登陆注册
15468500000003

第3章 Chapter Two The Heart of the Tin Woodman(1)

The Emperor of the Winkies paused in his story to reach for an oil-can, with which he carefully oiled the joints in his tin throat, for his voice had begun to squeak a little. Woot the Wanderer, having satisfied his hunger, watched this oiling process with much curiosity, but begged the Tin Man to go on with his tale.

"The Witch with the Silver Shoes hated me for having defied her," resumed the Emperor, his voice now sounding clear as a bell, "and she insisted that Nimmie Amee should never marry me. Therefore she made the enchanted axe cut off my other arm, and the tinsmith also replaced that member with tin, including these finely-jointed hands that you see me using. But, alas! after that, the axe, still enchanted by the cruel Witch, cut my body in two, so that I fell to the ground. Then the Witch, who was watching from a near-by bush, rushed up and seized the axe and chopped my body into several small pieces, after which, thinking that at last she had destroyed me, she ran away laughing in wicked glee.

"But Nimmie Amee found me. She picked up my arms and legs and head, and made a bundle of them and carried them to the tinsmith, who set to work and made me a fine body of pure tin. When he had joined the arms and legs to the body, and set my head in the tin collar, I was a much better man than ever, for my body could not ache or pain me, and I was so beautiful and bright that I had no need of clothing. Clothing is always a nuisance, because it soils and tears and has to be replaced; but my tin body only needs to be oiled and polished.

"Nimmie Amee still declared she would marry me, as she still loved me in spite of the Witch's evil deeds.

The girl declared I would make the brightest husband in all the world, which was quite true. However, the Wicked Witch was not yet defeated. When I returned to my work the axe slipped and cut off my head, which was the only meat part of me then remaining. Moreover, the old woman grabbed up my severed head and carried it away with her and hid it. But Nimmie Amee came into the forest and found me wandering around helplessly, because I could not see where to go, and she led me to my friend the tinsmith. The faithful fellow at once set to work to make me a tin head, and he had just completed it when Nimmie Amee came running up with my old head, which she had stolen from the Witch. But, on reflection, I considered the tin head far superior to the meat one -- I am wearing it yet, so you can see its beauty and grace of outline -- and the girl agreed with me that a man all made of tin was far more perfect than one formed of different materials. The tinsmith was as proud of his workmanship as I was, and for three whole days, all admired me and praised my beauty. "Being now completely formed of tin, I had no more fear of the Wicked Witch, for she was powerless to injure me.

Nimmie Amee said we must be married at once, for then she could come to my cottage and live with me and keep me bright and sparkling.

"'I am sure, my dear Nick,' said the brave and beautiful girl -- my name was then Nick Chopper, you should be told -- 'that you will make the best husband any girl could have. I shall not be obliged to cook for you, for now you do not eat; I shall not have to make your bed, for tin does not tire or require sleep; when we go to a dance, you will not get weary before the music stops and say you want to go home. All day long, while you are chopping wood in the forest, I shall be able to amuse myself in my own way -- a privilege few wives enjoy. There is no temper in your new head, so you will not get angry with me. Finally, I shall take pride in being the wife of the only live Tin Woodman in all the world!' Which shows that Nimmie Amee was as wise as she was brave and beautiful."

"I think she was a very nice girl," said Woot the Wanderer. "But, tell me, please, why were you not killed when you were chopped to pieces?"

"In the Land of Oz," replied the Emperor, "no one can ever be killed. A man with a wooden leg or a tin leg is still the same man; and, as I lost parts of my meat body by degrees, I always remained the same person as in the beginning, even though in the end I was all tin and no meat."

"I see," said the boy, thoughtfully. "And did you marry Nimmie Amee?"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 行星间谍

    行星间谍

    近来,随着星流的风势越卷越强烈,粉丝们的热情也到达了炽热化的程度,topstar们的每日出行安全也成为了无可避免的问题。为了能够更好地保护到他们的人身安全和私隐问题,谷神星事务所推出了一个为巨星量身定做的方案---明星间谍!所谓明星间谍,就是可以随时伪装成各种角色,比方说造型师,经纪人,助理,翻译,甚至记者或者疯狂粉丝……只要想得到的都做得到!明星间谍会穿插在明星的身边,对他们进行全方位的贴身保护。如此艰巨而重要的任务自然而然地落在了谷神星事务所王牌保镖兼长女——谷凡星的身上!呵呵呵,要是保护的对象是国民男神苏禹晗的话,那是一件多么幸福的事情啊!可是为什么偏偏……这样的事情发生了?
  • 万佛至尊

    万佛至尊

    八零后青年王海,带着祖传的九品金莲,穿越到一个没有如来佛祖的世界。却意外的成为一个叫做法海的小和尚,而且寺庙也叫金山寺。王海懵了,他不知道这里还有没有青蛇白蛇。不过,他遇到的第一位漂亮女施主却是叫杜十娘,后来还发现自己死去的师傅来自一个叫做兰若寺的地方。
  • 茶解

    茶解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 从今天开始修真

    从今天开始修真

    世间难得修真法,老子顺天命,元始养气运,通天修自我,女娲蕴功德,接引转生死,准提主寂灭。但这个年头,哪有天命?哪有动乱给你养运藏德?哪有深山老林,天材地宝给你埋头苦修?“所以说,修真修真,是站在四维的角度看三维,对于高一维度的生物来说,低维度生物的任何行为,能力,都不过是渣渣,就好像你看一本书,书里的人开山填海,睁眼宇宙生,闭眼天地灭,那又如何?对于读者来说,假的可笑,随便一撕,用火一烧,马上就变灰灰。”真器傍身,造出一个个小世界,地球上人这么多,每天不知道死多少人,何必浪费?全来我的小世界里,助我修真吧!
  • 当执念走过最深的流年

    当执念走过最深的流年

    “你若有一天知道我这么想要把你留下,,留下那个阳光的你,留住我们在一起的那段美好时光,你会离开吗?”
  • 三国之争天下

    三国之争天下

    “我有太平要术。”“这个就是恶魔法典啊!召唤尸体作战,无往不利。”“某得我孙家祖传神书,孙子兵法。”“哎呀,对方有骑兵突击,快闪。三十六计,风驰电掣。”“大哥,我要不行了。二弟,以后河东,就交给贤弟你了。”“哥哥不用怕,我有青囊书,起来吧我的勇士。”“为你而战我的女士。”奇术妙法,一看就懂,一学就会。分分钟统一天下,秒秒钟一统全国。这样还不能统一天下,那我还真好意思了。
  • 二次元迷

    二次元迷

    本来平凡的张小天却意外卷进一个探索着二次元我组织中,天降火女,水生冰女......这一切的一切然而才刚刚开始。张小天的平凡生活就此破碎,去潜行吧,摸索,探索,二次元迷才刚刚开始。二次元究竟真实存在,她们真的是从二次元穿越而来,一步一步的探索,后宫逐步逐步的建立。
  • 爱丽丝学园之鸳紫守望

    爱丽丝学园之鸳紫守望

    “正田璎珞。。。”“幸村紫鸳。。。”我没有唯一的记忆,飘散的碎片只能慢慢浮现在前,我不知道我到底是什么人,我也不知道我的归途到底在何处,或许我是局外人,但是,我也想要守护唯一的一份温暖
  • 酷萌宝贝辣妹妈咪

    酷萌宝贝辣妹妈咪

    “先生,求你救我……”她于绝望之中向他求救,殊不知这场豪门狩猎早已拉开帷幕。曾经的爱人,对她恨之入骨;相依为命的哥哥,消失匿迹;面对危险追杀、栽赃陷害、惊险商战、爱情骗局,他始终站在她的背后,宛若帝王,君临天下。
  • 遇见彩虹:霸宠萌夫

    遇见彩虹:霸宠萌夫

    简宣捡了一只披着羊皮的狼,还引狼入室了。