第八章  致命的罂粟地

 

第二天清早，我们的这一小群旅行者醒来时，一个个精神焕发，满怀希望，朵萝茜象公主一样，早餐吃着刚从河边树上摘下来的桃子和李子。在他们身后，就是尽管他们曾经遭遇到许多险阻，但已经平安穿越过的黑暗森林；可是在他们眼前，却是一片可爱的阳光灿烂的旷野，那旷野仿佛在呼唤他们快去翡翠城。

诚然，那条宽阔的大河把他们与这片美丽的田地隔开了。但是木筏很快就要做好了，铁皮人又砍下几根树干，用木铆钉，把它们固定在一起，安置好，他们就准备出发了。朵萝茜把多多抱在臂弯里，在木筏的中央坐下。当胆小的狮子跨上木筏的时候，木筏倾斜得很厉害，因为他身体又庞大又沉重；不过，稻草人和铁皮人站到木筏的另一端，使木筏平稳了下来，他们每个人手里都拿了一根长长的杆子，撑着木筏划水过河。

起先他们行驶得很顺利，但到了河中心时，湍急的水流卷着木筏直向下游冲去，那条黄砖路就离他们越来越远了。而且河水太深，长杆子触不到河底了。

“大事不好了，”铁皮人说道。“因为，要是木筏不能靠岸，我们就会被冲到西方邪恶女巫的地区去，她会对我们施妖术，把我们变成她的奴隶。”

“那样我就得不到大脑了，”稻草人说道。

“那我也就得不到胆量了，”小胆狮子说道。

“那我就得不到的心了，”铁皮人说道。

“那我就永远回不到家乡堪萨斯了，”朵萝茜说道。

“只要我们有可能，我们就肯定要去翡翠城的，”稻草人接着说道，由于他撑杆时用力太猛，长杆子死死陷进河底的烂泥巴里了。随后，他还没来得及拔出杆子，也来不及松手，木筏就已经被急流卷走了。可怜的稻草人只好紧紧抱着木杆子，悬挂在河中心。

“再见啦！”他在他们的后面喊道，丢下他，他们都很伤心。其实，铁皮人开始哭了起来，可幸运的是，他又想起了流泪会使他生锈，于是他在朵萝茜的围裙上擦干了眼泪。

对于稻草人来说，这当然是一件不幸的事儿。

“我现在的境况比当初遇见朵萝茜时更糟糕了，”他心中想道。“那时候，我被插在庄稼地里的一根杆子上，但毕竟我装模作样，吓唬吓唬乌鸦。可现在，一个稻草人爬在河中央的一根杆子上，实在是毫无用处。恐怕归根到底，我永远也得不到大脑了。”

木筏呼啸着向下游漂去，可怜的稻草人被远远抛在后面了。这时狮子说道：

“一定要想办法救救我们自己。我想我能拖着木筏游到对岸去，你们只要紧紧抓住我的尾巴尖就可以了。”

说完他就纵身跳进水里，铁皮人紧紧地抓住了他的尾巴。然后狮子使尽全力朝对岸游去。尽管他的身子庞大，这仍然是一件很费力气的活儿；不过，他们终于一步步缓慢地摆脱了急流，这时，朵萝茜拿起了铁皮人的长杆子，帮助把木筏撑到岸陆上去。

当他们终于到达河岸，踏上了美好的绿草地时，他们全都筋疲力尽了，他们仍然很清楚，水流已经把他们冲卷开去，离通往翡翠城的黄砖路很远了。

“我们现在该怎么办呢？”铁皮人问道，这时狮子在草地上躺了下来，好让太阳把身体晒干。

“我们必须想办法回到黄砖路上去，”朵萝茜说道。

“我们最好是沿着河岸往回走，一直再走回到黄砖路上来，”狮子建议道。

所以，他们休息过之后，朵萝茜便提起篮子，他们就动身沿着长满青草的河岸，朝着河水把他们冲离的黄砖路走去。这是一个可爱的乡野，有许多鲜花、果树和阳光，使他们非常开心，要不是想到可怜的稻草人而难过，他们原本是会非常快乐的。

他们一路上尽快往前走，朵萝茜也只是有一次停下来，摘了一朵美丽的花儿；又往前走了一会儿，铁皮人突然大喊了一声：“看哪！”

于是他们都朝着河面上望去，只见稻草人正栖身在河中心他自己的那根木杆上，看上去显得很孤独很悲伤。

“我们怎么去救他呢？”朵萝茜问道。

狮子和铁皮人都摇摇头，因为他们俩都不知道。于是，他们在河岸边坐下来，一筹莫展地凝望着稻草人。这时一只鹳鸟飞过，在河边停下来休息，发现了他们。

“你们是些什么人，要去哪儿？”鹳鸟问道。

“我叫朵萝茜，”小姑娘答道。“这几个是我的朋友，铁皮人和胆小的狮子；我们要去翡翠城。”

“这不是去那儿的路，”鹳鸟说道，一边扭动着长脖子，用犀利的目光打量着这奇怪的一伙。

“我知道，”朵萝茜回复道。“但是我们把稻草人丢失了，现在正琢磨着怎样把他救回来呢。”

“他在哪儿呢？”鹳鸟问道。

“在那边，河面上，”小姑娘答道。

“如果他个头不是太大也不太重的话，我愿意帮你们去救他，”鹳鸟说道。

“他一点也不重的，”朵萝茜急切地说道。“因为他是稻草扎成的；如果你愿意帮我们把他救回来，我们都会对你感激不尽的。”

“那好吧，我试试看，”鹳鸟说道。“可是如果我发现他太重，我扛不动的话，那我就只好把他扔回到河里去了。”

说罢，那只大鸟飞到空中，掠过水面，直奔稻草人栖身的杆子上方。然后鹳鸟伸出她的大爪子，抓住稻草人的胳膊，把他叼到空中，飞回了岸边，来到朵萝茜、狮子、铁皮人和多多坐着的地方。

当稻草人发现自己又回到了朋友们中间时，真是欣喜若狂，忍不住和他们一一拥抱，包括狮子和多多；随后他们又动身往前走，每走一步，他都要唱一句“托儿——嘚——里——嘚——哦！”快活极了。

“刚才我还担心我不得不永远待在河面上了呢，”他说道。“可是这只善良的大鹳救了我，如果我得到了大脑的话，我一定要再去找到大鹳，好好报答她的救命之恩。”

“别放在心上啦，”鹳鸟说道，她一直飞在他们身边。“我真是乐意帮助那些有困难的人。但是现在我得走了，因为我的宝宝们还在窝里等我回去呢。我希望你们找到翡翠城，还希望大乌子能帮助你们。”

“谢谢你，”朵萝茜回应道，然后，善良的鹳鸟飞到了空中，一会儿就看不见了。

他们继续往前走去，色彩鲜艳的百鸟鸣叫声不绝于耳，美丽可爱的鲜花漫山遍野，宛如铺花地毯，目不暇接。有大朵大朵的黄色、白色、蓝色和紫色的花儿，还有大簇大簇绯红的罂粟花，它们的色彩是你们的绚丽，几乎要让朵萝茜眼花缭乱了。

“这些花儿美不美？”小姑娘问道，一边尽情呼吸着花朵馥郁的芳香。

“我觉得很美，”稻草人答道。“等我有了大脑时，我或许会更喜爱它们的。”

“如果我真的有了一颗心，我定会喜爱它们，”铁皮人补充道。

“我一直都十分喜欢花儿，”狮子说道。“它们看起来是那么的娇小无力，那么的弱不禁风。但是在森林里就没有这么鲜艳美丽的花儿。”

这时，他们面前展现出大朵的绯红色的罂粟花越来越多，别的花儿越来越少；他们很快就不知不觉地来到了一大片罂粟花中间了。现在人们都知道，当许多许多这种花儿长在一起时，它们的香气就会非常浓烈，如若有人呼吸了这种香气，就会昏睡过去，如果不使昏睡的人远离这种花香，他就会睡啊睡啊，永远也醒不过来。可是朵萝茜不知道这一点，她也无法从周围这一大片艳红的花丛里逃出来；所以很快她的眼皮就开始发沉，她觉得很想坐下来歇一歇，睡一觉。

但是铁皮人不让她这样做。

“我们必须赶快走，在天黑前回到黄砖路上，”他说道；稻草人也赞同他的意见。于是，他们继续往前赶路，后来，朵萝茜再也站不稳了。她的眼睛不由自主地合上了，她忘了自己身在何处，便倒在罂粟花丛中，很快就昏睡了。

“我们该怎么办呢？”铁皮人问道。

“如果我们让她待在这儿，她会死的，”狮子说道。“这花香正在危及我们大家的性命。我自己还勉强能睁开眼睛，而小狗已经昏睡过去了。”

这是确实的；多多已经倒在他的小女主子的身边了。可由于稻草人和铁皮人不是肉身，所以没有受到那花香的困扰。

“快跑吧，”稻草人对狮子说道。“要尽快跑出这片致命的花圃。我们会带着小姑娘一起走的，可是你身子太大，如果你睡着了，我们抬不动你的。”

于是狮子振作精神，纵身往前跑，能跑多快就跑多快。一会儿之后，就跑得无影无踪了。

“我们来用手做成一把椅子，抬着她走吧，”稻草人说道。于是，他们就抱起多多，把小狗放在小朵萝茜的膝上，然后用他们的首做座位，用他们的手臂做扶手，这样做成了一把椅子，两人抬着昏睡的小女孩，穿行在花丛中。

他们往前走呀走，那致命的花地毯包围着他们，仿佛大得无边，永远走不到尽头。他们顺着河岸边的拐弯往前走，最后遇见了他们的朋友狮子，正躺在罂粟花丛里，昏睡过去了。原来那花香太浓烈，这大兽抵挡不住，终于崩溃了，他倒下的地方，与罂粟花圃的边缘只隔很短的距离，在他们的前方，茂密的芳草铺展在美丽的田野上。

“我们没法帮他了，”铁皮人伤心地说道；“因为他太重，我们抬不动。我们只能把他丢在这儿，让他永远睡下去了，或许他会梦见自己终于找到了胆量。”

“我很难过，”稻草人说道。“对于一个这么胆小的家伙来说，狮子算是一个很好的伙伴了。不过，我们还是继续朝前走吧。”

他们抬着昏睡的小姑娘，来到了河边一个风光秀美的地方，离罂粟地够远的了，可以让她不再呼吸到那种有毒的花香了，于是，他们把她轻轻放到柔软的草地上，等待清新的微风把她吹醒。

 

附录：原文

 

Chapter VIII  The Deadly Poppy Field

 

Our little party of travellers awakened next morning refreshed and full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river.

Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through, although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City.

To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land; but the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woodman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they were ready to start. Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft it tipped badly, for he was big and heavy; but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood upon the other end to steady it, and they had long poles in their hands to push the raft through the water.

They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft down stream, farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick; and the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom.

"This is bad," said the Tin Woodman, "for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the wicked Witch of the West, and she will enchant us and make us her slaves."

"And then I should get no brains," said the Scarecrow.

"And I should get no courage," said the Cowardly Lion.

"And I should get no heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"And I should never get back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can," the Scarecrow continued, and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river, and before he could pull it out again, or let go, the raft was swept away and the poor Scarecrow left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river.

"Good bye!" he called after them, and they were very sorry to leave him; indeed, the Tin Woodman began to cry, but fortunately remembered that he might rust, and so dried his tears on Dorothy's apron.

Of course this was a bad thing for the Scarecrow.

"I am now worse off than when I first met Dorothy," he thought. "Then, I was stuck on a pole in a cornfield, where I could make believe scare the crows, at any rate; but surely there is no use for a Scarecrow stuck on a pole in the middle of a river. I am afraid I shall never have any brains, after all!"

Down the stream the raft floated, and the poor Scarecrow was left far behind. Then the Lion said:

"Something must be done to save us. I think I can swim to the shore and pull the raft after me, if you will only hold fast to the tip of my tail."

So he sprang into the water and the Tin Woodman caught fast hold of his tail, when the Lion began to swim with all his might toward the shore. It was hard work, although he was so big; but by and by they were drawn out of the current, and then Dorothy took the Tin Woodman's long pole and helped push the raft to the land.

They were all tired out when they reached the shore at last and stepped off upon the pretty green grass, and they also knew that the stream had carried them a long way past the road of yellow brick that led to the Emerald City.

"What shall we do now?" asked the Tin Woodman, as the Lion lay down on the grass to let the sun dry him.

"We must get back to the road, in some way," said Dorothy.

"The best plan will be to walk along the river bank until we come to the road again," remarked the Lion.

So, when they were rested, Dorothy picked up her basket and they started along the grassy bank, back to the road from which the river had carried them. It was a lovely country, with plenty of flowers and fruit trees and sunshine to cheer them, and had they not felt so sorry for the poor Scarecrow they could have been very happy.

They walked along as fast as they could, Dorothy only stopping once to pick a beautiful flower; and after a time the Tin Woodman cried out,

"Look!"

Then they all looked at the river and saw the Scarecrow perched upon his pole in the middle of the water, looking very lonely and sad.

"What can we do to save him?" asked Dorothy.

The Lion and the Woodman both shook their heads, for they did not know. So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, which, seeing them, stopped to rest at the water's edge.

"Who are you, and where are you going?" asked the Stork.

"I am Dorothy," answered the girl; "and these are my friends, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; and we are going to the Emerald City."

"This isn't the road," said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck and looked sharply at the queer party.

"I know it," returned Dorothy, "but we have lost the Scarecrow, and are wondering how we shall get him again."

"Where is he?" asked the Stork.

"Over there in the river," answered the girl.

"If he wasn't so big and heavy I would get him for you," remarked the Stork.

"He isn't heavy a bit," said Dorothy, eagerly, "for he is stuffed with straw; and if you will bring him back to us we shall thank you ever and ever so much."

"Well, I'll try," said the Stork; "but if I find he is too heavy to carry I shall have to drop him in the river again."

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and the Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting.

When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again he was so happy that he hugged them all, even the Lion and Toto; and as they walked along he sang "Tol-de-ri-de-oh!" at every step, he felt so gay.

"I was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever," he said, "but the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I shall find the Stork again and do it some kindness in return."

"That's all right," said the Stork, who was flying along beside them. "I always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help you."

"Thank you," replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the air and was soon out of sight.

They walked along listening to the singing of the bright-colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy's eyes.

"Aren't they beautiful?" the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the flowers.

"I suppose so," answered the Scarecrow. "When I have brains I shall probably like them better."

"If I only had a heart I should love them," added the Tin Woodman.

"I always did like flowers," said the Lion; "they seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these."

They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves in the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers he sleeps on and on forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.

But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this.

"We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark," he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So they kept walking until Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep.

"What shall we do?" asked the Tin Woodman.

"If we leave her here she will die," said the Lion. "The smell of the flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open and the dog is asleep already."

It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not troubled by the scent of the flowers.

"Run fast," said the Scarecrow to the Lion, "and get out of this deadly flower-bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried."

So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as he could go. In a moment he was out of sight.

"Let us make a chair with our hands, and carry her," said the Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothy's lap, and then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.

On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up, at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppy-bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them.

"We can do nothing for him," said the Tin Woodman, sadly; "for he is much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep on forever, and perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last."

"I'm sorry," said the Scarecrow; "the Lion was a very good comrade for one so cowardly. But let us go on."

They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.