Pretty soon the great frogs appeared, a long line of them facing Trot and her Pink Army and sitting upon their haunches close together.
"Turn around so we can get upon your backs," said Rosalie.
"Not yet," answered the Frog King in a gruff, deep voice. "You must first take that insulting umbrella out of my dominions2."
"Why, what is there about my umbrella that seems insulting?" asked Button-Bright in surprise.
"It is an intimation that you don't like our glorious climate and object to our delightful3 fog and are trying to ward4 off its soulful, clinging kisses," replied the Frog King in an agitated5 voice. "There has never been an umbrella in my kingdom before, and I'll not allow one in it now. Take it away at once!"
"But we can't," explained Trot. "We've got to take the umbrella with us to the Pink Country. We'll put it down if you like, an' cross the bank in this drizzle—which may be clingin' an' soulful, but is too wet to be comfort'ble. But the umbrella's got to go with us."
"It can't go another inch," cried the obstinate6 frog with an angry croak7, "nor shall any of your people advance another step while that insulting umbrella is with you."
Trot turned to Rosalie. "What shall we do?" she asked.
"Can't you MAKE the frogs let us through?" inquired the boy.
"No, I have no power over the frogs," Rosalie answered. "They carried us before as a favor, but if the king now insists that we cannot pass with the umbrella, we must go back to the Blue Country or leave your umbrella behind us."
"We won't do that!" said Button-Bright indignantly. "Can't we fight the frogs?"
"Fight!" cried Trot. "Why, see how big they are. They could eat up our whole army if they wanted to."
But just then, while they stood dismayed at this unfortunate position, a queer thing happened. The umbrella in Button-Bright's hand began to tremble and shake. He looked down at the handle and saw that the red eyes of the carved elephant's head were rolling fiercely and sending out red sparks of anger in all directions. The trunk swayed from side to side, and the entire head began to swell9 and grow larger.
In his fright, the boy sprang backward a step and dropped the umbrella to the ground, and as he did so, it took the form of a complete elephant, growing rapidly to a monstrous10 size. Then, flapping its ears and wagging its tail—which was merely the covered frame of the umbrella—the huge elephant lifted its trunk and charged the line of astonished frogs.
In a twinkling the frogs all turned and made the longest leaps their powerful legs enabled them to. The King jumped first of all, and in a panic of fear the others followed his example. They were out of sight in an instant, and then the elephant turned its head and looked at Button-Bright and at once trotted11 into the depths of the fog.
"He wants us to follow," said the boy, gasping12 in amazement13 at this wonderful transformation14. So immediately they began marching through the fog behind the elephant, and as the great beast advanced the frogs scrambled15 out of his way and hid themselves in the moist banks until he had passed them by.
Cap'n Bill had to mind his wooden leg carefully, and the old sailor was so excited that he mumbled16 queer sentences about "Araby Ann Knights17" and "ding-donged magic" and the "fool foolishness of fussin' with witches an' sich," until Trot wondered whether her old friend had gone crazy or was only badly scared.
It was a long journey, and all the Pinkies were dripping water from their raincoats, and their fat little legs were tired and aching when the pink glow showing through the fog at last announced that they were nearing the Pink Country.
At the very edge of the Fog Bank the elephant halted, winked18 at Button-Bright, lowered its head and began to shrink in size and dwindle19 away. By the time the boy came up to it, closely followed by Trot and Cap'n Bill, the thing was only the well-known Magic Umbrella, with the carved elephant's head for a handle, and it lay motionless upon the ground. Button-Bright picked it up, and as he examined it he thought the tiny eyes still twinkled a little, as if with triumph and pride.
Trot drew a long breath.
"That was SOME magic, I guess!" she exclaimed. "Don't you think so, Rosalie?"
"It was the most wonderful thing I ever saw," admitted the Witch. "The fairies who control Button-Bright's umbrella must be very powerful indeed!"
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1
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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2
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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3
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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4
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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5
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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6
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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7
croak
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| vi.嘎嘎叫，发牢骚 | |
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8
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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9
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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10
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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11
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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12
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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13
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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14
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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15
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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16
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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18
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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19
dwindle
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| v.逐渐变小（或减少） | |
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