"
"Is your Conscience still in good order?" asked Dorothy, anxiously.
"Yes; it rules me like a tyrant," answered the Tiger, sorrowfully. "I
can imagine nothing more unpleasant than to own a Conscience," and he
winked slyly at his friend the Lion.
"You're fooling me!" said Dorothy, with a laugh. "I don't b'lieve
you'd eat a baby if you lost your Conscience. Come here, Polly," she
called, "and be introduced to my friends."
Polly advanced rather shyly.
"You have some queer friends, Dorothy," she said.
"The queerness doesn't matter so long as they're friends," was the
answer. "This is the Cowardly Lion, who isn't a coward at all, but
just thinks he is. The Wizard gave him some courage once, and he has
part of it left."
The Lion bowed with great dignity to Polly.
"You are very lovely, my dear," said he. "I hope we shall be friends
when we are better acquainted."
"And this is the Hungry Tiger," continued Dorothy. "He says he longs
to eat fat babies; but the truth is he is never hungry at all, 'cause
he gets plenty to eat; and I don't s'pose he'd hurt anybody even if he
WAS hungry."
"Hush, Dorothy," whispered the Tiger; "you'll ruin my reputation if
you are not more discreet. It isn't what we are, but what folks think
we are, that counts in this world. And come to think of it Miss
Polly would make a fine variegated breakfast, I'm sure.
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