The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person. By and by |здесь – как-то раз| an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched |сел| upon my shoulder and said:

“`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.’ Then he hopped down |спрыгнул| at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted.

“I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me |успокоила|, saying, `If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.

“After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City.”

“I hope so,” said Dorothy earnestly, “since you seem anxious |раз уж ты так озадачен| to have them.”

“Oh, yes; I am anxious,” returned the Scarecrow. “It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.

“Well,” said the girl, “let us go.” And she handed the basket to the Scarecrow.

There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land was rough and untilled |грубая и необработанная|. Toward evening they came to a great forest, where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the trees, for the branches shut out |закрывали| the daylight; but the travelers did not stop, and went on into the forest.

“If this road goes in, it must come out,” said the Scarecrow, “and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must go wherever it leads us.”

“Anyone would know that,” said Dorothy.

“Certainly; that is why I know it,” returned the Scarecrow. “If it required brains to figure it out |понять это|, I never should have said |никогда не сказал бы| it.