These trees she stopped
to look at with pleasure and surprise, for their leaves were shaped
like ostrich plumes, their feather edges beautifully curled; and all
the plumes were tinted in the same dainty rainbow hues that appeared
in Polychrome's own pretty gauze gown.
"Father ought to see these trees," she murmured; "they are almost as
lovely as his own rainbows."
Then she gave a start of terror, for beneath the trees came stalking
two great beasts, either one big enough to crush the little Daughter
of the Rainbow with one blow of his paws, or to eat her up with one
snap of his enormous jaws. One was a tawny lion, as tall as a horse,
nearly; the other a striped tiger almost the same size.
Polly was too frightened to scream or to stir; she stood still with a
wildly beating heart until Dorothy rushed past her and with a glad cry
threw her arms around the huge lion's neck, hugging and kissing the
beast with evident joy.
"Oh, I'm SO glad to see you again!" cried the little Kansas girl.
"And the Hungry Tiger, too! How fine you're both looking. Are you
well and happy?"
"We certainly are, Dorothy," answered the Lion, in a deep voice that
sounded pleasant and kind; "and we are greatly pleased that you have
come to Ozma's party. It's going to be a grand affair, I promise you."
"There will be lots of fat babies at the celebration, I hear,"
remarked the Hungry Tiger, yawning so that his mouth opened dreadfully
wide and showed all his big, sharp teeth; "but of course I can't eat
any of 'em.
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