the lost princess of oz-第38章

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to　Cayke　the　Cookie　Cook；　who　was　so　delighted　at



regaining　her　lost　treasure　that　she　danced　up　and　down



in　glee　and　then　threw　her　skinny　arms　around　Ozma's



neck　and　kissed　her　gratefully。　Cayke's　mission　was　now



successfully　accomplished；　but　she　was　having　such　a



good　time　at　the　Emerald　City　that　she　seemed　in　no



hurry　to　go　back　to　the　Country　of　the　Yips。







It　was　several　weeks　after　the　dishpan　had　been



restored　to　the　Cookie　Cook　when　one　day；　as　Dorothy



was　seated　in　the　royal　gardens　with　Trot　and　Betsy



beside　her；　a　gray　dove　came　flying　down　and　alighted



at　the　girl's　feet。







〃I　am　Ugu　the　Shoemaker；〃　said　the　dove　in　a　soft；



mourning　voice；　〃and　I　have　come　to　ask　you　to　forgive



me　for　the　great　wrong　I　did　in　stealing　Ozma　and　the



magic　that　belonged　to　her　and　to　others。〃







〃Are　you　sorry；　then？〃　asked　Dorothy；　looking　hard　at



the　bird。







〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　declared　Ugu。　〃I've　been　thinking



over　my　misdeeds　for　a　long　time；　for　doves　have　little



else　to　do　but　think；　and　I'm　surprised　that　I　was　such



a　wicked　man　and　had　so　little　regard　for　the　rights　of



others。　I　am　now　convinced　that　even　had　I　succeeded　in



making　myself　ruler　of　all　Oz　I　should　not　have　been



happy；　for　many　days　of　quiet　thought　have　shown　me



that　only　those　things　one　acquires　honestly　are　able



to　render　one　content。〃







〃I　guess　that's　so；〃　said　Trot。







〃Anyhow；〃　said　Betsy；　〃the　bad　man　seems　truly　sorry；



and　if　he　has　now　become　a　good　and　honest　man　we　ought



to　forgive　him。〃







〃I　fear　I　cannot　become　a　good　man　again；〃　said　Ugu；



〃for　the　transformation　I　am　under　will　always　keep　me



in　the　form　of　a　dove。　But；　with　the　kind　forgiveness



of　my　former　enemies；　I　hope　to　become　a　very　good



dove；　and　highly　respected。〃







〃Wait　here　till　I　run　for　my　Magic　Belt；〃　said



Dorothy；　〃and　I'll　transform　you　back　to　your　reg'lar



shape　in　a　jiffy。〃







〃No　don't　do　that！〃　pleaded　the　dove；　fluttering　its



wings　in　an　excited　way。　〃I　only　want　your　forgiveness；



I　don't　want　to　be　a　man　again。　As　Ugu　the　Shoemaker　I



was　skinny　and　old　and　unlovely；　as　a　dove　I　am　quite



pretty　to　look　at。　As　a　man　I　was　ambitious　and　cruel；



while　as　a　dove　I　can　be　content　with　my　lot　and　happy



in　my　simple　life。　I　have　learned　to　love　the　free　and



independent　life　of　a　bird　and　I'd　rather　not　change



back。〃







〃Just　as　you　like；　Ugu；〃　said　Dorothy；　resuming　her



seat。　〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　for　you're　cert'nly　a



better　dove　than　you　were　a　man；　and　if　you　should　ever



backslide；　an'　feel　wicked　again；　you　couldn't　do　much



harm　as　a　gray　dove。〃







〃Then　you　forgive　me　for　all　the　trouble　I　caused



you？〃　he　asked　earnestly。







〃Of　course；　anyone　who's　sorry　just　has　to　be



forgiven。〃







〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　gray　dove；　and　flew　away　again。



























End