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r land or water： farther below those clouds than you are above them。
jill stared at it。 then she thought that perhaps； after all； she would step back afoot or so from the edge； but she didnt like to for fear of what scrubb would think。 then she suddenly decided that she didnt care what he thought； and that she would jolly well get away from that horrible edge and never laugh at anyone for not liking heights again。 but when she tried to move； she found she couldnt。 her legs seemed to have turned into putty。 everything was swimming before her eyes。
〃what are you doing； pole？ e back…blithering little idiot！〃 shouted scrubb。 but his voice seemed to he ing from a long way off。 she felt him grabbing at her。 but by now she had no control over her own arms and legs。 there was a moments struggling on the cliff edge。 jill was too frightened and dizzy to know quite what she was doing； but two things she remembered as long as she lived （they often came back to her in dreams）。 one was that she had wrenched herself free of scrubbs clutches； the other was that； at the same moment； scrubb himself； with a terrified scream； had lost his balance and gone hurtling to the depths。
fortunately； she was given no time to think over what she had done。 some huge； brightly coloured animal had rushed to the edge of the cliff。 it was lying down； leaning over； and （this was the odd thing） blowing。 not roaring or snorting； but just blowing from its wide…opened mouth； blowing out as steadily as a vacuum cleaner sucks in。 jill was lying so close to the creature that she could feel the breath vibrating steadily through its body。 she was lying still because she couldnt get up。 she was nearly fainting： indeed； she wished
she could really faint； but faints dont e for the asking。 at last she saw； far away below her； a tiny black speck floating away from the cliff and slightly upwards。 as it rose； it also got farther away。 by the time it was nearly on a level with the cliff…top it was so far off that she lost sight of it。 it was obviously moving away from them at a great speed。 jill couldnt help thinking that the creature at her side was blowing it away。
so she turned and looked at the creature。 it was a lion。
。。
CHAPTER TWO
小？说网
jill is given a task without a glance at jill the lion rose to its feet and gave one last blow。 then； as if satisfied with its work； it turned and stalked slowly away； back into the forest。
〃it must be a dream； it must； it must；〃 said jill to herself。 〃ill wake up in a moment。〃 but it wasnt； and she didnt。
〃i do wish wed never e to this dreadful place；〃 said jill。 〃i dont believe scrubb knew any more about it than i do。 or if he did； he had no business to bring me here without warning me what it was like。 its not my fault he fell over that cliff。 if hed left me alone we should both be all right。〃 then she remembered again the scream that scrubb had given when he fell； and burst into tears。
crying is all right in its way while it lasts。 but you have to stop sooner or later； and then you still have to decide what to do。 when jill stopped； she found she was dreadfully thirsty。 she had been lying face downward； and now she sat up。 the birds had ceased singing and there was perfect silence except for one small； persistent sound； which seemed to e from a good distance away。 she listened carefully； and felt almost sure it was the sound of running water。
jill got up and looked round her very carefully。 there was no sign of the lion； but there were so many trees about that it might easily be quite close without her seeing it。 for all she knew； there might be several lions。 but her thirst was very bad now； and she plucked up her courage to go and look for that running water。 she went on tiptoes； stealing cautiously from tree to tree； and stopping to peer round her at every step。
the wood was so still that it was not difficult to decide where the sound was ing from。 it grew clearer every moment and； sooner than she expected； she came to an open glade and saw the stream； bright as glass； running across the turf a stones throw away from her。 but although the sight of the water made her feel ten times thirstier than before； she didnt rush forward and drink。 she stood as still as if she had been turned into stone；
with her mouth wide open。 and she had a very good reason； just on this side of the stream lay the lion。
it lay with its head raised and its two fore…paws out in front of it； like the lions in trafalgar square。 she knew at once that it had seen her； for its eyes looked straight into hers for a moment and then turned away … as if it knew her quite well and didnt think much of her。
〃if i run away； itll be after me in a moment；〃 thought jill。 〃and if i go on； i shall run straight into its mouth。〃 anyway； she couldnt have moved if she had tried； and she couldnt take her eyes off it。 how long this lasted； she could not be sure； it seemed like hours。 and the thirst became so bad that she almost felt she would not mind being eaten by the lion if only she could be sure of getting a mouthful of water first。
〃if youre thirsty； you may drink。”
they were the first words she had heard since scrubb had spoken to her on the edge of the cliff。 for a second she stared here and there； wondering who had spoken。 then the voice said again； 〃if you are thirsty； e and drink；〃 and of course she remembered what scrubb had said about animals talking in that other world； and realized that it was the lion speaking。 anyway； she had seen its lips move this time； and the voice was not like a mans。 it was deeper； wilder； and stronger； a sort of heavy； golden voice。 it did not make her any less frightened than she had been before； but it made her frightened in rather a different way。
〃are you not thirsty？〃 said the lion。
〃im dying of thirst；〃 said jill。
〃then drink；〃 said the lion。
〃may i … could i … would you mind going away while i do？〃 said jill。
the lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl。 and as jill gazed at its motionless bulk； she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience。
the delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic。
〃will you promise not to … do anything to me； if i do e？〃 said jill。
〃i make no promise；〃 said the lion。
jill was so thirsty now that； without noticing it； she had e a step nearer。
〃do you eat girls？〃 she said。
〃i have swallowed up girls and boys； women and men； kings and emperors； cities and realms；〃 said the lion。 it didnt say this as if it were boasting； nor as if it were sorry； nor as if it were angry。 it just said it。
〃i darent e and drink；〃 said jill。
〃then you will die of thirst；〃 said the lion。
〃oh dear！〃 said jill； ing another step nearer。 〃i suppose i must go and look for another stream then。”
〃there is no other stream；〃 said the lion。
it never occurred to jill to disbelieve the lion … no one who had seen his stern face could do that … and her mind suddenly made itself up。 it was the worst thing she had ever had to do； but she went forward to the stream； knelt down； and