The Speaking Scarecrow（稻草人）

Dorothy went into the house with Toto. She took a little basket（篮子） and put some bread（面包） in （把某物放入）it. Then she put on（穿上） the silver shoes. They were just right（合适的、正确的） for her feet. She picked up（捡起，拿起） her basket.

"Let's go, Toto," she said, "and ask the Wizard how to get back to（回到） Kansas."

Dorothy and Toto soon found the yellow brick road and walked along（沿着，向前） it, past the green fields and the blue Munchkin house.

After a few miles Dorothy stopped and sat down on a fence（篱笆，围栏） beside the road. Behind（在后面） the fence was a big field, and in it was a scarecrow on a stick（拐杖）, to keep the birds away（远离）. Its head was a small bag, with a Munchkin's hat（帽子） on top. Toto saw it and barked（狗叫）.

"Good day," said the Scarecrow. "How are you?"

"Very well, thank you," said Dorothy. "How are you?"

"Not very well. I don‘’t like this stick. Please take it away（把它拿开）."

Dorothy took the poor（贫穷的、可怜的） Scarerow off （脱掉）the stick.

"Thank you," said the Scarecrow. "Now who are you, and where are you going?"

"My name is Dorothy, and I am going to the Emerald City to see the Great Oz and ask him to send me back to Kansas."

"Where is the Emerald City?" asked the Scarecrow. "And who is Oz?"

"Why, don't you know?"

"I don't know anything. You see, I have no brians, only straw."

"Poor Scarecrow!" said Dorothy. "Come with me to the Emerald City, and ask the Great Oz for some brains（复数指智力）!"

"Oh, yes!" said the Scarecrow. "Let's go!"

And they started along（沿着） the yellow brick road. Toto did not like Dorothy's new friend at first, and barked at him.

"Don't be afraid," said Dorothy.

"I'm not afraid," said the Scarecrow. "He can't hurt me-I'm only made of straw. And give me your basket! I can't get tired! I'm only afraid of one thing, and that's fire."

"I understand," said Dorothy. "Well, let's go."

And she gave the Scarecrow her basket.

The yellow brick road took them through a thick（粗壮的、茂密的） forest. It began to get dark.

"I can't see the road now," said Dorothy.

"Look!" said the Scarecrow. "There's a little house! Let's go there."

There, Dorothy lay（lie平躺、存在） down on a bed of dry（干燥的） leavers（leaf树叶）, with Toto beside（在旁边） her, and slept. The Scarecrow was never tired, or hungry, or thirsty（口渴）. He just stood and waited for morning.

When Dorothy opened her eyes, it was sunny,. She found water and washed and drank. She and Toto ate some of their bread. Then she heard a cry.

"What was that?" she said.

"Let''s go and see," said the Sacrecrow.

They heard another cry.