L. Frank Baum

“ Trot and Cap'n Bill stood before the Magic Flower, actually rooted to the spot.
"Aren't you hungry, Cap'n?" asked the little girl, with a long sigh, for she had been standing there for hours and hours.
"Well," replied the sailor-man, "I ain't sayin' as I couldn't eat, Trot—if a dinner was handy—but I guess old folks don't get as hungry as young folks do."
"I'm not sure 'bout that, Cap'n Bill," she said thoughtfully. "Age might make a diff'rence, but seems to me size would make a bigger diff'rence. Seeing you're twice as big as me, you ought to be twice as hungry." ”

“ When it reached the Isle, it came ashore and approached them, waddling slowly and turning its head first to one side and then to the other, so as to see the girl and the sailor better.
"You're strangers," said the bird, coming to a halt near them, "and you've been caught by the Magic Isle and made prisoners."
"Yes," returned Trot, with a sigh; "we're rooted. But I hope we won't grow."
"You'll grow small," said the Bird. "You'll keep growing smaller every day, until bye and bye there'll be nothing left of you. That's the usual way, on this Magic Isle." ”

“ Then Cap'n Bill made the wish to be free, with no better result.
"No," said he, "it's no use; the wishes only affect the Magic Plant; but I'm glad we can make it bear fruit, 'cause now we know we won't starve before the Wizard gets to us."
"But I'm gett'n' tired standing here so long," complained the girl. "If I could only lift one foot, and rest it, I'd feel better."
"Same with me, Trot. I've noticed that if you've got to do a thing, and can't help yourself, it gets to be a hardship mighty quick." ”