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15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost
It was a beautiful evening, so they drew their camp chairs in a circle
before one of the tents and began to tell stories to amuse themselves and
pass away the time before they went to bed.
Pretty soon a zebra was seen coming out of the forest, and he trotted
straight up to them and said politely:
"
Good evening, people."
The zebra was a sleek little animal and had a slender head, a stubby
mane and a paint-brush tail--very like a donkey's. His neatly shaped
white body was covered with regular bars of dark brown, and his hoofs
were delicate as those of a deer.
"
Good evening, friend Zebra," said Omby Amby, in reply to the creature's
greeting. "Can we do anything for you?"
"
Yes," answered the zebra. "I should like you to settle a dispute that has
long been a bother to me, as to whether there is more water or land in
the world."
"
"
Who are you disputing with?" asked the Wizard.
With a soft-shell crab," said the zebra. "He lives in a pool where I go to
drink every day, and he is a very impertinent crab, I assure you. I have
told him many times that the land is much greater in extent than the
water, but he will not be convinced. Even this very evening, when I told
him he was an insignificant creature who lived in a small pool, he
asserted that the water was greater and more important than the land.
So, seeing your camp, I decided to ask you to settle the dispute for once
and all, that I may not be further annoyed by this ignorant crab."
When they had listened to this explanation Dorothy inquired:
"
Where is the soft-shell crab?"
"
Not far away," replied the zebra. "If you will agree to judge between us I
will run and get him."
"
Run along, then," said the little girl.
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