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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes index 6833f05..d7b82bc 100644 --- a/.gitattributes +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -1,3 +1,4 @@ -* text=auto -*.txt text -*.md text +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/517-h.zip b/517-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 33601db..0000000 --- a/517-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/517-h/517-h.htm b/517-h/517-h.htm index d27e09e..9705475 100644 --- a/517-h/517-h.htm +++ b/517-h/517-h.htm @@ -1,19 +1,13 @@ -<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> -<HTML> -<HEAD> - -<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> - -<TITLE> -The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Emerald City of Oz, by L. Frank Baum -</TITLE> - -<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> -BODY { color: Black; - background: White; - margin-right: 10%; +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> +<meta charset="utf-8"> +<TITLE>The Emerald City of Oz | Project Gutenberg</TITLE> +<link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + +<style> +BODY { margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%; - font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify } PRE { font-size: small; @@ -32,88 +26,67 @@ P.finis { text-align: center ; margin-left: 0% ; margin-right: 0% } +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center;} +.h2, .h3, .h4, .h5 { + text-align: center; + display: block; + margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0; + font-weight: bold; +} +.h2 { + font-size: 1.5em; + margin-top: 0.83em; + margin-bottom: 0.83em; +} +.h3 { + font-size: 1.17em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; +} +.h4 { + font-size: 1em; + margin-top: 1.33em; + margin-bottom: 1.33em; +} +.h5 { + font-size: .83em; + margin-top: 1.67em; + margin-bottom: 1.67em; +} </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Emerald City of Oz, by L. Frank Baum - - -<table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto" cellpadding="4" border="3"> -<tr> -<td> -THIS EBOOK WAS ONE OF PROJECT GUTENBERG'S EARLY FILES PRODUCED AT A -TIME WHEN PROOFING METHODS AND TOOLS WERE NOT WELL DEVELOPED. THERE IS -AN IMPROVED ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THIS TITLE WHICH MAY VIEWED AT EBOOK <big><b><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41667/41667-h/41667-h.htm"> -[ #41667 ]</a></b></big> -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Emerald City of Oz - -Author: L. Frank Baum - -Posting Date: July 30, 2008 [EBook #517] -Release Date: May, 1996 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ *** - - - - -Produced by Warren Baldwin and Dennis Amundson - - - - - -</pre> - - +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 517 ***</div> <BR><BR> -<H1 ALIGN="center"> +<H1> The Emerald City of Oz </H1> <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> by -</H3> +</div> -<H2 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h2"> L. Frank Baum -</H2> +</div> <BR><BR> -<H4 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h4"> Author of The Road to Oz, <BR> Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz, <BR> The Land of Oz, etc.<BR> -</H4> +</div> <BR><BR><BR> -<H2 ALIGN="center"> +<H2> Contents </H2> @@ -153,8 +126,8 @@ Contents <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap00"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap00"></A> +<H3> Author's Note </H3> @@ -201,10 +174,10 @@ Coronado, 1910 <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap01"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap01"></A> +<h2> 1. How the Nome King Became Angry -</H3> +</h2> <P> The Nome King was in an angry mood, and at such times he was very @@ -567,10 +540,10 @@ An unsuspected enemy is doubly dangerous. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap02"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap02"></A> +<h2> 2. How Uncle Henry Got Into Trouble -</H3> +</h2> <P> Dorothy Gale lived on a farm in Kansas, with her Aunt Em and her Uncle @@ -843,10 +816,10 @@ The room was empty. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap03"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap03"></A> +<h2> 3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request -</H3> +</h2> <P> I suppose you have read so much about the magnificent Emerald City that @@ -1149,10 +1122,10 @@ dress for dinner. Come, Dorothy dear!" <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap04"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap04"></A> +<h2> 4. How The Nome King Planned Revenge -</H3> +</h2> <P> The reason most people are bad is because they do not try to be good. @@ -1465,10 +1438,10 @@ to dig the tunnel." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap05"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap05"></A> +<h2> 5. How Dorothy Became a Princess -</H3> +</h2> <P> When the people of the Emerald City heard that Dorothy had returned to @@ -1812,10 +1785,10 @@ an' what's more, you belong to it!" <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap06"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap06"></A> +<h2> 6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies -</H3> +</h2> <P> The new General of the Nome King's army knew perfectly well that to @@ -2008,10 +1981,10 @@ whom the clever old Nome had determined to win to his side. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap07"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap07"></A> +<h2> 7. How Aunt Em Conquered the Lion -</H3> +</h2> <P> "These are your rooms," said Dorothy, opening a door. @@ -2458,10 +2431,10 @@ Oz." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap08"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap08"></A> +<h2> 8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes -</H3> +</h2> <P> After leaving the Whimsies, Guph continued on his journey and @@ -2727,10 +2700,10 @@ induce them to aid me I shall have nothing more to fear." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap09"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap09"></A> +<h2> 9. How the Wogglebug Taught Athletics -</H3> +</h2> <P> It did not take Dorothy long to establish herself in her new home, for @@ -3156,10 +3129,10 @@ reception mounted again into the red wagon and continued their journey. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap10"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap10"></A> +<h2> 10. How the Cuttenclips Lived -</H3> +</h2> <P> The travelers had taken no provisions with them because they knew that @@ -3179,9 +3152,9 @@ which read: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<h2> TAKE THIS ROAD TO THE CUTTENCLIPS -</H3> +</h2> <BR> @@ -3242,10 +3215,10 @@ latched. Upon the door was a sign in gold letters reading as follows: <BR> -<H3> +<div class="h3"> VISITORS are requested to MOVE SLOWLY and CAREFULLY, and to avoid COUGHING or making any BREEZE or DRAUGHT. -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -3485,9 +3458,9 @@ was a sign reading: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> MISS CUTTENCLIP. -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -3690,10 +3663,10 @@ people go away. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap11"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap11"></A> +<h2> 11. How the General Met the First and Foremost -</H3> +</h2> <P> On leaving the Growleywogs General Guph had to recross the Ripple @@ -4157,10 +4130,10 @@ Erbs. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap12"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap12"></A> +<h2> 12. How they Matched the Fuddles -</H3> +</h2> <P> Dorothy and her fellow travelers rode away from the Cuttenclip village @@ -4191,9 +4164,9 @@ There was a sign-post here which read: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> THIS WAY TO FUDDLECUMJIG -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -4695,10 +4668,10 @@ Fuddles." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap13"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap13"></A> +<h2> 13. How the General Talked to the King -</H3> +</h2> <P> When General Guph returned to the cavern of the Nome King his Majesty @@ -4942,10 +4915,10 @@ to inspect the work and see that the Nomes kept busy. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap14"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap14"></A> +<h2> 14. How the Wizard Practiced Sorcery -</H3> +</h2> <P> "Where next?" asked the Wizard when they had left the town of @@ -5362,10 +5335,10 @@ and piled up into neat stacks. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap15"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap15"></A> +<h2> 15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost -</H3> +</h2> <P> It was a beautiful evening, so they drew their camp chairs in a circle @@ -5816,10 +5789,10 @@ kingdom was like. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap16"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap16"></A> +<h2> 16. How Dorothy Visited Utensia -</H3> +</h2> <P> There must have been from six to eight dozen spoons in the Brigade, and @@ -6242,10 +6215,10 @@ that they might rejoin their party. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap17"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap17"></A> +<h2> 17. How They Came to Bunbury -</H3> +</h2> <P> Wandering through the woods, without knowing where you are going or @@ -6268,9 +6241,9 @@ both ways. One sign read: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNBURY -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -6280,9 +6253,9 @@ and the second sign read: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNNYBURY -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -6752,10 +6725,10 @@ and other bake stuff. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap18"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap18"></A> +<h2> 18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture -</H3> +</h2> <P> Princess Ozma was a very busy little ruler, for she looked carefully @@ -6887,10 +6860,10 @@ to the Emerald City. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap19"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap19"></A> +<h2> 19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers -</H3> +</h2> <P> Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when they were @@ -6945,11 +6918,11 @@ the sign read: <BR> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<div class="h3"> NO ADMITTANCE <BR><BR> EXCEPT ON BUSINESS -</H3> +</div> <BR> @@ -7246,10 +7219,10 @@ covered with a filigree of frosted gold. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap20"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap20"></A> +<h2> 20. How Dorothy Lunched With a King -</H3> +</h2> <P> A line of rabbit soldiers was drawn up before the palace entrance, and @@ -7657,10 +7630,10 @@ court; so please sit beside me and be presented." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap21"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap21"></A> +<h2> 21. How the King Changed His Mind -</H3> +</h2> <P> Just then a rabbit band of nearly fifty pieces marched in, playing upon @@ -8037,10 +8010,10 @@ marble wall and started back along the narrow path toward the sign-post. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap22"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap22"></A> +<h2> 22. How the Wizard Found Dorothy -</H3> +</h2> <P> When they came to the signpost, there, to their joy, were the tents of @@ -8424,10 +8397,10 @@ use only enough words to express what she wanted to say. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap23"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap23"></A> +<h2> 23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets -</H3> +</h2> <P> They were soon among the pretty hills and valleys again, and the @@ -8851,10 +8824,10 @@ into a swift trot that soon brought them to their destination. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap24"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap24"></A> +<h2> 24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News -</H3> +</h2> <P> The Tin Woodman received Princess Dorothy's party with much grace and @@ -9170,10 +9143,10 @@ The least I may do is to perish beside my beloved Ruler." <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap25"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap25"></A> +<h2> 25. How the Scarecrow Displayed His Wisdom -</H3> +</h2> <P> This amazing news had saddened every heart and all were now anxious to @@ -9442,10 +9415,10 @@ journey's end. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap26"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap26"></A> +<h2> 26. How Ozma Refused to Fight for Her Kingdom -</H3> +</h2> <P> Ozma was in her rose garden picking a bouquet when the party arrived, @@ -9907,10 +9880,10 @@ she tried to have faith in him. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap27"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap27"></A> +<h2> 27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz -</H3> +</h2> <P> The Nome King and his terrible allies sat at the banquet table until @@ -10064,10 +10037,10 @@ back. They hurried forward more fierce and vengeful than ever. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap28"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap28"></A> +<h2> 28. How They Drank at the Forbidden Fountain -</H3> +</h2> <P> The Scarecrow had no need to sleep; neither had the Tin Woodman or @@ -10343,10 +10316,10 @@ showed that they had ever been in the Land of Oz. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap29"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap29"></A> +<h2> 29. How Glinda Worked a Magic Spell -</H3> +</h2> <P> "That was better than fighting," said Ozma, when all our friends were @@ -10583,10 +10556,10 @@ Ozma seized the hand of the Sorceress and pressed it gratefully. <BR><BR><BR> -<A NAME="chap30"></A> -<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<a id="chap30"></A> +<h2> 30. How the Story of Oz Came to an End -</H3> +</h2> <P> The writer of these Oz stories has received a little note from Princess @@ -10622,386 +10595,6 @@ in their invisible country and be very happy! <BR><BR><BR><BR> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Emerald City of Oz, by L. Frank Baum - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ *** - -***** This file should be named 517-h.htm or 517-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/517/ - -Produced by Warren Baldwin and Dennis Amundson - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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If you - don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are - payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois - Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each - date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) - your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. - -WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? -The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, -scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty -free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution -you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg -Association / Illinois Benedictine College". - -*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* - - - - - -The Emerald City of Oz - -by L. Frank Baum - -Author of The Road to Oz, -Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz, -The Land of Oz, etc. - - - -Contents - ---Author's Note-- -1. How the Nome King Became Angry -2. How Uncle Henry Got Into Trouble -3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request -4. How The Nome King Planned Revenge -5. How Dorothy Became a Princess -6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies -7. How Aunt Em Conquered the Lion -8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes -9. How the Wogglebug Taught Athletics -10. How the Cuttenclips Lived -11. How the General Met the First and Foremost -12. How they Matched the Fuddles -13. How the General Talked to the King -14. How the Wizard Practiced Sorcery -15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost -16. How Dorothy Visited Utensia -17. How They Came to Bunbury -18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture -19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers -20. How Dorothy Lunched With a King -21. How the King Changed His Mind -22. How the Wizard Found Dorothy -23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets -24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News -25. How the Scarecrow Displayed His Wisdom -26. How Ozma Refused to Fight for Her Kingdom -27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz -28. How They Drank at the Forbidden Fountain -29. How Glinda Worked a Magic Spell -30. How the Story of Oz Came to an End - - - - -Author's Note - - -Perhaps I should admit on the title page that this book is "By L. -Frank Baum and his correspondents," for I have used many suggestions -conveyed to me in letters from children. Once on a time I really -imagined myself "an author of fairy tales," but now I am merely an -editor or private secretary for a host of youngsters whose ideas I am -requestsed to weave into the thread of my stories. - -These ideas are often clever. They are also logical and interesting. -So I have used them whenever I could find an opportunity, and it is -but just that I acknowledge my indebtedness to my little friends. - -My, what imaginations these children have developed! Sometimes I am -fairly astounded by their daring and genius. There will be no lack of -fairy-tale authors in the future, I am sure. My readers have told me -what to do with Dorothy, and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and I have -obeyed their mandates. They have also given me a variety of subjects -to write about in the future: enough, in fact, to keep me busy for -some time. I am very proud of this alliance. Children love these -stories because children have helped to create them. My readers know -what they want and realize that I try to please them. The result is -very satisfactory to the publishers, to me, and (I am quite sure) to -the children. - -I hope, my dears, it will be a long time before we are obliged to -dissolve partnership. - - -L. FRANK BAUM. - -Coronado, 1910 - - - -1. How the Nome King Became Angry - - -The Nome King was in an angry mood, and at such times he was -very disagreeable. Every one kept away from him, even his -Chief Steward Kaliko. - -Therefore the King stormed and raved all by himself, walking up and -down in his jewel-studded cavern and getting angrier all the time. -Then he remembered that it was no fun being angry unless he had -some one to frighten and make miserable, and he rushed to his big -gong and made it clatter as loud as he could. - -In came the Chief Steward, trying not to show the Nome King how -frightened he was. - -"Send the Chief Counselor here!" shouted the angry monarch. - -Kaliko ran out as fast as his spindle legs could carry his fat, -round body, and soon the Chief Counselor entered the cavern. -The King scowled and said to him: - -"I'm in great trouble over the loss of my Magic Belt. Every little -while I want to do something magical, and find I can't because the -Belt is gone. That makes me angry, and when I'm angry I can't have -a good time. Now, what do you advise?" - -"Some people," said the Chief Counselor, "enjoy getting angry." - -"But not all the time," declared the King. "To be angry once in a -while is really good fun, because it makes others so miserable. But -to be angry morning, noon and night, as I am, grows monotonous and -prevents my gaining any other pleasure in life. Now what do you advise?" - -"Why, if you are angry because you want to do magical things and -can't, and if you don't want to get angry at all, my advice is not to -want to do magical things." - -Hearing this, the King glared at his Counselor with a furious -expression and tugged at his own long white whiskers until he pulled -them so hard that he yelled with pain. - -"You are a fool!" he exclaimed. - -"I share that honor with your Majesty," said the Chief Counselor. - -The King roared with rage and stamped his foot. - -"Ho, there, my guards!" he cried. "Ho" is a royal way of saying, -"Come here." So, when the guards had hoed, the King said to them: - -"Take this Chief Counselor and throw him away." - -Then the guards took the Chief Counselor, and bound him with chains to -prevent his struggling, and threw him away. And the King paced up and -down his cavern more angry than before. - -Finally he rushed to his big gong and made it clatter like a fire -alarm. Kaliko appeared again, trembling and white with fear. - -"Fetch my pipe!" yelled the King. - -"Your pipe is already here, your Majesty," replied Kaliko. - -"Then get my tobacco!" roared the King. - -"The tobacco is in your pipe, your Majesty," returned the Steward. - -"Then bring a live coal from the furnace!" commanded the King. - -"The tobacco is lighted, and your Majesty is already smoking your -pipe," answered the Steward. - -"Why, so I am!" said the King, who had forgotten this fact; "but you -are very rude to remind me of it." - -"I am a lowborn, miserable villain," declared the Chief Steward, humbly. - -The Nome King could think of nothing to say next, so he puffed away at -his pipe and paced up and down the room. Finally, he remembered how -angry he was, and cried out: - -"What do you mean, Kaliko, by being so contented when your monarch -is unhappy?" - -"What makes you unhappy?" asked the Steward. - -"I've lost my Magic Belt. A little girl named Dorothy, who was here -with Ozma of Oz, stole my Belt and carried it away with her," said the -King, grinding his teeth with rage. - -"She captured it in a fair fight," Kaliko ventured to say. - -"But I want it! I must have it! Half my power is gone with that -Belt!" roared the King. - -"You will have to go to the Land of Oz to recover it, and your Majesty -can't get to the Land of Oz in any possible way," said the Steward, -yawning because he had been on duty ninety-six hours, and was sleepy. - -"Why not?" asked the King. - -"Because there is a deadly desert all around that fairy country, which -no one is able to cross. You know that fact as well as I do, your -Majesty. Never mind the lost Belt. You have plenty of power left, -for you rule this underground kingdom like a tyrant, and thousands of -Nomes obey your commands. I advise you to drink a glass of melted -silver, to quiet your nerves, and then go to bed." - -The King grabbed a big ruby and threw it at Kaliko's head. The -Steward ducked to escape the heavy jewel, which crashed against the -door just over his left ear. - -"Get out of my sight! Vanish! Go away--and send General Blug here," -screamed the Nome King. - -Kaliko hastily withdrew, and the Nome King stamped up and down until -the General of his armies appeared. - -This Nome was known far and wide as a terrible fighter and a cruel, -desperate commander. He had fifty thousand Nome soldiers, all well -drilled, who feared nothing but their stern master. Yet General Blug -was a trifle uneasy when he arrived and saw how angry the Nome King was. - -"Ha! So you're here!" cried the King. - -"So I am," said the General. - -"March your army at once to the Land of Oz, capture and destroy the -Emerald City, and bring back to me my Magic Belt!" roared the King. - -"You're crazy," calmly remarked the General. - -"What's that? What's that? What's that?" And the Nome King danced -around on his pointed toes, he was so enraged. - -"You don't know what you're talking about," continued the General, -seating himself upon a large cut diamond. "I advise you to stand -in a corner and count sixty before you speak again. By that time -you may be more sensible." - -The King looked around for something to throw at General Blug, but as -nothing was handy he began to consider that perhaps the man was right -and he had been talking foolishly. So he merely threw himself into -his glittering throne and tipped his crown over his ear and curled his -feet up under him and glared wickedly at Blug. - -"In the first place," said the General, "we cannot march across the -deadly desert to the Land of Oz. And if we could, the Ruler of that -country, Princess Ozma, has certain fairy powers that would render my -army helpless. Had you not lost your Magic Belt we might have some -chance of defeating Ozma; but the Belt is gone." - -"I want it!" screamed the King. "I must have it." - -"Well, then, let us try in a sensible way to get it," replied the -General. "The Belt was captured by a little girl named Dorothy, who -lives in Kansas, in the United States of America." - -"But she left it in the Emerald City, with Ozma," declared the King. - -"How do you know that?" asked the General. - -"One of my spies, who is a Blackbird, flew over the desert to the -Land of Oz, and saw the Magic Belt in Ozma's palace," replied the -King with a groan. - -"Now that gives me an idea," said General Blug, thoughtfully. "There -are two ways to get to the Land of Oz without traveling across the -sandy desert." - -"What are they?" demanded the King, eagerly. - -"One way is OVER the desert, through the air; and the other way is -UNDER the desert, through the earth." - -Hearing this the Nome King uttered a yell of joy and leaped from his -throne, to resume his wild walk up and down the cavern. - -"That's it, Blug!" he shouted. "That's the idea, General! I'm King -of the Under World, and my subjects are all miners. I'll make a -secret tunnel under the desert to the Land of Oz--yes! right up to the -Emerald City--and you will march your armies there and capture the -whole country!" - -"Softly, softly, your Majesty. Don't go too fast," warned the -General. "My Nomes are good fighters, but they are not strong enough -to conquer the Emerald City." - -"Are you sure?" asked the King. - -"Absolutely certain, your Majesty." - -"Then what am I to do?" - -"Give up the idea and mind your own business," advised the General. -"You have plenty to do trying to rule your underground kingdom." - -"But I want the Magic Belt--and I'm going to have it!" roared the -Nome King. - -"I'd like to see you get it," replied the General, laughing maliciously. - -The King was by this time so exasperated that he picked up his -scepter, which had a heavy ball, made from a sapphire, at the end of it, -and threw it with all his force at General Blug. The sapphire hit the -General upon his forehead and knocked him flat upon the ground, where he -lay motionless. Then the King rang his gong and told his guards to -drag out the General and throw him away; which they did. - -This Nome King was named Roquat the Red, and no one loved him. He was -a bad man and a powerful monarch, and he had resolved to destroy the -Land of Oz and its magnificent Emerald City, to enslave Princess Ozma -and little Dorothy and all the Oz people, and recover his Magic Belt. -This same Belt had once enabled Roquat the Red to carry out many -wicked plans; but that was before Ozma and her people marched to the -underground cavern and captured it. The Nome King could not forgive -Dorothy or Princess Ozma, and he had determined to be revenged upon them. - -But they, for their part, did not know they had so dangerous an enemy. -Indeed, Ozma and Dorothy had both almost forgotten that such a person -as the Nome King yet lived under the mountains of the Land of Ev--which -lay just across the deadly desert to the south of the Land of Oz. - -An unsuspected enemy is doubly dangerous. - - - -2. How Uncle Henry Got Into Trouble - - -Dorothy Gale lived on a farm in Kansas, with her Aunt Em and her Uncle -Henry. It was not a big farm, nor a very good one, because sometimes -the rain did not come when the crops needed it, and then everything -withered and dried up. Once a cyclone had carried away Uncle Henry's -house, so that he was obliged to build another; and as he was a poor -man he had to mortgage his farm to get the money to pay for the new -house. Then his health became bad and he was too feeble to work. -The doctor ordered him to take a sea voyage and he went to Australia -and took Dorothy with him. That cost a lot of money, too. - -Uncle Henry grew poorer every year, and the crops raised on the farm -only bought food for the family. Therefore the mortgage could not be -paid. At last the banker who had loaned him the money said that if he -did not pay on a certain day, his farm would be taken away from him. - -This worried Uncle Henry a good deal, for without the farm he would -have no way to earn a living. He was a good man, and worked in the -field as hard as he could; and Aunt Em did all the housework, with -Dorothy's help. Yet they did not seem to get along. - -This little girl, Dorothy, was like dozens of little girls you know. -She was loving and usually sweet-tempered, and had a round rosy face -and earnest eyes. Life was a serious thing to Dorothy, and a -wonderful thing, too, for she had encountered more strange adventures -in her short life than many other girls of her age. - -Aunt Em once said she thought the fairies must have marked Dorothy at -her birth, because she had wandered into strange places and had always -been protected by some unseen power. As for Uncle Henry, he thought -his little niece merely a dreamer, as her dead mother had been, for he -could not quite believe all the curious stories Dorothy told them of -the Land of Oz, which she had several times visited. He did not think -that she tried to deceive her uncle and aunt, but he imagined that she -had dreamed all of those astonishing adventures, and that the dreams -had been so real to her that she had come to believe them true. - -Whatever the explanation might be, it was certain that Dorothy had -been absent from her Kansas home for several long periods, always -disappearing unexpectedly, yet always coming back safe and sound, with -amazing tales of where she had been and the unusual people she had -met. Her uncle and aunt listened to her stories eagerly and in spite -of their doubts began to feel that the little girl had gained a lot of -experience and wisdom that were unaccountable in this age, when -fairies are supposed no longer to exist. - -Most of Dorothy's stories were about the Land of Oz, with its -beautiful Emerald City and a lovely girl Ruler named Ozma, who was the -most faithful friend of the little Kansas girl. When Dorothy told -about the riches of this fairy country Uncle Henry would sigh, for he -knew that a single one of the great emeralds that were so common there -would pay all his debts and leave his farm free. But Dorothy never -brought any jewels home with her, so their poverty became greater -every year. - -When the banker told Uncle Henry that he must pay the money in thirty -days or leave the farm, the poor man was in despair, as he knew he -could not possibly get the money. So he told his wife, Aunt Em, of -his trouble, and she first cried a little and then said that they must -be brave and do the best they could, and go away somewhere and try to -earn an honest living. But they were getting old and feeble and she -feared that they could not take care of Dorothy as well as they had -formerly done. Probably the little girl would also be obliged to go -to work. - -They did not tell their niece the sad news for several days, -not wishing to make her unhappy; but one morning the little girl -found Aunt Em softly crying while Uncle Henry tried to comfort her. -Then Dorothy asked them to tell her what was the matter. - -"We must give up the farm, my dear," replied her uncle sadly, "and -wander away into the world to work for our living." - -The girl listened quite seriously, for she had not known before how -desperately poor they were. - -"We don't mind for ourselves," said her aunt, stroking the little -girl's head tenderly; "but we love you as if you were our own child, -and we are heart-broken to think that you must also endure poverty, -and work for a living before you have grown big and strong." - -"What could I do to earn money?" asked Dorothy. - -"You might do housework for some one, dear, you are so handy; or -perhaps you could be a nurse-maid to little children. I'm sure I don't -know exactly what you CAN do to earn money, but if your uncle and I -are able to support you we will do it willingly, and send you to -school. We fear, though, that we shall have much trouble in earning a -living for ourselves. No one wants to employ old people who are -broken down in health, as we are." - -Dorothy smiled. - -"Wouldn't it be funny," she said, "for me to do housework in Kansas, -when I'm a Princess in the Land of Oz?" - -"A Princess!" they both exclaimed, astonished. - -"Yes; Ozma made me a Princess some time ago, and she has often begged -me to come and live always in the Emerald City," said the child. - -Her uncle and aunt looked at her in amazement. Then the man said: - -"Do you suppose you could manage to return to your fairyland, my dear?" - -"Oh yes," replied Dorothy; "I could do that easily." - -"How?" asked Aunt Em. - -"Ozma sees me every day at four o'clock, in her Magic Picture. She can -see me wherever I am, no matter what I am doing. And at that time, if -I make a certain secret sign, she will send for me by means of the -Magic Belt, which I once captured from the Nome King. Then, in the -wink of an eye, I shall be with Ozma in her palace." - -The elder people remained silent for some time after Dorothy had -spoken. Finally, Aunt Em said, with another sigh of regret: - -"If that is the case, Dorothy, perhaps you'd better go and live in the -Emerald City. It will break our hearts to lose you from our lives, -but you will be so much better off with your fairy friends that it -seems wisest and best for you to go." - -"I'm not so sure about that," remarked Uncle Henry, shaking his gray -head doubtfully. "These things all seem real to Dorothy, I know; but -I'm afraid our little girl won't find her fairyland just what she had -dreamed it to be. It would make me very unhappy to think that she was -wandering among strangers who might be unkind to her." - -Dorothy laughed merrily at this speech, and then she became very sober -again, for she could see how all this trouble was worrying her aunt -and uncle, and knew that unless she found a way to help them their -future lives would be quite miserable and unhappy. She knew that she -COULD help them. She had thought of a way already. Yet she did not -tell them at once what it was, because she must ask Ozma's consent -before she would be able to carry out her plans. - -So she only said: - -"If you will promise not to worry a bit about me, I'll go to the Land -of Oz this very afternoon. And I'll make a promise, too; that you shall -both see me again before the day comes when you must leave this farm." - -"The day isn't far away, now," her uncle sadly replied. "I did not -tell you of our trouble until I was obliged to, dear Dorothy, so the -evil time is near at hand. But if you are quite sure your fairy -friends will give you a home, it will be best for you to go to them, -as your aunt says." - -That was why Dorothy went to her little room in the attic that -afternoon, taking with her a small dog named Toto. The dog had curly -black hair and big brown eyes and loved Dorothy very dearly. - -The child had kissed her uncle and aunt affectionately before she went -upstairs, and now she looked around her little room rather wistfully, -gazing at the simple trinkets and worn calico and gingham dresses, as -if they were old friends. She was tempted at first to make a bundle -of them, yet she knew very well that they would be of no use to her in -her future life. - -She sat down upon a broken-backed chair--the only one the room -contained--and holding Toto in her arms waited patiently until the -clock struck four. - -Then she made the secret signal that had been agreed upon between -her and Ozma. - -Uncle Henry and Aunt Em waited downstairs. They were uneasy and a -good deal excited, for this is a practical humdrum world, and it -seemed to them quite impossible that their little niece could vanish -from her home and travel instantly to fairyland. - -So they watched the stairs, which seemed to be the only way that Dorothy -could get out of the farmhouse, and they watched them a long time. They -heard the clock strike four but there was no sound from above. - -Half-past four came, and now they were too impatient to wait -any longer. Softly, they crept up the stairs to the door of the -little girl's room. - -"Dorothy! Dorothy!" they called. - -There was no answer. - -They opened the door and looked in. - -The room was empty. - - - -3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request - - -I suppose you have read so much about the magnificent Emerald City -that there is little need for me to describe it here. It is the -Capital City of the Land of Oz, which is justly considered the most -attractive and delightful fairyland in all the world. - -The Emerald City is built all of beautiful marbles in which are set a -profusion of emeralds, every one exquisitely cut and of very great -size. There are other jewels used in the decorations inside the -houses and palaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts -and turquoises. But in the streets and upon the outside of the -buildings only emeralds appear, from which circumstance the place is -named the Emerald City of Oz. It has nine thousand, six hundred and -fifty-four buildings, in which lived fifty-seven thousand three -hundred and eighteen people, up to the time my story opens. - -All the surrounding country, extending to the borders of the desert -which enclosed it upon every side, was full of pretty and comfortable -farmhouses, in which resided those inhabitants of Oz who preferred -country to city life. - -Altogether there were more than half a million people in the Land of -Oz--although some of them, as you will soon learn, were not made of -flesh and blood as we are--and every inhabitant of that favored -country was happy and prosperous. - -No disease of any sort was ever known among the Ozites, and so no one -ever died unless he met with an accident that prevented him from -living. This happened very seldom, indeed. There were no poor people -in the Land of Oz, because there was no such thing as money, and all -property of every sort belonged to the Ruler. The people were her -children, and she cared for them. Each person was given freely by his -neighbors whatever he required for his use, which is as much as any one -may reasonably desire. Some tilled the lands and raised great crops -of grain, which was divided equally among the entire population, so -that all had enough. There were many tailors and dressmakers and -shoemakers and the like, who made things that any who desired them -might wear. Likewise there were jewelers who made ornaments for the -person, which pleased and beautified the people, and these ornaments -also were free to those who asked for them. Each man and woman, no -matter what he or she produced for the good of the community, was -supplied by the neighbors with food and clothing and a house and -furniture and ornaments and games. If by chance the supply ever ran -short, more was taken from the great storehouses of the Ruler, which -were afterward filled up again when there was more of any article than -the people needed. - -Every one worked half the time and played half the time, and the -people enjoyed the work as much as they did the play, because it is -good to be occupied and to have something to do. There were no cruel -overseers set to watch them, and no one to rebuke them or to find -fault with them. So each one was proud to do all he could for his -friends and neighbors, and was glad when they would accept the things -he produced. - -You will know by what I have here told you, that the Land of Oz was a -remarkable country. I do not suppose such an arrangement would be -practical with us, but Dorothy assures me that it works finely with -the Oz people. - -Oz being a fairy country, the people were, of course, fairy people; -but that does not mean that all of them were very unlike the people of -our own world. There were all sorts of queer characters among them, -but not a single one who was evil, or who possessed a selfish or -violent nature. They were peaceful, kind hearted, loving and merry, -and every inhabitant adored the beautiful girl who ruled them and -delighted to obey her every command. - -In spite of all I have said in a general way, there were some parts of -the Land of Oz not quite so pleasant as the farming country and the -Emerald City which was its center. Far away in the South Country -there lived in the mountains a band of strange people called -Hammer-Heads, because they had no arms and used their flat heads to -pound any one who came near them. Their necks were like rubber, so -that they could shoot out their heads to quite a distance, and -afterward draw them back again to their shoulders. The Hammer-Heads -were called the "Wild People," but never harmed any but those who -disturbed them in the mountains where they lived. - -In some of the dense forests there lived great beasts of every sort; -yet these were for the most part harmless and even sociable, and -conversed agreeably with those who visited their haunts. The -Kalidahs--beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers--had -once been fierce and bloodthirsty, but even they were now nearly -all tamed, although at times one or another of them would get -cross and disagreeable. - -Not so tame were the Fighting Trees, which had a forest of their own. -If any one approached them these curious trees would bend down their -branches, twine them around the intruders, and hurl them away. - -But these unpleasant things existed only in a few remote parts of the -Land of Oz. I suppose every country has some drawbacks, so even this -almost perfect fairyland could not be quite perfect. Once there had -been wicked witches in the land, too; but now these had all been -destroyed; so, as I said, only peace and happiness reigned in Oz. - -For some time Ozma had ruled over this fair country, and never was -Ruler more popular or beloved. She is said to be the most beautiful -girl the world has ever known, and her heart and mind are as lovely as -her person. - -Dorothy Gale had several times visited the Emerald City -and experienced adventures in the Land of Oz, so that she and Ozma had -now become firm friends. The girl Ruler had even made Dorothy a -Princess of Oz, and had often implored her to come to Ozma's stately -palace and live there always; but Dorothy had been loyal to her Aunt -Em and Uncle Henry, who had cared for her since she was a baby, and -she had refused to leave them because she knew they would be lonely -without her. - -However, Dorothy now realized that things were going to be different -with her uncle and aunt from this time forth, so after giving the matter -deep thought she decided to ask Ozma to grant her a very great favor. - -A few seconds after she had made the secret signal in her little -bedchamber, the Kansas girl was seated in a lovely room in Ozma's -palace in the Emerald City of Oz. When the first loving kisses and -embraces had been exchanged, the fair Ruler inquired: - -"What is the matter, dear? I know something unpleasant has happened -to you, for your face was very sober when I saw it in my Magic Picture. -And whenever you signal me to transport you to this safe place, where -you are always welcome, I know you are in danger or in trouble." - -Dorothy sighed. - -"This time, Ozma, it isn't I," she replied. "But it's worse, I guess, -for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are in a heap of trouble, and there seems -no way for them to get out of it--anyhow, not while they live in Kansas." - -"Tell me about it, Dorothy," said Ozma, with ready sympathy. - -"Why, you see Uncle Henry is poor; for the farm in Kansas doesn't -'mount to much, as farms go. So one day Uncle Henry borrowed some -money, and wrote a letter saying that if he didn't pay the money back -they could take his farm for pay. Course he 'spected to pay by making -money from the farm; but he just couldn't. An' so they're going to -take the farm, and Uncle Henry and Aunt Em won't have any place to -live. They're pretty old to do much hard work, Ozma; so I'll have to -work for them, unless--" - -Ozma had been thoughtful during the story, but now she smiled and -pressed her little friend's hand. - -"Unless what, dear?" she asked. - -Dorothy hesitated, because her request meant so much to them all. - -"Well," said she, "I'd like to live here in the Land of Oz, where -you've often 'vited me to live. But I can't, you know, unless Uncle -Henry and Aunt Em could live here too." - -"Of course not," exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, laughing gaily. "So, in -order to get you, little friend, we must invite your Uncle and Aunt to -live in Oz, also." - -"Oh, will you, Ozma?" cried Dorothy, clasping her chubby little hands -eagerly. "Will you bring them here with the Magic Belt, and give them -a nice little farm in the Munchkin Country, or the Winkie Country--or -some other place?" - -"To be sure," answered Ozma, full of joy at the chance to please her -little friend. "I have long been thinking of this very thing, Dorothy -dear, and often I have had it in my mind to propose it to you. I am -sure your uncle and aunt must be good and worthy people, or you would -not love them so much; and for YOUR friends, Princess, there is always -room in the Land of Oz." - -Dorothy was delighted, yet not altogether surprised, for she had clung -to the hope that Ozma would be kind enough to grant her request. -When, indeed, had her powerful and faithful friend refused her anything? - -"But you must not call me 'Princess'," she said; "for after this I -shall live on the little farm with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and -princesses ought not to live on farms." - -"Princess Dorothy will not," replied Ozma with her sweet smile. -"You are going to live in your own rooms in this palace, and be -my constant companion." - -"But Uncle Henry--" began Dorothy. - -"Oh, he is old, and has worked enough in his lifetime," interrupted -the girl Ruler; "so we must find a place for your uncle and aunt where -they will be comfortable and happy and need not work more than they -care to. When shall we transport them here, Dorothy?" - -"I promised to go and see them again before they were turned out of -the farmhouse," answered Dorothy; "so--perhaps next Saturday--" - -"But why wait so long?" asked Ozma. "And why make the journey back -to Kansas again? Let us surprise them, and bring them here without -any warning." - -"I'm not sure that they believe in the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, -"though I've told 'em 'bout it lots of times." - -"They'll believe when they see it," declared Ozma; "and if they are -told they are to make a magical journey to our fairyland, it may make -them nervous. I think the best way will be to use the Magic Belt -without warning them, and when they have arrived you can explain to -them whatever they do not understand." - -"Perhaps that's best," decided Dorothy. "There isn't much use in -their staying at the farm until they are put out, 'cause it's much -nicer here." - -"Then to-morrow morning they shall come here," said Princess Ozma. -"I will order Jellia Jamb, who is the palace housekeeper, to have -rooms all prepared for them, and after breakfast we will get the -Magic Belt and by its aid transport your uncle and aunt to the -Emerald City." - -"Thank you, Ozma!" cried Dorothy, kissing her friend gratefully. - -"And now," Ozma proposed, "let us take a walk in the gardens before we -dress for dinner. Come, Dorothy dear!" - - - -4. How The Nome King Planned Revenge - - -The reason most people are bad is because they do not try to be good. -Now, the Nome King had never tried to be good, so he was very bad -indeed. Having decided to conquer the Land of Oz and to destroy the -Emerald City and enslave all its people, King Roquat the Red kept -planning ways to do this dreadful thing, and the more he planned the -more he believed he would be able to accomplish it. - -About the time Dorothy went to Ozma the Nome King called his Chief -Steward to him and said: - -"Kaliko, I think I shall make you the General of my armies." - -"I think you won't," replied Kaliko, positively. - -"Why not?" inquired the King, reaching for his scepter with the -big sapphire. - -"Because I'm your Chief Steward and know nothing of warfare," said -Kaliko, preparing to dodge if anything were thrown at him. "I manage -all the affairs of your kingdom better than you could yourself, and -you'll never find another Steward as good as I am. But there are a -hundred Nomes better fitted to command your army, and your Generals -get thrown away so often that I have no desire to be one of them." - -"Ah, there is some truth in your remarks, Kaliko," remarked the King, -deciding not to throw the scepter. "Summon my army to assemble in the -Great Cavern." - -Kaliko bowed and retired, and in a few minutes returned to say that -the army was assembled. So the King went out upon a balcony that -overlooked the Great Cavern, where fifty thousand Nomes, all armed -with swords and pikes, stood marshaled in military array. - -When they were not required as soldiers all these Nomes were metal -workers and miners, and they had hammered so much at the forges and -dug so hard with pick and shovel that they had acquired great muscular -strength. They were strangely formed creatures, rather round and not -very tall. Their toes were curly and their ears broad and flat. - -In time of war every Nome left his forge or mine and became part of -the great army of King Roquat. The soldiers wore rock-colored -uniforms and were excellently drilled. - -The King looked upon this tremendous army, which stood silently -arrayed before him, and a cruel smile curled the corners of his mouth, -for he saw that his legions were very powerful. Then he addressed -them from the balcony, saying: - -"I have thrown away General Blug, because he did not please me. So I -want another General to command this army. Who is next in command?" - -"I am," replied Colonel Crinkle, a dapper-looking Nome, as he stepped -forward to salute his monarch. - -The King looked at him carefully and said: - -"I want you to march this army through an underground tunnel, which -I am going to bore, to the Emerald City of Oz. When you get there I -want you to conquer the Oz people, destroy them and their city, and -bring all their gold and silver and precious stones back to my cavern. -Also you are to recapture my Magic Belt and return it to me. Will you -do this, General Crinkle?" - -"No, your Majesty," replied the Nome; "for it can't be done." - -"Oh indeed!" exclaimed the King. Then he turned to his servants and -said: "Please take General Crinkle to the torture chamber. There you -will kindly slice him into thin slices. Afterward you may feed him -to the seven-headed dogs." - -"Anything to oblige your Majesty," replied the servants, politely, -and led the condemned man away. - -When they had gone, the King addressed the army again. - -"Listen!" said he. "The General who is to command my armies must -promise to carry out my orders. If he fails he will share the fate -of poor Crinkle. Now, then, who will volunteer to lead my hosts to -the Emerald City?" - -For a time no one moved and all were silent. Then an old Nome with -white whiskers so long that they were tied around his waist to prevent -their tripping him up, stepped out of the ranks and saluted the King. - -"I'd like to ask a few questions, your Majesty," he said. - -"Go ahead," replied the King. - -"These Oz people are quite good, are they not?" - -"As good as apple pie," said the King. - -"And they are happy, I suppose?" continued the old Nome. - -"Happy as the day is long," said the King. - -"And contented and prosperous?" inquired the Nome. - -"Very much so," said the King. - -"Well, your Majesty," remarked he of the white whiskers, "I think I -should like to undertake the job, so I'll be your General. I hate -good people; I detest happy people; I'm opposed to any one who is -contented and prosperous. That is why I am so fond of your Majesty. -Make me your General and I'll promise to conquer and destroy the Oz -people. If I fail I'm ready to be sliced thin and fed to the -seven-headed dogs." - -"Very good! Very good, indeed! That's the way to talk!" cried Roquat -the Red, who was greatly pleased. "What is your name, General?" - -"I'm called Guph, your Majesty." - -"Well, Guph, come with me to my private cave, and we'll talk it over." -Then he turned to the army. "Nomes and soldiers," said he, "you are -to obey the commands of General Guph until he becomes dog-feed. Any -man who fails to obey his new General will be promptly thrown away. -You are now dismissed." - -Guph went to the King's private cave and sat down upon an amethyst -chair and put his feet on the arm of the King's ruby throne. Then he -lighted his pipe and threw the live coal he had taken from his pocket -upon the King's left foot and puffed the smoke into the King's eyes -and made himself comfortable. For he was a wise old Nome, and he knew -that the best way to get along with Roquat the Red was to show that he -was not afraid of him. - -"I'm ready for the talk, your Majesty," he said. - -The King coughed and looked at his new General fiercely. - -"Do you not tremble to take such liberties with your monarch?" he asked. - -"Oh no," replied Guph, calmly, and he blew a wreath of smoke that -curled around the King's nose and made him sneeze. "You want to -conquer the Emerald City, and I'm the only Nome in all your dominions -who can conquer it. So you will be very careful not to hurt me until -I have carried out your wishes. After that--" - -"Well, what then?" inquired the King. - -"Then you will be so grateful to me that you won't care to hurt me," -replied the General. - -"That is a very good argument," said Roquat. "But suppose you fail?" - -"Then it's the slicing machine. I agree to that," announced Guph. -"But if you do as I tell you there will be no failure. The trouble -with you, Roquat, is that you don't think carefully enough. I do. -You would go ahead and march through your tunnel into Oz, and get -defeated and driven back. I won't. And the reason I won't is because -when I march I'll have all my plans made, and a host of allies to -assist my Nomes." - -"What do you mean by that?" asked the King. - -"I'll explain, King Roquat. You're going to attack a fairy country, -and a mighty fairy country, too. They haven't much of an army in Oz, -but the Princess who ruled them has a fairy wand; and the little girl -Dorothy has your Magic Belt; and at the North of the Emerald City -lives a clever sorceress called Glinda the Good, who commands the -spirits of the air. Also I have heard that there is a wonderful -Wizard in Ozma's palace, who is so skillful that people used to pay him -money in America to see him perform. So you see it will be no easy -thing to overcome all this magic." - -"We have fifty thousand soldiers!" cried the King proudly. - -"Yes; but they are Nomes," remarked Guph, taking a silk handkerchief -from the King's pocket and wiping his own pointed shoes with it. -"Nomes are immortals, but they are not strong on magic. When you lost -your famous Belt the greater part of your own power was gone from you. -Against Ozma you and your Nomes would have no show at all." - -Roquat's eyes flashed angrily. - -"Then away you go to the slicing machine!" he cried. - -"Not yet," said the General, filling his pipe from the King's private -tobacco pouch. - -"What do you propose to do?" asked the monarch. - -"I propose to obtain the power we need," answered Guph. "There are a -good many evil creatures who have magic powers sufficient to destroy -and conquer the Land of Oz. We will get them on our side, band them -all together, and then take Ozma and her people by surprise. It's all -very simple and easy when you know how. Alone, we should be helpless -to injure the Ruler of Oz, but with the aid of the evil powers we can -summon we shall easily succeed." - -King Roquat was delighted with this idea, for he realized how clever -it was. - -"Surely, Guph, you are the greatest General I have ever had!" -he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You must go at once -and make arrangements with the evil powers to assist us, and meantime -I'll begin to dig the tunnel." - -"I thought you'd agree with me, Roquat," replied the new General. -"I'll start this very afternoon to visit the Chief of the Whimsies." - - - -5. How Dorothy Became a Princess - - -When the people of the Emerald City heard that Dorothy had returned to -them every one was eager to see her, for the little girl was a general -favorite in the Land of Oz. From time to time some of the folk from -the great outside world had found their way into this fairyland, but -all except one had been companions of Dorothy and had turned out to be -very agreeable people. The exception I speak of was the wonderful -Wizard of Oz, a sleight-of-hand performer from Omaha who went up in a -balloon and was carried by a current of air to the Emerald City. His -queer and puzzling tricks made the people of Oz believe him a great -wizard for a time, and he ruled over them until Dorothy arrived on her -first visit and showed the Wizard to be a mere humbug. He was a -gentle, kind-hearted little man, and Dorothy grew to like him afterward. -When, after an absence, the Wizard returned to the Land of Oz, Ozma -received him graciously and gave him a home in a part of the palace. - -In addition to the Wizard two other personages from the outside world -had been allowed to make their home in the Emerald City. The first -was a quaint Shaggy Man, whom Ozma had made the Governor of the Royal -Storehouses, and the second a Yellow Hen named Billina, who had a fine -house in the gardens back of the palace, where she looked after a -large family. Both these had been old comrades of Dorothy, so you -see the little girl was quite an important personage in Oz, and the -people thought she had brought them good luck, and loved her next best -to Ozma. During her several visits this little girl had been the -means of destroying two wicked witches who oppressed the people, and -she had discovered a live scarecrow who was now one of the most -popular personages in all the fairy country. With the Scarecrow's -help she had rescued Nick Chopper, a Tin Woodman, who had rusted in a -lonely forest, and the tin man was now the Emperor of the Country of -the Winkies and much beloved because of his kind heart. No wonder the -people thought Dorothy had brought them good luck! Yet, strange as it -may seem, she had accomplished all these wonders not because she was a -fairy or had any magical powers whatever, but because she was a -simple, sweet and true little girl who was honest to herself and to -all whom she met. In this world in which we live simplicity and -kindness are the only magic wands that work wonders, and in the Land -of Oz Dorothy found these same qualities had won for her the love and -admiration of the people. Indeed, the little girl had made many warm -friends in the fairy country, and the only real grief the Ozites had ever -experienced was when Dorothy left them and returned to her Kansas home. - -Now she received a joyful welcome, although no one except Ozma -knew at first that she had finally come to stay for good and all. - -That evening Dorothy had many callers, and among them were such -important people as Tiktok, a machine man who thought and spoke and -moved by clockwork; her old companion the genial Shaggy Man; Jack -Pumpkinhead, whose body was brush-wood and whose head was a ripe -pumpkin with a face carved upon it; the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry -Tiger, two great beasts from the forest, who served Princess Ozma, and -Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T.E. This wogglebug was a remarkable -creature. He had once been a tiny little bug, crawling around in a -school-room, but he was discovered and highly magnified so that he -could be seen more plainly, and while in this magnified condition he -had escaped. He had always remained big, and he dressed like a dandy -and was so full of knowledge and information (which are distinct -acquirements) that he had been made a Professor and the head of the -Royal College. - -Dorothy had a nice visit with these old friends, and also talked a -long time with the Wizard, who was little and old and withered and -dried up, but as merry and active as a child. Afterward, she went to -see Billina's fast-growing family of chicks. - -Toto, Dorothy's little black dog, also met with a cordial reception. -Toto was an especial friend of the Shaggy Man, and he knew every one -else. Being the only dog in the Land of Oz, he was highly respected -by the people, who believed animals entitled to every consideration if -they behaved themselves properly. - -Dorothy had four lovely rooms in the palace, which were always -reserved for her use and were called "Dorothy's rooms." These -consisted of a beautiful sitting room, a dressing room, a dainty -bedchamber and a big marble bathroom. And in these rooms were -everything that heart could desire, placed there with loving -thoughtfulness by Ozma for her little friend's use. The royal -dressmakers had the little girl's measure, so they kept the closets in -her dressing room filled with lovely dresses of every description and -suitable for every occasion. No wonder Dorothy had refrained from -bringing with her her old calico and gingham dresses! Here everything -that was dear to a little girl's heart was supplied in profusion, and -nothing so rich and beautiful could ever have been found in the biggest -department stores in America. Of course Dorothy enjoyed all these -luxuries, and the only reason she had heretofore preferred to live in -Kansas was because her uncle and aunt loved her and needed her with them. - -Now, however, all was to be changed, and Dorothy was really more -delighted to know that her dear relatives were to share in her good -fortune and enjoy the delights of the Land of Oz, than she was to -possess such luxury for herself. - -Next morning, at Ozma's request, Dorothy dressed herself in a pretty -sky-blue gown of rich silk, trimmed with real pearls. The buckles of -her shoes were set with pearls, too, and more of these priceless gems -were on a lovely coronet which she wore upon her forehead. "For," -said her friend Ozma, "from this time forth, my dear, you must assume -your rightful rank as a Princess of Oz, and being my chosen companion -you must dress in a way befitting the dignity of your position." - -Dorothy agreed to this, although she knew that neither gowns nor -jewels could make her anything else than the simple, unaffected little -girl she had always been. - -As soon as they had breakfasted--the girls eating together in Ozma's -pretty boudoir--the Ruler of Oz said: - -"Now, dear friend, we will use the Magic Belt to transport your uncle -and aunt from Kansas to the Emerald City. But I think it would be -fitting, in receiving such distinguished guests, for us to sit in my -Throne Room." - -"Oh, they're not very 'stinguished, Ozma," said Dorothy. "They're -just plain people, like me." - -"Being your friends and relatives, Princess Dorothy, they are -certainly distinguished," replied the Ruler, with a smile. - -"They--they won't hardly know what to make of all your splendid -furniture and things," protested Dorothy, gravely. "It may scare 'em -to see your grand Throne Room, an' p'raps we'd better go into the back -yard, Ozma, where the cabbages grow an' the chickens are playing. -Then it would seem more natural to Uncle Henry and Aunt Em." - -"No; they shall first see me in my Throne Room," replied Ozma, -decidedly; and when she spoke in that tone Dorothy knew it was not -wise to oppose her, for Ozma was accustomed to having her own way. - -So together they went to the Throne Room, an immense domed chamber in -the center of the palace. Here stood the royal throne, made of solid -gold and encrusted with enough precious stones to stock a dozen -jewelry stores in our country. - -Ozma, who was wearing the Magic Belt, seated herself in the throne, -and Dorothy sat at her feet. In the room were assembled many ladies -and gentlemen of the court, clothed in rich apparel and wearing fine -jewelry. Two immense animals squatted, one on each side of the -throne--the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger. In a balcony high up -in the dome an orchestra played sweet music, and beneath the dome two -electric fountains sent sprays of colored perfumed water shooting up -nearly as high as the arched ceiling. - -"Are you ready, Dorothy?" asked the Ruler. - -"I am," replied Dorothy; "but I don't know whether Aunt Em and Uncle -Henry are ready." - -"That won't matter," declared Ozma. "The old life can have very -little to interest them, and the sooner they begin the new life here -the happier they will be. Here they come, my dear!" - -As she spoke, there before the throne appeared Uncle Henry and Aunt -Em, who for a moment stood motionless, glaring with white and startled -faces at the scene that confronted them. If the ladies and gentlemen -present had not been so polite I am sure they would have laughed at -the two strangers. - -Aunt Em had her calico dress skirt "tucked up," and she wore a faded, -blue-checked apron. Her hair was rather straggly and she had on a -pair of Uncle Henry's old slippers. In one hand she held a dish-towel -and in the other a cracked earthenware plate, which she had been -engaged in wiping when so suddenly transported to the Land of Oz. - -Uncle Henry, when the summons came, had been out in the barn "doin' -chores." He wore a ragged and much soiled straw hat, a checked shirt -without any collar and blue overalls tucked into the tops of his old -cowhide boots. - -"By gum!" gasped Uncle Henry, looking around as if bewildered. - -"Well, I swan!" gurgled Aunt Em in a hoarse, frightened voice. Then -her eyes fell upon Dorothy, and she said: "D-d-d-don't that look like -our little girl--our Dorothy, Henry?" - -"Hi, there--look out, Em!" exclaimed the old man, as Aunt Em advanced -a step; "take care o' the wild beastses, or you're a goner!" - -But now Dorothy sprang forward and embraced and kissed her aunt and -uncle affectionately, afterward taking their hands in her own. - -"Don't be afraid," she said to them. "You are now in the Land of Oz, -where you are to live always, and be comfer'ble an' happy. You'll -never have to worry over anything again, 'cause there won't be -anything to worry about. And you owe it all to the kindness of my -friend Princess Ozma." - -Here she led them before the throne and continued: - -"Your Highness, this is Uncle Henry. And this is Aunt Em. They want -to thank you for bringing them here from Kansas." - -Aunt Em tried to "slick" her hair, and she hid the dish-towel and dish -under her apron while she bowed to the lovely Ozma. Uncle Henry took -off his straw hat and held it awkwardly in his hands. - -But the Ruler of Oz rose and came from her throne to greet her newly -arrived guests, and she smiled as sweetly upon them as if they had -been a king and queen. - -"You are very welcome here, where I have brought you for Princess -Dorothy's sake," she said, graciously, "and I hope you will be quite -happy in your new home." Then she turned to her courtiers, who were -silently and gravely regarding the scene, and added: "I present to my -people our Princess Dorothy's beloved Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, who -will hereafter be subjects of our kingdom. It will please me to have -you show them every kindness and honor in your power, and to join me -in making them happy and contented." - -Hearing this, all those assembled bowed low and respectfully to the -old farmer and his wife, who bobbed their own heads in return. - -"And now," said Ozma to them, "Dorothy will show you the rooms -prepared for you. I hope you will like them, and shall expect you to -join me at luncheon." - -So Dorothy led her relatives away, and as soon as they were out of the -Throne Room and alone in the corridor, Aunt Em squeezed Dorothy's hand -and said: - -"Child, child! How in the world did we ever get here so quick? And -is it all real? And are we to stay here, as she says? And what does -it all mean, anyhow?" - -Dorothy laughed. - -"Why didn't you tell us what you were goin' to do?" inquired Uncle Henry, -reproachfully. "If I'd known about it, I'd 'a put on my Sunday clothes." - -"I'll 'splain ever'thing as soon as we get to your rooms," promised -Dorothy. "You're in great luck, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em; an' so am I! -And oh! I'm so happy to have got you here, at last!" - -As he walked by the little girl's side, Uncle Henry stroked his -whiskers thoughtfully. "'Pears to me, Dorothy, we won't make bang-up -fairies," he remarked. - -"An' my back hair looks like a fright!" wailed Aunt Em. - -"Never mind," returned the little girl, reassuringly. "You won't have -anything to do now but to look pretty, Aunt Em; an' Uncle Henry won't -have to work till his back aches, that's certain." - -"Sure?" they asked, wonderingly, and in the same breath. - -"Course I'm sure," said Dorothy. "You're in the Fairyland of Oz, now; -an' what's more, you belong to it!" - - - -6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies - - -The new General of the Nome King's army knew perfectly well that to -fail in his plans meant death for him. Yet he was not at all anxious -or worried. He hated every one who was good and longed to make all who -were happy unhappy. Therefore he had accepted this dangerous position -as General quite willingly, feeling sure in his evil mind that he would -be able to do a lot of mischief and finally conquer the Land of Oz. - -Yet Guph determined to be careful, and to lay his plans well, so as -not to fail. He argued that only careless people fail in what they -attempt to do. - -The mountains underneath which the Nome King's extensive caverns were -located lay grouped just north of the Land of Ev, which lay directly -across the deadly desert to the east of the Land of Oz. As the -mountains were also on the edge of the desert the Nome King found -that he had only to tunnel underneath the desert to reach Ozma's -dominions. He did not wish his armies to appear above ground in the -Country of the Winkies, which was the part of the Land of Oz nearest -to King Roquat's own country, as then the people would give the alarm -and enable Ozma to fortify the Emerald City and assemble an army. He -wanted to take all the Oz people by surprise; so he decided to run the -tunnel clear through to the Emerald City, where he and his hosts could -break through the ground without warning and conquer the people before -they had time to defend themselves. - -Roquat the Red began work at once upon his tunnel, setting a thousand -miners at the task and building it high and broad enough for his -armies to march through it with ease. The Nomes were used to making -tunnels, as all the kingdom in which they lived was under ground; so -they made rapid progress. - -While this work was going on General Guph started out alone to visit -the Chief of the Whimsies. - -These Whimsies were curious people who lived in a retired country of -their own. They had large, strong bodies, but heads so small that -they were no bigger than door-knobs. Of course, such tiny heads could -not contain any great amount of brains, and the Whimsies were so -ashamed of their personal appearance and lack of commonsense that -they wore big heads made of pasteboard, which they fastened over their -own little heads. On these pasteboard heads they sewed sheep's wool -for hair, and the wool was colored many tints--pink, green and -lavender being the favorite colors. The faces of these false heads -were painted in many ridiculous ways, according to the whims of the -owners, and these big, burly creatures looked so whimsical and absurd -in their queer masks that they were called "Whimsies." They foolishly -imagined that no one would suspect the little heads that were inside -the imitation ones, not knowing that it is folly to try to appear -otherwise than as nature has made us. - -The Chief of the Whimsies had as little wisdom as the others, and had -been chosen chief merely because none among them was any wiser or more -capable of ruling. The Whimsies were evil spirits and could not be -killed. They were hated and feared by every one and were known as -terrible fighters because they were so strong and muscular and had not -sense enough to know when they were defeated. - -General Guph thought the Whimsies would be a great help to the Nomes -in the conquest of Oz, for under his leadership they could be induced -to fight as long so they could stand up. So he traveled to their -country and asked to see the Chief, who lived in a house that had a -picture of his grotesque false head painted over the doorway. - -The Chief's false head had blue hair, a turned-up nose, and a mouth -that stretched half across the face. Big green eyes had been painted -upon it, but in the center of the chin were two small holes made in -the pasteboard, so that the Chief could see through them with his own -tiny eyes; for when the big head was fastened upon his shoulders the -eyes in his own natural head were on a level with the false chin. - -Said General Guph to the Chief of the Whimsies: - -"We Nomes are going to conquer the Land of Oz and capture our King's -Magic Belt, which the Oz people stole from him. Then we are going -to plunder and destroy the whole country. And we want the Whimsies -to help us." - -"Will there be any fighting?" asked the Chief. - -"Plenty," replied Guph. - -That must have pleased the Chief, for he got up and danced around the -room three times. Then he seated himself again, adjusted his false -head, and said: - -"We have no quarrel with Ozma of Oz." - -"But you Whimsies love to fight, and here is a splendid chance to do -so," urged Guph. - -"Wait till I sing a song," said the Chief. Then he lay back in his -chair and sang a foolish song that did not seem to the General to mean -anything, although he listened carefully. When he had finished, the -Chief Whimsie looked at him through the holes in his chin and asked: - -"What reward will you give us if we help you?" - -The General was prepared for this question, for he had been thinking -the matter over on his journey. People often do a good deed without -hope of reward, but for an evil deed they always demand payment. - -"When we get our Magic Belt," he made reply, "our King, Roquat the -Red, will use its power to give every Whimsie a natural head as big -and fine as the false head he now wears. Then you will no longer be -ashamed because your big strong bodies have such teenty-weenty heads." - -"Oh! Will you do that?" asked the Chief, eagerly. - -"We surely will," promised the General. - -"I'll talk to my people," said the Chief. - -So he called a meeting of all the Whimsies and told them of the offer -made by the Nomes. The creatures were delighted with the bargain, and -at once agreed to fight for the Nome King and help him to conquer Oz. - -One Whimsie alone seemed to have a glimmer of sense, for he asked: - -"Suppose we fail to capture the Magic Belt? What will happen then, -and what good will all our fighting do?" - -But they threw him into the river for asking foolish questions, and -laughed when the water ruined his pasteboard head before he could swim -out again. - -So the compact was made and General Guph was delighted with his -success in gaining such powerful allies. - -But there were other people, too, just as important as the Whimsies, -whom the clever old Nome had determined to win to his side. - - - -7. How Aunt Em Conquered the Lion - - -"These are your rooms," said Dorothy, opening a door. - -Aunt Em drew back at the sight of the splendid furniture and draperies. - -"Ain't there any place to wipe my feet?" she asked. - -"You will soon change your slippers for new shoes," replied Dorothy. -"Don't be afraid, Aunt Em. Here is where you are to live, so walk -right in and make yourself at home." - -Aunt Em advanced hesitatingly. - -"It beats the Topeka Hotel!" she cried admiringly. "But this place is -too grand for us, child. Can't we have some back room in the attic, -that's more in our class?" - -"No," said Dorothy. "You've got to live here, 'cause Ozma says so. -And all the rooms in this palace are just as fine as these, and some -are better. It won't do any good to fuss, Aunt Em. You've got to be -swell and high-toned in the Land of Oz, whether you want to or not; -so you may as well make up your mind to it." - -"It's hard luck," replied her aunt, looking around with an awed -expression; "but folks can get used to anything, if they try. -Eh, Henry?" - -"Why, as to that," said Uncle Henry, slowly, "I b'lieve in takin' -what's pervided us, an' askin' no questions. I've traveled some, Em, -in my time, and you hain't; an' that makes a difference atween us." - -Then Dorothy showed them through the rooms. The first was a handsome -sitting-room, with windows opening upon the rose gardens. Then came -separate bedrooms for Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, with a fine bathroom -between them. Aunt Em had a pretty dressing room, besides, and Dorothy -opened the closets and showed several exquisite costumes that had been -provided for her aunt by the royal dressmakers, who had worked all -night to get them ready. Everything that Aunt Em could possibly need -was in the drawers and closets, and her dressing-table was covered -with engraved gold toilet articles. - -Uncle Henry had nine suits of clothes, cut in the popular Munchkin -fashion, with knee-breeches, silk stockings, and low shoes with -jeweled buckles. The hats to match these costumes had pointed tops -and wide brims with small gold bells around the edges. His shirts -were of fine linen with frilled bosoms, and his vests were richly -embroidered with colored silks. - -Uncle Henry decided that he would first take a bath and then dress -himself in a blue satin suit that had caught his fancy. He accepted -his good fortune with calm composure and refused to have a servant to -assist him. But Aunt Em was "all of a flutter," as she said, and it -took Dorothy and Jellia Jamb, the housekeeper, and two maids a long -time to dress her and do up her hair and get her "rigged like a -popinjay," as she quaintly expressed it. She wanted to stop and admire -everything that caught her eye, and she sighed continually and declared -that such finery was too good for an old country woman, and that she -never thought she would have to "put on airs" at her time of life. - -Finally she was dressed, and when she went into the sitting-room -there was Uncle Henry in his blue satin, walking gravely up and down -the room. He had trimmed his beard and mustache and looked very -dignified and respectable. - -"Tell me, Dorothy," he said; "do all the men here wear duds like these?" - -"Yes," she replied; "all 'cept the Scarecrow and the Shaggy Man--and -of course the Tin Woodman and Tiktok, who are made of metal. You'll -find all the men at Ozma's court dressed just as you are--only perhaps -a little finer." - -"Henry, you look like a play-actor," announced Aunt Em, looking at her -husband critically. - -"An' you, Em, look more highfalutin' than a peacock," he replied. - -"I guess you're right," she said regretfully; "but we're helpless -victims of high-toned royalty." - -Dorothy was much amused. - -"Come with me," she said, "and I'll show you 'round the palace." - -She took them through the beautiful rooms and introduced them to all -the people they chanced to meet. Also she showed them her own pretty -rooms, which were not far from their own. - -"So it's all true," said Aunt Em, wide-eyed with amazement, "and what -Dorothy told us of this fairy country was plain facts instead of dreams! -But where are all the strange creatures you used to know here?" - -"Yes, where's the Scarecrow?" inquired Uncle Henry. - -"Why, he's just now away on a visit to the Tin Woodman, who is Emp'ror -of the Winkie Country," answered the little girl. "You'll see him -when he comes back, and you're sure to like him." - -"And where's the Wonderful Wizard?" asked Aunt Em. - -"You'll see him at Ozma's luncheon, for he lives here in this palace," -was the reply. - -"And Jack Pumpkinhead?" - -"Oh, he lives a little way out of town, in his own pumpkin field. -We'll go there some time and see him, and we'll call on Professor -Wogglebug, too. The Shaggy Man will be at the luncheon, I guess, and -Tiktok. And now I'll take you out to see Billina, who has a house of -her own." - -So they went into the back yard, and after walking along winding paths -some distance through the beautiful gardens they came to an attractive -little house where the Yellow Hen sat on the front porch sunning herself. - -"Good morning, my dear Mistress," called Billina, fluttering down to -meet them. "I was expecting you to call, for I heard you had come -back and brought your uncle and aunt with you." - -"We're here for good and all, this time, Billina," cried Dorothy, -joyfully. "Uncle Henry and Aunt Em belong to Oz now as much as I do!" - -"Then they are very lucky people," declared Billina; "for there -couldn't be a nicer place to live. But come, my dear; I must show you -all my Dorothys. Nine are living and have grown up to be very -respectable hens; but one took cold at Ozma's birthday party and died -of the pip, and the other two turned out to be horrid roosters, so I -had to change their names from Dorothy to Daniel. They all had the -letter 'D' engraved upon their gold lockets, you remember, with your -picture inside, and 'D' stands for Daniel as well as for Dorothy." - -"Did you call both the roosters Daniel?" asked Uncle Henry. - -"Yes, indeed. I've nine Dorothys and two Daniels; and the nine -Dorothys have eighty-six sons and daughters and over three hundred -grandchildren," said Billina, proudly. - -"What names do you give 'em all, dear?" inquired the little girl. - -"Oh, they are all Dorothys and Daniels, some being Juniors and some -Double-Juniors. Dorothy and Daniel are two good names, and I see no -object in hunting for others," declared the Yellow Hen. "But just -think, Dorothy, what a big chicken family we've grown to be, and our -numbers increase nearly every day! Ozma doesn't know what to do with -all the eggs we lay, and we are never eaten or harmed in any way, as -chickens are in your country. They give us everything to make us -contented and happy, and I, my dear, am the acknowledged Queen and -Governor of every chicken in Oz, because I'm the eldest and started the -whole colony." - -"You ought to be very proud, ma'am," said Uncle Henry, who was -astonished to hear a hen talk so sensibly. - -"Oh, I am," she replied. "I've the loveliest pearl necklace you ever -saw. Come in the house and I'll show it to you. And I've nine leg -bracelets and a diamond pin for each wing. But I only wear them on -state occasions." - -They followed the Yellow Hen into the house, which Aunt Em declared -was neat as a pin. They could not sit down, because all Billina's -chairs were roosting-poles made of silver; so they had to stand while -the hen fussily showed them her treasures. - -Then they had to go into the back rooms occupied by Billina's nine -Dorothys and two Daniels, who were all plump yellow chickens and -greeted the visitors very politely. It was easy to see that they were -well bred and that Billina had looked after their education. - -In the yards were all the children and grandchildren of these eleven -elders and they were of all sizes, from well-grown hens to tiny -chickens just out of the shell. About fifty fluffy yellow youngsters -were at school, being taught good manners and good grammar by a young -hen who wore spectacles. They sang in chorus a patriotic song of the -Land of Oz, in honor of their visitors, and Aunt Em was much impressed -by these talking chickens. - -Dorothy wanted to stay and play with the young chickens for awhile, -but Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had not seen the palace grounds and -gardens yet and were eager to get better acquainted with the marvelous -and delightful land in which they were to live. - -"I'll stay here, and you can go for a walk," said Dorothy. "You'll be -perfec'ly safe anywhere, and may do whatever you want to. When you -get tired, go back to the palace and find your rooms, and I'll come to -you before luncheon is ready." - -So Uncle Henry and Aunt Em started out alone to explore the grounds, -and Dorothy knew that they couldn't get lost, because all the palace -grounds were enclosed by a high wall of green marble set with emeralds. - -It was a rare treat to these simple folk, who had lived in the country -all their lives and known little enjoyment of any sort, to wear -beautiful clothes and live in a palace and be treated with respect and -consideration by all around them. They were very happy indeed as they -strolled up the shady walks and looked upon the gorgeous flowers and -shrubs, feeling that their new home was more beautiful than any tongue -could describe. - -Suddenly, as they turned a corner and walked through a gap in a high -hedge, they came face to face with an enormous Lion, which crouched -upon the green lawn and seemed surprised by their appearance. - -They stopped short, Uncle Henry trembling with horror and Aunt Em too -terrified to scream. Next moment the poor woman clasped her husband -around the neck and cried: - -"Save me, Henry, save me!" - -"Can't even save myself, Em," he returned, in a husky voice, "for the -animile looks as if it could eat both of us an' lick its chops for -more! If I only had a gun--" - -"Haven't you, Henry? Haven't you?" she asked anxiously. - -"Nary gun, Em. So let's die as brave an' graceful as we can. I knew -our luck couldn't last!" - -"I won't die. I won't be eaten by a lion!" wailed Aunt Em, glaring -upon the huge beast. Then a thought struck her, and she whispered, -"Henry, I've heard as savage beastses can be conquered by the human -eye. I'll eye that lion out o' countenance an' save our lives." - -"Try it, Em," he returned, also in a whisper. "Look at him as you do -at me when I'm late to dinner." - -Aunt Em turned upon the Lion a determined countenance and a wild dilated -eye. She glared at the immense beast steadily, and the Lion, who had -been quietly blinking at them, began to appear uneasy and disturbed. - -"Is anything the matter, ma'am?" he asked, in a mild voice. - -At this speech from the terrible beast Aunt Em and Uncle Henry both -were startled, and then Uncle Henry remembered that this must be the -Lion they had seen in Ozma's Throne Room. - -"Hold on, Em!" he exclaimed. "Quit the eagle eye conquest an' -take courage. I guess this is the same Cowardly Lion Dorothy -has told us about." - -"Oh, is it?" she cried, much relieved. - -"When he spoke, I got the idea; and when he looked so 'shamed like, I -was sure of it," Uncle Henry continued. - -Aunt Em regarded the animal with new interest. - -"Are you the Cowardly Lion?" she inquired. "Are you Dorothy's friend?" - -"Yes'm," answered the Lion, meekly. "Dorothy and I are old chums and -are very fond of each other. I'm the King of Beasts, you know, and -the Hungry Tiger and I serve Princess Ozma as her body guards." - -"To be sure," said Aunt Em, nodding. "But the King of Beasts -shouldn't be cowardly." - -"I've heard that said before," remarked the Lion, yawning till he -showed two great rows of sharp white teeth; "but that does not keep -me from being frightened whenever I go into battle." - -"What do you do, run?" asked Uncle Henry. - -"No; that would be foolish, for the enemy would run after me," -declared the Lion. "So I tremble with fear and pitch in as hard as I -can; and so far I have always won my fight." - -"Ah, I begin to understand," said Uncle Henry. - -"Were you scared when I looked at you just now?" inquired Aunt Em. - -"Terribly scared, madam," answered the Lion, "for at first I thought -you were going to have a fit. Then I noticed you were trying to -overcome me by the power of your eye, and your glance was so fierce -and penetrating that I shook with fear." - -This greatly pleased the lady, and she said quite cheerfully: - -"Well, I won't hurt you, so don't be scared any more. I just wanted -to see what the human eye was good for." - -"The human eye is a fearful weapon," remarked the Lion, scratching his -nose softly with his paw to hide a smile. "Had I not known you were -Dorothy's friends I might have torn you both into shreds in order to -escape your terrible gaze." - -Aunt Em shuddered at hearing this, and Uncle Henry said hastily: - -"I'm glad you knew us. Good morning, Mr. Lion; we'll hope to see you -again--by and by--some time in the future." - -"Good morning," replied the Lion, squatting down upon the lawn again. -"You are likely to see a good deal of me, if you live in the Land of Oz." - - - -8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes - - -After leaving the Whimsies, Guph continued on his journey and -penetrated far into the Northwest. He wanted to get to the Country of -the Growleywogs, and in order to do that he must cross the Ripple -Land, which was a hard thing to do. For the Ripple Land was a -succession of hills and valleys, all very steep and rocky, and they -changed places constantly by rippling. While Guph was climbing a -hill it sank down under him and became a valley, and while he was -descending into a valley it rose up and carried him to the top of a -hill. This was very perplexing to the traveler, and a stranger might -have thought he could never cross the Ripple Land at all. But Guph -knew that if he kept steadily on he would get to the end at last; so -he paid no attention to the changing hills and valleys and plodded -along as calmly as if walking upon the level ground. - -The result of this wise persistence was that the General finally -reached firmer soil and, after penetrating a dense forest, came to the -Dominion of the Growleywogs. - -No sooner had he crossed the border of this domain when two guards -seized him and carried him before the Grand Gallipoot of the -Growleywogs, who scowled upon him ferociously and asked him why he -dared intrude upon his territory. - -"I'm the Lord High General of the Invincible Army of the Nomes, and my -name is Guph," was the reply. "All the world trembles when that name -is mentioned." - -The Growleywogs gave a shout of jeering laughter at this, and one of -them caught the Nome in his strong arms and tossed him high into the -air. Guph was considerably shaken when he fell upon the hard ground, -but he appeared to take no notice of the impertinence and composed -himself to speak again to the Grand Gallipoot. - -"My master, King Roquat the Red, has sent me here to confer with you. -He wishes your assistance to conquer the Land of Oz." - -Here the General paused, and the Grand Gallipoot scowled upon him more -terribly than ever and said: - -"Go on!" - -The voice of the Grand Gallipoot was partly a roar and partly a growl. -He mumbled his words badly and Guph had to listen carefully in order -to understand him. - -These Growleywogs were certainly remarkable creatures. They were of -gigantic size, yet were all bone and skin and muscle, there being no -meat or fat upon their bodies at all. Their powerful muscles lay just -underneath their skins, like bunches of tough rope, and the weakest -Growleywog was so strong that he could pick up an elephant and toss it -seven miles away. - -It seems unfortunate that strong people are usually so disagreeable -and overbearing that no one cares for them. In fact, to be different -from your fellow creatures is always a misfortune. The Growleywogs -knew that they were disliked and avoided by every one, so they had -become surly and unsociable even among themselves. Guph knew that -they hated all people, including the Nomes; but he hoped to win them -over, nevertheless, and knew that if he succeeded they would afford -him very powerful assistance. - -"The Land of Oz is ruled by a namby-pamby girl who is disgustingly -kind and good," he continued. "Her people are all happy and contented -and have no care or worries whatever." - -"Go on!" growled the Grand Gallipoot. - -"Once the Nome King enslaved the Royal Family of Ev--another -goody-goody lot that we detest," said the General. "But Ozma -interfered, although it was none of her business, and marched her army -against us. With her was a Kansas girl named Dorothy, and a Yellow -Hen, and they marched directly into the Nome King's cavern. There -they liberated our slaves from Ev and stole King Roquat's Magic Belt, -which they carried away with them. So now our King is making a tunnel -under the deadly desert, so we can march through it to the Emerald -City. When we get there we mean to conquer and destroy all the land -and recapture the Magic Belt." - -Again he paused, and again the Grand Gallipoot growled: - -"Go on!" - -Guph tried to think what to say next, and a happy thought soon -occurred to him. - -"We want you to help us in this conquest," he announced, "for we need -the mighty aid of the Growleywogs in order to make sure that we shall -not be defeated. You are the strongest people in all the world, and -you hate good and happy creatures as much as we Nomes do. I am sure -it will be a real pleasure to you to tear down the beautiful Emerald -City, and in return for your valuable assistance we will allow you to -bring back to your country ten thousand people of Oz, to be your slaves." - -"Twenty thousand!" growled the Grand Gallipoot. - -"All right, we promise you twenty thousand," agreed the General. - -The Gallipoot made a signal and at once his attendants picked up -General Guph and carried him away to a prison, where the jailer amused -himself by sticking pins in the round fat body of the old Nome, to see -him jump and hear him yell. - -But while this was going on the Grand Gallipoot was talking with his -counselors, who were the most important officials of the Growleywogs. -When he had stated to them the proposition of the Nome King, he said: - -"My advice is to offer to help them. Then, when we have conquered the -Land of Oz, we will take not only our twenty thousand prisoners but -all the gold and jewels we want." - -"Let us take the Magic Belt, too," suggested one counselor. - -"And rob the Nome King and make him our slave," said another. - -"That is a good idea," declared the Grand Gallipoot. "I'd like King -Roquat for my own slave. He could black my boots and bring me my -porridge every morning while I am in bed." - -"There is a famous Scarecrow in Oz. I'll take him for my slave," said -a counselor. - -"I'll take Tiktok, the machine man," said another. - -"Give me the Tin Woodman," said a third. - -They went on for some time, dividing up the people and the treasure of -Oz in advance of the conquest. For they had no doubt at all that they -would be able to destroy Ozma's domain. Were they not the strongest -people in all the world? - -"The deadly desert has kept us out of Oz before," remarked the Grand -Gallipoot, "but now that the Nome King is building a tunnel we shall -get into the Emerald City very easily. So let us send the little fat -General back to his King with our promise to assist him. We will not -say that we intend to conquer the Nomes after we have conquered Oz, -but we will do so, just the same." - -This plan being agreed upon, they all went home to dinner, leaving -General Guph still in prison. The Nome had no idea that he had -succeeded in his mission, for finding himself in prison he feared the -Growleywogs intended to put him to death. - -By this time the jailer had tired of sticking pins in the General, and -was amusing himself by carefully pulling the Nome's whiskers out by -the roots, one at a time. This enjoyment was interrupted by the Grand -Gallipoot sending for the prisoner. - -"Wait a few hours," begged the jailer. "I haven't pulled out a -quarter of his whiskers yet." - -"If you keep the Grand Gallipoot waiting, he'll break your back," -declared the messenger. - -"Perhaps you're right," sighed the jailer. "Take the prisoner away, -if you will, but I advise you to kick him at every step he takes. It -will be good fun, for he is as soft as a ripe peach." - -So Guph was led away to the royal castle, where the Grand Gallipoot -told him that the Growleywogs had decided to assist the Nomes in -conquering the Land of Oz. - -"Whenever you are ready," he added, "send me word and I will march -with eighteen thousand of my most powerful warriors to your aid." - -Guph was so delighted that he forgot all the smarting caused by the -pins and the pulling of whiskers. He did not even complain of the -treatment he had received, but thanked the Grand Gallipoot and hurried -away upon his journey. - -He had now secured the assistance of the Whimsies and the Growleywogs; -but his success made him long for still more allies. His own life -depended upon his conquering Oz, and he said to himself: - -"I'll take no chances. I'll be certain of success. Then, when Oz is -destroyed, perhaps I shall be a greater man than old Roquat, and I can -throw him away and be King of the Nomes myself. Why not? The -Whimsies are stronger than the Nomes, and they also are my friends. -There are some people still stronger than the Growleywogs, and if I -can but induce them to aid me I shall have nothing more to fear." - - - -9. How the Wogglebug Taught Athletics - - -It did not take Dorothy long to establish herself in her new home, for -she knew the people and the manners and customs of the Emerald City -just as well as she knew the old Kansas farm. - -But Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had some trouble in getting used to the -finery and pomp and ceremony of Ozma's palace, and felt uneasy because -they were obliged to be "dressed up" all the time. Yet every one was -very courteous and kind to them and endeavored to make them happy. -Ozma, especially, made much of Dorothy's relatives, for her little -friend's sake, and she well knew that the awkwardness and strangeness -of their new mode of life would all wear off in time. - -The old people were chiefly troubled by the fact that there was no -work for them to do. - -"Ev'ry day is like Sunday, now," declared Aunt Em, solemnly, "and I -can't say I like it. If they'd only let me do up the dishes after -meals, or even sweep an' dust my own rooms, I'd be a deal happier. -Henry don't know what to do with himself either, and once when he -stole out an' fed the chickens Billina scolded him for letting 'em -eat between meals. I never knew before what a hardship it is to be -rich and have everything you want." - -These complaints began to worry Dorothy; so she had a long talk with -Ozma upon the subject. - -"I see I must find them something to do," said the girlish Ruler of -Oz, seriously. "I have been watching your uncle and aunt, and I -believe they will be more contented if occupied with some light tasks. -While I am considering this matter, Dorothy, you might make a trip -with them through the Land of Oz, visiting some of the odd corners and -introducing your relatives to some of our curious people." - -"Oh, that would be fine!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly. - -"I will give you an escort befitting your rank as a Princess," -continued Ozma; "and you may go to some of the places you have not yet -visited yourself, as well as some others that you know. I will mark -out a plan of the trip for you and have everything in readiness for -you to start to-morrow morning. Take your time, dear, and be gone as -long as you wish. By the time you return I shall have found some -occupation for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em that will keep them from being -restless and dissatisfied." - -Dorothy thanked her good friend and kissed the lovely Ruler gratefully. -Then she ran to tell the joyful news to her uncle and aunt. - -Next morning, after breakfast, everything was found ready for -their departure. - -The escort included Omby Amby, the Captain General of Ozma's army, -which consisted merely of twenty-seven officers besides the Captain -General. Once Omby Amby had been a private soldier--the only private -in the army--but as there was never any fighting to do Ozma saw no -need of a private, so she made Omby Amby the highest officer of them -all. He was very tall and slim and wore a gay uniform and a fierce -mustache. Yet the mustache was the only fierce thing about Omby Amby, -whose nature was as gentle as that of a child. - -The wonderful Wizard had asked to join the party, and with him came -his friend the Shaggy Man, who was shaggy but not ragged, being -dressed in fine silks with satin shags and bobtails. The Shaggy Man -had shaggy whiskers and hair, but a sweet disposition and a soft, -pleasant voice. - -There was an open wagon, with three seats for the passengers, and the -wagon was drawn by the famous wooden Sawhorse which had once been -brought to life by Ozma by means of a magic powder. The Sawhorse wore -wooden shoes to keep his wooden legs from wearing away, and he was -strong and swift. As this curious creature was Ozma's own favorite -steed, and very popular with all the people of the Emerald City, -Dorothy knew that she had been highly favored by being permitted to -use the Sawhorse on her journey. - -In the front seat of the wagon sat Dorothy and the Wizard. Uncle -Henry and Aunt Em sat in the next seat and the Shaggy Man and Omby -Amby in the third seat. Of course Toto was with the party, curled up -at Dorothy's feet, and just as they were about to start, Billina came -fluttering along the path and begged to be taken with them. Dorothy -readily agreed, so the Yellow Hen flew up and perched herself upon the -dashboard. She wore her pearl necklace and three bracelets upon each -leg, in honor of the occasion. - -Dorothy kissed Ozma good-bye, and all the people standing around waved -their handkerchiefs, and the band in an upper balcony struck up a -military march. Then the Wizard clucked to the Sawhorse and said: -"Gid-dap!" and the wooden animal pranced away and drew behind him the -big red wagon and all the passengers, without any effort at all. A -servant threw open a gate of the palace enclosure, that they might -pass out; and so, with music and shouts following them, the journey -was begun. - -"It's almost like a circus," said Aunt Em, proudly. "I can't help -feelin' high an' mighty in this kind of a turn-out." - -Indeed, as they passed down the street, all the people cheered them -lustily, and the Shaggy Man and the Wizard and the Captain General all -took off their hats and bowed politely in acknowledgment. - -When they came to the great wall of the Emerald City, the gates were -opened by the Guardian who always tended them. Over the gateway hung -a dull-colored metal magnet shaped like a horse-shoe, placed against a -shield of polished gold. - -"That," said the Shaggy Man, impressively, "is the wonderful Love -Magnet. I brought it to the Emerald City myself, and all who pass -beneath this gateway are both loving and beloved." - -"It's a fine thing," declared Aunt Em, admiringly. "If we'd had it -in Kansas I guess the man who held a mortgage on the farm wouldn't -have turned us out." - -"Then I'm glad we didn't have it," returned Uncle Henry. "I like Oz -better than Kansas, even; an' this little wood Sawhorse beats all the -critters I ever saw. He don't have to be curried, or fed, or watered, -an' he's strong as an ox. Can he talk, Dorothy?" - -"Yes, Uncle," replied the child. "But the Sawhorse never says much. -He told me once that he can't talk and think at the same time, so he -prefers to think." - -"Which is very sensible," declared the Wizard, nodding approvingly. -"Which way do we go, Dorothy?" - -"Straight ahead into the Quadling Country," she answered. "I've got a -letter of interduction to Miss Cuttenclip." - -"Oh!" exclaimed the Wizard, much interested. "Are we going there? -Then I'm glad I came, for I've always wanted to meet the Cuttenclips." - -"Who are they?" inquired Aunt Em. - -"Wait till we get there," replied Dorothy, with a laugh; "then you'll -see for yourself. I've never seen the Cuttenclips, you know, so I -can't 'zactly 'splain 'em to you." - -Once free of the Emerald City the Sawhorse dashed away at tremendous -speed. Indeed, he went so fast that Aunt Em had hard work to catch -her breath, and Uncle Henry held fast to the seat of the red wagon. - -"Gently--gently, my boy!" called the Wizard, and at this the Sawhorse -slackened his speed. - -"What's wrong?" asked the animal, slightly turning his wooden head to -look at the party with one eye, which was a knot of wood. - -"Why, we wish to admire the scenery, that's all," answered the Wizard. - -"Some of your passengers," added the Shaggy Man, "have never been out -of the Emerald City before, and the country is all new to them." - -"If you go too fast you'll spoil all the fun," said Dorothy. -"There's no hurry." - -"Very well; it is all the same to me," observed the Sawhorse; -and after that he went at a more moderate pace. - -Uncle Henry was astonished. - -"How can a wooden thing be so intelligent?" he asked. - -"Why, I gave him some sawdust brains the last time I fitted his head -with new ears," explained the Wizard. "The sawdust was made from hard -knots, and now the Sawhorse is able to think out any knotty problem he -meets with." - -"I see," said Uncle Henry. - -"I don't," remarked Aunt Em; but no one paid any attention -to this statement. - -Before long they came to a stately building that stood upon a green -plain with handsome shade trees grouped here and there. - -"What is that?" asked Uncle Henry. - -"That," replied the Wizard, "is the Royal Athletic College of Oz, -which is directed by Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T.E." - -"Let's stop and make a call," suggested Dorothy. - -So the Sawhorse drew up in front of the great building and they were -met at the door by the learned Wogglebug himself. He seemed fully as -tall as the Wizard, and was dressed in a red and white checked vest -and a blue swallow-tailed coat, and had yellow knee breeches and purple -silk stockings upon his slender legs. A tall hat was jauntily set -upon his head and he wore spectacles over his big bright eyes. - -"Welcome, Dorothy," said the Wogglebug; "and welcome to all your friends. -We are indeed pleased to receive you at this great Temple of Learning." - -"I thought it was an Athletic College," said the Shaggy Man. - -"It is, my dear sir," answered the Wogglebug, proudly. "Here it -is that we teach the youth of our great land scientific College -Athletics--in all their purity." - -"Don't you teach them anything else?" asked Dorothy. "Don't they get -any reading, writing and 'rithmetic?" - -"Oh, yes; of course. They get all those, and more," returned the -Professor. "But such things occupy little of their time. Please -follow me and I will show you how my scholars are usually occupied. -This is a class hour and they are all busy." - -They followed him to a big field back of the college building, where -several hundred young Ozites were at their classes. In one place they -played football, in another baseball. Some played tennis, some golf; -some were swimming in a big pool. Upon a river which wound through -the grounds several crews in racing boats were rowing with great -enthusiasm. Other groups of students played basketball and cricket, -while in one place a ring was roped in to permit boxing and wrestling -by the energetic youths. All the collegians seemed busy and there -was much laughter and shouting. - -"This college," said Professor Wogglebug, complacently, "is a great -success. Its educational value is undisputed, and we are turning out -many great and valuable citizens every year." - -"But when do they study?" asked Dorothy. - -"Study?" said the Wogglebug, looking perplexed at the question. - -"Yes; when do they get their 'rithmetic, and jogerfy, and such things?" - -"Oh, they take doses of those every night and morning," was the reply. - -"What do you mean by doses?" Dorothy inquired, wonderingly. - -"Why, we use the newly invented School Pills, made by your friend the -Wizard. These pills we have found to be very effective, and they save -a lot of time. Please step this way and I will show you our -Laboratory of Learning." - -He led them to a room in the building where many large bottles were -standing in rows upon shelves. - -"These are the Algebra Pills," said the Professor, taking down one of -the bottles. "One at night, on retiring, is equal to four hours of -study. Here are the Geography Pills--one at night and one in the -morning. In this next bottle are the Latin Pills--one three times a -day. Then we have the Grammar Pills--one before each meal--and the -Spelling Pills, which are taken whenever needed." - -"Your scholars must have to take a lot of pills," remarked Dorothy, -thoughtfully. "How do they take 'em, in applesauce?" - -"No, my dear. They are sugar-coated and are quickly and easily -swallowed. I believe the students would rather take the pills than -study, and certainly the pills are a more effective method. You see, -until these School Pills were invented we wasted a lot of time in -study that may now be better employed in practicing athletics." - -"Seems to me the pills are a good thing," said Omby Amby, -who remembered how it used to make his head ache as a boy -to study arithmetic. - -"They are, sir," declared the Wogglebug, earnestly. "They give us an -advantage over all other colleges, because at no loss of time our boys -become thoroughly conversant with Greek and Latin, Mathematics and -Geography, Grammar and Literature. You see they are never obliged to -interrupt their games to acquire the lesser branches of learning." - -"It's a great invention, I'm sure," said Dorothy, looking admiringly -at the Wizard, who blushed modestly at this praise. - -"We live in an age of progress," announced Professor Wogglebug, -pompously. "It is easier to swallow knowledge than to acquire it -laboriously from books. Is it not so, my friends?" - -"Some folks can swallow anything," said Aunt Em, "but to me this seems -too much like taking medicine." - -"Young men in college always have to take their medicine, one way or -another," observed the Wizard, with a smile; "and, as our Professor -says, these School Pills have proved to be a great success. One day -while I was making them I happened to drop one of them, and one of -Billina's chickens gobbled it up. A few minutes afterward this chick -got upon a roost and recited 'The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck' -without making a single mistake. Then it recited 'The Charge of the -Light Brigade' and afterwards 'Excelsior.' You see, the chicken had -eaten an Elocution Pill." - -They now bade good-bye to the Professor, and thanking him for his kind -reception mounted again into the red wagon and continued their journey. - - - -10. How the Cuttenclips Lived - - -The travelers had taken no provisions with them because they knew that -they would be welcomed wherever they might go in the Land of Oz, and -that the people would feed and lodge them with genuine hospitality. -So about noon they stopped at a farm-house and were given a delicious -luncheon of bread and milk, fruits and wheat cakes with maple syrup. -After resting a while and strolling through the orchards with their -host--a round, jolly farmer--they got into the wagon and again started -the Sawhorse along the pretty, winding road. - -There were signposts at all the corners, and finally they came to one -which read: - - -TAKE THIS ROAD TO THE CUTTENCLIPS - - -There was also a hand pointing in the right direction, so they turned -the Sawhorse that way and found it a very good road, but seemingly -little traveled. - -"I've never seen the Cuttenclips before," remarked Dorothy. - -"Nor I," said the Captain General. - -"Nor I," said the Wizard. - -"Nor I," said Billina. - -"I've hardly been out of the Emerald City since I arrived in this -country," added the Shaggy Man. - -"Why, none of us has been there, then," exclaimed the little girl. -"I wonder what the Cuttenclips are like." - -"We shall soon find out," said the Wizard, with a sly laugh. -"I've heard they are rather flimsy things." - -The farm-houses became fewer as they proceeded, and the path was at -times so faint that the Sawhorse had hard work to keep in the road. -The wagon began to jounce, too; so they were obliged to go slowly. - -After a somewhat wearisome journey they came in sight of a high wall, -painted blue with pink ornaments. This wall was circular, and seemed -to enclose a large space. It was so high that only the tops of the -trees could be seen above it. - -The path led up to a small door in the wall, which was closed and -latched. Upon the door was a sign in gold letters reading as follows: - - -VISITORS are requested to MOVE SLOWLY and CAREFULLY, -and to avoid COUGHING or making any BREEZE or DRAUGHT. - - -"That's strange," said the Shaggy Man, reading the sign aloud. "Who -ARE the Cuttenclips, anyhow?" - -"Why, they're paper dolls," answered Dorothy. "Didn't you know that?" - -"Paper dolls! Then let's go somewhere else," said Uncle Henry. -"We're all too old to play with dolls, Dorothy." - -"But these are different," declared the girl. "They're alive." - -"Alive!" gasped Aunt Em, in amazement. - -"Yes. Let's go in," said Dorothy. - -So they all got out of the wagon, since the door in the wall was not -big enough for them to drive the Sawhorse and wagon through it. - -"You stay here, Toto!" commanded Dorothy, shaking her finger at the -little dog. "You're so careless that you might make a breeze if I -let you inside." - -Toto wagged his tail as if disappointed at being left behind; but he -made no effort to follow them. The Wizard unlatched the door, which -opened outward, and they all looked eagerly inside. - -Just before the entrance was drawn up a line of tiny soldiers, with -uniforms brightly painted and paper guns upon their shoulders. They -were exactly alike, from one end of the line to the other, and all were -cut out of paper and joined together in the centers of their bodies. - -As the visitors entered the enclosure the Wizard let the door swing -back into place, and at once the line of soldiers tumbled over, fell -flat upon their backs, and lay fluttering upon the ground. - -"Hi there!" called one of them; "what do you mean by slamming the -door and blowing us over?" - -"I beg your pardon, I'm sure," said the Wizard, regretfully. "I didn't -know you were so delicate." - -"We're not delicate!" retorted another soldier, raising his head from -the ground. "We are strong and healthy; but we can't stand draughts." - -"May I help you up?" asked Dorothy. - -"If you please," replied the end soldier. "But do it gently, -little girl." - -Dorothy carefully stood up the line of soldiers, who first dusted -their painted clothes and then saluted the visitors with their paper -muskets. From the end it was easy to see that the entire line had -been cut out of paper, although from the front the soldiers looked -rather solid and imposing. - -"I've a letter of introduction from Princess Ozma to Miss Cuttenclip," -announced Dorothy. - -"Very well," said the end soldier, and blew upon a paper whistle that -hung around his neck. At once a paper soldier in a Captain's uniform -came out of a paper house near by and approached the group at the -entrance. He was not very big, and he walked rather stiffly and -uncertainly on his paper legs; but he had a pleasant face, with very -red cheeks and very blue eyes, and he bowed so low to the strangers -that Dorothy laughed, and the breeze from her mouth nearly blew the -Captain over. He wavered and struggled and finally managed to remain -upon his feet. - -"Take care, Miss!" he said, warningly. "You're breaking the rules, -you know, by laughing." - -"Oh, I didn't know that," she replied. - -"To laugh in this place is nearly as dangerous as to cough," said the -Captain. "You'll have to breathe very quietly, I assure you." - -"We'll try to," promised the girl. "May we see Miss Cuttenclip, please?" - -"You may," promptly returned the Captain. "This is one of her -reception days. Be good enough to follow me." - -He turned and led the way up a path, and as they followed slowly, -because the paper Captain did not move very swiftly, they took the -opportunity to gaze around them at this strange paper country. - -Beside the path were paper trees, all cut out very neatly and painted -a brilliant green color. And back of the trees were rows of cardboard -houses, painted in various colors but most of them having green -blinds. Some were large and some small, and in the front yards were -beds of paper flowers quite natural in appearance. Over some of the -porches paper vines were twined, giving them a cozy and shady look. - -As the visitors passed along the street a good many paper dolls came -to the doors and windows of their houses to look at them curiously. -These dolls were nearly all the same height, but were cut into various -shapes, some being fat and some lean. The girl dolls wore many -beautiful costumes of tissue paper, making them quite fluffy; but -their heads and hands were no thicker than the paper of which they -were made. - -Some of the paper people were on the street, walking along or -congregated in groups and talking together; but as soon as they saw -the strangers they all fluttered into the houses as fast as they -could go, so as to be out of danger. - -"Excuse me if I go edgewise," remarked the Captain as they came to a -slight hill. "I can get along faster that way and not flutter so much." - -"That's all right," said Dorothy. "We don't mind how you go, I'm sure." - -At one side of the street was a paper pump, and a paper boy was -pumping paper water into a paper pail. The Yellow Hen happened to -brush against this boy with her wing, and he flew into the air and -fell into a paper tree, where he stuck until the Wizard gently pulled -him out. At the same time, the pail went into the air, spilling the -paper water, while the paper pump bent nearly double. - -"Goodness me!" said the Hen. "If I should flop my wings I believe -I'd knock over the whole village!" - -"Then don't flop them--please don't!" entreated the Captain. "Miss -Cuttenclip would be very much distressed if her village was spoiled." - -"Oh, I'll be careful," promised Billina. - -"Are not all these paper girls and women named Miss Cuttenclips?" -inquired Omby Amby. - -"No indeed," answered the Captain, who was walking better since he -began to move edgewise. "There is but one Miss Cuttenclip, who is our -Queen, because she made us all. These girls are Cuttenclips, to be -sure, but their names are Emily and Polly and Sue and Betty and such -things. Only the Queen is called Miss Cuttenclip." - -"I must say that this place beats anything I ever heard of," observed -Aunt Em. "I used to play with paper dolls myself, an' cut 'em out; -but I never thought I'd ever see such things alive." - -"I don't see as it's any more curious than hearing hens talk," -returned Uncle Henry. - -"You're likely to see many queer things in the Land of Oz, sir," said -the Wizard. "But a fairy country is extremely interesting when you -get used to being surprised." - -"Here we are!" called the Captain, stopping before a cottage. - -This house was made of wood, and was remarkably pretty in design. In -the Emerald City it would have been considered a tiny dwelling, -indeed; but in the midst of this paper village it seemed immense. -Real flowers were in the garden and real trees grew beside it. Upon -the front door was a sign reading: - - -MISS CUTTENCLIP. - - -Just as they reached the porch the front door opened and a little -girl stood before them. She appeared to be about the same age as -Dorothy, and smiling upon her visitors she said, sweetly: - -"You are welcome." - -All the party seemed relieved to find that here was a real girl, of -flesh and blood. She was very dainty and pretty as she stood there -welcoming them. Her hair was a golden blonde and her eyes turquoise -blue. She had rosy cheeks and lovely white teeth. Over her simple -white lawn dress she wore an apron with pink and white checks, and in -one hand she held a pair of scissors. - -"May we see Miss Cuttenclip, please?" asked Dorothy. - -"I am Miss Cuttenclip," was the reply. "Won't you come in?" - -She held the door open while they all entered a pretty sitting-room -that was littered with all sorts of paper--some stiff, some thin, and -some tissue. The sheets and scraps were of all colors. Upon a table -were paints and brushes, while several pair of scissors, of different -sizes, were lying about. - -"Sit down, please," said Miss Cuttenclip, clearing the paper scraps -off some of the chairs. "It is so long since I have had any visitors -that I am not properly prepared to receive them. But I'm sure you -will pardon my untidy room, for this is my workshop." - -"Do you make all the paper dolls?" inquired Dorothy. - -"Yes; I cut them out with my scissors, and paint the faces and some of -the costumes. It is very pleasant work, and I am happy making my -paper village grow." - -"But how do the paper dolls happen to be alive?" asked Aunt Em. - -"The first dolls I made were not alive," said Miss Cuttenclip. "I -used to live near the castle of a great Sorceress named Glinda the -Good, and she saw my dolls and said they were very pretty. I told her -I thought I would like them better if they were alive, and the next -day the Sorceress brought me a lot of magic paper. 'This is live -paper,' she said, 'and all the dolls you cut out of it will be alive, -and able to think and to talk. When you have used it all up, come to -me and I will give you more.' - -"Of course I was delighted with this present," continued Miss -Cuttenclip, "and at once set to work and made several paper dolls, -which, as soon as they were cut out, began to walk around and talk to -me. But they were so thin that I found that any breeze would blow -them over and scatter them dreadfully; so Glinda found this lonely -place for me, where few people ever come. She built the wall to keep -any wind from blowing away my people, and told me I could build a -paper village here and be its Queen. That is why I came here and -settled down to work and started the village you now see. It was many -years ago that I built the first houses, and I've kept pretty busy and -made my village grow finely; and I need not tell you that I am very -happy in my work." - -"Many years ago!" exclaimed Aunt Em. "Why, how old are you, child?" - -"I never keep track of the years," said Miss Cuttenclip, laughing. -"You see, I don't grow up at all, but stay just the same as I was when -first I came here. Perhaps I'm older even than you are, madam; but I -couldn't say for sure." - -They looked at the lovely little girl wonderingly, and the Wizard asked: - -"What happens to your paper village when it rains?" - -"It does not rain here," replied Miss Cuttenclip. "Glinda keeps all -the rain storms away; so I never worry about my dolls getting wet. But -now, if you will come with me, it will give me pleasure to show you -over my paper kingdom. Of course you must go slowly and carefully, -and avoid making any breeze." - -They left the cottage and followed their guide through the various -streets of the village. It was indeed an amazing place, when one -considered that it was all made with scissors, and the visitors were -not only greatly interested but full of admiration for the skill of -little Miss Cuttenclip. - -In one place a large group of especially nice paper dolls assembled to -greet their Queen, whom it was easy to see they loved early. These -dolls marched and danced before the visitors, and then they all waved -their paper handkerchiefs and sang in a sweet chorus a song called -"The Flag of Our Native Land." - -At the conclusion of the song they ran up a handsome paper flag on a -tall flagpole, and all of the people of the village gathered around to -cheer as loudly as they could--although, of course, their voices were -not especially strong. - -Miss Cuttenclip was about to make her subjects a speech in reply to -this patriotic song, when the Shaggy Man happened to sneeze. - -He was a very loud and powerful sneezer at any time, and he had tried -so hard to hold in this sneeze that when it suddenly exploded the -result was terrible. - -The paper dolls were mowed down by dozens, and flew and fluttered in -wild confusion in every direction, tumbling this way and that and -getting more or less wrinkled and bent. - -A wail of terror and grief came from the scattered throng, and Miss -Cuttenclip exclaimed: - -"Dear me! dear me!" and hurried at once to the rescue of her -overturned people. - -"Oh, Shaggy Man! How could you?" asked Dorothy, reproachfully. - -"I couldn't help it--really I couldn't," protested the Shaggy Man, -looking quite ashamed. "And I had no idea it took so little to upset -these paper dolls." - -"So little!" said Dorothy. "Why, it was 'most as bad as a Kansas -cyclone." And then she helped Miss Cuttenclip rescue the paper folk -and stand them on their feet again. Two of the cardboard houses had -also tumbled over, and the little Queen said she would have to repair -them and paste them together before they could be lived in again. - -And now, fearing they might do more damage to the flimsy paper people, -they decided to go away. But first they thanked Miss Cuttenclip very -warmly for her courtesy and kindness to them. - -"Any friend of Princess Ozma is always welcome here--unless he -sneezes," said the Queen with a rather severe look at the Shaggy Man, -who hung his head. "I like to have visitors admire my wonderful -village, and I hope you will call again." - -Miss Cuttenclip herself led them to the door in the wall, and as they -passed along the street the paper dolls peeped at them half fearfully -from the doors and windows. Perhaps they will never forget the Shaggy -Man's awful sneeze, and I am sure they were all glad to see the meat -people go away. - - - -11. How the General Met the First and Foremost - - -On leaving the Growleywogs General Guph had to recross the Ripple -Lands, and he did not find it a pleasant thing to do. Perhaps having -his whiskers pulled out one by one and being used as a pin-cushion for -the innocent amusement of a good natured jailer had not improved the -quality of Guph's temper, for the old Nome raved and raged at the -recollection of the wrongs he had suffered, and vowed to take vengeance -upon the Growleywogs after he had used them for his purposes and Oz -had been conquered. He went on in this furious way until he was half -across the Ripple Land. Then he became seasick, and the rest of the -way this naughty Nome was almost as miserable as he deserved to be. - -But when he reached the plains again and the ground was firm under his -feet he began to feel better, and instead of going back home he -turned directly west. A squirrel, perched in a tree, saw him take this -road and called to him warningly: "Look out!" But he paid no -attention. An eagle paused in its flight through the air to look at -him wonderingly and say: "Look out!" But on he went. - -No one can say that Guph was not brave, for he had determined to visit -those dangerous creatures the Phanfasms, who resided upon the very -top of the dread Mountain of Phantastico. The Phanfasms were Erbs, -and so dreaded by mortals and immortals alike that no one had been -near their mountain home for several thousand years. Yet General Guph -hoped to induce them to join in his proposed warfare against the good -and happy Oz people. - -Guph knew very well that the Phanfasms would be almost as dangerous to -the Nomes as they would to the Ozites, but he thought himself so -clever that he believed he could manage these strange creatures and -make them obey him. And there was no doubt at all that if he could -enlist the services of the Phanfasms, their tremendous power, united -to the strength of the Growleywogs and the cunning of the Whimsies -would doom the Land of Oz to absolute destruction. - -So the old Nome climbed the foothills and trudged along the wild -mountain paths until he came to a big gully that encircled the -Mountain of Phantastico and marked the boundary line of the dominion -of the Phanfasms. This gully was about a third of the way up the -mountain, and it was filled to the brim with red-hot molten lava in -which swam fire-serpents and poisonous salamanders. The heat from -this mass and its poisonous smell were both so unbearable that even -birds hesitated to fly over the gully, but circled around it. All -living things kept away from the mountain. - -Now Guph had heard, during his long lifetime, many tales of these -dreaded Phanfasms; so he had heard of this barrier of melted lava, and -also he had been told that there was a narrow bridge that spanned it -in one place. So he walked along the edge until he found the bridge. -It was a single arch of gray stone, and lying flat upon the bridge was -a scarlet alligator, seemingly fast asleep. - -When Guph stumbled over the rocks in approaching the bridge the -creature opened its eyes, from which tiny flames shot in all -directions, and after looking at the intruder very wickedly the -scarlet alligator closed its eyelids again and lay still. - -Guph saw there was no room for him to pass the alligator on the narrow -bridge, so he called out to it: - -"Good morning, friend. I don't wish to hurry you, but please tell me -if you are coming down, or going up?" - -"Neither," snapped the alligator, clicking its cruel jaws together. - -The General hesitated. - -"Are you likely to stay there long?" he asked. - -"A few hundred years or so," said the alligator. - -Guph softly rubbed the end of his nose and tried to think what to do. - -"Do you know whether the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico is -at home or not?" he presently inquired. - -"I expect he is, seeing he is always at home," replied the alligator. - -"Ah; who is that coming down the mountain?" asked the Nome, -gazing upward. - -The alligator turned to look over its shoulder, and at once Guph ran -to the bridge and leaped over the sentinel's back before it could turn -back again. The scarlet monster made a snap at the Nome's left foot, -but missed it by fully an inch. - -"Ah ha!" laughed the General, who was now on the mountain path. -"I fooled you that time." - -"So you did; and perhaps you fooled yourself," retorted the alligator. -"Go up the mountain, if you dare, and find out what the First and -Foremost will do to you!" - -"I will," declared Guph, boldly; and on he went up the path. - -At first the scene was wild enough, but gradually it grew more and -more awful in appearance. All the rocks had the shapes of frightful -beings and even the tree trunks were gnarled and twisted like serpents. - -Suddenly there appeared before the Nome a man with the head of an owl. -His body was hairy like that of an ape, and his only clothing was a -scarlet scarf twisted around his waist. He bore a huge club in his -hand and his round owl eyes blinked fiercely upon the intruder. - -"What are you doing here?" he demanded, threatening Guph with his club. - -"I've come to see the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico," -replied the General, who did not like the way this creature looked at -him, but still was not afraid. - -"Ah; you shall see him!" the man said, with a sneering laugh. "The -First and Foremost shall decide upon the best way to punish you." - -"He will not punish me," returned Guph, calmly, "for I have come here -to do him and his people a rare favor. Lead on, fellow, and take me -directly to your master." - -The owl-man raised his club with a threatening gesture. - -"If you try to escape," he said, "beware--" - -But here the General interrupted him. - -"Spare your threats," said he, "and do not be impertinent, or I will -have you severely punished. Lead on, and keep silent!" - -This Guph was really a clever rascal, and it seems a pity he was so -bad, for in a good cause he might have accomplished much. He realized -that he had put himself into a dangerous position by coming to this -dreadful mountain, but he also knew that if he showed fear he was -lost. So he adopted a bold manner as his best defense. The wisdom of -this plan was soon evident, for the Phanfasm with the owl's head -turned and led the way up the mountain. - -At the very top was a level plain upon which were heaps of rock that -at first glance seemed solid. But on looking closer Guph discovered -that these rock heaps were dwellings, for each had an opening. - -Not a person was to be seen outside the rock huts. All was silent. - -The owl-man led the way among the groups of dwellings to one standing -in the center. It seemed no better and no worse than any of the -others. Outside the entrance to this rock heap the guide gave a low -wail that sounded like "Lee-ow-ah!" - -Suddenly there bounded from the opening another hairy man. This one -wore the head of a bear. In his hand he bore a brass hoop. He glared -at the stranger in evident surprise. - -"Why have you captured this foolish wanderer and brought him here?" -he demanded, addressing the owl-man. - -"I did not capture him," was the answer. "He passed the scarlet -alligator and came here of his own free will and accord." - -The First and Foremost looked at the General. - -"Have you tired of life, then?" he asked. - -"No indeed," answered Guph. "I am a Nome, and the Chief General of -King Roquat the Red's great army of Nomes. I come of a long-lived -race, and I may say that I expect to live a long time yet. Sit down, -you Phanfasms--if you can find a seat in this wild haunt--and listen -to what I have to say." - -With all his knowledge and bravery General Guph did not know that the -steady glare from the bear eyes was reading his inmost thoughts as -surely as if they had been put into words. He did not know that these -despised rock heaps of the Phanfasms were merely deceptions to his own -eyes, nor could he guess that he was standing in the midst of one of -the most splendid and luxurious cities ever built by magic power. All -that he saw was a barren waste of rock heaps, a hairy man with an -owl's head and another with a bear's head. The sorcery of the -Phanfasms permitted him to see no more. - -Suddenly the First and Foremost swung his brass hoop and caught Guph -around the neck with it. The next instant, before the General could -think what had happened to him, he was dragged inside the rock hut. -Here, his eyes still blinded to realities, he perceived only a dim -light, by which the hut seemed as rough and rude inside as it was -outside. Yet he had a strange feeling that many bright eyes were -fastened upon him and that he stood in a vast and extensive hall. - -The First and Foremost now laughed grimly and released his prisoner. - -"If you have anything to say that is interesting," he remarked, -"speak out ,before I strangle you." - -So Guph spoke out. He tried not to pay any attention to a strange -rustling sound that he heard, as of an unseen multitude drawing near to -listen to his words. His eyes could see only the fierce bear-man, and -to him he addressed his speech. First he told of his plan to conquer -the Land of Oz and plunder the country of its riches and enslave its -people, who, being fairies, could not be killed. After relating all -this, and telling of the tunnel the Nome King was building, he said he -had come to ask the First and Foremost to join the Nomes, with his band -of terrible warriors, and help them to defeat the Oz people. - -The General spoke very earnestly and impressively, but when he had -finished the bear-man began to laugh as if much amused, and his laughter -seemed to be echoed by a chorus of merriment from an unseen multitude. -Then, for the first time, Guph began to feel a trifle worried. - -"Who else has promised to help you?" finally asked the First and Foremost. - -"The Whimsies," replied the General. - -Again the bear-headed Phanfasm laughed. - -"Any others?" he inquired. - -"Only the Growleywogs," said Guph. - -This answer set the First and Foremost laughing anew. - -"What share of the spoils am I to have?" was the next question. - -"Anything you like, except King Roquat's Magic Belt," replied Guph. - -At this the Phanfasm set up a roar of laughter, which had its echo in -the unseen chorus, and the bear-man seemed so amused that he actually -rolled upon the ground and shouted with merriment. - -"Oh, these blind and foolish Nomes!" he said. "How big they seem to -themselves and how small they really are!" - -Suddenly he arose and seized Guph's neck with one hairy paw, dragging -him out of the hut into the open. - -Here he gave a curious wailing cry, and, as if in answer, from all the -rocky huts on the mountain-top came flocking a horde of Phanfasms, all -with hairy bodies, but wearing heads of various animals, birds and -reptiles. All were ferocious and repulsive-looking to the deceived -eyes of the Nome, and Guph could not repress a shudder of disgust as -he looked upon them. - -The First and Foremost slowly raised his arms, and in a twinkling his -hairy skin fell from him and he appeared before the astonished Nome -as a beautiful woman, clothed in a flowing gown of pink gauze. In her -dark hair flowers were entwined, and her face was noble and calm. - -At the same instant the entire band of Phanfasms was transformed into -a pack of howling wolves, running here and there as they snarled and -showed their ugly yellow fangs. - -The woman now raised her arms, even as the man-bear had done, and in -a twinkling the wolves became crawling lizards, while she herself -changed into a huge butterfly. - -Guph had only time to cry out in fear and take a step backward to -avoid the lizards when another transformation occurred, and all -returned instantly to the forms they had originally worn. - -Then the First and Foremost, who had resumed his hairy body and -bear head, turned to the Nome and asked - -"Do you still demand our assistance?" - -"More than ever," answered the General, firmly. - -"Then tell me: what can you offer the Phanfasms that they have not -already?" inquired the First and Foremost. - -Guph hesitated. He really did not know what to say. The Nome King's -vaunted Magic Belt seemed a poor thing compared to the astonishing -magical powers of these people. Gold, jewels and slaves they might -secure in any quantity without especial effort. He felt that he was -dealing with powers greatly beyond him. There was but one argument -that might influence the Phanfasms, who were creatures of evil. - -"Permit me to call your attention to the exquisite joy of making the -happy unhappy," said he at last. "Consider the pleasure of destroying -innocent and harmless people." - -"Ah! you have answered me," cried the First and Foremost. "For that -reason alone we will aid you. Go home, and tell your bandy-legged king -that as soon as his tunnel is finished the Phanfasms will be with him -and lead his legions to the conquest of Oz. The deadly desert alone -has kept us from destroying Oz long ago, and your underground tunnel -is a clever thought. Go home, and prepare for our coming!" - -Guph was very glad to be permitted to go with this promise. The owl-man -led him back down the mountain path and ordered the scarlet alligator to -crawl away and allow the Nome to cross the bridge in safety. - -After the visitor had gone a brilliant and gorgeous city appeared upon -the mountain top, clearly visible to the eyes of the gaily dressed -multitude of Phanfasms that lived there. And the First and Foremost, -beautifully arrayed, addressed the others in these words: - -"It is time we went into the world and brought sorrow and dismay to -its people. Too long have we remained for ourselves upon this -mountain top, for while we are thus secluded many nations have grown -happy and prosperous, and the chief joy of the race of Phanfasms is to -destroy happiness. So I think it is lucky that this messenger from -the Nomes arrived among us just now, to remind us that the opportunity -has come for us to make trouble. We will use King Roquat's tunnel to -conquer the Land of Oz. Then we will destroy the Whimsies, the -Growleywogs and the Nomes, and afterward go out to ravage and annoy -and grieve the whole world." - -The multitude of evil Phanfasms eagerly applauded this plan, -which they fully approved. - -I am told that the Erbs are the most powerful and merciless of all -the evil spirits, and the Phanfasms of Phantastico belong to the -race of Erbs. - - - -12. How they Matched the Fuddles - - -Dorothy and her fellow travelers rode away from the Cuttenclip village -and followed the indistinct path as far as the sign-post. Here they -took the main road again and proceeded pleasantly through the pretty -farming country. When evening came they stopped at a dwelling and were -joyfully welcomed and given plenty to eat and good beds for the night. - -Early next morning, however, they were up and eager to start, and -after a good breakfast they bade their host good-bye and climbed into -the red wagon, to which the Sawhorse had been hitched all night. -Being made of wood, this horse never got tired nor cared to lie down. -Dorothy was not quite sure whether he ever slept or not, but it was -certain that he never did when anybody was around. - -The weather is always beautiful in Oz, and this morning the air was -cool and refreshing and the sunshine brilliant and delightful. - -In about an hour they came to a place where another road branched off. -There was a sign-post here which read: - - -THIS WAY TO FUDDLECUMJIG - - -"Oh, here is where we turn," said Dorothy, observing the sign. - -"What! Are we going to Fuddlecumjig?" asked the Captain General. - -"Yes; Ozma thought we might enjoy the Fuddles. They are said to be -very interesting," she replied. - -"No one would suspect it from their name," said Aunt Em. "Who are -they, anyhow? More paper things?" - -"I think not," answered Dorothy, laughing; "but I can't say 'zactly, -Aunt Em, what they are. We'll find out when we get there." - -"Perhaps the Wizard knows," suggested Uncle Henry. - -"No; I've never been there before," said the Wizard. "But I've often -heard of Fuddlecumjig and the Fuddles, who are said to be the most -peculiar people in all the Land of Oz." - -"In what way?" asked the Shaggy Man. - -"I don't know, I'm sure," said the Wizard. - -Just then, as they rode along the pretty green lane toward -Fuddlecumjig, they espied a kangaroo sitting by the roadside. The -poor animal had its face covered with both its front paws and was -crying so bitterly that the tears coursed down its cheeks in two tiny -streams and trickled across the road, where they formed a pool in a -small hollow. - -The Sawhorse stopped short at this pitiful sight, and Dorothy cried -out, with ready sympathy: - -"What's the matter, Kangaroo?" - -"Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!" wailed the Kangaroo; "I've lost my mi--mi--mi--Oh, -boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!"-- - -"Poor thing," said the Wizard, "she's lost her mister. It's probably -her husband, and he's dead." - -"No, no, no!" sobbed the kangaroo. "It--it isn't that. I've lost my -mi--mi--Oh, boo, boo-hoo!" - -"I know," said the Shaggy Man; "she's lost her mirror." - -"No; it's my mi--mi--mi--Boo-hoo! My mi--Oh, Boo-hoo!" and the -kangaroo cried harder than ever. - -"It must be her mince-pie," suggested Aunt Em. - -"Or her milk-toast," proposed Uncle Henry. - -"I've lost my mi--mi--mittens!" said the kangaroo, getting it out at last. - -"Oh!" cried the Yellow Hen, with a cackle of relief. "Why didn't you -say so before?" - -"Boo-hoo! I--I--couldn't," answered the kangaroo. - -"But, see here," said Dorothy, "you don't need mittens in this -warm weather." - -"Yes, indeed I do," replied the animal, stopping her sobs and removing -her paws from her face to look at the little girl reproachfully. "My -hands will get all sunburned and tanned without my mittens, and I've -worn them so long that I'll probably catch cold without them." - -"Nonsense!" said Dorothy. "I never heard of any kangaroo -wearing mittens." - -"Didn't you?" asked the animal, as if surprised. - -"Never!" repeated the girl. "And you'll probably make yourself sick -if you don't stop crying. Where do you live?" - -"About two miles beyond Fuddlecumjig," was the answer. "Grandmother -Gnit made me the mittens, and she's one of the Fuddles." - -"Well, you'd better go home now, and perhaps the old lady will make -you another pair," suggested Dorothy. "We're on our way to -Fuddlecumjig, and you may hop along beside us." - -So they rode on, and the kangaroo hopped beside the red wagon and -seemed quickly to have forgotten her loss. By and by the Wizard said -to the animal: - -"Are the Fuddles nice people?" - -"Oh, very nice," answered the kangaroo; "that is, when they're -properly put together. But they get dreadfully scattered and mixed -up, at times, and then you can't do anything with them." - -"What do you mean by their getting scattered?" inquired Dorothy. - -"Why, they're made in a good many small pieces," explained the -kangaroo; "and whenever any stranger comes near them they have a -habit of falling apart and scattering themselves around. That's when -they get so dreadfully mixed, and it's a hard puzzle to put them -together again." - -"Who usually puts them together?" asked Omby Amby. - -"Any one who is able to match the pieces. I sometimes put Grandmother -Gnit together myself, because I know her so well I can tell every -piece that belongs to her. Then, when she's all matched, she knits -for me, and that's how she made my mittens. But it took a good many -days hard knitting, and I had to put Grandmother together a good many -times, because every time I came near, she'd scatter herself." - -"I should think she would get used to your coming, and not be afraid," -said Dorothy. - -"It isn't that," replied the kangaroo. "They're not a bit afraid, -when they're put together, and usually they're very jolly and pleasant. -It's just a habit they have, to scatter themselves, and if they didn't -do it they wouldn't be Fuddles." - -The travelers thought upon this quite seriously for a time, while the -Sawhorse continued to carry them rapidly forward. Then Aunt Em remarked: - -"I don't see much use our visitin' these Fuddles. If we find -them scattered, all we can do is to sweep 'em up, and then go -about our business." - -"Oh, I b'lieve we'd better go on," replied Dorothy. "I'm getting -hungry, and we must try to get some luncheon at Fuddlecumjig. Perhaps -the food won't be scattered as badly as the people." - -"You'll find plenty to eat there," declared the kangaroo, hopping -along in big bounds because the Sawhorse was going so fast; "and they -have a fine cook, too, if you can manage to put him together. There's -the town now--just ahead of us!" - -They looked ahead and saw a group of very pretty houses standing in a -green field a little apart from the main road. - -"Some Munchkins came here a few days ago and matched a lot of people -together," said the kangaroo. "I think they are together yet, and if -you go softly, without making any noise, perhaps they won't scatter." - -"Let's try it," suggested the Wizard. - -So they stopped the Sawhorse and got out of the wagon, and, after -bidding good bye to the kangaroo, who hopped away home, they entered -the field and very cautiously approached the group of houses. - -So silently did they move that soon they saw through the windows of -the houses, people moving around, while others were passing to and fro -in the yards between the buildings. They seemed much like other -people from a distance, and apparently they did not notice the little -party so quietly approaching. - -They had almost reached the nearest house when Toto saw a large beetle -crossing the path and barked loudly at it. Instantly a wild clatter -was heard from the houses and yards. Dorothy thought it sounded like -a sudden hailstorm, and the visitors, knowing that caution was no -longer necessary, hurried forward to see what had happened. - -After the clatter an intense stillness reigned in the town. The -strangers entered the first house they came to, which was also the -largest, and found the floor strewn with pieces of the people who -lived there. They looked much like fragments of wood neatly painted, -and were of all sorts of curious and fantastic shapes, no two pieces -being in any way alike. - -They picked up some of these pieces and looked at them carefully. On -one which Dorothy held was an eye, which looked at her pleasantly but -with an interested expression, as if it wondered what she was going to -do with it. Quite near by she discovered and picked up a nose, and by -matching the two pieces together found that they were part of a face. - -"If I could find the mouth," she said, "this Fuddle might be able to -talk, and tell us what to do next." - -"Then let us find it," replied the Wizard, and so all got down on -their hands and knees and began examining the scattered pieces. - -"I've found it!" cried the Shaggy Man, and ran to Dorothy with a -queer-shaped piece that had a mouth on it. But when they tried to fit -it to the eye and nose they found the parts wouldn't match together. - -"That mouth belongs to some other person," said Dorothy. "You see we -need a curve here and a point there, to make it fit the face." - -"Well, it must be here some place," declared the Wizard; "so if we -search long enough we shall find it." - -Dorothy fitted an ear on next, and the ear had a little patch of red -hair above it. So while the others were searching for the mouth she -hunted for pieces with red hair, and found several of them which, when -matched to the other pieces, formed the top of a man's head. She had -also found the other eye and the ear by the time Omby Amby in a far -corner discovered the mouth. When the face was thus completed, all -the parts joined together with a nicety that was astonishing. - -"Why, it's like a picture puzzle!" exclaimed the little girl. -"Let's find the rest of him, and get him all together." - -"What's the rest of him like?" asked the Wizard. "Here are some -pieces of blue legs and green arms, but I don't know whether they are -his or not." - -"Look for a white shirt and a white apron," said the head which had -been put together, speaking in a rather faint voice. "I'm the cook." - -"Oh, thank you," said Dorothy. "It's lucky we started you first, for -I'm hungry, and you can be cooking something for us to eat while we -match the other folks together." - -It was not so very difficult, now that they had a hint as to how the -man was dressed, to find the other pieces belonging to him, and as all -of them now worked on the cook, trying piece after piece to see if it -would fit, they finally had the cook set up complete. - -When he was finished he made them a low bow and said: - -"I will go at once to the kitchen to prepare your dinner. You will -find it something of a job to get all the Fuddles together, so I -advise you to begin on the Lord High Chigglewitz, whose first name is -Larry. He's a bald-headed fat man and is dressed in a blue coat with -brass buttons, a pink vest and drab breeches. A piece of his left -knee is missing, having been lost years ago when he scattered himself -too carelessly. That makes him limp a little, but he gets along very -well with half a knee. As he is the chief personage in this town of -Fuddlecumjig, he will be able to welcome you and assist you with the -others. So it will be best to work on him while I'm getting your dinner." - -"We will," said the Wizard; "and thank you very much, Cook, -for the suggestion." - -Aunt Em was the first to discover a piece of the Lord High Chigglewitz. - -"It seems to me like a fool business, this matching folks together," -she remarked; "but as we haven't anything to do till dinner's ready, -we may as well get rid of some of this rubbish. Here, Henry, get busy -and look for Larry's bald head. I've got his pink vest, all right." - -They worked with eager interest, and Billina proved a great help to -them. The Yellow Hen had sharp eyes and could put her head close to -the various pieces that lay scattered around. She would examine the -Lord High Chigglewitz and see which piece of him was next needed, and -then hunt around until she found it. So before an hour had passed -old Larry was standing complete before them. - -"I congratulate you, my friends," he said, speaking in a cheerful -voice. "You are certainly the cleverest people who ever visited us. -I was never matched together so quickly in my life. I'm considered a -great puzzle, usually." - -"Well," said Dorothy, "there used to be a picture puzzle craze in -Kansas, and so I've had some 'sperience matching puzzles. But the -pictures were flat, while you are round, and that makes you harder to -figure out." - -"Thank you, my dear," replied old Larry, greatly pleased. "I feel -highly complimented. Were I not a really good puzzle, there would be -no object in my scattering myself." - -"Why do you do it?" asked Aunt Em, severely. "Why don't you behave -yourself, and stay put together?" - -The Lord High Chigglewitz seemed annoyed by this speech; but he -replied, politely: - -"Madam, you have perhaps noticed that every person has some -peculiarity. Mine is to scatter myself. What your own peculiarity is -I will not venture to say; but I shall never find fault with you, -whatever you do." - -"Now you've got your diploma, Em," said Uncle Henry, with a laugh, -"and I'm glad of it. This is a queer country, and we may as well -take people as we find them." - -"If we did, we'd leave these folks scattered," she returned, and this -retort made everybody laugh good-naturedly. - -Just then Omby Amby found a hand with a knitting needle in it, and -they decided to put Grandmother Gnit together. She proved an easier -puzzle than old Larry, and when she was completed they found her a -pleasant old lady who welcomed them cordially. Dorothy told her how -the kangaroo had lost her mittens, and Grandmother Gnit promised to -set to work at once and make the poor animal another pair. - -Then the cook came to call them to dinner, and they found an inviting -meal prepared for them. The Lord High Chigglewitz sat at the head of -the table and Grandmother Gnit at the foot, and the guests had a merry -time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. - -After dinner they went out into the yard and matched several other -people together, and this work was so interesting that they might have -spent the entire day at Fuddlecumjig had not the Wizard suggested that -they resume their journey. - -"But I don't like to leave all these poor people scattered," said -Dorothy, undecided what to do. - -"Oh, don't mind us, my dear," returned old Larry. "Every day or so -some of the Gillikins, or Munchkins, or Winkies come here to amuse -themselves by matching us together, so there will be no harm in leaving -these pieces where they are for a time. But I hope you will visit us -again, and if you do you will always be welcome, I assure you." - -"Don't you ever match each other?" she inquired. - -"Never; for we are no puzzles to ourselves, and so there wouldn't be -any fun in it." - -They now said goodbye to the queer Fuddles and got into their wagon to -continue their journey. - -"Those are certainly strange people," remarked Aunt Em, thoughtfully, -as they drove away from Fuddlecumjig, "but I really can't see what use -they are, at all." - -"Why, they amused us all for several hours," replied the Wizard. -"That is being of use to us, I'm sure." - -"I think they're more fun than playing solitaire or mumbletypeg," -declared Uncle Henry, soberly. "For my part, I'm glad we visited -the Fuddles." - - - -13. How the General Talked to the King - - -When General Guph returned to the cavern of the Nome King his -Majesty asked: - -"Well, what luck? Will the Whimsies join us?" - -"They will," answered the General. "They will fight for us with all -their strength and cunning." - -"Good!" exclaimed the King. "What reward did you promise them?" - -"Your Majesty is to use the Magic Belt to give each Whimsie a large, -fine head, in place of the small one he is now obliged to wear." - -"I agree to that," said the King. "This is good news, Guph, and it -makes me feel more certain of the conquest of Oz." - -"But I have other news for you," announced the General. - -"Good or bad?" - -"Good, your Majesty." - -"Then I will hear it," said the King, with interest. - -"The Growleywogs will join us." - -"No!" cried the astonished King. - -"Yes, indeed," said the General. "I have their promise." - -"But what reward do they demand?" inquired the King, suspiciously, -for he knew how greedy the Growleywogs were. - -"They are to take a few of the Oz people for their slaves," replied -Guph. He did not think it necessary to tell Roquat that the -Growleywogs demanded twenty thousand slaves. It would be time enough -for that when Oz was conquered. - -"A very reasonable request, I'm sure," remarked the King. "I must -congratulate you, Guph, upon the wonderful success of your journey." - -"But that is not all," said the General, proudly. - -The King seemed astonished. "Speak out, sir!" he commanded. - -"I have seen the First and Foremost Phanfasm of the Mountain of -Phantastico, and he will bring his people to assist us." - -"What!" cried the King. "The Phanfasms! You don't mean it, Guph!" - -"It is true," declared the General, proudly. - -The King became thoughtful, and his brows wrinkled. - -"I'm afraid, Guph," he said rather anxiously, "that the First and -Foremost may prove as dangerous to us as to the Oz people. If he and -his terrible band come down from the mountain they may take the -notion to conquer the Nomes!" - -"Pah! That is a foolish idea," retorted Guph, irritably, but he knew -in his heart that the King was right. "The First and Foremost is a -particular friend of mine, and will do us no harm. Why, when I was -there, he even invited me into his house." - -The General neglected to tell the King how he had been jerked into the -hut of the First and Foremost by means of the brass hoop. So Roquat -the Red looked at his General admiringly and said: - -"You are a wonderful Nome, Guph. I'm sorry I did not make you my -General before. But what reward did the First and Foremost demand?" - -"Nothing at all," answered Guph. "Even the Magic Belt itself could -not add to his powers of sorcery. All the Phanfasms wish is to -destroy the Oz people, who are good and happy. This pleasure will -amply repay them for assisting us." - -"When will they come?" asked Roquat, half fearfully. - -"When the tunnel is completed," said the General. - -"We are nearly halfway under the desert now," announced the King; "and -that is fast work, because the tunnel has to be drilled through solid -rock. But after we have passed the desert it will not take us long -to extend the tunnel to the walls of the Emerald City." - -"Well, whenever you are ready, we shall be joined by the Whimsies, the -Growleywogs and the Phanfasms," said Guph; "so the conquest of Oz is -assured without a doubt." - -Again, the King seemed thoughtful. - -"I'm almost sorry we did not undertake the conquest alone," said he. -"All of these allies are dangerous people, and they may demand more -than you have promised them. It might have been better to have -conquered Oz without any outside assistance." - -"We could not do it," said the General, positively. - -"Why not, Guph?" - -"You know very well. You have had one experience with the Oz people, -and they defeated you." - -"That was because they rolled eggs at us," replied the King, with a -shudder. "My Nomes cannot stand eggs, any more than I can myself. -They are poison to all who live underground." - -"That is true enough," agreed Guph. - -"But we might have taken the Oz people by surprise, and conquered them -before they had a chance to get any eggs. Our former defeat was due -to the fact that the girl Dorothy had a Yellow Hen with her. I do not -know what ever became of that hen, but I believe there are no hens at -all in the Land of Oz, and so there could be no eggs there." - -"On the contrary," said Guph, "there are now hundreds of chickens in -Oz, and they lay heaps of those dangerous eggs. I met a goshawk on my -way home, and the bird informed me that he had lately been to Oz to -capture and devour some of the young chickens. But they are protected -by magic, so the hawk did not get a single one of them." - -"That is a very bad report," said the King, nervously. "Very bad, -indeed. My Nomes are willing to fight, but they simply can't face -hen's eggs--and I don't blame them." - -"They won't need to face them," replied Guph. "I'm afraid of eggs -myself, and don't propose to take any chances of being poisoned by -them. My plan is to send the Whimsies through the tunnel first, and -then the Growleywogs and the Phanfasms. By the time we Nomes get -there the eggs will all be used up, and we may then pursue and -capture the inhabitants at our leisure." - -"Perhaps you are right," returned the King, with a dismal sigh. "But I -want it distinctly understood that I claim Ozma and Dorothy as my own -prisoners. They are rather nice girls, and I do not intend to let any -of those dreadful creatures hurt them, or make them their slaves. When -I have captured them I will bring them here and transform them into -china ornaments to stand on my mantle. They will look very pretty--Dorothy -on one end of the mantle and Ozma on the other--and I shall take great -care to see they are not broken when the maids dust them." - -"Very well, your Majesty. Do what you will with the girls for all I -care. Now that our plans are arranged, and we have the three most -powerful bands of evil spirits in the world to assist us, let us make -haste to get the tunnel finished as soon as possible." - -"It will be ready in three days," promised the King, and hurried away -to inspect the work and see that the Nomes kept busy. - - - -14. How the Wizard Practiced Sorcery - - -"Where next?" asked the Wizard when they had left the town of -Fuddlecumjig and the Sawhorse had started back along the road. - -"Why, Ozma laid out this trip," replied Dorothy, "and she 'vised us to -see the Rigmaroles next, and then visit the Tin Woodman." - -"That sounds good," said the Wizard. "But what road do we take to get -to the Rigmaroles?" - -"I don't know, 'zactly," returned the little girl; "but it must be -somewhere just southwest from here." - -"Then why need we go way back to the crossroads?" asked the Shaggy -Man. "We might save a lot of time by branching off here." - -"There isn't any path," asserted Uncle Henry. - -"Then we'd better go back to the signposts, and make sure of our way," -decided Dorothy. - -But after they had gone a short distance farther the Sawhorse, who -had overheard their conversation, stopped and said: - -"Here is a path." - -Sure enough, a dim path seemed to branch off from the road they were -on, and it led across pretty green meadows and past leafy groves, -straight toward the southwest. - -"That looks like a good path," said Omby Amby. "Why not try it?" - -"All right," answered Dorothy. "I'm anxious to see what the Rigmaroles -are like, and this path ought to take us there the quickest way." - -No one made any objection to this plan, so the Sawhorse turned into -the path, which proved to be nearly as good as the one they had taken -to get to the Fuddles. As first they passed a few retired farm -houses, but soon these scattered dwellings were left behind and only -the meadows and the trees were before them. But they rode along in -cheerful contentment, and Aunt Em got into an argument with Billina -about the proper way to raise chickens. - -"I do not care to contradict you," said the Yellow Hen, with dignity, -"but I have an idea I know more about chickens than human beings do." - -"Pshaw!" replied Aunt Em. "I've raised chickens for nearly forty -years, Billina, and I know you've got to starve 'em to make 'em lay -lots of eggs, and stuff 'em if you want good broilers." - -"Broilers!" exclaimed Billina, in horror. "Broil my chickens!" - -"Why, that's what they're for, ain't it?" asked Aunt Em, astonished. - -"No, Aunt, not in Oz," said Dorothy. "People do not eat chickens -here. You see, Billina was the first hen that was ever seen in this -country, and I brought her here myself. Everybody liked her an' -respected her, so the Oz people wouldn't any more eat her chickens -than they would eat Billina." - -"Well, I declare," gasped Aunt Em. "How about the eggs?" - -"Oh, if we have more eggs than we want to hatch, we allow people to -eat them," said Billina. "Indeed, I am very glad the Oz folks like -our eggs, for otherwise they would spoil." - -"This certainly is a queer country," sighed Aunt Em. - -"Excuse me," called the Sawhorse, "the path has ended and I'd like -to know which way to go." - -They looked around and sure enough there was no path to be seen. - -"Well," said Dorothy, "we're going southwest, and it seems just as -easy to follow that direction without a path as with one." - -"Certainly," answered the Sawhorse. "It is not hard to draw the wagon -over the meadow. I only want to know where to go." - -"There's a forest over there across the prairie," said the Wizard, -"and it lies in the direction we are going. Make straight for the -forest, Sawhorse, and you're bound to go right." - -So the wooden animal trotted on again and the meadow grass was so -soft under the wheels that it made easy riding. But Dorothy was a -little uneasy at losing the path, because now there was nothing to -guide them. - -No houses were to be seen at all, so they could not ask their way of -any farmer; and although the Land of Oz was always beautiful, wherever -one might go, this part of the country was strange to all the party. - -"Perhaps we're lost," suggested Aunt Em, after they had proceeded quite -a way in silence. - -"Never mind," said the Shaggy Man; "I've been lost many a time--and -so has Dorothy--and we've always been found again." - -"But we may get hungry," remarked Omby Amby. "That is the worst of -getting lost in a place where there are no houses near." - -"We had a good dinner at the Fuddle town," said Uncle Henry, "and that -will keep us from starving to death for a long time." - -"No one ever starved to death in Oz," declared Dorothy, positively; -"but people may get pretty hungry sometimes." - -The Wizard said nothing, and he did not seem especially anxious. The -Sawhorse was trotting along briskly, yet the forest seemed farther -away than they had thought when they first saw it. So it was nearly -sundown when they finally came to the trees; but now they found -themselves in a most beautiful spot, the wide-spreading trees being -covered with flowering vines and having soft mosses underneath them. -"This will be a good place to camp," said the Wizard, as the Sawhorse -stopped for further instructions. - -"Camp!" they all echoed. - -"Certainly," asserted the Wizard. "It will be dark before very long -and we cannot travel through this forest at night. So let us make a -camp here, and have some supper, and sleep until daylight comes again." - -They all looked at the little man in astonishment, and Aunt Em said, -with a sniff: - -"A pretty camp we'll have, I must say! I suppose you intend us to -sleep under the wagon." - -"And chew grass for our supper," added the Shaggy Man, laughing. - -But Dorothy seemed to have no doubts and was quite cheerful - -"It's lucky we have the wonderful Wizard with us," she said; -"because he can do 'most anything he wants to." - -"Oh, yes; I forgot we had a Wizard," said Uncle Henry, looking at the -little man curiously. - -"I didn't," chirped Billina, contentedly. - -The Wizard smiled and climbed out of the wagon, and all the others -followed him. - -"In order to camp," said he, "the first thing we need is tents. -Will some one please lend me a handkerchief?" - -The Shaggy Man offered him one, and Aunt Em another. He took them -both and laid them carefully upon the grass near to the edge of the -forest. Then he laid his own handkerchief down, too, and standing a -little back from them he waved his left hand toward the handkerchiefs -and said: - - -"Tents of canvas, white as snow, -Let me see how fast you grow!" - - -Then, lo and behold! the handkerchiefs became tiny tents, and as the -travelers looked at them the tents grew bigger and bigger until in a -few minutes each one was large enough to contain the entire party. - -"This," said the Wizard, pointing to the first tent, "is for the -accommodation of the ladies. Dorothy, you and your Aunt may step -inside and take off your things." - -Every one ran to look inside the tent, and they saw two pretty white -beds, all ready for Dorothy and Aunt Em, and a silver roost for -Billina. Rugs were spread upon the grassy floor and some camp chairs -and a table completed the furniture. - -"Well, well, well! This beats anything I ever saw or heard of!" -exclaimed Aunt Em, and she glanced at the Wizard almost fearfully, as -if he might be dangerous because of his great powers. - -"Oh, Mr. Wizard! How did you manage to do it?" asked Dorothy. - -"It's a trick Glinda the Sorceress taught me, and it is much better -magic than I used to practice in Omaha, or when I first came to Oz," -he answered. "When the good Glinda found I was to live in the Emerald -City always, she promised to help me, because she said the Wizard of Oz -ought really to be a clever Wizard, and not a humbug. So we have been -much together and I am learning so fast that I expect to be able to -accomplish some really wonderful things in time." - -"You've done it now!" declared Dorothy. "These tents are just wonderful!" - -"But come and see the men's tent," said the Wizard. So they went to -the second tent, which had shaggy edges because it has been made from -the Shaggy Man's handkerchief, and found that completely furnished -also. It contained four neat beds for Uncle Henry, Omby Amby, the -Shaggy Man and the Wizard. Also there was a soft rug for Toto to lie upon. - -"The third tent," explained the Wizard, "is our dining room and kitchen." - -They visited that next, and found a table and dishes in the dining -tent, with plenty of those things necessary to use in cooking. The -Wizard carried out a big kettle and set it swinging on a crossbar -before the tent. While he was doing this Omby Amby and the Shaggy -Man brought a supply of twigs from the forest and then they built a -fire underneath the kettle. - -"Now, Dorothy," said the Wizard, smiling, "I expect you to cook -our supper." - -"But there is nothing in the kettle," she cried. - -"Are you sure?" inquired the Wizard. - -"I didn't see anything put in, and I'm almost sure it was empty when -you brought it out," she replied. - -"Nevertheless," said the little man, winking slyly at Uncle Henry, -"you will do well to watch our supper, my dear, and see that it -doesn't boil over." - -Then the men took some pails and went into the forest to search for a -spring of water, and while they were gone Aunt Em said to Dorothy: - -"I believe the Wizard is fooling us. I saw the kettle myself, and -when he hung it over the fire there wasn't a thing in it but air." - -"Don't worry," remarked Billina, confidently, as she nestled in the -grass before the fire. "You'll find something in the kettle when it's -taken off--and it won't be poor, innocent chickens, either." - -"Your hen has very bad manners, Dorothy," said Aunt Em, looking -somewhat disdainfully at Billina. "It seems too bad she ever learned -how to talk." - -There might have been another unpleasant quarrel between Aunt Em and -Billina had not the men returned just then with their pails filled -with clear, sparkling water. The Wizard told Dorothy that she was a -good cook and he believed their supper was ready. - -So Uncle Henry lifted the kettle from the fire and poured its contents -into a big platter which the Wizard held for him. The platter was -fairly heaped with a fine stew, smoking hot, with many kinds of -vegetables and dumplings and a rich, delicious gravy. - -The Wizard triumphantly placed the platter upon the table in the -dining tent and then they all sat down in camp chairs to the feast. - -There were several other dishes on the table, all carefully covered, -and when the time came to remove these covers they found bread and -butter, cakes, cheese, pickles and fruits--including some of the -luscious strawberries of Oz. - -No one ventured to ask a question as to how these things came there. -They contented themselves by eating heartily the good things provided, -and Toto and Billina had their full share, you may be sure. After the -meal was over, Aunt Em whispered to Dorothy: - -"That may have been magic food, my dear, and for that reason perhaps -it won't be very nourishing; but I'm willing to say it tasted as good -as anything I ever et." Then she added, in a louder voice: "Who's -going to do the dishes?" - -"No one, madam," answered the Wizard. "The dishes have 'done' themselves." - -"La sakes!" ejaculated the good lady, holding up her hands in -amazement. For, sure enough, when she looked at the dishes they had a -moment before left upon the table, she found them all washed and dried -and piled up into neat stacks. - - - -15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost - - -It was a beautiful evening, so they drew their camp chairs in a circle -before one of the tents and began to tell stories to amuse themselves -and pass away the time before they went to bed. - -Pretty soon a zebra was seen coming out of the forest, and he trotted -straight up to them and said politely: - -"Good evening, people." - -The zebra was a sleek little animal and had a slender head, a stubby -mane and a paint-brush tail--very like a donkey's. His neatly shaped -white body was covered with regular bars of dark brown, and his hoofs -were delicate as those of a deer. - -"Good evening, friend Zebra," said Omby Amby, in reply to the -creature's greeting. "Can we do anything for you?" - -"Yes," answered the zebra. "I should like you to settle a dispute -that has long been a bother to me, as to whether there is more water -or land in the world." - -"Who are you disputing with?" asked the Wizard. - -"With a soft-shell crab," said the zebra. "He lives in a pool where I -go to drink every day, and he is a very impertinent crab, I assure -you. I have told him many times that the land is much greater in -extent than the water, but he will not be convinced. Even this very -evening, when I told him he was an insignificant creature who lived in -a small pool, he asserted that the water was greater and more -important than the land. So, seeing your camp, I decided to ask you to -settle the dispute for once and all, that I may not be further annoyed -by this ignorant crab." - -When they had listened to this explanation Dorothy inquired: - -"Where is the soft-shell crab?" - -"Not far away," replied the zebra. "If you will agree to judge -between us I will run and get him." - -"Run along, then," said the little girl. - -So the animal pranced into the forest and soon came trotting back to -them. When he drew near they found a soft-shell crab clinging fast -to the stiff hair of the zebra's head, where it held on by one claw. - -"Now then, Mr. Crab," said the zebra, "here are the people I told you -about; and they know more than you do, who lives in a pool, and more -than I do, who lives in a forest. For they have been travelers all -over the world, and know every part of it." - -"There is more of the world than Oz," declared the crab, -in a stubborn voice. - -"That is true," said Dorothy; "but I used to live in Kansas, in the -United States, and I've been to California and to Australia and so -has Uncle Henry." - -"For my part," added the Shaggy Man, "I've been to Mexico and Boston -and many other foreign countries." - -"And I," said the Wizard, "have been to Europe and Ireland." - -"So you see," continued the zebra, addressing the crab, "here are -people of real consequence, who know what they are talking about." - -"Then they know there's more water in the world than there is land," -asserted the crab, in a shrill, petulant voice. - -"They know you are wrong to make such an absurd statement, and they will -probably think you are a lobster instead of a crab," retorted the animal. - -At this taunt the crab reached out its other claw and seized the -zebra's ear, and the creature gave a cry of pain and began prancing up -and down, trying to shake off the crab, which clung fast. - -"Stop pinching!" cried the zebra. "You promised not to pinch if I -would carry you here!" - -"And you promised to treat me respectfully," said the crab, letting go -the ear. - -"Well, haven't I?" demanded the zebra. - -"No; you called me a lobster," said the crab. - -"Ladies and gentlemen," continued the zebra, "please pardon my poor -friend, because he is ignorant and stupid, and does not understand. -Also the pinch of his claw is very annoying. So pray tell him that -the world contains more land than water, and when he has heard your -judgment I will carry him back and dump him into his pool, where I -hope he will be more modest in the future." - -"But we cannot tell him that," said Dorothy, gravely, "because it -would not be true." - -"What!" exclaimed the zebra, in astonishment; "do I hear you aright?" - -"The soft-shell crab is correct," declared the Wizard. "There is -considerably more water than there is land in the world." - -"Impossible!" protested the zebra. "Why, I can run for days upon the -land, and find but little water." - -"Did you ever see an ocean?" asked Dorothy. - -"Never," admitted the zebra. "There is no such thing as an ocean in -the Land of Oz." - -"Well, there are several oceans in the world," said Dorothy, "and -people sail in ships upon these oceans for weeks and weeks, and never -see a bit of land at all. And the joggerfys will tell you that all -the oceans put together are bigger than all the land put together." - -At this the crab began laughing in queer chuckles that reminded -Dorothy of the way Billina sometimes cackled. - -"NOW will you give up, Mr. Zebra?" it cried, jeeringly; "now will -you give up?" - -The zebra seemed much humbled. - -"Of course I cannot read geographys," he said. - -"You could take one of the Wizard's School Pills," suggested Billina, -"and that would make you learned and wise without studying." - -The crab began laughing again, which so provoked the zebra that he -tried to shake the little creature off. This resulted in more -ear-pinching, and finally Dorothy told them that if they could not -behave they must go back to the forest. - -"I'm sorry I asked you to decide this question," said the zebra, -crossly. "So long as neither of us could prove we were right we -quite enjoyed the dispute; but now I can never drink at that pool -again without the soft-shell crab laughing at me. So I must find -another drinking place." - -"Do! Do, you ignoramus!" shouted the crab, as loudly as his little -voice would carry. "Rile some other pool with your clumsy hoofs, -and let your betters alone after this!" - -Then the zebra trotted back to the forest, bearing the crab with him, -and disappeared amid the gloom of the trees. And as it was now getting -dark the travelers said good night to one another and went to bed. - -Dorothy awoke just as the light was beginning to get strong next -morning, and not caring to sleep any later she quietly got out of -bed, dressed herself, and left the tent where Aunt Em was yet -peacefully slumbering. - -Outside she noticed Billina busily pecking around to secure bugs or -other food for breakfast, but none of the men in the other tent seemed -awake. So the little girl decided to take a walk in the woods and try -to discover some path or road that they might follow when they again -started upon their journey. - -She had reached the edge of the forest when the Yellow Hen came -fluttering along and asked where she was going. - -"Just to take a walk, Billina; and maybe I'll find some path," -said Dorothy. - -"Then I'll go along," decided Billina, and scarcely had she spoken -when Toto ran up and joined them. - -Toto and the Yellow Hen had become quite friendly by this time, -although at first they did not get along well together. Billina had -been rather suspicious of dogs, and Toto had had an idea that it was -every dog's duty to chase a hen on sight. But Dorothy had talked to -them and scolded them for not being agreeable to one another until -they grew better acquainted and became friends. - -I won't say they loved each other dearly, but at least they had -stopped quarreling and now managed to get on together very well. - -The day was growing lighter every minute and driving the black shadows -out of the forest; so Dorothy found it very pleasant walking under the -trees. She went some distance in one direction, but not finding a -path, presently turned in a different direction. There was no path -here, either, although she advanced quite a way into the forest, -winding here and there among the trees and peering through the bushes -in an endeavor to find some beaten track. - -"I think we'd better go back," suggested the Yellow Hen, after a time. -"The people will all be up by this time and breakfast will be ready." - -"Very well," agreed Dorothy. "Let's see--the camp must be over this way." - -She had probably made a mistake about that, for after they had gone -far enough to have reached the camp they still found themselves in the -thick of the woods. So the little girl stopped short and looked -around her, and Toto glanced up into her face with his bright little -eyes and wagged his tail as if he knew something was wrong. He -couldn't tell much about direction himself, because he had spent his -time prowling among the bushes and running here and there; nor had -Billina paid much attention to where they were going, being interested -in picking bugs from the moss as they passed along. The Yellow Hen -now turned one eye up toward the little girl and asked: - -"Have you forgotten where the camp is, Dorothy?" - -"Yes," she admitted; "have you, Billina?" - -"I didn't try to remember," returned Billina. "I'd no idea you would -get lost, Dorothy." - -"It's the thing we don't expect, Billina, that usually happens," -observed the girl, thoughtfully. "But it's no use standing here. -Let's go in that direction," pointing a finger at random. "It may be -we'll get out of the forest over there." - -So on they went again, but this way the trees were closer together, -and the vines were so tangled that often they tripped Dorothy up. - -Suddenly a voice cried sharply: - -"Halt!" - -At first, Dorothy could see nothing, although she looked around very -carefully. But Billina exclaimed: - -"Well, I declare!" - -"What is it?" asked the little girl: for Toto began barking at -something, and following his gaze she discovered what it was. - -A row of spoons had surrounded the three, and these spoons stood -straight up on their handles and carried swords and muskets. Their -faces were outlined in the polished bowls and they looked very stern -and severe. - -Dorothy laughed at the queer things. - -"Who are you?" she asked. - -"We're the Spoon Brigade," said one. - -"In the service of his Majesty King Kleaver," said another. - -"And you are our prisoners," said a third. - -Dorothy sat down on an old stump and looked at them, her eyes -twinkling with amusement. - -"What would happen," she inquired, "if I should set my dog -on your Brigade?" - -"He would die," replied one of the spoons, sharply. "One shot from -our deadly muskets would kill him, big as he is." - -"Don't risk it, Dorothy," advised the Yellow Hen. "Remember this is -a fairy country, yet none of us three happens to be a fairy." - -Dorothy grew sober at this. - -"P'raps you're right, Billina," she answered. "But how funny it is, -to be captured by a lot of spoons!" - -"I do not see anything very funny about it," declared a spoon. "We're -the regular military brigade of the kingdom." - -"What kingdom?" she asked. - -"Utensia," said he. - -"I never heard of it before," asserted Dorothy. Then she added -thoughtfully, "I don't believe Ozma ever heard of Utensia, either. -Tell me, are you not subjects of Ozma of Oz?" - -"We have never heard of her," retorted a spoon. "We are subjects of -King Kleaver, and obey only his orders, which are to bring all -prisoners to him as soon as they are captured. So step lively, my -girl, and march with us, or we may be tempted to cut off a few of your -toes with our swords." - -This threat made Dorothy laugh again. She did not believe she was in -any danger; but here was a new and interesting adventure, so she was -willing to be taken to Utensia that she might see what King Kleaver's -kingdom was like. - - - -16. How Dorothy Visited Utensia - - -There must have been from six to eight dozen spoons in the Brigade, -and they marched away in the shape of a hollow square, with Dorothy, -Billina and Toto in the center of the square. Before they had gone -very far Toto knocked over one of the spoons by wagging his tail, and -then the Captain of the Spoons told the little dog to be more careful, -or he would be punished. So Toto was careful, and the Spoon Brigade -moved along with astonishing swiftness, while Dorothy really had to -walk fast to keep up with it. - -By and by they left the woods and entered a big clearing, in which was -the Kingdom of Utensia. - -Standing all around the clearing were a good many cookstoves, ranges -and grills, of all sizes and shapes, and besides these there were -several kitchen cabinets and cupboards and a few kitchen tables. -These things were crowded with utensils of all sorts: frying pans, -sauce pans, kettles, forks, knives, basting and soup spoons, nutmeg -graters, sifters, colanders, meat saws, flat irons, rolling pins and -many other things of a like nature. - -When the Spoon Brigade appeared with the prisoners a wild shout -arose and many of the utensils hopped off their stoves or their -benches and ran crowding around Dorothy and the hen and the dog. - -"Stand back!" cried the Captain, sternly, and he led his captives -through the curious throng until they came before a big range that -stood in the center of the clearing. Beside this range was a butcher -block upon which lay a great cleaver with a keen edge. It rested upon the -flat of its back, its legs were crossed and it was smoking a long pipe. - -"Wake up, your Majesty," said the Captain. "Here are prisoners." - -Hearing this, King Kleaver sat up and looked at Dorothy sharply. - -"Gristle and fat!" he cried. "Where did this girl come from?" - -"I found her in the forest and brought her here a prisoner," replied -the Captain. - -"Why did you do that?" inquired the King, puffing his pipe lazily. - -"To create some excitement," the Captain answered. "It is so quiet -here that we are all getting rusty for want of amusement. For my -part, I prefer to see stirring times." - -"Naturally," returned the cleaver, with a nod. "I have always said, -Captain, without a bit of irony, that you are a sterling officer and a -solid citizen, bowled and polished to a degree. But what do you -expect me to do with these prisoners?" - -"That is for you to decide," declared the Captain. "You are the King." - -"To be sure; to be sure," muttered the cleaver, musingly. "As you say, -we have had dull times since the steel and grindstone eloped and left -us. Command my Counselors and the Royal Courtiers to attend me, as well -as the High Priest and the Judge. We'll then decide what can be done." - -The Captain saluted and retired and Dorothy sat down on an overturned -kettle and asked: - -"Have you anything to eat in your kingdom?" - -"Here! Get up! Get off from me!" cried a faint voice, at which his -Majesty the cleaver said: - -"Excuse me, but you're sitting on my friend the Ten-quart Kettle." - -Dorothy at once arose, and the kettle turned right side up and looked -at her reproachfully. - -"I'm a friend of the King, so no one dares sit on me," said he. - -"I'd prefer a chair, anyway," she replied. - -"Sit on that hearth," commanded the King. - -So Dorothy sat on the hearth-shelf of the big range, and the subjects -of Utensia began to gather around in a large and inquisitive throng. -Toto lay at Dorothy's feet and Billina flew upon the range, which had -no fire in it, and perched there as comfortably as she could. - -When all the Counselors and Courtiers had assembled--and these seemed -to include most of the inhabitants of the kingdom--the King rapped on -the block for order and said: - -"Friends and Fellow Utensils! Our worthy Commander of the Spoon -Brigade, Captain Dipp, has captured the three prisoners you see before -you and brought them here for--for--I don't know what for. So I ask -your advice how to act in this matter, and what fate I should mete out -to these captives. Judge Sifter, stand on my right. It is your -business to sift this affair to the bottom. High Priest Colender, -stand on my left and see that no one testifies falsely in this matter." - -As these two officials took their places, Dorothy asked: - -"Why is the colander the High Priest?" - -"He's the holiest thing we have in the kingdom," replied King Kleaver. - -"Except me," said a sieve. "I'm the whole thing when it comes to holes." - -"What we need," remarked the King, rebukingly, "is a wireless sieve. I -must speak to Marconi about it. These old-fashioned sieves talk too -much. Now, it is the duty of the King's Counselors to counsel the -King at all times of emergency, so I beg you to speak out and advise -me what to do with these prisoners." - -"I demand that they be killed several times, until they are dead!" -shouted a pepperbox, hopping around very excitedly. - -"Compose yourself, Mr. Paprica," advised the King. "Your remarks are -piquant and highly-seasoned, but you need a scattering of commonsense. -It is only necessary to kill a person once to make him dead; but I do -not see that it is necessary to kill this little girl at all." - -"I don't, either," said Dorothy. - -"Pardon me, but you are not expected to advise me in this matter," -replied King Kleaver. - -"Why not?" asked Dorothy. - -"You might be prejudiced in your own favor, and so mislead us," he -said. "Now then, good subjects, who speaks next?" - -"I'd like to smooth this thing over, in some way," said a flatiron, -earnestly. "We are supposed to be useful to mankind, you know." - -"But the girl isn't mankind! She's womankind!" yelled a corkscrew. - -"What do you know about it?" inquired the King. - -"I'm a lawyer," said the corkscrew, proudly. "I am accustomed to -appear at the bar." - -"But you're crooked," retorted the King, "and that debars you. You -may be a corking good lawyer, Mr. Popp, but I must ask you to -withdraw your remarks." - -"Very well," said the corkscrew, sadly; "I see I haven't any pull at -this court." - -"Permit me," continued the flatiron, "to press my suit, your Majesty. -I do not wish to gloss over any fault the prisoner may have committed, -if such a fault exists; but we owe her some consideration, -and that's flat!" - -"I'd like to hear from Prince Karver," said the King. - -At this a stately carvingknife stepped forward and bowed. - -"The Captain was wrong to bring this girl here, and she was wrong to -come," he said. "But now that the foolish deed is done let us all -prove our mettle and have a slashing good time." - -"That's it! that's it!" screamed a fat choppingknife. "We'll make -mincemeat of the girl and hash of the chicken and sausage of the dog!" - -There was a shout of approval at this and the King had to rap again -for order. - -"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he said, "your remarks are somewhat cutting -and rather disjointed, as might be expected from such acute -intellects. But you give me no reasons for your demands." - -"See here, Kleaver; you make me tired," said a saucepan, strutting -before the King very impudently. "You're about the worst King that -ever reigned in Utensia, and that's saying a good deal. Why don't you -run things yourself, instead of asking everybody's advice, like the -big, clumsy idiot you are?" - -The King sighed. - -"I wish there wasn't a saucepan in my kingdom," he said. "You fellows -are always stewing, over something, and every once in a while you slop -over and make a mess of it. Go hang yourself, sir--by the handle--and -don't let me hear from you again." - -Dorothy was much shocked by the dreadful language the utensils -employed, and she thought that they must have had very little proper -training. So she said, addressing the King, who seemed very unfit to -rule his turbulent subjects: - -"I wish you'd decide my fate right away. I can't stay here all day, -trying to find out what you're going to do with me." - -"This thing is becoming a regular broil, and it's time I took part in -it," observed a big gridiron, coming forward. - -"What I'd like to know," said a can-opener, in a shrill voice, "is why -the little girl came to our forest anyhow and why she intruded upon -Captain Dipp--who ought to be called Dippy--and who she is, and where -she came from, and where she is going, and why and wherefore and -therefore and when." - -"I'm sorry to see, Sir Jabber," remarked the King to the can-opener, -"that you have such a prying disposition. As a matter of fact, all -the things you mention are none of our business." - -Having said this the King relighted his pipe, which had gone out. - -"Tell me, please, what IS our business?" inquired a potato-masher, -winking at Dorothy somewhat impertinently. "I'm fond of little girls, -myself, and it seems to me she has as much right to wander in the -forest as we have." - -"Who accuses the little girl, anyway?" inquired a rolling-pin. -"What has she done?" - -"I don't know," said the King. "What has she done, Captain Dipp?" - -"That's the trouble, your Majesty. She hasn't done anything," replied -the Captain. - -"What do you want me to do?" asked Dorothy. - -This question seemed to puzzle them all. Finally, a chafingdish, -exclaimed irritably: - -"If no one can throw any light on this subject you must excuse me -if I go out." - -At this, a big kitchen fork pricked up its ears and said in a tiny voice: - -"Let's hear from Judge Sifter." - -"That's proper," returned the King. - -So Judge Sifter turned around slowly several times and then said: - -"We have nothing against the girl except the stove-hearth upon which -she sits. Therefore I order her instantly discharged." - -"Discharged!" cried Dorothy. "Why, I never was discharged in my life, -and I don't intend to be. If it's all the same to you, I'll resign." - -"It's all the same," declared the King. "You are free--you and your -companions--and may go wherever you like." - -"Thank you," said the little girl. "But haven't you anything to eat -in your kingdom? I'm hungry." - -"Go into the woods and pick blackberries," advised the King, lying -down upon his back again and preparing to go to sleep. "There isn't a -morsel to eat in all Utensia, that I know of." - -So Dorothy jumped up and said: - -"Come on, Toto and Billina. If we can't find the camp, we may find -some blackberries." - -The utensils drew back and allowed them to pass without protest, -although Captain Dipp marched the Spoon Brigade in close order after -them until they had reached the edge of the clearing. - -There the spoons halted; but Dorothy and her companions entered the -forest again and began searching diligently for a way back to the -camp, that they might rejoin their party. - - - -17. How They Came to Bunbury - - -Wandering through the woods, without knowing where you are going or -what adventure you are about to meet next, is not as pleasant as one -might think. The woods are always beautiful and impressive, and if -you are not worried or hungry you may enjoy them immensely; but -Dorothy was worried and hungry that morning, so she paid little -attention to the beauties of the forest, and hurried along as fast as -she could go. She tried to keep in one direction and not circle -around, but she was not at all sure that the direction she had chosen -would lead her to the camp. - -By and by, to her great joy, she came upon a path. It ran to the -right and to the left, being lost in the trees in both directions, and -just before her, upon a big oak, were fastened two signs, with arms -pointing both ways. One sign read: - - -TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNBURY - - -and the second sign read: - - -TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNNYBURY - - -"Well!" exclaimed Billina, eyeing the signs, "this looks as if we -were getting back to civilization again." - -"I'm not sure about the civil'zation, dear," replied the little -girl; "but it looks as if we might get SOMEWHERE, and that's a -big relief, anyhow." - -"Which path shall we take?" inquired the Yellow Hen. - -Dorothy stared at the signs thoughtfully. - -"Bunbury sounds like something to eat," she said. "Let's go there." - -"It's all the same to me," replied Billina. She had picked up enough -bugs and insects from the moss as she went along to satisfy her own -hunger, but the hen knew Dorothy could not eat bugs; nor could Toto. - -The path to Bunbury seemed little traveled, but it was distinct enough -and ran through the trees in a zigzag course until it finally led them -to an open space filled with the queerest houses Dorothy had ever seen. -They were all made of crackers laid out in tiny squares, and were of -many pretty and ornamental shapes, having balconies and porches with -posts of bread-sticks and roofs shingled with wafer-crackers. - -There were walks of bread-crusts leading from house to house and -forming streets, and the place seemed to have many inhabitants. - -When Dorothy, followed by Billina and Toto, entered the place, they -found people walking the streets or assembled in groups talking -together, or sitting upon the porches and balconies. - -And what funny people they were! - -Men, women and children were all made of buns and bread. Some were -thin and others fat; some were white, some light brown and some very -dark of complexion. A few of the buns, which seemed to form the more -important class of the people, were neatly frosted. Some had raisins -for eyes and currant buttons on their clothes; others had eyes of -cloves and legs of stick cinnamon, and many wore hats and bonnets -frosted pink and green. - -There was something of a commotion in Bunbury when the strangers -suddenly appeared among them. Women caught up their children and -hurried into their houses, shutting the cracker doors carefully behind -them. Some men ran so hastily that they tumbled over one another, while -others, more brave, assembled in a group and faced the intruders defiantly. - -Dorothy at once realized that she must act with caution in order -not to frighten these shy people, who were evidently unused to the -presence of strangers. There was a delightful fragrant odor of fresh -bread in the town, and this made the little girl more hungry than -ever. She told Toto and Billina to stay back while she slowly -advanced toward the group that stood silently awaiting her. - -"You must 'scuse me for coming unexpected," she said, softly, -"but I really didn't know I was coming here until I arrived. -I was lost in the woods, you know, and I'm as hungry as anything." - -"Hungry!" they murmured, in a horrified chorus. - -"Yes; I haven't had anything to eat since last night's supper," she -exclaimed. "Are there any eatables in Bunbury?" - -They looked at one another undecidedly, and then one portly bun man, -who seemed a person of consequence, stepped forward and said: - -"Little girl, to be frank with you, we are all eatables. Everything -in Bunbury is eatable to ravenous human creatures like you. But it is -to escape being eaten and destroyed that we have secluded ourselves in -this out-of-the-way place, and there is neither right nor justice in -your coming here to feed upon us." - -Dorothy looked at him longingly. - -"You're bread, aren't you?" she asked. - -"Yes; bread and butter. The butter is inside me, so it won't melt and -run. I do the running myself." - -At this joke all the others burst into a chorus of laughter, and Dorothy -thought they couldn't be much afraid if they could laugh like that. - -"Couldn't I eat something besides people?" she asked. "Couldn't I eat -just one house, or a side-walk or something? I wouldn't mind much -what it was, you know." - -"This is not a public bakery, child," replied the man, sternly. -"It's private property." - -"I know Mr.--Mr.--" - -"My name is C. Bunn, Esquire," said the man. "'C' stands for -Cinnamon, and this place is called after my family, which is the most -aristocratic in the town." - -"Oh, I don't know about that," objected another of the queer people. -"The Grahams and the Browns and Whites are all excellent families, and -there is none better of their kind. I'm a Boston Brown, myself." - -"I admit you are all desirable citizens," said Mr. Bunn rather -stiffly; "but the fact remains that our town is called Bunbury." - -"'Scuse me," interrupted Dorothy; "but I'm getting hungrier every -minute. Now, if you're polite and kind, as I'm sure you ought to be, -you'll let me eat SOMETHING. There's so much to eat here that you -will never miss it." - -Then a big, puffed-up man, of a delicate brown color, stepped forward -and said: - -"I think it would be a shame to send this child away hungry, -especially as she agrees to eat whatever we can spare and not touch -our people." - -"So do I, Pop," replied a Roll who stood near. - -"What, then, do you suggest, Mr. Over?" inquired Mr. Bunn. - -"Why, I'll let her eat my back fence, if she wants to. It's made of -waffles, and they're very crisp and nice." - -"She may also eat my wheelbarrow," added a pleasant looking Muffin. -"It's made of nabiscos with a zuzu wheel." - -"Very good; very good," remarked Mr. Bunn. "That is certainly very -kind of you. Go with Pop Over and Mr. Muffin, little girl, and they -will feed you." - -"Thank you very much," said Dorothy, gratefully. "May I bring my dog -Toto, and the Yellow Hen? They're hungry, too." - -"Will you make them behave?" asked the Muffin. - -"Of course," promised Dorothy. - -"Then come along," said Pop Over. - -So Dorothy and Billina and Toto walked up the street and the people -seemed no longer to be at all afraid of them. Mr. Muffin's house -came first, and as his wheelbarrow stood in the front yard the little -girl ate that first. It didn't seem very fresh, but she was so hungry -that she was not particular. Toto ate some, too, while Billina picked -up the crumbs. - -While the strangers were engaged in eating, many of the people came -and stood in the street curiously watching them. Dorothy noticed six -roguish looking brown children standing all in a row, and she asked: - -"Who are you, little ones?" - -"We're the Graham Gems," replied one; "and we're all twins." - -"I wonder if your mother could spare one or two of you?" asked -Billina, who decided that they were fresh baked; but at this dangerous -question the six little gems ran away as fast as they could go. - -"You musn't say such things, Billina," said Dorothy, reprovingly. -"Now let's go into Pop Over's back yard and get the waffles." - -"I sort of hate to let that fence go," remarked Mr. Over, nervously, -as they walked toward his house. "The neighbors back of us are Soda -Biscuits, and I don't care to mix with them." - -"But I'm hungry yet," declared the girl. "That wheelbarrow wasn't -very big." - -"I've got a shortcake piano, but none of my family can play on it," he -said, reflectively. "Suppose you eat that." - -"All right," said Dorothy; "I don't mind. Anything to be accommodating." - -So Mr. Over led her into the house, where she ate the piano, which was -of an excellent flavor. - -"Is there anything to drink here?" she asked. - -"Yes; I've a milk pump and a water pump; which will you have?" he asked. - -"I guess I'll try 'em both," said Dorothy. - -So Mr. Over called to his wife, who brought into the yard a pail made -of some kind of baked dough, and Dorothy pumped the pail full of cool, -sweet milk and drank it eagerly. - -The wife of Pop Over was several shades darker than her husband. - -"Aren't you overdone?" the little girl asked her. - -"No indeed," answered the woman. "I'm neither overdone nor done over; -I'm just Mrs. Over, and I'm the President of the Bunbury Breakfast Band." - -Dorothy thanked them for their hospitality and went away. At the -gate Mr. Cinnamon Bunn met her and said he would show her around the -town. "We have some very interesting inhabitants," he remarked, -walking stiffly beside her on his stick-cinnamon legs; "and all of us -who are in good health are well bred. If you are no longer hungry we -will call upon a few of the most important citizens." - -Toto and Billina followed behind them, behaving very well, and a -little way down the street they came to a handsome residence where -Aunt Sally Lunn lived. The old lady was glad to meet the little girl -and gave her a slice of white bread and butter which had been used as -a door-mat. It was almost fresh and tasted better than anything -Dorothy had eaten in the town. - -"Where do you get the butter?" she inquired. - -"We dig it out of the ground, which, as you may have observed, is all -flour and meal," replied Mr. Bunn. "There is a butter mine just at -the opposite side of the village. The trees which you see here are -all doughleanders and doughderas, and in the season we get quite a -crop of dough-nuts off them." - -"I should think the flour would blow around and get into your eyes," -said Dorothy. - -"No," said he; "we are bothered with cracker dust sometimes, but -never with flour." - -Then he took her to see Johnny Cake, a cheerful old gentleman who -lived near by. - -"I suppose you've heard of me," said old Johnny, with an air of pride. -"I'm a great favorite all over the world." - -"Aren't you rather yellow?" asked Dorothy, looking at him critically. - -"Maybe, child. But don't think I'm bilious, for I was never in better -health in my life," replied the old gentleman. "If anything ailed me, -I'd willingly acknowledge the corn." - -"Johnny's a trifle stale," said Mr. Bunn, as they went away; "but he's -a good mixer and never gets cross-grained. I will now take you to -call upon some of my own relatives." They visited the Sugar Bunns, -the Currant Bunns and the Spanish Bunns, the latter having a decidedly -foreign appearance. Then they saw the French Rolls, who were very -polite to them, and made a brief call upon the Parker H. Rolls, who -seemed a bit proud and overbearing. - -"But they're not as stuck up as the Frosted Jumbles," declared Mr. -Bunn, "who are people I really can't abide. I don't like to be -suspicious or talk scandal, but sometimes I think the Jumbles have too -much baking powder in them." - -Just then a dreadful scream was heard, and Dorothy turned hastily -around to find a scene of great excitement a little way down the -street. The people were crowding around Toto and throwing at him -everything they could find at hand. They pelted the little dog with -hard-tack, crackers, and even articles of furniture which were hard -baked and heavy enough for missiles. - -Toto howeled a little as the assortment of bake stuff struck him; but -he stood still, with head bowed and tail between his legs, until -Dorothy ran up and inquired what the matter was. - -"Matter!" cried a rye loafer, indignantly, "why the horrid beast -has eaten three of our dear Crumpets, and is now devouring a -Salt-rising Biscuit!" - -"Oh, Toto! How could you?" exclaimed Dorothy, much distressed. - -Toto's mouth was full of his salt-rising victim; so he only whined and -wagged his tail. But Billina, who had flown to the top of a cracker -house to be in a safe place, called out: - -"Don't blame him, Dorothy; the Crumpets dared him to do it." - -"Yes, and you pecked out the eyes of a Raisin Bunn--one of our best -citizens!" shouted a bread pudding, shaking its fist at the Yellow Hen. - -"What's that! What's that?" wailed Mr. Cinnamon Bunn, who had now -joined them. "Oh, what a misfortune--what a terrible misfortune!" - -"See here," said Dorothy, determined to defend her pets, "I think -we've treated you all pretty well, seeing you're eatables an' reg'lar -food for us. I've been kind to you and eaten your old wheelbarrows -and pianos and rubbish, an' not said a word. But Toto and Billina -can't be 'spected to go hungry when the town's full of good things -they like to eat, 'cause they can't understand your stingy ways as -I do." - -"You must leave here at once!" said Mr. Bunn, sternly. - -"Suppose we won't go?" said Dorothy, who was now much provoked. - -"Then," said he, "we will put you into the great ovens where we are -made, and bake you." - -Dorothy gazed around and saw threatening looks upon the faces of all. -She had not noticed any ovens in the town, but they might be there, -nevertheless, for some of the inhabitants seemed very fresh. So she -decided to go, and calling to Toto and Billina to follow her she -marched up the street with as much dignity as possible, considering -that she was followed by the hoots and cries of the buns and biscuits -and other bake stuff. - - - -18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture - - -Princess Ozma was a very busy little ruler, for she looked carefully -after the comfort and welfare of her people and tried to make them -happy. If any quarrels arose she decided them justly; if any one -needed counsel or advice she was ready and willing to listen to them. - -For a day or two after Dorothy and her companions had started on their -trip, Ozma was occupied with the affairs of her kingdom. Then she -began to think of some manner of occupation for Uncle Henry and Aunt -Em that would be light and easy and yet give the old people something -to do. - -She soon decided to make Uncle Henry the Keeper of the Jewels, for -some one really was needed to count and look after the bins and barrels -of emeralds, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones that were in -the Royal Storehouses. That would keep Uncle Henry busy enough, but -it was harder to find something for Aunt Em to do. The palace was -full of servants, so there was no detail of housework that Aunt Em -could look after. - -While Ozma sat in her pretty room engaged in thought she happened -to glance at her Magic Picture. - -This was one of the most important treasures in all the Land of Oz. -It was a large picture, set in a beautiful gold frame, and it hung -in a prominent place upon a wall of Ozma's private room. - -Usually this picture seemed merely a country scene, but whenever -Ozma looked at it and wished to know what any of her friends or -acquaintances were doing, the magic of this wonderful picture was -straightway disclosed. For the country scene would gradually fade -away and in its place would appear the likeness of the person or -persons Ozma might wish to see, surrounded by the actual scenes in -which they were then placed. In this way the Princess could view any -part of the world she wished, and watch the actions of any one in whom -she was interested. - -Ozma had often seen Dorothy in her Kansas home by this means, and now, -having a little leisure, she expressed a desire to see her little -friend again. It was while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig, and -Ozma laughed merrily as she watched in the picture her friends trying -to match the pieces of Grandmother Gnit. - -"They seem happy and are doubtless having a good time," the girl -Ruler said to herself; and then she began to think of the many -adventures she herself had encountered with Dorothy. - -The image of her friends now faded from the Magic Picture and the old -landscape slowly reappeared. - -Ozma was thinking of the time when with Dorothy and her army she -marched to the Nome King's underground cavern, beyond the Land of Ev, -and forced the old monarch to liberate his captives, who belonged to -the Royal Family of Ev. That was the time when the Scarecrow nearly -frightened the Nome King into fits by throwing one of Billina's eggs -at him, and Dorothy had captured King Roquat's Magic Belt and brought -it away with her to the Land of Oz. - -The pretty Princess smiled at the recollection of this adventure, and -then she wondered what had become of the Nome King since then. Merely -because she was curious and had nothing better to do, Ozma glanced at -the Magic Picture and wished to see in it the King of the Nomes. - -Roquat the Red went every day into his tunnel to see how the work was -getting along and to hurry his workmen as much as possible. He was -there now, and Ozma saw him plainly in the Magic Picture. - -She saw the underground tunnel, reaching far underneath the Deadly -Desert which separated the Land of Oz from the mountains beneath which -the Nome King had his extensive caverns. She saw that the tunnel was -being made in the direction of the Emerald City, and knew at once it -was being dug so that the army of Nomes could march through it and -attack her own beautiful and peaceful country. - -"I suppose King Roquat is planning revenge against us," she said, -musingly, "and thinks he can surprise us and make us his captives and -slaves. How sad it is that any one can have such wicked thoughts! -But I must not blame King Roquat too severely, for he is a Nome, -and his nature is not so gentle as my own." - -Then she dismissed from her mind further thought of the tunnel, for -that time, and began to wonder if Aunt Em would not be happy as Royal -Mender of the Stockings of the Ruler of Oz. Ozma wore few holes in -her stockings; still, they sometimes needed mending. Aunt Em ought to -be able to do that very nicely. - -Next day, the Princess watched the tunnel again in her Magic Picture, -and every day afterward she devoted a few minutes to inspecting the work. -It was not especially interesting, but she felt that it was her duty. - -Slowly but surely the big, arched hole crept through the rocks -underneath the deadly desert, and day by day it drew nearer and -nearer to the Emerald City. - - - -19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers - - -Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when they -were in the forest again she said to Billina: - -"I never thought that things good to eat could be so dis'gree'ble." - -"Often I've eaten things that tasted good but were disagreeable -afterward," returned the Yellow Hen. "I think, Dorothy, if eatables -are going to act badly, it's better before than after you eat them." - -"P'raps you're right," said the little girl, with a sigh. "But what -shall we do now?" - -"Let us follow the path back to the signpost," suggested Billina. -"That will be better than getting lost again." - -"Why, we're lost anyhow," declared Dorothy; "but I guess you're right -about going back to that signpost, Billina." - -They returned along the path to the place where they had first found -it, and at once took "the other road" to Bunnybury. This road was a -mere narrow strip, worn hard and smooth but not wide enough for -Dorothy's feet to tread. Still, it was a guide, and the walking -through the forest was not at all difficult. - -Before long they reached a high wall of solid white marble, and the -path came to an end at this wall. - -At first Dorothy thought there was no opening at all in the marble, -but on looking closely she discovered a small square door about on a -level with her head, and underneath this closed door was a bell-push. -Near the bell-push a sign was painted in neat letters upon the marble, -and the sign read: - - -NO ADMITTANCE - -EXCEPT ON BUSINESS - - -This did not discourage Dorothy, however, and she rang the bell. - -Pretty soon a bolt was cautiously withdrawn and the marble door swung -slowly open. Then she saw it was not really a door, but a window, for -several brass bars were placed across it, being set fast in the marble -and so close together that the little girl's fingers might barely go -between them. Back of the bars appeared the face of a white rabbit--a -very sober and sedate face--with an eye-glass held in his left eye and -attached to a cord in his button-hole. - -"Well! what is it?" asked the rabbit, sharply. - -"I'm Dorothy," said the girl, "and I'm lost, and--" - -"State your business, please," interrupted the rabbit. - -"My business," she replied, "is to find out where I am, and to--" - -"No one is allowed in Bunnybury without an order or a letter of -introduction from either Ozma of Oz or Glinda the Good," announced -the rabbit; "so that settles the matter," and he started to close -the window. - -"Wait a minute!" cried Dorothy. "I've got a letter from Ozma." - -"From the Ruler of Oz?" asked the rabbit, doubtingly. - -"Of course. Ozma's my best friend, you know; and I'm a Princess -myself," she announced, earnestly. - -"Hum--ha! Let me see your letter," returned the rabbit, as if he -still doubted her. - -So she hunted in her pocket and found the letter Ozma had given her. -Then she handed it through the bars to the rabbit, who took it in his -paws and opened it. He read it aloud in a pompous voice, as if to let -Dorothy and Billina see that he was educated and could read writing. -The letter was as follows: - - -"It will please me to have my subjects greet Princess Dorothy, the -bearer of this royal missive, with the same courtesy and consideration -they would extend to me." - - -"Ha--hum! It is signed 'Ozma of Oz,'" continued the rabbit, "and is -sealed with the Great Seal of the Emerald City. Well, well, well! -How strange! How remarkable!" - -"What are you going to do about it?" inquired Dorothy, impatiently. - -"We must obey the royal mandate," replied the rabbit. "We are -subjects of Ozma of Oz, and we live in her country. Also we are -under the protection of the great Sorceress Glinda the Good, who -made us promise to respect Ozma's commands." - -"Then may I come in?" she asked. - -"I'll open the door," said the rabbit. He shut the window and -disappeared, but a moment afterward a big door in the wall opened and -admitted Dorothy to a small room, which seemed to be a part of the wall -and built into it. - -Here stood the rabbit she had been talking with, and now that she -could see all of him, she gazed at the creature in surprise. He was a -good sized white rabbit with pink eyes, much like all other white -rabbits. But the astonishing thing about him was the manner in which -he was dressed. He wore a white satin jacket embroidered with gold, -and having diamond buttons. His vest was rose-colored satin, with -tourmaline buttons. His trousers were white, to correspond with the -jacket, and they were baggy at the knees--like those of a zouave--being -tied with knots of rose ribbons. His shoes were of white plush with -diamond buckles, and his stockings were rose silk. - -The richness and even magnificence of the rabbit's clothing made -Dorothy stare at the little creature wonderingly. Toto and Billina -had followed her into the room and when he saw them the rabbit ran -to a table and sprang upon it nimbly. Then he looked at the three -through his monocle and said: - -"These companions, Princess, cannot enter Bunnybury with you." - -"Why not?" asked Dorothy. - -"In the first place they would frighten our people, who dislike dogs -above all things on earth; and, secondly, the letter of the Royal Ozma -does not mention them." - -"But they're my friends," persisted Dorothy, "and go wherever I go." - -"Not this time," said the rabbit, decidedly. "You, yourself, Princess, -are a welcome visitor, since you come so highly recommended; but -unless you consent to leave the dog and the hen in this room I cannot -permit you to enter the town." - -"Never mind us, Dorothy," said Billina. "Go inside and see what the -place is like. You can tell us about it afterward, and Toto and I -will rest comfortably here until you return." - -This seemed the best thing to do, for Dorothy was curious to see how -the rabbit people lived and she was aware of the fact that her -friends might frighten the timid little creatures. She had not -forgotten how Toto and Billina had misbehaved in Bunbury, and perhaps -the rabbit was wise to insist on their staying outside the town. - -"Very well," she said, "I'll go in alone. I s'pose you're the King of -this town, aren't you?" - -"No," answered the rabbit, "I'm merely the Keeper of the Wicket, and -a person of little importance, although I try to do my duty. I must -now inform you, Princess, that before you enter our town you must -consent to reduce." - -"Reduce what?" asked Dorothy. - -"Your size. You must become the size of the rabbits, although you may -retain your own form." - -"Wouldn't my clothes be too big for me?" she inquired. - -"No; they will reduce when your body does." - -"Can YOU make me smaller?" asked the girl. - -"Easily," returned the rabbit. - -"And will you make me big again, when I'm ready to go away?" - -"I will," said he. - -"All right, then; I'm willing," she announced. - -The rabbit jumped from the table and ran--or rather hopped--to the -further wall, where he opened a door so tiny that even Toto could -scarcely have crawled through it. - -"Follow me," he said. - -Now, almost any other little girl would have declared that she could -not get through so small a door; but Dorothy had already encountered -so many fairy adventures that she believed nothing was impossible in -the Land of Oz. So she quietly walked toward the door, and at every -step she grew smaller and smaller until, by the time the opening was -reached, she could pass through it with ease. Indeed, as she stood -beside the rabbit, who sat upon his hind legs and used his paws as -hands, her head was just about as high as his own. - -Then the Keeper of the Wicket passed through and she followed, after -which the door swung shut and locked itself with a sharp click. - -Dorothy now found herself in a city so strange and beautiful that she -gave a gasp of surprise. The high marble wall extended all around the -place and shut out all the rest of the world. And here were marble -houses of curious forms, most of them resembling overturned kettles -but with delicate slender spires and minarets running far up into the -sky. The streets were paved with white marble and in front of each -house was a lawn of rich green clover. Everything was as neat as wax, -the green and white contrasting prettily together. - -But the rabbit people were, after all, the most amazing things Dorothy -saw. The streets were full of them, and their costumes were so -splendid that the rich dress of the Keeper of the Wicket was -commonplace when compared with the others. Silks and satins of -delicate hues seemed always used for material, and nearly every -costume sparkled with exquisite gems. - -But the lady rabbits outshone the gentlemen rabbits in splendor, and -the cut of their gowns was really wonderful. They wore bonnets, too, -with feathers and jewels in them, and some wheeled baby carriages in -which the girl could see wee bunnies. Some were lying asleep while -others lay sucking their paws and looking around them with big pink eyes. - -As Dorothy was no bigger in size than the grown-up rabbits she had a -chance to observe them closely before they noticed her presence. Then -they did not seem at all alarmed, although the little girl naturally -became the center of attraction and regarded her with great curiosity. - -"Make way!" cried the Keeper of the Wicket, in a pompous voice; "make -way for Princess Dorothy, who comes from Ozma of Oz." - -Hearing this announcement, the throng of rabbits gave place to -them on the walks, and as Dorothy passed along they all bowed -their heads respectfully. - -Walking thus through several handsome streets they came to a square -in the center of the City. In this square were some pretty trees and -a statue in bronze of Glinda the Good, while beyond it were the -portals of the Royal Palace--an extensive and imposing building of -white marble covered with a filigree of frosted gold. - - - -20. How Dorothy Lunched With a King - - -A line of rabbit soldiers was drawn up before the palace entrance, and -they wore green and gold uniforms with high shakos upon their heads -and held tiny spears in their hands. The Captain had a sword and a -white plume in his shako. - -"Salute!" called the Keeper of the Wicket. "Salute Princess Dorothy, -who comes from Ozma of Oz!" - -"Salute!" yelled the Captain, and all the soldiers promptly saluted. - -They now entered the great hall of the palace, where they met a gaily -dressed attendant, from whom the Keeper of the Wicket inquired if the -King were at leisure. - -"I think so," was the reply. "I heard his Majesty blubbering and -wailing as usual only a few minutes ago. If he doesn't stop acting -like a cry-baby I'm going to resign my position here and go to work." - -"What's the matter with your King?" asked Dorothy, surprised to hear -the rabbit attendant speak so disrespectfully of his monarch. - -"Oh, he doesn't want to be King, that's all; and he simply HAS to," -was the reply. - -"Come!" said the Keeper of the Wicket, sternly; "lead us to his -Majesty; and do not air our troubles before strangers, I beg of you." - -"Why, if this girl is going to see the King, he'll air his own -troubles," returned the attendant. - -"That is his royal privilege," declared the Keeper. - -So the attendant led them into a room all draped with cloth-of-gold -and furnished with satin-covered gold furniture. There was a throne -in this room, set on a dais and having a big, cushioned seat, and on -this seat reclined the Rabbit King. He was lying on his back, with his -paws in the air, and whining very like a puppy-dog. - -"Your Majesty! your Majesty! Get up. Here's a visitor," called out -the attendant. - -The King rolled over and looked at Dorothy with one watery pink eye. -Then he sat up and wiped his eyes carefully with a silk handkerchief -and put on his jeweled crown, which had fallen off. - -"Excuse my grief, fair stranger," he said, in a sad voice. -"You behold in me the most miserable monarch in all the world. -What time is it, Blinkem?" - -"One o'clock, your Majesty," replied the attendant to whom the -question was addressed. - -"Serve luncheon at once!" commanded the King. "Luncheon for -two--that's for my visitor and me--and see that the human has some -sort of food she's accustomed to." - -"Yes, your Majesty," answered the attendant, and went away. - -"Tie my shoe, Bristle," said the King to the Keeper of the Wicket. -"Ah me! how unhappy I am!" - -"What seems to be worrying your Majesty?" asked Dorothy. - -"Why, it's this king business, of course," he returned, while the -Keeper tied his shoe. "I didn't want to be King of Bunnybury at all, -and the rabbits all knew it. So they elected me--to save themselves -from such a dreadful fate, I suppose--and here I am, shut up in a -palace, when I might be free and happy." - -"Seems to me," said Dorothy, "it's a great thing to be a King." - -"Were you ever a King?" inquired the monarch. - -"No," she answered, laughing. - -"Then you know nothing about it," he said. "I haven't inquired who -you are, but it doesn't matter. While we're at luncheon, I'll tell -you all my troubles. They're a great deal more interesting than -anything you can say about yourself." - -"Perhaps they are, to you," replied Dorothy. - -"Luncheon is served!" cried Blinkem, throwing open the door, and in -came a dozen rabbits in livery, all bearing trays which they placed -upon the table, where they arranged the dishes in an orderly manner. - -"Now clear out--all of you!" exclaimed the King. "Bristle, you may -wait outside, in case I want you." - -When they had gone and the King was alone with Dorothy he came down -from his throne, tossed his crown into a corner and kicked his ermine -robe under the table. - -"Sit down," he said, "and try to be happy. It's useless for me to -try, because I'm always wretched and miserable. But I'm hungry, -and I hope you are." - -"I am," said Dorothy. "I've only eaten a wheelbarrow and a piano -to-day--oh, yes! and a slice of bread and butter that used to be -a door-mat." - -"That sounds like a square meal," remarked the King, seating himself -opposite her; "but perhaps it wasn't a square piano. Eh?" - -Dorothy laughed. - -"You don't seem so very unhappy now," she said. - -"But I am," protested the King, fresh tears gathering in his eyes. -"Even my jokes are miserable. I'm wretched, woeful, afflicted, -distressed and dismal as an individual can be. Are you not -sorry for me?" - -"No," answered Dorothy, honestly, "I can't say I am. Seems to me that -for a rabbit you're right in clover. This is the prettiest little -city I ever saw." - -"Oh, the city is good enough," he admitted. "Glinda, the Good -Sorceress, made it for us because she was fond of rabbits. I don't -mind the City so much, although I wouldn't live here if I had my -choice. It is being King that has absolutely ruined my happiness." - -"Why wouldn't you live here by choice?" she asked. - -"Because it is all unnatural, my dear. Rabbits are out of place in -such luxury. When I was young I lived in a burrow in the forest. I -was surrounded by enemies and often had to run for my life. It was -hard getting enough to eat, at times, and when I found a bunch of -clover I had to listen and look for danger while I ate it. Wolves -prowled around the hole in which I lived and sometimes I didn't dare -stir out for days at a time. Oh, how happy and contented I was then! -I was a real rabbit, as nature made me--wild and free!--and I even -enjoyed listening to the startled throbbing of my own heart!" - -"I've often thought," said Dorothy, who was busily eating, "that it -would be fun to be a rabbit." - -"It IS fun--when you're the genuine article," agreed his Majesty. -"But look at me now! I live in a marble palace instead of a hole in -the ground. I have all I want to eat, without the joy of hunting for -it. Every day I must dress in fine clothes and wear that horrible -crown till it makes my head ache. Rabbits come to me with all sorts -of troubles, when my own troubles are the only ones I care about. -When I walk out I can't hop and run; I must strut on my rear legs and -wear an ermine robe! And the soldiers salute me and the band plays -and the other rabbits laugh and clap their paws and cry out: 'Hail to -the King!' Now let me ask you, as a friend and a young lady of good -judgment: isn't all this pomp and foolishness enough to make a decent -rabbit miserable?" - -"Once," said Dorothy, reflectively, "men were wild and unclothed and -lived in caves and hunted for food as wild beasts do. But they got -civ'lized, in time, and now they'd hate to go back to the old days." - -"That is an entirely different case," replied the King. "None of you -Humans were civilized in one lifetime. It came to you by degrees. -But I have known the forest and the free life, and that is why I -resent being civilized all at once, against my will, and being made a -King with a crown and an ermine robe. Pah!" - -"If you don't like it, why don't you resign?" she asked. - -"Impossible!" wailed the Rabbit, wiping his eyes again with his -handkerchief. "There's a beastly law in this town that forbids it. -When one is elected a King, there's no getting out of it." - -"Who made the laws?" inquired Dorothy. - -"The same Sorceress who made the town--Glinda the Good. She built the -wall, and fixed up the City, and gave us several valuable enchantments, -and made the laws. Then she invited all the pink-eyed white rabbits -of the forest to come here, after which she left us to our fate." - -"What made you 'cept the invitation, and come here?" asked the child. - -"I didn't know how dreadful city life was, and I'd no idea I would be -elected King," said he, sobbing bitterly. "And--and--now I'm It--with -a capital I--and can't escape!" - -"I know Glinda," remarked Dorothy, eating for dessert a dish of -charlotte russe, "and when I see her again, I'll ask her to put -another King in your place." - -"Will you? Will you, indeed?" asked the King, joyfully. - -"I will if you want me to," she replied. - -"Hurroo--huray!" shouted the King; and then he jumped up from the -table and danced wildly about the room, waving his napkin like a flag -and laughing with glee. - -After a time he managed to control his delight and returned to the table. - -"When are you likely to see Glinda?" he inquired. - -"Oh, p'raps in a few days," said Dorothy. - -"And you won't forget to ask her?" - -"Of course not." - -"Princess," said the Rabbit King, earnestly, "you have relieved me of a -great unhappiness, and I am very grateful. Therefore I propose to -entertain you, since you are my guest and I am the King, as a slight -mark of my appreciation. Come with me to my reception hall." - -He then summoned Bristle and said to him: "Assemble all the nobility -in the great reception hall, and also tell Blinkem that I want -him immediately." - -The Keeper of the Wicket bowed and hurried away, and his Majesty -turned to Dorothy and continued: "We'll have time for a walk in the -gardens before the people get here." - -The gardens were back of the palace and were filled with beautiful -flowers and fragrant shrubs, with many shade and fruit trees and -marble-paved walks running in every direction. As they entered this -place Blinkem came running to the King, who gave him several orders -in a low voice. Then his Majesty rejoined Dorothy and led her through -the gardens, which she admired very much. - -"What lovely clothes your Majesty wears!" she said, glancing at the -rich blue satin costume, embroidered, with pearls in which the King -was dressed. - -"Yes," he returned, with an air of pride, "this is one of my favorite -suits; but I have a good many that are even more elaborate. We have -excellent tailors in Bunnybury, and Glinda supplies all the material. -By the way, you might ask the Sorceress, when you see her, to permit -me to keep my wardrobe." - -"But if you go back to the forest you will not need clothes," she said. - -"N--o!" he faltered; "that may be so. But I've dressed up so long -that I'm used to it, and I don't imagine I'd care to run around naked -again. So perhaps the Good Glinda will let me keep the costumes." - -"I'll ask her," agreed Dorothy. - -Then they left the gardens and went into a fine, big reception hall, -where rich rugs were spread upon the tiled floors and the furniture -was exquisitely carved and studded with jewels. The King's chair was -an especially pretty piece of furniture, being in the shape of a -silver lily with one leaf bent over to form the seat. The silver -was everywhere thickly encrusted with diamonds and the seat was -upholstered in white satin. - -"Oh, what a splendid chair!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands admiringly. - -"Isn't it?" answered the King, proudly. "It is my favorite seat, and I -think it especially becoming to my complexion. While I think of it, I -wish you'd ask Glinda to let me keep this lily chair when I go away." - -"It wouldn't look very well in a hole in the ground, would it?" -she suggested. - -"Maybe not; but I'm used to sitting in it and I'd like to take it -with me," he answered. "But here come the ladies and gentlemen of the -court; so please sit beside me and be presented." - - - -21. How the King Changed His Mind - - -Just then a rabbit band of nearly fifty pieces marched in, playing -upon golden instruments and dressed in neat uniforms. Following the -band came the nobility of Bunnybury, all richly dressed and hopping -along on their rear legs. Both the ladies and the gentlemen wore -white gloves upon their paws, with their rings on the outside of the -gloves, as this seemed to be the fashion here. Some of the lady -rabbits carried lorgnettes, while many of the gentlemen rabbits wore -monocles in their left eyes. - -The courtiers and their ladies paraded past the King, who introduced -Princess Dorothy to each couple in a very graceful manner. Then the -company seated themselves in chairs and on sofas and looked -expectantly at their monarch. - -"It is our royal duty, as well as our royal pleasure," he said, "to -provide fitting entertainment for our distinguished guest. We will -now present the Royal Band of Whiskered Friskers." - -As he spoke the musicians, who had arranged themselves in a corner, -struck up a dance melody while into the room pranced the Whiskered -Friskers. They were eight pretty rabbits dressed only in gauzy purple -skirts fastened around their waists with diamond bands. Their whiskers -were colored a rich purple, but otherwise they were pure white. - -After bowing before the King and Dorothy the Friskers began their -pranks, and these were so comical that Dorothy laughed with real -enjoyment. They not only danced together, whirling and gyrating -around the room, but they leaped over one another, stood upon their -heads and hopped and skipped here and there so nimbly that it was -hard work to keep track of them. Finally, they all made double -somersaults and turned handsprings out of the room. - -The nobility enthusiastically applauded, and Dorothy applauded with them. - -"They're fine!" she said to the King. - -"Yes, the Whiskered Friskers are really very clever," he replied. -"I shall hate to part with them when I go away, for they have often -amused me when I was very miserable. I wonder if you would ask Glinda--" - -"No, it wouldn't do at all," declared Dorothy, positively. "There -wouldn't be room in your hole in the ground for so many rabbits, -'spec'ly when you get the lily chair and your clothes there. Don't -think of such a thing, your Majesty." - -The King sighed. Then he stood up and announced to the company: - -"We will now hold a military drill by my picked Bodyguard -of Royal Pikemen." - -Now the band played a march and a company of rabbit soldiers came in. -They wore green and gold uniforms and marched very stiffly but in -perfect time. Their spears, or pikes, had slender shafts of polished -silver with golden heads, and during the drill they handled these -weapons with wonderful dexterity. - -"I should think you'd feel pretty safe with such a fine Bodyguard," -remarked Dorothy. - -"I do," said the King. "They protect me from every harm. I suppose -Glinda wouldn't--" - -"No," interrupted the girl; "I'm sure she wouldn't. It's the King's -own Bodyguard, and when you are no longer King you can't have 'em." - -The King did not reply, but he looked rather sorrowful for a time. - -When the soldiers had marched out he said to the company: - -"The Royal Jugglers will now appear." - -Dorothy had seen many jugglers in her lifetime, but never any so -interesting as these. There were six of them, dressed in black satin -embroidered with queer symbols in silver--a costume which contrasted -strongly with their snow-white fur. - -First, they pushed in a big red ball and three of the rabbit jugglers -stood upon its top and made it roll. Then two of them caught up a -third and tossed him into the air, all vanishing, until only the two -were left. Then one of these tossed the other upward and remained -alone of all his fellows. This last juggler now touched the red ball, -which fell apart, being hollow, and the five rabbits who had -disappeared in the air scrambled out of the hollow ball. - -Next they all clung together and rolled swiftly upon the floor. When -they came to a stop only one fat rabbit juggler was seen, the others -seeming to be inside him. This one leaped lightly into the air and -when he came down he exploded and separated into the original six. -Then four of them rolled themselves into round balls and the other -two tossed them around and played ball with them. - -These were but a few of the tricks the rabbit jugglers performed, and -they were so skillful that all the nobility and even the King -applauded as loudly as did Dorothy. - -"I suppose there are no rabbit jugglers in all the world to compare -with these," remarked the King. "And since I may not have the -Whiskers Friskers or my Bodyguard, you might ask Glinda to let me take -away just two or three of these jugglers. Will you?" - -"I'll ask her," replied Dorothy, doubtfully. - -"Thank you," said the King; "thank you very much. And now you shall -listen to the Winsome Waggish Warblers, who have often cheered me in -my moments of anguish." - -The Winsome Waggish Warblers proved to be a quartette of rabbit -singers, two gentlemen and two lady rabbits. The gentlemen Warblers -wore full-dress swallow-tailed suits of white satin, with pearls for -buttons, while the lady Warblers were gowned in white satin dresses -with long trails. - -The first song they sang began in this way: - - -"When a rabbit gets a habit - Of living in a city -And wearing clothes and furbelows - And jewels rare and pretty, -He scorns the Bun who has to run - And burrow in the ground -And pities those whose watchful foes - Are man and gun and hound." - - -Dorothy looked at the King when she heard this song and noticed -that he seemed disturbed and ill at ease. - -"I don't like that song," he said to the Warblers. "Give us something -jolly and rollicking." - -So they sang to a joyous, tinkling melody as follows: - - - "Bunnies gay - Delight to play -In their fairy town secure; - Ev'ry frisker - Flirts his whisker -At a pink-eyed girl demure. - Ev'ry maid - In silk arrayed -At her partner shyly glances, - Paws are grasped, - Waists are clasped -As they whirl in giddy dances. - Then together - Through the heather -'Neath the moonlight soft they stroll; - Each is very - Blithe and merry, -Gamboling with laughter droll. - Life is fun - To ev'ry one -Guarded by our magic charm - For to dangers - We are strangers, -Safe from any thought of harm." - - -"You see," said Dorothy to the King, when the song ended, "the rabbits -all seem to like Bunnybury except you. And I guess you're the only -one that ever has cried or was unhappy and wanted to get back to your -muddy hole in the ground." - -His Majesty seemed thoughtful, and while the servants passed around -glasses of nectar and plates of frosted cakes their King was silent -and a bit nervous. - -When the refreshments had been enjoyed by all and the servants had -retired Dorothy said: - -"I must go now, for it's getting late and I'm lost. I've got to find -the Wizard and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and all the rest sometime -before night comes, if I poss'bly can." - -"Won't you stay with us?" asked the King. "You will be very welcome." - -"No, thank you," she replied. "I must get back to my friends. And I -want to see Glinda just as soon as I can, you know." - -So the King dismissed his court and said he would himself walk with -Dorothy to the gate. He did not weep nor groan any more, but his long -face was quite solemn and his big ears hung dejectedly on each side -of it. He still wore his crown and his ermine and walked with a -handsome gold-headed cane. - -When they arrived at the room in the wall the little girl found Toto -and Billina waiting for her very patiently. They had been liberally -fed by some of the attendants and were in no hurry to leave such -comfortable quarters. - -The Keeper of the Wicket was by this time back in his old place, but -he kept a safe distance from Toto. Dorothy bade good bye to the King -as they stood just inside the wall. - -"You've been good to me," she said, "and I thank you ever so much. As -soon as poss'ble I'll see Glinda and ask her to put another King in -your place and send you back into the wild forest. And I'll ask her -to let you keep some of your clothes and the lily chair and one or two -jugglers to amuse you. I'm sure she will do it, 'cause she's so kind -she doesn't like any one to be unhappy." - -"Ahem!" said the King, looking rather downcast. "I don't like to -trouble you with my misery; so you needn't see Glinda." - -"Oh, yes I will," she replied. "It won't be any trouble at all." - -"But, my dear," continued the King, in an embarrassed way, "I've been -thinking the subject over carefully, and I find there are a lot of -pleasant things here in Bunnybury that I would miss if I went away. -So perhaps I'd better stay." - -Dorothy laughed. Then she looked grave. - -"It won't do for you to be a King and a cry-baby at the same time," -she said. "You've been making all the other rabbits unhappy and -discontented with your howls about being so miserable. So I guess -it's better to have another King." - -"Oh, no indeed!" exclaimed the King, earnestly. "If you won't say -anything to Glinda I'll promise to be merry and gay all the time, -and never cry or wail again." - -"Honor bright?" she asked. - -"On the royal word of a King I promise it!" he answered. - -"All right," said Dorothy. "You'd be a reg'lar lunatic to want to -leave Bunnybury for a wild life in the forest, and I'm sure any rabbit -outside the city would be glad to take your place." - -"Forget it, my dear; forget all my foolishness," pleaded the King, -earnestly. "Hereafter I'll try to enjoy myself and do my duty -by my subjects." - -So then she left him and entered through the little door into the room -in the wall, where she grew gradually bigger and bigger until she had -resumed her natural size. - -The Keeper of the Wicket let them out into the forest and told Dorothy -that she had been of great service to Bunnybury because she had -brought their dismal King to a realization of the pleasure of ruling -so beautiful a city. - -"I shall start a petition to have your statue erected beside Glinda's -in the public square," said the Keeper. "I hope you will come again, -some day, and see it." - -"Perhaps I shall," she replied. - -Then, followed by Toto and Billina, she walked away from the high -marble wall and started back along the narrow path toward the sign-post. - - - -22. How the Wizard Found Dorothy - - -When they came to the signpost, there, to their joy, were the tents of -the Wizard pitched beside the path and the kettle bubbling merrily -over the fire. The Shaggy Man and Omby Amby were gathering firewood -while Uncle Henry and Aunt Em sat in their camp chairs talking with -the Wizard. - -They all ran forward to greet Dorothy, as she approached, and Aunt Em -exclaimed: "Goodness gracious, child! Where have you been?" - -"You've played hookey the whole day," added the Shaggy Man, reproachfully. - -"Well, you see, I've been lost," explained the little girl, "and I've -tried awful hard to find the way back to you, but just couldn't do it." - -"Did you wander in the forest all day?" asked Uncle Henry. - -"You must be a'most starved!" said Aunt Em. - -"No," said Dorothy, "I'm not hungry. I had a wheelbarrow and a piano -for breakfast, and lunched with a King." - -"Ah!" exclaimed the Wizard, nodding with a bright smile. "So you've -been having adventures again." - -"She's stark crazy!" cried Aunt Em. "Whoever heard of eating -a wheelbarrow?" - -"It wasn't very big," said Dorothy; "and it had a zuzu wheel." - -"And I ate the crumbs," said Billina, soberly. - -"Sit down and tell us about it," begged the Wizard. "We've hunted for -you all day, and at last I noticed your footsteps in this path--and -the tracks of Billina. We found the path by accident, and seeing it -only led to two places I decided you were at either one or the other -of those places. So we made camp and waited for you to return. And -now, Dorothy, tell us where you have been--to Bunbury or to Bunnybury?" - -"Why, I've been to both," she replied; "but first I went to Utensia, -which isn't on any path at all." - -She then sat down and related the day's adventures, and you may be -sure Aunt Em and Uncle Henry were much astonished at the story. - -"But after seeing the Cuttenclips and the Fuddles," remarked her -uncle, "we ought not to wonder at anything in this strange country." - -"Seems like the only common and ordinary folks here are ourselves," -rejoined Aunt Em, diffidently. - -"Now that we're together again, and one reunited party," observed the -Shaggy Man, "what are we to do next?" - -"Have some supper and a night's rest," answered the Wizard -promptly, "and then proceed upon our journey." - -"Where to?" asked the Captain General. - -"We haven't visited the Rigmaroles or the Flutterbudgets yet," said -Dorothy. "I'd like to see them--wouldn't you?" - -"They don't sound very interesting," objected Aunt Em. "But perhaps -they are." - -"And then," continued the little Wizard, "we will call upon the Tin -Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead and our old friend the Scarecrow, on our -way home." - -"That will be nice!" cried Dorothy, eagerly. - -"Can't say THEY sound very interesting, either," remarked Aunt Em. - -"Why, they're the best friends I have!" asserted the little girl, -"and you're sure to like them, Aunt Em, 'cause EVER'body likes them." - -By this time twilight was approaching, so they ate the fine supper -which the Wizard magically produced from the kettle and then went to -bed in the cozy tents. - -They were all up bright and early next morning, but Dorothy didn't -venture to wander from the camp again for fear of more accidents. - -"Do you know where there's a road?" she asked the little man. - -"No, my dear," replied the Wizard; "but I'll find one." - -After breakfast he waved his hand toward the tents and they became -handkerchiefs again, which were at once returned to the pockets of -their owners. Then they all climbed into the red wagon and the -Sawhorse inquired: - -"Which way?" - -"Never mind which way," replied the Wizard. "Just go as you please -and you're sure to be right. I've enchanted the wheels of the wagon, -and they will roll in the right direction, never fear." - -As the Sawhorse started away through the trees Dorothy said: - -"If we had one of those new-fashioned airships we could float away -over the top of the forest, and look down and find just the places -we want." - -"Airship? Pah!" retorted the little man, scornfully. "I hate those -things, Dorothy, although they are nothing new to either you or me. I -was a balloonist for many years, and once my balloon carried me to the -Land of Oz, and once to the Vegetable Kingdom. And once Ozma had a -Gump that flew all over this kingdom and had sense enough to go where -it was told to--which airships won't do. The house which the cyclone -brought to Oz all the way from Kansas, with you and Toto in it--was a -real airship at the time; so you see we've got plenty of experience -flying with the birds." - -"Airships are not so bad, after all," declared Dorothy. "Some day -they'll fly all over the world, and perhaps bring people even to the -Land of Oz." - -"I must speak to Ozma about that," said the Wizard, with a slight -frown. "It wouldn't do at all, you know, for the Emerald City to -become a way-station on an airship line." - -"No," said Dorothy, "I don't s'pose it would. But what can we do -to prevent it?" - -"I'm working out a magic recipe to fuddle men's brains, so they'll -never make an airship that will go where they want it to go," the -Wizard confided to her. "That won't keep the things from flying, -now and then, but it'll keep them from flying to the Land of Oz." - -Just then the Sawhorse drew the wagon out of the forest and a -beautiful landscape lay spread before the travelers' eyes. Moreover, -right before them was a good road that wound away through the hills -and valleys. - -"Now," said the Wizard, with evident delight, "we are on the right -track again, and there is nothing more to worry about." - -"It's a foolish thing to take chances in a strange country," observed -the Shaggy Man. "Had we kept to the roads we never would have been -lost. Roads always lead to some place, else they wouldn't be roads." - -"This road," added the Wizard, "leads to Rigmarole Town. I'm sure of -that because I enchanted the wagon wheels." - -Sure enough, after riding along the road for an hour or two they -entered a pretty valley where a village was nestled among the hills. -The houses were Munchkin shaped, for they were all domes, with windows -wider than they were high, and pretty balconies over the front doors. - -Aunt Em was greatly relieved to find this town "neither paper nor -patch-work," and the only surprising thing about it was that it was so -far distant from all other towns. - -As the Sawhorse drew the wagon into the main street the travelers -noticed that the place was filled with people, standing in groups and -seeming to be engaged in earnest conversation. So occupied with -themselves were the inhabitants that they scarcely noticed the -strangers at all. So the Wizard stopped a boy and asked: - -"Is this Rigmarole Town?" - -"Sir," replied the boy, "if you have traveled very much you will have -noticed that every town differs from every other town in one way or -another and so by observing the methods of the people and the way they -live as well as the style of their dwelling places it ought not to be -a difficult thing to make up your mind without the trouble of asking -questions whether the town bears the appearance of the one you -intended to visit or whether perhaps having taken a different road -from the one you should have taken you have made an error in your way -and arrived at some point where--" - -"Land sakes!" cried Aunt Em, impatiently; "what's all this -rigmarole about?" - -"That's it!" said the Wizard, laughing merrily. "It's a rigmarole -because the boy is a Rigmarole and we've come to Rigmarole Town." - -"Do they all talk like that?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly. - -"He might have said 'yes' or 'no' and settled the question," observed -Uncle Henry. - -"Not here," said Omby Amby. "I don't believe the Rigmaroles know what -'yes' or 'no' means." - -While the boy had been talking several other people had approached -the wagon and listened intently to his speech. Then they began -talking to one another in long, deliberate speeches, where many words -were used but little was said. But when the strangers criticized them -so frankly one of the women, who had no one else to talk to, began an -address to them, saying: - -"It is the easiest thing in the world for a person to say 'yes' or -'no' when a question that is asked for the purpose of gaining -information or satisfying the curiosity of the one who has given -expression to the inquiry has attracted the attention of an individual -who may be competent either from personal experience or the experience -of others to answer it with more or less correctness or at least an -attempt to satisfy the desire for information on the part of the one -who has made the inquiry by--" - -"Dear me!" exclaimed Dorothy, interrupting the speech. "I've lost all -track of what you are saying." - -"Don't let her begin over again, for goodness sake!" cried Aunt Em. - -But the woman did not begin again. She did not even stop talking, -but went right on as she had begun, the words flowing from her mouth -in a stream. - -"I'm quite sure that if we waited long enough and listened carefully, -some of these people might be able to tell us something, in time," -said the Wizard. - -"Let's don't wait," returned Dorothy. "I've heard of the Rigmaroles, -and wondered what they were like; but now I know, and I'm ready to -move on." - -"So am I," declared Uncle Henry; "we're wasting time here." - -"Why, we're all ready to go," said the Shaggy Man, putting his fingers -to his ears to shut out the monotonous babble of those around the wagon. - -So the Wizard spoke to the Sawhorse, who trotted nimbly through the -village and soon gained the open country on the other side of it. -Dorothy looked back, as they rode away, and noticed that the woman -had not yet finished her speech but was talking as glibly as ever, -although no one was near to hear her. - -"If those people wrote books," Omby Amby remarked with a smile, "it -would take a whole library to say the cow jumped over the moon." - -"Perhaps some of 'em do write books," asserted the little Wizard. -"I've read a few rigmaroles that might have come from this very town." - -"Some of the college lecturers and ministers are certainly related to -these people," observed the Shaggy Man; "and it seems to me the Land -of Oz is a little ahead of the United States in some of its laws. For -here, if one can't talk clearly, and straight to the point, they send -him to Rigmarole Town; while Uncle Sam lets him roam around wild and -free, to torture innocent people." - -Dorothy was thoughtful. The Rigmaroles had made a strong impression -upon her. She decided that whenever she spoke, after this, she would -use only enough words to express what she wanted to say. - - - -23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets - - -They were soon among the pretty hills and valleys again, and the -Sawhorse sped up hill and down at a fast and easy pace, the roads -being hard and smooth. Mile after mile was speedily covered, and -before the ride had grown at all tiresome they sighted another -village. The place seemed even larger than Rigmarole Town, but was -not so attractive in appearance. - -"This must be Flutterbudget Center," declared the Wizard. "You see, -it's no trouble at all to find places if you keep to the right road." - -"What are the Flutterbudgets like?" inquired Dorothy. - -"I do not know, my dear. But Ozma has given them a town all their -own, and I've heard that whenever one of the people becomes a -Flutterbudget he is sent to this place to live." - -"That is true," Omby Amby added; "Flutterbudget Center and Rigmarole -Town are called 'the Defensive Settlements of Oz.'" - -The village they now approached was not built in a valley, but on top -of a hill, and the road they followed wound around the hill, like a -corkscrew, ascending the hill easily until it came to the town. - -"Look out!" screamed a voice. "Look out, or you'll run over my child!" - -They gazed around and saw a woman standing upon the sidewalk nervously -wringing her hands as she gazed at them appealingly. - -"Where is your child?" asked the Sawhorse. - -"In the house," said the woman, bursting into tears; "but if it -should happen to be in the road, and you ran over it, those great -wheels would crush my darling to jelly. Oh dear! oh dear! Think of -my darling child being crushed into jelly by those great wheels!" - -"Gid-dap!" said the Wizard sharply, and the Sawhorse started on. - -They had not gone far before a man ran out of a house shouting wildly, -"Help! Help!" - -The Sawhorse stopped short and the Wizard and Uncle Henry and the -Shaggy Man and Omby Amby jumped out of the wagon and ran to the poor -man's assistance. Dorothy followed them as quickly as she could. - -"What's the matter?" asked the Wizard. - -"Help! help!" screamed the man; "my wife has cut her finger off and -she's bleeding to death!" - -Then he turned and rushed back to the house, and all the party went -with him. They found a woman in the front dooryard moaning and -groaning as if in great pain. - -"Be brave, madam!" said the Wizard, consolingly. "You won't die just -because you have cut off a finger, you may be sure." - -"But I haven't cut off a finger!" she sobbed. - -"Then what HAS happened?" asked Dorothy. - -"I--I pricked my finger with a needle while I was sewing, and--and the -blood came!" she replied. "And now I'll have blood-poisoning, and the -doctors will cut off my finger, and that will give me a fever and I -shall die!" - -"Pshaw!" said Dorothy; "I've pricked my finger many a time, -and nothing happened." - -"Really?" asked the woman, brightening and wiping her eyes -upon her apron. - -"Why, it's nothing at all," declared the girl. "You're more scared -than hurt." - -"Ah, that's because she's a Flutterbudget," said the Wizard, nodding -wisely. "I think I know now what these people are like." - -"So do I," announced Dorothy. - -"Oh, boo-hoo-hoo!" sobbed the woman, giving way to a fresh burst -of grief. - -"What's wrong now?" asked the Shaggy Man. - -"Oh, suppose I had pricked my foot!" she wailed. "Then the doctors -would have cut my foot off, and I'd be lamed for life!" - -"Surely, ma'am," replied the Wizard, "and if you'd pricked your nose -they might cut your head off. But you see you didn't." - -"But I might have!" she exclaimed, and began to cry again. So they -left her and drove away in their wagon. And her husband came out and -began calling "Help!" as he had before; but no one seemed to pay any -attention to him. - -As the travelers turned into another street they found a man walking -excitedly up and down the pavement. He appeared to be in a very -nervous condition and the Wizard stopped him to ask: - -"Is anything wrong, sir?" - -"Everything is wrong," answered the man, dismally. "I can't sleep." - -"Why not?" inquired Omby Amby. - -"If I go to sleep I'll have to shut my eyes," he explained; "and if -I shut my eyes they may grow together, and then I'd be blind for life!" - -"Did you ever hear of any one's eyes growing together?" asked Dorothy. - -"No," said the man, "I never did. But it would be a dreadful thing, -wouldn't it? And the thought of it makes me so nervous I'm afraid to -go to sleep." - -"There's no help for this case," declared the Wizard; and they went on. - -At the next street corner a woman rushed up to them crying: - -"Save my baby! Oh, good, kind people, save my baby!" - -"Is it in danger?" asked Dorothy, noticing that the child was clasped -in her arms and seemed sleeping peacefully. - -"Yes, indeed," said the woman, nervously. "If I should go into the -house and throw my child out of the window, it would roll way down to -the bottom of the hill; and then if there were a lot of tigers and bears -down there, they would tear my darling babe to pieces and eat it up!" - -"Are there any tigers and bears in this neighborhood?" the Wizard asked. - -"I've never heard of any," admitted the woman, "but if there were--" - -"Have you any idea of throwing your baby out of the window?" -questioned the little man. - -"None at all," she said; "but if--" - -"All your troubles are due to those 'ifs'," declared the Wizard. -"If you were not a Flutterbudget you wouldn't worry." - -"There's another 'if'," replied the woman. "Are you a Flutterbudget, too?" - -"I will be, if I stay here long," exclaimed the Wizard, nervously. - -"Another 'if'!" cried the woman. - -But the Wizard did not stop to argue with her. He made the Sawhorse -canter all the way down the hill, and only breathed easily when they -were miles away from the village. - -After they had ridden in silence for a while Dorothy turned to the -little man and asked: - -"Do 'ifs' really make Flutterbudgets?" - -"I think the 'ifs' help," he answered seriously. "Foolish fears, and -worries over nothing, with a mixture of nerves and ifs, will soon make -a Flutterbudget of any one." - -Then there was another long silence, for all the travelers were -thinking over this statement, and nearly all decided it must be true. - -The country they were now passing through was everywhere tinted -purple, the prevailing color of the Gillikin Country; but as the -Sawhorse ascended a hill they found that upon the other side everything -was of a rich yellow hue. - -"Aha!" cried the Captain General; "here is the Country of the Winkies. -We are just crossing the boundary line." - -"Then we may be able to lunch with the Tin Woodman," announced -the Wizard, joyfully. - -"Must we lunch on tin?" asked Aunt Em. - -"Oh, no;" replied Dorothy. "Nick Chopper knows how to feed meat -people, and he will give us plenty of good things to eat, never fear. -I've been to his castle before." - -"Is Nick Chopper the Tin Woodman's name?" asked Uncle Henry. - -"Yes; that's one of his names," answered the little girl; "and another -of his names is 'Emp'ror of the Winkies.' He's the King of this -country, you know, but Ozma rules over all the countries of Oz." - -"Does the Tin Woodman keep any Flutterbudgets or Rigmaroles at his -castle?" inquired Aunt Em, uneasily. - -"No indeed," said Dorothy, positively. "He lives in a new tin castle, -all full of lovely things." - -"I should think it would rust," said Uncle Henry. - -"He has thousands of Winkies to keep it polished for him," explained -the Wizard. "His people love to do anything in their power for their -beloved Emperor, so there isn't a particle of rust on all the big castle." - -"I suppose they polish their Emperor, too," said Aunt Em. - -"Why, some time ago he had himself nickel-plated," the Wizard -answered; "so he only needs rubbing up once in a while. He's -the brightest man in all the world, is dear Nick Chopper; and -the kindest-hearted." - -"I helped find him," said Dorothy, reflectively. "Once the Scarecrow -and I found the Tin Woodman in the woods, and he was just rusted -still, that time, an' no mistake. But we oiled his joints an' got -'em good and slippery, and after that he went with us to visit the -Wizard at the Em'rald City." - -"Was that the time the Wizard scared you?" asked Aunt Em. - -"He didn't treat us well, at first," acknowledged Dorothy; "for he -made us go away and destroy the Wicked Witch. But after we found out -he was only a humbug wizard we were not afraid of him." - -The Wizard sighed and looked a little ashamed. - -"When we try to deceive people we always make mistakes," he said. -"But I'm getting to be a real wizard now, and Glinda the Good's magic, -that I am trying to practice, can never harm any one." - -"You were always a good man," declared Dorothy, "even when you were a -bad wizard." - -"He's a good wizard now," asserted Aunt Em, looking at the little man -admiringly. "The way he made those tents grow out of handkerchiefs -was just wonderful! And didn't he enchant the wagon wheels so they'd -find the road?" - -"All the people of Oz," said the Captain General, "are very proud of -their Wizard. He once made some soap-bubbles that astonished the world." - -The Wizard blushed at this praise, yet it pleased him. He no longer -looked sad, but seemed to have recovered his usual good humor. - -The country through which they now rode was thickly dotted with -farmhouses, and yellow grain waved in all the fields. Many of the -Winkies could be seen working on their farms and the wild and -unsettled parts of Oz were by this time left far behind. - -These Winkies appeared to be happy, light-hearted folk, and all -removed their caps and bowed low when the red wagon with its load of -travelers passed by. - -It was not long before they saw something glittering in the sunshine -far ahead. - -"See!" cried Dorothy; "that's the Tin Castle, Aunt Em!" - -And the Sawhorse, knowing his passengers were eager to arrive, broke -into a swift trot that soon brought them to their destination. - - - -24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News - - -The Tin Woodman received Princess Dorothy's party with much grace and -cordiality, yet the little girl decided that something must be -worrying with her old friend, because he was not so merry as usual. - -But at first she said nothing about this, for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em -were fairly bubbling over with admiration for the beautiful tin castle -and its polished tin owner. So her suspicion that something -unpleasant had happened was for a time forgotten. - -"Where is the Scarecrow?" she asked, when they had all been ushered -into the big tin drawing-room of the castle, the Sawhorse being led -around to the tin stable in the rear. - -"Why, our old friend has just moved into his new mansion," explained -the Tin Woodman. "It has been a long time in building, although my -Winkies and many other people from all parts of the country have been -busily working upon it. At last, however, it is completed, and the -Scarecrow took possession of his new home just two days ago." - -"I hadn't heard that he wanted a home of his own," said Dorothy. -"Why doesn't he live with Ozma in the Emerald City? He used to, -you know; and I thought he was happy there." - -"It seems," said the Tin Woodman, "that our dear Scarecrow cannot be -contented with city life, however beautiful his surroundings might be. -Originally he was a farmer, for he passed his early life in a -cornfield, where he was supposed to frighten away the crows." - -"I know," said Dorothy, nodding. "I found him, and lifted him down -from his pole." - -"So now, after a long residence in the Emerald City, his tastes have -turned to farm life again," continued the Tin Man. "He feels that he -cannot be happy without a farm of his own, so Ozma gave him some land -and every one helped him build his mansion, and now he is settled -there for good." - -"Who designed his house?" asked the Shaggy Man. - -"I believe it was Jack Pumpkinhead, who is also a farmer," -was the reply. - -They were now invited to enter the tin dining room, where luncheon -was served. - -Aunt Em found, to her satisfaction, that Dorothy's promise was -more than fulfilled; for, although the Tin Woodman had no appetite of -his own, he respected the appetites of his guests and saw that they -were bountifully fed. - -They passed the afternoon in wandering through the beautiful gardens -and grounds of the palace. The walks were all paved with sheets of -tin, brightly polished, and there were tin fountains and tin statues -here and there among the trees. The flowers were mostly natural -flowers and grew in the regular way; but their host showed them one -flower bed which was his especial pride. - -"You see, all common flowers fade and die in time," he explained, "and -so there are seasons when the pretty blooms are scarce. Therefore I -decided to make one tin flower bed all of tin flowers, and my workmen -have created them with rare skill. Here you see tin camelias, tin -marigolds, tin carnations, tin poppies and tin hollyhocks growing as -naturally as if they were real." - -Indeed, they were a pretty sight, and glistened under the sunlight -like spun silver. "Isn't this tin hollyhock going to seed?" asked the -Wizard, bending over the flowers. - -"Why, I believe it is!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman, as if surprised. "I -hadn't noticed that before. But I shall plant the tin seeds and raise -another bed of tin hollyhocks." - -In one corner of the gardens Nick Chopper had established a -fish-pond in which they saw swimming and disporting themselves -many pretty tin fishes. - -"Would they bite on hooks?" asked Aunt Em, curiously. - -The Tin Woodman seemed hurt at this question. - -"Madam," said he, "do you suppose I would allow anyone to catch my -beautiful fishes, even if they were foolish enough to bite on hooks? -No, indeed! Every created thing is safe from harm in my domain, and I -would as soon think of killing my little friend Dorothy as killing one -of my tin fishes." - -"The Emperor is very kind-hearted, ma'am," explained the Wizard. "If -a fly happens to light upon his tin body he doesn't rudely brush it -off, as some people might do; he asks it politely to find some other -resting place." - -"What does the fly do then?" enquired Aunt Em. - -"Usually it begs his pardon and goes away," said the Wizard, gravely. -"Flies like to be treated politely as well as other creatures, and -here in Oz they understand what we say to them, and behave very nicely." - -"Well," said Aunt Em, "the flies in Kansas, where I came from, don't -understand anything but a swat. You have to smash 'em to make 'em -behave; and it's the same way with 'skeeters. Do you have 'skeeters -in Oz?" - -"We have some very large mosquitoes here, which sing as beautifully as -song birds," replied the Tin Woodman. "But they never bite or annoy -our people, because they are well fed and taken care of. The reason -they bite people in your country is because they are hungry--poor things!" - -"Yes," agreed Aunt Em; "they're hungry, all right. An' they ain't -very particular who they feed on. I'm glad you've got the 'skeeters -educated in Oz." - -That evening after dinner they were entertained by the Emperor's Tin -Cornet Band, which played for them several sweet melodies. Also the -Wizard did a few sleight-of-hand tricks to amuse the company; after -which they all retired to their cozy tin bedrooms and slept soundly -until morning. - -After breakfast Dorothy said to the Tin Woodman: - -"If you'll tell us which way to go we'll visit the Scarecrow on -our way home." - -"I will go with you, and show you the way," replied the Emperor; -"for I must journey to-day to the Emerald City." - -He looked so anxious, as he said this, that the little girl asked: - -"There isn't anything wrong with Ozma, is there?" - -"Not yet," said he; "but I'm afraid the time has come when I must -tell you some very bad news, little friend." - -"Oh, what is it?" cried Dorothy. - -"Do you remember the Nome King?" asked the Tin Woodman. - -"I remember him very well," she replied. - -"The Nome King has not a kind heart," said the Emperor, sadly, "and he -has been harboring wicked thoughts of revenge, because we once defeated -him and liberated his slaves and you took away his Magic Belt. So he -has ordered his Nomes to dig a long tunnel underneath the deadly -desert, so that he may march his hosts right into the Emerald City. -When he gets there he intends to destroy our beautiful country." - -Dorothy was much surprised to hear this. - -"How did Ozma find out about the tunnel?" she asked. - -"She saw it in her Magic Picture." - -"Of course," said Dorothy; "I might have known that. And what is she -going to do?" - -"I cannot tell," was the reply. - -"Pooh!" cried the Yellow Hen. "We're not afraid of the Nomes. If we -roll a few of our eggs down the tunnel they'll run away back home as -fast as they can go." - -"Why, that's true enough!" exclaimed Dorothy. "The Scarecrow once -conquered all the Nome King's army with some of Billina's eggs." - -"But you do not understand all of the dreadful plot," continued the -Tin Woodman. "The Nome King is clever, and he knows his Nomes would -run from eggs; so he has bargained with many terrible creatures to -help him. These evil spirits are not afraid of eggs or anything else, -and they are very powerful. So the Nome King will send them through -the tunnel first, to conquer and destroy, and then the Nomes will -follow after to get their share of the plunder and slaves." - -They were all startled to hear this, and every face wore a troubled look. - -"Is the tunnel all ready?" asked Dorothy. - -"Ozma sent me word yesterday that the tunnel was all completed except -for a thin crust of earth at the end. When our enemies break through -this crust, they will be in the gardens of the royal palace, in the -heart of the Emerald City. I offered to arm all my Winkies and march -to Ozma's assistance; but she said no." - -"I wonder why?" asked Dorothy. - -"She answered that all the inhabitants of Oz, gathered together, were -not powerful enough to fight and overcome the evil forces of the Nome -King. Therefore she refuses to fight at all." - -"But they will capture and enslave us, and plunder and ruin all our -lovely land!" exclaimed the Wizard, greatly disturbed by this statement. - -"I fear they will," said the Tin Woodman, sorrowfully. "And I also -fear that those who are not fairies, such as the Wizard, and Dorothy, -and her uncle and aunt, as well as Toto and Billina, will be speedily -put to death by the conquerors." - -"What can be done?" asked Dorothy, shuddering a little at the prospect -of this awful fate. - -"Nothing can be done!" gloomily replied the Emperor of the Winkies. -"But since Ozma refuses my army I will go myself to the Emerald City. -The least I may do is to perish beside my beloved Ruler." - - - -25. How the Scarecrow Displayed His Wisdom - - -This amazing news had saddened every heart and all were now anxious -to return to the Emerald City and share Ozma's fate. So they started -without loss of time, and as the road led past the Scarecrow's new -mansion they determined to make a brief halt there and confer with him. - -"The Scarecrow is probably the wisest man in all Oz," remarked the Tin -Woodman, when they had started upon their journey. "His brains are -plentiful and of excellent quality, and often he has told me things I -might never have thought of myself. I must say I rely a great deal -upon the Scarecrow's brains in this emergency." - -The Tin Woodman rode on the front seat of the wagon, where Dorothy sat -between him and the Wizard. - -"Has the Scarecrow heard of Ozma's trouble?" asked the Captain General. - -"I do not know, sir," was the reply. - -"When I was a private," said Omby Amby, "I was an excellent army, as I -fully proved in our war against the Nomes. But now there is not a -single private left in our army, since Ozma made me the Captain -General, so there is no one to fight and defend our lovely Ruler." - -"True," said the Wizard. "The present army is composed only of -officers, and the business of an officer is to order his men to fight. -Since there are no men there can be no fighting." - -"Poor Ozma!" whispered Dorothy, with tears in her sweet eyes. "It's -dreadful to think of all her lovely fairy country being destroyed. I -wonder if we couldn't manage to escape and get back to Kansas by means -of the Magic Belt? And we might take Ozma with us and all work hard -to get money for her, so she wouldn't be so VERY lonely and unhappy -about the loss of her fairyland." - -"Do you think there would be any work for ME in Kansas?" -asked the Tin Woodman. - -"If you are hollow, they might use you in a canning factory," -suggested Uncle Henry. "But I can't see the use of your working for a -living. You never eat or sleep or need a new suit of clothes." - -"I was not thinking of myself," replied the Emperor, with dignity. -"I merely wondered if I could not help to support Dorothy and Ozma." - -As they indulged in these sad plans for the future they journeyed in -sight of the Scarecrow's new mansion, and even though filled with care -and worry over the impending fate of Oz, Dorothy couldn't help a -feeling of wonder at the sight she saw. - -The Scarecrow's new house was shaped like an immense ear of corn. The -rows of kernels were made of solid gold, and the green upon which the -ear stood upright was a mass of sparkling emeralds. Upon the very top -of the structure was perched a figure representing the Scarecrow -himself, and upon his extended arms, as well as upon his head, were -several crows carved out of ebony and having ruby eyes. You may -imagine how big this ear of corn was when I tell you that a single -gold kernel formed a window, swinging outward upon hinges, while a row -of four kernels opened to make the front entrance. Inside there were -five stories, each story being a single room. - -The gardens around the mansion consisted of cornfields, and Dorothy -acknowledged that the place was in all respects a very appropriate -home for her good friend the Scarecrow. - -"He would have been very happy here, I'm sure," she said, "if only the -Nome King had left us alone. But if Oz is destroyed of course this -place will be destroyed too." - -"Yes," replied the Tin Woodman, "and also my beautiful tin castle, -that has been my joy and pride." - -"Jack Pumpkinhead's house will go too," remarked the Wizard, "as well -as Professor Wogglebug's Athletic College, and Ozma's royal palace, -and all our other handsome buildings." - -"Yes, Oz will indeed become a desert when the Nome King gets through -with it," sighed Omby Amby. - -The Scarecrow came out to meet them and gave them all a hearty welcome. - -"I hear you have decided always to live in the Land of Oz, after this," -he said to Dorothy; "and that will delight my heart, for I have greatly -disliked our frequent partings. But why are you all so downcast?" - -"Have you heard the news?" asked the Tin Woodman. - -"No news to make me sad," replied the Scarecrow. - -Then Nick Chopper told his friend of the Nome King's tunnel, and how -the evil creatures of the North had allied themselves with the -underground monarch for the purpose of conquering and destroying Oz. -"Well," said the Scarecrow, "it certainly looks bad for Ozma, and all -of us. But I believe it is wrong to worry over anything before it -happens. It is surely time enough to be sad when our country is -despoiled and our people made slaves. So let us not deprive ourselves -of the few happy hours remaining to us." - -"Ah! that is real wisdom," declared the Shaggy Man, approvingly. -"After we become really unhappy we shall regret these few hours -that are left to us, unless we enjoy them to the utmost." - -"Nevertheless," said the Scarecrow, "I shall go with you to the -Emerald City and offer Ozma my services." - -"She says we can do nothing to oppose our enemies," announced -the Tin Woodman. - -"And doubtless she is right, sir," answered the Scarecrow. "Still, -she will appreciate our sympathy, and it is the duty of Ozma's friends -to stand by her side when the final disaster occurs." - -He then led them into his queer mansion and showed them the beautiful -rooms in all the five stories. The lower room was a grand reception -hall, with a hand-organ in one corner. This instrument the Scarecrow, -when alone, could turn to amuse himself, as he was very fond of music. -The walls were hung with white silk, upon which flocks of black crows -were embroidered in black diamonds. Some of the chairs were made in the -shape of big crows and upholstered with cushions of corn-colored silk. - -The second story contained a fine banquet room, where the Scarecrow -might entertain his guests, and the three stories above that were -bed-chambers exquisitely furnished and decorated. - -"From these rooms," said the Scarecrow, proudly, "one may obtain fine -views of the surrounding cornfields. The corn I grow is always husky, -and I call the ears my regiments, because they have so many kernels. -Of course I cannot ride my cobs, but I really don't care shucks about that. -Taken altogether, my farm will stack up with any in the neighborhood." - -The visitors partook of some light refreshment and then hurried away -to resume the road to the Emerald City. The Scarecrow found a seat in -the wagon between Omby Amby and the Shaggy Man, and his weight did not -add much to the load because he was stuffed with straw. - -"You will notice I have one oat-field on my property," he remarked, as -they drove away. "Oat-straw is, I have found, the best of all straws -to re-stuff myself with when my interior gets musty or out of shape." - -"Are you able to re-stuff yourself without help?" asked Aunt Em. "I -should think that after the straw was taken out of you there wouldn't -be anything left but your clothes." - -"You are almost correct, madam," he answered. "My servants do the -stuffing, under my direction. For my head, in which are my excellent -brains, is a bag tied at the bottom. My face is neatly painted upon -one side of the bag, as you may see. My head does not need re-stuffing, -as my body does, for all that it requires is to have the face touched up -with fresh paint occasionally." - -It was not far from the Scarecrow's mansion to the farm of Jack -Pumpkinhead, and when they arrived there both Uncle Henry and Aunt Em -were much impressed. The farm was one vast pumpkin field, and some of -the pumpkins were of enormous size. In one of them, which had been -neatly hollowed out, Jack himself lived, and he declared that it was a -very comfortable residence. The reason he grew so many pumpkins was -in order that he might change his head as often as it became wrinkled -or threatened to spoil. - -The pumpkin-headed man welcomed his visitors joyfully and offered them -several delicious pumpkin pies to eat. - -"I don't indulge in pumpkin pies myself, for two reasons," he said. -"One reason is that were I to eat pumpkins I would become a cannibal, -and the other reason is that I never eat, not being hollow inside." - -"Very good reasons," agreed the Scarecrow. - -They told Jack Pumpkinhead of the dreadful news about the Nome King, -and he decided to go with them to the Emerald City and help comfort Ozma. - -"I had expected to live here in ease and comfort for many centuries," -said Jack, dolefully; "but of course if the Nome King destroys -everything in Oz I shall be destroyed too. Really, it seems too bad, -doesn't it?" - -They were soon on their journey again, and so swiftly did the Sawhorse -draw the wagon over the smooth roads that before twilight fell they -had reached the royal palace in the Emerald City, and were at their -journey's end. - - - -26. How Ozma Refused to Fight for Her Kingdom - - -Ozma was in her rose garden picking a bouquet when the party arrived, -and she greeted all her old and new friends as smilingly and sweetly -as ever. - -Dorothy's eyes were full of tears as she kissed the lovely Ruler -of Oz, and she whispered to her: - -"Oh, Ozma, Ozma! I'm SO sorry!" - -Ozma seemed surprised. - -"Sorry for what, Dorothy?" she asked. - -"For all your trouble about the Nome King," was the reply. - -Ozma laughed with genuine amusement. - -"Why, that has not troubled me a bit, dear Princess," she replied. -Then, looking around at the sad faces of her friends, she added: -"Have you all been worrying about this tunnel?" - -"We have!" they exclaimed in a chorus. - -"Well, perhaps it is more serious than I imagined," admitted the fair -Ruler; "but I haven't given the matter much thought. After dinner we -will all meet together and talk it over." - -So they went to their rooms and prepared for dinner, and Dorothy -dressed herself in her prettiest gown and put on her coronet, for she -thought that this might be the last time she would ever appear as a -Princess of Oz. - -The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead all sat at the -dinner table, although none of them was made so he could eat. Usually -they served to enliven the meal with their merry talk, but to-night -all seemed strangely silent and uneasy. - -As soon as the dinner was finished Ozma led the company to her own -private room in which hung the Magic Picture. When they had seated -themselves the Scarecrow was the first to speak. - -"Is the Nome King's tunnel finished, Ozma?" he asked. - -"It was completed to-day," she replied. "They have built it right -under my palace grounds, and it ends in front of the Forbidden -Fountain. Nothing but a crust of earth remains to separate our -enemies from us, and when they march here, they will easily break -through this crust and rush upon us." - -"Who will assist the Nome King?" inquired the Scarecrow. - -"The Whimsies, the Growleywogs and the Phanfasms," she replied. "I -watched to-day in my Magic Picture the messengers whom the Nome King -sent to all these people to summon them to assemble in his great caverns." - -"Let us see what they are doing now," suggested the Tin Woodman. - -So Ozma wished to see the Nome King's cavern, and at once the -landscape faded from the Magic Picture and was replaced by the -scene then being enacted in the jeweled cavern of King Roquat. - -A wild and startling scene it was which the Oz people beheld. - -Before the Nome King stood the Chief of the Whimsies and the Grand -Gallipoot of the Growleywogs, surrounded by their most skillful -generals. Very fierce and powerful they looked, so that even the Nome -King and General Guph, who stood beside his master, seemed a bit -fearful in the presence of their allies. - -Now a still more formidable creature entered the cavern. It was the -First and Foremost of the Phanfasms and he proudly sat down in King -Roquat's own throne and demanded the right to lead his forces through -the tunnel in advance of all the others. The First and Foremost now -appeared to all eyes in his hairy skin and the bear's head. What his -real form was even Roquat did not know. - -Through the arches leading into the vast series of caverns that lay -beyond the throne room of King Roquat could be seen ranks upon ranks -of the invaders--thousands of Phanfasms, Growleywogs and Whimsies -standing in serried lines, while behind them were massed the thousands -upon thousands of General Guph's own army of Nomes. - -"Listen!" whispered Ozma. "I think we can hear what they are saying." - -So they kept still and listened. - -"Is all ready?" demanded the First and Foremost, haughtily. - -"The tunnel is finally completed," replied General Guph. - -"How long will it take us to march to the Emerald City?" asked the -Grand Gallipoot of the Growleywogs. - -"If we start at midnight," replied the Nome King, "we shall arrive at -the Emerald City by daybreak. Then, while all the Oz people are -sleeping, we will capture them and make them our slaves. After that -we will destroy the city itself and march through the Land of Oz, -burning and devastating as we go." - -"Good!" cried the First and Foremost. "When we get through with Oz -it will be a desert wilderness. Ozma shall be my slave." - -"She shall be MY slave!" shouted the Grand Gallipoot, angrily. - -"We'll decide that by and by," said King Roquat hastily. "Don't let -us quarrel now, friends. First let us conquer Oz, and then we will -divide the spoils of war in a satisfactory manner." - -The First and Foremost smiled wickedly; but he only said: - -"I and my Phanfasms go first, for nothing on earth can oppose our power." - -They all agreed to that, knowing the Phanfasms to be the mightiest of -the combined forces. King Roquat now invited them to attend a banquet -he had prepared, where they might occupy themselves in eating and -drinking until midnight arrived. - -As they had now seen and heard all of the plot against them that -they cared to, Ozma allowed her Magic Picture to fade away. -Then she turned to her friends and said: - -"Our enemies will be here sooner than I expected. What do you -advise me to do?" - -"It is now too late to assemble our people," said the Tin Woodman, -despondently. "If you had allowed me to arm and drill my Winkies, -we might have put up a good fight and destroyed many of our enemies -before we were conquered." - -"The Munchkins are good fighters, too," said Omby Amby; "and so are -the Gillikins." - -"But I do not wish to fight," declared Ozma, firmly. "No one has -the right to destroy any living creatures, however evil they may be, -or to hurt them or make them unhappy. I will not fight, even to -save my kingdom." - -"The Nome King is not so particular," remarked the Scarecrow. "He -intends to destroy us all and ruin our beautiful country." - -"Because the Nome King intends to do evil is no excuse for my doing -the same," replied Ozma. - -"Self-preservation is the first law of nature," quoted the Shaggy Man. - -"True," she said, readily. "I would like to discover a plan to save -ourselves without fighting." - -That seemed a hopeless task to them, but realizing that Ozma was -determined not to fight, they tried to think of some means that might -promise escape. - -"Couldn't we bribe our enemies, by giving them a lot of emeralds -and gold?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead. - -"No, because they believe they are able to take everything we have," -replied the Ruler. - -"I have thought of something," said Dorothy. - -"What is it, dear?" asked Ozma. - -"Let us use the Magic Belt to wish all of us in Kansas. We will put -some emeralds in our pockets, and can sell them in Topeka for enough -to pay off the mortgage on Uncle Henry's farm. Then we can all live -together and be happy." - -"A clever idea!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. - -"Kansas is a very good country. I've been there," said the Shaggy Man. - -"That seems to me an excellent plan," approved the Tin Woodman. - -"No!" said Ozma, decidedly. "Never will I desert my people and leave -them to so cruel a fate. I will use the Magic Belt to send the rest -of you to Kansas, if you wish, but if my beloved country must be -destroyed and my people enslaved I will remain and share their fate." - -"Quite right," asserted the Scarecrow, sighing. "I will remain with you." - -"And so will I," declared the Tin Woodman and the Shaggy Man and Jack -Pumpkinhead, in turn. Tiktok, the machine man, also said he intended -to stand by Ozma. "For," said he, "I should be of no use at all -in Kan-sas." - -"For my part," announced Dorothy, gravely, "if the Ruler of Oz must not -desert her people, a Princess of Oz has no right to run away, either. -I'm willing to become a slave with the rest of you; so all we can do -with the Magic Belt is to use it to send Uncle Henry and Aunt Em back -to Kansas." - -"I've been a slave all my life," Aunt Em replied, with considerable -cheerfulness, "and so has Henry. I guess we won't go back to Kansas, -anyway. I'd rather take my chances with the rest of you." - -Ozma smiled upon them all gratefully. - -"There is no need to despair just yet," she said. "I'll get up early -to-morrow morning and be at the Forbidden Fountain when the fierce -warriors break through the crust of the earth. I will speak to them -pleasantly and perhaps they won't be so very bad, after all." - -"Why do they call it the Forbidden Fountain?" asked Dorothy, thoughtfully. - -"Don't you know, dear?" returned Ozma, surprised. - -"No," said Dorothy. "Of course I've seen the fountain in the palace -grounds, ever since I first came to Oz; and I've read the sign which -says: 'All Persons are Forbidden to Drink at this Fountain.' But I -never knew WHY they were forbidden. The water seems clear and -sparkling and it bubbles up in a golden basin all the time." - -"That water," declared Ozma, gravely, "is the most dangerous thing -in all the Land of Oz. It is the Water of Oblivion." - -"What does that mean?" asked Dorothy. - -"Whoever drinks at the Forbidden Fountain at once forgets everything -he has ever known," Ozma asserted. - -"It wouldn't be a bad way to forget our troubles," suggested Uncle Henry. - -"That is true; but you would forget everything else, and become as -ignorant as a baby," returned Ozma. - -"Does it make one crazy?" asked Dorothy. - -"No; it only makes one forget," replied the girl Ruler. "It is said -that once--long, long ago--a wicked King ruled Oz, and made himself -and all his people very miserable and unhappy. So Glinda, the Good -Sorceress, placed this fountain here, and the King drank of its water -and forgot all his wickedness. His mind became innocent and vacant, -and when he learned the things of life again they were all good -things. But the people remembered how wicked their King had been, and -were still afraid of him. Therefore, he made them all drink of the -Water of Oblivion and forget everything they had known, so that they -became as simple and innocent as their King. After that, they all -grew wise together, and their wisdom was good, so that peace and -happiness reigned in the land. But for fear some one might drink of -the water again, and in an instant forget all he had learned, the King -put that sign upon the fountain, where it has remained for many -centuries up to this very day." - -They had all listened intently to Ozma's story, and when she finished -speaking there was a long period of silence while all thought upon the -curious magical power of the Water of Oblivion. - -Finally the Scarecrow's painted face took on a broad smile that -stretched the cloth as far as it would go. - -"How thankful I am," he said, "that I have such an excellent -assortment of brains!" - -"I gave you the best brains I ever mixed," declared the Wizard, -with an air of pride. - -"You did, indeed!" agreed the Scarecrow, "and they work so splendidly -that they have found a way to save Oz--to save us all!" - -"I'm glad to hear that," said the Wizard. "We never needed saving -more than we do just now." - -"Do you mean to say you can save us from those awful Phanfasms, -and Growleywogs and Whimsies?" asked Dorothy eagerly. - -"I'm sure of it, my dear," asserted the Scarecrow, still smiling genially. - -"Tell us how!" cried the Tin Woodman. - -"Not now," said the Scarecrow. "You may all go to bed, and I advise -you to forget your worries just as completely as if you had drunk of -the Water of Oblivion in the Forbidden Fountain. I'm going to stay -here and tell my plan to Ozma alone, but if you will all be at the -Forbidden Fountain at daybreak, you'll see how easily we will save the -kingdom when our enemies break through the crust of earth and come -from the tunnel." - -So they went away and let the Scarecrow and Ozma alone; but Dorothy -could not sleep a wink all night. - -"He is only a Scarecrow," she said to herself, "and I'm not sure that -his mixed brains are as clever as he thinks they are." - -But she knew that if the Scarecrow's plan failed they were all lost; -so she tried to have faith in him. - - - -27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz - - -The Nome King and his terrible allies sat at the banquet table until -midnight. There was much quarreling between the Growleywogs and -Phanfasms, and one of the wee-headed Whimsies got angry at General -Guph and choked him until he nearly stopped breathing. Yet no one was -seriously hurt, and the Nome King felt much relieved when the clock -struck twelve and they all sprang up and seized their weapons. - -"Aha!" shouted the First and Foremost. "Now to conquer the Land of Oz!" - -He marshaled his Phanfasms in battle array and at his word of command -they marched into the tunnel and began the long journey through it to -the Emerald City. The First and Foremost intended to take all the -treasures of Oz for himself; to kill all who could be killed and -enslave the rest; to destroy and lay waste the whole country, and -afterward to conquer and enslave the Nomes, the Growleywogs and the -Whimsies. And he knew his power was sufficient to enable him to do -all these things easily. - -Next marched into the tunnel the army of gigantic Growleywogs, with -their Grand Gallipoot at their head. They were dreadful beings, -indeed, and longed to get to Oz that they might begin to pilfer and -destroy. The Grand Gallipoot was a little afraid of the First and -Foremost, but had a cunning plan to murder or destroy that powerful -being and secure the wealth of Oz for himself. Mighty little of the -plunder would the Nome King get, thought the Grand Gallipoot. - -The Chief of the Whimsies now marched his false-headed forces into the -tunnel. In his wicked little head was a plot to destroy both the -First and Foremost and the Grand Gallipoot. He intended to let them -conquer Oz, since they insisted on going first; but he would afterward -treacherously destroy them, as well as King Roquat, and keep all the -slaves and treasure of Ozma's kingdom for himself. - -After all his dangerous allies had marched into the tunnel the Nome -King and General Guph started to follow them, at the head of fifty -thousand Nomes, all fully armed. - -"Guph," said the King, "those creatures ahead of us mean mischief. -They intend to get everything for themselves and leave us nothing." - -"I know," replied the General; "but they are not as clever as they -think they are. When you get the Magic Belt you must at once wish -the Whimsies and Growleywogs and Phanfasms all back into their own -countries--and the Belt will surely take them there." - -"Good!" cried the King. "An excellent plan, Guph. I'll do it. -While they are conquering Oz I'll get the Magic Belt, and then -only the Nomes will remain to ravage the country." - -So you see there was only one thing that all were agreed upon--that -Oz should be destroyed. - -On, on, on the vast ranks of invaders marched, filling the tunnel from -side to side. With a steady tramp, tramp, they advanced, every step -taking them nearer to the beautiful Emerald City. - -"Nothing can save the Land of Oz!" thought the First and Foremost, -scowling until his bear face was as black as the tunnel. - -"The Emerald City is as good as destroyed already!" muttered the Grand -Gallipoot, shaking his war club fiercely. - -"In a few hours Oz will be a desert!" said the Chief of the Whimsies, -with an evil laugh. - -"My dear Guph," remarked the Nome King to his General, "at last my -vengeance upon Ozma of Oz and her people is about to be accomplished." - -"You are right!" declared the General. "Ozma is surely lost." - -And now the First and Foremost, who was in advance and nearing the -Emerald City, began to cough and to sneeze. - -"This tunnel is terribly dusty," he growled, angrily. "I'll punish -that Nome King for not having it swept clean. My throat and eyes are -getting full of dust and I'm as thirsty as a fish!" - -The Grand Gallipoot was coughing too, and his throat was parched and dry. - -"What a dusty place!" he cried. "I'll be glad when we reach Oz, -where we can get a drink." - -"Who has any water?" asked the Whimsie Chief, gasping and choking. -But none of his followers carried a drop of water, so he hastened -on to get through the dusty tunnel to the Land of Oz. - -"Where did all this dust come from?" demanded General Guph, trying -hard to swallow but finding his throat so dry he couldn't. - -"I don't know," answered the Nome King. "I've been in the tunnel -every day while it was being built, but I never noticed any dust before." - -"Let's hurry!" cried the General. "I'd give half the gold in Oz for a -drink of water." - -The dust grew thicker and thicker, and the throats and eyes and noses -of the invaders were filled with it. But not one halted or turned back. -They hurried forward more fierce and vengeful than ever. - - - -28. How They Drank at the Forbidden Fountain - - -The Scarecrow had no need to sleep; neither had the Tin Woodman or Tiktok -or Jack Pumpkinhead. So they all wandered out into the palace grounds -and stood beside the sparkling water of the Forbidden Fountain until -daybreak. During this time they indulged in occasional conversation. - -"Nothing could make me forget what I know," remarked the Scarecrow, -gazing into the fountain, "for I cannot drink the Water of Oblivion or -water of any kind. And I am glad that this is so, for I consider my -wisdom unexcelled." - -"You are cer-tain-ly ve-ry wise," agreed Tiktok. "For my part, I can -on-ly think by ma-chin-er-y, so I do not pre-tend to know as much as -you do." - -"My tin brains are very bright, but that is all I claim for them," -said Nick Chopper, modestly. "Yet I do not aspire to being very wise, -for I have noticed that the happiest people are those who do not let -their brains oppress them." - -"Mine never worry me," Jack Pumpkinhead acknowledged. "There are -many seeds of thought in my head, but they do not sprout easily. I am -glad that it is so, for if I occupied my days in thinking I should -have no time for anything else." - -In this cheery mood they passed the hours until the first golden -streaks of dawn appeared in the sky. Then Ozma joined them, as fresh -and lovely as ever and robed in one of her prettiest gowns. - -"Our enemies have not yet arrived," said the Scarecrow, after greeting -affectionately the sweet and girlish Ruler. - -"They will soon be here," she said, "for I have just glanced at my -Magic Picture, and have seen them coughing and choking with the dust -in the tunnel." - -"Oh, is there dust in the tunnel?" asked the Tin Woodman. - -"Yes; Ozma placed it there by means of the Magic Belt," explained the -Scarecrow, with one of his broad smiles. - -Then Dorothy came to them, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em following close -after her. The little girl's eyes were heavy because she had had a -sleepless and anxious night. Toto walked by her side, but the little -dog's spirits were very much subdued. Billina, who was always up by -daybreak, was not long in joining the group by the fountain. - -The Wizard and the Shaggy Man next arrived, and soon after appeared -Omby Amby, dressed in his best uniform. - -"There lies the tunnel," said Ozma, pointing to a part of the ground -just before the Forbidden Fountain, "and in a few moments the dreadful -invaders will break through the earth and swarm over the land. Let us all -stand on the other side of the Fountain and watch to see what happens." - -At once they followed her suggestion and moved around the fountain of -the Water of Oblivion. There they stood silent and expectant until -the earth beyond gave way with a sudden crash and up leaped the powerful -form of the First and Foremost, followed by all his grim warriors. - -As the leader sprang forward his gleaming eyes caught the play of the -fountain and he rushed toward it and drank eagerly of the sparkling -water. Many of the other Phanfasms drank, too, in order to clear -their dry and dusty throats. Then they stood around and looked at -one another with simple, wondering smiles. - -The First and Foremost saw Ozma and her companions beyond the -fountain, but instead of making an effort to capture her he merely -stared at her in pleased admiration of her beauty--for he had -forgotten where he was and why he had come there. - -But now the Grand Gallipoot arrived, rushing from the tunnel with a -hoarse cry of mingled rage and thirst. He too saw the fountain and -hastened to drink of its forbidden waters. The other Growleywogs were -not slow to follow suit, and even before they had finished drinking -the Chief of the Whimsies and his people came to push them away, while -they one and all cast off their false heads that they might slake -their thirst at the fountain. - -When the Nome King and General Guph arrived they both made a dash to -drink, but the General was so mad with thirst that he knocked his King -over, and while Roquat lay sprawling upon the ground the General -drank heartily of the Water of Oblivion. - -This rude act of his General made the Nome King so angry that for a -moment he forgot he was thirsty and rose to his feet to glare upon the -group of terrible warriors he had brought here to assist him. He saw -Ozma and her people, too, and yelled out: - -"Why don't you capture them? Why don't you conquer Oz, you idiots? -Why do you stand there like a lot of dummies?" - -But the great warriors had become like little children. They had -forgotten all their enmity against Ozma and against Oz. They had even -forgotten who they themselves were, or why they were in this strange -and beautiful country. As for the Nome King, they did not recognize -him, and wondered who he was. - -The sun came up and sent its flood of silver rays to light the faces -of the invaders. The frowns and scowls and evil looks were all gone. -Even the most monstrous of the creatures there assembled smiled -innocently and seemed light-hearted and content merely to be alive. - -Not so with Roquat, the Nome King. He had not drunk from the -Forbidden Fountain and all his former rage against Ozma and Dorothy -now inflamed him as fiercely as ever. The sight of General Guph -babbling like a happy child and playing with his hands in the cool -waters of the fountain astonished and maddened Red Roquat. Seeing -that his terrible allies and his own General refused to act, the Nome -King turned to order his great army of Nomes to advance from the -tunnel and seize the helpless Oz people. - -But the Scarecrow suspected what was in the King's mind and spoke a -word to the Tin Woodman. Together they ran at Roquat and grabbing him -up tossed him into the great basin of the fountain. - -The Nome King's body was round as a ball, and it bobbed up and down in -the Water of Oblivion while he spluttered and screamed with fear lest -he should drown. And when he cried out, his mouth filled with water, -which ran down his throat, so that straightway he forgot all he had -formerly known just as completely as had all the other invaders. - -Ozma and Dorothy could not refrain from laughing to see their dreaded -enemies become as harmless as babies. There was no danger now that Oz -would be destroyed. The only question remaining to solve was how to -get rid of this horde of intruders. - -The Shaggy Man kindly pulled the Nome King out of the fountain and set -him upon his thin legs. Roquat was dripping wet, but he chattered and -laughed and wanted to drink more of the water. No thought of injuring -any person was now in his mind. - -Before he left the tunnel he had commanded his fifty thousand Nomes -to remain there until he ordered them to advance, as he wished to give -his allies time to conquer Oz before he appeared with his own army. -Ozma did not wish all these Nomes to overrun her land, so she advanced -to King Roquat and taking his hand in her own said gently: - -"Who are you? What is your name?" - -"I don't know," he replied, smiling at her. "Who are you, my dear?" - -"My name is Ozma," she said; "and your name is Roquat." - -"Oh, is it?" he replied, seeming pleased. - -"Yes; you are King of the Nomes," she said. - -"Ah; I wonder what the Nomes are!" returned the King, as if puzzled. - -"They are underground elves, and that tunnel over there is full of -them," she answered. "You have a beautiful cavern at the other end of -the tunnel, so you must go to your Nomes and say: 'March home!' Then -follow after them and in time you will reach the pretty cavern where -you live." - -The Nome King was much pleased to learn this, for he had forgotten he -had a cavern. So he went to the tunnel and said to his army: 'March -home!' At once the Nomes turned and marched back through the tunnel, -and the King followed after them, laughing with delight to find his -orders so readily obeyed. - -The Wizard went to General Guph, who was trying to count his fingers, -and told him to follow the Nome King, who was his master. Guph meekly -obeyed, and so all the Nomes quitted the Land of Oz forever. - -But there were still the Phanfasms and Whimsies and Growleywogs -standing around in groups, and they were so many that they filled the -gardens and trampled upon the flowers and grass because they did not -know that the tender plants would be injured by their clumsy feet. -But in all other respects they were perfectly harmless and played -together like children or gazed with pleasure upon the pretty sights -of the royal gardens. - -After counseling with the Scarecrow Ozma sent Omby Amby to the palace -for the Magic Belt, and when the Captain General returned with it the -Ruler of Oz at once clasped the precious Belt around her waist. - -"I wish all these strange people--the Whimsies and the Growleywogs and -the Phanfasms--safe back in their own homes!" she said. - -It all happened in a twinkling, for of course the wish was no sooner -spoken than it was granted. - -All the hosts of the invaders were gone, and only the trampled grass -showed that they had ever been in the Land of Oz. - - - -29. How Glinda Worked a Magic Spell - - -"That was better than fighting," said Ozma, when all our friends were -assembled in the palace after the exciting events of the morning; and -each and every one agreed with her. - -"No one was hurt," said the Wizard, delightedly. - -"And no one hurt us," added Aunt Em. - -"But, best of all," said Dorothy, "the wicked people have all -forgotten their wickedness, and will not wish to hurt any one -after this." - -"True, Princess," declared the Shaggy Man. "It seems to me that to -have reformed all those evil characters is more important than to have -saved Oz." - -"Nevertheless," remarked the Scarecrow, "I am glad Oz is saved. I can -now go back to my new mansion and live happily." - -"And I am glad and grateful that my pumpkin farm is saved," said Jack. - -"For my part," added the Tin Woodman, "I cannot express my joy that my -lovely tin castle is not to be demolished by wicked enemies." - -"Still," said Tiktok, "o-ther en-e-mies may come to Oz some day." - -"Why do you allow your clock-work brains to interrupt our joy?" asked -Omby Amby, frowning at the machine man. - -"I say what I am wound up to say," answered Tiktok. - -"And you are right," declared Ozma. "I myself have been thinking of -this very idea, and it seems to me there are entirely too many ways -for people to get to the Land of Oz. We used to think the deadly -desert that surrounds us was enough protection; but that is no longer -the case. The Wizard and Dorothy have both come here through the air, -and I am told the earth people have invented airships that can fly -anywhere they wish them to go." - -"Why, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't," asserted Dorothy. - -"But in time the airships may cause us trouble," continued Ozma, -"for if the earth folk learn how to manage them we would be overrun -with visitors who would ruin our lovely, secluded fairyland." - -"That is true enough," agreed the Wizard. - -"Also the desert fails to protect us in other ways," Ozma went on, -thoughtfully. "Johnny Dooit once made a sand-boat that sailed across -it, and the Nome King made a tunnel under it. So I believe something -ought to be done to cut us off from the rest of the world entirely, -so that no one in the future will ever be able to intrude upon us." - -"How will you do that?" asked the Scarecrow. - -"I do not know; but in some way I am sure it can be accomplished. -To-morrow I will make a journey to the castle of Glinda the Good, -and ask her advice." - -"May I go with you?" asked Dorothy, eagerly. - -"Of course, my dear Princess; and I also invite any of our friends -here who would like to undertake the journey." - -They all declared they wished to accompany their girl Ruler, for this -was indeed an important mission, since the future of the Land of Oz to -a great extent depended upon it. So Ozma gave orders to her servants -to prepare for the journey on the morrow. - -That day she watched her Magic Picture, and when it showed her that -all the Nomes had returned through the tunnel to their underground -caverns, Ozma used the Magic Belt to close up the tunnel, so that the -earth underneath the desert sands became as solid as it was before the -Nomes began to dig. - -Early the following morning a gay cavalcade set out to visit the -famous Sorceress, Glinda the Good. Ozma and Dorothy rode in a chariot -drawn by the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, while the Sawhorse -drew the red wagon in which rode the rest of the party. - -With hearts light and free from care they traveled merrily along -through the lovely and fascinating Land of Oz, and in good season -reached the stately castle in which resided the Sorceress. - -Glinda knew that they were coming. - -"I have been reading about you in my Magic Book," she said, -as she greeted them in her gracious way. - -"What is your Magic Book like?" inquired Aunt Em, curiously. - -"It is a record of everything that happens," replied the Sorceress. -"As soon as an event takes place, anywhere in the world, it is -immediately found printed in my Magic Book. So when I read its pages -I am well informed." - -"Did it tell you how our enemies drank the Water of 'Blivion?" -asked Dorothy. - -"Yes, my dear; it told all about it. And also it told me you were -all coming to my castle, and why." - -"Then," said Ozma, "I suppose you know what is in my mind, and that -I am seeking a way to prevent any one in the future from discovering -the Land of Oz." - -"Yes; I know that. And while you were on your journey I have thought -of a way to accomplish your desire. For it seems to me unwise to -allow too many outside people to come here. Dorothy, with her uncle -and aunt, has now returned to Oz to live always, and there is no -reason why we should leave any way open for others to travel uninvited -to our fairyland. Let us make it impossible for any one ever to -communicate with us in any way, after this. Then we may live -peacefully and contentedly." - -"Your advice is wise," returned Ozma. "I thank you, Glinda, for your -promise to assist me." - -"But how can you do it?" asked Dorothy. "How can you keep every one -from ever finding Oz?" - -"By making our country invisible to all eyes but our own," replied the -Sorceress, smiling. "I have a magic charm powerful enough to -accomplish that wonderful feat, and now that we have been warned of -our danger by the Nome King's invasion, I believe we must not hesitate -to separate ourselves forever from all the rest of the world." - -"I agree with you," said the Ruler of Oz. - -"Won't it make any difference to us?" asked Dorothy, doubtfully. - -"No, my dear," Glinda answered, assuringly. "We shall still be able -to see each other and everything in the Land of Oz. It won't affect -us at all; but those who fly through the air over our country will -look down and see nothing at all. Those who come to the edge of the -desert, or try to cross it, will catch no glimpse of Oz, or know in -what direction it lies. No one will try to tunnel to us again because -we cannot be seen and therefore cannot be found. In other words, the -Land of Oz will entirely disappear from the knowledge of the rest of -the world." - -"That's all right," said Dorothy, cheerfully. "You may make Oz -invis'ble as soon as you please, for all I care." - -"It is already invisible," Glinda stated. "I knew Ozma's wishes, -and performed the Magic Spell before you arrived." - -Ozma seized the hand of the Sorceress and pressed it gratefully. - -"Thank you!" she said. - - - -30. How the Story of Oz Came to an End - - -The writer of these Oz stories has received a little note from -Princess Dorothy of Oz which, for a time, has made him feel rather -disconcerted. The note was written on a broad, white feather from a -stork's wing, and it said: - - -"YOU WILL NEVER HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT OZ, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW CUT -OFF FOREVER FROM ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD. BUT TOTO AND I WILL -ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN WHO LOVE US. - -"DOROTHY GALE." - - -This seemed to me too bad, at first, for Oz is a very interesting -fairyland. Still, we have no right to feel grieved, for we have had -enough of the history of the Land of Oz to fill six story books, and -from its quaint people and their strange adventures we have been able -to learn many useful and amusing things. - -So good luck to little Dorothy and her companions. May they live long -in their invisible country and be very happy! - - - - - -This is the end of the Project Gutenberg Edition of Emerald City of Oz - diff --git a/old/emcty10.zip b/old/emcty10.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 302873d..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/emcty10h.htm b/old/emcty10h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 7715869..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7286 +0,0 @@ -<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> - -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> - <head> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Emerald City Of Oz, by AUTHOR. - </title> - <style type="text/css"> -/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ -<!-- - p { margin-top: .75em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .75em; - } - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; - } - hr { width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; - } - - table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} - - body{margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; - } - - .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ - .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} - .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ - .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; - padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; - float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; - font-size: smaller; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} - - .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} - .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} - .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} - .br {border-right: solid 2px;} - .bbox {border: solid 2px;} - - .center {text-align: center;} - .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - - .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} - - .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: - 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} - - .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; - margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} - - .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} - .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} - .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} - .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} - - .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} - .poem br {display: none;} - .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} - .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} - .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} - .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} - // --> - /* XML end ]]>*/ - </style> - </head> -<body> - -<pre> -*****The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Emerald City of Oz***** -#8 in our series of L. 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If you - don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are - payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois - Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each - date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) - your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. - -WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? -The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, -scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty -free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution -you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg -Association / Illinois Benedictine College". - -*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* -</pre> - - - -<h1>The Emerald City of Oz</h1> - -<p class="center">by L. Frank Baum</p> - -<p class="center">Author of The Road to Oz,<br /> -Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz,<br /> -The Land of Oz, etc.<br /> -</p> - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2>Contents</h2> - -<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> -<p> - <a href="#Authors_Note"><b>—Author's Note—</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_1__How_the_Nome_King_Became_Angry"><b>1. How the Nome King Became Angry</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_2__How_Uncle_Henry_Got_Into_Trouble"><b>2. How Uncle Henry Got Into Trouble</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_3__How_Ozma_Granted_Dorothys_Request"><b>3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_4__How_The_Nome_King_Planned_Revenge"><b>4. How The Nome King Planned Revenge</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_5__How_Dorothy_Became_a_Princess"><b>5. How Dorothy Became a Princess</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_6__How_Guph_Visited_the_Whimsies"><b>6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_7__How_Aunt_Em_Conquered_the_Lion"><b>7. How Aunt Em Conquered the Lion</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_8__How_the_Grand_Gallipoot_Joined_The_Nomes"><b>8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_9__How_the_Wogglebug_Taught_Athletics"><b>9. How the Wogglebug Taught Athletics</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_10__How_the_Cuttenclips_Lived"><b>10. How the Cuttenclips Lived</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_11__How_the_General_Met_the_First_and_Foremost"><b>11. How the General Met the First and Foremost</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_12__How_they_Matched_the_Fuddles"><b>12. How they Matched the Fuddles</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_13__How_the_General_Talked_to_the_King"><b>13. How the General Talked to the King</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_14__How_the_Wizard_Practiced_Sorcery"><b>14. How the Wizard Practiced Sorcery</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_15__How_Dorothy_Happened_to_Get_Lost"><b>15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_16__How_Dorothy_Visited_Utensia"><b>16. How Dorothy Visited Utensia</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_17__How_They_Came_to_Bunbury"><b>17. How They Came to Bunbury</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_18__How_Ozma_Looked_into_the_Magic_Picture"><b>18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_19__How_Bunnybury_Welcomed_the_Strangers"><b>19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_20__How_Dorothy_Lunched_With_a_King"><b>20. How Dorothy Lunched With a King</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_21__How_the_King_Changed_His_Mind"><b>21. How the King Changed His Mind</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_22__How_the_Wizard_Found_Dorothy"><b>22. How the Wizard Found Dorothy</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_23__How_They_Encountered_the_Flutterbudgets"><b>23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_24__How_the_Tin_Woodman_Told_the_Sad_News"><b>24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_25__How_the_Scarecrow_Displayed_His_Wisdom"><b>25. How the Scarecrow Displayed His Wisdom</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_26__How_Ozma_Refused_to_Fight_for_Her_Kingdom"><b>26. How Ozma Refused to Fight for Her Kingdom</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_27__How_the_Fierce_Warriors_Invaded_Oz"><b>27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_28__How_They_Drank_at_the_Forbidden_Fountain"><b>28. How They Drank at the Forbidden Fountain</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_29__How_Glinda_Worked_a_Magic_Spell"><b>29. How Glinda Worked a Magic Spell</b></a><br /> - <a href="#Chapter_30__How_the_Story_of_Oz_Came_to_an_End"><b>30. How the Story of Oz Came to an End</b></a><br /> - </p> -<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> - - - -<p><a name="Authors_Note" id="Authors_Note" /></p> -<h2>Author's Note</h2> - - -<p>Perhaps I should admit on the title page that this book is "By L. -Frank Baum and his correspondents," for I have used many suggestions -conveyed to me in letters from children. Once on a time I really -imagined myself "an author of fairy tales," but now I am merely an -editor or private secretary for a host of youngsters whose ideas I am -requestsed to weave into the thread of my stories.</p> - -<p>These ideas are often clever. They are also logical and interesting. -So I have used them whenever I could find an opportunity, and it is -but just that I acknowledge my indebtedness to my little friends.</p> - -<p>My, what imaginations these children have developed! Sometimes I am -fairly astounded by their daring and genius. There will be no lack of -fairy-tale authors in the future, I am sure. My readers have told me -what to do with Dorothy, and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and I have -obeyed their mandates. They have also given me a variety of subjects -to write about in the future: enough, in fact, to keep me busy for -some time. I am very proud of this alliance. Children love these -stories because children have helped to create them. My readers know -what they want and realize that I try to please them. The result is -very satisfactory to the publishers, to me, and (I am quite sure) to -the children.</p> - -<p>I hope, my dears, it will be a long time before we are obliged to -dissolve partnership.</p> - - -<p>L. FRANK BAUM.</p> - -<p>Coronado, 1910</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_1__How_the_Nome_King_Became_Angry" id="Chapter_1__How_the_Nome_King_Became_Angry" />1. How the Nome King Became Angry</h2> - - -<p>The Nome King was in an angry mood, and at such times he was -very disagreeable. Every one kept away from him, even his -Chief Steward Kaliko.</p> - -<p>Therefore the King stormed and raved all by himself, walking up and -down in his jewel-studded cavern and getting angrier all the time. -Then he remembered that it was no fun being angry unless he had -some one to frighten and make miserable, and he rushed to his big -gong and made it clatter as loud as he could.</p> - -<p>In came the Chief Steward, trying not to show the Nome King how -frightened he was.</p> - -<p>"Send the Chief Counselor here!" shouted the angry monarch.</p> - -<p>Kaliko ran out as fast as his spindle legs could carry his fat, -round body, and soon the Chief Counselor entered the cavern. -The King scowled and said to him:</p> - -<p>"I'm in great trouble over the loss of my Magic Belt. Every little -while I want to do something magical, and find I can't because the -Belt is gone. That makes me angry, and when I'm angry I can't have -a good time. Now, what do you advise?"</p> - -<p>"Some people," said the Chief Counselor, "enjoy getting angry."</p> - -<p>"But not all the time," declared the King. "To be angry once in a -while is really good fun, because it makes others so miserable. But -to be angry morning, noon and night, as I am, grows monotonous and -prevents my gaining any other pleasure in life. Now what do you advise?"</p> - -<p>"Why, if you are angry because you want to do magical things and -can't, and if you don't want to get angry at all, my advice is not to -want to do magical things."</p> - -<p>Hearing this, the King glared at his Counselor with a furious -expression and tugged at his own long white whiskers until he pulled -them so hard that he yelled with pain.</p> - -<p>"You are a fool!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"I share that honor with your Majesty," said the Chief Counselor.</p> - -<p>The King roared with rage and stamped his foot.</p> - -<p>"Ho, there, my guards!" he cried. "Ho" is a royal way of saying, -"Come here." So, when the guards had hoed, the King said to them:</p> - -<p>"Take this Chief Counselor and throw him away."</p> - -<p>Then the guards took the Chief Counselor, and bound him with chains to -prevent his struggling, and threw him away. And the King paced up and -down his cavern more angry than before.</p> - -<p>Finally he rushed to his big gong and made it clatter like a fire -alarm. Kaliko appeared again, trembling and white with fear.</p> - -<p>"Fetch my pipe!" yelled the King.</p> - -<p>"Your pipe is already here, your Majesty," replied Kaliko.</p> - -<p>"Then get my tobacco!" roared the King.</p> - -<p>"The tobacco is in your pipe, your Majesty," returned the Steward.</p> - -<p>"Then bring a live coal from the furnace!" commanded the King.</p> - -<p>"The tobacco is lighted, and your Majesty is already smoking your -pipe," answered the Steward.</p> - -<p>"Why, so I am!" said the King, who had forgotten this fact; "but you -are very rude to remind me of it."</p> - -<p>"I am a lowborn, miserable villain," declared the Chief Steward, humbly.</p> - -<p>The Nome King could think of nothing to say next, so he puffed away at -his pipe and paced up and down the room. Finally, he remembered how -angry he was, and cried out:</p> - -<p>"What do you mean, Kaliko, by being so contented when your monarch -is unhappy?"</p> - -<p>"What makes you unhappy?" asked the Steward.</p> - -<p>"I've lost my Magic Belt. A little girl named Dorothy, who was here -with Ozma of Oz, stole my Belt and carried it away with her," said the -King, grinding his teeth with rage.</p> - -<p>"She captured it in a fair fight," Kaliko ventured to say.</p> - -<p>"But I want it! I must have it! Half my power is gone with that -Belt!" roared the King.</p> - -<p>"You will have to go to the Land of Oz to recover it, and your Majesty -can't get to the Land of Oz in any possible way," said the Steward, -yawning because he had been on duty ninety-six hours, and was sleepy.</p> - -<p>"Why not?" asked the King.</p> - -<p>"Because there is a deadly desert all around that fairy country, which -no one is able to cross. You know that fact as well as I do, your -Majesty. Never mind the lost Belt. You have plenty of power left, -for you rule this underground kingdom like a tyrant, and thousands of -Nomes obey your commands. I advise you to drink a glass of melted -silver, to quiet your nerves, and then go to bed."</p> - -<p>The King grabbed a big ruby and threw it at Kaliko's head. The -Steward ducked to escape the heavy jewel, which crashed against the -door just over his left ear.</p> - -<p>"Get out of my sight! Vanish! Go away—and send General Blug here," -screamed the Nome King.</p> - -<p>Kaliko hastily withdrew, and the Nome King stamped up and down until -the General of his armies appeared.</p> - -<p>This Nome was known far and wide as a terrible fighter and a cruel, -desperate commander. He had fifty thousand Nome soldiers, all well -drilled, who feared nothing but their stern master. Yet General Blug -was a trifle uneasy when he arrived and saw how angry the Nome King was.</p> - -<p>"Ha! So you're here!" cried the King.</p> - -<p>"So I am," said the General.</p> - -<p>"March your army at once to the Land of Oz, capture and destroy the -Emerald City, and bring back to me my Magic Belt!" roared the King.</p> - -<p>"You're crazy," calmly remarked the General.</p> - -<p>"What's that? What's that? What's that?" And the Nome King danced -around on his pointed toes, he was so enraged.</p> - -<p>"You don't know what you're talking about," continued the General, -seating himself upon a large cut diamond. "I advise you to stand -in a corner and count sixty before you speak again. By that time -you may be more sensible."</p> - -<p>The King looked around for something to throw at General Blug, but as -nothing was handy he began to consider that perhaps the man was right -and he had been talking foolishly. So he merely threw himself into -his glittering throne and tipped his crown over his ear and curled his -feet up under him and glared wickedly at Blug.</p> - -<p>"In the first place," said the General, "we cannot march across the -deadly desert to the Land of Oz. And if we could, the Ruler of that -country, Princess Ozma, has certain fairy powers that would render my -army helpless. Had you not lost your Magic Belt we might have some -chance of defeating Ozma; but the Belt is gone."</p> - -<p>"I want it!" screamed the King. "I must have it."</p> - -<p>"Well, then, let us try in a sensible way to get it," replied the -General. "The Belt was captured by a little girl named Dorothy, who -lives in Kansas, in the United States of America."</p> - -<p>"But she left it in the Emerald City, with Ozma," declared the King.</p> - -<p>"How do you know that?" asked the General.</p> - -<p>"One of my spies, who is a Blackbird, flew over the desert to the -Land of Oz, and saw the Magic Belt in Ozma's palace," replied the -King with a groan.</p> - -<p>"Now that gives me an idea," said General Blug, thoughtfully. "There -are two ways to get to the Land of Oz without traveling across the -sandy desert."</p> - -<p>"What are they?" demanded the King, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"One way is OVER the desert, through the air; and the other way is -UNDER the desert, through the earth."</p> - -<p>Hearing this the Nome King uttered a yell of joy and leaped from his -throne, to resume his wild walk up and down the cavern.</p> - -<p>"That's it, Blug!" he shouted. "That's the idea, General! I'm King -of the Under World, and my subjects are all miners. I'll make a -secret tunnel under the desert to the Land of Oz—yes! right up to the -Emerald City—and you will march your armies there and capture the -whole country!"</p> - -<p>"Softly, softly, your Majesty. Don't go too fast," warned the -General. "My Nomes are good fighters, but they are not strong enough -to conquer the Emerald City."</p> - -<p>"Are you sure?" asked the King.</p> - -<p>"Absolutely certain, your Majesty."</p> - -<p>"Then what am I to do?"</p> - -<p>"Give up the idea and mind your own business," advised the General. -"You have plenty to do trying to rule your underground kingdom."</p> - -<p>"But I want the Magic Belt—and I'm going to have it!" roared the -Nome King.</p> - -<p>"I'd like to see you get it," replied the General, laughing maliciously.</p> - -<p>The King was by this time so exasperated that he picked up his -scepter, which had a heavy ball, made from a sapphire, at the end of it, -and threw it with all his force at General Blug. The sapphire hit the -General upon his forehead and knocked him flat upon the ground, where he -lay motionless. Then the King rang his gong and told his guards to -drag out the General and throw him away; which they did.</p> - -<p>This Nome King was named Roquat the Red, and no one loved him. He was -a bad man and a powerful monarch, and he had resolved to destroy the -Land of Oz and its magnificent Emerald City, to enslave Princess Ozma -and little Dorothy and all the Oz people, and recover his Magic Belt. -This same Belt had once enabled Roquat the Red to carry out many -wicked plans; but that was before Ozma and her people marched to the -underground cavern and captured it. The Nome King could not forgive -Dorothy or Princess Ozma, and he had determined to be revenged upon them.</p> - -<p>But they, for their part, did not know they had so dangerous an enemy. -Indeed, Ozma and Dorothy had both almost forgotten that such a person -as the Nome King yet lived under the mountains of the Land of Ev—which -lay just across the deadly desert to the south of the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>An unsuspected enemy is doubly dangerous.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_2__How_Uncle_Henry_Got_Into_Trouble" id="Chapter_2__How_Uncle_Henry_Got_Into_Trouble" />2. How Uncle Henry Got Into Trouble</h2> - - -<p>Dorothy Gale lived on a farm in Kansas, with her Aunt Em and her Uncle -Henry. It was not a big farm, nor a very good one, because sometimes -the rain did not come when the crops needed it, and then everything -withered and dried up. Once a cyclone had carried away Uncle Henry's -house, so that he was obliged to build another; and as he was a poor -man he had to mortgage his farm to get the money to pay for the new -house. Then his health became bad and he was too feeble to work. -The doctor ordered him to take a sea voyage and he went to Australia -and took Dorothy with him. That cost a lot of money, too.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry grew poorer every year, and the crops raised on the farm -only bought food for the family. Therefore the mortgage could not be -paid. At last the banker who had loaned him the money said that if he -did not pay on a certain day, his farm would be taken away from him.</p> - -<p>This worried Uncle Henry a good deal, for without the farm he would -have no way to earn a living. He was a good man, and worked in the -field as hard as he could; and Aunt Em did all the housework, with -Dorothy's help. Yet they did not seem to get along.</p> - -<p>This little girl, Dorothy, was like dozens of little girls you know. -She was loving and usually sweet-tempered, and had a round rosy face -and earnest eyes. Life was a serious thing to Dorothy, and a -wonderful thing, too, for she had encountered more strange adventures -in her short life than many other girls of her age.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em once said she thought the fairies must have marked Dorothy at -her birth, because she had wandered into strange places and had always -been protected by some unseen power. As for Uncle Henry, he thought -his little niece merely a dreamer, as her dead mother had been, for he -could not quite believe all the curious stories Dorothy told them of -the Land of Oz, which she had several times visited. He did not think -that she tried to deceive her uncle and aunt, but he imagined that she -had dreamed all of those astonishing adventures, and that the dreams -had been so real to her that she had come to believe them true.</p> - -<p>Whatever the explanation might be, it was certain that Dorothy had -been absent from her Kansas home for several long periods, always -disappearing unexpectedly, yet always coming back safe and sound, with -amazing tales of where she had been and the unusual people she had -met. Her uncle and aunt listened to her stories eagerly and in spite -of their doubts began to feel that the little girl had gained a lot of -experience and wisdom that were unaccountable in this age, when -fairies are supposed no longer to exist.</p> - -<p>Most of Dorothy's stories were about the Land of Oz, with its -beautiful Emerald City and a lovely girl Ruler named Ozma, who was the -most faithful friend of the little Kansas girl. When Dorothy told -about the riches of this fairy country Uncle Henry would sigh, for he -knew that a single one of the great emeralds that were so common there -would pay all his debts and leave his farm free. But Dorothy never -brought any jewels home with her, so their poverty became greater -every year.</p> - -<p>When the banker told Uncle Henry that he must pay the money in thirty -days or leave the farm, the poor man was in despair, as he knew he -could not possibly get the money. So he told his wife, Aunt Em, of -his trouble, and she first cried a little and then said that they must -be brave and do the best they could, and go away somewhere and try to -earn an honest living. But they were getting old and feeble and she -feared that they could not take care of Dorothy as well as they had -formerly done. Probably the little girl would also be obliged to go -to work.</p> - -<p>They did not tell their niece the sad news for several days, -not wishing to make her unhappy; but one morning the little girl -found Aunt Em softly crying while Uncle Henry tried to comfort her. -Then Dorothy asked them to tell her what was the matter.</p> - -<p>"We must give up the farm, my dear," replied her uncle sadly, "and -wander away into the world to work for our living."</p> - -<p>The girl listened quite seriously, for she had not known before how -desperately poor they were.</p> - -<p>"We don't mind for ourselves," said her aunt, stroking the little -girl's head tenderly; "but we love you as if you were our own child, -and we are heart-broken to think that you must also endure poverty, -and work for a living before you have grown big and strong."</p> - -<p>"What could I do to earn money?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"You might do housework for some one, dear, you are so handy; or -perhaps you could be a nurse-maid to little children. I'm sure I don't -know exactly what you CAN do to earn money, but if your uncle and I -are able to support you we will do it willingly, and send you to -school. We fear, though, that we shall have much trouble in earning a -living for ourselves. No one wants to employ old people who are -broken down in health, as we are."</p> - -<p>Dorothy smiled.</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't it be funny," she said, "for me to do housework in Kansas, -when I'm a Princess in the Land of Oz?"</p> - -<p>"A Princess!" they both exclaimed, astonished.</p> - -<p>"Yes; Ozma made me a Princess some time ago, and she has often begged -me to come and live always in the Emerald City," said the child.</p> - -<p>Her uncle and aunt looked at her in amazement. Then the man said:</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose you could manage to return to your fairyland, my dear?"</p> - -<p>"Oh yes," replied Dorothy; "I could do that easily."</p> - -<p>"How?" asked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Ozma sees me every day at four o'clock, in her Magic Picture. She can -see me wherever I am, no matter what I am doing. And at that time, if -I make a certain secret sign, she will send for me by means of the -Magic Belt, which I once captured from the Nome King. Then, in the -wink of an eye, I shall be with Ozma in her palace."</p> - -<p>The elder people remained silent for some time after Dorothy had -spoken. Finally, Aunt Em said, with another sigh of regret:</p> - -<p>"If that is the case, Dorothy, perhaps you'd better go and live in the -Emerald City. It will break our hearts to lose you from our lives, -but you will be so much better off with your fairy friends that it -seems wisest and best for you to go."</p> - -<p>"I'm not so sure about that," remarked Uncle Henry, shaking his gray -head doubtfully. "These things all seem real to Dorothy, I know; but -I'm afraid our little girl won't find her fairyland just what she had -dreamed it to be. It would make me very unhappy to think that she was -wandering among strangers who might be unkind to her."</p> - -<p>Dorothy laughed merrily at this speech, and then she became very sober -again, for she could see how all this trouble was worrying her aunt -and uncle, and knew that unless she found a way to help them their -future lives would be quite miserable and unhappy. She knew that she -COULD help them. She had thought of a way already. Yet she did not -tell them at once what it was, because she must ask Ozma's consent -before she would be able to carry out her plans.</p> - -<p>So she only said:</p> - -<p>"If you will promise not to worry a bit about me, I'll go to the Land -of Oz this very afternoon. And I'll make a promise, too; that you shall -both see me again before the day comes when you must leave this farm."</p> - -<p>"The day isn't far away, now," her uncle sadly replied. "I did not -tell you of our trouble until I was obliged to, dear Dorothy, so the -evil time is near at hand. But if you are quite sure your fairy -friends will give you a home, it will be best for you to go to them, -as your aunt says."</p> - -<p>That was why Dorothy went to her little room in the attic that -afternoon, taking with her a small dog named Toto. The dog had curly -black hair and big brown eyes and loved Dorothy very dearly.</p> - -<p>The child had kissed her uncle and aunt affectionately before she went -upstairs, and now she looked around her little room rather wistfully, -gazing at the simple trinkets and worn calico and gingham dresses, as -if they were old friends. She was tempted at first to make a bundle -of them, yet she knew very well that they would be of no use to her in -her future life.</p> - -<p>She sat down upon a broken-backed chair—the only one the room -contained—and holding Toto in her arms waited patiently until the -clock struck four.</p> - -<p>Then she made the secret signal that had been agreed upon between -her and Ozma.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry and Aunt Em waited downstairs. They were uneasy and a -good deal excited, for this is a practical humdrum world, and it -seemed to them quite impossible that their little niece could vanish -from her home and travel instantly to fairyland.</p> - -<p>So they watched the stairs, which seemed to be the only way that Dorothy -could get out of the farmhouse, and they watched them a long time. They -heard the clock strike four but there was no sound from above.</p> - -<p>Half-past four came, and now they were too impatient to wait -any longer. Softly, they crept up the stairs to the door of the -little girl's room.</p> - -<p>"Dorothy! Dorothy!" they called.</p> - -<p>There was no answer.</p> - -<p>They opened the door and looked in.</p> - -<p>The room was empty.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_3__How_Ozma_Granted_Dorothys_Request" id="Chapter_3__How_Ozma_Granted_Dorothys_Request" />3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request</h2> - - -<p>I suppose you have read so much about the magnificent Emerald City -that there is little need for me to describe it here. It is the -Capital City of the Land of Oz, which is justly considered the most -attractive and delightful fairyland in all the world.</p> - -<p>The Emerald City is built all of beautiful marbles in which are set a -profusion of emeralds, every one exquisitely cut and of very great -size. There are other jewels used in the decorations inside the -houses and palaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts -and turquoises. But in the streets and upon the outside of the -buildings only emeralds appear, from which circumstance the place is -named the Emerald City of Oz. It has nine thousand, six hundred and -fifty-four buildings, in which lived fifty-seven thousand three -hundred and eighteen people, up to the time my story opens.</p> - -<p>All the surrounding country, extending to the borders of the desert -which enclosed it upon every side, was full of pretty and comfortable -farmhouses, in which resided those inhabitants of Oz who preferred -country to city life.</p> - -<p>Altogether there were more than half a million people in the Land of -Oz—although some of them, as you will soon learn, were not made of -flesh and blood as we are—and every inhabitant of that favored -country was happy and prosperous.</p> - -<p>No disease of any sort was ever known among the Ozites, and so no one -ever died unless he met with an accident that prevented him from -living. This happened very seldom, indeed. There were no poor people -in the Land of Oz, because there was no such thing as money, and all -property of every sort belonged to the Ruler. The people were her -children, and she cared for them. Each person was given freely by his -neighbors whatever he required for his use, which is as much as any one -may reasonably desire. Some tilled the lands and raised great crops -of grain, which was divided equally among the entire population, so -that all had enough. There were many tailors and dressmakers and -shoemakers and the like, who made things that any who desired them -might wear. Likewise there were jewelers who made ornaments for the -person, which pleased and beautified the people, and these ornaments -also were free to those who asked for them. Each man and woman, no -matter what he or she produced for the good of the community, was -supplied by the neighbors with food and clothing and a house and -furniture and ornaments and games. If by chance the supply ever ran -short, more was taken from the great storehouses of the Ruler, which -were afterward filled up again when there was more of any article than -the people needed.</p> - -<p>Every one worked half the time and played half the time, and the -people enjoyed the work as much as they did the play, because it is -good to be occupied and to have something to do. There were no cruel -overseers set to watch them, and no one to rebuke them or to find -fault with them. So each one was proud to do all he could for his -friends and neighbors, and was glad when they would accept the things -he produced.</p> - -<p>You will know by what I have here told you, that the Land of Oz was a -remarkable country. I do not suppose such an arrangement would be -practical with us, but Dorothy assures me that it works finely with -the Oz people.</p> - -<p>Oz being a fairy country, the people were, of course, fairy people; -but that does not mean that all of them were very unlike the people of -our own world. There were all sorts of queer characters among them, -but not a single one who was evil, or who possessed a selfish or -violent nature. They were peaceful, kind hearted, loving and merry, -and every inhabitant adored the beautiful girl who ruled them and -delighted to obey her every command.</p> - -<p>In spite of all I have said in a general way, there were some parts of -the Land of Oz not quite so pleasant as the farming country and the -Emerald City which was its center. Far away in the South Country -there lived in the mountains a band of strange people called -Hammer-Heads, because they had no arms and used their flat heads to -pound any one who came near them. Their necks were like rubber, so -that they could shoot out their heads to quite a distance, and -afterward draw them back again to their shoulders. The Hammer-Heads -were called the "Wild People," but never harmed any but those who -disturbed them in the mountains where they lived.</p> - -<p>In some of the dense forests there lived great beasts of every sort; -yet these were for the most part harmless and even sociable, and -conversed agreeably with those who visited their haunts. The -Kalidahs—beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers—had -once been fierce and bloodthirsty, but even they were now nearly -all tamed, although at times one or another of them would get -cross and disagreeable.</p> - -<p>Not so tame were the Fighting Trees, which had a forest of their own. -If any one approached them these curious trees would bend down their -branches, twine them around the intruders, and hurl them away.</p> - -<p>But these unpleasant things existed only in a few remote parts of the -Land of Oz. I suppose every country has some drawbacks, so even this -almost perfect fairyland could not be quite perfect. Once there had -been wicked witches in the land, too; but now these had all been -destroyed; so, as I said, only peace and happiness reigned in Oz.</p> - -<p>For some time Ozma had ruled over this fair country, and never was -Ruler more popular or beloved. She is said to be the most beautiful -girl the world has ever known, and her heart and mind are as lovely as -her person.</p> - -<p>Dorothy Gale had several times visited the Emerald City -and experienced adventures in the Land of Oz, so that she and Ozma had -now become firm friends. The girl Ruler had even made Dorothy a -Princess of Oz, and had often implored her to come to Ozma's stately -palace and live there always; but Dorothy had been loyal to her Aunt -Em and Uncle Henry, who had cared for her since she was a baby, and -she had refused to leave them because she knew they would be lonely -without her.</p> - -<p>However, Dorothy now realized that things were going to be different -with her uncle and aunt from this time forth, so after giving the matter -deep thought she decided to ask Ozma to grant her a very great favor.</p> - -<p>A few seconds after she had made the secret signal in her little -bedchamber, the Kansas girl was seated in a lovely room in Ozma's -palace in the Emerald City of Oz. When the first loving kisses and -embraces had been exchanged, the fair Ruler inquired:</p> - -<p>"What is the matter, dear? I know something unpleasant has happened -to you, for your face was very sober when I saw it in my Magic Picture. -And whenever you signal me to transport you to this safe place, where -you are always welcome, I know you are in danger or in trouble."</p> - -<p>Dorothy sighed.</p> - -<p>"This time, Ozma, it isn't I," she replied. "But it's worse, I guess, -for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are in a heap of trouble, and there seems -no way for them to get out of it—anyhow, not while they live in Kansas."</p> - -<p>"Tell me about it, Dorothy," said Ozma, with ready sympathy.</p> - -<p>"Why, you see Uncle Henry is poor; for the farm in Kansas doesn't -'mount to much, as farms go. So one day Uncle Henry borrowed some -money, and wrote a letter saying that if he didn't pay the money back -they could take his farm for pay. Course he 'spected to pay by making -money from the farm; but he just couldn't. An' so they're going to -take the farm, and Uncle Henry and Aunt Em won't have any place to -live. They're pretty old to do much hard work, Ozma; so I'll have to -work for them, unless—"</p> - -<p>Ozma had been thoughtful during the story, but now she smiled and -pressed her little friend's hand.</p> - -<p>"Unless what, dear?" she asked.</p> - -<p>Dorothy hesitated, because her request meant so much to them all.</p> - -<p>"Well," said she, "I'd like to live here in the Land of Oz, where -you've often 'vited me to live. But I can't, you know, unless Uncle -Henry and Aunt Em could live here too."</p> - -<p>"Of course not," exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, laughing gaily. "So, in -order to get you, little friend, we must invite your Uncle and Aunt to -live in Oz, also."</p> - -<p>"Oh, will you, Ozma?" cried Dorothy, clasping her chubby little hands -eagerly. "Will you bring them here with the Magic Belt, and give them -a nice little farm in the Munchkin Country, or the Winkie Country—or -some other place?"</p> - -<p>"To be sure," answered Ozma, full of joy at the chance to please her -little friend. "I have long been thinking of this very thing, Dorothy -dear, and often I have had it in my mind to propose it to you. I am -sure your uncle and aunt must be good and worthy people, or you would -not love them so much; and for YOUR friends, Princess, there is always -room in the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>Dorothy was delighted, yet not altogether surprised, for she had clung -to the hope that Ozma would be kind enough to grant her request. -When, indeed, had her powerful and faithful friend refused her anything?</p> - -<p>"But you must not call me 'Princess'," she said; "for after this I -shall live on the little farm with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and -princesses ought not to live on farms."</p> - -<p>"Princess Dorothy will not," replied Ozma with her sweet smile. -"You are going to live in your own rooms in this palace, and be -my constant companion."</p> - -<p>"But Uncle Henry—" began Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Oh, he is old, and has worked enough in his lifetime," interrupted -the girl Ruler; "so we must find a place for your uncle and aunt where -they will be comfortable and happy and need not work more than they -care to. When shall we transport them here, Dorothy?"</p> - -<p>"I promised to go and see them again before they were turned out of -the farmhouse," answered Dorothy; "so—perhaps next Saturday—"</p> - -<p>"But why wait so long?" asked Ozma. "And why make the journey back -to Kansas again? Let us surprise them, and bring them here without -any warning."</p> - -<p>"I'm not sure that they believe in the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, -"though I've told 'em 'bout it lots of times."</p> - -<p>"They'll believe when they see it," declared Ozma; "and if they are -told they are to make a magical journey to our fairyland, it may make -them nervous. I think the best way will be to use the Magic Belt -without warning them, and when they have arrived you can explain to -them whatever they do not understand."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps that's best," decided Dorothy. "There isn't much use in -their staying at the farm until they are put out, 'cause it's much -nicer here."</p> - -<p>"Then to-morrow morning they shall come here," said Princess Ozma. -"I will order Jellia Jamb, who is the palace housekeeper, to have -rooms all prepared for them, and after breakfast we will get the -Magic Belt and by its aid transport your uncle and aunt to the -Emerald City."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Ozma!" cried Dorothy, kissing her friend gratefully.</p> - -<p>"And now," Ozma proposed, "let us take a walk in the gardens before we -dress for dinner. Come, Dorothy dear!"</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_4__How_The_Nome_King_Planned_Revenge" id="Chapter_4__How_The_Nome_King_Planned_Revenge" />4. How The Nome King Planned Revenge</h2> - - -<p>The reason most people are bad is because they do not try to be good. -Now, the Nome King had never tried to be good, so he was very bad -indeed. Having decided to conquer the Land of Oz and to destroy the -Emerald City and enslave all its people, King Roquat the Red kept -planning ways to do this dreadful thing, and the more he planned the -more he believed he would be able to accomplish it.</p> - -<p>About the time Dorothy went to Ozma the Nome King called his Chief -Steward to him and said:</p> - -<p>"Kaliko, I think I shall make you the General of my armies."</p> - -<p>"I think you won't," replied Kaliko, positively.</p> - -<p>"Why not?" inquired the King, reaching for his scepter with the -big sapphire.</p> - -<p>"Because I'm your Chief Steward and know nothing of warfare," said -Kaliko, preparing to dodge if anything were thrown at him. "I manage -all the affairs of your kingdom better than you could yourself, and -you'll never find another Steward as good as I am. But there are a -hundred Nomes better fitted to command your army, and your Generals -get thrown away so often that I have no desire to be one of them."</p> - -<p>"Ah, there is some truth in your remarks, Kaliko," remarked the King, -deciding not to throw the scepter. "Summon my army to assemble in the -Great Cavern."</p> - -<p>Kaliko bowed and retired, and in a few minutes returned to say that -the army was assembled. So the King went out upon a balcony that -overlooked the Great Cavern, where fifty thousand Nomes, all armed -with swords and pikes, stood marshaled in military array.</p> - -<p>When they were not required as soldiers all these Nomes were metal -workers and miners, and they had hammered so much at the forges and -dug so hard with pick and shovel that they had acquired great muscular -strength. They were strangely formed creatures, rather round and not -very tall. Their toes were curly and their ears broad and flat.</p> - -<p>In time of war every Nome left his forge or mine and became part of -the great army of King Roquat. The soldiers wore rock-colored -uniforms and were excellently drilled.</p> - -<p>The King looked upon this tremendous army, which stood silently -arrayed before him, and a cruel smile curled the corners of his mouth, -for he saw that his legions were very powerful. Then he addressed -them from the balcony, saying:</p> - -<p>"I have thrown away General Blug, because he did not please me. So I -want another General to command this army. Who is next in command?"</p> - -<p>"I am," replied Colonel Crinkle, a dapper-looking Nome, as he stepped -forward to salute his monarch.</p> - -<p>The King looked at him carefully and said:</p> - -<p>"I want you to march this army through an underground tunnel, which -I am going to bore, to the Emerald City of Oz. When you get there I -want you to conquer the Oz people, destroy them and their city, and -bring all their gold and silver and precious stones back to my cavern. -Also you are to recapture my Magic Belt and return it to me. Will you -do this, General Crinkle?"</p> - -<p>"No, your Majesty," replied the Nome; "for it can't be done."</p> - -<p>"Oh indeed!" exclaimed the King. Then he turned to his servants and -said: "Please take General Crinkle to the torture chamber. There you -will kindly slice him into thin slices. Afterward you may feed him -to the seven-headed dogs."</p> - -<p>"Anything to oblige your Majesty," replied the servants, politely, -and led the condemned man away.</p> - -<p>When they had gone, the King addressed the army again.</p> - -<p>"Listen!" said he. "The General who is to command my armies must -promise to carry out my orders. If he fails he will share the fate -of poor Crinkle. Now, then, who will volunteer to lead my hosts to -the Emerald City?"</p> - -<p>For a time no one moved and all were silent. Then an old Nome with -white whiskers so long that they were tied around his waist to prevent -their tripping him up, stepped out of the ranks and saluted the King.</p> - -<p>"I'd like to ask a few questions, your Majesty," he said.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," replied the King.</p> - -<p>"These Oz people are quite good, are they not?"</p> - -<p>"As good as apple pie," said the King.</p> - -<p>"And they are happy, I suppose?" continued the old Nome.</p> - -<p>"Happy as the day is long," said the King.</p> - -<p>"And contented and prosperous?" inquired the Nome.</p> - -<p>"Very much so," said the King.</p> - -<p>"Well, your Majesty," remarked he of the white whiskers, "I think I -should like to undertake the job, so I'll be your General. I hate -good people; I detest happy people; I'm opposed to any one who is -contented and prosperous. That is why I am so fond of your Majesty. -Make me your General and I'll promise to conquer and destroy the Oz -people. If I fail I'm ready to be sliced thin and fed to the -seven-headed dogs."</p> - -<p>"Very good! Very good, indeed! That's the way to talk!" cried Roquat -the Red, who was greatly pleased. "What is your name, General?"</p> - -<p>"I'm called Guph, your Majesty."</p> - -<p>"Well, Guph, come with me to my private cave, and we'll talk it over." -Then he turned to the army. "Nomes and soldiers," said he, "you are -to obey the commands of General Guph until he becomes dog-feed. Any -man who fails to obey his new General will be promptly thrown away. -You are now dismissed."</p> - -<p>Guph went to the King's private cave and sat down upon an amethyst -chair and put his feet on the arm of the King's ruby throne. Then he -lighted his pipe and threw the live coal he had taken from his pocket -upon the King's left foot and puffed the smoke into the King's eyes -and made himself comfortable. For he was a wise old Nome, and he knew -that the best way to get along with Roquat the Red was to show that he -was not afraid of him.</p> - -<p>"I'm ready for the talk, your Majesty," he said.</p> - -<p>The King coughed and looked at his new General fiercely.</p> - -<p>"Do you not tremble to take such liberties with your monarch?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Oh no," replied Guph, calmly, and he blew a wreath of smoke that -curled around the King's nose and made him sneeze. "You want to -conquer the Emerald City, and I'm the only Nome in all your dominions -who can conquer it. So you will be very careful not to hurt me until -I have carried out your wishes. After that—"</p> - -<p>"Well, what then?" inquired the King.</p> - -<p>"Then you will be so grateful to me that you won't care to hurt me," -replied the General.</p> - -<p>"That is a very good argument," said Roquat. "But suppose you fail?"</p> - -<p>"Then it's the slicing machine. I agree to that," announced Guph. -"But if you do as I tell you there will be no failure. The trouble -with you, Roquat, is that you don't think carefully enough. I do. -You would go ahead and march through your tunnel into Oz, and get -defeated and driven back. I won't. And the reason I won't is because -when I march I'll have all my plans made, and a host of allies to -assist my Nomes."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?" asked the King.</p> - -<p>"I'll explain, King Roquat. You're going to attack a fairy country, -and a mighty fairy country, too. They haven't much of an army in Oz, -but the Princess who ruled them has a fairy wand; and the little girl -Dorothy has your Magic Belt; and at the North of the Emerald City -lives a clever sorceress called Glinda the Good, who commands the -spirits of the air. Also I have heard that there is a wonderful -Wizard in Ozma's palace, who is so skillful that people used to pay him -money in America to see him perform. So you see it will be no easy -thing to overcome all this magic."</p> - -<p>"We have fifty thousand soldiers!" cried the King proudly.</p> - -<p>"Yes; but they are Nomes," remarked Guph, taking a silk handkerchief -from the King's pocket and wiping his own pointed shoes with it. -"Nomes are immortals, but they are not strong on magic. When you lost -your famous Belt the greater part of your own power was gone from you. -Against Ozma you and your Nomes would have no show at all."</p> - -<p>Roquat's eyes flashed angrily.</p> - -<p>"Then away you go to the slicing machine!" he cried.</p> - -<p>"Not yet," said the General, filling his pipe from the King's private -tobacco pouch.</p> - -<p>"What do you propose to do?" asked the monarch.</p> - -<p>"I propose to obtain the power we need," answered Guph. "There are a -good many evil creatures who have magic powers sufficient to destroy -and conquer the Land of Oz. We will get them on our side, band them -all together, and then take Ozma and her people by surprise. It's all -very simple and easy when you know how. Alone, we should be helpless -to injure the Ruler of Oz, but with the aid of the evil powers we can -summon we shall easily succeed."</p> - -<p>King Roquat was delighted with this idea, for he realized how clever -it was.</p> - -<p>"Surely, Guph, you are the greatest General I have ever had!" -he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You must go at once -and make arrangements with the evil powers to assist us, and meantime -I'll begin to dig the tunnel."</p> - -<p>"I thought you'd agree with me, Roquat," replied the new General. -"I'll start this very afternoon to visit the Chief of the Whimsies."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_5__How_Dorothy_Became_a_Princess" id="Chapter_5__How_Dorothy_Became_a_Princess" />5. How Dorothy Became a Princess</h2> - - -<p>When the people of the Emerald City heard that Dorothy had returned to -them every one was eager to see her, for the little girl was a general -favorite in the Land of Oz. From time to time some of the folk from -the great outside world had found their way into this fairyland, but -all except one had been companions of Dorothy and had turned out to be -very agreeable people. The exception I speak of was the wonderful -Wizard of Oz, a sleight-of-hand performer from Omaha who went up in a -balloon and was carried by a current of air to the Emerald City. His -queer and puzzling tricks made the people of Oz believe him a great -wizard for a time, and he ruled over them until Dorothy arrived on her -first visit and showed the Wizard to be a mere humbug. He was a -gentle, kind-hearted little man, and Dorothy grew to like him afterward. -When, after an absence, the Wizard returned to the Land of Oz, Ozma -received him graciously and gave him a home in a part of the palace.</p> - -<p>In addition to the Wizard two other personages from the outside world -had been allowed to make their home in the Emerald City. The first -was a quaint Shaggy Man, whom Ozma had made the Governor of the Royal -Storehouses, and the second a Yellow Hen named Billina, who had a fine -house in the gardens back of the palace, where she looked after a -large family. Both these had been old comrades of Dorothy, so you -see the little girl was quite an important personage in Oz, and the -people thought she had brought them good luck, and loved her next best -to Ozma. During her several visits this little girl had been the -means of destroying two wicked witches who oppressed the people, and -she had discovered a live scarecrow who was now one of the most -popular personages in all the fairy country. With the Scarecrow's -help she had rescued Nick Chopper, a Tin Woodman, who had rusted in a -lonely forest, and the tin man was now the Emperor of the Country of -the Winkies and much beloved because of his kind heart. No wonder the -people thought Dorothy had brought them good luck! Yet, strange as it -may seem, she had accomplished all these wonders not because she was a -fairy or had any magical powers whatever, but because she was a -simple, sweet and true little girl who was honest to herself and to -all whom she met. In this world in which we live simplicity and -kindness are the only magic wands that work wonders, and in the Land -of Oz Dorothy found these same qualities had won for her the love and -admiration of the people. Indeed, the little girl had made many warm -friends in the fairy country, and the only real grief the Ozites had ever -experienced was when Dorothy left them and returned to her Kansas home.</p> - -<p>Now she received a joyful welcome, although no one except Ozma -knew at first that she had finally come to stay for good and all.</p> - -<p>That evening Dorothy had many callers, and among them were such -important people as Tiktok, a machine man who thought and spoke and -moved by clockwork; her old companion the genial Shaggy Man; Jack -Pumpkinhead, whose body was brush-wood and whose head was a ripe -pumpkin with a face carved upon it; the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry -Tiger, two great beasts from the forest, who served Princess Ozma, and -Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T.E. This wogglebug was a remarkable -creature. He had once been a tiny little bug, crawling around in a -school-room, but he was discovered and highly magnified so that he -could be seen more plainly, and while in this magnified condition he -had escaped. He had always remained big, and he dressed like a dandy -and was so full of knowledge and information (which are distinct -acquirements) that he had been made a Professor and the head of the -Royal College.</p> - -<p>Dorothy had a nice visit with these old friends, and also talked a -long time with the Wizard, who was little and old and withered and -dried up, but as merry and active as a child. Afterward, she went to -see Billina's fast-growing family of chicks.</p> - -<p>Toto, Dorothy's little black dog, also met with a cordial reception. -Toto was an especial friend of the Shaggy Man, and he knew every one -else. Being the only dog in the Land of Oz, he was highly respected -by the people, who believed animals entitled to every consideration if -they behaved themselves properly.</p> - -<p>Dorothy had four lovely rooms in the palace, which were always -reserved for her use and were called "Dorothy's rooms." These -consisted of a beautiful sitting room, a dressing room, a dainty -bedchamber and a big marble bathroom. And in these rooms were -everything that heart could desire, placed there with loving -thoughtfulness by Ozma for her little friend's use. The royal -dressmakers had the little girl's measure, so they kept the closets in -her dressing room filled with lovely dresses of every description and -suitable for every occasion. No wonder Dorothy had refrained from -bringing with her her old calico and gingham dresses! Here everything -that was dear to a little girl's heart was supplied in profusion, and -nothing so rich and beautiful could ever have been found in the biggest -department stores in America. Of course Dorothy enjoyed all these -luxuries, and the only reason she had heretofore preferred to live in -Kansas was because her uncle and aunt loved her and needed her with them.</p> - -<p>Now, however, all was to be changed, and Dorothy was really more -delighted to know that her dear relatives were to share in her good -fortune and enjoy the delights of the Land of Oz, than she was to -possess such luxury for herself.</p> - -<p>Next morning, at Ozma's request, Dorothy dressed herself in a pretty -sky-blue gown of rich silk, trimmed with real pearls. The buckles of -her shoes were set with pearls, too, and more of these priceless gems -were on a lovely coronet which she wore upon her forehead. "For," -said her friend Ozma, "from this time forth, my dear, you must assume -your rightful rank as a Princess of Oz, and being my chosen companion -you must dress in a way befitting the dignity of your position."</p> - -<p>Dorothy agreed to this, although she knew that neither gowns nor -jewels could make her anything else than the simple, unaffected little -girl she had always been.</p> - -<p>As soon as they had breakfasted—the girls eating together in Ozma's -pretty boudoir—the Ruler of Oz said:</p> - -<p>"Now, dear friend, we will use the Magic Belt to transport your uncle -and aunt from Kansas to the Emerald City. But I think it would be -fitting, in receiving such distinguished guests, for us to sit in my -Throne Room."</p> - -<p>"Oh, they're not very 'stinguished, Ozma," said Dorothy. "They're -just plain people, like me."</p> - -<p>"Being your friends and relatives, Princess Dorothy, they are -certainly distinguished," replied the Ruler, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"They—they won't hardly know what to make of all your splendid -furniture and things," protested Dorothy, gravely. "It may scare 'em -to see your grand Throne Room, an' p'raps we'd better go into the back -yard, Ozma, where the cabbages grow an' the chickens are playing. -Then it would seem more natural to Uncle Henry and Aunt Em."</p> - -<p>"No; they shall first see me in my Throne Room," replied Ozma, -decidedly; and when she spoke in that tone Dorothy knew it was not -wise to oppose her, for Ozma was accustomed to having her own way.</p> - -<p>So together they went to the Throne Room, an immense domed chamber in -the center of the palace. Here stood the royal throne, made of solid -gold and encrusted with enough precious stones to stock a dozen -jewelry stores in our country.</p> - -<p>Ozma, who was wearing the Magic Belt, seated herself in the throne, -and Dorothy sat at her feet. In the room were assembled many ladies -and gentlemen of the court, clothed in rich apparel and wearing fine -jewelry. Two immense animals squatted, one on each side of the -throne—the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger. In a balcony high up -in the dome an orchestra played sweet music, and beneath the dome two -electric fountains sent sprays of colored perfumed water shooting up -nearly as high as the arched ceiling.</p> - -<p>"Are you ready, Dorothy?" asked the Ruler.</p> - -<p>"I am," replied Dorothy; "but I don't know whether Aunt Em and Uncle -Henry are ready."</p> - -<p>"That won't matter," declared Ozma. "The old life can have very -little to interest them, and the sooner they begin the new life here -the happier they will be. Here they come, my dear!"</p> - -<p>As she spoke, there before the throne appeared Uncle Henry and Aunt -Em, who for a moment stood motionless, glaring with white and startled -faces at the scene that confronted them. If the ladies and gentlemen -present had not been so polite I am sure they would have laughed at -the two strangers.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em had her calico dress skirt "tucked up," and she wore a faded, -blue-checked apron. Her hair was rather straggly and she had on a -pair of Uncle Henry's old slippers. In one hand she held a dish-towel -and in the other a cracked earthenware plate, which she had been -engaged in wiping when so suddenly transported to the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry, when the summons came, had been out in the barn "doin' -chores." He wore a ragged and much soiled straw hat, a checked shirt -without any collar and blue overalls tucked into the tops of his old -cowhide boots.</p> - -<p>"By gum!" gasped Uncle Henry, looking around as if bewildered.</p> - -<p>"Well, I swan!" gurgled Aunt Em in a hoarse, frightened voice. Then -her eyes fell upon Dorothy, and she said: "D-d-d-don't that look like -our little girl—our Dorothy, Henry?"</p> - -<p>"Hi, there—look out, Em!" exclaimed the old man, as Aunt Em advanced -a step; "take care o' the wild beastses, or you're a goner!"</p> - -<p>But now Dorothy sprang forward and embraced and kissed her aunt and -uncle affectionately, afterward taking their hands in her own.</p> - -<p>"Don't be afraid," she said to them. "You are now in the Land of Oz, -where you are to live always, and be comfer'ble an' happy. You'll -never have to worry over anything again, 'cause there won't be -anything to worry about. And you owe it all to the kindness of my -friend Princess Ozma."</p> - -<p>Here she led them before the throne and continued:</p> - -<p>"Your Highness, this is Uncle Henry. And this is Aunt Em. They want -to thank you for bringing them here from Kansas."</p> - -<p>Aunt Em tried to "slick" her hair, and she hid the dish-towel and dish -under her apron while she bowed to the lovely Ozma. Uncle Henry took -off his straw hat and held it awkwardly in his hands.</p> - -<p>But the Ruler of Oz rose and came from her throne to greet her newly -arrived guests, and she smiled as sweetly upon them as if they had -been a king and queen.</p> - -<p>"You are very welcome here, where I have brought you for Princess -Dorothy's sake," she said, graciously, "and I hope you will be quite -happy in your new home." Then she turned to her courtiers, who were -silently and gravely regarding the scene, and added: "I present to my -people our Princess Dorothy's beloved Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, who -will hereafter be subjects of our kingdom. It will please me to have -you show them every kindness and honor in your power, and to join me -in making them happy and contented."</p> - -<p>Hearing this, all those assembled bowed low and respectfully to the -old farmer and his wife, who bobbed their own heads in return.</p> - -<p>"And now," said Ozma to them, "Dorothy will show you the rooms -prepared for you. I hope you will like them, and shall expect you to -join me at luncheon."</p> - -<p>So Dorothy led her relatives away, and as soon as they were out of the -Throne Room and alone in the corridor, Aunt Em squeezed Dorothy's hand -and said:</p> - -<p>"Child, child! How in the world did we ever get here so quick? And -is it all real? And are we to stay here, as she says? And what does -it all mean, anyhow?"</p> - -<p>Dorothy laughed.</p> - -<p>"Why didn't you tell us what you were goin' to do?" inquired Uncle Henry, -reproachfully. "If I'd known about it, I'd 'a put on my Sunday clothes."</p> - -<p>"I'll 'splain ever'thing as soon as we get to your rooms," promised -Dorothy. "You're in great luck, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em; an' so am I! -And oh! I'm so happy to have got you here, at last!"</p> - -<p>As he walked by the little girl's side, Uncle Henry stroked his -whiskers thoughtfully. "'Pears to me, Dorothy, we won't make bang-up -fairies," he remarked.</p> - -<p>"An' my back hair looks like a fright!" wailed Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Never mind," returned the little girl, reassuringly. "You won't have -anything to do now but to look pretty, Aunt Em; an' Uncle Henry won't -have to work till his back aches, that's certain."</p> - -<p>"Sure?" they asked, wonderingly, and in the same breath.</p> - -<p>"Course I'm sure," said Dorothy. "You're in the Fairyland of Oz, now; -an' what's more, you belong to it!"</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_6__How_Guph_Visited_the_Whimsies" id="Chapter_6__How_Guph_Visited_the_Whimsies" />6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies</h2> - - -<p>The new General of the Nome King's army knew perfectly well that to -fail in his plans meant death for him. Yet he was not at all anxious -or worried. He hated every one who was good and longed to make all who -were happy unhappy. Therefore he had accepted this dangerous position -as General quite willingly, feeling sure in his evil mind that he would -be able to do a lot of mischief and finally conquer the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>Yet Guph determined to be careful, and to lay his plans well, so as -not to fail. He argued that only careless people fail in what they -attempt to do.</p> - -<p>The mountains underneath which the Nome King's extensive caverns were -located lay grouped just north of the Land of Ev, which lay directly -across the deadly desert to the east of the Land of Oz. As the -mountains were also on the edge of the desert the Nome King found -that he had only to tunnel underneath the desert to reach Ozma's -dominions. He did not wish his armies to appear above ground in the -Country of the Winkies, which was the part of the Land of Oz nearest -to King Roquat's own country, as then the people would give the alarm -and enable Ozma to fortify the Emerald City and assemble an army. He -wanted to take all the Oz people by surprise; so he decided to run the -tunnel clear through to the Emerald City, where he and his hosts could -break through the ground without warning and conquer the people before -they had time to defend themselves.</p> - -<p>Roquat the Red began work at once upon his tunnel, setting a thousand -miners at the task and building it high and broad enough for his -armies to march through it with ease. The Nomes were used to making -tunnels, as all the kingdom in which they lived was under ground; so -they made rapid progress.</p> - -<p>While this work was going on General Guph started out alone to visit -the Chief of the Whimsies.</p> - -<p>These Whimsies were curious people who lived in a retired country of -their own. They had large, strong bodies, but heads so small that -they were no bigger than door-knobs. Of course, such tiny heads could -not contain any great amount of brains, and the Whimsies were so -ashamed of their personal appearance and lack of commonsense that -they wore big heads made of pasteboard, which they fastened over their -own little heads. On these pasteboard heads they sewed sheep's wool -for hair, and the wool was colored many tints—pink, green and -lavender being the favorite colors. The faces of these false heads -were painted in many ridiculous ways, according to the whims of the -owners, and these big, burly creatures looked so whimsical and absurd -in their queer masks that they were called "Whimsies." They foolishly -imagined that no one would suspect the little heads that were inside -the imitation ones, not knowing that it is folly to try to appear -otherwise than as nature has made us.</p> - -<p>The Chief of the Whimsies had as little wisdom as the others, and had -been chosen chief merely because none among them was any wiser or more -capable of ruling. The Whimsies were evil spirits and could not be -killed. They were hated and feared by every one and were known as -terrible fighters because they were so strong and muscular and had not -sense enough to know when they were defeated.</p> - -<p>General Guph thought the Whimsies would be a great help to the Nomes -in the conquest of Oz, for under his leadership they could be induced -to fight as long so they could stand up. So he traveled to their -country and asked to see the Chief, who lived in a house that had a -picture of his grotesque false head painted over the doorway.</p> - -<p>The Chief's false head had blue hair, a turned-up nose, and a mouth -that stretched half across the face. Big green eyes had been painted -upon it, but in the center of the chin were two small holes made in -the pasteboard, so that the Chief could see through them with his own -tiny eyes; for when the big head was fastened upon his shoulders the -eyes in his own natural head were on a level with the false chin.</p> - -<p>Said General Guph to the Chief of the Whimsies:</p> - -<p>"We Nomes are going to conquer the Land of Oz and capture our King's -Magic Belt, which the Oz people stole from him. Then we are going -to plunder and destroy the whole country. And we want the Whimsies -to help us."</p> - -<p>"Will there be any fighting?" asked the Chief.</p> - -<p>"Plenty," replied Guph.</p> - -<p>That must have pleased the Chief, for he got up and danced around the -room three times. Then he seated himself again, adjusted his false -head, and said:</p> - -<p>"We have no quarrel with Ozma of Oz."</p> - -<p>"But you Whimsies love to fight, and here is a splendid chance to do -so," urged Guph.</p> - -<p>"Wait till I sing a song," said the Chief. Then he lay back in his -chair and sang a foolish song that did not seem to the General to mean -anything, although he listened carefully. When he had finished, the -Chief Whimsie looked at him through the holes in his chin and asked:</p> - -<p>"What reward will you give us if we help you?"</p> - -<p>The General was prepared for this question, for he had been thinking -the matter over on his journey. People often do a good deed without -hope of reward, but for an evil deed they always demand payment.</p> - -<p>"When we get our Magic Belt," he made reply, "our King, Roquat the -Red, will use its power to give every Whimsie a natural head as big -and fine as the false head he now wears. Then you will no longer be -ashamed because your big strong bodies have such teenty-weenty heads."</p> - -<p>"Oh! Will you do that?" asked the Chief, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"We surely will," promised the General.</p> - -<p>"I'll talk to my people," said the Chief.</p> - -<p>So he called a meeting of all the Whimsies and told them of the offer -made by the Nomes. The creatures were delighted with the bargain, and -at once agreed to fight for the Nome King and help him to conquer Oz.</p> - -<p>One Whimsie alone seemed to have a glimmer of sense, for he asked:</p> - -<p>"Suppose we fail to capture the Magic Belt? What will happen then, -and what good will all our fighting do?"</p> - -<p>But they threw him into the river for asking foolish questions, and -laughed when the water ruined his pasteboard head before he could swim -out again.</p> - -<p>So the compact was made and General Guph was delighted with his -success in gaining such powerful allies.</p> - -<p>But there were other people, too, just as important as the Whimsies, -whom the clever old Nome had determined to win to his side.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_7__How_Aunt_Em_Conquered_the_Lion" id="Chapter_7__How_Aunt_Em_Conquered_the_Lion" />7. How Aunt Em Conquered the Lion</h2> - - -<p>"These are your rooms," said Dorothy, opening a door.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em drew back at the sight of the splendid furniture and draperies.</p> - -<p>"Ain't there any place to wipe my feet?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"You will soon change your slippers for new shoes," replied Dorothy. -"Don't be afraid, Aunt Em. Here is where you are to live, so walk -right in and make yourself at home."</p> - -<p>Aunt Em advanced hesitatingly.</p> - -<p>"It beats the Topeka Hotel!" she cried admiringly. "But this place is -too grand for us, child. Can't we have some back room in the attic, -that's more in our class?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Dorothy. "You've got to live here, 'cause Ozma says so. -And all the rooms in this palace are just as fine as these, and some -are better. It won't do any good to fuss, Aunt Em. You've got to be -swell and high-toned in the Land of Oz, whether you want to or not; -so you may as well make up your mind to it."</p> - -<p>"It's hard luck," replied her aunt, looking around with an awed -expression; "but folks can get used to anything, if they try. -Eh, Henry?"</p> - -<p>"Why, as to that," said Uncle Henry, slowly, "I b'lieve in takin' -what's pervided us, an' askin' no questions. I've traveled some, Em, -in my time, and you hain't; an' that makes a difference atween us."</p> - -<p>Then Dorothy showed them through the rooms. The first was a handsome -sitting-room, with windows opening upon the rose gardens. Then came -separate bedrooms for Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, with a fine bathroom -between them. Aunt Em had a pretty dressing room, besides, and Dorothy -opened the closets and showed several exquisite costumes that had been -provided for her aunt by the royal dressmakers, who had worked all -night to get them ready. Everything that Aunt Em could possibly need -was in the drawers and closets, and her dressing-table was covered -with engraved gold toilet articles.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry had nine suits of clothes, cut in the popular Munchkin -fashion, with knee-breeches, silk stockings, and low shoes with -jeweled buckles. The hats to match these costumes had pointed tops -and wide brims with small gold bells around the edges. His shirts -were of fine linen with frilled bosoms, and his vests were richly -embroidered with colored silks.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry decided that he would first take a bath and then dress -himself in a blue satin suit that had caught his fancy. He accepted -his good fortune with calm composure and refused to have a servant to -assist him. But Aunt Em was "all of a flutter," as she said, and it -took Dorothy and Jellia Jamb, the housekeeper, and two maids a long -time to dress her and do up her hair and get her "rigged like a -popinjay," as she quaintly expressed it. She wanted to stop and admire -everything that caught her eye, and she sighed continually and declared -that such finery was too good for an old country woman, and that she -never thought she would have to "put on airs" at her time of life.</p> - -<p>Finally she was dressed, and when she went into the sitting-room -there was Uncle Henry in his blue satin, walking gravely up and down -the room. He had trimmed his beard and mustache and looked very -dignified and respectable.</p> - -<p>"Tell me, Dorothy," he said; "do all the men here wear duds like these?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," she replied; "all 'cept the Scarecrow and the Shaggy Man—and -of course the Tin Woodman and Tiktok, who are made of metal. You'll -find all the men at Ozma's court dressed just as you are—only perhaps -a little finer."</p> - -<p>"Henry, you look like a play-actor," announced Aunt Em, looking at her -husband critically.</p> - -<p>"An' you, Em, look more highfalutin' than a peacock," he replied.</p> - -<p>"I guess you're right," she said regretfully; "but we're helpless -victims of high-toned royalty."</p> - -<p>Dorothy was much amused.</p> - -<p>"Come with me," she said, "and I'll show you 'round the palace."</p> - -<p>She took them through the beautiful rooms and introduced them to all -the people they chanced to meet. Also she showed them her own pretty -rooms, which were not far from their own.</p> - -<p>"So it's all true," said Aunt Em, wide-eyed with amazement, "and what -Dorothy told us of this fairy country was plain facts instead of dreams! -But where are all the strange creatures you used to know here?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, where's the Scarecrow?" inquired Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Why, he's just now away on a visit to the Tin Woodman, who is Emp'ror -of the Winkie Country," answered the little girl. "You'll see him -when he comes back, and you're sure to like him."</p> - -<p>"And where's the Wonderful Wizard?" asked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"You'll see him at Ozma's luncheon, for he lives here in this palace," -was the reply.</p> - -<p>"And Jack Pumpkinhead?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, he lives a little way out of town, in his own pumpkin field. -We'll go there some time and see him, and we'll call on Professor -Wogglebug, too. The Shaggy Man will be at the luncheon, I guess, and -Tiktok. And now I'll take you out to see Billina, who has a house of -her own."</p> - -<p>So they went into the back yard, and after walking along winding paths -some distance through the beautiful gardens they came to an attractive -little house where the Yellow Hen sat on the front porch sunning herself.</p> - -<p>"Good morning, my dear Mistress," called Billina, fluttering down to -meet them. "I was expecting you to call, for I heard you had come -back and brought your uncle and aunt with you."</p> - -<p>"We're here for good and all, this time, Billina," cried Dorothy, -joyfully. "Uncle Henry and Aunt Em belong to Oz now as much as I do!"</p> - -<p>"Then they are very lucky people," declared Billina; "for there -couldn't be a nicer place to live. But come, my dear; I must show you -all my Dorothys. Nine are living and have grown up to be very -respectable hens; but one took cold at Ozma's birthday party and died -of the pip, and the other two turned out to be horrid roosters, so I -had to change their names from Dorothy to Daniel. They all had the -letter 'D' engraved upon their gold lockets, you remember, with your -picture inside, and 'D' stands for Daniel as well as for Dorothy."</p> - -<p>"Did you call both the roosters Daniel?" asked Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Yes, indeed. I've nine Dorothys and two Daniels; and the nine -Dorothys have eighty-six sons and daughters and over three hundred -grandchildren," said Billina, proudly.</p> - -<p>"What names do you give 'em all, dear?" inquired the little girl.</p> - -<p>"Oh, they are all Dorothys and Daniels, some being Juniors and some -Double-Juniors. Dorothy and Daniel are two good names, and I see no -object in hunting for others," declared the Yellow Hen. "But just -think, Dorothy, what a big chicken family we've grown to be, and our -numbers increase nearly every day! Ozma doesn't know what to do with -all the eggs we lay, and we are never eaten or harmed in any way, as -chickens are in your country. They give us everything to make us -contented and happy, and I, my dear, am the acknowledged Queen and -Governor of every chicken in Oz, because I'm the eldest and started the -whole colony."</p> - -<p>"You ought to be very proud, ma'am," said Uncle Henry, who was -astonished to hear a hen talk so sensibly.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I am," she replied. "I've the loveliest pearl necklace you ever -saw. Come in the house and I'll show it to you. And I've nine leg -bracelets and a diamond pin for each wing. But I only wear them on -state occasions."</p> - -<p>They followed the Yellow Hen into the house, which Aunt Em declared -was neat as a pin. They could not sit down, because all Billina's -chairs were roosting-poles made of silver; so they had to stand while -the hen fussily showed them her treasures.</p> - -<p>Then they had to go into the back rooms occupied by Billina's nine -Dorothys and two Daniels, who were all plump yellow chickens and -greeted the visitors very politely. It was easy to see that they were -well bred and that Billina had looked after their education.</p> - -<p>In the yards were all the children and grandchildren of these eleven -elders and they were of all sizes, from well-grown hens to tiny -chickens just out of the shell. About fifty fluffy yellow youngsters -were at school, being taught good manners and good grammar by a young -hen who wore spectacles. They sang in chorus a patriotic song of the -Land of Oz, in honor of their visitors, and Aunt Em was much impressed -by these talking chickens.</p> - -<p>Dorothy wanted to stay and play with the young chickens for awhile, -but Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had not seen the palace grounds and -gardens yet and were eager to get better acquainted with the marvelous -and delightful land in which they were to live.</p> - -<p>"I'll stay here, and you can go for a walk," said Dorothy. "You'll be -perfec'ly safe anywhere, and may do whatever you want to. When you -get tired, go back to the palace and find your rooms, and I'll come to -you before luncheon is ready."</p> - -<p>So Uncle Henry and Aunt Em started out alone to explore the grounds, -and Dorothy knew that they couldn't get lost, because all the palace -grounds were enclosed by a high wall of green marble set with emeralds.</p> - -<p>It was a rare treat to these simple folk, who had lived in the country -all their lives and known little enjoyment of any sort, to wear -beautiful clothes and live in a palace and be treated with respect and -consideration by all around them. They were very happy indeed as they -strolled up the shady walks and looked upon the gorgeous flowers and -shrubs, feeling that their new home was more beautiful than any tongue -could describe.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, as they turned a corner and walked through a gap in a high -hedge, they came face to face with an enormous Lion, which crouched -upon the green lawn and seemed surprised by their appearance.</p> - -<p>They stopped short, Uncle Henry trembling with horror and Aunt Em too -terrified to scream. Next moment the poor woman clasped her husband -around the neck and cried:</p> - -<p>"Save me, Henry, save me!"</p> - -<p>"Can't even save myself, Em," he returned, in a husky voice, "for the -animile looks as if it could eat both of us an' lick its chops for -more! If I only had a gun—"</p> - -<p>"Haven't you, Henry? Haven't you?" she asked anxiously.</p> - -<p>"Nary gun, Em. So let's die as brave an' graceful as we can. I knew -our luck couldn't last!"</p> - -<p>"I won't die. I won't be eaten by a lion!" wailed Aunt Em, glaring -upon the huge beast. Then a thought struck her, and she whispered, -"Henry, I've heard as savage beastses can be conquered by the human -eye. I'll eye that lion out o' countenance an' save our lives."</p> - -<p>"Try it, Em," he returned, also in a whisper. "Look at him as you do -at me when I'm late to dinner."</p> - -<p>Aunt Em turned upon the Lion a determined countenance and a wild dilated -eye. She glared at the immense beast steadily, and the Lion, who had -been quietly blinking at them, began to appear uneasy and disturbed.</p> - -<p>"Is anything the matter, ma'am?" he asked, in a mild voice.</p> - -<p>At this speech from the terrible beast Aunt Em and Uncle Henry both -were startled, and then Uncle Henry remembered that this must be the -Lion they had seen in Ozma's Throne Room.</p> - -<p>"Hold on, Em!" he exclaimed. "Quit the eagle eye conquest an' -take courage. I guess this is the same Cowardly Lion Dorothy -has told us about."</p> - -<p>"Oh, is it?" she cried, much relieved.</p> - -<p>"When he spoke, I got the idea; and when he looked so 'shamed like, I -was sure of it," Uncle Henry continued.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em regarded the animal with new interest.</p> - -<p>"Are you the Cowardly Lion?" she inquired. "Are you Dorothy's friend?"</p> - -<p>"Yes'm," answered the Lion, meekly. "Dorothy and I are old chums and -are very fond of each other. I'm the King of Beasts, you know, and -the Hungry Tiger and I serve Princess Ozma as her body guards."</p> - -<p>"To be sure," said Aunt Em, nodding. "But the King of Beasts -shouldn't be cowardly."</p> - -<p>"I've heard that said before," remarked the Lion, yawning till he -showed two great rows of sharp white teeth; "but that does not keep -me from being frightened whenever I go into battle."</p> - -<p>"What do you do, run?" asked Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"No; that would be foolish, for the enemy would run after me," -declared the Lion. "So I tremble with fear and pitch in as hard as I -can; and so far I have always won my fight."</p> - -<p>"Ah, I begin to understand," said Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Were you scared when I looked at you just now?" inquired Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Terribly scared, madam," answered the Lion, "for at first I thought -you were going to have a fit. Then I noticed you were trying to -overcome me by the power of your eye, and your glance was so fierce -and penetrating that I shook with fear."</p> - -<p>This greatly pleased the lady, and she said quite cheerfully:</p> - -<p>"Well, I won't hurt you, so don't be scared any more. I just wanted -to see what the human eye was good for."</p> - -<p>"The human eye is a fearful weapon," remarked the Lion, scratching his -nose softly with his paw to hide a smile. "Had I not known you were -Dorothy's friends I might have torn you both into shreds in order to -escape your terrible gaze."</p> - -<p>Aunt Em shuddered at hearing this, and Uncle Henry said hastily:</p> - -<p>"I'm glad you knew us. Good morning, Mr. Lion; we'll hope to see you -again—by and by—some time in the future."</p> - -<p>"Good morning," replied the Lion, squatting down upon the lawn again. -"You are likely to see a good deal of me, if you live in the Land of Oz."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_8__How_the_Grand_Gallipoot_Joined_The_Nomes" id="Chapter_8__How_the_Grand_Gallipoot_Joined_The_Nomes" />8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes</h2> - - -<p>After leaving the Whimsies, Guph continued on his journey and -penetrated far into the Northwest. He wanted to get to the Country of -the Growleywogs, and in order to do that he must cross the Ripple -Land, which was a hard thing to do. For the Ripple Land was a -succession of hills and valleys, all very steep and rocky, and they -changed places constantly by rippling. While Guph was climbing a -hill it sank down under him and became a valley, and while he was -descending into a valley it rose up and carried him to the top of a -hill. This was very perplexing to the traveler, and a stranger might -have thought he could never cross the Ripple Land at all. But Guph -knew that if he kept steadily on he would get to the end at last; so -he paid no attention to the changing hills and valleys and plodded -along as calmly as if walking upon the level ground.</p> - -<p>The result of this wise persistence was that the General finally -reached firmer soil and, after penetrating a dense forest, came to the -Dominion of the Growleywogs.</p> - -<p>No sooner had he crossed the border of this domain when two guards -seized him and carried him before the Grand Gallipoot of the -Growleywogs, who scowled upon him ferociously and asked him why he -dared intrude upon his territory.</p> - -<p>"I'm the Lord High General of the Invincible Army of the Nomes, and my -name is Guph," was the reply. "All the world trembles when that name -is mentioned."</p> - -<p>The Growleywogs gave a shout of jeering laughter at this, and one of -them caught the Nome in his strong arms and tossed him high into the -air. Guph was considerably shaken when he fell upon the hard ground, -but he appeared to take no notice of the impertinence and composed -himself to speak again to the Grand Gallipoot.</p> - -<p>"My master, King Roquat the Red, has sent me here to confer with you. -He wishes your assistance to conquer the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>Here the General paused, and the Grand Gallipoot scowled upon him more -terribly than ever and said:</p> - -<p>"Go on!"</p> - -<p>The voice of the Grand Gallipoot was partly a roar and partly a growl. -He mumbled his words badly and Guph had to listen carefully in order -to understand him.</p> - -<p>These Growleywogs were certainly remarkable creatures. They were of -gigantic size, yet were all bone and skin and muscle, there being no -meat or fat upon their bodies at all. Their powerful muscles lay just -underneath their skins, like bunches of tough rope, and the weakest -Growleywog was so strong that he could pick up an elephant and toss it -seven miles away.</p> - -<p>It seems unfortunate that strong people are usually so disagreeable -and overbearing that no one cares for them. In fact, to be different -from your fellow creatures is always a misfortune. The Growleywogs -knew that they were disliked and avoided by every one, so they had -become surly and unsociable even among themselves. Guph knew that -they hated all people, including the Nomes; but he hoped to win them -over, nevertheless, and knew that if he succeeded they would afford -him very powerful assistance.</p> - -<p>"The Land of Oz is ruled by a namby-pamby girl who is disgustingly -kind and good," he continued. "Her people are all happy and contented -and have no care or worries whatever."</p> - -<p>"Go on!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.</p> - -<p>"Once the Nome King enslaved the Royal Family of Ev—another -goody-goody lot that we detest," said the General. "But Ozma -interfered, although it was none of her business, and marched her army -against us. With her was a Kansas girl named Dorothy, and a Yellow -Hen, and they marched directly into the Nome King's cavern. There -they liberated our slaves from Ev and stole King Roquat's Magic Belt, -which they carried away with them. So now our King is making a tunnel -under the deadly desert, so we can march through it to the Emerald -City. When we get there we mean to conquer and destroy all the land -and recapture the Magic Belt."</p> - -<p>Again he paused, and again the Grand Gallipoot growled:</p> - -<p>"Go on!"</p> - -<p>Guph tried to think what to say next, and a happy thought soon -occurred to him.</p> - -<p>"We want you to help us in this conquest," he announced, "for we need -the mighty aid of the Growleywogs in order to make sure that we shall -not be defeated. You are the strongest people in all the world, and -you hate good and happy creatures as much as we Nomes do. I am sure -it will be a real pleasure to you to tear down the beautiful Emerald -City, and in return for your valuable assistance we will allow you to -bring back to your country ten thousand people of Oz, to be your slaves."</p> - -<p>"Twenty thousand!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.</p> - -<p>"All right, we promise you twenty thousand," agreed the General.</p> - -<p>The Gallipoot made a signal and at once his attendants picked up -General Guph and carried him away to a prison, where the jailer amused -himself by sticking pins in the round fat body of the old Nome, to see -him jump and hear him yell.</p> - -<p>But while this was going on the Grand Gallipoot was talking with his -counselors, who were the most important officials of the Growleywogs. -When he had stated to them the proposition of the Nome King, he said:</p> - -<p>"My advice is to offer to help them. Then, when we have conquered the -Land of Oz, we will take not only our twenty thousand prisoners but -all the gold and jewels we want."</p> - -<p>"Let us take the Magic Belt, too," suggested one counselor.</p> - -<p>"And rob the Nome King and make him our slave," said another.</p> - -<p>"That is a good idea," declared the Grand Gallipoot. "I'd like King -Roquat for my own slave. He could black my boots and bring me my -porridge every morning while I am in bed."</p> - -<p>"There is a famous Scarecrow in Oz. I'll take him for my slave," said -a counselor.</p> - -<p>"I'll take Tiktok, the machine man," said another.</p> - -<p>"Give me the Tin Woodman," said a third.</p> - -<p>They went on for some time, dividing up the people and the treasure of -Oz in advance of the conquest. For they had no doubt at all that they -would be able to destroy Ozma's domain. Were they not the strongest -people in all the world?</p> - -<p>"The deadly desert has kept us out of Oz before," remarked the Grand -Gallipoot, "but now that the Nome King is building a tunnel we shall -get into the Emerald City very easily. So let us send the little fat -General back to his King with our promise to assist him. We will not -say that we intend to conquer the Nomes after we have conquered Oz, -but we will do so, just the same."</p> - -<p>This plan being agreed upon, they all went home to dinner, leaving -General Guph still in prison. The Nome had no idea that he had -succeeded in his mission, for finding himself in prison he feared the -Growleywogs intended to put him to death.</p> - -<p>By this time the jailer had tired of sticking pins in the General, and -was amusing himself by carefully pulling the Nome's whiskers out by -the roots, one at a time. This enjoyment was interrupted by the Grand -Gallipoot sending for the prisoner.</p> - -<p>"Wait a few hours," begged the jailer. "I haven't pulled out a -quarter of his whiskers yet."</p> - -<p>"If you keep the Grand Gallipoot waiting, he'll break your back," -declared the messenger.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you're right," sighed the jailer. "Take the prisoner away, -if you will, but I advise you to kick him at every step he takes. It -will be good fun, for he is as soft as a ripe peach."</p> - -<p>So Guph was led away to the royal castle, where the Grand Gallipoot -told him that the Growleywogs had decided to assist the Nomes in -conquering the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>"Whenever you are ready," he added, "send me word and I will march -with eighteen thousand of my most powerful warriors to your aid."</p> - -<p>Guph was so delighted that he forgot all the smarting caused by the -pins and the pulling of whiskers. He did not even complain of the -treatment he had received, but thanked the Grand Gallipoot and hurried -away upon his journey.</p> - -<p>He had now secured the assistance of the Whimsies and the Growleywogs; -but his success made him long for still more allies. His own life -depended upon his conquering Oz, and he said to himself:</p> - -<p>"I'll take no chances. I'll be certain of success. Then, when Oz is -destroyed, perhaps I shall be a greater man than old Roquat, and I can -throw him away and be King of the Nomes myself. Why not? The -Whimsies are stronger than the Nomes, and they also are my friends. -There are some people still stronger than the Growleywogs, and if I -can but induce them to aid me I shall have nothing more to fear."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_9__How_the_Wogglebug_Taught_Athletics" id="Chapter_9__How_the_Wogglebug_Taught_Athletics" />9. How the Wogglebug Taught Athletics</h2> - - -<p>It did not take Dorothy long to establish herself in her new home, for -she knew the people and the manners and customs of the Emerald City -just as well as she knew the old Kansas farm.</p> - -<p>But Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had some trouble in getting used to the -finery and pomp and ceremony of Ozma's palace, and felt uneasy because -they were obliged to be "dressed up" all the time. Yet every one was -very courteous and kind to them and endeavored to make them happy. -Ozma, especially, made much of Dorothy's relatives, for her little -friend's sake, and she well knew that the awkwardness and strangeness -of their new mode of life would all wear off in time.</p> - -<p>The old people were chiefly troubled by the fact that there was no -work for them to do.</p> - -<p>"Ev'ry day is like Sunday, now," declared Aunt Em, solemnly, "and I -can't say I like it. If they'd only let me do up the dishes after -meals, or even sweep an' dust my own rooms, I'd be a deal happier. -Henry don't know what to do with himself either, and once when he -stole out an' fed the chickens Billina scolded him for letting 'em -eat between meals. I never knew before what a hardship it is to be -rich and have everything you want."</p> - -<p>These complaints began to worry Dorothy; so she had a long talk with -Ozma upon the subject.</p> - -<p>"I see I must find them something to do," said the girlish Ruler of -Oz, seriously. "I have been watching your uncle and aunt, and I -believe they will be more contented if occupied with some light tasks. -While I am considering this matter, Dorothy, you might make a trip -with them through the Land of Oz, visiting some of the odd corners and -introducing your relatives to some of our curious people."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that would be fine!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"I will give you an escort befitting your rank as a Princess," -continued Ozma; "and you may go to some of the places you have not yet -visited yourself, as well as some others that you know. I will mark -out a plan of the trip for you and have everything in readiness for -you to start to-morrow morning. Take your time, dear, and be gone as -long as you wish. By the time you return I shall have found some -occupation for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em that will keep them from being -restless and dissatisfied."</p> - -<p>Dorothy thanked her good friend and kissed the lovely Ruler gratefully. -Then she ran to tell the joyful news to her uncle and aunt.</p> - -<p>Next morning, after breakfast, everything was found ready for -their departure.</p> - -<p>The escort included Omby Amby, the Captain General of Ozma's army, -which consisted merely of twenty-seven officers besides the Captain -General. Once Omby Amby had been a private soldier—the only private -in the army—but as there was never any fighting to do Ozma saw no -need of a private, so she made Omby Amby the highest officer of them -all. He was very tall and slim and wore a gay uniform and a fierce -mustache. Yet the mustache was the only fierce thing about Omby Amby, -whose nature was as gentle as that of a child.</p> - -<p>The wonderful Wizard had asked to join the party, and with him came -his friend the Shaggy Man, who was shaggy but not ragged, being -dressed in fine silks with satin shags and bobtails. The Shaggy Man -had shaggy whiskers and hair, but a sweet disposition and a soft, -pleasant voice.</p> - -<p>There was an open wagon, with three seats for the passengers, and the -wagon was drawn by the famous wooden Sawhorse which had once been -brought to life by Ozma by means of a magic powder. The Sawhorse wore -wooden shoes to keep his wooden legs from wearing away, and he was -strong and swift. As this curious creature was Ozma's own favorite -steed, and very popular with all the people of the Emerald City, -Dorothy knew that she had been highly favored by being permitted to -use the Sawhorse on her journey.</p> - -<p>In the front seat of the wagon sat Dorothy and the Wizard. Uncle -Henry and Aunt Em sat in the next seat and the Shaggy Man and Omby -Amby in the third seat. Of course Toto was with the party, curled up -at Dorothy's feet, and just as they were about to start, Billina came -fluttering along the path and begged to be taken with them. Dorothy -readily agreed, so the Yellow Hen flew up and perched herself upon the -dashboard. She wore her pearl necklace and three bracelets upon each -leg, in honor of the occasion.</p> - -<p>Dorothy kissed Ozma good-bye, and all the people standing around waved -their handkerchiefs, and the band in an upper balcony struck up a -military march. Then the Wizard clucked to the Sawhorse and said: -"Gid-dap!" and the wooden animal pranced away and drew behind him the -big red wagon and all the passengers, without any effort at all. A -servant threw open a gate of the palace enclosure, that they might -pass out; and so, with music and shouts following them, the journey -was begun.</p> - -<p>"It's almost like a circus," said Aunt Em, proudly. "I can't help -feelin' high an' mighty in this kind of a turn-out."</p> - -<p>Indeed, as they passed down the street, all the people cheered them -lustily, and the Shaggy Man and the Wizard and the Captain General all -took off their hats and bowed politely in acknowledgment.</p> - -<p>When they came to the great wall of the Emerald City, the gates were -opened by the Guardian who always tended them. Over the gateway hung -a dull-colored metal magnet shaped like a horse-shoe, placed against a -shield of polished gold.</p> - -<p>"That," said the Shaggy Man, impressively, "is the wonderful Love -Magnet. I brought it to the Emerald City myself, and all who pass -beneath this gateway are both loving and beloved."</p> - -<p>"It's a fine thing," declared Aunt Em, admiringly. "If we'd had it -in Kansas I guess the man who held a mortgage on the farm wouldn't -have turned us out."</p> - -<p>"Then I'm glad we didn't have it," returned Uncle Henry. "I like Oz -better than Kansas, even; an' this little wood Sawhorse beats all the -critters I ever saw. He don't have to be curried, or fed, or watered, -an' he's strong as an ox. Can he talk, Dorothy?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Uncle," replied the child. "But the Sawhorse never says much. -He told me once that he can't talk and think at the same time, so he -prefers to think."</p> - -<p>"Which is very sensible," declared the Wizard, nodding approvingly. -"Which way do we go, Dorothy?"</p> - -<p>"Straight ahead into the Quadling Country," she answered. "I've got a -letter of interduction to Miss Cuttenclip."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" exclaimed the Wizard, much interested. "Are we going there? -Then I'm glad I came, for I've always wanted to meet the Cuttenclips."</p> - -<p>"Who are they?" inquired Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Wait till we get there," replied Dorothy, with a laugh; "then you'll -see for yourself. I've never seen the Cuttenclips, you know, so I -can't 'zactly 'splain 'em to you."</p> - -<p>Once free of the Emerald City the Sawhorse dashed away at tremendous -speed. Indeed, he went so fast that Aunt Em had hard work to catch -her breath, and Uncle Henry held fast to the seat of the red wagon.</p> - -<p>"Gently—gently, my boy!" called the Wizard, and at this the Sawhorse -slackened his speed.</p> - -<p>"What's wrong?" asked the animal, slightly turning his wooden head to -look at the party with one eye, which was a knot of wood.</p> - -<p>"Why, we wish to admire the scenery, that's all," answered the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Some of your passengers," added the Shaggy Man, "have never been out -of the Emerald City before, and the country is all new to them."</p> - -<p>"If you go too fast you'll spoil all the fun," said Dorothy. -"There's no hurry."</p> - -<p>"Very well; it is all the same to me," observed the Sawhorse; -and after that he went at a more moderate pace.</p> - -<p>Uncle Henry was astonished.</p> - -<p>"How can a wooden thing be so intelligent?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Why, I gave him some sawdust brains the last time I fitted his head -with new ears," explained the Wizard. "The sawdust was made from hard -knots, and now the Sawhorse is able to think out any knotty problem he -meets with."</p> - -<p>"I see," said Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"I don't," remarked Aunt Em; but no one paid any attention -to this statement.</p> - -<p>Before long they came to a stately building that stood upon a green -plain with handsome shade trees grouped here and there.</p> - -<p>"What is that?" asked Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"That," replied the Wizard, "is the Royal Athletic College of Oz, -which is directed by Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T.E."</p> - -<p>"Let's stop and make a call," suggested Dorothy.</p> - -<p>So the Sawhorse drew up in front of the great building and they were -met at the door by the learned Wogglebug himself. He seemed fully as -tall as the Wizard, and was dressed in a red and white checked vest -and a blue swallow-tailed coat, and had yellow knee breeches and purple -silk stockings upon his slender legs. A tall hat was jauntily set -upon his head and he wore spectacles over his big bright eyes.</p> - -<p>"Welcome, Dorothy," said the Wogglebug; "and welcome to all your friends. -We are indeed pleased to receive you at this great Temple of Learning."</p> - -<p>"I thought it was an Athletic College," said the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"It is, my dear sir," answered the Wogglebug, proudly. "Here it -is that we teach the youth of our great land scientific College -Athletics—in all their purity."</p> - -<p>"Don't you teach them anything else?" asked Dorothy. "Don't they get -any reading, writing and 'rithmetic?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes; of course. They get all those, and more," returned the -Professor. "But such things occupy little of their time. Please -follow me and I will show you how my scholars are usually occupied. -This is a class hour and they are all busy."</p> - -<p>They followed him to a big field back of the college building, where -several hundred young Ozites were at their classes. In one place they -played football, in another baseball. Some played tennis, some golf; -some were swimming in a big pool. Upon a river which wound through -the grounds several crews in racing boats were rowing with great -enthusiasm. Other groups of students played basketball and cricket, -while in one place a ring was roped in to permit boxing and wrestling -by the energetic youths. All the collegians seemed busy and there -was much laughter and shouting.</p> - -<p>"This college," said Professor Wogglebug, complacently, "is a great -success. Its educational value is undisputed, and we are turning out -many great and valuable citizens every year."</p> - -<p>"But when do they study?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Study?" said the Wogglebug, looking perplexed at the question.</p> - -<p>"Yes; when do they get their 'rithmetic, and jogerfy, and such things?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, they take doses of those every night and morning," was the reply.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by doses?" Dorothy inquired, wonderingly.</p> - -<p>"Why, we use the newly invented School Pills, made by your friend the -Wizard. These pills we have found to be very effective, and they save -a lot of time. Please step this way and I will show you our -Laboratory of Learning."</p> - -<p>He led them to a room in the building where many large bottles were -standing in rows upon shelves.</p> - -<p>"These are the Algebra Pills," said the Professor, taking down one of -the bottles. "One at night, on retiring, is equal to four hours of -study. Here are the Geography Pills—one at night and one in the -morning. In this next bottle are the Latin Pills—one three times a -day. Then we have the Grammar Pills—one before each meal—and the -Spelling Pills, which are taken whenever needed."</p> - -<p>"Your scholars must have to take a lot of pills," remarked Dorothy, -thoughtfully. "How do they take 'em, in applesauce?"</p> - -<p>"No, my dear. They are sugar-coated and are quickly and easily -swallowed. I believe the students would rather take the pills than -study, and certainly the pills are a more effective method. You see, -until these School Pills were invented we wasted a lot of time in -study that may now be better employed in practicing athletics."</p> - -<p>"Seems to me the pills are a good thing," said Omby Amby, -who remembered how it used to make his head ache as a boy -to study arithmetic.</p> - -<p>"They are, sir," declared the Wogglebug, earnestly. "They give us an -advantage over all other colleges, because at no loss of time our boys -become thoroughly conversant with Greek and Latin, Mathematics and -Geography, Grammar and Literature. You see they are never obliged to -interrupt their games to acquire the lesser branches of learning."</p> - -<p>"It's a great invention, I'm sure," said Dorothy, looking admiringly -at the Wizard, who blushed modestly at this praise.</p> - -<p>"We live in an age of progress," announced Professor Wogglebug, -pompously. "It is easier to swallow knowledge than to acquire it -laboriously from books. Is it not so, my friends?"</p> - -<p>"Some folks can swallow anything," said Aunt Em, "but to me this seems -too much like taking medicine."</p> - -<p>"Young men in college always have to take their medicine, one way or -another," observed the Wizard, with a smile; "and, as our Professor -says, these School Pills have proved to be a great success. One day -while I was making them I happened to drop one of them, and one of -Billina's chickens gobbled it up. A few minutes afterward this chick -got upon a roost and recited 'The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck' -without making a single mistake. Then it recited 'The Charge of the -Light Brigade' and afterwards 'Excelsior.' You see, the chicken had -eaten an Elocution Pill."</p> - -<p>They now bade good-bye to the Professor, and thanking him for his kind -reception mounted again into the red wagon and continued their journey.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_10__How_the_Cuttenclips_Lived" id="Chapter_10__How_the_Cuttenclips_Lived" />10. How the Cuttenclips Lived</h2> - - -<p>The travelers had taken no provisions with them because they knew that -they would be welcomed wherever they might go in the Land of Oz, and -that the people would feed and lodge them with genuine hospitality. -So about noon they stopped at a farm-house and were given a delicious -luncheon of bread and milk, fruits and wheat cakes with maple syrup. -After resting a while and strolling through the orchards with their -host—a round, jolly farmer—they got into the wagon and again started -the Sawhorse along the pretty, winding road.</p> - -<p>There were signposts at all the corners, and finally they came to one -which read:</p> - -<blockquote><p>TAKE THIS ROAD TO THE CUTTENCLIPS</p></blockquote> - - -<p>There was also a hand pointing in the right direction, so they turned -the Sawhorse that way and found it a very good road, but seemingly -little traveled.</p> - -<p>"I've never seen the Cuttenclips before," remarked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Nor I," said the Captain General.</p> - -<p>"Nor I," said the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Nor I," said Billina.</p> - -<p>"I've hardly been out of the Emerald City since I arrived in this -country," added the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"Why, none of us has been there, then," exclaimed the little girl. -"I wonder what the Cuttenclips are like."</p> - -<p>"We shall soon find out," said the Wizard, with a sly laugh. -"I've heard they are rather flimsy things."</p> - -<p>The farm-houses became fewer as they proceeded, and the path was at -times so faint that the Sawhorse had hard work to keep in the road. -The wagon began to jounce, too; so they were obliged to go slowly.</p> - -<p>After a somewhat wearisome journey they came in sight of a high wall, -painted blue with pink ornaments. This wall was circular, and seemed -to enclose a large space. It was so high that only the tops of the -trees could be seen above it.</p> - -<p>The path led up to a small door in the wall, which was closed and -latched. Upon the door was a sign in gold letters reading as follows:</p> - -<blockquote><p>VISITORS are requested to MOVE SLOWLY and CAREFULLY, -and to avoid COUGHING or making any BREEZE or DRAUGHT.</p></blockquote> - -<p>"That's strange," said the Shaggy Man, reading the sign aloud. "Who -ARE the Cuttenclips, anyhow?"</p> - -<p>"Why, they're paper dolls," answered Dorothy. "Didn't you know that?"</p> - -<p>"Paper dolls! Then let's go somewhere else," said Uncle Henry. -"We're all too old to play with dolls, Dorothy."</p> - -<p>"But these are different," declared the girl. "They're alive."</p> - -<p>"Alive!" gasped Aunt Em, in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Let's go in," said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>So they all got out of the wagon, since the door in the wall was not -big enough for them to drive the Sawhorse and wagon through it.</p> - -<p>"You stay here, Toto!" commanded Dorothy, shaking her finger at the -little dog. "You're so careless that you might make a breeze if I -let you inside."</p> - -<p>Toto wagged his tail as if disappointed at being left behind; but he -made no effort to follow them. The Wizard unlatched the door, which -opened outward, and they all looked eagerly inside.</p> - -<p>Just before the entrance was drawn up a line of tiny soldiers, with -uniforms brightly painted and paper guns upon their shoulders. They -were exactly alike, from one end of the line to the other, and all were -cut out of paper and joined together in the centers of their bodies.</p> - -<p>As the visitors entered the enclosure the Wizard let the door swing -back into place, and at once the line of soldiers tumbled over, fell -flat upon their backs, and lay fluttering upon the ground.</p> - -<p>"Hi there!" called one of them; "what do you mean by slamming the -door and blowing us over?"</p> - -<p>"I beg your pardon, I'm sure," said the Wizard, regretfully. "I didn't -know you were so delicate."</p> - -<p>"We're not delicate!" retorted another soldier, raising his head from -the ground. "We are strong and healthy; but we can't stand draughts."</p> - -<p>"May I help you up?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"If you please," replied the end soldier. "But do it gently, -little girl."</p> - -<p>Dorothy carefully stood up the line of soldiers, who first dusted -their painted clothes and then saluted the visitors with their paper -muskets. From the end it was easy to see that the entire line had -been cut out of paper, although from the front the soldiers looked -rather solid and imposing.</p> - -<p>"I've a letter of introduction from Princess Ozma to Miss Cuttenclip," -announced Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Very well," said the end soldier, and blew upon a paper whistle that -hung around his neck. At once a paper soldier in a Captain's uniform -came out of a paper house near by and approached the group at the -entrance. He was not very big, and he walked rather stiffly and -uncertainly on his paper legs; but he had a pleasant face, with very -red cheeks and very blue eyes, and he bowed so low to the strangers -that Dorothy laughed, and the breeze from her mouth nearly blew the -Captain over. He wavered and struggled and finally managed to remain -upon his feet.</p> - -<p>"Take care, Miss!" he said, warningly. "You're breaking the rules, -you know, by laughing."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I didn't know that," she replied.</p> - -<p>"To laugh in this place is nearly as dangerous as to cough," said the -Captain. "You'll have to breathe very quietly, I assure you."</p> - -<p>"We'll try to," promised the girl. "May we see Miss Cuttenclip, please?"</p> - -<p>"You may," promptly returned the Captain. "This is one of her -reception days. Be good enough to follow me."</p> - -<p>He turned and led the way up a path, and as they followed slowly, -because the paper Captain did not move very swiftly, they took the -opportunity to gaze around them at this strange paper country.</p> - -<p>Beside the path were paper trees, all cut out very neatly and painted -a brilliant green color. And back of the trees were rows of cardboard -houses, painted in various colors but most of them having green -blinds. Some were large and some small, and in the front yards were -beds of paper flowers quite natural in appearance. Over some of the -porches paper vines were twined, giving them a cozy and shady look.</p> - -<p>As the visitors passed along the street a good many paper dolls came -to the doors and windows of their houses to look at them curiously. -These dolls were nearly all the same height, but were cut into various -shapes, some being fat and some lean. The girl dolls wore many -beautiful costumes of tissue paper, making them quite fluffy; but -their heads and hands were no thicker than the paper of which they -were made.</p> - -<p>Some of the paper people were on the street, walking along or -congregated in groups and talking together; but as soon as they saw -the strangers they all fluttered into the houses as fast as they -could go, so as to be out of danger.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me if I go edgewise," remarked the Captain as they came to a -slight hill. "I can get along faster that way and not flutter so much."</p> - -<p>"That's all right," said Dorothy. "We don't mind how you go, I'm sure."</p> - -<p>At one side of the street was a paper pump, and a paper boy was -pumping paper water into a paper pail. The Yellow Hen happened to -brush against this boy with her wing, and he flew into the air and -fell into a paper tree, where he stuck until the Wizard gently pulled -him out. At the same time, the pail went into the air, spilling the -paper water, while the paper pump bent nearly double.</p> - -<p>"Goodness me!" said the Hen. "If I should flop my wings I believe -I'd knock over the whole village!"</p> - -<p>"Then don't flop them—please don't!" entreated the Captain. "Miss -Cuttenclip would be very much distressed if her village was spoiled."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I'll be careful," promised Billina.</p> - -<p>"Are not all these paper girls and women named Miss Cuttenclips?" -inquired Omby Amby.</p> - -<p>"No indeed," answered the Captain, who was walking better since he -began to move edgewise. "There is but one Miss Cuttenclip, who is our -Queen, because she made us all. These girls are Cuttenclips, to be -sure, but their names are Emily and Polly and Sue and Betty and such -things. Only the Queen is called Miss Cuttenclip."</p> - -<p>"I must say that this place beats anything I ever heard of," observed -Aunt Em. "I used to play with paper dolls myself, an' cut 'em out; -but I never thought I'd ever see such things alive."</p> - -<p>"I don't see as it's any more curious than hearing hens talk," -returned Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"You're likely to see many queer things in the Land of Oz, sir," said -the Wizard. "But a fairy country is extremely interesting when you -get used to being surprised."</p> - -<p>"Here we are!" called the Captain, stopping before a cottage.</p> - -<p>This house was made of wood, and was remarkably pretty in design. In -the Emerald City it would have been considered a tiny dwelling, -indeed; but in the midst of this paper village it seemed immense. -Real flowers were in the garden and real trees grew beside it. Upon -the front door was a sign reading:</p> - -<blockquote><p>MISS CUTTENCLIP.</p></blockquote> - - -<p>Just as they reached the porch the front door opened and a little -girl stood before them. She appeared to be about the same age as -Dorothy, and smiling upon her visitors she said, sweetly:</p> - -<p>"You are welcome."</p> - -<p>All the party seemed relieved to find that here was a real girl, of -flesh and blood. She was very dainty and pretty as she stood there -welcoming them. Her hair was a golden blonde and her eyes turquoise -blue. She had rosy cheeks and lovely white teeth. Over her simple -white lawn dress she wore an apron with pink and white checks, and in -one hand she held a pair of scissors.</p> - -<p>"May we see Miss Cuttenclip, please?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"I am Miss Cuttenclip," was the reply. "Won't you come in?"</p> - -<p>She held the door open while they all entered a pretty sitting-room -that was littered with all sorts of paper—some stiff, some thin, and -some tissue. The sheets and scraps were of all colors. Upon a table -were paints and brushes, while several pair of scissors, of different -sizes, were lying about.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, please," said Miss Cuttenclip, clearing the paper scraps -off some of the chairs. "It is so long since I have had any visitors -that I am not properly prepared to receive them. But I'm sure you -will pardon my untidy room, for this is my workshop."</p> - -<p>"Do you make all the paper dolls?" inquired Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Yes; I cut them out with my scissors, and paint the faces and some of -the costumes. It is very pleasant work, and I am happy making my -paper village grow."</p> - -<p>"But how do the paper dolls happen to be alive?" asked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"The first dolls I made were not alive," said Miss Cuttenclip. "I -used to live near the castle of a great Sorceress named Glinda the -Good, and she saw my dolls and said they were very pretty. I told her -I thought I would like them better if they were alive, and the next -day the Sorceress brought me a lot of magic paper. 'This is live -paper,' she said, 'and all the dolls you cut out of it will be alive, -and able to think and to talk. When you have used it all up, come to -me and I will give you more.'</p> - -<p>"Of course I was delighted with this present," continued Miss -Cuttenclip, "and at once set to work and made several paper dolls, -which, as soon as they were cut out, began to walk around and talk to -me. But they were so thin that I found that any breeze would blow -them over and scatter them dreadfully; so Glinda found this lonely -place for me, where few people ever come. She built the wall to keep -any wind from blowing away my people, and told me I could build a -paper village here and be its Queen. That is why I came here and -settled down to work and started the village you now see. It was many -years ago that I built the first houses, and I've kept pretty busy and -made my village grow finely; and I need not tell you that I am very -happy in my work."</p> - -<p>"Many years ago!" exclaimed Aunt Em. "Why, how old are you, child?"</p> - -<p>"I never keep track of the years," said Miss Cuttenclip, laughing. -"You see, I don't grow up at all, but stay just the same as I was when -first I came here. Perhaps I'm older even than you are, madam; but I -couldn't say for sure."</p> - -<p>They looked at the lovely little girl wonderingly, and the Wizard asked:</p> - -<p>"What happens to your paper village when it rains?"</p> - -<p>"It does not rain here," replied Miss Cuttenclip. "Glinda keeps all -the rain storms away; so I never worry about my dolls getting wet. But -now, if you will come with me, it will give me pleasure to show you -over my paper kingdom. Of course you must go slowly and carefully, -and avoid making any breeze."</p> - -<p>They left the cottage and followed their guide through the various -streets of the village. It was indeed an amazing place, when one -considered that it was all made with scissors, and the visitors were -not only greatly interested but full of admiration for the skill of -little Miss Cuttenclip.</p> - -<p>In one place a large group of especially nice paper dolls assembled to -greet their Queen, whom it was easy to see they loved early. These -dolls marched and danced before the visitors, and then they all waved -their paper handkerchiefs and sang in a sweet chorus a song called -"The Flag of Our Native Land."</p> - -<p>At the conclusion of the song they ran up a handsome paper flag on a -tall flagpole, and all of the people of the village gathered around to -cheer as loudly as they could—although, of course, their voices were -not especially strong.</p> - -<p>Miss Cuttenclip was about to make her subjects a speech in reply to -this patriotic song, when the Shaggy Man happened to sneeze.</p> - -<p>He was a very loud and powerful sneezer at any time, and he had tried -so hard to hold in this sneeze that when it suddenly exploded the -result was terrible.</p> - -<p>The paper dolls were mowed down by dozens, and flew and fluttered in -wild confusion in every direction, tumbling this way and that and -getting more or less wrinkled and bent.</p> - -<p>A wail of terror and grief came from the scattered throng, and Miss -Cuttenclip exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"Dear me! dear me!" and hurried at once to the rescue of her -overturned people.</p> - -<p>"Oh, Shaggy Man! How could you?" asked Dorothy, reproachfully.</p> - -<p>"I couldn't help it—really I couldn't," protested the Shaggy Man, -looking quite ashamed. "And I had no idea it took so little to upset -these paper dolls."</p> - -<p>"So little!" said Dorothy. "Why, it was 'most as bad as a Kansas -cyclone." And then she helped Miss Cuttenclip rescue the paper folk -and stand them on their feet again. Two of the cardboard houses had -also tumbled over, and the little Queen said she would have to repair -them and paste them together before they could be lived in again.</p> - -<p>And now, fearing they might do more damage to the flimsy paper people, -they decided to go away. But first they thanked Miss Cuttenclip very -warmly for her courtesy and kindness to them.</p> - -<p>"Any friend of Princess Ozma is always welcome here—unless he -sneezes," said the Queen with a rather severe look at the Shaggy Man, -who hung his head. "I like to have visitors admire my wonderful -village, and I hope you will call again."</p> - -<p>Miss Cuttenclip herself led them to the door in the wall, and as they -passed along the street the paper dolls peeped at them half fearfully -from the doors and windows. Perhaps they will never forget the Shaggy -Man's awful sneeze, and I am sure they were all glad to see the meat -people go away.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_11__How_the_General_Met_the_First_and_Foremost" id="Chapter_11__How_the_General_Met_the_First_and_Foremost" />11. How the General Met the First and Foremost</h2> - - -<p>On leaving the Growleywogs General Guph had to recross the Ripple -Lands, and he did not find it a pleasant thing to do. Perhaps having -his whiskers pulled out one by one and being used as a pin-cushion for -the innocent amusement of a good natured jailer had not improved the -quality of Guph's temper, for the old Nome raved and raged at the -recollection of the wrongs he had suffered, and vowed to take vengeance -upon the Growleywogs after he had used them for his purposes and Oz -had been conquered. He went on in this furious way until he was half -across the Ripple Land. Then he became seasick, and the rest of the -way this naughty Nome was almost as miserable as he deserved to be.</p> - -<p>But when he reached the plains again and the ground was firm under his -feet he began to feel better, and instead of going back home he -turned directly west. A squirrel, perched in a tree, saw him take this -road and called to him warningly: "Look out!" But he paid no -attention. An eagle paused in its flight through the air to look at -him wonderingly and say: "Look out!" But on he went.</p> - -<p>No one can say that Guph was not brave, for he had determined to visit -those dangerous creatures the Phanfasms, who resided upon the very -top of the dread Mountain of Phantastico. The Phanfasms were Erbs, -and so dreaded by mortals and immortals alike that no one had been -near their mountain home for several thousand years. Yet General Guph -hoped to induce them to join in his proposed warfare against the good -and happy Oz people.</p> - -<p>Guph knew very well that the Phanfasms would be almost as dangerous to -the Nomes as they would to the Ozites, but he thought himself so -clever that he believed he could manage these strange creatures and -make them obey him. And there was no doubt at all that if he could -enlist the services of the Phanfasms, their tremendous power, united -to the strength of the Growleywogs and the cunning of the Whimsies -would doom the Land of Oz to absolute destruction.</p> - -<p>So the old Nome climbed the foothills and trudged along the wild -mountain paths until he came to a big gully that encircled the -Mountain of Phantastico and marked the boundary line of the dominion -of the Phanfasms. This gully was about a third of the way up the -mountain, and it was filled to the brim with red-hot molten lava in -which swam fire-serpents and poisonous salamanders. The heat from -this mass and its poisonous smell were both so unbearable that even -birds hesitated to fly over the gully, but circled around it. All -living things kept away from the mountain.</p> - -<p>Now Guph had heard, during his long lifetime, many tales of these -dreaded Phanfasms; so he had heard of this barrier of melted lava, and -also he had been told that there was a narrow bridge that spanned it -in one place. So he walked along the edge until he found the bridge. -It was a single arch of gray stone, and lying flat upon the bridge was -a scarlet alligator, seemingly fast asleep.</p> - -<p>When Guph stumbled over the rocks in approaching the bridge the -creature opened its eyes, from which tiny flames shot in all -directions, and after looking at the intruder very wickedly the -scarlet alligator closed its eyelids again and lay still.</p> - -<p>Guph saw there was no room for him to pass the alligator on the narrow -bridge, so he called out to it:</p> - -<p>"Good morning, friend. I don't wish to hurry you, but please tell me -if you are coming down, or going up?"</p> - -<p>"Neither," snapped the alligator, clicking its cruel jaws together.</p> - -<p>The General hesitated.</p> - -<p>"Are you likely to stay there long?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"A few hundred years or so," said the alligator.</p> - -<p>Guph softly rubbed the end of his nose and tried to think what to do.</p> - -<p>"Do you know whether the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico is -at home or not?" he presently inquired.</p> - -<p>"I expect he is, seeing he is always at home," replied the alligator.</p> - -<p>"Ah; who is that coming down the mountain?" asked the Nome, -gazing upward.</p> - -<p>The alligator turned to look over its shoulder, and at once Guph ran -to the bridge and leaped over the sentinel's back before it could turn -back again. The scarlet monster made a snap at the Nome's left foot, -but missed it by fully an inch.</p> - -<p>"Ah ha!" laughed the General, who was now on the mountain path. -"I fooled you that time."</p> - -<p>"So you did; and perhaps you fooled yourself," retorted the alligator. -"Go up the mountain, if you dare, and find out what the First and -Foremost will do to you!"</p> - -<p>"I will," declared Guph, boldly; and on he went up the path.</p> - -<p>At first the scene was wild enough, but gradually it grew more and -more awful in appearance. All the rocks had the shapes of frightful -beings and even the tree trunks were gnarled and twisted like serpents.</p> - -<p>Suddenly there appeared before the Nome a man with the head of an owl. -His body was hairy like that of an ape, and his only clothing was a -scarlet scarf twisted around his waist. He bore a huge club in his -hand and his round owl eyes blinked fiercely upon the intruder.</p> - -<p>"What are you doing here?" he demanded, threatening Guph with his club.</p> - -<p>"I've come to see the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico," -replied the General, who did not like the way this creature looked at -him, but still was not afraid.</p> - -<p>"Ah; you shall see him!" the man said, with a sneering laugh. "The -First and Foremost shall decide upon the best way to punish you."</p> - -<p>"He will not punish me," returned Guph, calmly, "for I have come here -to do him and his people a rare favor. Lead on, fellow, and take me -directly to your master."</p> - -<p>The owl-man raised his club with a threatening gesture.</p> - -<p>"If you try to escape," he said, "beware—"</p> - -<p>But here the General interrupted him.</p> - -<p>"Spare your threats," said he, "and do not be impertinent, or I will -have you severely punished. Lead on, and keep silent!"</p> - -<p>This Guph was really a clever rascal, and it seems a pity he was so -bad, for in a good cause he might have accomplished much. He realized -that he had put himself into a dangerous position by coming to this -dreadful mountain, but he also knew that if he showed fear he was -lost. So he adopted a bold manner as his best defense. The wisdom of -this plan was soon evident, for the Phanfasm with the owl's head -turned and led the way up the mountain.</p> - -<p>At the very top was a level plain upon which were heaps of rock that -at first glance seemed solid. But on looking closer Guph discovered -that these rock heaps were dwellings, for each had an opening.</p> - -<p>Not a person was to be seen outside the rock huts. All was silent.</p> - -<p>The owl-man led the way among the groups of dwellings to one standing -in the center. It seemed no better and no worse than any of the -others. Outside the entrance to this rock heap the guide gave a low -wail that sounded like "Lee-ow-ah!"</p> - -<p>Suddenly there bounded from the opening another hairy man. This one -wore the head of a bear. In his hand he bore a brass hoop. He glared -at the stranger in evident surprise.</p> - -<p>"Why have you captured this foolish wanderer and brought him here?" -he demanded, addressing the owl-man.</p> - -<p>"I did not capture him," was the answer. "He passed the scarlet -alligator and came here of his own free will and accord."</p> - -<p>The First and Foremost looked at the General.</p> - -<p>"Have you tired of life, then?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"No indeed," answered Guph. "I am a Nome, and the Chief General of -King Roquat the Red's great army of Nomes. I come of a long-lived -race, and I may say that I expect to live a long time yet. Sit down, -you Phanfasms—if you can find a seat in this wild haunt—and listen -to what I have to say."</p> - -<p>With all his knowledge and bravery General Guph did not know that the -steady glare from the bear eyes was reading his inmost thoughts as -surely as if they had been put into words. He did not know that these -despised rock heaps of the Phanfasms were merely deceptions to his own -eyes, nor could he guess that he was standing in the midst of one of -the most splendid and luxurious cities ever built by magic power. All -that he saw was a barren waste of rock heaps, a hairy man with an -owl's head and another with a bear's head. The sorcery of the -Phanfasms permitted him to see no more.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the First and Foremost swung his brass hoop and caught Guph -around the neck with it. The next instant, before the General could -think what had happened to him, he was dragged inside the rock hut. -Here, his eyes still blinded to realities, he perceived only a dim -light, by which the hut seemed as rough and rude inside as it was -outside. Yet he had a strange feeling that many bright eyes were -fastened upon him and that he stood in a vast and extensive hall.</p> - -<p>The First and Foremost now laughed grimly and released his prisoner.</p> - -<p>"If you have anything to say that is interesting," he remarked, -"speak out ,before I strangle you."</p> - -<p>So Guph spoke out. He tried not to pay any attention to a strange -rustling sound that he heard, as of an unseen multitude drawing near to -listen to his words. His eyes could see only the fierce bear-man, and -to him he addressed his speech. First he told of his plan to conquer -the Land of Oz and plunder the country of its riches and enslave its -people, who, being fairies, could not be killed. After relating all -this, and telling of the tunnel the Nome King was building, he said he -had come to ask the First and Foremost to join the Nomes, with his band -of terrible warriors, and help them to defeat the Oz people.</p> - -<p>The General spoke very earnestly and impressively, but when he had -finished the bear-man began to laugh as if much amused, and his laughter -seemed to be echoed by a chorus of merriment from an unseen multitude. -Then, for the first time, Guph began to feel a trifle worried.</p> - -<p>"Who else has promised to help you?" finally asked the First and Foremost.</p> - -<p>"The Whimsies," replied the General.</p> - -<p>Again the bear-headed Phanfasm laughed.</p> - -<p>"Any others?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"Only the Growleywogs," said Guph.</p> - -<p>This answer set the First and Foremost laughing anew.</p> - -<p>"What share of the spoils am I to have?" was the next question.</p> - -<p>"Anything you like, except King Roquat's Magic Belt," replied Guph.</p> - -<p>At this the Phanfasm set up a roar of laughter, which had its echo in -the unseen chorus, and the bear-man seemed so amused that he actually -rolled upon the ground and shouted with merriment.</p> - -<p>"Oh, these blind and foolish Nomes!" he said. "How big they seem to -themselves and how small they really are!"</p> - -<p>Suddenly he arose and seized Guph's neck with one hairy paw, dragging -him out of the hut into the open.</p> - -<p>Here he gave a curious wailing cry, and, as if in answer, from all the -rocky huts on the mountain-top came flocking a horde of Phanfasms, all -with hairy bodies, but wearing heads of various animals, birds and -reptiles. All were ferocious and repulsive-looking to the deceived -eyes of the Nome, and Guph could not repress a shudder of disgust as -he looked upon them.</p> - -<p>The First and Foremost slowly raised his arms, and in a twinkling his -hairy skin fell from him and he appeared before the astonished Nome -as a beautiful woman, clothed in a flowing gown of pink gauze. In her -dark hair flowers were entwined, and her face was noble and calm.</p> - -<p>At the same instant the entire band of Phanfasms was transformed into -a pack of howling wolves, running here and there as they snarled and -showed their ugly yellow fangs.</p> - -<p>The woman now raised her arms, even as the man-bear had done, and in -a twinkling the wolves became crawling lizards, while she herself -changed into a huge butterfly.</p> - -<p>Guph had only time to cry out in fear and take a step backward to -avoid the lizards when another transformation occurred, and all -returned instantly to the forms they had originally worn.</p> - -<p>Then the First and Foremost, who had resumed his hairy body and -bear head, turned to the Nome and asked</p> - -<p>"Do you still demand our assistance?"</p> - -<p>"More than ever," answered the General, firmly.</p> - -<p>"Then tell me: what can you offer the Phanfasms that they have not -already?" inquired the First and Foremost.</p> - -<p>Guph hesitated. He really did not know what to say. The Nome King's -vaunted Magic Belt seemed a poor thing compared to the astonishing -magical powers of these people. Gold, jewels and slaves they might -secure in any quantity without especial effort. He felt that he was -dealing with powers greatly beyond him. There was but one argument -that might influence the Phanfasms, who were creatures of evil.</p> - -<p>"Permit me to call your attention to the exquisite joy of making the -happy unhappy," said he at last. "Consider the pleasure of destroying -innocent and harmless people."</p> - -<p>"Ah! you have answered me," cried the First and Foremost. "For that -reason alone we will aid you. Go home, and tell your bandy-legged king -that as soon as his tunnel is finished the Phanfasms will be with him -and lead his legions to the conquest of Oz. The deadly desert alone -has kept us from destroying Oz long ago, and your underground tunnel -is a clever thought. Go home, and prepare for our coming!"</p> - -<p>Guph was very glad to be permitted to go with this promise. The owl-man -led him back down the mountain path and ordered the scarlet alligator to -crawl away and allow the Nome to cross the bridge in safety.</p> - -<p>After the visitor had gone a brilliant and gorgeous city appeared upon -the mountain top, clearly visible to the eyes of the gaily dressed -multitude of Phanfasms that lived there. And the First and Foremost, -beautifully arrayed, addressed the others in these words:</p> - -<p>"It is time we went into the world and brought sorrow and dismay to -its people. Too long have we remained for ourselves upon this -mountain top, for while we are thus secluded many nations have grown -happy and prosperous, and the chief joy of the race of Phanfasms is to -destroy happiness. So I think it is lucky that this messenger from -the Nomes arrived among us just now, to remind us that the opportunity -has come for us to make trouble. We will use King Roquat's tunnel to -conquer the Land of Oz. Then we will destroy the Whimsies, the -Growleywogs and the Nomes, and afterward go out to ravage and annoy -and grieve the whole world."</p> - -<p>The multitude of evil Phanfasms eagerly applauded this plan, -which they fully approved.</p> - -<p>I am told that the Erbs are the most powerful and merciless of all -the evil spirits, and the Phanfasms of Phantastico belong to the -race of Erbs.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_12__How_they_Matched_the_Fuddles" id="Chapter_12__How_they_Matched_the_Fuddles" />12. How they Matched the Fuddles</h2> - - -<p>Dorothy and her fellow travelers rode away from the Cuttenclip village -and followed the indistinct path as far as the sign-post. Here they -took the main road again and proceeded pleasantly through the pretty -farming country. When evening came they stopped at a dwelling and were -joyfully welcomed and given plenty to eat and good beds for the night.</p> - -<p>Early next morning, however, they were up and eager to start, and -after a good breakfast they bade their host good-bye and climbed into -the red wagon, to which the Sawhorse had been hitched all night. -Being made of wood, this horse never got tired nor cared to lie down. -Dorothy was not quite sure whether he ever slept or not, but it was -certain that he never did when anybody was around.</p> - -<p>The weather is always beautiful in Oz, and this morning the air was -cool and refreshing and the sunshine brilliant and delightful.</p> - -<p>In about an hour they came to a place where another road branched off. -There was a sign-post here which read:</p> - -<blockquote><p>THIS WAY TO FUDDLECUMJIG</p></blockquote> - -<p>"Oh, here is where we turn," said Dorothy, observing the sign.</p> - -<p>"What! Are we going to Fuddlecumjig?" asked the Captain General.</p> - -<p>"Yes; Ozma thought we might enjoy the Fuddles. They are said to be -very interesting," she replied.</p> - -<p>"No one would suspect it from their name," said Aunt Em. "Who are -they, anyhow? More paper things?"</p> - -<p>"I think not," answered Dorothy, laughing; "but I can't say 'zactly, -Aunt Em, what they are. We'll find out when we get there."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the Wizard knows," suggested Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"No; I've never been there before," said the Wizard. "But I've often -heard of Fuddlecumjig and the Fuddles, who are said to be the most -peculiar people in all the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>"In what way?" asked the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"I don't know, I'm sure," said the Wizard.</p> - -<p>Just then, as they rode along the pretty green lane toward -Fuddlecumjig, they espied a kangaroo sitting by the roadside. The -poor animal had its face covered with both its front paws and was -crying so bitterly that the tears coursed down its cheeks in two tiny -streams and trickled across the road, where they formed a pool in a -small hollow.</p> - -<p>The Sawhorse stopped short at this pitiful sight, and Dorothy cried -out, with ready sympathy:</p> - -<p>"What's the matter, Kangaroo?"</p> - -<p>"Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!" wailed the Kangaroo; "I've lost my mi—mi—mi—Oh, -boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!"—</p> - -<p>"Poor thing," said the Wizard, "she's lost her mister. It's probably -her husband, and he's dead."</p> - -<p>"No, no, no!" sobbed the kangaroo. "It—it isn't that. I've lost my -mi—mi—Oh, boo, boo-hoo!"</p> - -<p>"I know," said the Shaggy Man; "she's lost her mirror."</p> - -<p>"No; it's my mi—mi—mi—Boo-hoo! My mi—Oh, Boo-hoo!" and the -kangaroo cried harder than ever.</p> - -<p>"It must be her mince-pie," suggested Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Or her milk-toast," proposed Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"I've lost my mi—mi—mittens!" said the kangaroo, getting it out at last.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" cried the Yellow Hen, with a cackle of relief. "Why didn't you -say so before?"</p> - -<p>"Boo-hoo! I—I—couldn't," answered the kangaroo.</p> - -<p>"But, see here," said Dorothy, "you don't need mittens in this -warm weather."</p> - -<p>"Yes, indeed I do," replied the animal, stopping her sobs and removing -her paws from her face to look at the little girl reproachfully. "My -hands will get all sunburned and tanned without my mittens, and I've -worn them so long that I'll probably catch cold without them."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense!" said Dorothy. "I never heard of any kangaroo -wearing mittens."</p> - -<p>"Didn't you?" asked the animal, as if surprised.</p> - -<p>"Never!" repeated the girl. "And you'll probably make yourself sick -if you don't stop crying. Where do you live?"</p> - -<p>"About two miles beyond Fuddlecumjig," was the answer. "Grandmother -Gnit made me the mittens, and she's one of the Fuddles."</p> - -<p>"Well, you'd better go home now, and perhaps the old lady will make -you another pair," suggested Dorothy. "We're on our way to -Fuddlecumjig, and you may hop along beside us."</p> - -<p>So they rode on, and the kangaroo hopped beside the red wagon and -seemed quickly to have forgotten her loss. By and by the Wizard said -to the animal:</p> - -<p>"Are the Fuddles nice people?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, very nice," answered the kangaroo; "that is, when they're -properly put together. But they get dreadfully scattered and mixed -up, at times, and then you can't do anything with them."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by their getting scattered?" inquired Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Why, they're made in a good many small pieces," explained the -kangaroo; "and whenever any stranger comes near them they have a -habit of falling apart and scattering themselves around. That's when -they get so dreadfully mixed, and it's a hard puzzle to put them -together again."</p> - -<p>"Who usually puts them together?" asked Omby Amby.</p> - -<p>"Any one who is able to match the pieces. I sometimes put Grandmother -Gnit together myself, because I know her so well I can tell every -piece that belongs to her. Then, when she's all matched, she knits -for me, and that's how she made my mittens. But it took a good many -days hard knitting, and I had to put Grandmother together a good many -times, because every time I came near, she'd scatter herself."</p> - -<p>"I should think she would get used to your coming, and not be afraid," -said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"It isn't that," replied the kangaroo. "They're not a bit afraid, -when they're put together, and usually they're very jolly and pleasant. -It's just a habit they have, to scatter themselves, and if they didn't -do it they wouldn't be Fuddles."</p> - -<p>The travelers thought upon this quite seriously for a time, while the -Sawhorse continued to carry them rapidly forward. Then Aunt Em remarked:</p> - -<p>"I don't see much use our visitin' these Fuddles. If we find -them scattered, all we can do is to sweep 'em up, and then go -about our business."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I b'lieve we'd better go on," replied Dorothy. "I'm getting -hungry, and we must try to get some luncheon at Fuddlecumjig. Perhaps -the food won't be scattered as badly as the people."</p> - -<p>"You'll find plenty to eat there," declared the kangaroo, hopping -along in big bounds because the Sawhorse was going so fast; "and they -have a fine cook, too, if you can manage to put him together. There's -the town now—just ahead of us!"</p> - -<p>They looked ahead and saw a group of very pretty houses standing in a -green field a little apart from the main road.</p> - -<p>"Some Munchkins came here a few days ago and matched a lot of people -together," said the kangaroo. "I think they are together yet, and if -you go softly, without making any noise, perhaps they won't scatter."</p> - -<p>"Let's try it," suggested the Wizard.</p> - -<p>So they stopped the Sawhorse and got out of the wagon, and, after -bidding good bye to the kangaroo, who hopped away home, they entered -the field and very cautiously approached the group of houses.</p> - -<p>So silently did they move that soon they saw through the windows of -the houses, people moving around, while others were passing to and fro -in the yards between the buildings. They seemed much like other -people from a distance, and apparently they did not notice the little -party so quietly approaching.</p> - -<p>They had almost reached the nearest house when Toto saw a large beetle -crossing the path and barked loudly at it. Instantly a wild clatter -was heard from the houses and yards. Dorothy thought it sounded like -a sudden hailstorm, and the visitors, knowing that caution was no -longer necessary, hurried forward to see what had happened.</p> - -<p>After the clatter an intense stillness reigned in the town. The -strangers entered the first house they came to, which was also the -largest, and found the floor strewn with pieces of the people who -lived there. They looked much like fragments of wood neatly painted, -and were of all sorts of curious and fantastic shapes, no two pieces -being in any way alike.</p> - -<p>They picked up some of these pieces and looked at them carefully. On -one which Dorothy held was an eye, which looked at her pleasantly but -with an interested expression, as if it wondered what she was going to -do with it. Quite near by she discovered and picked up a nose, and by -matching the two pieces together found that they were part of a face.</p> - -<p>"If I could find the mouth," she said, "this Fuddle might be able to -talk, and tell us what to do next."</p> - -<p>"Then let us find it," replied the Wizard, and so all got down on -their hands and knees and began examining the scattered pieces.</p> - -<p>"I've found it!" cried the Shaggy Man, and ran to Dorothy with a -queer-shaped piece that had a mouth on it. But when they tried to fit -it to the eye and nose they found the parts wouldn't match together.</p> - -<p>"That mouth belongs to some other person," said Dorothy. "You see we -need a curve here and a point there, to make it fit the face."</p> - -<p>"Well, it must be here some place," declared the Wizard; "so if we -search long enough we shall find it."</p> - -<p>Dorothy fitted an ear on next, and the ear had a little patch of red -hair above it. So while the others were searching for the mouth she -hunted for pieces with red hair, and found several of them which, when -matched to the other pieces, formed the top of a man's head. She had -also found the other eye and the ear by the time Omby Amby in a far -corner discovered the mouth. When the face was thus completed, all -the parts joined together with a nicety that was astonishing.</p> - -<p>"Why, it's like a picture puzzle!" exclaimed the little girl. -"Let's find the rest of him, and get him all together."</p> - -<p>"What's the rest of him like?" asked the Wizard. "Here are some -pieces of blue legs and green arms, but I don't know whether they are -his or not."</p> - -<p>"Look for a white shirt and a white apron," said the head which had -been put together, speaking in a rather faint voice. "I'm the cook."</p> - -<p>"Oh, thank you," said Dorothy. "It's lucky we started you first, for -I'm hungry, and you can be cooking something for us to eat while we -match the other folks together."</p> - -<p>It was not so very difficult, now that they had a hint as to how the -man was dressed, to find the other pieces belonging to him, and as all -of them now worked on the cook, trying piece after piece to see if it -would fit, they finally had the cook set up complete.</p> - -<p>When he was finished he made them a low bow and said:</p> - -<p>"I will go at once to the kitchen to prepare your dinner. You will -find it something of a job to get all the Fuddles together, so I -advise you to begin on the Lord High Chigglewitz, whose first name is -Larry. He's a bald-headed fat man and is dressed in a blue coat with -brass buttons, a pink vest and drab breeches. A piece of his left -knee is missing, having been lost years ago when he scattered himself -too carelessly. That makes him limp a little, but he gets along very -well with half a knee. As he is the chief personage in this town of -Fuddlecumjig, he will be able to welcome you and assist you with the -others. So it will be best to work on him while I'm getting your dinner."</p> - -<p>"We will," said the Wizard; "and thank you very much, Cook, -for the suggestion."</p> - -<p>Aunt Em was the first to discover a piece of the Lord High Chigglewitz.</p> - -<p>"It seems to me like a fool business, this matching folks together," -she remarked; "but as we haven't anything to do till dinner's ready, -we may as well get rid of some of this rubbish. Here, Henry, get busy -and look for Larry's bald head. I've got his pink vest, all right."</p> - -<p>They worked with eager interest, and Billina proved a great help to -them. The Yellow Hen had sharp eyes and could put her head close to -the various pieces that lay scattered around. She would examine the -Lord High Chigglewitz and see which piece of him was next needed, and -then hunt around until she found it. So before an hour had passed -old Larry was standing complete before them.</p> - -<p>"I congratulate you, my friends," he said, speaking in a cheerful -voice. "You are certainly the cleverest people who ever visited us. -I was never matched together so quickly in my life. I'm considered a -great puzzle, usually."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Dorothy, "there used to be a picture puzzle craze in -Kansas, and so I've had some 'sperience matching puzzles. But the -pictures were flat, while you are round, and that makes you harder to -figure out."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, my dear," replied old Larry, greatly pleased. "I feel -highly complimented. Were I not a really good puzzle, there would be -no object in my scattering myself."</p> - -<p>"Why do you do it?" asked Aunt Em, severely. "Why don't you behave -yourself, and stay put together?"</p> - -<p>The Lord High Chigglewitz seemed annoyed by this speech; but he -replied, politely:</p> - -<p>"Madam, you have perhaps noticed that every person has some -peculiarity. Mine is to scatter myself. What your own peculiarity is -I will not venture to say; but I shall never find fault with you, -whatever you do."</p> - -<p>"Now you've got your diploma, Em," said Uncle Henry, with a laugh, -"and I'm glad of it. This is a queer country, and we may as well -take people as we find them."</p> - -<p>"If we did, we'd leave these folks scattered," she returned, and this -retort made everybody laugh good-naturedly.</p> - -<p>Just then Omby Amby found a hand with a knitting needle in it, and -they decided to put Grandmother Gnit together. She proved an easier -puzzle than old Larry, and when she was completed they found her a -pleasant old lady who welcomed them cordially. Dorothy told her how -the kangaroo had lost her mittens, and Grandmother Gnit promised to -set to work at once and make the poor animal another pair.</p> - -<p>Then the cook came to call them to dinner, and they found an inviting -meal prepared for them. The Lord High Chigglewitz sat at the head of -the table and Grandmother Gnit at the foot, and the guests had a merry -time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.</p> - -<p>After dinner they went out into the yard and matched several other -people together, and this work was so interesting that they might have -spent the entire day at Fuddlecumjig had not the Wizard suggested that -they resume their journey.</p> - -<p>"But I don't like to leave all these poor people scattered," said -Dorothy, undecided what to do.</p> - -<p>"Oh, don't mind us, my dear," returned old Larry. "Every day or so -some of the Gillikins, or Munchkins, or Winkies come here to amuse -themselves by matching us together, so there will be no harm in leaving -these pieces where they are for a time. But I hope you will visit us -again, and if you do you will always be welcome, I assure you."</p> - -<p>"Don't you ever match each other?" she inquired.</p> - -<p>"Never; for we are no puzzles to ourselves, and so there wouldn't be -any fun in it."</p> - -<p>They now said goodbye to the queer Fuddles and got into their wagon to -continue their journey.</p> - -<p>"Those are certainly strange people," remarked Aunt Em, thoughtfully, -as they drove away from Fuddlecumjig, "but I really can't see what use -they are, at all."</p> - -<p>"Why, they amused us all for several hours," replied the Wizard. -"That is being of use to us, I'm sure."</p> - -<p>"I think they're more fun than playing solitaire or mumbletypeg," -declared Uncle Henry, soberly. "For my part, I'm glad we visited -the Fuddles."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_13__How_the_General_Talked_to_the_King" id="Chapter_13__How_the_General_Talked_to_the_King" />13. How the General Talked to the King</h2> - - -<p>When General Guph returned to the cavern of the Nome King his -Majesty asked:</p> - -<p>"Well, what luck? Will the Whimsies join us?"</p> - -<p>"They will," answered the General. "They will fight for us with all -their strength and cunning."</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed the King. "What reward did you promise them?"</p> - -<p>"Your Majesty is to use the Magic Belt to give each Whimsie a large, -fine head, in place of the small one he is now obliged to wear."</p> - -<p>"I agree to that," said the King. "This is good news, Guph, and it -makes me feel more certain of the conquest of Oz."</p> - -<p>"But I have other news for you," announced the General.</p> - -<p>"Good or bad?"</p> - -<p>"Good, your Majesty."</p> - -<p>"Then I will hear it," said the King, with interest.</p> - -<p>"The Growleywogs will join us."</p> - -<p>"No!" cried the astonished King.</p> - -<p>"Yes, indeed," said the General. "I have their promise."</p> - -<p>"But what reward do they demand?" inquired the King, suspiciously, -for he knew how greedy the Growleywogs were.</p> - -<p>"They are to take a few of the Oz people for their slaves," replied -Guph. He did not think it necessary to tell Roquat that the -Growleywogs demanded twenty thousand slaves. It would be time enough -for that when Oz was conquered.</p> - -<p>"A very reasonable request, I'm sure," remarked the King. "I must -congratulate you, Guph, upon the wonderful success of your journey."</p> - -<p>"But that is not all," said the General, proudly.</p> - -<p>The King seemed astonished. "Speak out, sir!" he commanded.</p> - -<p>"I have seen the First and Foremost Phanfasm of the Mountain of -Phantastico, and he will bring his people to assist us."</p> - -<p>"What!" cried the King. "The Phanfasms! You don't mean it, Guph!"</p> - -<p>"It is true," declared the General, proudly.</p> - -<p>The King became thoughtful, and his brows wrinkled.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid, Guph," he said rather anxiously, "that the First and -Foremost may prove as dangerous to us as to the Oz people. If he and -his terrible band come down from the mountain they may take the -notion to conquer the Nomes!"</p> - -<p>"Pah! That is a foolish idea," retorted Guph, irritably, but he knew -in his heart that the King was right. "The First and Foremost is a -particular friend of mine, and will do us no harm. Why, when I was -there, he even invited me into his house."</p> - -<p>The General neglected to tell the King how he had been jerked into the -hut of the First and Foremost by means of the brass hoop. So Roquat -the Red looked at his General admiringly and said:</p> - -<p>"You are a wonderful Nome, Guph. I'm sorry I did not make you my -General before. But what reward did the First and Foremost demand?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing at all," answered Guph. "Even the Magic Belt itself could -not add to his powers of sorcery. All the Phanfasms wish is to -destroy the Oz people, who are good and happy. This pleasure will -amply repay them for assisting us."</p> - -<p>"When will they come?" asked Roquat, half fearfully.</p> - -<p>"When the tunnel is completed," said the General.</p> - -<p>"We are nearly halfway under the desert now," announced the King; "and -that is fast work, because the tunnel has to be drilled through solid -rock. But after we have passed the desert it will not take us long -to extend the tunnel to the walls of the Emerald City."</p> - -<p>"Well, whenever you are ready, we shall be joined by the Whimsies, the -Growleywogs and the Phanfasms," said Guph; "so the conquest of Oz is -assured without a doubt."</p> - -<p>Again, the King seemed thoughtful.</p> - -<p>"I'm almost sorry we did not undertake the conquest alone," said he. -"All of these allies are dangerous people, and they may demand more -than you have promised them. It might have been better to have -conquered Oz without any outside assistance."</p> - -<p>"We could not do it," said the General, positively.</p> - -<p>"Why not, Guph?"</p> - -<p>"You know very well. You have had one experience with the Oz people, -and they defeated you."</p> - -<p>"That was because they rolled eggs at us," replied the King, with a -shudder. "My Nomes cannot stand eggs, any more than I can myself. -They are poison to all who live underground."</p> - -<p>"That is true enough," agreed Guph.</p> - -<p>"But we might have taken the Oz people by surprise, and conquered them -before they had a chance to get any eggs. Our former defeat was due -to the fact that the girl Dorothy had a Yellow Hen with her. I do not -know what ever became of that hen, but I believe there are no hens at -all in the Land of Oz, and so there could be no eggs there."</p> - -<p>"On the contrary," said Guph, "there are now hundreds of chickens in -Oz, and they lay heaps of those dangerous eggs. I met a goshawk on my -way home, and the bird informed me that he had lately been to Oz to -capture and devour some of the young chickens. But they are protected -by magic, so the hawk did not get a single one of them."</p> - -<p>"That is a very bad report," said the King, nervously. "Very bad, -indeed. My Nomes are willing to fight, but they simply can't face -hen's eggs—and I don't blame them."</p> - -<p>"They won't need to face them," replied Guph. "I'm afraid of eggs -myself, and don't propose to take any chances of being poisoned by -them. My plan is to send the Whimsies through the tunnel first, and -then the Growleywogs and the Phanfasms. By the time we Nomes get -there the eggs will all be used up, and we may then pursue and -capture the inhabitants at our leisure."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you are right," returned the King, with a dismal sigh. "But I -want it distinctly understood that I claim Ozma and Dorothy as my own -prisoners. They are rather nice girls, and I do not intend to let any -of those dreadful creatures hurt them, or make them their slaves. When -I have captured them I will bring them here and transform them into -china ornaments to stand on my mantle. They will look very pretty—Dorothy -on one end of the mantle and Ozma on the other—and I shall take great -care to see they are not broken when the maids dust them."</p> - -<p>"Very well, your Majesty. Do what you will with the girls for all I -care. Now that our plans are arranged, and we have the three most -powerful bands of evil spirits in the world to assist us, let us make -haste to get the tunnel finished as soon as possible."</p> - -<p>"It will be ready in three days," promised the King, and hurried away -to inspect the work and see that the Nomes kept busy.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_14__How_the_Wizard_Practiced_Sorcery" id="Chapter_14__How_the_Wizard_Practiced_Sorcery" />14. How the Wizard Practiced Sorcery</h2> - - -<p>"Where next?" asked the Wizard when they had left the town of -Fuddlecumjig and the Sawhorse had started back along the road.</p> - -<p>"Why, Ozma laid out this trip," replied Dorothy, "and she 'vised us to -see the Rigmaroles next, and then visit the Tin Woodman."</p> - -<p>"That sounds good," said the Wizard. "But what road do we take to get -to the Rigmaroles?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know, 'zactly," returned the little girl; "but it must be -somewhere just southwest from here."</p> - -<p>"Then why need we go way back to the crossroads?" asked the Shaggy -Man. "We might save a lot of time by branching off here."</p> - -<p>"There isn't any path," asserted Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Then we'd better go back to the signposts, and make sure of our way," -decided Dorothy.</p> - -<p>But after they had gone a short distance farther the Sawhorse, who -had overheard their conversation, stopped and said:</p> - -<p>"Here is a path."</p> - -<p>Sure enough, a dim path seemed to branch off from the road they were -on, and it led across pretty green meadows and past leafy groves, -straight toward the southwest.</p> - -<p>"That looks like a good path," said Omby Amby. "Why not try it?"</p> - -<p>"All right," answered Dorothy. "I'm anxious to see what the Rigmaroles -are like, and this path ought to take us there the quickest way."</p> - -<p>No one made any objection to this plan, so the Sawhorse turned into -the path, which proved to be nearly as good as the one they had taken -to get to the Fuddles. As first they passed a few retired farm -houses, but soon these scattered dwellings were left behind and only -the meadows and the trees were before them. But they rode along in -cheerful contentment, and Aunt Em got into an argument with Billina -about the proper way to raise chickens.</p> - -<p>"I do not care to contradict you," said the Yellow Hen, with dignity, -"but I have an idea I know more about chickens than human beings do."</p> - -<p>"Pshaw!" replied Aunt Em. "I've raised chickens for nearly forty -years, Billina, and I know you've got to starve 'em to make 'em lay -lots of eggs, and stuff 'em if you want good broilers."</p> - -<p>"Broilers!" exclaimed Billina, in horror. "Broil my chickens!"</p> - -<p>"Why, that's what they're for, ain't it?" asked Aunt Em, astonished.</p> - -<p>"No, Aunt, not in Oz," said Dorothy. "People do not eat chickens -here. You see, Billina was the first hen that was ever seen in this -country, and I brought her here myself. Everybody liked her an' -respected her, so the Oz people wouldn't any more eat her chickens -than they would eat Billina."</p> - -<p>"Well, I declare," gasped Aunt Em. "How about the eggs?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, if we have more eggs than we want to hatch, we allow people to -eat them," said Billina. "Indeed, I am very glad the Oz folks like -our eggs, for otherwise they would spoil."</p> - -<p>"This certainly is a queer country," sighed Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me," called the Sawhorse, "the path has ended and I'd like -to know which way to go."</p> - -<p>They looked around and sure enough there was no path to be seen.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Dorothy, "we're going southwest, and it seems just as -easy to follow that direction without a path as with one."</p> - -<p>"Certainly," answered the Sawhorse. "It is not hard to draw the wagon -over the meadow. I only want to know where to go."</p> - -<p>"There's a forest over there across the prairie," said the Wizard, -"and it lies in the direction we are going. Make straight for the -forest, Sawhorse, and you're bound to go right."</p> - -<p>So the wooden animal trotted on again and the meadow grass was so -soft under the wheels that it made easy riding. But Dorothy was a -little uneasy at losing the path, because now there was nothing to -guide them.</p> - -<p>No houses were to be seen at all, so they could not ask their way of -any farmer; and although the Land of Oz was always beautiful, wherever -one might go, this part of the country was strange to all the party.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps we're lost," suggested Aunt Em, after they had proceeded quite -a way in silence.</p> - -<p>"Never mind," said the Shaggy Man; "I've been lost many a time—and -so has Dorothy—and we've always been found again."</p> - -<p>"But we may get hungry," remarked Omby Amby. "That is the worst of -getting lost in a place where there are no houses near."</p> - -<p>"We had a good dinner at the Fuddle town," said Uncle Henry, "and that -will keep us from starving to death for a long time."</p> - -<p>"No one ever starved to death in Oz," declared Dorothy, positively; -"but people may get pretty hungry sometimes."</p> - -<p>The Wizard said nothing, and he did not seem especially anxious. The -Sawhorse was trotting along briskly, yet the forest seemed farther -away than they had thought when they first saw it. So it was nearly -sundown when they finally came to the trees; but now they found -themselves in a most beautiful spot, the wide-spreading trees being -covered with flowering vines and having soft mosses underneath them. -"This will be a good place to camp," said the Wizard, as the Sawhorse -stopped for further instructions.</p> - -<p>"Camp!" they all echoed.</p> - -<p>"Certainly," asserted the Wizard. "It will be dark before very long -and we cannot travel through this forest at night. So let us make a -camp here, and have some supper, and sleep until daylight comes again."</p> - -<p>They all looked at the little man in astonishment, and Aunt Em said, -with a sniff:</p> - -<p>"A pretty camp we'll have, I must say! I suppose you intend us to -sleep under the wagon."</p> - -<p>"And chew grass for our supper," added the Shaggy Man, laughing.</p> - -<p>But Dorothy seemed to have no doubts and was quite cheerful</p> - -<p>"It's lucky we have the wonderful Wizard with us," she said; -"because he can do 'most anything he wants to."</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes; I forgot we had a Wizard," said Uncle Henry, looking at the -little man curiously.</p> - -<p>"I didn't," chirped Billina, contentedly.</p> - -<p>The Wizard smiled and climbed out of the wagon, and all the others -followed him.</p> - -<p>"In order to camp," said he, "the first thing we need is tents. -Will some one please lend me a handkerchief?"</p> - -<p>The Shaggy Man offered him one, and Aunt Em another. He took them -both and laid them carefully upon the grass near to the edge of the -forest. Then he laid his own handkerchief down, too, and standing a -little back from them he waved his left hand toward the handkerchiefs -and said:</p> - - -<p>"Tents of canvas, white as snow, -Let me see how fast you grow!"</p> - - -<p>Then, lo and behold! the handkerchiefs became tiny tents, and as the -travelers looked at them the tents grew bigger and bigger until in a -few minutes each one was large enough to contain the entire party.</p> - -<p>"This," said the Wizard, pointing to the first tent, "is for the -accommodation of the ladies. Dorothy, you and your Aunt may step -inside and take off your things."</p> - -<p>Every one ran to look inside the tent, and they saw two pretty white -beds, all ready for Dorothy and Aunt Em, and a silver roost for -Billina. Rugs were spread upon the grassy floor and some camp chairs -and a table completed the furniture.</p> - -<p>"Well, well, well! This beats anything I ever saw or heard of!" -exclaimed Aunt Em, and she glanced at the Wizard almost fearfully, as -if he might be dangerous because of his great powers.</p> - -<p>"Oh, Mr. Wizard! How did you manage to do it?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"It's a trick Glinda the Sorceress taught me, and it is much better -magic than I used to practice in Omaha, or when I first came to Oz," -he answered. "When the good Glinda found I was to live in the Emerald -City always, she promised to help me, because she said the Wizard of Oz -ought really to be a clever Wizard, and not a humbug. So we have been -much together and I am learning so fast that I expect to be able to -accomplish some really wonderful things in time."</p> - -<p>"You've done it now!" declared Dorothy. "These tents are just wonderful!"</p> - -<p>"But come and see the men's tent," said the Wizard. So they went to -the second tent, which had shaggy edges because it has been made from -the Shaggy Man's handkerchief, and found that completely furnished -also. It contained four neat beds for Uncle Henry, Omby Amby, the -Shaggy Man and the Wizard. Also there was a soft rug for Toto to lie upon.</p> - -<p>"The third tent," explained the Wizard, "is our dining room and kitchen."</p> - -<p>They visited that next, and found a table and dishes in the dining -tent, with plenty of those things necessary to use in cooking. The -Wizard carried out a big kettle and set it swinging on a crossbar -before the tent. While he was doing this Omby Amby and the Shaggy -Man brought a supply of twigs from the forest and then they built a -fire underneath the kettle.</p> - -<p>"Now, Dorothy," said the Wizard, smiling, "I expect you to cook -our supper."</p> - -<p>"But there is nothing in the kettle," she cried.</p> - -<p>"Are you sure?" inquired the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"I didn't see anything put in, and I'm almost sure it was empty when -you brought it out," she replied.</p> - -<p>"Nevertheless," said the little man, winking slyly at Uncle Henry, -"you will do well to watch our supper, my dear, and see that it -doesn't boil over."</p> - -<p>Then the men took some pails and went into the forest to search for a -spring of water, and while they were gone Aunt Em said to Dorothy:</p> - -<p>"I believe the Wizard is fooling us. I saw the kettle myself, and -when he hung it over the fire there wasn't a thing in it but air."</p> - -<p>"Don't worry," remarked Billina, confidently, as she nestled in the -grass before the fire. "You'll find something in the kettle when it's -taken off—and it won't be poor, innocent chickens, either."</p> - -<p>"Your hen has very bad manners, Dorothy," said Aunt Em, looking -somewhat disdainfully at Billina. "It seems too bad she ever learned -how to talk."</p> - -<p>There might have been another unpleasant quarrel between Aunt Em and -Billina had not the men returned just then with their pails filled -with clear, sparkling water. The Wizard told Dorothy that she was a -good cook and he believed their supper was ready.</p> - -<p>So Uncle Henry lifted the kettle from the fire and poured its contents -into a big platter which the Wizard held for him. The platter was -fairly heaped with a fine stew, smoking hot, with many kinds of -vegetables and dumplings and a rich, delicious gravy.</p> - -<p>The Wizard triumphantly placed the platter upon the table in the -dining tent and then they all sat down in camp chairs to the feast.</p> - -<p>There were several other dishes on the table, all carefully covered, -and when the time came to remove these covers they found bread and -butter, cakes, cheese, pickles and fruits—including some of the -luscious strawberries of Oz.</p> - -<p>No one ventured to ask a question as to how these things came there. -They contented themselves by eating heartily the good things provided, -and Toto and Billina had their full share, you may be sure. After the -meal was over, Aunt Em whispered to Dorothy:</p> - -<p>"That may have been magic food, my dear, and for that reason perhaps -it won't be very nourishing; but I'm willing to say it tasted as good -as anything I ever et." Then she added, in a louder voice: "Who's -going to do the dishes?"</p> - -<p>"No one, madam," answered the Wizard. "The dishes have 'done' themselves."</p> - -<p>"La sakes!" ejaculated the good lady, holding up her hands in -amazement. For, sure enough, when she looked at the dishes they had a -moment before left upon the table, she found them all washed and dried -and piled up into neat stacks.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_15__How_Dorothy_Happened_to_Get_Lost" id="Chapter_15__How_Dorothy_Happened_to_Get_Lost" />15. How Dorothy Happened to Get Lost</h2> - - -<p>It was a beautiful evening, so they drew their camp chairs in a circle -before one of the tents and began to tell stories to amuse themselves -and pass away the time before they went to bed.</p> - -<p>Pretty soon a zebra was seen coming out of the forest, and he trotted -straight up to them and said politely:</p> - -<p>"Good evening, people."</p> - -<p>The zebra was a sleek little animal and had a slender head, a stubby -mane and a paint-brush tail—very like a donkey's. His neatly shaped -white body was covered with regular bars of dark brown, and his hoofs -were delicate as those of a deer.</p> - -<p>"Good evening, friend Zebra," said Omby Amby, in reply to the -creature's greeting. "Can we do anything for you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered the zebra. "I should like you to settle a dispute -that has long been a bother to me, as to whether there is more water -or land in the world."</p> - -<p>"Who are you disputing with?" asked the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"With a soft-shell crab," said the zebra. "He lives in a pool where I -go to drink every day, and he is a very impertinent crab, I assure -you. I have told him many times that the land is much greater in -extent than the water, but he will not be convinced. Even this very -evening, when I told him he was an insignificant creature who lived in -a small pool, he asserted that the water was greater and more -important than the land. So, seeing your camp, I decided to ask you to -settle the dispute for once and all, that I may not be further annoyed -by this ignorant crab."</p> - -<p>When they had listened to this explanation Dorothy inquired:</p> - -<p>"Where is the soft-shell crab?"</p> - -<p>"Not far away," replied the zebra. "If you will agree to judge -between us I will run and get him."</p> - -<p>"Run along, then," said the little girl.</p> - -<p>So the animal pranced into the forest and soon came trotting back to -them. When he drew near they found a soft-shell crab clinging fast -to the stiff hair of the zebra's head, where it held on by one claw.</p> - -<p>"Now then, Mr. Crab," said the zebra, "here are the people I told you -about; and they know more than you do, who lives in a pool, and more -than I do, who lives in a forest. For they have been travelers all -over the world, and know every part of it."</p> - -<p>"There is more of the world than Oz," declared the crab, -in a stubborn voice.</p> - -<p>"That is true," said Dorothy; "but I used to live in Kansas, in the -United States, and I've been to California and to Australia and so -has Uncle Henry."</p> - -<p>"For my part," added the Shaggy Man, "I've been to Mexico and Boston -and many other foreign countries."</p> - -<p>"And I," said the Wizard, "have been to Europe and Ireland."</p> - -<p>"So you see," continued the zebra, addressing the crab, "here are -people of real consequence, who know what they are talking about."</p> - -<p>"Then they know there's more water in the world than there is land," -asserted the crab, in a shrill, petulant voice.</p> - -<p>"They know you are wrong to make such an absurd statement, and they will -probably think you are a lobster instead of a crab," retorted the animal.</p> - -<p>At this taunt the crab reached out its other claw and seized the -zebra's ear, and the creature gave a cry of pain and began prancing up -and down, trying to shake off the crab, which clung fast.</p> - -<p>"Stop pinching!" cried the zebra. "You promised not to pinch if I -would carry you here!"</p> - -<p>"And you promised to treat me respectfully," said the crab, letting go -the ear.</p> - -<p>"Well, haven't I?" demanded the zebra.</p> - -<p>"No; you called me a lobster," said the crab.</p> - -<p>"Ladies and gentlemen," continued the zebra, "please pardon my poor -friend, because he is ignorant and stupid, and does not understand. -Also the pinch of his claw is very annoying. So pray tell him that -the world contains more land than water, and when he has heard your -judgment I will carry him back and dump him into his pool, where I -hope he will be more modest in the future."</p> - -<p>"But we cannot tell him that," said Dorothy, gravely, "because it -would not be true."</p> - -<p>"What!" exclaimed the zebra, in astonishment; "do I hear you aright?"</p> - -<p>"The soft-shell crab is correct," declared the Wizard. "There is -considerably more water than there is land in the world."</p> - -<p>"Impossible!" protested the zebra. "Why, I can run for days upon the -land, and find but little water."</p> - -<p>"Did you ever see an ocean?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Never," admitted the zebra. "There is no such thing as an ocean in -the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>"Well, there are several oceans in the world," said Dorothy, "and -people sail in ships upon these oceans for weeks and weeks, and never -see a bit of land at all. And the joggerfys will tell you that all -the oceans put together are bigger than all the land put together."</p> - -<p>At this the crab began laughing in queer chuckles that reminded -Dorothy of the way Billina sometimes cackled.</p> - -<p>"NOW will you give up, Mr. Zebra?" it cried, jeeringly; "now will -you give up?"</p> - -<p>The zebra seemed much humbled.</p> - -<p>"Of course I cannot read geographys," he said.</p> - -<p>"You could take one of the Wizard's School Pills," suggested Billina, -"and that would make you learned and wise without studying."</p> - -<p>The crab began laughing again, which so provoked the zebra that he -tried to shake the little creature off. This resulted in more -ear-pinching, and finally Dorothy told them that if they could not -behave they must go back to the forest.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry I asked you to decide this question," said the zebra, -crossly. "So long as neither of us could prove we were right we -quite enjoyed the dispute; but now I can never drink at that pool -again without the soft-shell crab laughing at me. So I must find -another drinking place."</p> - -<p>"Do! Do, you ignoramus!" shouted the crab, as loudly as his little -voice would carry. "Rile some other pool with your clumsy hoofs, -and let your betters alone after this!"</p> - -<p>Then the zebra trotted back to the forest, bearing the crab with him, -and disappeared amid the gloom of the trees. And as it was now getting -dark the travelers said good night to one another and went to bed.</p> - -<p>Dorothy awoke just as the light was beginning to get strong next -morning, and not caring to sleep any later she quietly got out of -bed, dressed herself, and left the tent where Aunt Em was yet -peacefully slumbering.</p> - -<p>Outside she noticed Billina busily pecking around to secure bugs or -other food for breakfast, but none of the men in the other tent seemed -awake. So the little girl decided to take a walk in the woods and try -to discover some path or road that they might follow when they again -started upon their journey.</p> - -<p>She had reached the edge of the forest when the Yellow Hen came -fluttering along and asked where she was going.</p> - -<p>"Just to take a walk, Billina; and maybe I'll find some path," -said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Then I'll go along," decided Billina, and scarcely had she spoken -when Toto ran up and joined them.</p> - -<p>Toto and the Yellow Hen had become quite friendly by this time, -although at first they did not get along well together. Billina had -been rather suspicious of dogs, and Toto had had an idea that it was -every dog's duty to chase a hen on sight. But Dorothy had talked to -them and scolded them for not being agreeable to one another until -they grew better acquainted and became friends.</p> - -<p>I won't say they loved each other dearly, but at least they had -stopped quarreling and now managed to get on together very well.</p> - -<p>The day was growing lighter every minute and driving the black shadows -out of the forest; so Dorothy found it very pleasant walking under the -trees. She went some distance in one direction, but not finding a -path, presently turned in a different direction. There was no path -here, either, although she advanced quite a way into the forest, -winding here and there among the trees and peering through the bushes -in an endeavor to find some beaten track.</p> - -<p>"I think we'd better go back," suggested the Yellow Hen, after a time. -"The people will all be up by this time and breakfast will be ready."</p> - -<p>"Very well," agreed Dorothy. "Let's see—the camp must be over this way."</p> - -<p>She had probably made a mistake about that, for after they had gone -far enough to have reached the camp they still found themselves in the -thick of the woods. So the little girl stopped short and looked -around her, and Toto glanced up into her face with his bright little -eyes and wagged his tail as if he knew something was wrong. He -couldn't tell much about direction himself, because he had spent his -time prowling among the bushes and running here and there; nor had -Billina paid much attention to where they were going, being interested -in picking bugs from the moss as they passed along. The Yellow Hen -now turned one eye up toward the little girl and asked:</p> - -<p>"Have you forgotten where the camp is, Dorothy?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," she admitted; "have you, Billina?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't try to remember," returned Billina. "I'd no idea you would -get lost, Dorothy."</p> - -<p>"It's the thing we don't expect, Billina, that usually happens," -observed the girl, thoughtfully. "But it's no use standing here. -Let's go in that direction," pointing a finger at random. "It may be -we'll get out of the forest over there."</p> - -<p>So on they went again, but this way the trees were closer together, -and the vines were so tangled that often they tripped Dorothy up.</p> - -<p>Suddenly a voice cried sharply:</p> - -<p>"Halt!"</p> - -<p>At first, Dorothy could see nothing, although she looked around very -carefully. But Billina exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"Well, I declare!"</p> - -<p>"What is it?" asked the little girl: for Toto began barking at -something, and following his gaze she discovered what it was.</p> - -<p>A row of spoons had surrounded the three, and these spoons stood -straight up on their handles and carried swords and muskets. Their -faces were outlined in the polished bowls and they looked very stern -and severe.</p> - -<p>Dorothy laughed at the queer things.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"We're the Spoon Brigade," said one.</p> - -<p>"In the service of his Majesty King Kleaver," said another.</p> - -<p>"And you are our prisoners," said a third.</p> - -<p>Dorothy sat down on an old stump and looked at them, her eyes -twinkling with amusement.</p> - -<p>"What would happen," she inquired, "if I should set my dog -on your Brigade?"</p> - -<p>"He would die," replied one of the spoons, sharply. "One shot from -our deadly muskets would kill him, big as he is."</p> - -<p>"Don't risk it, Dorothy," advised the Yellow Hen. "Remember this is -a fairy country, yet none of us three happens to be a fairy."</p> - -<p>Dorothy grew sober at this.</p> - -<p>"P'raps you're right, Billina," she answered. "But how funny it is, -to be captured by a lot of spoons!"</p> - -<p>"I do not see anything very funny about it," declared a spoon. "We're -the regular military brigade of the kingdom."</p> - -<p>"What kingdom?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Utensia," said he.</p> - -<p>"I never heard of it before," asserted Dorothy. Then she added -thoughtfully, "I don't believe Ozma ever heard of Utensia, either. -Tell me, are you not subjects of Ozma of Oz?"</p> - -<p>"We have never heard of her," retorted a spoon. "We are subjects of -King Kleaver, and obey only his orders, which are to bring all -prisoners to him as soon as they are captured. So step lively, my -girl, and march with us, or we may be tempted to cut off a few of your -toes with our swords."</p> - -<p>This threat made Dorothy laugh again. She did not believe she was in -any danger; but here was a new and interesting adventure, so she was -willing to be taken to Utensia that she might see what King Kleaver's -kingdom was like.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_16__How_Dorothy_Visited_Utensia" id="Chapter_16__How_Dorothy_Visited_Utensia" />16. How Dorothy Visited Utensia</h2> - - -<p>There must have been from six to eight dozen spoons in the Brigade, -and they marched away in the shape of a hollow square, with Dorothy, -Billina and Toto in the center of the square. Before they had gone -very far Toto knocked over one of the spoons by wagging his tail, and -then the Captain of the Spoons told the little dog to be more careful, -or he would be punished. So Toto was careful, and the Spoon Brigade -moved along with astonishing swiftness, while Dorothy really had to -walk fast to keep up with it.</p> - -<p>By and by they left the woods and entered a big clearing, in which was -the Kingdom of Utensia.</p> - -<p>Standing all around the clearing were a good many cookstoves, ranges -and grills, of all sizes and shapes, and besides these there were -several kitchen cabinets and cupboards and a few kitchen tables. -These things were crowded with utensils of all sorts: frying pans, -sauce pans, kettles, forks, knives, basting and soup spoons, nutmeg -graters, sifters, colanders, meat saws, flat irons, rolling pins and -many other things of a like nature.</p> - -<p>When the Spoon Brigade appeared with the prisoners a wild shout -arose and many of the utensils hopped off their stoves or their -benches and ran crowding around Dorothy and the hen and the dog.</p> - -<p>"Stand back!" cried the Captain, sternly, and he led his captives -through the curious throng until they came before a big range that -stood in the center of the clearing. Beside this range was a butcher -block upon which lay a great cleaver with a keen edge. It rested upon the -flat of its back, its legs were crossed and it was smoking a long pipe.</p> - -<p>"Wake up, your Majesty," said the Captain. "Here are prisoners."</p> - -<p>Hearing this, King Kleaver sat up and looked at Dorothy sharply.</p> - -<p>"Gristle and fat!" he cried. "Where did this girl come from?"</p> - -<p>"I found her in the forest and brought her here a prisoner," replied -the Captain.</p> - -<p>"Why did you do that?" inquired the King, puffing his pipe lazily.</p> - -<p>"To create some excitement," the Captain answered. "It is so quiet -here that we are all getting rusty for want of amusement. For my -part, I prefer to see stirring times."</p> - -<p>"Naturally," returned the cleaver, with a nod. "I have always said, -Captain, without a bit of irony, that you are a sterling officer and a -solid citizen, bowled and polished to a degree. But what do you -expect me to do with these prisoners?"</p> - -<p>"That is for you to decide," declared the Captain. "You are the King."</p> - -<p>"To be sure; to be sure," muttered the cleaver, musingly. "As you say, -we have had dull times since the steel and grindstone eloped and left -us. Command my Counselors and the Royal Courtiers to attend me, as well -as the High Priest and the Judge. We'll then decide what can be done."</p> - -<p>The Captain saluted and retired and Dorothy sat down on an overturned -kettle and asked:</p> - -<p>"Have you anything to eat in your kingdom?"</p> - -<p>"Here! Get up! Get off from me!" cried a faint voice, at which his -Majesty the cleaver said:</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, but you're sitting on my friend the Ten-quart Kettle."</p> - -<p>Dorothy at once arose, and the kettle turned right side up and looked -at her reproachfully.</p> - -<p>"I'm a friend of the King, so no one dares sit on me," said he.</p> - -<p>"I'd prefer a chair, anyway," she replied.</p> - -<p>"Sit on that hearth," commanded the King.</p> - -<p>So Dorothy sat on the hearth-shelf of the big range, and the subjects -of Utensia began to gather around in a large and inquisitive throng. -Toto lay at Dorothy's feet and Billina flew upon the range, which had -no fire in it, and perched there as comfortably as she could.</p> - -<p>When all the Counselors and Courtiers had assembled—and these seemed -to include most of the inhabitants of the kingdom—the King rapped on -the block for order and said:</p> - -<p>"Friends and Fellow Utensils! Our worthy Commander of the Spoon -Brigade, Captain Dipp, has captured the three prisoners you see before -you and brought them here for—for—I don't know what for. So I ask -your advice how to act in this matter, and what fate I should mete out -to these captives. Judge Sifter, stand on my right. It is your -business to sift this affair to the bottom. High Priest Colender, -stand on my left and see that no one testifies falsely in this matter."</p> - -<p>As these two officials took their places, Dorothy asked:</p> - -<p>"Why is the colander the High Priest?"</p> - -<p>"He's the holiest thing we have in the kingdom," replied King Kleaver.</p> - -<p>"Except me," said a sieve. "I'm the whole thing when it comes to holes."</p> - -<p>"What we need," remarked the King, rebukingly, "is a wireless sieve. I -must speak to Marconi about it. These old-fashioned sieves talk too -much. Now, it is the duty of the King's Counselors to counsel the -King at all times of emergency, so I beg you to speak out and advise -me what to do with these prisoners."</p> - -<p>"I demand that they be killed several times, until they are dead!" -shouted a pepperbox, hopping around very excitedly.</p> - -<p>"Compose yourself, Mr. Paprica," advised the King. "Your remarks are -piquant and highly-seasoned, but you need a scattering of commonsense. -It is only necessary to kill a person once to make him dead; but I do -not see that it is necessary to kill this little girl at all."</p> - -<p>"I don't, either," said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Pardon me, but you are not expected to advise me in this matter," -replied King Kleaver.</p> - -<p>"Why not?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"You might be prejudiced in your own favor, and so mislead us," he -said. "Now then, good subjects, who speaks next?"</p> - -<p>"I'd like to smooth this thing over, in some way," said a flatiron, -earnestly. "We are supposed to be useful to mankind, you know."</p> - -<p>"But the girl isn't mankind! She's womankind!" yelled a corkscrew.</p> - -<p>"What do you know about it?" inquired the King.</p> - -<p>"I'm a lawyer," said the corkscrew, proudly. "I am accustomed to -appear at the bar."</p> - -<p>"But you're crooked," retorted the King, "and that debars you. You -may be a corking good lawyer, Mr. Popp, but I must ask you to -withdraw your remarks."</p> - -<p>"Very well," said the corkscrew, sadly; "I see I haven't any pull at -this court."</p> - -<p>"Permit me," continued the flatiron, "to press my suit, your Majesty. -I do not wish to gloss over any fault the prisoner may have committed, -if such a fault exists; but we owe her some consideration, -and that's flat!"</p> - -<p>"I'd like to hear from Prince Karver," said the King.</p> - -<p>At this a stately carvingknife stepped forward and bowed.</p> - -<p>"The Captain was wrong to bring this girl here, and she was wrong to -come," he said. "But now that the foolish deed is done let us all -prove our mettle and have a slashing good time."</p> - -<p>"That's it! that's it!" screamed a fat choppingknife. "We'll make -mincemeat of the girl and hash of the chicken and sausage of the dog!"</p> - -<p>There was a shout of approval at this and the King had to rap again -for order.</p> - -<p>"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he said, "your remarks are somewhat cutting -and rather disjointed, as might be expected from such acute -intellects. But you give me no reasons for your demands."</p> - -<p>"See here, Kleaver; you make me tired," said a saucepan, strutting -before the King very impudently. "You're about the worst King that -ever reigned in Utensia, and that's saying a good deal. Why don't you -run things yourself, instead of asking everybody's advice, like the -big, clumsy idiot you are?"</p> - -<p>The King sighed.</p> - -<p>"I wish there wasn't a saucepan in my kingdom," he said. "You fellows -are always stewing, over something, and every once in a while you slop -over and make a mess of it. Go hang yourself, sir—by the handle—and -don't let me hear from you again."</p> - -<p>Dorothy was much shocked by the dreadful language the utensils -employed, and she thought that they must have had very little proper -training. So she said, addressing the King, who seemed very unfit to -rule his turbulent subjects:</p> - -<p>"I wish you'd decide my fate right away. I can't stay here all day, -trying to find out what you're going to do with me."</p> - -<p>"This thing is becoming a regular broil, and it's time I took part in -it," observed a big gridiron, coming forward.</p> - -<p>"What I'd like to know," said a can-opener, in a shrill voice, "is why -the little girl came to our forest anyhow and why she intruded upon -Captain Dipp—who ought to be called Dippy—and who she is, and where -she came from, and where she is going, and why and wherefore and -therefore and when."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry to see, Sir Jabber," remarked the King to the can-opener, -"that you have such a prying disposition. As a matter of fact, all -the things you mention are none of our business."</p> - -<p>Having said this the King relighted his pipe, which had gone out.</p> - -<p>"Tell me, please, what IS our business?" inquired a potato-masher, -winking at Dorothy somewhat impertinently. "I'm fond of little girls, -myself, and it seems to me she has as much right to wander in the -forest as we have."</p> - -<p>"Who accuses the little girl, anyway?" inquired a rolling-pin. -"What has she done?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said the King. "What has she done, Captain Dipp?"</p> - -<p>"That's the trouble, your Majesty. She hasn't done anything," replied -the Captain.</p> - -<p>"What do you want me to do?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>This question seemed to puzzle them all. Finally, a chafingdish, -exclaimed irritably:</p> - -<p>"If no one can throw any light on this subject you must excuse me -if I go out."</p> - -<p>At this, a big kitchen fork pricked up its ears and said in a tiny voice:</p> - -<p>"Let's hear from Judge Sifter."</p> - -<p>"That's proper," returned the King.</p> - -<p>So Judge Sifter turned around slowly several times and then said:</p> - -<p>"We have nothing against the girl except the stove-hearth upon which -she sits. Therefore I order her instantly discharged."</p> - -<p>"Discharged!" cried Dorothy. "Why, I never was discharged in my life, -and I don't intend to be. If it's all the same to you, I'll resign."</p> - -<p>"It's all the same," declared the King. "You are free—you and your -companions—and may go wherever you like."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said the little girl. "But haven't you anything to eat -in your kingdom? I'm hungry."</p> - -<p>"Go into the woods and pick blackberries," advised the King, lying -down upon his back again and preparing to go to sleep. "There isn't a -morsel to eat in all Utensia, that I know of."</p> - -<p>So Dorothy jumped up and said:</p> - -<p>"Come on, Toto and Billina. If we can't find the camp, we may find -some blackberries."</p> - -<p>The utensils drew back and allowed them to pass without protest, -although Captain Dipp marched the Spoon Brigade in close order after -them until they had reached the edge of the clearing.</p> - -<p>There the spoons halted; but Dorothy and her companions entered the -forest again and began searching diligently for a way back to the -camp, that they might rejoin their party.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_17__How_They_Came_to_Bunbury" id="Chapter_17__How_They_Came_to_Bunbury" />17. How They Came to Bunbury</h2> - - -<p>Wandering through the woods, without knowing where you are going or -what adventure you are about to meet next, is not as pleasant as one -might think. The woods are always beautiful and impressive, and if -you are not worried or hungry you may enjoy them immensely; but -Dorothy was worried and hungry that morning, so she paid little -attention to the beauties of the forest, and hurried along as fast as -she could go. She tried to keep in one direction and not circle -around, but she was not at all sure that the direction she had chosen -would lead her to the camp.</p> - -<p>By and by, to her great joy, she came upon a path. It ran to the -right and to the left, being lost in the trees in both directions, and -just before her, upon a big oak, were fastened two signs, with arms -pointing both ways. One sign read:</p> - -<blockquote><p>TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNBURY</p></blockquote> - -<p>and the second sign read:</p> - -<blockquote><p>TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNNYBURY</p></blockquote> - -<p>"Well!" exclaimed Billina, eyeing the signs, "this looks as if we -were getting back to civilization again."</p> - -<p>"I'm not sure about the civil'zation, dear," replied the little -girl; "but it looks as if we might get SOMEWHERE, and that's a -big relief, anyhow."</p> - -<p>"Which path shall we take?" inquired the Yellow Hen.</p> - -<p>Dorothy stared at the signs thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Bunbury sounds like something to eat," she said. "Let's go there."</p> - -<p>"It's all the same to me," replied Billina. She had picked up enough -bugs and insects from the moss as she went along to satisfy her own -hunger, but the hen knew Dorothy could not eat bugs; nor could Toto.</p> - -<p>The path to Bunbury seemed little traveled, but it was distinct enough -and ran through the trees in a zigzag course until it finally led them -to an open space filled with the queerest houses Dorothy had ever seen. -They were all made of crackers laid out in tiny squares, and were of -many pretty and ornamental shapes, having balconies and porches with -posts of bread-sticks and roofs shingled with wafer-crackers.</p> - -<p>There were walks of bread-crusts leading from house to house and -forming streets, and the place seemed to have many inhabitants.</p> - -<p>When Dorothy, followed by Billina and Toto, entered the place, they -found people walking the streets or assembled in groups talking -together, or sitting upon the porches and balconies.</p> - -<p>And what funny people they were!</p> - -<p>Men, women and children were all made of buns and bread. Some were -thin and others fat; some were white, some light brown and some very -dark of complexion. A few of the buns, which seemed to form the more -important class of the people, were neatly frosted. Some had raisins -for eyes and currant buttons on their clothes; others had eyes of -cloves and legs of stick cinnamon, and many wore hats and bonnets -frosted pink and green.</p> - -<p>There was something of a commotion in Bunbury when the strangers -suddenly appeared among them. Women caught up their children and -hurried into their houses, shutting the cracker doors carefully behind -them. Some men ran so hastily that they tumbled over one another, while -others, more brave, assembled in a group and faced the intruders defiantly.</p> - -<p>Dorothy at once realized that she must act with caution in order -not to frighten these shy people, who were evidently unused to the -presence of strangers. There was a delightful fragrant odor of fresh -bread in the town, and this made the little girl more hungry than -ever. She told Toto and Billina to stay back while she slowly -advanced toward the group that stood silently awaiting her.</p> - -<p>"You must 'scuse me for coming unexpected," she said, softly, -"but I really didn't know I was coming here until I arrived. -I was lost in the woods, you know, and I'm as hungry as anything."</p> - -<p>"Hungry!" they murmured, in a horrified chorus.</p> - -<p>"Yes; I haven't had anything to eat since last night's supper," she -exclaimed. "Are there any eatables in Bunbury?"</p> - -<p>They looked at one another undecidedly, and then one portly bun man, -who seemed a person of consequence, stepped forward and said:</p> - -<p>"Little girl, to be frank with you, we are all eatables. Everything -in Bunbury is eatable to ravenous human creatures like you. But it is -to escape being eaten and destroyed that we have secluded ourselves in -this out-of-the-way place, and there is neither right nor justice in -your coming here to feed upon us."</p> - -<p>Dorothy looked at him longingly.</p> - -<p>"You're bread, aren't you?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes; bread and butter. The butter is inside me, so it won't melt and -run. I do the running myself."</p> - -<p>At this joke all the others burst into a chorus of laughter, and Dorothy -thought they couldn't be much afraid if they could laugh like that.</p> - -<p>"Couldn't I eat something besides people?" she asked. "Couldn't I eat -just one house, or a side-walk or something? I wouldn't mind much -what it was, you know."</p> - -<p>"This is not a public bakery, child," replied the man, sternly. -"It's private property."</p> - -<p>"I know Mr.—Mr.—"</p> - -<p>"My name is C. Bunn, Esquire," said the man. "'C' stands for -Cinnamon, and this place is called after my family, which is the most -aristocratic in the town."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know about that," objected another of the queer people. -"The Grahams and the Browns and Whites are all excellent families, and -there is none better of their kind. I'm a Boston Brown, myself."</p> - -<p>"I admit you are all desirable citizens," said Mr. Bunn rather -stiffly; "but the fact remains that our town is called Bunbury."</p> - -<p>"'Scuse me," interrupted Dorothy; "but I'm getting hungrier every -minute. Now, if you're polite and kind, as I'm sure you ought to be, -you'll let me eat SOMETHING. There's so much to eat here that you -will never miss it."</p> - -<p>Then a big, puffed-up man, of a delicate brown color, stepped forward -and said:</p> - -<p>"I think it would be a shame to send this child away hungry, -especially as she agrees to eat whatever we can spare and not touch -our people."</p> - -<p>"So do I, Pop," replied a Roll who stood near.</p> - -<p>"What, then, do you suggest, Mr. Over?" inquired Mr. Bunn.</p> - -<p>"Why, I'll let her eat my back fence, if she wants to. It's made of -waffles, and they're very crisp and nice."</p> - -<p>"She may also eat my wheelbarrow," added a pleasant looking Muffin. -"It's made of nabiscos with a zuzu wheel."</p> - -<p>"Very good; very good," remarked Mr. Bunn. "That is certainly very -kind of you. Go with Pop Over and Mr. Muffin, little girl, and they -will feed you."</p> - -<p>"Thank you very much," said Dorothy, gratefully. "May I bring my dog -Toto, and the Yellow Hen? They're hungry, too."</p> - -<p>"Will you make them behave?" asked the Muffin.</p> - -<p>"Of course," promised Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Then come along," said Pop Over.</p> - -<p>So Dorothy and Billina and Toto walked up the street and the people -seemed no longer to be at all afraid of them. Mr. Muffin's house -came first, and as his wheelbarrow stood in the front yard the little -girl ate that first. It didn't seem very fresh, but she was so hungry -that she was not particular. Toto ate some, too, while Billina picked -up the crumbs.</p> - -<p>While the strangers were engaged in eating, many of the people came -and stood in the street curiously watching them. Dorothy noticed six -roguish looking brown children standing all in a row, and she asked:</p> - -<p>"Who are you, little ones?"</p> - -<p>"We're the Graham Gems," replied one; "and we're all twins."</p> - -<p>"I wonder if your mother could spare one or two of you?" asked -Billina, who decided that they were fresh baked; but at this dangerous -question the six little gems ran away as fast as they could go.</p> - -<p>"You musn't say such things, Billina," said Dorothy, reprovingly. -"Now let's go into Pop Over's back yard and get the waffles."</p> - -<p>"I sort of hate to let that fence go," remarked Mr. Over, nervously, -as they walked toward his house. "The neighbors back of us are Soda -Biscuits, and I don't care to mix with them."</p> - -<p>"But I'm hungry yet," declared the girl. "That wheelbarrow wasn't -very big."</p> - -<p>"I've got a shortcake piano, but none of my family can play on it," he -said, reflectively. "Suppose you eat that."</p> - -<p>"All right," said Dorothy; "I don't mind. Anything to be accommodating."</p> - -<p>So Mr. Over led her into the house, where she ate the piano, which was -of an excellent flavor.</p> - -<p>"Is there anything to drink here?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes; I've a milk pump and a water pump; which will you have?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"I guess I'll try 'em both," said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>So Mr. Over called to his wife, who brought into the yard a pail made -of some kind of baked dough, and Dorothy pumped the pail full of cool, -sweet milk and drank it eagerly.</p> - -<p>The wife of Pop Over was several shades darker than her husband.</p> - -<p>"Aren't you overdone?" the little girl asked her.</p> - -<p>"No indeed," answered the woman. "I'm neither overdone nor done over; -I'm just Mrs. Over, and I'm the President of the Bunbury Breakfast Band."</p> - -<p>Dorothy thanked them for their hospitality and went away. At the -gate Mr. Cinnamon Bunn met her and said he would show her around the -town. "We have some very interesting inhabitants," he remarked, -walking stiffly beside her on his stick-cinnamon legs; "and all of us -who are in good health are well bred. If you are no longer hungry we -will call upon a few of the most important citizens."</p> - -<p>Toto and Billina followed behind them, behaving very well, and a -little way down the street they came to a handsome residence where -Aunt Sally Lunn lived. The old lady was glad to meet the little girl -and gave her a slice of white bread and butter which had been used as -a door-mat. It was almost fresh and tasted better than anything -Dorothy had eaten in the town.</p> - -<p>"Where do you get the butter?" she inquired.</p> - -<p>"We dig it out of the ground, which, as you may have observed, is all -flour and meal," replied Mr. Bunn. "There is a butter mine just at -the opposite side of the village. The trees which you see here are -all doughleanders and doughderas, and in the season we get quite a -crop of dough-nuts off them."</p> - -<p>"I should think the flour would blow around and get into your eyes," -said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"No," said he; "we are bothered with cracker dust sometimes, but -never with flour."</p> - -<p>Then he took her to see Johnny Cake, a cheerful old gentleman who -lived near by.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you've heard of me," said old Johnny, with an air of pride. -"I'm a great favorite all over the world."</p> - -<p>"Aren't you rather yellow?" asked Dorothy, looking at him critically.</p> - -<p>"Maybe, child. But don't think I'm bilious, for I was never in better -health in my life," replied the old gentleman. "If anything ailed me, -I'd willingly acknowledge the corn."</p> - -<p>"Johnny's a trifle stale," said Mr. Bunn, as they went away; "but he's -a good mixer and never gets cross-grained. I will now take you to -call upon some of my own relatives." They visited the Sugar Bunns, -the Currant Bunns and the Spanish Bunns, the latter having a decidedly -foreign appearance. Then they saw the French Rolls, who were very -polite to them, and made a brief call upon the Parker H. Rolls, who -seemed a bit proud and overbearing.</p> - -<p>"But they're not as stuck up as the Frosted Jumbles," declared Mr. -Bunn, "who are people I really can't abide. I don't like to be -suspicious or talk scandal, but sometimes I think the Jumbles have too -much baking powder in them."</p> - -<p>Just then a dreadful scream was heard, and Dorothy turned hastily -around to find a scene of great excitement a little way down the -street. The people were crowding around Toto and throwing at him -everything they could find at hand. They pelted the little dog with -hard-tack, crackers, and even articles of furniture which were hard -baked and heavy enough for missiles.</p> - -<p>Toto howeled a little as the assortment of bake stuff struck him; but -he stood still, with head bowed and tail between his legs, until -Dorothy ran up and inquired what the matter was.</p> - -<p>"Matter!" cried a rye loafer, indignantly, "why the horrid beast -has eaten three of our dear Crumpets, and is now devouring a -Salt-rising Biscuit!"</p> - -<p>"Oh, Toto! How could you?" exclaimed Dorothy, much distressed.</p> - -<p>Toto's mouth was full of his salt-rising victim; so he only whined and -wagged his tail. But Billina, who had flown to the top of a cracker -house to be in a safe place, called out:</p> - -<p>"Don't blame him, Dorothy; the Crumpets dared him to do it."</p> - -<p>"Yes, and you pecked out the eyes of a Raisin Bunn—one of our best -citizens!" shouted a bread pudding, shaking its fist at the Yellow Hen.</p> - -<p>"What's that! What's that?" wailed Mr. Cinnamon Bunn, who had now -joined them. "Oh, what a misfortune—what a terrible misfortune!"</p> - -<p>"See here," said Dorothy, determined to defend her pets, "I think -we've treated you all pretty well, seeing you're eatables an' reg'lar -food for us. I've been kind to you and eaten your old wheelbarrows -and pianos and rubbish, an' not said a word. But Toto and Billina -can't be 'spected to go hungry when the town's full of good things -they like to eat, 'cause they can't understand your stingy ways as -I do."</p> - -<p>"You must leave here at once!" said Mr. Bunn, sternly.</p> - -<p>"Suppose we won't go?" said Dorothy, who was now much provoked.</p> - -<p>"Then," said he, "we will put you into the great ovens where we are -made, and bake you."</p> - -<p>Dorothy gazed around and saw threatening looks upon the faces of all. -She had not noticed any ovens in the town, but they might be there, -nevertheless, for some of the inhabitants seemed very fresh. So she -decided to go, and calling to Toto and Billina to follow her she -marched up the street with as much dignity as possible, considering -that she was followed by the hoots and cries of the buns and biscuits -and other bake stuff.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_18__How_Ozma_Looked_into_the_Magic_Picture" id="Chapter_18__How_Ozma_Looked_into_the_Magic_Picture" />18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture</h2> - - -<p>Princess Ozma was a very busy little ruler, for she looked carefully -after the comfort and welfare of her people and tried to make them -happy. If any quarrels arose she decided them justly; if any one -needed counsel or advice she was ready and willing to listen to them.</p> - -<p>For a day or two after Dorothy and her companions had started on their -trip, Ozma was occupied with the affairs of her kingdom. Then she -began to think of some manner of occupation for Uncle Henry and Aunt -Em that would be light and easy and yet give the old people something -to do.</p> - -<p>She soon decided to make Uncle Henry the Keeper of the Jewels, for -some one really was needed to count and look after the bins and barrels -of emeralds, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones that were in -the Royal Storehouses. That would keep Uncle Henry busy enough, but -it was harder to find something for Aunt Em to do. The palace was -full of servants, so there was no detail of housework that Aunt Em -could look after.</p> - -<p>While Ozma sat in her pretty room engaged in thought she happened -to glance at her Magic Picture.</p> - -<p>This was one of the most important treasures in all the Land of Oz. -It was a large picture, set in a beautiful gold frame, and it hung -in a prominent place upon a wall of Ozma's private room.</p> - -<p>Usually this picture seemed merely a country scene, but whenever -Ozma looked at it and wished to know what any of her friends or -acquaintances were doing, the magic of this wonderful picture was -straightway disclosed. For the country scene would gradually fade -away and in its place would appear the likeness of the person or -persons Ozma might wish to see, surrounded by the actual scenes in -which they were then placed. In this way the Princess could view any -part of the world she wished, and watch the actions of any one in whom -she was interested.</p> - -<p>Ozma had often seen Dorothy in her Kansas home by this means, and now, -having a little leisure, she expressed a desire to see her little -friend again. It was while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig, and -Ozma laughed merrily as she watched in the picture her friends trying -to match the pieces of Grandmother Gnit.</p> - -<p>"They seem happy and are doubtless having a good time," the girl -Ruler said to herself; and then she began to think of the many -adventures she herself had encountered with Dorothy.</p> - -<p>The image of her friends now faded from the Magic Picture and the old -landscape slowly reappeared.</p> - -<p>Ozma was thinking of the time when with Dorothy and her army she -marched to the Nome King's underground cavern, beyond the Land of Ev, -and forced the old monarch to liberate his captives, who belonged to -the Royal Family of Ev. That was the time when the Scarecrow nearly -frightened the Nome King into fits by throwing one of Billina's eggs -at him, and Dorothy had captured King Roquat's Magic Belt and brought -it away with her to the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>The pretty Princess smiled at the recollection of this adventure, and -then she wondered what had become of the Nome King since then. Merely -because she was curious and had nothing better to do, Ozma glanced at -the Magic Picture and wished to see in it the King of the Nomes.</p> - -<p>Roquat the Red went every day into his tunnel to see how the work was -getting along and to hurry his workmen as much as possible. He was -there now, and Ozma saw him plainly in the Magic Picture.</p> - -<p>She saw the underground tunnel, reaching far underneath the Deadly -Desert which separated the Land of Oz from the mountains beneath which -the Nome King had his extensive caverns. She saw that the tunnel was -being made in the direction of the Emerald City, and knew at once it -was being dug so that the army of Nomes could march through it and -attack her own beautiful and peaceful country.</p> - -<p>"I suppose King Roquat is planning revenge against us," she said, -musingly, "and thinks he can surprise us and make us his captives and -slaves. How sad it is that any one can have such wicked thoughts! -But I must not blame King Roquat too severely, for he is a Nome, -and his nature is not so gentle as my own."</p> - -<p>Then she dismissed from her mind further thought of the tunnel, for -that time, and began to wonder if Aunt Em would not be happy as Royal -Mender of the Stockings of the Ruler of Oz. Ozma wore few holes in -her stockings; still, they sometimes needed mending. Aunt Em ought to -be able to do that very nicely.</p> - -<p>Next day, the Princess watched the tunnel again in her Magic Picture, -and every day afterward she devoted a few minutes to inspecting the work. -It was not especially interesting, but she felt that it was her duty.</p> - -<p>Slowly but surely the big, arched hole crept through the rocks -underneath the deadly desert, and day by day it drew nearer and -nearer to the Emerald City.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_19__How_Bunnybury_Welcomed_the_Strangers" id="Chapter_19__How_Bunnybury_Welcomed_the_Strangers" />19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers</h2> - - -<p>Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when they -were in the forest again she said to Billina:</p> - -<p>"I never thought that things good to eat could be so dis'gree'ble."</p> - -<p>"Often I've eaten things that tasted good but were disagreeable -afterward," returned the Yellow Hen. "I think, Dorothy, if eatables -are going to act badly, it's better before than after you eat them."</p> - -<p>"P'raps you're right," said the little girl, with a sigh. "But what -shall we do now?"</p> - -<p>"Let us follow the path back to the signpost," suggested Billina. -"That will be better than getting lost again."</p> - -<p>"Why, we're lost anyhow," declared Dorothy; "but I guess you're right -about going back to that signpost, Billina."</p> - -<p>They returned along the path to the place where they had first found -it, and at once took "the other road" to Bunnybury. This road was a -mere narrow strip, worn hard and smooth but not wide enough for -Dorothy's feet to tread. Still, it was a guide, and the walking -through the forest was not at all difficult.</p> - -<p>Before long they reached a high wall of solid white marble, and the -path came to an end at this wall.</p> - -<p>At first Dorothy thought there was no opening at all in the marble, -but on looking closely she discovered a small square door about on a -level with her head, and underneath this closed door was a bell-push. -Near the bell-push a sign was painted in neat letters upon the marble, -and the sign read:</p> - -<blockquote><p>NO ADMITTANCE</p> - -<p>EXCEPT ON BUSINESS</p></blockquote> - -<p>This did not discourage Dorothy, however, and she rang the bell.</p> - -<p>Pretty soon a bolt was cautiously withdrawn and the marble door swung -slowly open. Then she saw it was not really a door, but a window, for -several brass bars were placed across it, being set fast in the marble -and so close together that the little girl's fingers might barely go -between them. Back of the bars appeared the face of a white rabbit—a -very sober and sedate face—with an eye-glass held in his left eye and -attached to a cord in his button-hole.</p> - -<p>"Well! what is it?" asked the rabbit, sharply.</p> - -<p>"I'm Dorothy," said the girl, "and I'm lost, and—"</p> - -<p>"State your business, please," interrupted the rabbit.</p> - -<p>"My business," she replied, "is to find out where I am, and to—"</p> - -<p>"No one is allowed in Bunnybury without an order or a letter of -introduction from either Ozma of Oz or Glinda the Good," announced -the rabbit; "so that settles the matter," and he started to close -the window.</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute!" cried Dorothy. "I've got a letter from Ozma."</p> - -<p>"From the Ruler of Oz?" asked the rabbit, doubtingly.</p> - -<p>"Of course. Ozma's my best friend, you know; and I'm a Princess -myself," she announced, earnestly.</p> - -<p>"Hum—ha! Let me see your letter," returned the rabbit, as if he -still doubted her.</p> - -<p>So she hunted in her pocket and found the letter Ozma had given her. -Then she handed it through the bars to the rabbit, who took it in his -paws and opened it. He read it aloud in a pompous voice, as if to let -Dorothy and Billina see that he was educated and could read writing. -The letter was as follows:</p> - - -<p>"It will please me to have my subjects greet Princess Dorothy, the -bearer of this royal missive, with the same courtesy and consideration -they would extend to me."</p> - - -<p>"Ha—hum! It is signed 'Ozma of Oz,'" continued the rabbit, "and is -sealed with the Great Seal of the Emerald City. Well, well, well! -How strange! How remarkable!"</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do about it?" inquired Dorothy, impatiently.</p> - -<p>"We must obey the royal mandate," replied the rabbit. "We are -subjects of Ozma of Oz, and we live in her country. Also we are -under the protection of the great Sorceress Glinda the Good, who -made us promise to respect Ozma's commands."</p> - -<p>"Then may I come in?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"I'll open the door," said the rabbit. He shut the window and -disappeared, but a moment afterward a big door in the wall opened and -admitted Dorothy to a small room, which seemed to be a part of the wall -and built into it.</p> - -<p>Here stood the rabbit she had been talking with, and now that she -could see all of him, she gazed at the creature in surprise. He was a -good sized white rabbit with pink eyes, much like all other white -rabbits. But the astonishing thing about him was the manner in which -he was dressed. He wore a white satin jacket embroidered with gold, -and having diamond buttons. His vest was rose-colored satin, with -tourmaline buttons. His trousers were white, to correspond with the -jacket, and they were baggy at the knees—like those of a zouave—being -tied with knots of rose ribbons. His shoes were of white plush with -diamond buckles, and his stockings were rose silk.</p> - -<p>The richness and even magnificence of the rabbit's clothing made -Dorothy stare at the little creature wonderingly. Toto and Billina -had followed her into the room and when he saw them the rabbit ran -to a table and sprang upon it nimbly. Then he looked at the three -through his monocle and said:</p> - -<p>"These companions, Princess, cannot enter Bunnybury with you."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"In the first place they would frighten our people, who dislike dogs -above all things on earth; and, secondly, the letter of the Royal Ozma -does not mention them."</p> - -<p>"But they're my friends," persisted Dorothy, "and go wherever I go."</p> - -<p>"Not this time," said the rabbit, decidedly. "You, yourself, Princess, -are a welcome visitor, since you come so highly recommended; but -unless you consent to leave the dog and the hen in this room I cannot -permit you to enter the town."</p> - -<p>"Never mind us, Dorothy," said Billina. "Go inside and see what the -place is like. You can tell us about it afterward, and Toto and I -will rest comfortably here until you return."</p> - -<p>This seemed the best thing to do, for Dorothy was curious to see how -the rabbit people lived and she was aware of the fact that her -friends might frighten the timid little creatures. She had not -forgotten how Toto and Billina had misbehaved in Bunbury, and perhaps -the rabbit was wise to insist on their staying outside the town.</p> - -<p>"Very well," she said, "I'll go in alone. I s'pose you're the King of -this town, aren't you?"</p> - -<p>"No," answered the rabbit, "I'm merely the Keeper of the Wicket, and -a person of little importance, although I try to do my duty. I must -now inform you, Princess, that before you enter our town you must -consent to reduce."</p> - -<p>"Reduce what?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Your size. You must become the size of the rabbits, although you may -retain your own form."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't my clothes be too big for me?" she inquired.</p> - -<p>"No; they will reduce when your body does."</p> - -<p>"Can YOU make me smaller?" asked the girl.</p> - -<p>"Easily," returned the rabbit.</p> - -<p>"And will you make me big again, when I'm ready to go away?"</p> - -<p>"I will," said he.</p> - -<p>"All right, then; I'm willing," she announced.</p> - -<p>The rabbit jumped from the table and ran—or rather hopped—to the -further wall, where he opened a door so tiny that even Toto could -scarcely have crawled through it.</p> - -<p>"Follow me," he said.</p> - -<p>Now, almost any other little girl would have declared that she could -not get through so small a door; but Dorothy had already encountered -so many fairy adventures that she believed nothing was impossible in -the Land of Oz. So she quietly walked toward the door, and at every -step she grew smaller and smaller until, by the time the opening was -reached, she could pass through it with ease. Indeed, as she stood -beside the rabbit, who sat upon his hind legs and used his paws as -hands, her head was just about as high as his own.</p> - -<p>Then the Keeper of the Wicket passed through and she followed, after -which the door swung shut and locked itself with a sharp click.</p> - -<p>Dorothy now found herself in a city so strange and beautiful that she -gave a gasp of surprise. The high marble wall extended all around the -place and shut out all the rest of the world. And here were marble -houses of curious forms, most of them resembling overturned kettles -but with delicate slender spires and minarets running far up into the -sky. The streets were paved with white marble and in front of each -house was a lawn of rich green clover. Everything was as neat as wax, -the green and white contrasting prettily together.</p> - -<p>But the rabbit people were, after all, the most amazing things Dorothy -saw. The streets were full of them, and their costumes were so -splendid that the rich dress of the Keeper of the Wicket was -commonplace when compared with the others. Silks and satins of -delicate hues seemed always used for material, and nearly every -costume sparkled with exquisite gems.</p> - -<p>But the lady rabbits outshone the gentlemen rabbits in splendor, and -the cut of their gowns was really wonderful. They wore bonnets, too, -with feathers and jewels in them, and some wheeled baby carriages in -which the girl could see wee bunnies. Some were lying asleep while -others lay sucking their paws and looking around them with big pink eyes.</p> - -<p>As Dorothy was no bigger in size than the grown-up rabbits she had a -chance to observe them closely before they noticed her presence. Then -they did not seem at all alarmed, although the little girl naturally -became the center of attraction and regarded her with great curiosity.</p> - -<p>"Make way!" cried the Keeper of the Wicket, in a pompous voice; "make -way for Princess Dorothy, who comes from Ozma of Oz."</p> - -<p>Hearing this announcement, the throng of rabbits gave place to -them on the walks, and as Dorothy passed along they all bowed -their heads respectfully.</p> - -<p>Walking thus through several handsome streets they came to a square -in the center of the City. In this square were some pretty trees and -a statue in bronze of Glinda the Good, while beyond it were the -portals of the Royal Palace—an extensive and imposing building of -white marble covered with a filigree of frosted gold.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_20__How_Dorothy_Lunched_With_a_King" id="Chapter_20__How_Dorothy_Lunched_With_a_King" />20. How Dorothy Lunched With a King</h2> - - -<p>A line of rabbit soldiers was drawn up before the palace entrance, and -they wore green and gold uniforms with high shakos upon their heads -and held tiny spears in their hands. The Captain had a sword and a -white plume in his shako.</p> - -<p>"Salute!" called the Keeper of the Wicket. "Salute Princess Dorothy, -who comes from Ozma of Oz!"</p> - -<p>"Salute!" yelled the Captain, and all the soldiers promptly saluted.</p> - -<p>They now entered the great hall of the palace, where they met a gaily -dressed attendant, from whom the Keeper of the Wicket inquired if the -King were at leisure.</p> - -<p>"I think so," was the reply. "I heard his Majesty blubbering and -wailing as usual only a few minutes ago. If he doesn't stop acting -like a cry-baby I'm going to resign my position here and go to work."</p> - -<p>"What's the matter with your King?" asked Dorothy, surprised to hear -the rabbit attendant speak so disrespectfully of his monarch.</p> - -<p>"Oh, he doesn't want to be King, that's all; and he simply HAS to," -was the reply.</p> - -<p>"Come!" said the Keeper of the Wicket, sternly; "lead us to his -Majesty; and do not air our troubles before strangers, I beg of you."</p> - -<p>"Why, if this girl is going to see the King, he'll air his own -troubles," returned the attendant.</p> - -<p>"That is his royal privilege," declared the Keeper.</p> - -<p>So the attendant led them into a room all draped with cloth-of-gold -and furnished with satin-covered gold furniture. There was a throne -in this room, set on a dais and having a big, cushioned seat, and on -this seat reclined the Rabbit King. He was lying on his back, with his -paws in the air, and whining very like a puppy-dog.</p> - -<p>"Your Majesty! your Majesty! Get up. Here's a visitor," called out -the attendant.</p> - -<p>The King rolled over and looked at Dorothy with one watery pink eye. -Then he sat up and wiped his eyes carefully with a silk handkerchief -and put on his jeweled crown, which had fallen off.</p> - -<p>"Excuse my grief, fair stranger," he said, in a sad voice. -"You behold in me the most miserable monarch in all the world. -What time is it, Blinkem?"</p> - -<p>"One o'clock, your Majesty," replied the attendant to whom the -question was addressed.</p> - -<p>"Serve luncheon at once!" commanded the King. "Luncheon for -two—that's for my visitor and me—and see that the human has some -sort of food she's accustomed to."</p> - -<p>"Yes, your Majesty," answered the attendant, and went away.</p> - -<p>"Tie my shoe, Bristle," said the King to the Keeper of the Wicket. -"Ah me! how unhappy I am!"</p> - -<p>"What seems to be worrying your Majesty?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Why, it's this king business, of course," he returned, while the -Keeper tied his shoe. "I didn't want to be King of Bunnybury at all, -and the rabbits all knew it. So they elected me—to save themselves -from such a dreadful fate, I suppose—and here I am, shut up in a -palace, when I might be free and happy."</p> - -<p>"Seems to me," said Dorothy, "it's a great thing to be a King."</p> - -<p>"Were you ever a King?" inquired the monarch.</p> - -<p>"No," she answered, laughing.</p> - -<p>"Then you know nothing about it," he said. "I haven't inquired who -you are, but it doesn't matter. While we're at luncheon, I'll tell -you all my troubles. They're a great deal more interesting than -anything you can say about yourself."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps they are, to you," replied Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Luncheon is served!" cried Blinkem, throwing open the door, and in -came a dozen rabbits in livery, all bearing trays which they placed -upon the table, where they arranged the dishes in an orderly manner.</p> - -<p>"Now clear out—all of you!" exclaimed the King. "Bristle, you may -wait outside, in case I want you."</p> - -<p>When they had gone and the King was alone with Dorothy he came down -from his throne, tossed his crown into a corner and kicked his ermine -robe under the table.</p> - -<p>"Sit down," he said, "and try to be happy. It's useless for me to -try, because I'm always wretched and miserable. But I'm hungry, -and I hope you are."</p> - -<p>"I am," said Dorothy. "I've only eaten a wheelbarrow and a piano -to-day—oh, yes! and a slice of bread and butter that used to be -a door-mat."</p> - -<p>"That sounds like a square meal," remarked the King, seating himself -opposite her; "but perhaps it wasn't a square piano. Eh?"</p> - -<p>Dorothy laughed.</p> - -<p>"You don't seem so very unhappy now," she said.</p> - -<p>"But I am," protested the King, fresh tears gathering in his eyes. -"Even my jokes are miserable. I'm wretched, woeful, afflicted, -distressed and dismal as an individual can be. Are you not -sorry for me?"</p> - -<p>"No," answered Dorothy, honestly, "I can't say I am. Seems to me that -for a rabbit you're right in clover. This is the prettiest little -city I ever saw."</p> - -<p>"Oh, the city is good enough," he admitted. "Glinda, the Good -Sorceress, made it for us because she was fond of rabbits. I don't -mind the City so much, although I wouldn't live here if I had my -choice. It is being King that has absolutely ruined my happiness."</p> - -<p>"Why wouldn't you live here by choice?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Because it is all unnatural, my dear. Rabbits are out of place in -such luxury. When I was young I lived in a burrow in the forest. I -was surrounded by enemies and often had to run for my life. It was -hard getting enough to eat, at times, and when I found a bunch of -clover I had to listen and look for danger while I ate it. Wolves -prowled around the hole in which I lived and sometimes I didn't dare -stir out for days at a time. Oh, how happy and contented I was then! -I was a real rabbit, as nature made me—wild and free!—and I even -enjoyed listening to the startled throbbing of my own heart!"</p> - -<p>"I've often thought," said Dorothy, who was busily eating, "that it -would be fun to be a rabbit."</p> - -<p>"It IS fun—when you're the genuine article," agreed his Majesty. -"But look at me now! I live in a marble palace instead of a hole in -the ground. I have all I want to eat, without the joy of hunting for -it. Every day I must dress in fine clothes and wear that horrible -crown till it makes my head ache. Rabbits come to me with all sorts -of troubles, when my own troubles are the only ones I care about. -When I walk out I can't hop and run; I must strut on my rear legs and -wear an ermine robe! And the soldiers salute me and the band plays -and the other rabbits laugh and clap their paws and cry out: 'Hail to -the King!' Now let me ask you, as a friend and a young lady of good -judgment: isn't all this pomp and foolishness enough to make a decent -rabbit miserable?"</p> - -<p>"Once," said Dorothy, reflectively, "men were wild and unclothed and -lived in caves and hunted for food as wild beasts do. But they got -civ'lized, in time, and now they'd hate to go back to the old days."</p> - -<p>"That is an entirely different case," replied the King. "None of you -Humans were civilized in one lifetime. It came to you by degrees. -But I have known the forest and the free life, and that is why I -resent being civilized all at once, against my will, and being made a -King with a crown and an ermine robe. Pah!"</p> - -<p>"If you don't like it, why don't you resign?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Impossible!" wailed the Rabbit, wiping his eyes again with his -handkerchief. "There's a beastly law in this town that forbids it. -When one is elected a King, there's no getting out of it."</p> - -<p>"Who made the laws?" inquired Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"The same Sorceress who made the town—Glinda the Good. She built the -wall, and fixed up the City, and gave us several valuable enchantments, -and made the laws. Then she invited all the pink-eyed white rabbits -of the forest to come here, after which she left us to our fate."</p> - -<p>"What made you 'cept the invitation, and come here?" asked the child.</p> - -<p>"I didn't know how dreadful city life was, and I'd no idea I would be -elected King," said he, sobbing bitterly. "And—and—now I'm It—with -a capital I—and can't escape!"</p> - -<p>"I know Glinda," remarked Dorothy, eating for dessert a dish of -charlotte russe, "and when I see her again, I'll ask her to put -another King in your place."</p> - -<p>"Will you? Will you, indeed?" asked the King, joyfully.</p> - -<p>"I will if you want me to," she replied.</p> - -<p>"Hurroo—huray!" shouted the King; and then he jumped up from the -table and danced wildly about the room, waving his napkin like a flag -and laughing with glee.</p> - -<p>After a time he managed to control his delight and returned to the table.</p> - -<p>"When are you likely to see Glinda?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"Oh, p'raps in a few days," said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"And you won't forget to ask her?"</p> - -<p>"Of course not."</p> - -<p>"Princess," said the Rabbit King, earnestly, "you have relieved me of a -great unhappiness, and I am very grateful. Therefore I propose to -entertain you, since you are my guest and I am the King, as a slight -mark of my appreciation. Come with me to my reception hall."</p> - -<p>He then summoned Bristle and said to him: "Assemble all the nobility -in the great reception hall, and also tell Blinkem that I want -him immediately."</p> - -<p>The Keeper of the Wicket bowed and hurried away, and his Majesty -turned to Dorothy and continued: "We'll have time for a walk in the -gardens before the people get here."</p> - -<p>The gardens were back of the palace and were filled with beautiful -flowers and fragrant shrubs, with many shade and fruit trees and -marble-paved walks running in every direction. As they entered this -place Blinkem came running to the King, who gave him several orders -in a low voice. Then his Majesty rejoined Dorothy and led her through -the gardens, which she admired very much.</p> - -<p>"What lovely clothes your Majesty wears!" she said, glancing at the -rich blue satin costume, embroidered, with pearls in which the King -was dressed.</p> - -<p>"Yes," he returned, with an air of pride, "this is one of my favorite -suits; but I have a good many that are even more elaborate. We have -excellent tailors in Bunnybury, and Glinda supplies all the material. -By the way, you might ask the Sorceress, when you see her, to permit -me to keep my wardrobe."</p> - -<p>"But if you go back to the forest you will not need clothes," she said.</p> - -<p>"N—o!" he faltered; "that may be so. But I've dressed up so long -that I'm used to it, and I don't imagine I'd care to run around naked -again. So perhaps the Good Glinda will let me keep the costumes."</p> - -<p>"I'll ask her," agreed Dorothy.</p> - -<p>Then they left the gardens and went into a fine, big reception hall, -where rich rugs were spread upon the tiled floors and the furniture -was exquisitely carved and studded with jewels. The King's chair was -an especially pretty piece of furniture, being in the shape of a -silver lily with one leaf bent over to form the seat. The silver -was everywhere thickly encrusted with diamonds and the seat was -upholstered in white satin.</p> - -<p>"Oh, what a splendid chair!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands admiringly.</p> - -<p>"Isn't it?" answered the King, proudly. "It is my favorite seat, and I -think it especially becoming to my complexion. While I think of it, I -wish you'd ask Glinda to let me keep this lily chair when I go away."</p> - -<p>"It wouldn't look very well in a hole in the ground, would it?" -she suggested.</p> - -<p>"Maybe not; but I'm used to sitting in it and I'd like to take it -with me," he answered. "But here come the ladies and gentlemen of the -court; so please sit beside me and be presented."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_21__How_the_King_Changed_His_Mind" id="Chapter_21__How_the_King_Changed_His_Mind" />21. How the King Changed His Mind</h2> - - -<p>Just then a rabbit band of nearly fifty pieces marched in, playing -upon golden instruments and dressed in neat uniforms. Following the -band came the nobility of Bunnybury, all richly dressed and hopping -along on their rear legs. Both the ladies and the gentlemen wore -white gloves upon their paws, with their rings on the outside of the -gloves, as this seemed to be the fashion here. Some of the lady -rabbits carried lorgnettes, while many of the gentlemen rabbits wore -monocles in their left eyes.</p> - -<p>The courtiers and their ladies paraded past the King, who introduced -Princess Dorothy to each couple in a very graceful manner. Then the -company seated themselves in chairs and on sofas and looked -expectantly at their monarch.</p> - -<p>"It is our royal duty, as well as our royal pleasure," he said, "to -provide fitting entertainment for our distinguished guest. We will -now present the Royal Band of Whiskered Friskers."</p> - -<p>As he spoke the musicians, who had arranged themselves in a corner, -struck up a dance melody while into the room pranced the Whiskered -Friskers. They were eight pretty rabbits dressed only in gauzy purple -skirts fastened around their waists with diamond bands. Their whiskers -were colored a rich purple, but otherwise they were pure white.</p> - -<p>After bowing before the King and Dorothy the Friskers began their -pranks, and these were so comical that Dorothy laughed with real -enjoyment. They not only danced together, whirling and gyrating -around the room, but they leaped over one another, stood upon their -heads and hopped and skipped here and there so nimbly that it was -hard work to keep track of them. Finally, they all made double -somersaults and turned handsprings out of the room.</p> - -<p>The nobility enthusiastically applauded, and Dorothy applauded with them.</p> - -<p>"They're fine!" she said to the King.</p> - -<p>"Yes, the Whiskered Friskers are really very clever," he replied. -"I shall hate to part with them when I go away, for they have often -amused me when I was very miserable. I wonder if you would ask Glinda—"</p> - -<p>"No, it wouldn't do at all," declared Dorothy, positively. "There -wouldn't be room in your hole in the ground for so many rabbits, -'spec'ly when you get the lily chair and your clothes there. Don't -think of such a thing, your Majesty."</p> - -<p>The King sighed. Then he stood up and announced to the company:</p> - -<p>"We will now hold a military drill by my picked Bodyguard -of Royal Pikemen."</p> - -<p>Now the band played a march and a company of rabbit soldiers came in. -They wore green and gold uniforms and marched very stiffly but in -perfect time. Their spears, or pikes, had slender shafts of polished -silver with golden heads, and during the drill they handled these -weapons with wonderful dexterity.</p> - -<p>"I should think you'd feel pretty safe with such a fine Bodyguard," -remarked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"I do," said the King. "They protect me from every harm. I suppose -Glinda wouldn't—"</p> - -<p>"No," interrupted the girl; "I'm sure she wouldn't. It's the King's -own Bodyguard, and when you are no longer King you can't have 'em."</p> - -<p>The King did not reply, but he looked rather sorrowful for a time.</p> - -<p>When the soldiers had marched out he said to the company:</p> - -<p>"The Royal Jugglers will now appear."</p> - -<p>Dorothy had seen many jugglers in her lifetime, but never any so -interesting as these. There were six of them, dressed in black satin -embroidered with queer symbols in silver—a costume which contrasted -strongly with their snow-white fur.</p> - -<p>First, they pushed in a big red ball and three of the rabbit jugglers -stood upon its top and made it roll. Then two of them caught up a -third and tossed him into the air, all vanishing, until only the two -were left. Then one of these tossed the other upward and remained -alone of all his fellows. This last juggler now touched the red ball, -which fell apart, being hollow, and the five rabbits who had -disappeared in the air scrambled out of the hollow ball.</p> - -<p>Next they all clung together and rolled swiftly upon the floor. When -they came to a stop only one fat rabbit juggler was seen, the others -seeming to be inside him. This one leaped lightly into the air and -when he came down he exploded and separated into the original six. -Then four of them rolled themselves into round balls and the other -two tossed them around and played ball with them.</p> - -<p>These were but a few of the tricks the rabbit jugglers performed, and -they were so skillful that all the nobility and even the King -applauded as loudly as did Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"I suppose there are no rabbit jugglers in all the world to compare -with these," remarked the King. "And since I may not have the -Whiskers Friskers or my Bodyguard, you might ask Glinda to let me take -away just two or three of these jugglers. Will you?"</p> - -<p>"I'll ask her," replied Dorothy, doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said the King; "thank you very much. And now you shall -listen to the Winsome Waggish Warblers, who have often cheered me in -my moments of anguish."</p> - -<p>The Winsome Waggish Warblers proved to be a quartette of rabbit -singers, two gentlemen and two lady rabbits. The gentlemen Warblers -wore full-dress swallow-tailed suits of white satin, with pearls for -buttons, while the lady Warblers were gowned in white satin dresses -with long trails.</p> - -<p>The first song they sang began in this way:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span>"When a rabbit gets a habit<br /></span> -<span>Of living in a city<br /></span> -<span>And wearing clothes and furbelows<br /></span> -<span>And jewels rare and pretty,<br /></span> -<span>He scorns the Bun who has to run<br /></span> -<span>And burrow in the ground<br /></span> -<span>And pities those whose watchful foes<br /></span> -<span>Are man and gun and hound."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Dorothy looked at the King when she heard this song and noticed -that he seemed disturbed and ill at ease.</p> - -<p>"I don't like that song," he said to the Warblers. "Give us something -jolly and rollicking."</p> - -<p>So they sang to a joyous, tinkling melody as follows:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span>"Bunnies gay<br /></span> -<span>Delight to play<br /></span> -<span>In their fairy town secure;<br /></span> -<span>Ev'ry frisker<br /></span> -<span>Flirts his whisker<br /></span> -<span>At a pink-eyed girl demure.<br /></span> -<span>Ev'ry maid<br /></span> -<span>In silk arrayed<br /></span> -<span>At her partner shyly glances,<br /></span> -<span>Paws are grasped,<br /></span> -<span>Waists are clasped<br /></span> -<span>As they whirl in giddy dances.<br /></span> -<span>Then together<br /></span> -<span>Through the heather<br /></span> -<span>'Neath the moonlight soft they stroll;<br /></span> -<span>Each is very<br /></span> -<span>Blithe and merry,<br /></span> -<span>Gamboling with laughter droll.<br /></span> -<span>Life is fun<br /></span> -<span>To ev'ry one<br /></span> -<span>Guarded by our magic charm<br /></span> -<span>For to dangers<br /></span> -<span>We are strangers,<br /></span> -<span>Safe from any thought of harm."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>"You see," said Dorothy to the King, when the song ended, "the rabbits -all seem to like Bunnybury except you. And I guess you're the only -one that ever has cried or was unhappy and wanted to get back to your -muddy hole in the ground."</p> - -<p>His Majesty seemed thoughtful, and while the servants passed around -glasses of nectar and plates of frosted cakes their King was silent -and a bit nervous.</p> - -<p>When the refreshments had been enjoyed by all and the servants had -retired Dorothy said:</p> - -<p>"I must go now, for it's getting late and I'm lost. I've got to find -the Wizard and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and all the rest sometime -before night comes, if I poss'bly can."</p> - -<p>"Won't you stay with us?" asked the King. "You will be very welcome."</p> - -<p>"No, thank you," she replied. "I must get back to my friends. And I -want to see Glinda just as soon as I can, you know."</p> - -<p>So the King dismissed his court and said he would himself walk with -Dorothy to the gate. He did not weep nor groan any more, but his long -face was quite solemn and his big ears hung dejectedly on each side -of it. He still wore his crown and his ermine and walked with a -handsome gold-headed cane.</p> - -<p>When they arrived at the room in the wall the little girl found Toto -and Billina waiting for her very patiently. They had been liberally -fed by some of the attendants and were in no hurry to leave such -comfortable quarters.</p> - -<p>The Keeper of the Wicket was by this time back in his old place, but -he kept a safe distance from Toto. Dorothy bade good bye to the King -as they stood just inside the wall.</p> - -<p>"You've been good to me," she said, "and I thank you ever so much. As -soon as poss'ble I'll see Glinda and ask her to put another King in -your place and send you back into the wild forest. And I'll ask her -to let you keep some of your clothes and the lily chair and one or two -jugglers to amuse you. I'm sure she will do it, 'cause she's so kind -she doesn't like any one to be unhappy."</p> - -<p>"Ahem!" said the King, looking rather downcast. "I don't like to -trouble you with my misery; so you needn't see Glinda."</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes I will," she replied. "It won't be any trouble at all."</p> - -<p>"But, my dear," continued the King, in an embarrassed way, "I've been -thinking the subject over carefully, and I find there are a lot of -pleasant things here in Bunnybury that I would miss if I went away. -So perhaps I'd better stay."</p> - -<p>Dorothy laughed. Then she looked grave.</p> - -<p>"It won't do for you to be a King and a cry-baby at the same time," -she said. "You've been making all the other rabbits unhappy and -discontented with your howls about being so miserable. So I guess -it's better to have another King."</p> - -<p>"Oh, no indeed!" exclaimed the King, earnestly. "If you won't say -anything to Glinda I'll promise to be merry and gay all the time, -and never cry or wail again."</p> - -<p>"Honor bright?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"On the royal word of a King I promise it!" he answered.</p> - -<p>"All right," said Dorothy. "You'd be a reg'lar lunatic to want to -leave Bunnybury for a wild life in the forest, and I'm sure any rabbit -outside the city would be glad to take your place."</p> - -<p>"Forget it, my dear; forget all my foolishness," pleaded the King, -earnestly. "Hereafter I'll try to enjoy myself and do my duty -by my subjects."</p> - -<p>So then she left him and entered through the little door into the room -in the wall, where she grew gradually bigger and bigger until she had -resumed her natural size.</p> - -<p>The Keeper of the Wicket let them out into the forest and told Dorothy -that she had been of great service to Bunnybury because she had -brought their dismal King to a realization of the pleasure of ruling -so beautiful a city.</p> - -<p>"I shall start a petition to have your statue erected beside Glinda's -in the public square," said the Keeper. "I hope you will come again, -some day, and see it."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I shall," she replied.</p> - -<p>Then, followed by Toto and Billina, she walked away from the high -marble wall and started back along the narrow path toward the sign-post.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_22__How_the_Wizard_Found_Dorothy" id="Chapter_22__How_the_Wizard_Found_Dorothy" />22. How the Wizard Found Dorothy</h2> - - -<p>When they came to the signpost, there, to their joy, were the tents of -the Wizard pitched beside the path and the kettle bubbling merrily -over the fire. The Shaggy Man and Omby Amby were gathering firewood -while Uncle Henry and Aunt Em sat in their camp chairs talking with -the Wizard.</p> - -<p>They all ran forward to greet Dorothy, as she approached, and Aunt Em -exclaimed: "Goodness gracious, child! Where have you been?"</p> - -<p>"You've played hookey the whole day," added the Shaggy Man, reproachfully.</p> - -<p>"Well, you see, I've been lost," explained the little girl, "and I've -tried awful hard to find the way back to you, but just couldn't do it."</p> - -<p>"Did you wander in the forest all day?" asked Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"You must be a'most starved!" said Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"No," said Dorothy, "I'm not hungry. I had a wheelbarrow and a piano -for breakfast, and lunched with a King."</p> - -<p>"Ah!" exclaimed the Wizard, nodding with a bright smile. "So you've -been having adventures again."</p> - -<p>"She's stark crazy!" cried Aunt Em. "Whoever heard of eating -a wheelbarrow?"</p> - -<p>"It wasn't very big," said Dorothy; "and it had a zuzu wheel."</p> - -<p>"And I ate the crumbs," said Billina, soberly.</p> - -<p>"Sit down and tell us about it," begged the Wizard. "We've hunted for -you all day, and at last I noticed your footsteps in this path—and -the tracks of Billina. We found the path by accident, and seeing it -only led to two places I decided you were at either one or the other -of those places. So we made camp and waited for you to return. And -now, Dorothy, tell us where you have been—to Bunbury or to Bunnybury?"</p> - -<p>"Why, I've been to both," she replied; "but first I went to Utensia, -which isn't on any path at all."</p> - -<p>She then sat down and related the day's adventures, and you may be -sure Aunt Em and Uncle Henry were much astonished at the story.</p> - -<p>"But after seeing the Cuttenclips and the Fuddles," remarked her -uncle, "we ought not to wonder at anything in this strange country."</p> - -<p>"Seems like the only common and ordinary folks here are ourselves," -rejoined Aunt Em, diffidently.</p> - -<p>"Now that we're together again, and one reunited party," observed the -Shaggy Man, "what are we to do next?"</p> - -<p>"Have some supper and a night's rest," answered the Wizard -promptly, "and then proceed upon our journey."</p> - -<p>"Where to?" asked the Captain General.</p> - -<p>"We haven't visited the Rigmaroles or the Flutterbudgets yet," said -Dorothy. "I'd like to see them—wouldn't you?"</p> - -<p>"They don't sound very interesting," objected Aunt Em. "But perhaps -they are."</p> - -<p>"And then," continued the little Wizard, "we will call upon the Tin -Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead and our old friend the Scarecrow, on our -way home."</p> - -<p>"That will be nice!" cried Dorothy, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"Can't say THEY sound very interesting, either," remarked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Why, they're the best friends I have!" asserted the little girl, -"and you're sure to like them, Aunt Em, 'cause EVER'body likes them."</p> - -<p>By this time twilight was approaching, so they ate the fine supper -which the Wizard magically produced from the kettle and then went to -bed in the cozy tents.</p> - -<p>They were all up bright and early next morning, but Dorothy didn't -venture to wander from the camp again for fear of more accidents.</p> - -<p>"Do you know where there's a road?" she asked the little man.</p> - -<p>"No, my dear," replied the Wizard; "but I'll find one."</p> - -<p>After breakfast he waved his hand toward the tents and they became -handkerchiefs again, which were at once returned to the pockets of -their owners. Then they all climbed into the red wagon and the -Sawhorse inquired:</p> - -<p>"Which way?"</p> - -<p>"Never mind which way," replied the Wizard. "Just go as you please -and you're sure to be right. I've enchanted the wheels of the wagon, -and they will roll in the right direction, never fear."</p> - -<p>As the Sawhorse started away through the trees Dorothy said:</p> - -<p>"If we had one of those new-fashioned airships we could float away -over the top of the forest, and look down and find just the places -we want."</p> - -<p>"Airship? Pah!" retorted the little man, scornfully. "I hate those -things, Dorothy, although they are nothing new to either you or me. I -was a balloonist for many years, and once my balloon carried me to the -Land of Oz, and once to the Vegetable Kingdom. And once Ozma had a -Gump that flew all over this kingdom and had sense enough to go where -it was told to—which airships won't do. The house which the cyclone -brought to Oz all the way from Kansas, with you and Toto in it—was a -real airship at the time; so you see we've got plenty of experience -flying with the birds."</p> - -<p>"Airships are not so bad, after all," declared Dorothy. "Some day -they'll fly all over the world, and perhaps bring people even to the -Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>"I must speak to Ozma about that," said the Wizard, with a slight -frown. "It wouldn't do at all, you know, for the Emerald City to -become a way-station on an airship line."</p> - -<p>"No," said Dorothy, "I don't s'pose it would. But what can we do -to prevent it?"</p> - -<p>"I'm working out a magic recipe to fuddle men's brains, so they'll -never make an airship that will go where they want it to go," the -Wizard confided to her. "That won't keep the things from flying, -now and then, but it'll keep them from flying to the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>Just then the Sawhorse drew the wagon out of the forest and a -beautiful landscape lay spread before the travelers' eyes. Moreover, -right before them was a good road that wound away through the hills -and valleys.</p> - -<p>"Now," said the Wizard, with evident delight, "we are on the right -track again, and there is nothing more to worry about."</p> - -<p>"It's a foolish thing to take chances in a strange country," observed -the Shaggy Man. "Had we kept to the roads we never would have been -lost. Roads always lead to some place, else they wouldn't be roads."</p> - -<p>"This road," added the Wizard, "leads to Rigmarole Town. I'm sure of -that because I enchanted the wagon wheels."</p> - -<p>Sure enough, after riding along the road for an hour or two they -entered a pretty valley where a village was nestled among the hills. -The houses were Munchkin shaped, for they were all domes, with windows -wider than they were high, and pretty balconies over the front doors.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em was greatly relieved to find this town "neither paper nor -patch-work," and the only surprising thing about it was that it was so -far distant from all other towns.</p> - -<p>As the Sawhorse drew the wagon into the main street the travelers -noticed that the place was filled with people, standing in groups and -seeming to be engaged in earnest conversation. So occupied with -themselves were the inhabitants that they scarcely noticed the -strangers at all. So the Wizard stopped a boy and asked:</p> - -<p>"Is this Rigmarole Town?"</p> - -<p>"Sir," replied the boy, "if you have traveled very much you will have -noticed that every town differs from every other town in one way or -another and so by observing the methods of the people and the way they -live as well as the style of their dwelling places it ought not to be -a difficult thing to make up your mind without the trouble of asking -questions whether the town bears the appearance of the one you -intended to visit or whether perhaps having taken a different road -from the one you should have taken you have made an error in your way -and arrived at some point where—"</p> - -<p>"Land sakes!" cried Aunt Em, impatiently; "what's all this -rigmarole about?"</p> - -<p>"That's it!" said the Wizard, laughing merrily. "It's a rigmarole -because the boy is a Rigmarole and we've come to Rigmarole Town."</p> - -<p>"Do they all talk like that?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly.</p> - -<p>"He might have said 'yes' or 'no' and settled the question," observed -Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Not here," said Omby Amby. "I don't believe the Rigmaroles know what -'yes' or 'no' means."</p> - -<p>While the boy had been talking several other people had approached -the wagon and listened intently to his speech. Then they began -talking to one another in long, deliberate speeches, where many words -were used but little was said. But when the strangers criticized them -so frankly one of the women, who had no one else to talk to, began an -address to them, saying:</p> - -<p>"It is the easiest thing in the world for a person to say 'yes' or -'no' when a question that is asked for the purpose of gaining -information or satisfying the curiosity of the one who has given -expression to the inquiry has attracted the attention of an individual -who may be competent either from personal experience or the experience -of others to answer it with more or less correctness or at least an -attempt to satisfy the desire for information on the part of the one -who has made the inquiry by—"</p> - -<p>"Dear me!" exclaimed Dorothy, interrupting the speech. "I've lost all -track of what you are saying."</p> - -<p>"Don't let her begin over again, for goodness sake!" cried Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>But the woman did not begin again. She did not even stop talking, -but went right on as she had begun, the words flowing from her mouth -in a stream.</p> - -<p>"I'm quite sure that if we waited long enough and listened carefully, -some of these people might be able to tell us something, in time," -said the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Let's don't wait," returned Dorothy. "I've heard of the Rigmaroles, -and wondered what they were like; but now I know, and I'm ready to -move on."</p> - -<p>"So am I," declared Uncle Henry; "we're wasting time here."</p> - -<p>"Why, we're all ready to go," said the Shaggy Man, putting his fingers -to his ears to shut out the monotonous babble of those around the wagon.</p> - -<p>So the Wizard spoke to the Sawhorse, who trotted nimbly through the -village and soon gained the open country on the other side of it. -Dorothy looked back, as they rode away, and noticed that the woman -had not yet finished her speech but was talking as glibly as ever, -although no one was near to hear her.</p> - -<p>"If those people wrote books," Omby Amby remarked with a smile, "it -would take a whole library to say the cow jumped over the moon."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps some of 'em do write books," asserted the little Wizard. -"I've read a few rigmaroles that might have come from this very town."</p> - -<p>"Some of the college lecturers and ministers are certainly related to -these people," observed the Shaggy Man; "and it seems to me the Land -of Oz is a little ahead of the United States in some of its laws. For -here, if one can't talk clearly, and straight to the point, they send -him to Rigmarole Town; while Uncle Sam lets him roam around wild and -free, to torture innocent people."</p> - -<p>Dorothy was thoughtful. The Rigmaroles had made a strong impression -upon her. She decided that whenever she spoke, after this, she would -use only enough words to express what she wanted to say.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_23__How_They_Encountered_the_Flutterbudgets" id="Chapter_23__How_They_Encountered_the_Flutterbudgets" />23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets</h2> - - -<p>They were soon among the pretty hills and valleys again, and the -Sawhorse sped up hill and down at a fast and easy pace, the roads -being hard and smooth. Mile after mile was speedily covered, and -before the ride had grown at all tiresome they sighted another -village. The place seemed even larger than Rigmarole Town, but was -not so attractive in appearance.</p> - -<p>"This must be Flutterbudget Center," declared the Wizard. "You see, -it's no trouble at all to find places if you keep to the right road."</p> - -<p>"What are the Flutterbudgets like?" inquired Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"I do not know, my dear. But Ozma has given them a town all their -own, and I've heard that whenever one of the people becomes a -Flutterbudget he is sent to this place to live."</p> - -<p>"That is true," Omby Amby added; "Flutterbudget Center and Rigmarole -Town are called 'the Defensive Settlements of Oz.'"</p> - -<p>The village they now approached was not built in a valley, but on top -of a hill, and the road they followed wound around the hill, like a -corkscrew, ascending the hill easily until it came to the town.</p> - -<p>"Look out!" screamed a voice. "Look out, or you'll run over my child!"</p> - -<p>They gazed around and saw a woman standing upon the sidewalk nervously -wringing her hands as she gazed at them appealingly.</p> - -<p>"Where is your child?" asked the Sawhorse.</p> - -<p>"In the house," said the woman, bursting into tears; "but if it -should happen to be in the road, and you ran over it, those great -wheels would crush my darling to jelly. Oh dear! oh dear! Think of -my darling child being crushed into jelly by those great wheels!"</p> - -<p>"Gid-dap!" said the Wizard sharply, and the Sawhorse started on.</p> - -<p>They had not gone far before a man ran out of a house shouting wildly, -"Help! Help!"</p> - -<p>The Sawhorse stopped short and the Wizard and Uncle Henry and the -Shaggy Man and Omby Amby jumped out of the wagon and ran to the poor -man's assistance. Dorothy followed them as quickly as she could.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Help! help!" screamed the man; "my wife has cut her finger off and -she's bleeding to death!"</p> - -<p>Then he turned and rushed back to the house, and all the party went -with him. They found a woman in the front dooryard moaning and -groaning as if in great pain.</p> - -<p>"Be brave, madam!" said the Wizard, consolingly. "You won't die just -because you have cut off a finger, you may be sure."</p> - -<p>"But I haven't cut off a finger!" she sobbed.</p> - -<p>"Then what HAS happened?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"I—I pricked my finger with a needle while I was sewing, and—and the -blood came!" she replied. "And now I'll have blood-poisoning, and the -doctors will cut off my finger, and that will give me a fever and I -shall die!"</p> - -<p>"Pshaw!" said Dorothy; "I've pricked my finger many a time, -and nothing happened."</p> - -<p>"Really?" asked the woman, brightening and wiping her eyes -upon her apron.</p> - -<p>"Why, it's nothing at all," declared the girl. "You're more scared -than hurt."</p> - -<p>"Ah, that's because she's a Flutterbudget," said the Wizard, nodding -wisely. "I think I know now what these people are like."</p> - -<p>"So do I," announced Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Oh, boo-hoo-hoo!" sobbed the woman, giving way to a fresh burst -of grief.</p> - -<p>"What's wrong now?" asked the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"Oh, suppose I had pricked my foot!" she wailed. "Then the doctors -would have cut my foot off, and I'd be lamed for life!"</p> - -<p>"Surely, ma'am," replied the Wizard, "and if you'd pricked your nose -they might cut your head off. But you see you didn't."</p> - -<p>"But I might have!" she exclaimed, and began to cry again. So they -left her and drove away in their wagon. And her husband came out and -began calling "Help!" as he had before; but no one seemed to pay any -attention to him.</p> - -<p>As the travelers turned into another street they found a man walking -excitedly up and down the pavement. He appeared to be in a very -nervous condition and the Wizard stopped him to ask:</p> - -<p>"Is anything wrong, sir?"</p> - -<p>"Everything is wrong," answered the man, dismally. "I can't sleep."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" inquired Omby Amby.</p> - -<p>"If I go to sleep I'll have to shut my eyes," he explained; "and if -I shut my eyes they may grow together, and then I'd be blind for life!"</p> - -<p>"Did you ever hear of any one's eyes growing together?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"No," said the man, "I never did. But it would be a dreadful thing, -wouldn't it? And the thought of it makes me so nervous I'm afraid to -go to sleep."</p> - -<p>"There's no help for this case," declared the Wizard; and they went on.</p> - -<p>At the next street corner a woman rushed up to them crying:</p> - -<p>"Save my baby! Oh, good, kind people, save my baby!"</p> - -<p>"Is it in danger?" asked Dorothy, noticing that the child was clasped -in her arms and seemed sleeping peacefully.</p> - -<p>"Yes, indeed," said the woman, nervously. "If I should go into the -house and throw my child out of the window, it would roll way down to -the bottom of the hill; and then if there were a lot of tigers and bears -down there, they would tear my darling babe to pieces and eat it up!"</p> - -<p>"Are there any tigers and bears in this neighborhood?" the Wizard asked.</p> - -<p>"I've never heard of any," admitted the woman, "but if there were—"</p> - -<p>"Have you any idea of throwing your baby out of the window?" -questioned the little man.</p> - -<p>"None at all," she said; "but if—"</p> - -<p>"All your troubles are due to those 'ifs'," declared the Wizard. -"If you were not a Flutterbudget you wouldn't worry."</p> - -<p>"There's another 'if'," replied the woman. "Are you a Flutterbudget, too?"</p> - -<p>"I will be, if I stay here long," exclaimed the Wizard, nervously.</p> - -<p>"Another 'if'!" cried the woman.</p> - -<p>But the Wizard did not stop to argue with her. He made the Sawhorse -canter all the way down the hill, and only breathed easily when they -were miles away from the village.</p> - -<p>After they had ridden in silence for a while Dorothy turned to the -little man and asked:</p> - -<p>"Do 'ifs' really make Flutterbudgets?"</p> - -<p>"I think the 'ifs' help," he answered seriously. "Foolish fears, and -worries over nothing, with a mixture of nerves and ifs, will soon make -a Flutterbudget of any one."</p> - -<p>Then there was another long silence, for all the travelers were -thinking over this statement, and nearly all decided it must be true.</p> - -<p>The country they were now passing through was everywhere tinted -purple, the prevailing color of the Gillikin Country; but as the -Sawhorse ascended a hill they found that upon the other side everything -was of a rich yellow hue.</p> - -<p>"Aha!" cried the Captain General; "here is the Country of the Winkies. -We are just crossing the boundary line."</p> - -<p>"Then we may be able to lunch with the Tin Woodman," announced -the Wizard, joyfully.</p> - -<p>"Must we lunch on tin?" asked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Oh, no;" replied Dorothy. "Nick Chopper knows how to feed meat -people, and he will give us plenty of good things to eat, never fear. -I've been to his castle before."</p> - -<p>"Is Nick Chopper the Tin Woodman's name?" asked Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"Yes; that's one of his names," answered the little girl; "and another -of his names is 'Emp'ror of the Winkies.' He's the King of this -country, you know, but Ozma rules over all the countries of Oz."</p> - -<p>"Does the Tin Woodman keep any Flutterbudgets or Rigmaroles at his -castle?" inquired Aunt Em, uneasily.</p> - -<p>"No indeed," said Dorothy, positively. "He lives in a new tin castle, -all full of lovely things."</p> - -<p>"I should think it would rust," said Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"He has thousands of Winkies to keep it polished for him," explained -the Wizard. "His people love to do anything in their power for their -beloved Emperor, so there isn't a particle of rust on all the big castle."</p> - -<p>"I suppose they polish their Emperor, too," said Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Why, some time ago he had himself nickel-plated," the Wizard -answered; "so he only needs rubbing up once in a while. He's -the brightest man in all the world, is dear Nick Chopper; and -the kindest-hearted."</p> - -<p>"I helped find him," said Dorothy, reflectively. "Once the Scarecrow -and I found the Tin Woodman in the woods, and he was just rusted -still, that time, an' no mistake. But we oiled his joints an' got -'em good and slippery, and after that he went with us to visit the -Wizard at the Em'rald City."</p> - -<p>"Was that the time the Wizard scared you?" asked Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"He didn't treat us well, at first," acknowledged Dorothy; "for he -made us go away and destroy the Wicked Witch. But after we found out -he was only a humbug wizard we were not afraid of him."</p> - -<p>The Wizard sighed and looked a little ashamed.</p> - -<p>"When we try to deceive people we always make mistakes," he said. -"But I'm getting to be a real wizard now, and Glinda the Good's magic, -that I am trying to practice, can never harm any one."</p> - -<p>"You were always a good man," declared Dorothy, "even when you were a -bad wizard."</p> - -<p>"He's a good wizard now," asserted Aunt Em, looking at the little man -admiringly. "The way he made those tents grow out of handkerchiefs -was just wonderful! And didn't he enchant the wagon wheels so they'd -find the road?"</p> - -<p>"All the people of Oz," said the Captain General, "are very proud of -their Wizard. He once made some soap-bubbles that astonished the world."</p> - -<p>The Wizard blushed at this praise, yet it pleased him. He no longer -looked sad, but seemed to have recovered his usual good humor.</p> - -<p>The country through which they now rode was thickly dotted with -farmhouses, and yellow grain waved in all the fields. Many of the -Winkies could be seen working on their farms and the wild and -unsettled parts of Oz were by this time left far behind.</p> - -<p>These Winkies appeared to be happy, light-hearted folk, and all -removed their caps and bowed low when the red wagon with its load of -travelers passed by.</p> - -<p>It was not long before they saw something glittering in the sunshine -far ahead.</p> - -<p>"See!" cried Dorothy; "that's the Tin Castle, Aunt Em!"</p> - -<p>And the Sawhorse, knowing his passengers were eager to arrive, broke -into a swift trot that soon brought them to their destination.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_24__How_the_Tin_Woodman_Told_the_Sad_News" id="Chapter_24__How_the_Tin_Woodman_Told_the_Sad_News" />24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News</h2> - - -<p>The Tin Woodman received Princess Dorothy's party with much grace and -cordiality, yet the little girl decided that something must be -worrying with her old friend, because he was not so merry as usual.</p> - -<p>But at first she said nothing about this, for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em -were fairly bubbling over with admiration for the beautiful tin castle -and its polished tin owner. So her suspicion that something -unpleasant had happened was for a time forgotten.</p> - -<p>"Where is the Scarecrow?" she asked, when they had all been ushered -into the big tin drawing-room of the castle, the Sawhorse being led -around to the tin stable in the rear.</p> - -<p>"Why, our old friend has just moved into his new mansion," explained -the Tin Woodman. "It has been a long time in building, although my -Winkies and many other people from all parts of the country have been -busily working upon it. At last, however, it is completed, and the -Scarecrow took possession of his new home just two days ago."</p> - -<p>"I hadn't heard that he wanted a home of his own," said Dorothy. -"Why doesn't he live with Ozma in the Emerald City? He used to, -you know; and I thought he was happy there."</p> - -<p>"It seems," said the Tin Woodman, "that our dear Scarecrow cannot be -contented with city life, however beautiful his surroundings might be. -Originally he was a farmer, for he passed his early life in a -cornfield, where he was supposed to frighten away the crows."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Dorothy, nodding. "I found him, and lifted him down -from his pole."</p> - -<p>"So now, after a long residence in the Emerald City, his tastes have -turned to farm life again," continued the Tin Man. "He feels that he -cannot be happy without a farm of his own, so Ozma gave him some land -and every one helped him build his mansion, and now he is settled -there for good."</p> - -<p>"Who designed his house?" asked the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"I believe it was Jack Pumpkinhead, who is also a farmer," -was the reply.</p> - -<p>They were now invited to enter the tin dining room, where luncheon -was served.</p> - -<p>Aunt Em found, to her satisfaction, that Dorothy's promise was -more than fulfilled; for, although the Tin Woodman had no appetite of -his own, he respected the appetites of his guests and saw that they -were bountifully fed.</p> - -<p>They passed the afternoon in wandering through the beautiful gardens -and grounds of the palace. The walks were all paved with sheets of -tin, brightly polished, and there were tin fountains and tin statues -here and there among the trees. The flowers were mostly natural -flowers and grew in the regular way; but their host showed them one -flower bed which was his especial pride.</p> - -<p>"You see, all common flowers fade and die in time," he explained, "and -so there are seasons when the pretty blooms are scarce. Therefore I -decided to make one tin flower bed all of tin flowers, and my workmen -have created them with rare skill. Here you see tin camelias, tin -marigolds, tin carnations, tin poppies and tin hollyhocks growing as -naturally as if they were real."</p> - -<p>Indeed, they were a pretty sight, and glistened under the sunlight -like spun silver. "Isn't this tin hollyhock going to seed?" asked the -Wizard, bending over the flowers.</p> - -<p>"Why, I believe it is!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman, as if surprised. "I -hadn't noticed that before. But I shall plant the tin seeds and raise -another bed of tin hollyhocks."</p> - -<p>In one corner of the gardens Nick Chopper had established a -fish-pond in which they saw swimming and disporting themselves -many pretty tin fishes.</p> - -<p>"Would they bite on hooks?" asked Aunt Em, curiously.</p> - -<p>The Tin Woodman seemed hurt at this question.</p> - -<p>"Madam," said he, "do you suppose I would allow anyone to catch my -beautiful fishes, even if they were foolish enough to bite on hooks? -No, indeed! Every created thing is safe from harm in my domain, and I -would as soon think of killing my little friend Dorothy as killing one -of my tin fishes."</p> - -<p>"The Emperor is very kind-hearted, ma'am," explained the Wizard. "If -a fly happens to light upon his tin body he doesn't rudely brush it -off, as some people might do; he asks it politely to find some other -resting place."</p> - -<p>"What does the fly do then?" enquired Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"Usually it begs his pardon and goes away," said the Wizard, gravely. -"Flies like to be treated politely as well as other creatures, and -here in Oz they understand what we say to them, and behave very nicely."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Aunt Em, "the flies in Kansas, where I came from, don't -understand anything but a swat. You have to smash 'em to make 'em -behave; and it's the same way with 'skeeters. Do you have 'skeeters -in Oz?"</p> - -<p>"We have some very large mosquitoes here, which sing as beautifully as -song birds," replied the Tin Woodman. "But they never bite or annoy -our people, because they are well fed and taken care of. The reason -they bite people in your country is because they are hungry—poor things!"</p> - -<p>"Yes," agreed Aunt Em; "they're hungry, all right. An' they ain't -very particular who they feed on. I'm glad you've got the 'skeeters -educated in Oz."</p> - -<p>That evening after dinner they were entertained by the Emperor's Tin -Cornet Band, which played for them several sweet melodies. Also the -Wizard did a few sleight-of-hand tricks to amuse the company; after -which they all retired to their cozy tin bedrooms and slept soundly -until morning.</p> - -<p>After breakfast Dorothy said to the Tin Woodman:</p> - -<p>"If you'll tell us which way to go we'll visit the Scarecrow on -our way home."</p> - -<p>"I will go with you, and show you the way," replied the Emperor; -"for I must journey to-day to the Emerald City."</p> - -<p>He looked so anxious, as he said this, that the little girl asked:</p> - -<p>"There isn't anything wrong with Ozma, is there?"</p> - -<p>"Not yet," said he; "but I'm afraid the time has come when I must -tell you some very bad news, little friend."</p> - -<p>"Oh, what is it?" cried Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Do you remember the Nome King?" asked the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"I remember him very well," she replied.</p> - -<p>"The Nome King has not a kind heart," said the Emperor, sadly, "and he -has been harboring wicked thoughts of revenge, because we once defeated -him and liberated his slaves and you took away his Magic Belt. So he -has ordered his Nomes to dig a long tunnel underneath the deadly -desert, so that he may march his hosts right into the Emerald City. -When he gets there he intends to destroy our beautiful country."</p> - -<p>Dorothy was much surprised to hear this.</p> - -<p>"How did Ozma find out about the tunnel?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"She saw it in her Magic Picture."</p> - -<p>"Of course," said Dorothy; "I might have known that. And what is she -going to do?"</p> - -<p>"I cannot tell," was the reply.</p> - -<p>"Pooh!" cried the Yellow Hen. "We're not afraid of the Nomes. If we -roll a few of our eggs down the tunnel they'll run away back home as -fast as they can go."</p> - -<p>"Why, that's true enough!" exclaimed Dorothy. "The Scarecrow once -conquered all the Nome King's army with some of Billina's eggs."</p> - -<p>"But you do not understand all of the dreadful plot," continued the -Tin Woodman. "The Nome King is clever, and he knows his Nomes would -run from eggs; so he has bargained with many terrible creatures to -help him. These evil spirits are not afraid of eggs or anything else, -and they are very powerful. So the Nome King will send them through -the tunnel first, to conquer and destroy, and then the Nomes will -follow after to get their share of the plunder and slaves."</p> - -<p>They were all startled to hear this, and every face wore a troubled look.</p> - -<p>"Is the tunnel all ready?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Ozma sent me word yesterday that the tunnel was all completed except -for a thin crust of earth at the end. When our enemies break through -this crust, they will be in the gardens of the royal palace, in the -heart of the Emerald City. I offered to arm all my Winkies and march -to Ozma's assistance; but she said no."</p> - -<p>"I wonder why?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"She answered that all the inhabitants of Oz, gathered together, were -not powerful enough to fight and overcome the evil forces of the Nome -King. Therefore she refuses to fight at all."</p> - -<p>"But they will capture and enslave us, and plunder and ruin all our -lovely land!" exclaimed the Wizard, greatly disturbed by this statement.</p> - -<p>"I fear they will," said the Tin Woodman, sorrowfully. "And I also -fear that those who are not fairies, such as the Wizard, and Dorothy, -and her uncle and aunt, as well as Toto and Billina, will be speedily -put to death by the conquerors."</p> - -<p>"What can be done?" asked Dorothy, shuddering a little at the prospect -of this awful fate.</p> - -<p>"Nothing can be done!" gloomily replied the Emperor of the Winkies. -"But since Ozma refuses my army I will go myself to the Emerald City. -The least I may do is to perish beside my beloved Ruler."</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_25__How_the_Scarecrow_Displayed_His_Wisdom" id="Chapter_25__How_the_Scarecrow_Displayed_His_Wisdom" />25. How the Scarecrow Displayed His Wisdom</h2> - - -<p>This amazing news had saddened every heart and all were now anxious -to return to the Emerald City and share Ozma's fate. So they started -without loss of time, and as the road led past the Scarecrow's new -mansion they determined to make a brief halt there and confer with him.</p> - -<p>"The Scarecrow is probably the wisest man in all Oz," remarked the Tin -Woodman, when they had started upon their journey. "His brains are -plentiful and of excellent quality, and often he has told me things I -might never have thought of myself. I must say I rely a great deal -upon the Scarecrow's brains in this emergency."</p> - -<p>The Tin Woodman rode on the front seat of the wagon, where Dorothy sat -between him and the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Has the Scarecrow heard of Ozma's trouble?" asked the Captain General.</p> - -<p>"I do not know, sir," was the reply.</p> - -<p>"When I was a private," said Omby Amby, "I was an excellent army, as I -fully proved in our war against the Nomes. But now there is not a -single private left in our army, since Ozma made me the Captain -General, so there is no one to fight and defend our lovely Ruler."</p> - -<p>"True," said the Wizard. "The present army is composed only of -officers, and the business of an officer is to order his men to fight. -Since there are no men there can be no fighting."</p> - -<p>"Poor Ozma!" whispered Dorothy, with tears in her sweet eyes. "It's -dreadful to think of all her lovely fairy country being destroyed. I -wonder if we couldn't manage to escape and get back to Kansas by means -of the Magic Belt? And we might take Ozma with us and all work hard -to get money for her, so she wouldn't be so VERY lonely and unhappy -about the loss of her fairyland."</p> - -<p>"Do you think there would be any work for ME in Kansas?" -asked the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"If you are hollow, they might use you in a canning factory," -suggested Uncle Henry. "But I can't see the use of your working for a -living. You never eat or sleep or need a new suit of clothes."</p> - -<p>"I was not thinking of myself," replied the Emperor, with dignity. -"I merely wondered if I could not help to support Dorothy and Ozma."</p> - -<p>As they indulged in these sad plans for the future they journeyed in -sight of the Scarecrow's new mansion, and even though filled with care -and worry over the impending fate of Oz, Dorothy couldn't help a -feeling of wonder at the sight she saw.</p> - -<p>The Scarecrow's new house was shaped like an immense ear of corn. The -rows of kernels were made of solid gold, and the green upon which the -ear stood upright was a mass of sparkling emeralds. Upon the very top -of the structure was perched a figure representing the Scarecrow -himself, and upon his extended arms, as well as upon his head, were -several crows carved out of ebony and having ruby eyes. You may -imagine how big this ear of corn was when I tell you that a single -gold kernel formed a window, swinging outward upon hinges, while a row -of four kernels opened to make the front entrance. Inside there were -five stories, each story being a single room.</p> - -<p>The gardens around the mansion consisted of cornfields, and Dorothy -acknowledged that the place was in all respects a very appropriate -home for her good friend the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>"He would have been very happy here, I'm sure," she said, "if only the -Nome King had left us alone. But if Oz is destroyed of course this -place will be destroyed too."</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied the Tin Woodman, "and also my beautiful tin castle, -that has been my joy and pride."</p> - -<p>"Jack Pumpkinhead's house will go too," remarked the Wizard, "as well -as Professor Wogglebug's Athletic College, and Ozma's royal palace, -and all our other handsome buildings."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Oz will indeed become a desert when the Nome King gets through -with it," sighed Omby Amby.</p> - -<p>The Scarecrow came out to meet them and gave them all a hearty welcome.</p> - -<p>"I hear you have decided always to live in the Land of Oz, after this," -he said to Dorothy; "and that will delight my heart, for I have greatly -disliked our frequent partings. But why are you all so downcast?"</p> - -<p>"Have you heard the news?" asked the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"No news to make me sad," replied the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>Then Nick Chopper told his friend of the Nome King's tunnel, and how -the evil creatures of the North had allied themselves with the -underground monarch for the purpose of conquering and destroying Oz. -"Well," said the Scarecrow, "it certainly looks bad for Ozma, and all -of us. But I believe it is wrong to worry over anything before it -happens. It is surely time enough to be sad when our country is -despoiled and our people made slaves. So let us not deprive ourselves -of the few happy hours remaining to us."</p> - -<p>"Ah! that is real wisdom," declared the Shaggy Man, approvingly. -"After we become really unhappy we shall regret these few hours -that are left to us, unless we enjoy them to the utmost."</p> - -<p>"Nevertheless," said the Scarecrow, "I shall go with you to the -Emerald City and offer Ozma my services."</p> - -<p>"She says we can do nothing to oppose our enemies," announced -the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"And doubtless she is right, sir," answered the Scarecrow. "Still, -she will appreciate our sympathy, and it is the duty of Ozma's friends -to stand by her side when the final disaster occurs."</p> - -<p>He then led them into his queer mansion and showed them the beautiful -rooms in all the five stories. The lower room was a grand reception -hall, with a hand-organ in one corner. This instrument the Scarecrow, -when alone, could turn to amuse himself, as he was very fond of music. -The walls were hung with white silk, upon which flocks of black crows -were embroidered in black diamonds. Some of the chairs were made in the -shape of big crows and upholstered with cushions of corn-colored silk.</p> - -<p>The second story contained a fine banquet room, where the Scarecrow -might entertain his guests, and the three stories above that were -bed-chambers exquisitely furnished and decorated.</p> - -<p>"From these rooms," said the Scarecrow, proudly, "one may obtain fine -views of the surrounding cornfields. The corn I grow is always husky, -and I call the ears my regiments, because they have so many kernels. -Of course I cannot ride my cobs, but I really don't care shucks about that. -Taken altogether, my farm will stack up with any in the neighborhood."</p> - -<p>The visitors partook of some light refreshment and then hurried away -to resume the road to the Emerald City. The Scarecrow found a seat in -the wagon between Omby Amby and the Shaggy Man, and his weight did not -add much to the load because he was stuffed with straw.</p> - -<p>"You will notice I have one oat-field on my property," he remarked, as -they drove away. "Oat-straw is, I have found, the best of all straws -to re-stuff myself with when my interior gets musty or out of shape."</p> - -<p>"Are you able to re-stuff yourself without help?" asked Aunt Em. "I -should think that after the straw was taken out of you there wouldn't -be anything left but your clothes."</p> - -<p>"You are almost correct, madam," he answered. "My servants do the -stuffing, under my direction. For my head, in which are my excellent -brains, is a bag tied at the bottom. My face is neatly painted upon -one side of the bag, as you may see. My head does not need re-stuffing, -as my body does, for all that it requires is to have the face touched up -with fresh paint occasionally."</p> - -<p>It was not far from the Scarecrow's mansion to the farm of Jack -Pumpkinhead, and when they arrived there both Uncle Henry and Aunt Em -were much impressed. The farm was one vast pumpkin field, and some of -the pumpkins were of enormous size. In one of them, which had been -neatly hollowed out, Jack himself lived, and he declared that it was a -very comfortable residence. The reason he grew so many pumpkins was -in order that he might change his head as often as it became wrinkled -or threatened to spoil.</p> - -<p>The pumpkin-headed man welcomed his visitors joyfully and offered them -several delicious pumpkin pies to eat.</p> - -<p>"I don't indulge in pumpkin pies myself, for two reasons," he said. -"One reason is that were I to eat pumpkins I would become a cannibal, -and the other reason is that I never eat, not being hollow inside."</p> - -<p>"Very good reasons," agreed the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>They told Jack Pumpkinhead of the dreadful news about the Nome King, -and he decided to go with them to the Emerald City and help comfort Ozma.</p> - -<p>"I had expected to live here in ease and comfort for many centuries," -said Jack, dolefully; "but of course if the Nome King destroys -everything in Oz I shall be destroyed too. Really, it seems too bad, -doesn't it?"</p> - -<p>They were soon on their journey again, and so swiftly did the Sawhorse -draw the wagon over the smooth roads that before twilight fell they -had reached the royal palace in the Emerald City, and were at their -journey's end.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_26__How_Ozma_Refused_to_Fight_for_Her_Kingdom" id="Chapter_26__How_Ozma_Refused_to_Fight_for_Her_Kingdom" />26. How Ozma Refused to Fight for Her Kingdom</h2> - - -<p>Ozma was in her rose garden picking a bouquet when the party arrived, -and she greeted all her old and new friends as smilingly and sweetly -as ever.</p> - -<p>Dorothy's eyes were full of tears as she kissed the lovely Ruler -of Oz, and she whispered to her:</p> - -<p>"Oh, Ozma, Ozma! I'm SO sorry!"</p> - -<p>Ozma seemed surprised.</p> - -<p>"Sorry for what, Dorothy?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"For all your trouble about the Nome King," was the reply.</p> - -<p>Ozma laughed with genuine amusement.</p> - -<p>"Why, that has not troubled me a bit, dear Princess," she replied. -Then, looking around at the sad faces of her friends, she added: -"Have you all been worrying about this tunnel?"</p> - -<p>"We have!" they exclaimed in a chorus.</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps it is more serious than I imagined," admitted the fair -Ruler; "but I haven't given the matter much thought. After dinner we -will all meet together and talk it over."</p> - -<p>So they went to their rooms and prepared for dinner, and Dorothy -dressed herself in her prettiest gown and put on her coronet, for she -thought that this might be the last time she would ever appear as a -Princess of Oz.</p> - -<p>The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead all sat at the -dinner table, although none of them was made so he could eat. Usually -they served to enliven the meal with their merry talk, but to-night -all seemed strangely silent and uneasy.</p> - -<p>As soon as the dinner was finished Ozma led the company to her own -private room in which hung the Magic Picture. When they had seated -themselves the Scarecrow was the first to speak.</p> - -<p>"Is the Nome King's tunnel finished, Ozma?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"It was completed to-day," she replied. "They have built it right -under my palace grounds, and it ends in front of the Forbidden -Fountain. Nothing but a crust of earth remains to separate our -enemies from us, and when they march here, they will easily break -through this crust and rush upon us."</p> - -<p>"Who will assist the Nome King?" inquired the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>"The Whimsies, the Growleywogs and the Phanfasms," she replied. "I -watched to-day in my Magic Picture the messengers whom the Nome King -sent to all these people to summon them to assemble in his great caverns."</p> - -<p>"Let us see what they are doing now," suggested the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>So Ozma wished to see the Nome King's cavern, and at once the -landscape faded from the Magic Picture and was replaced by the -scene then being enacted in the jeweled cavern of King Roquat.</p> - -<p>A wild and startling scene it was which the Oz people beheld.</p> - -<p>Before the Nome King stood the Chief of the Whimsies and the Grand -Gallipoot of the Growleywogs, surrounded by their most skillful -generals. Very fierce and powerful they looked, so that even the Nome -King and General Guph, who stood beside his master, seemed a bit -fearful in the presence of their allies.</p> - -<p>Now a still more formidable creature entered the cavern. It was the -First and Foremost of the Phanfasms and he proudly sat down in King -Roquat's own throne and demanded the right to lead his forces through -the tunnel in advance of all the others. The First and Foremost now -appeared to all eyes in his hairy skin and the bear's head. What his -real form was even Roquat did not know.</p> - -<p>Through the arches leading into the vast series of caverns that lay -beyond the throne room of King Roquat could be seen ranks upon ranks -of the invaders—thousands of Phanfasms, Growleywogs and Whimsies -standing in serried lines, while behind them were massed the thousands -upon thousands of General Guph's own army of Nomes.</p> - -<p>"Listen!" whispered Ozma. "I think we can hear what they are saying."</p> - -<p>So they kept still and listened.</p> - -<p>"Is all ready?" demanded the First and Foremost, haughtily.</p> - -<p>"The tunnel is finally completed," replied General Guph.</p> - -<p>"How long will it take us to march to the Emerald City?" asked the -Grand Gallipoot of the Growleywogs.</p> - -<p>"If we start at midnight," replied the Nome King, "we shall arrive at -the Emerald City by daybreak. Then, while all the Oz people are -sleeping, we will capture them and make them our slaves. After that -we will destroy the city itself and march through the Land of Oz, -burning and devastating as we go."</p> - -<p>"Good!" cried the First and Foremost. "When we get through with Oz -it will be a desert wilderness. Ozma shall be my slave."</p> - -<p>"She shall be MY slave!" shouted the Grand Gallipoot, angrily.</p> - -<p>"We'll decide that by and by," said King Roquat hastily. "Don't let -us quarrel now, friends. First let us conquer Oz, and then we will -divide the spoils of war in a satisfactory manner."</p> - -<p>The First and Foremost smiled wickedly; but he only said:</p> - -<p>"I and my Phanfasms go first, for nothing on earth can oppose our power."</p> - -<p>They all agreed to that, knowing the Phanfasms to be the mightiest of -the combined forces. King Roquat now invited them to attend a banquet -he had prepared, where they might occupy themselves in eating and -drinking until midnight arrived.</p> - -<p>As they had now seen and heard all of the plot against them that -they cared to, Ozma allowed her Magic Picture to fade away. -Then she turned to her friends and said:</p> - -<p>"Our enemies will be here sooner than I expected. What do you -advise me to do?"</p> - -<p>"It is now too late to assemble our people," said the Tin Woodman, -despondently. "If you had allowed me to arm and drill my Winkies, -we might have put up a good fight and destroyed many of our enemies -before we were conquered."</p> - -<p>"The Munchkins are good fighters, too," said Omby Amby; "and so are -the Gillikins."</p> - -<p>"But I do not wish to fight," declared Ozma, firmly. "No one has -the right to destroy any living creatures, however evil they may be, -or to hurt them or make them unhappy. I will not fight, even to -save my kingdom."<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2em;"></span><br /> -"The Nome King is not so particular," remarked the Scarecrow. "He -intends to destroy us all and ruin our beautiful country."</p> - -<p>"Because the Nome King intends to do evil is no excuse for my doing -the same," replied Ozma.</p> - -<p>"Self-preservation is the first law of nature," quoted the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"True," she said, readily. "I would like to discover a plan to save -ourselves without fighting."</p> - -<p>That seemed a hopeless task to them, but realizing that Ozma was -determined not to fight, they tried to think of some means that might -promise escape.</p> - -<p>"Couldn't we bribe our enemies, by giving them a lot of emeralds -and gold?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead.</p> - -<p>"No, because they believe they are able to take everything we have," -replied the Ruler.</p> - -<p>"I have thought of something," said Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"What is it, dear?" asked Ozma.</p> - -<p>"Let us use the Magic Belt to wish all of us in Kansas. We will put -some emeralds in our pockets, and can sell them in Topeka for enough -to pay off the mortgage on Uncle Henry's farm. Then we can all live -together and be happy."</p> - -<p>"A clever idea!" exclaimed the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>"Kansas is a very good country. I've been there," said the Shaggy Man.</p> - -<p>"That seems to me an excellent plan," approved the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"No!" said Ozma, decidedly. "Never will I desert my people and leave -them to so cruel a fate. I will use the Magic Belt to send the rest -of you to Kansas, if you wish, but if my beloved country must be -destroyed and my people enslaved I will remain and share their fate."</p> - -<p>"Quite right," asserted the Scarecrow, sighing. "I will remain with you."</p> - -<p>"And so will I," declared the Tin Woodman and the Shaggy Man and Jack -Pumpkinhead, in turn. Tiktok, the machine man, also said he intended -to stand by Ozma. "For," said he, "I should be of no use at all -in Kan-sas."</p> - -<p>"For my part," announced Dorothy, gravely, "if the Ruler of Oz must not -desert her people, a Princess of Oz has no right to run away, either. -I'm willing to become a slave with the rest of you; so all we can do -with the Magic Belt is to use it to send Uncle Henry and Aunt Em back -to Kansas."</p> - -<p>"I've been a slave all my life," Aunt Em replied, with considerable -cheerfulness, "and so has Henry. I guess we won't go back to Kansas, -anyway. I'd rather take my chances with the rest of you."</p> - -<p>Ozma smiled upon them all gratefully.</p> - -<p>"There is no need to despair just yet," she said. "I'll get up early -to-morrow morning and be at the Forbidden Fountain when the fierce -warriors break through the crust of the earth. I will speak to them -pleasantly and perhaps they won't be so very bad, after all."</p> - -<p>"Why do they call it the Forbidden Fountain?" asked Dorothy, thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Don't you know, dear?" returned Ozma, surprised.</p> - -<p>"No," said Dorothy. "Of course I've seen the fountain in the palace -grounds, ever since I first came to Oz; and I've read the sign which -says: 'All Persons are Forbidden to Drink at this Fountain.' But I -never knew WHY they were forbidden. The water seems clear and -sparkling and it bubbles up in a golden basin all the time."</p> - -<p>"That water," declared Ozma, gravely, "is the most dangerous thing -in all the Land of Oz. It is the Water of Oblivion."</p> - -<p>"What does that mean?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Whoever drinks at the Forbidden Fountain at once forgets everything -he has ever known," Ozma asserted.</p> - -<p>"It wouldn't be a bad way to forget our troubles," suggested Uncle Henry.</p> - -<p>"That is true; but you would forget everything else, and become as -ignorant as a baby," returned Ozma.</p> - -<p>"Does it make one crazy?" asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"No; it only makes one forget," replied the girl Ruler. "It is said -that once—long, long ago—a wicked King ruled Oz, and made himself -and all his people very miserable and unhappy. So Glinda, the Good -Sorceress, placed this fountain here, and the King drank of its water -and forgot all his wickedness. His mind became innocent and vacant, -and when he learned the things of life again they were all good -things. But the people remembered how wicked their King had been, and -were still afraid of him. Therefore, he made them all drink of the -Water of Oblivion and forget everything they had known, so that they -became as simple and innocent as their King. After that, they all -grew wise together, and their wisdom was good, so that peace and -happiness reigned in the land. But for fear some one might drink of -the water again, and in an instant forget all he had learned, the King -put that sign upon the fountain, where it has remained for many -centuries up to this very day."</p> - -<p>They had all listened intently to Ozma's story, and when she finished -speaking there was a long period of silence while all thought upon the -curious magical power of the Water of Oblivion.</p> - -<p>Finally the Scarecrow's painted face took on a broad smile that -stretched the cloth as far as it would go.</p> - -<p>"How thankful I am," he said, "that I have such an excellent -assortment of brains!"</p> - -<p>"I gave you the best brains I ever mixed," declared the Wizard, -with an air of pride.</p> - -<p>"You did, indeed!" agreed the Scarecrow, "and they work so splendidly -that they have found a way to save Oz—to save us all!"</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to hear that," said the Wizard. "We never needed saving -more than we do just now."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to say you can save us from those awful Phanfasms, -and Growleywogs and Whimsies?" asked Dorothy eagerly.</p> - -<p>"I'm sure of it, my dear," asserted the Scarecrow, still smiling genially.</p> - -<p>"Tell us how!" cried the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"Not now," said the Scarecrow. "You may all go to bed, and I advise -you to forget your worries just as completely as if you had drunk of -the Water of Oblivion in the Forbidden Fountain. I'm going to stay -here and tell my plan to Ozma alone, but if you will all be at the -Forbidden Fountain at daybreak, you'll see how easily we will save the -kingdom when our enemies break through the crust of earth and come -from the tunnel."</p> - -<p>So they went away and let the Scarecrow and Ozma alone; but Dorothy -could not sleep a wink all night.</p> - -<p>"He is only a Scarecrow," she said to herself, "and I'm not sure that -his mixed brains are as clever as he thinks they are."</p> - -<p>But she knew that if the Scarecrow's plan failed they were all lost; -so she tried to have faith in him.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_27__How_the_Fierce_Warriors_Invaded_Oz" id="Chapter_27__How_the_Fierce_Warriors_Invaded_Oz" />27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz</h2> - - -<p>The Nome King and his terrible allies sat at the banquet table until -midnight. There was much quarreling between the Growleywogs and -Phanfasms, and one of the wee-headed Whimsies got angry at General -Guph and choked him until he nearly stopped breathing. Yet no one was -seriously hurt, and the Nome King felt much relieved when the clock -struck twelve and they all sprang up and seized their weapons.</p> - -<p>"Aha!" shouted the First and Foremost. "Now to conquer the Land of Oz!"</p> - -<p>He marshaled his Phanfasms in battle array and at his word of command -they marched into the tunnel and began the long journey through it to -the Emerald City. The First and Foremost intended to take all the -treasures of Oz for himself; to kill all who could be killed and -enslave the rest; to destroy and lay waste the whole country, and -afterward to conquer and enslave the Nomes, the Growleywogs and the -Whimsies. And he knew his power was sufficient to enable him to do -all these things easily.</p> - -<p>Next marched into the tunnel the army of gigantic Growleywogs, with -their Grand Gallipoot at their head. They were dreadful beings, -indeed, and longed to get to Oz that they might begin to pilfer and -destroy. The Grand Gallipoot was a little afraid of the First and -Foremost, but had a cunning plan to murder or destroy that powerful -being and secure the wealth of Oz for himself. Mighty little of the -plunder would the Nome King get, thought the Grand Gallipoot.</p> - -<p>The Chief of the Whimsies now marched his false-headed forces into the -tunnel. In his wicked little head was a plot to destroy both the -First and Foremost and the Grand Gallipoot. He intended to let them -conquer Oz, since they insisted on going first; but he would afterward -treacherously destroy them, as well as King Roquat, and keep all the -slaves and treasure of Ozma's kingdom for himself.</p> - -<p>After all his dangerous allies had marched into the tunnel the Nome -King and General Guph started to follow them, at the head of fifty -thousand Nomes, all fully armed.</p> - -<p>"Guph," said the King, "those creatures ahead of us mean mischief. -They intend to get everything for themselves and leave us nothing."</p> - -<p>"I know," replied the General; "but they are not as clever as they -think they are. When you get the Magic Belt you must at once wish -the Whimsies and Growleywogs and Phanfasms all back into their own -countries—and the Belt will surely take them there."</p> - -<p>"Good!" cried the King. "An excellent plan, Guph. I'll do it. -While they are conquering Oz I'll get the Magic Belt, and then -only the Nomes will remain to ravage the country."</p> - -<p>So you see there was only one thing that all were agreed upon—that -Oz should be destroyed.</p> - -<p>On, on, on the vast ranks of invaders marched, filling the tunnel from -side to side. With a steady tramp, tramp, they advanced, every step -taking them nearer to the beautiful Emerald City.</p> - -<p>"Nothing can save the Land of Oz!" thought the First and Foremost, -scowling until his bear face was as black as the tunnel.</p> - -<p>"The Emerald City is as good as destroyed already!" muttered the Grand -Gallipoot, shaking his war club fiercely.</p> - -<p>"In a few hours Oz will be a desert!" said the Chief of the Whimsies, -with an evil laugh.</p> - -<p>"My dear Guph," remarked the Nome King to his General, "at last my -vengeance upon Ozma of Oz and her people is about to be accomplished."</p> - -<p>"You are right!" declared the General. "Ozma is surely lost."</p> - -<p>And now the First and Foremost, who was in advance and nearing the -Emerald City, began to cough and to sneeze.</p> - -<p>"This tunnel is terribly dusty," he growled, angrily. "I'll punish -that Nome King for not having it swept clean. My throat and eyes are -getting full of dust and I'm as thirsty as a fish!"</p> - -<p>The Grand Gallipoot was coughing too, and his throat was parched and dry.</p> - -<p>"What a dusty place!" he cried. "I'll be glad when we reach Oz, -where we can get a drink."</p> - -<p>"Who has any water?" asked the Whimsie Chief, gasping and choking. -But none of his followers carried a drop of water, so he hastened -on to get through the dusty tunnel to the Land of Oz.</p> - -<p>"Where did all this dust come from?" demanded General Guph, trying -hard to swallow but finding his throat so dry he couldn't.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," answered the Nome King. "I've been in the tunnel -every day while it was being built, but I never noticed any dust before."</p> - -<p>"Let's hurry!" cried the General. "I'd give half the gold in Oz for a -drink of water."</p> - -<p>The dust grew thicker and thicker, and the throats and eyes and noses -of the invaders were filled with it. But not one halted or turned back. -They hurried forward more fierce and vengeful than ever.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_28__How_They_Drank_at_the_Forbidden_Fountain" id="Chapter_28__How_They_Drank_at_the_Forbidden_Fountain" />28. How They Drank at the Forbidden Fountain</h2> - - -<p>The Scarecrow had no need to sleep; neither had the Tin Woodman or Tiktok -or Jack Pumpkinhead. So they all wandered out into the palace grounds -and stood beside the sparkling water of the Forbidden Fountain until -daybreak. During this time they indulged in occasional conversation.</p> - -<p>"Nothing could make me forget what I know," remarked the Scarecrow, -gazing into the fountain, "for I cannot drink the Water of Oblivion or -water of any kind. And I am glad that this is so, for I consider my -wisdom unexcelled."</p> - -<p>"You are cer-tain-ly ve-ry wise," agreed Tiktok. "For my part, I can -on-ly think by ma-chin-er-y, so I do not pre-tend to know as much as -you do."</p> - -<p>"My tin brains are very bright, but that is all I claim for them," -said Nick Chopper, modestly. "Yet I do not aspire to being very wise, -for I have noticed that the happiest people are those who do not let -their brains oppress them."</p> - -<p>"Mine never worry me," Jack Pumpkinhead acknowledged. "There are -many seeds of thought in my head, but they do not sprout easily. I am -glad that it is so, for if I occupied my days in thinking I should -have no time for anything else."</p> - -<p>In this cheery mood they passed the hours until the first golden -streaks of dawn appeared in the sky. Then Ozma joined them, as fresh -and lovely as ever and robed in one of her prettiest gowns.</p> - -<p>"Our enemies have not yet arrived," said the Scarecrow, after greeting -affectionately the sweet and girlish Ruler.</p> - -<p>"They will soon be here," she said, "for I have just glanced at my -Magic Picture, and have seen them coughing and choking with the dust -in the tunnel."</p> - -<p>"Oh, is there dust in the tunnel?" asked the Tin Woodman.</p> - -<p>"Yes; Ozma placed it there by means of the Magic Belt," explained the -Scarecrow, with one of his broad smiles.</p> - -<p>Then Dorothy came to them, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em following close -after her. The little girl's eyes were heavy because she had had a -sleepless and anxious night. Toto walked by her side, but the little -dog's spirits were very much subdued. Billina, who was always up by -daybreak, was not long in joining the group by the fountain.</p> - -<p>The Wizard and the Shaggy Man next arrived, and soon after appeared -Omby Amby, dressed in his best uniform.</p> - -<p>"There lies the tunnel," said Ozma, pointing to a part of the ground -just before the Forbidden Fountain, "and in a few moments the dreadful -invaders will break through the earth and swarm over the land. Let us all -stand on the other side of the Fountain and watch to see what happens."</p> - -<p>At once they followed her suggestion and moved around the fountain of -the Water of Oblivion. There they stood silent and expectant until -the earth beyond gave way with a sudden crash and up leaped the powerful -form of the First and Foremost, followed by all his grim warriors.</p> - -<p>As the leader sprang forward his gleaming eyes caught the play of the -fountain and he rushed toward it and drank eagerly of the sparkling -water. Many of the other Phanfasms drank, too, in order to clear -their dry and dusty throats. Then they stood around and looked at -one another with simple, wondering smiles.</p> - -<p>The First and Foremost saw Ozma and her companions beyond the -fountain, but instead of making an effort to capture her he merely -stared at her in pleased admiration of her beauty—for he had -forgotten where he was and why he had come there.</p> - -<p>But now the Grand Gallipoot arrived, rushing from the tunnel with a -hoarse cry of mingled rage and thirst. He too saw the fountain and -hastened to drink of its forbidden waters. The other Growleywogs were -not slow to follow suit, and even before they had finished drinking -the Chief of the Whimsies and his people came to push them away, while -they one and all cast off their false heads that they might slake -their thirst at the fountain.</p> - -<p>When the Nome King and General Guph arrived they both made a dash to -drink, but the General was so mad with thirst that he knocked his King -over, and while Roquat lay sprawling upon the ground the General -drank heartily of the Water of Oblivion.</p> - -<p>This rude act of his General made the Nome King so angry that for a -moment he forgot he was thirsty and rose to his feet to glare upon the -group of terrible warriors he had brought here to assist him. He saw -Ozma and her people, too, and yelled out:</p> - -<p>"Why don't you capture them? Why don't you conquer Oz, you idiots? -Why do you stand there like a lot of dummies?"</p> - -<p>But the great warriors had become like little children. They had -forgotten all their enmity against Ozma and against Oz. They had even -forgotten who they themselves were, or why they were in this strange -and beautiful country. As for the Nome King, they did not recognize -him, and wondered who he was.</p> - -<p>The sun came up and sent its flood of silver rays to light the faces -of the invaders. The frowns and scowls and evil looks were all gone. -Even the most monstrous of the creatures there assembled smiled -innocently and seemed light-hearted and content merely to be alive.</p> - -<p>Not so with Roquat, the Nome King. He had not drunk from the -Forbidden Fountain and all his former rage against Ozma and Dorothy -now inflamed him as fiercely as ever. The sight of General Guph -babbling like a happy child and playing with his hands in the cool -waters of the fountain astonished and maddened Red Roquat. Seeing -that his terrible allies and his own General refused to act, the Nome -King turned to order his great army of Nomes to advance from the -tunnel and seize the helpless Oz people.</p> - -<p>But the Scarecrow suspected what was in the King's mind and spoke a -word to the Tin Woodman. Together they ran at Roquat and grabbing him -up tossed him into the great basin of the fountain.</p> - -<p>The Nome King's body was round as a ball, and it bobbed up and down in -the Water of Oblivion while he spluttered and screamed with fear lest -he should drown. And when he cried out, his mouth filled with water, -which ran down his throat, so that straightway he forgot all he had -formerly known just as completely as had all the other invaders.</p> - -<p>Ozma and Dorothy could not refrain from laughing to see their dreaded -enemies become as harmless as babies. There was no danger now that Oz -would be destroyed. The only question remaining to solve was how to -get rid of this horde of intruders.</p> - -<p>The Shaggy Man kindly pulled the Nome King out of the fountain and set -him upon his thin legs. Roquat was dripping wet, but he chattered and -laughed and wanted to drink more of the water. No thought of injuring -any person was now in his mind.</p> - -<p>Before he left the tunnel he had commanded his fifty thousand Nomes -to remain there until he ordered them to advance, as he wished to give -his allies time to conquer Oz before he appeared with his own army. -Ozma did not wish all these Nomes to overrun her land, so she advanced -to King Roquat and taking his hand in her own said gently:</p> - -<p>"Who are you? What is your name?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know," he replied, smiling at her. "Who are you, my dear?"</p> - -<p>"My name is Ozma," she said; "and your name is Roquat."</p> - -<p>"Oh, is it?" he replied, seeming pleased.</p> - -<p>"Yes; you are King of the Nomes," she said.</p> - -<p>"Ah; I wonder what the Nomes are!" returned the King, as if puzzled.</p> - -<p>"They are underground elves, and that tunnel over there is full of -them," she answered. "You have a beautiful cavern at the other end of -the tunnel, so you must go to your Nomes and say: 'March home!' Then -follow after them and in time you will reach the pretty cavern where -you live."</p> - -<p>The Nome King was much pleased to learn this, for he had forgotten he -had a cavern. So he went to the tunnel and said to his army: 'March -home!' At once the Nomes turned and marched back through the tunnel, -and the King followed after them, laughing with delight to find his -orders so readily obeyed.</p> - -<p>The Wizard went to General Guph, who was trying to count his fingers, -and told him to follow the Nome King, who was his master. Guph meekly -obeyed, and so all the Nomes quitted the Land of Oz forever.</p> - -<p>But there were still the Phanfasms and Whimsies and Growleywogs -standing around in groups, and they were so many that they filled the -gardens and trampled upon the flowers and grass because they did not -know that the tender plants would be injured by their clumsy feet. -But in all other respects they were perfectly harmless and played -together like children or gazed with pleasure upon the pretty sights -of the royal gardens.</p> - -<p>After counseling with the Scarecrow Ozma sent Omby Amby to the palace -for the Magic Belt, and when the Captain General returned with it the -Ruler of Oz at once clasped the precious Belt around her waist.</p> - -<p>"I wish all these strange people—the Whimsies and the Growleywogs and -the Phanfasms—safe back in their own homes!" she said.</p> - -<p>It all happened in a twinkling, for of course the wish was no sooner -spoken than it was granted.</p> - -<p>All the hosts of the invaders were gone, and only the trampled grass -showed that they had ever been in the Land of Oz.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_29__How_Glinda_Worked_a_Magic_Spell" id="Chapter_29__How_Glinda_Worked_a_Magic_Spell" />29. How Glinda Worked a Magic Spell</h2> - - -<p>"That was better than fighting," said Ozma, when all our friends were -assembled in the palace after the exciting events of the morning; and -each and every one agreed with her.</p> - -<p>"No one was hurt," said the Wizard, delightedly.</p> - -<p>"And no one hurt us," added Aunt Em.</p> - -<p>"But, best of all," said Dorothy, "the wicked people have all -forgotten their wickedness, and will not wish to hurt any one -after this."</p> - -<p>"True, Princess," declared the Shaggy Man. "It seems to me that to -have reformed all those evil characters is more important than to have -saved Oz."</p> - -<p>"Nevertheless," remarked the Scarecrow, "I am glad Oz is saved. I can -now go back to my new mansion and live happily."</p> - -<p>"And I am glad and grateful that my pumpkin farm is saved," said Jack.</p> - -<p>"For my part," added the Tin Woodman, "I cannot express my joy that my -lovely tin castle is not to be demolished by wicked enemies."</p> - -<p>"Still," said Tiktok, "o-ther en-e-mies may come to Oz some day."</p> - -<p>"Why do you allow your clock-work brains to interrupt our joy?" asked -Omby Amby, frowning at the machine man.</p> - -<p>"I say what I am wound up to say," answered Tiktok.</p> - -<p>"And you are right," declared Ozma. "I myself have been thinking of -this very idea, and it seems to me there are entirely too many ways -for people to get to the Land of Oz. We used to think the deadly -desert that surrounds us was enough protection; but that is no longer -the case. The Wizard and Dorothy have both come here through the air, -and I am told the earth people have invented airships that can fly -anywhere they wish them to go."</p> - -<p>"Why, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't," asserted Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"But in time the airships may cause us trouble," continued Ozma, -"for if the earth folk learn how to manage them we would be overrun -with visitors who would ruin our lovely, secluded fairyland."</p> - -<p>"That is true enough," agreed the Wizard.</p> - -<p>"Also the desert fails to protect us in other ways," Ozma went on, -thoughtfully. "Johnny Dooit once made a sand-boat that sailed across -it, and the Nome King made a tunnel under it. So I believe something -ought to be done to cut us off from the rest of the world entirely, -so that no one in the future will ever be able to intrude upon us."</p> - -<p>"How will you do that?" asked the Scarecrow.</p> - -<p>"I do not know; but in some way I am sure it can be accomplished. -To-morrow I will make a journey to the castle of Glinda the Good, -and ask her advice."</p> - -<p>"May I go with you?" asked Dorothy, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"Of course, my dear Princess; and I also invite any of our friends -here who would like to undertake the journey."</p> - -<p>They all declared they wished to accompany their girl Ruler, for this -was indeed an important mission, since the future of the Land of Oz to -a great extent depended upon it. So Ozma gave orders to her servants -to prepare for the journey on the morrow.</p> - -<p>That day she watched her Magic Picture, and when it showed her that -all the Nomes had returned through the tunnel to their underground -caverns, Ozma used the Magic Belt to close up the tunnel, so that the -earth underneath the desert sands became as solid as it was before the -Nomes began to dig.</p> - -<p>Early the following morning a gay cavalcade set out to visit the -famous Sorceress, Glinda the Good. Ozma and Dorothy rode in a chariot -drawn by the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, while the Sawhorse -drew the red wagon in which rode the rest of the party.</p> - -<p>With hearts light and free from care they traveled merrily along -through the lovely and fascinating Land of Oz, and in good season -reached the stately castle in which resided the Sorceress.</p> - -<p>Glinda knew that they were coming.</p> - -<p>"I have been reading about you in my Magic Book," she said, -as she greeted them in her gracious way.</p> - -<p>"What is your Magic Book like?" inquired Aunt Em, curiously.</p> - -<p>"It is a record of everything that happens," replied the Sorceress. -"As soon as an event takes place, anywhere in the world, it is -immediately found printed in my Magic Book. So when I read its pages -I am well informed."</p> - -<p>"Did it tell you how our enemies drank the Water of 'Blivion?" -asked Dorothy.</p> - -<p>"Yes, my dear; it told all about it. And also it told me you were -all coming to my castle, and why."</p> - -<p>"Then," said Ozma, "I suppose you know what is in my mind, and that -I am seeking a way to prevent any one in the future from discovering -the Land of Oz."</p> - -<p>"Yes; I know that. And while you were on your journey I have thought -of a way to accomplish your desire. For it seems to me unwise to -allow too many outside people to come here. Dorothy, with her uncle -and aunt, has now returned to Oz to live always, and there is no -reason why we should leave any way open for others to travel uninvited -to our fairyland. Let us make it impossible for any one ever to -communicate with us in any way, after this. Then we may live -peacefully and contentedly."</p> - -<p>"Your advice is wise," returned Ozma. "I thank you, Glinda, for your -promise to assist me."</p> - -<p>"But how can you do it?" asked Dorothy. "How can you keep every one -from ever finding Oz?"</p> - -<p>"By making our country invisible to all eyes but our own," replied the -Sorceress, smiling. "I have a magic charm powerful enough to -accomplish that wonderful feat, and now that we have been warned of -our danger by the Nome King's invasion, I believe we must not hesitate -to separate ourselves forever from all the rest of the world."</p> - -<p>"I agree with you," said the Ruler of Oz.</p> - -<p>"Won't it make any difference to us?" asked Dorothy, doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"No, my dear," Glinda answered, assuringly. "We shall still be able -to see each other and everything in the Land of Oz. It won't affect -us at all; but those who fly through the air over our country will -look down and see nothing at all. Those who come to the edge of the -desert, or try to cross it, will catch no glimpse of Oz, or know in -what direction it lies. No one will try to tunnel to us again because -we cannot be seen and therefore cannot be found. In other words, the -Land of Oz will entirely disappear from the knowledge of the rest of -the world."</p> - -<p>"That's all right," said Dorothy, cheerfully. "You may make Oz -invis'ble as soon as you please, for all I care."</p> - -<p>"It is already invisible," Glinda stated. "I knew Ozma's wishes, -and performed the Magic Spell before you arrived."</p> - -<p>Ozma seized the hand of the Sorceress and pressed it gratefully.</p> - -<p>"Thank you!" she said.</p> - - - -<hr style="width: 65%;" /> -<h2><a name="Chapter_30__How_the_Story_of_Oz_Came_to_an_End" id="Chapter_30__How_the_Story_of_Oz_Came_to_an_End" />30. How the Story of Oz Came to an End</h2> - - -<p>The writer of these Oz stories has received a little note from -Princess Dorothy of Oz which, for a time, has made him feel rather -disconcerted. The note was written on a broad, white feather from a -stork's wing, and it said:</p> - -<blockquote><p>"YOU WILL NEVER HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT OZ, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW CUT -OFF FOREVER FROM ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD. BUT TOTO AND I WILL -ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN WHO LOVE US.</p> - -<p>"DOROTHY GALE."</p></blockquote> - -<p>This seemed to me too bad, at first, for Oz is a very interesting -fairyland. Still, we have no right to feel grieved, for we have had -enough of the history of the Land of Oz to fill six story books, and -from its quaint people and their strange adventures we have been able -to learn many useful and amusing things.</p> - -<p>So good luck to little Dorothy and her companions. May they live long -in their invisible country and be very happy!</p> - - -<pre> -This is the end of the Project Gutenberg Edition of Emerald City of Oz -</pre> - - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/emcty10h.zip b/old/emcty10h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 02adfba..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/emcty10l.lit b/old/emcty10l.lit Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f3ff59b..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10l.lit +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/emcty10l.zip b/old/emcty10l.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 3120191..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10l.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/emcty10p.prc b/old/emcty10p.prc Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c5ae7ce..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10p.prc +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/emcty10p.zip b/old/emcty10p.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index bbcbb41..0000000 --- a/old/emcty10p.zip +++ /dev/null |
