fb.ozmaofoz- 第1节

　　
　　The　wind　blew　hard　and　joggled　the　water　of　the　ocean；　sending　ripples　across　its　surface。Then　the　wind　pushed　the　edges　of　the　ripples　until　they　became　waves；　and　shoved　the　waves　around　until　they　became　billows。The　billows　rolled　dreadfully　high：　higher　even　than　the　tops　of　houses。Some　of　them；　indeed；　rolled　as　high　as　the　tops　of　tall　trees；　and　seemed　like　mountains；　and　the　gulfs　between　the　great　billows　were　like　deep　valleys。
　　All　this　mad　dashing　and　splashing　of　the　waters　of　the　big　ocean；　which　the　mischievous　wind　caused　without　any　good　reason　whatever；　resulted　in　a　terrible　storm；　and　a　storm　on　the　ocean　is　liable　to　cut　many　queer　pranks　and　do　a　lot　of　damage。
　　At　the　time　the　wind　began　to　blow；　a　ship　was　sailing　far　out　upon　the　waters。When　the　waves　began　to　tumble　and　toss　and　to　grow　bigger　and　bigger　the　ship　rolled　up　and　down；　and　tipped　sidewise…first　one　way　and　then　the　other…and　was　jostled　around　so　roughly　that　even　the　sailor…men　had　to　hold　fast　to　the　ropes　and　railings　to　keep　themselves　from　being　swept　away　by　the　wind　or　pitched　headlong　into　the　sea。
　　And　the　clouds　were　so　thick　in　the　sky　that　the　sunlight　couldn't　get　through　them；　so　that　the　day　grew　dark　as　night；　which　added　to　the　terrors　of　the　storm。
　　The　Captain　of　the　ship　was　not　afraid；　because　he　had　seen　storms　before；　and　had　sailed　his　ship　through　them　in　safety；　but　he　knew　that　his　passengers　would　be　in　danger　if　they　tried　to　stay　on　deck；　so　he　put　them　all　into　the　cabin　and　told　them　to　stay　there　until　after　the　storm　was　over；　and　to　keep　brave　hearts　and　not　be　scared；　and　all　would　be　well　with　them。
　　Now；　among　these　passengers　was　a　little　Kansas　girl　named　Dorothy　Gale；　who　was　going　with　her　Uncle　Henry　to　Australia；　to　visit　some　relatives　they　had　never　before　seen。Uncle　Henry；　you　must　know；　was　not　very　well；　because　he　had　been　working　so　hard　on　his　Kansas　farm　that　his　health　had　given　way　and　left　him　weak　and　nervous。So　he　left　Aunt　Em　at　home　to　watch　after　the　hired　men　and　to　take　care　of　the　farm；　while　he　traveled　far　away　to　Australia　to　visit　his　cousins　and　have　a　good　rest。
　　Dorothy　was　eager　to　go　with　him　on　this　journey；　and　Uncle　Henry　thought　she　would　be　good　pany　and　help　cheer　him　up；　so　he　decided　to　take　her　along。The　little　girl　was　quite　an　experienced　traveller；　for　she　had　once　been　carried　by　a　cyclone　as　far　away　from　home　as　the　marvelous　Land　of　Oz；　and　she　had　met　with　a　good　many　adventures　in　that　strange　country　before　she　managed　to　get　back　to　Kansas　again。So　she　wasn't　easily　frightened；　whatever　happened；　and　when　the　wind　began　to　howl　and　whistle；　and　the　waves　began　to　tumble　and　toss；　our　little　girl　didn't　mind　the　uproar　the　least　bit。
　　〃Of　course　we'll　have　to　stay　in　the　cabin；〃　she　said　to　Uncle　Henry　and　the　other　passengers；　〃and　keep　as　quiet　as　possible　until　the　storm　is　over。For　the　Captain　says　if　we　go　on　deck　we　may　be　blown　overboard。〃
　　No　one　wanted　to　risk　such　an　accident　as　that；　you　may　be　sure；　so　all　the　passengers　stayed　huddled　up　in　the　dark　cabin；　listening　to　the　shrieking　of　the　storm　and　the　creaking　of　the　masts　and　rigging　and　trying　to　keep　from　bumping　into　one　another　when　the　ship　tipped　sidewise。
　　Dorothy　had　almost　fallen　asleep　when　she　was　aroused　with　a　start　to　find　that　Uncle　Henry　was　missing。She　couldn't　imagine　where　he　had　gone；　and　as　he　was　not　very　strong　she　began　to　worry　about　him；　and　to　fear　he　might　have　been　careless　enough　to　go　on　deck。In　that　case　he　would　be　in　great　danger　unless　he　instantly　came　down　again。
　　The　fact　was　that　Uncle　Henry　had　gone　to　lie　down　in　his　little　sleeping…berth；　but　Dorothy　did　not　know　that。She　only　remembered　that　Aunt　Em　had　cautioned　her　to　take　good　care　of　her　uncle；　so　at　once　she　decided　to　go　on　deck　and　find　him；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　the　tempest　was　now　worse　than　ever；　and　the　ship　was　plunging　in　a　really　dreadful　manner。Indeed；　the　little　girl　found　it　was　as　much　as　she　could　do　to　mount　the　stairs　to　the　deck；　and　as　soon　as　she　got　there　the　wind　struck　her　so　fiercely　that　it　almost　tore　away　the　skirts　of　her　dress。Yet　Dorothy　felt　a　sort　of　joyous　excitement　in　defying　the　storm；　and　while　she　held　fast　to　the　railing　she　peered　around　through　the　gloom　and　thought　she　saw　the　dim　form　of　a　man　clinging　to　a　mast　not　far　away　from　her。This　might　be　her　uncle；　so　she　called　as　loudly　as　she　could：
　　〃Uncle　Henry！Uncle　Henry！〃
　　But　the　wind　screeched　and　howled　so　madly　that　she　scarce　heard　her　own　voice；　and　the　man　certainly　failed　to　hear　her；　for　he　did　not　move。
　　Dorothy　decided　she　must　go　to　him；　so　she　made　a　dash　forward；　during　a　lull　in　the　storm；　to　where　a　big　square　chicken…coop　had　been　lashed　to　the　deck　with　ropes。She　reached　this　place　in　safety；　but　no　sooner　had　she　seized　fast　hold　of　the　slats　of　the　big　box　in　which　the　chickens　were　kept　than　the　wind；　as　if　enraged　because　the　little　girl　dared　to　resist　its　power；　suddenly　redoubled　its　fury。　With　a　scream　like　that　of　an　angry　giant　it　tore　away　the　ropes　that　held　the　coop　and　lifted　it　high　into　the　air；　with　Dorothy　still　clinging　to　the　slats。Around　and　over　it　whirled；　this　way　and　that；　and　a　few　moments　later　the　chicken…coop　dropped　far　away　into　the　sea；　where　the　big　waves　caught　it　and　slid　it　up…hill　to　a　foaming　crest　and　then　down…hill　into　a　deep　valley；　as　if　it　were　nothing　more　than　a　plaything　to　keep　them　amused。
　　Dorothy　had　a　good　ducking；　you　may　be　sure；　but　she　didn't　loose　her　presence　of　mind　even　for　a　second。She　kept　tight　hold　of　the　stout　slats　and　as　soon　as　she　could　get　the　water　out　of　her　eyes　she　saw　that　the　wind　had　ripped　the　cover　from　the　coop；　and　the　poor　chickens　were　fluttering　away　in　every　direction；　being　blown　by　the　wind　until　they　looked　like　feather　dusters　without　handles。The　bottom　of　the　coop　was　made　of　thick　boards；　so　Dorothy　found　she　was　clinging　to　a　sort　of　raft；　with　sides　of　slats；　which　readily　bore　up　her　weight。
　　After　coughing　the　water　out　of　her　throat　and　getting　her　breath　again；　she　managed　to　climb　over　the　slats　and　stand　upon　the　firm　wooden　bottom　of　the　coop；　which　supported　her　easily　enough。
　　〃Why；　I've　got　a　ship　of　my　own！〃　she　thought；　more　amused　than　frightened　at　her　sudden　change　of　condition；　and　then；　as　the　coop　climbed　up　to　the　top　of　a　big　wave；　she　looked　eagerly　around　for　the　ship　from　which　she　had　been　blown。
　　It　was　far；　far　away；　by　this　time。Perhaps　no　one　on　board　had　yet　missed　her；　or　knew　of　her　strange　adventure。Down　into　a　valley　between　the　waves　the　coop　swept　her；　and　when　she　climbed　another　crest　the　ship　looked　like　a　toy　boat；　it　was　such　a　long　way　off。　Soon　it　had　entirely　disappeared　in　the　gloom；　and　then　Dorothy　gave　a　sigh　of　regret　at　parting　with　Uncle　Henry　and　began　to　wonder　what　was　going　to　happen　to　her　next。
　　Just　now　she　was　tossing　on　the　bosom　of　a　big　ocean；　with　nothing　to　keep　her　afloat　but　a　miserable　wooden　hen…coop　that　had　a　plank　bottom　and　slatted　sides；　through　which　the　water　constantly　splashed　and　wetted　her　through　to　the　skin！And　there　was　nothing　to　eat　when　she　became　hungry…as　she　was　sure　to　do　before　long…and　no　fresh　water　to　drink　and　no　dry　clothes　to　put　on。
　　〃Well；　I　declare！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　laugh。〃You're　in　a　pretty　fix；　Dorothy　Gale；　I　can　tell　you！　and　I　haven't　the　least　idea　how　you're　going　to　get　out　of　it！〃
　　As　if　to　add　to　her　troubles　the　night　was　now　creeping　on；　and　the　gray　clouds　overhead　changed　to　inky　blackness。But　the　wind；　as　if　satisfied　at　last　with　its　mischievous　pranks；　stopped　blowing　this　ocean　and　hurried　away　to　another　part　of　the　world　to　blow　something　else；　so　that　the　waves；　not　being　joggled　any　more；　began　to　quiet　down　and　behave　themselves。
　　It　was　lucky　for　Dorothy；　I　think；　that　the　storm　subsided；　otherwise；　brave　though　she　was；　I　fear　she　might　have　perished。Many　children；　in　her　place；　would　have　wept　and　given　way　to　despair；　but　because　Dorothy　had　encountered　so　many　adventures　and　e　safely　through　them　it　did　not　occur　to　her　at　this　time　to　be　especially　afraid。　She　was