按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
real dragons until we get our full growth；〃 was the reply。 〃The big
dragons are very proud； and don't think children amount to much； but
mother says that some day we will all be very powerful and important。〃
〃Where is your mother？〃 asked the Wizard； anxiously looking around。
〃She has gone up to the top of the earth to hunt for our dinner。 If
she has good luck she will bring us an elephant； or a brace of
rhinoceri； or perhaps a few dozen people to stay our hunger。〃
〃Oh； are you hungry？〃 enquired Dorothy； drawing back。
〃Very；〃 said the dragonette； snapping its jaws。
〃Andanddo you eat people？〃
〃To be sure； when we can get them。 But they've been very scarce for a
few years and we usually have to be content with elephants or
buffaloes；〃 answered the creature； in a regretful tone。
〃How old are you？〃 enquired Zeb； who stared at the yellow eyes
as if fascinated。
〃Quite young； I grieve to say； and all of my brothers and sisters that
you see here are practically my own age。 If I remember rightly； we
were sixty…six years old the day before yesterday。〃
〃But that isn't young！〃 cried Dorothy； in amazement。
〃No？〃 drawled the dragonette； 〃it seems to me very babyish。〃
〃How old is your mother？〃 asked the girl。
〃Mother's about two thousand years old； but she carelessly lost track
of her age a few centuries ago and skipped several hundreds。 She's a
little fussy； you know； and afraid of growing old； being a widow and
still in her prime。〃
〃I should think she would be；〃 agreed Dorothy。 Then； after a moment's
thought； she asked： 〃Are we friends or enemies？ I mean； will you be
good to us； or do you intend to eat us？〃
〃As for that； we dragonettes would love to eat you； my child； but
unfortunately mother has tied all our tails around the rocks at the
back of our individual caves； so that we can not crawl out to get you。
If you choose to come nearer we will make a mouthful of you in a wink；
but unless you do you will remain quite safe。〃
There was a regretful accent in the creature's voice； and at the words
all the other dragonettes sighed dismally。
Dorothy felt relieved。 Presently she asked：
〃Why did your mother tie your tails？〃
〃Oh； she is sometimes gone for several weeks on her hunting trips； and
if we were not tied we would crawl all over the mountain and fight
with each other and get into a lot of mischief。 Mother usually knows
what she is about； but she made a mistake this time； for you are sure
to escape us unless you come too near； and you probably won't do that。〃
〃No； indeed！〃 said the little girl。 〃We don't wish to be eaten by
such awful beasts。〃
〃Permit me to say；〃 returned the dragonette； 〃that you are rather
impolite to call us names； knowing that we cannot resent your insults。
We consider ourselves very beautiful in appearance； for mother has
told us so； and she knows。 And we are of an excellent family and have
a pedigree that I challenge any humans to equal； as it extends back
about twenty thousand years； to the time of the famous Green Dragon of
Atlantis； who lived in a time when humans had not yet been created。
Can you match that pedigree； little girl？〃
〃Well；〃 said Dorothy； 〃I was born on a farm in Kansas； and I guess
that's being just as 'spectable and haughty as living in a cave with
your tail tied to a rock。 If it isn't I'll have to stand it；
that's all。〃
〃Tastes differ；〃 murmured the dragonette； slowly drooping its scaley
eyelids over its yellow eyes； until they looked like half…moons。
Being reassured by the fact that the creatures could not crawl out of
their rock…pockets； the children and the Wizard now took time to
examine them more closely。 The heads of the dragonettes were as big
as barrels and covered with hard； greenish scales that glittered
brightly under the light of the lanterns。 Their front legs； which
grew just back of their heads； were also strong and big； but their
bodies were smaller around than their heads； and dwindled away in a
long line until their tails were slim as a shoe…string。 Dorothy
thought； if it had taken them sixty…six years to grow to this size；
that it would be fully a hundred years more before they could hope to
call themselves dragons； and that seemed like a good while to wait to
grow up。
〃It occurs to me；〃 said the Wizard； 〃that we ought to get out of this
place before the mother dragon comes back。〃
〃Don't hurry；〃 called one of the dragonettes； 〃mother will be glad to
meet you； I'm sure。〃
〃You may be right；〃 replied the Wizard； 〃but we're a little particular
about associating with strangers。 Will you kindly tell us which way
your mother went to get on top the earth？〃
〃That is not a fair question to ask us；〃 declared another dragonette。
〃For； if we told you truly； you might escape us altogether； and if we
told you an untruth we would be naughty and deserve to be punished。〃
〃Then；〃 decided Dorothy； 〃we must find our way out the best we can。〃
They circled all around the cavern； keeping a good distance away from
the blinking yellow eyes of the dragonettes； and presently discovered
that there were two paths leading from the wall opposite to the place
where they had entered。 They selected one of these at a venture
and hurried along it as fast as they could go； for they had no idea
when the mother dragon would be back and were very anxious not to make
her acquaintance。
14。 Ozma Uses the Magic Belt
For a considerable distance the way led straight upward in a gentle
incline； and the wanderers made such good progress that they grew
hopeful and eager； thinking they might see sunshine at any minute。
But at length they came unexpectedly upon a huge rock that shut off
the passage and blocked them from proceeding a single step farther。
This rock was separate from the rest of the mountain and was in
motion； turning slowly around and around as if upon a pivot。 When
first they came to it there was a solid wall before them； but
presently it revolved until there was exposed a wide； smooth path
across it to the other side。 This appeared so unexpectedly that they
were unprepared to take advantage of it at first； and allowed the
rocky wall to swing around again before they had decided to pass over。
But they knew now that there was a means of escape and so waited
patiently until the path appeared for the second time。
The children and the Wizard rushed across the moving rock and sprang
into the passage beyond； landing safely though a little out of breath。
Jim the cab…horse came last； and the rocky wall almost caught him； for
just as he leaped to the floor of the further passage the wall swung
across it and a loose stone that the buggy wheels knocked against fell
into the narrow crack where the rock turned； and became wedged there。
They heard a crunching； grinding sound； a loud snap； and the
turn…table came to a stop with its broadest su