Решила я значит перечитать Баума:

When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child’s laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy’s merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.

Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.

ДЕТСКАЯ СКАЗКА ДЛЯ ВСЕЙ СЕМЬИ!!!11

Забавный факт, Изумрудный город в первой книге поначалу зовётся The City of Emeralds, хотя я испокон веков помнила вариант The Emerald City.

“Is he a good man?” inquired the girl anxiously.

“He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him.”

Почему это так смешно, боже...

Ура, патриотизм.

The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, “I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas.”

“That is because you have no brains” answered the girl. “No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.”

А ещё эта фраза звучит, как смачный такой троллинг.

The Scarecrow sighed.

“Of course I cannot understand it,” he said. “If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains.”

Любопытный момент с Баумом: походу вместо того, чтобы установить один, плюс-минус единый размер для всех глав, он идёт поочерёдно. Сначала маленькая глава на полстраницы-страницу, потом большая на две страницы, затем снова маленькая и так далее. Читаешь, и как на горке едешь, ей богу.

"What is that little animal you are so tender of?”

“He is my dog, Toto,” answered Dorothy.

“Is he made of tin, or stuffed?” asked the Lion.

“Neither. He’s a—a—a meat dog,” said the girl.

“Have you brains?” asked the Scarecrow.

“I suppose so. I’ve never looked to see,” replied the Lion.

Эти диалоги вроде не шутливые сами по себе, но отчего-то очень смешно читать.

The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

ЛЕ МЕССАЖ!

“You people with hearts,” he said, “have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn’t mind so much.”

Вообще это заставляет меня вспомнить про людей из аутистического спектра.

"А как же этот страшный зверь лев?"
"Да не парьтесь, лев наш братуха, к тому же он большое ссыкло".

Я не знаю почему, но меня жутко забавляет та непосредственная манера, в которой Баум прописывает свои книги.

A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said, “What do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?”

“We wish to pass the night with you, if you will allow us,” answered Dorothy; “and the Lion is my friend and comrade, and would not hurt you for the world.”

“Is he tame?” asked the woman, opening the door a little wider.

“Oh, yes,” said the girl, “and he is a great coward, too. He will be more afraid of you than you are of him.”

“And I want him to give me a heart,” said the Tin Woodman.

“That will not trouble him,” continued the man, “for Oz has a large collection of hearts, of all sizes and shapes.”

Почему это так крипово звучит вне контекста...

Моя любимая часть книги это то, с каким вниманием Баум подходит к деталям. Каждый раз, когда Дороти, Страшила, Дровосек и Лев делают что-то вместе, у них всё выходит как-то по-своему. Чувствуется, что это компания из четырёх различающихся существ, а не единое неделимое целое.

She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others. These she also led to rooms, and each one of them found himself lodged in a very pleasant part of the Palace. Of course this politeness was wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his room he stood stupidly in one spot, just within the doorway, to wait till morning. It would not rest him to lie down, and he could not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room, just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world. The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order. The Lion would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room; but he had too much sense to let this worry him, so he sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep in a minute.

А ещё, ты удивишься, но внезапно книга, вошедшая в кладезь классики американской детской литературы, очень хорошо написана. В том плане, что сам текст идеально выверен и прост до безобразия.

Писать просто, по-детски это очень тяжёлый труд, и я всегда восхищаюсь теми, у кого это выходит.

“Oh, he will see you,” said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, “although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence.”

Волшебник решил посмотреть на Дороти, только когда узнал, что у неё и туфельки от Ведьмы Востока, и поцелуй от Ведьмы Севера.

Типичный политик, что сказать.

“I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek"

Хай, я Дороти, и да, я тварь дрожащая.

“Why should I do this for you?” asked Oz.

“Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are a Great Wizard and I am only a little girl.”

“But you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East,” said Oz.

“That just happened,” returned Dorothy simply; “I could not help it.”

Мне нравится, что Дороти just happens to убить ведьму. T W I C E. Находиться в её присутствии, будучи злой ведьмой опасно для жизни.

"In this country everyone must pay for everything he gets."

Люди читают это, а потом говорят, что Баум не стебал политиков и страну, в которой живёт.

Звучит жуть как крипово, если хотя бы на секунду задуматься.

Мне просто ещё один кусок промоушена нового фильма выпал, и в сочетании с ним эта фраза оказывает ещё больший эффект.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9an5CSU_hY

Поскольку ты не помнишь эту сказку, напомню: это пришелец из Канзаса, который спрятался в Изумрудном Городе и объявил себя Волшебником с той лишь целью, чтобы его не достали реальные ведьмы.

И он такой трус, что решил вернее послать маленькую девочку расправиться со Злой Ведьмой Запада (он прямым текстом просит именно "убить её", мол "вернёшься с известием, что ведьма мертва, и я отправлю тебя обратно"), чем самому принять на себя ответственность.

Притом, он скорей всего узнал, что никуда девочку отправить не сможет.

Баум определённо что-то знал, когда писал всё это.

Тип, сказка 1900 года выхода, а до сих пор звучит вполне себе актуально, особенно часть про шоумена на троне, вместо человека, который реально знает и понимает, что делать.

Люблю сказки для детей, они такие добрые.

and the Lion said:

“If he is a Beast when I go to see him, I shall roar my loudest, and so frighten him that he will grant all I ask. And if he is the lovely Lady, I shall pretend to spring upon her, and so compel her to do my bidding. And if he is the great Head, he will be at my mercy; for I will roll this head all about the room until he promises to give us what we desire. So be of good cheer, my friends, for all will yet be well.”

The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers led the Lion to the great Throne Room and bade him enter the presence of Oz.

The Lion at once passed through the door, and glancing around saw, to his surprise, that before the throne was a Ball of Fire, so fierce and glowing he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it. His first thought was that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was burning up; but when he tried to go nearer, the heat was so intense that it singed his whiskers, and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door.

У Волшебника тоже есть чувство юмора))

“And I shall never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry,” said Dorothy, beginning to cry.

“Be careful!” cried the green girl. “The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it.”

Мне нравится служанка, которая такая: "Э, девка, харе платье слезами портить: ты хоть знаешь скок я его шила?".

Тут каждый второй диалог хочется отправить в цитатник, какого чёрта:

“Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?” asked Dorothy.

“There is no road,” answered the Guardian of the Gates. “No one ever wishes to go that way.”

“How, then, are we to find her?” inquired the girl.

“That will be easy,” replied the man, “for when she knows you are in the country of the Winkies she will find you, and make you all her slaves.”

“Perhaps not,” said the Scarecrow, “for we mean to destroy her.”

“Oh, that is different,” said the Guardian of the Gates. “No one has ever destroyed her before, so I naturally thought she would make slaves of you, as she has of the rest. But take care; for she is wicked and fierce, and may not allow you to destroy her. Keep to the West, where the sun sets, and you cannot fail to find her.”

Мне нравится это избегание слова убить.

"Избавить мир от её существования", "Оказать ей услуги по скоростному засыпанию", "Познакомить её тело с могильной землёй", "ОБЛИТЬ ЕЁ ВОДО...".

“Are you not going to make them your slaves?” asked the leader of the wolves.

“No,” she answered, “one is of tin, and one of straw; one is a girl and another a Lion. None of them is fit to work, so you may tear them into small pieces.”

Мне нравится, что в то время, пока прочие члены кампании, кто из жести, кто из соломы, причиной профнепригодности Дороти оказывается то, что она девчонка.

ПРИТОМ, ЧТО САМА ВЕДЬМА КАК БЫ НЕ МУЖИК СОВСЕМ!

Кстати, у жестяного дровосека есть счётчик убийств. Он сначала голову коту рубанул (его преступление было в том, что зверь погнался за Королевой всех Полевых Мышей), а сейчас вот волков в капусту порубил.

А в стране Оз все звери разумные, волки вон как минимум с ведьмой успели поговорить.

Дороти увидела гору трупов волков, когда проснулась утром...

БАУМ, ЗА ЧТО?..

Он при этом описывает каждый такой случай таким будничным тоном, будто в 1900 каждый американский ребёночек ежедневно видит подобные зверства в своей повседневной жизни. Не иначе как по дороге в церковь для воскресной паствы.

There were forty wolves, and forty times a wolf was killed, so that at last they all lay dead in a heap before the Woodman.

Тут есть Король Ворон, в качестве персонажа на абзац.

В следующем абзаце Страшила уже сворачивает ему шею.

Интересно, какие травмы у детей, которым по ночам книги Баума читали?

При желании я могла бы написать очень хороший рассказ, обеляющий Злую Ведьму Запада.

Незванными гостями пришли, любимых волчар и птичек убили, водой насмерть облили, шапку для призыва летучих обезьян внаглую себе присвоили.

Ужас просто.

Once the Witch struck Toto a blow with her umbrella and the brave little dog flew at her and bit her leg in return. The Witch did not bleed where she was bitten, for she was so wicked that the blood in her had dried up many years before.

Это один из немногих моментов, которые я отчётливо запомнила из прочтения книги в детстве.

Не знаю, почему, но в то время меня до глубины души поразила сама мысль о человеке столь чёрством, что у него даже по жилам не течёт кровь.

А ещё вот как выглядит образ Ведьмы Запада в экранизации: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT8qgvgk1rU.

Её эффективно низвели до максимально стандартного образа ведьмы, тогда как у Баума она была классная, характерная.

Одноглазая старуха, ходящая с зонтиком вместо метлы, у которой из ран не течёт кровь. Восхитительно же!

Меня так сильно это волнует, потому что американцы эффективно знают эту сказку по фильму, и ассоциируют в первую очередь с образами из него, притом, что он очень сильно забил на книгу, уйдя больше в сторону этакой Страны Чудес для коммунистов.

Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way.

Вонючая Ведьма Запада.

“Well, in a few minutes I shall be all melted, and you will have the castle to yourself. I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out—here I go!”

Мне нравится ведьма, которая такая "Damn, I am one hell of a bad bitch myself, but you managed to outbitch me, little gal".

А ещё Ведьма Запада присутствует ровно в одной главе из двадцати четырёх, но при этом это один из самых ярких образов данной книги.

В экранизации она мелькает почаще, но при этом тоже суммарно имеет одиннадцать минут хронометража от сотни минут фильма.

Вообще из экранизаций, легендарнее этой отборной трэшатины так и не стало: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQT-QFy5Nig

Баум вне контекста:

“Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!” she said, standing on her left foot.

“What did you say?” asked the Scarecrow, who did not know what she was doing.

“Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!” Dorothy went on, standing this time on her right foot.

“Hello!” replied the Tin Woodman calmly.

Everyone loved her, but her greatest sorrow was that she could find no one to love in return, since all the men were much too stupid and ugly to mate with one so beautiful and wise.

А ещё этого персонажа зовут Gayelette.

Gayelette made up her mind that when he grew to be a man she would make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and used all her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish.

Ей, груминг несовершеннолетних!

“That was a good ride,” said the little girl.

“Yes, and a quick way out of our troubles,” replied the Lion. “How lucky it was you brought away that wonderful Cap!”

Ха-ха, владеть рабами весело.

Finally — a man of culture!

Персонаж: "ХАЧУ штуку!".

Волшебник: "Но у тебя уже есть штука!".

Персонаж: ...

Волшебник: ...

Волшебник: "Ладно, держи уже свою оскорбинку!".

“Can’t you give me brains?” asked the Scarecrow.

“You don’t need them. You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.”

“That may all be true,” said the Scarecrow, “but I shall be very unhappy unless you give me brains.”

The false Wizard looked at him carefully.

“Well,” he said with a sigh, “I’m not much of a magician, as I said; but if you will come to me tomorrow morning, I will stuff your head with brains. I cannot tell you how to use them, however; you must find that out for yourself.”

“Oh, thank you—thank you!” cried the Scarecrow. “I’ll find a way to use them, never fear!”

“But how about my courage?” asked the Lion anxiously.

“You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.”

“Perhaps I have, but I’m scared just the same,” said the Lion. “I shall really be very unhappy unless you give me the sort of courage that makes one forget he is afraid.”

“Very well, I will give you that sort of courage tomorrow,” replied Oz.

“How about my heart?” asked the Tin Woodman.

“Why, as for that,” answered Oz, “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.”

“That must be a matter of opinion,” said the Tin Woodman. “For my part, I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur, if you will give me the heart.”

“Very well,” answered Oz meekly. “Come to me tomorrow and you shall have a heart. I have played Wizard for so many years that I may as well continue the part a little longer.”

Софи: “Make me the real gal'!“.

Волшебник:

...

....

.....

*Достаёт пилу

“Glinda is a Good Witch, isn’t she?” asked the child.

“The Quadlings think she is good,” said the soldier.

Баум был в шаге от того, чтобы написать сатиру на диктатуру.

Ситуация: «Льву надо победить страшного, пауку подобного монстра, чтобы стать царём зверей. Весь лес на этого монстра не нашёл управы.»

Ожидания: «Эпичная битва с монстром.»

Реальность: «Лев убивает монстра, пока тот спит, а потом возвращается к зверям с известием о своей "славной" победе».

Где-то здесь притаился американский менталитет.

“My greatest wish now,” she added, “is to get back to Kansas, for Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning; and unless the crops are better this year than they were last, I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it.”

Мне нравится, что Дороти эффективно здесь говорит: "Мне это, домой надо вернуться поскорее, а то не дай бог подумают, что я мертва, а отпевания нынче обойдутся в копеечку".

“Am I really wonderful?” asked the Scarecrow.

“You are unusual,” replied Glinda.

The passive agression is strong with this one.

Серьёзно, почему-то Баум ОЧЕНЬ не любит прямые ответы; у него вообще все персонажи отвечают, или описывают кого-то крайне уклончиво.

Порой я переживаю, что пишу недостаточно большие сцены за раз.

Ну так вот, Баум:

Люблю Баумовский юмор.

С тонким привкусом пассивной агрессии.

Перевод — это искусство потерь...

“Then you shall be our interpreter,” said the Scarecrow, “and explain to this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to me all that he says. Is this arrangement satisfactory?” he asked, turning toward his guest.

“Very satisfactory indeed,” was the reply.

“Then ask him, to begin with,” resumed the Scarecrow, turning to Jellia, “what brought him to the Emerald City”

But instead of this the girl, who had been staring at Jack, said to him:

“You are certainly a wonderful creature. Who made you?”

“A boy named Tip,” answered Jack.

“What does he say?” inquired the Scarecrow. “My ears must have deceived me. What did he say?”

“He says that your Majesty’s brains seem to have come loose,” replied the girl, demurely.

The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt of his head with his left hand.

“What a fine thing it is to understand two different languages,” he said, with a perplexed sigh. “Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to being put in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City.”

“I didn’t insult you!” protested Jack, indignantly.

“Tut—tut!” cautioned the Scarecrow “wait, until Jellia translates my speech. What have we got an interpreter for, if you break out in this rash way?”

“All right, I’ll wait,” replied the Pumpkinhead, in a surly tone—although his face smiled as genially as ever. “Translate the speech, young woman.”

“His Majesty inquires if you are hungry,” said Jellia.

“Oh, not at all!” answered Jack, more pleasantly, “for it is impossible for me to eat.”

“It’s the same way with me,” remarked the Scarecrow. “What did he say, Jellia, my dear?”

“He asked if you were aware that one of your eyes is painted larger than the other,” said the girl, mischievously.

“Don’t you believe her, your Majesty,” cried Jack.

“Oh, I don’t,” answered the Scarecrow, calmly. Then, casting a sharp look at the girl, he asked:

“Are you quite certain you understand the languages of both the Gillikins and the Munchkins?”

“Quite certain, your Majesty,” said Jellia Jamb, trying hard not to laugh in the face of royalty.

“Then how is it that I seem to understand them myself?” inquired the Scarecrow.

“Because they are one and the same!” declared the girl, now laughing merrily. “Does not your Majesty know that in all the land of Oz but one language is spoken?”

“Is it indeed so?” cried the Scarecrow, much relieved to hear this; “then I might easily have been my own interpreter!”

“It was all my fault, your Majesty,” said Jack, looking rather foolish, “I thought we must surely speak different languages, since we came from different countries.”

“This should be a warning to you never to think,” returned the Scarecrow, severely. “For unless one can think wisely it is better to remain a dummy—which you most certainly are.”