Button-Bright had been in Oz before, but never in this part of it, so the Scarecrow was the only one who knew the paths and could lead them. They had eaten a hearty4 breakfast, which they found already prepared for them and awaiting them on the table when they arose from their refreshing5 sleep, so they left the magic house in a contented6 mood and with hearts lighter7 and more happy than they had known for many a day. As they marched along through the fields, the sun shone brightly and the breeze was laden8 with delicious fragrance9, for it carried with it the breath of millions of wildflowers.
At noon, when they stopped to rest by the bank of a pretty river, Trot said with a long-drawn breath that was much like a sigh:
"I wish we'd brought with us some of the food that was left from our breakfast, for I'm getting hungry again."
Scarcely had she spoken when a table rose up before them, as if from the ground itself, and it was loaded with fruits and nuts and cakes and many other good things to eat. The little girl's eyes opened wide at this display of magic, and Cap'n Bill was not sure that the things were actually there and fit to eat until he had taken them in his hand and tasted them. But the Scarecrow said with a laugh:
"Someone is looking after your welfare, that is certain, and from the looks of this table I suspect my friend the Wizard has taken us in his charge. I've known him to do things like this before, and if we are in the Wizard's care you need not worry about your future."
"Who's worrying?" inquired Button-Bright, already at the table and busily eating.
The Scarecrow looked around the place while the others were feasting, and finding many things unfamiliar11 to him he shook his head and remarked:
"I must have taken the wrong path, back in that last valley, for on my way to Jinxland I remember that I passed around the foot of this river, where there was a great waterfall."
"Did the river make a bend, after the waterfall?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"No, the river disappeared. Only a pool of whirling water showed what had become of the river; but I suppose it is under ground, somewhere, and will come to the surface again in another part of the country."
"Well," suggested Trot, as she finished her luncheon12, "as there is no way to cross this river, I s'pose we'll have to find that waterfall, and go around it."
"Exactly," replied the Scarecrow; so they soon renewed their journey, following the river for a long time until the roar of the waterfall sounded in their ears. By and by they came to the waterfall itself, a sheet of silver dropping far, far down into a tiny lake which seemed to have no outlet13. From the top of the fall, where they stood, the banks gradually sloped away, so that the descent by land was quite easy, while the river could do nothing but glide14 over an edge of rock and tumble straight down to the depths below.
"You see," said the Scarecrow, leaning over the brink15, "this is called by our Oz people the Great Waterfall, because it is certainly the highest one in all the land; but I think—Help!"
He had lost his balance and pitched headforemost into the river. They saw a flash of straw and blue clothes, and the painted face looking upward in surprise. The next moment the Scarecrow was swept over the waterfall and plunged16 into the basin below.
The accident had happened so suddenly that for a moment they were all too horrified17 to speak or move.
"Quick! We must go to help him or he will be drowned," Trot exclaimed.
Even while speaking she began to descend18 the bank to the pool below, and Cap'n Bill followed as swiftly as his wooden leg would let him. Button-Bright came more slowly, calling to the girl:
"He can't drown, Trot; he's a Scarecrow."
But she wasn't sure a Scarecrow couldn't drown and never relaxed her speed until she stood on the edge of the pool, with the spray dashing in her face. Cap'n Bill, puffing19 and panting, had just voice enough to ask, as he reached her side:
"See him, Trot?"
"I s'pose," replied the sailor, "that he's in that water, more or less far down, and I'm 'fraid it'll make his straw pretty soggy. But as fer his bein' drowned, I agree with Button-Bright that it can't be done."
There was small comfort in this assurance and Trot stood for some time searching with her eyes the bubbling water, in the hope that the Scarecrow would finally come to the surface. Presently she heard Button-Bright calling: "Come here, Trot!" and looking around she saw that the boy had crept over the wet rocks to the edge of the waterfall and seemed to be peering behind it. Making her way toward him, she asked:
"What do you see?"
"A cave," he answered. "Let's go in. P'r'aps we'll find the Scarecrow there."
She was a little doubtful of that, but the cave interested her, and so did it Cap'n Bill. There was just space enough at the edge of the sheet of water for them to crowd in behind it, but after that dangerous entrance they found room enough to walk upright and after a time they came to an opening in the wall of rock. Approaching this opening, they gazed within it and found a series of steps, cut so that they might easily descend into the cavern21.
Trot turned to look inquiringly at her companions. The falling water made such din10 and roaring that her voice could not be heard. Cap'n Bill nodded his head, but before he could enter the cave, Button-Bright was before him, clambering down the steps without a particle of fear. So the others followed the boy.
The first steps were wet with spray, and slippery, but the remainder were quite dry. A rosy22 light seemed to come from the interior of the cave, and this lighted their way. After the steps there was a short tunnel, high enough for them to walk erect23 in, and then they reached the cave itself and paused in wonder and admiration24.
They stood on the edge of a vast cavern, the walls and domed25 roof of which were lined with countless26 rubies27, exquisitely28 cut and flashing sparkling rays from one to another. This caused a radiant light that permitted the entire cavern to be distinctly seen, and the effect was so marvelous that Trot drew in her breath with a sort of a gasp29, and stood quite still in wonder.
But the walls and roof of the cavern were merely a setting for a more wonderful scene. In the center was a bubbling caldron of water, for here the river rose again, splashing and dashing till its spray rose high in the air, where it took the ruby30 color of the jewels and seemed like a seething31 mass of flame. And while they gazed into the tumbling, tossing water, the body of the Scarecrow suddenly rose in the center, struggling and kicking, and the next instant wholly disappeared from view.
"My, but he's wet!" exclaimed Button-Bright; but none of the others heard him.
Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge—covered, like the walls, with glittering rubies—ran all around the cavern; so they followed this gorgeous path to the rear and found where the water made its final dive underground, before it disappeared entirely32. Where it plunged into this dim abyss the river was black and dreary33 looking, and they stood gazing in awe3 until just beside them the body of the Scarecrow again popped up from the water.
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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
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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4
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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6
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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7
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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8
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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9
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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10
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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11
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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12
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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13
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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14
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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15
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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16
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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17
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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22
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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23
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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24
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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25
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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26
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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27
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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29
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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30
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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31
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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32
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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33
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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