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast

walked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down.

"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied.

Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely

on the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily

he did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lion

sprang across the ditch again.

Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her

arms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane

with one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying

through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it,

she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time

and got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few

moments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps

had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has

been running too long.

They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked

dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the

road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if

ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright

sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange

noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them

that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.

"What are the Kalidahs?"