胆小的狮子
这段时间以来，多萝西和她的伙伴们一直走在茂密的树林里。道路依旧是用黄砖铺成的，但砖上盖满了从树上掉下来的枯枝和死叶，走起来一点也不舒服。
森林的这片区域里鸟儿很少，因为鸟儿喜欢阳光充足的旷野。但时不时有某种藏在树丛中的野兽发出低沉的咆哮。这些声音让小女孩的心怦怦直跳，因为她不知道是什么发出的；不过托托知道，它紧贴着多萝西的身侧走着，连叫也不叫一声。
“我们还要走多久，”小女孩问铁皮伐木工，“才能走出森林？”
“我说不准，”他答道，“因为我从没去过翡翠城。但我小时候，我父亲去过一次，他说那是一段穿过危险之地的漫长旅程，不过越靠近奥兹所居的城市，乡野便越美丽。但我并不害怕，只要我带着油壶，没什么能伤得了稻草人，而你额头上带着好女巫之吻的印记，那会护你免受伤害。”
“可是托托呢！”女孩焦急地说，“谁来护它？”
“若它有危险，我们得自己护着它，”铁皮伐木工答道。
他刚说完，森林里便传来一声可怕的吼叫，下一刻，一头大狮子跳到了路上。它一爪子把稻草人打得连连翻滚到路边，接着又用尖爪去抓铁皮伐木工。但令狮子惊讶的是，它竟在铁皮上留不下丝毫痕迹，尽管伐木工倒在路上不动了。
小托托这下有敌可对，便吠着冲向狮子；巨兽正张开嘴要咬狗，多萝西生怕托托被杀，不顾危险冲上前，用尽力气朝狮子鼻子上扇了一巴掌，同时喊道：
“你敢咬托托！你这么大一只野兽，咬可怜的小狗，真该害臊！”
“我没咬它，”狮子说，用爪子揉着被多萝西打中的鼻子。
“没咬，可你试了，”她回嘴，“你不过是个大懦夫。”
“我知道，”狮子垂着头，羞愧地说，“我一直都知道。可我有什么办法？”
“我不知道，真是的。想想你竟去打一个 stuffed 的人，像可怜的稻草人那样！”
“他是 stuffed 的吗？”狮子惊讶地问，看着她把稻草人扶起站好，又拍拍让他恢复形状。
“当然是他 stuffed 的，”多萝西仍气冲冲地答。
“怪不得他那么容易就被打飞了，”狮子说，“看他转圈圈真让我吃惊。另一个也是 stuffed 的吗？”
“不，”多萝西说，“他是铁皮做的。”说着她把伐木工也扶了起来。
“那就是为什么他差点钝了我的爪子，”狮子说，“爪子刮到铁皮上，冻得我背上一阵发麻。你这么疼惜的小动物是什么？”
“他是我的狗，托托，”多萝西答。
“他是铁皮做的，还是 stuffed 的？”狮子问。
“都不是。他是——他是——一只肉狗，”女孩说。
“哦！他真是个奇怪的动物，瞧着又格外小。除了像我这样的懦夫，没人会想着咬这么个小东西，”狮子悲哀地接着说。
“你怎会是个懦夫？”多萝西望着这巨兽纳闷地问，因为他大得像匹小马。
“这是个谜，”狮子答，“我猜是天生的。林子里别的动物自然都指望我勇敢，因为狮子到处都被当作百兽之王。我晓得只要我吼得够响，活物都吓跑让路。每次遇人我都怕得要命；可我就冲他吼，他便拼命逃开。若大象老虎熊真来打我，我自个儿就跑了——我就是这么个懦夫；可它们一听见我吼就都躲开，我当然由它们去。”
“那不对。百兽之王不该是懦夫，”稻草人说。
“我知道，”狮子用尾尖拭去眼角的泪，“这是我的莫大悲哀，让日子很难过。可一有危险，我的心就狂跳。”
“或许你得了心脏病，”铁皮伐木工说。
“也许，”狮子说。
“若是，”铁皮伐木工接着说，“你该高兴，因那证明你有心。我呢，没心；所以不会有心脏病。”
“或许，”狮子若有所思，“若我没心，就不算懦夫了。”
“你有脑子吗？”稻草人问。
“应该有吧。我没看过，”狮子答。
“我要去伟大的奥兹那儿，求他给我些脑子，”稻草人说，“因我脑袋里塞满稻草。”
“我要去求他给我一颗心，”伐木工说。
“我要去求他把我和托托送回堪萨斯，”多萝西补道。
“你觉得奥兹能给我胆量吗？”胆小的狮子问。
“就像给他我脑子一样容易，”稻草人说。
“或给我心一样，”铁皮伐木工说。
“或送我回堪萨斯一样，”多萝西说。
“那，若你们不介意，我跟你们去，”狮子说，“因没点胆量，我这日子简直没法过。”
“非常欢迎，”多萝西答，“你会帮我们挡开别的野兽。在我看来，它们让你这么容易吓退，定比你更懦弱。”
“它们确实，”狮子说，“可那没让我变勇敢，只要我知道自个是懦夫，便不会快活。”
于是小队再次启程，狮子迈着庄严的步子走在多萝西身旁。托托起初不认可这新同伴，因它忘不了差点被狮子大嘴碾碎。但过了一阵它安心了，不久托托和胆小的狮子成了好朋友。
那天余下路程再无波折扰了安宁。确有一次，铁皮伐木工踩到路上爬的甲虫，弄死了可怜小虫。这令他很不开心，因他总小心不伤活物；走时他落下几滴悲悔的泪。泪缓缓流下脸颊，过了下巴的铰链，在那儿锈住了。多萝西不久问他话，伐木工张不开嘴，因下巴锈得紧。他吓坏了，朝多萝西比划求救，可她不懂。狮子也困惑出了啥事。但稻草人从多萝西篮里抓过油壶，给伐木工下巴上油，片刻他便又能如常说话。
“这算个教训，”他说，“下脚要看清。若再踩死虫甲，我定又哭，一哭下巴锈住便不能言。”
此后他走得很小心，眼盯路上，见小蚁费力过，便跨过不伤它。铁皮伐木工深知自己没心，故极小心从不残暴待物。
“你们有心的，”他说，“有东西引路，永不做错；可我没心，故须极小心。等奥兹给我心，自然就不必这么忧了。”
The Cowardly Lion
All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the
thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were
much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the
walking was not at all good.
There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the
open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and then there
came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These
sounds made the little girl’s heart beat fast, for she did not know
what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy’s side,
and did not even bark in return.
“How long will it be,” the child asked of the Tin Woodman, “before we
are out of the forest?”
“I cannot tell,” was the answer, “for I have never been to the Emerald
City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and he said it
was a long journey through a dangerous country, although nearer to the
city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I am not afraid so
long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow, while
you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch’s kiss, and that
will protect you from harm.”
“But Toto!” said the girl anxiously. “What will protect him?”
“We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger,” replied the Tin
Woodman.
Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the
next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his
paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the
road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But,
to the Lion’s surprise, he could make no impression on the tin,
although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still.
Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the
Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when
Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed
forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while
she cried out:
“Don’t you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a
big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!”
“I didn’t bite him,” said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw
where Dorothy had hit it.
“No, but you tried to,” she retorted. “You are nothing but a big
coward.”
“I know it,” said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. “I’ve always
known it. But how can I help it?”
“I don’t know, I’m sure. To think of your striking a stuffed man, like
the poor Scarecrow!”
“Is he stuffed?” asked the Lion in surprise, as he watched her pick up
the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into
shape again.
“Of course he’s stuffed,” replied Dorothy, who was still angry.
“That’s why he went over so easily,” remarked the Lion. “It astonished
me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed also?”
“No,” said Dorothy, “he’s made of tin.” And she helped the Woodman up
again.
