绿野仙踪 第77期:神奇的翡翠城(12)

 So the Tin Woodman was forced to return sorrowfully to his friends and tell them of the terrible Beast he had seen. 铁皮人也被迫得忧愁地跑到他的朋友们那里来，把他所看见的可怕的野兽，告诉了他们。

They all wondered greatly at the many forms the Great Wizard could take upon himself, 他们都感到很奇怪，那大魔术家竟然能够把自己变化成许多的样子。

and the Lion said: "If he is a Beast when I go to see him, I shall roar my loudest, and so frighten him that he will grant all I ask. 狮子说：“当我去看他的时候，倘使他是一只野兽，我将发出我最大的吼声，恐吓它，吓得它会答应我的请求。

And if he is the lovely Lady, I shall pretend to spring upon her, and so compel her to do my bidding. 倘使他是个贵妇人，我将假装扑到她身上去，强迫她做我所要求的事。

And if he is the great Head, he will be at my mercy; for I will roll this head all about the room until he promises to give us what we desire. 倘使他是个大头，它将向我讨饶；因为我将在房间里滚动那个头，直滚到它答应给我们所盼望的事。

So be of good cheer, my friends, for all will yet be well." 我的朋友们，乐观些，一切都尚有可为呢。”

The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers led the Lion to the great Throne Room and bade him enter the presence of Oz. 第二天早晨，长着绿胡须的兵士，领着狮子到那大宫殿里，吩咐它走进去，走到奥芝的面前。

The Lion at once passed through the door, and glancing around saw, to his surprise, that before the throne was a Ball of Fire, 狮子立刻穿过那门，向四周瞥视，使它吃惊的，在宝座前面的是一个火球，

so fierce and glowing he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it. 多么的猛烈和炽热，几乎不容它注视。

His first thought was that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was burning up; 起初它想的是奥芝遇到了不测的事情了，着了火烧了起来了；

but when he tried to go nearer, the heat was so intense that it singed¹ his whiskers, and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door. 但是，当它想走近一点儿的时候，热度非常厉害，快要烧焦它的触须，就颤抖地爬着退回去，站到靠近门口的地方。

Then a low, quiet voice came from the Ball of Fire, and these were the words it spoke²: 于是一个低沉的平静的声音，从火球里发出来，说：

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?" “我是伟大的可怕的奥芝，你是谁？你为什么要来找我？”

And the Lion answered, "I am a Cowardly Lion, afraid of everything. 狮子就回答说：“我是一只胆小的狮子，害怕一切的东西。

I came to you to beg that you give me courage, so that in reality I may become the King of Beasts, as men call me." 我跑到你这里来请求你给我胆量，使得我能够名副其实地成为野兽们的皇帝，正像人们所称呼我的。”

"Why should I give you courage?" demanded Oz. 奥芝问道：“为什么我应该给你胆量？”

"Because of all Wizards you are the greatest, and alone have power to grant my request." answered the Lion. 狮子回答说：“因为在所有的魔术家中，你是最最伟大，唯一有权力答应我的要求。”

1 singed   

v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿]

参考例句：

• He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette. 他点烟时把头发给燎了。
• The cook singed the chicken to remove the fine hairs. 厨师把鸡燎一下，以便去掉细毛。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。