The Scarecrow of Oz
by
L. Frank Baum
Part 2 out of 4
This proved a very clumsy task, because the strings
were tied at the back of the Ork's neck, just where his
claws would not easily reach. After much fumbling he
said:
"I'm afraid I can't let you out, and there is no one
near to help me."
This was at first discouraging, but after a little
thought Cap'n Bill said:
"If you don't mind, Trot, I can cut a slit in your
sunbonnet with my knife."
"Do," she replied. "The slit won't matter, 'cause I can
sew it up again afterward, when I am big."
So Cap'n Bill got out his knife, which was just as
small, in proportion, as he was, and after considerable
trouble managed to cut a long slit in the sunbonnet.
First he squeezed through the opening himself and
then helped Trot to get out.
When they stood on firm ground again their first act
was to begin eating the dark purple berries which they
had brought with them. Two of these Trot had guarded
carefully during the long journey, by holding them in her
lap, for their safety meant much to the tiny people.
"I'm not very hungry," said the little girl as she
handed a berry to Cap'n Bill, "but hunger doesn't count,
in this case. It's like taking medicine to make you well,
so we must manage to eat 'em, somehow or other."
But the berries proved quite pleasant to taste and as
Cap'n Bill and Trot nibbled at their edges their forms
began to grow in size -- slowly but steadily. The bigger
they grew the easier it was for them to eat the berries,
which of course became smaller to them, and by the time
the fruit was eaten our friends had regained their
natural size.
The little girl was greatly relieved when she found
herself as large as she had ever been, and Cap'n Bill
shared her satisfaction; for, although they had seen the
effect of the berries on the Ork, they had not been sure
the magic fruit would have the same effect on human
beings, or that the magic would work in any other country
than that in which the berries grew.
"What shall we do with the other four berries?"
asked Trot, as she picked up her sunbonnet, marveling
that she had ever been small. enough to ride in it.
"They're no good to us now, are they, Cap'n?"
"I'm not sure as to that," he replied. "If they were
eaten by one who had never eaten the lavender berries,
they might have no effect at all; but then, contrarywise,
they might. One of 'em has got badly jammed, so I'll
throw it away, but the other three I b'lieve I'll carry
with me. They're magic things, you know, and may come
handy to us some time."
He now searched in his big pockets and drew out a small
wooden box with a sliding cover. The sailor had kept an
assortment of nails, of various sizes, in this box, but
those he now dumped loosely into his pocket and in the
box placed the three sound purple berries.
When this important matter was attended to they found
time to look about them and see what sort of place the
Ork had landed them in.
Chapter Seven
The Bumpy Man
The mountain on which they had alighted was not a
barren waste, but had on its sides patches of green
grass, some bushes, a few slender trees and here and
there masses of tumbled rocks. The sides of the slope
seemed rather steep, but with care one could climb up or
down them with ease and safety. The view from where they
now stood showed pleasant valleys and fertile hills lying
below the heights. Trot thought she saw some houses of
queer shapes scattered about the lower landscape, and
there were moving dots that might be people or animals,
yet were too far away for her to see them clearly.
Not far from the place where they stood was the top of
the mountain, which seemed to be flat, so the Ork
proposed to his companions that he would fly up and see
what was there.
"That's a good idea," said Trot, "'cause it's getting
toward evening and we'll have to find a place to sleep."
The Ork had not been gone more than a few minutes when
they saw him appear on the edge of the top which was
nearest them.
"Come on up!" he called.
So Trot and Cap'n Bill began to ascend the steep
slope and it did not take them long to reach the place
where the Ork awaited them.
Their first view of the mountain top pleased them very
much. It was a level space of wider extent than they had
guessed and upon it grew grass of a brilliant green
color. In the very center stood a house built of stone
and very neatly constructed. No one was in sight, but
smoke was coming from the chimney, so with one accord all
three began walking toward the house.
"I wonder," said Trot, "in what country we are, and if
it's very far from my home in California." "Can't say as
to that, partner," answered Cap'n Bill, "but I'm mighty
certain we've come a long way since we struck that
whirlpool."
"Yes," she agreed, with a sigh, "it must be miles and
miles!"
"Distance means nothing," said the Ork. "I have flown
pretty much all over the world, trying to find my home,
and it is astonishing how many little countries there
are, hidden away in the cracks and corners of this big
globe of Earth. If one travels, he may find some new
country at every turn, and a good many of them have never
yet been put upon the maps."
"P'raps this is one of them," suggested Trot.
They reached the house after a brisk walk and Cap'n
Bill knocked upon the door. It was at once opened by a
rugged looking man who had "bumps all over him," as Trot
afterward declared. There were bumps on his head, bumps
on his body and bumps on his arms and legs and hands.
Even his fingers had bumps on the ends of them. For dress
he wore an old gray suit of fantastic design, which
fitted him very badly because of the bumps it covered but
could not conceal.
But the Bumpy Man's eyes were kind and twinkling
in expression and as soon as he saw his visitors he
bowed low and said in a rather bumpy voice:
"Happy day! Come in and shut the door, for it grows
cool when the sun goes down. Winter is now upon us."
"Why, it isn't cold a bit, outside," said Trot, "so it
can't be winter yet."
"You will change your mind about that in a little
while," declared the Bumpy Man. "My bumps always tell me
the state of the weather, and they feel just now as if a
snowstorm was coming this way. But make yourselves at
home, strangers. Supper is nearly ready and there is food
enough for all."
Inside the house there was but one large room, simply
but comfortably furnished. It had benches, a table and a
fireplace, all made of stone. On the hearth a pot was
bubbling and steaming, and Trot thought it had a rather
nice smell. The visitors seated themselves upon the
benches -- except the Ork. which squatted by the fireplace
-- and the Bumpy Man began stirring the kettle briskly.
"May I ask what country this is, sir?" inquired Cap'n
Bill.
"Goodness me -- fruit-cake and apple-sauce! --don't you
know where you are?" asked the Bumpy Man, as he stopped
stirring and looked at the speaker in surprise.
"No," admitted Cap'n Bill. "We've just arrived."
"Lost your way?" questioned the Bumpy Man.
"Not exactly," said Cap'n Bill. "We didn't have any way
to lose."
"Ah!" said the Bumpy Man, nodding his bumpy head.
"This," he announced, in a solemn, impressive voice, "is
the famous Land of Mo."
"Oh!" exclaimed the sailor and the girl, both in one
breath. But, never having heard of the Land of Mo, they
were no wiser than before.
"I thought that would startle you," remarked the Bumpy
Man, well pleased, as he resumed his stirring. The Ork
watched him a while in silence and then asked:
"Who may you be?"
"Me?" answered the Bumpy Man. "Haven't you heard of me?
Gingerbread and lemon-juice! I'm known, far and wide, as
the Mountain Ear."
They all received this information in silence at first,
for they were trying to think what he could mean. Finally
Trot mustered up courage to ask:
"What is a Mountain Ear, please?"
For answer the man turned around and faced them, waving
the spoon with which he had been stirring the kettle, as
he recited the following verses in a singsong tone of
voice:
"Here's a mountain, hard of hearing,
That's sad-hearted and needs cheering,
So my duty is to listen to all sounds that Nature makes,
So the hill won't get uneasy --
Get to coughing, or get sneezy --
For this monster bump, when frightened, is quite liable to
quakes.
"You can hear a bell that's ringing;
I can feel some people's singing;
But a mountain isn't sensible of what goes on, and so
When I hear a blizzard blowing
Or it's raining hard, or snowing,
I tell it to the mountain and the mountain seems to know.
"Thus I benefit all people
While I'm living on this steeple,
For I keep the mountain steady so my neighbors all may thrive.
With my list'ning and my shouting
I prevent this mount from spouting,
And that makes me so important that I'm glad that I'm alive."
When he had finished these lines of verse the Bumpy Man
turned again to resume his stirring. The Ork laughed
softly and Cap'n Bill whistled to himself and Trot made
up her mind that the Mountain Ear must be a little crazy.
But the Bumpy Man seemed satisfied that he had explained
his position fully and presently he placed four stone
plates upon the table and then lifted the kettle from the
fire and poured some of its contents on each of the
plates. Cap'n Bill and Trot at once approached the table,
for they were hungry, but when she examined her plate the
little girl exclaimed:
"Why, it's molasses candy!"
"To be sure," returned the Bumpy Man, with a pleasant
smile. "Eat it quick, while it's hot, for it cools very
quickly this winter weather."
With this he seized a stone spoon and began putting the
hot molasses candy into his mouth, while the others
watched him in astonishment.
"Doesn't it burn you?" asked the girl.
"No indeed," said he. "Why don't you eat? Aren't you
hungry?"
"Yes," she replied, "I am hungry. But we usually eat
our candy when it is cold and hard. We always pull
molasses candy before we eat it."
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Mountain Ear. "What a funny
idea! Where in the world did you come from?"
"California," she said.
"California! Pooh! there isn't any such place. I've
heard of every place in the Land of Mo, but I never
before heard of California."
"It isn't in the Land of Mo," she explained.
"Then it isn't worth talking about," declared the
Bumpy Man, helping himself again from the steaming
kettle, for he had been eating all the time he talked.
"For my part," sighed Cap'n Bill, "I'd like a decent
square meal, once more, just by way of variety. In the
last place there was nothing but fruit to eat, and here
it's worse, for there's nothing but candy."
"Molasses candy isn't so bad," said Trot. "Mine's
nearly cool enough to pull, already. Wait a bit, Cap'n,
and you can eat it."
A little later she was able to gather the candy from
the stone plate and begin to work it back and forth with
her hands. The Mountain Ear was greatly amazed at this
and watched her closely. It was really good candy and
pulled beautifully, so that Trot was soon ready to cut it
into chunks for eating.
Cap'n Bill condescended to eat one or two pieces and
the Ork ate several, but the Bumpy Man refused to try it.
Trot finished the plate of candy herself and then asked
for a drink of water.
"Water?" said the Mountain Ear wonderingly. "What is
that?"
"Something to drink. Don't you have water in Mo?"
"None that ever I heard of," said he. "But I can give
you some fresh lemonade. I caught it in a jar the last
time it rained, which was only day before yesterday."
"Oh, does it rain lemonade here?" she inquired.
"Always; and it is very refreshing and healthful."
With this he brought from a cupboard a stone jar and a
dipper, and the girl found it very nice lemonade, indeed.
Cap'n Bill liked it, too; but the Ork would not touch it.
"If there is no water in this country, I cannot stay
here for long," the creature declared. "Water means
life to man and beast and bird."
"There must be water in lemonade," said Trot.
"Yes," answered the Ork, "I suppose so; but there are
other things in it, too, and they spoil the good water."
The day's adventures had made our wanderers tired, so
the Bumpy Man brought them some blankets in which they
rolled themselves and then lay down before the fire,
which their host kept alive with fuel all through the
night. Trot wakened several times and found the Mountain
Ear always alert and listening intently for the slightest
sound. But the little girl could hear no sound at all
except the snores of Cap'n Bill.
Chapter Eight
Button-Bright is Lost and Found Again
"Wake up -- wake up!" called the voice of the Bumpy
Man. "Didn't I tell you winter was coming? I could hear
it coming with my left ear, and the proof is that it is
now snowing hard outside."
"Is it?" said Trot, rubbing her eyes and creeping out
of her blanket. "Where I live, in California, I have
never seen snow, except far away on the tops of high
mountains."
"Well, this is the top of a high mountain," returned
the bumpy one, "and for that reason we get our heaviest
snowfalls right here."
The little girl went to the window and looked out. The
air was filled with falling white flakes, so large in
size and so queer in form that she was puzzled.
"Are you certain this is snow?" she asked.
"To be sure. I must get my snow-shovel and turn out to
shovel a path. Would you like to come with me?"
"Yes," she said, and followed the Bumpy Man out when he
opened the door. Then she exclaimed: "Why, it isn't cold
a bit!"
"Of course not," replied the man. "It was cold last
night, before the snowstorm; but snow, when it falls, is
always crisp and warm."
Trot gathered a handful of it.
"Why, it's popcorn?" she cried.
"Certainly; all snow is popcorn. What did you expect it
to be?"
"Popcorn is not snow in my country."
"Well, it is the only snow we have in the Land of Mo,
so you may as well make the best of it," said he, a
little impatiently. "I'm not responsible for the absurd
things that happen in your country, and when you're in Mo
you must do as the Momen do. Eat some of our snow, and
you will find it is good. The only fault I find with our
snow is that we get too much of it at times."
With this the Bumpy Man set to work shoveling a path
and he was so quick and industrious that he piled up the
popcorn in great banks on either side of the trail that
led to the mountain-top from the plains below. While he
worked, Trot ate popcorn and found it crisp and slightly
warm, as well as nicely salted and buttered. Presently
Cap'n Bill came out of the house and joined her.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Mo snow," said she. "But it isn't real snow, although
it falls from the sky. It's popcorn."
Cap'n Bill tasted it; then he sat down in the path and
began to eat. The Ork came out and pecked away with its
bill as fast as it could. They all liked popcorn and they
all were hungry this morning.
Meantime the flakes of "Mo snow" came down so fast that
the number of them almost darkened the air. The Bumpy Man
was now shoveling quite a distance down the mountain-
side, while the path behind him rapidly filled up with
fresh-fallen popcorn. Suddenly Trot heard him call out:
"Goodness gracious -- mince pie and pancakes! -- here
is some one buried in the snow."
She ran toward him at once and the others followed,
wading through the corn and crunching it underneath their
feet. The Mo snow was pretty deep where the Bumpy Man was
shoveling and from beneath a great bank of it he had
uncovered a pair of feet.
"Dear me! Someone has been lost in the storm," said
Cap'n Bill. "I hope he is still alive. Let's pull him out
and see."
He took hold of one foot and the Bumpy Man took hold of
the other. Then they both pulled and out from the heap of
popcorn came a little boy. He was dressed in a brown
velvet jacket and knickerbockers, with brown stockings,
buckled shoes and a blue shirt-waist that had frills down
its front. When drawn from the heap the boy was chewing a
mouthful of popcorn and both his hands were full of it.
So at first he couldn't speak to his rescuers but lay
quite still and eyed them calmly until he had swallowed
his mouthful. Then he said:
"Get my cap," and stuffed more popcorn into his mouth.
While the Bumpy Man began shoveling into the corn-bank
to find the boy's cap, Trot was laughing joyfully and
Cap'n Bill had a broad grin on his face. The Ork looked
from one to another and asked:
"Who is this stranger?"
"Why, it's Button-Bright, of course," answered Trot.
"If anyone ever finds a lost boy, he can make up his mind
it's Button-Bright. But how he ever came to be lost in
this far-away country is more'n I can make out."
"Where does he belong?" inquired the Ork.
"His home used to be in Philadelphia, I think; but I'm
quite sure Button-Bright doesn't belong anywhere."
"That's right," said the boy, nodding his head as he
swallowed the second mouthful.
"Everyone belongs somewhere," remarked the Ork.
"Not me," insisted Button-Bright. "I'm half way round
the world from Philadelphia, and I've lost my Magic
Umbrella, that used to carry me anywhere. Stands to
reason that if I can't get back I haven't any home. But I
don't care much. This is a pretty good country, Trot.
I've had lots of fun here."
By this time the Mountain Ear had secured the boy's cap
and was listening to the conversation with much interest.
"It seems you know this poor, snow-covered cast-
away," he said.
"Yes, indeed," answered Trot. "We made a journey
together to Sky Island, once, and were good friends."
"Well, then I'm glad I saved his life," said the Bumpy
Man.
"Much obliged, Mr. Knobs," said Button-Bright, sitting
up and staring at him, "but I don't believe you've saved
anything except some popcorn that I might have eaten had
you not disturbed me. It was nice and warm in that bank
of popcorn, and there was plenty to eat. What made you
dig me out? And what makes you so bumpy everywhere?"
"As for the bumps," replied the man, looking at himself
with much pride, "I was born with them and I suspect they
were a gift from the fairies. They make me look rugged
and big, like the mountain I serve."
"All right," said Button-Bright and began eating
popcorn again.
It had stopped snowing, now, and great flocks of birds
were gathering around the mountain-side, eating the
popcorn with much eagerness and scarcely noticing the
people at all. There were birds of every size and color,
most of them having gorgeous feathers and plumes.
"Just look at them!" exclaimed the Ork scornfully.
"Aren't they dreadful creatures, all covered with
feathers?"
"I think they're beautiful," said Trot, and this
made the Ork so indignant that he went back into the
house and sulked.
Button-Bright reached out his hand and caught a big
bird by the leg. At once it rose into the air and it was
so strong that it nearly carried the little boy with it.
He let go the leg in a hurry and the bird flew down again
and began to eat of the popcorn, not being frightened in
the least.
This gave Cap'n Bill an idea. He felt in his pocket and
drew out several pieces of stout string. Moving very
quietly, so as to not alarm the birds, he crept up to
several of the biggest ones and tied cords around their
legs, thus making them prisoners. The birds were so
intent on their eating that they did not notice what had
happened to them, and when about twenty had been captured
in this manner Cap'n Bill tied the ends of all the
strings together and fastened them to a huge stone, so
they could not escape.
The Bumpy Man watched the old sailor's actions
with much curiosity
"The birds will be quiet until they've eaten up all the
snow," he said, "but then they will want to fly away to
their homes. Tell me, sir, what will the poor things do
when they find they can't fly?"
"It may worry 'em a little," replied Cap'n Bill, "but
they're not going to be hurt if they take it easy and
behave themselves."
Our friends had all made a good breakfast of the
delicious popcorn and now they walked toward the house
again. Button-Bright walked beside Trot and held her hand
in his, because they were old friends and he liked the
little girl very much. The boy was not so old as Trot,
and small as she was he was half a head shorter in
height. The most remarkable thing about Button-Bright was
that he was always quiet and composed, whatever happened,
and nothing was ever able to astonish him. Trot liked him
because he was not rude and never tried to plague her.
Cap'n Bill liked him because he had found the boy
cheerful and brave at all times, and willing to do
anything he was asked to do.
When they came to the house Trot sniffed the air and
asked "Don't I smell perfume?"
"I think you do," said the Bumpy Man. "You smell
violets, and that proves there is a breeze springing up
from the south. All our winds and breezes are perfumed
and for that reason we are glad to have them blow in our
direction. The south breeze always has a violet odor; the
north breeze has the fragrance of wild roses; the east
breeze is perfumed with lilies-of-the-valley and the west
wind with lilac blossoms. So we need no weathervane to
tell us which way the wind is blowing. We have only to
smell the perfume and it informs us at once."
Inside the house they found the Ork, and Button-Bright
regarded the strange, birdlike creature with curious
interest. After examining it closely for a time he asked:
"Which way does your tail whirl?"
"Either way," said the Ork.
Button-Bright put out his hand and tried to spin it.
"Don't do that!" exclaimed the Ork.
"Why not? " inquired the boy.
"Because it happens to be my tail, and I reserve the
right to whirl it myself," explained the Ork.
"Let's go out and fly somewhere," proposed Button-
Bright. "I want to see how the tail works."
"Not now," said the Ork. "I appreciate your interest in
me, which I fully deserve; but I only fly when I am going
somewhere, and if I got started I might not stop."
"That reminds me," remarked Cap'n Bill, "to ask you,
friend Ork, how we are going to get away from here?"
"Get away!" exclaimed the Bumpy Man. "Why don't you
stay here? You won't find any nicer place than Mo."
"Have you been anywhere else, sir?"
"No; I can't say that I have," admitted the Mountain
Ear.
"Then permit me to say you're no judge," declared Cap'n
Bill. "But you haven't answered my question, friend Ork.
How are we to get away from this mountain?"
The Ork reflected a while before he answered.
"I might carry one of you -- the boy or the girl --upon
my back," said he, "but three big people are more than I
can manage, although I have carried two of you for a
short distance. You ought not to have eaten those purple
berries so soon."
"P'r'aps we did make a mistake," Cap'n Bill
acknowledged.
"Or we might have brought some of those lavender
berries with us, instead of so many purple ones,"
suggested Trot regretfully.
Cap'n Bill made no reply to this statement, which
showed he did not fully agree with the little girl; but
he fell into deep thought, with wrinkled brows, and
finally he said:
"If those purple berries would make anything grow
bigger, whether it'd eaten the lavender ones or not,
I could find a way out of our troubles."
They did not understand this speech and looked at
the old sailor as if expecting him to explain what he
meant. But just then a chorus of shrill cries rose from
outside.
"Here! Let me go -- let me go!" the voices seemed to
say. "Why are we insulted in this way? Mountain Ear, come
and help us!"
Trot ran to the window and looked out.
"It's the birds you caught, Cap'n," she said. "I didn't
know they could talk."
"Oh, yes; all the birds in Mo are educated to talk,"
said the Bumpy Man. Then he looked at Cap'n Bill uneasily
and added: "Won't you let the poor things go?"
"I'll see," replied the sailor, and walked out to where
the birds were fluttering and complaining because the
strings would not allow them to fly away.
"Listen to me!" he cried, and at once they became
still. "We three people who are strangers in your land
want to go to some other country, and we want three of
you birds to carry us there. We know we are asking a
great favor, but it's the only way we can think of --
excep' walkin', an' I'm not much good at that because
I've a wooden leg. Besides, Trot an' Button-Bright are
too small to undertake a long and tiresome journey. Now,
tell me: Which three of you birds will consent to carry
us?"
The birds looked at one another as if greatly
astonished. Then one of them replied: "You must be crazy,
old man. Not one of us is big enough to fly with even the
smallest of your party."
"I'll fix the matter of size," promised Cap'n Bill. "If
three of you will agree to carry us, I'll make you big
an' strong enough to do it, so it won't worry you a bit."
The birds considered this gravely. Living in a magic
country, they had no doubt but that the strange one-
legged man could do what he said. After a little, one of
them asked:
"If you make us big, would we stay big always?"
"I think so," replied Cap'n Bill.
They chattered a while among themselves and then the
bird that had first spoken said: "I'll go, for one."
"So will I," said another; and after a pause a third
said: "I'll go, too."
Perhaps more would have volunteered, for it seemed that
for some reason they all longed to be bigger than they
were; but three were enough for Cap'n Bill's purpose and
so he promptly released all the others, who immediately
flew away.
The three that remained were cousins, and all were of
the same brilliant plumage and in size about as large as
eagles. When Trot questioned them she found they were
quite young, having only abandoned their nests a few
weeks before. They were strong young birds, with clear,
brave eyes, and the little girl decided they were the
most beautiful of all the feathered creatures she had
ever seen.
Cap'n Bill now took from his pocket the wooden box with
the sliding cover and removed the three purple berries,
which were still in good condition.
"Eat these," he said, and gave one to each of the
birds. They obeyed, finding the fruit very pleasant to
taste. In a few seconds they began to grow in size and
grew so fast that Trot feared they would never stop. But
they finally did stop growing, and then they were much
larger than the Ork, and nearly the size of full-grown
ostriches.
Cap'n Bill was much pleased by this result.
"You can carry us now, all right," said he.
The birds strutted around with pride, highly pleased
with their immense size.
"I don't see, though," said Trot doubtfully, "how
we're going to ride on their backs without falling off."
"We're not going to ride on their backs," answered
Cap'n Bill. "I'm going to make swings for us to ride in."
He then asked the Bumpy Man for some rope, but the man
had no rope. He had, however, an old suit of gray clothes
which he gladly presented to Cap'n Bill, who cut the
cloth into strips and twisted it so that it was almost as
strong as rope. With this material he attached to each
bird a swing that dangled below its feet, and Button-
Bright made a trial flight in one of them to prove that
it was safe and comfortable. When all this had been
arranged one of the birds asked:
"Where do you wish us to take you?"
"Why, just follow the Ork," said Cap'n Bill. "He will
be our leader, and wherever the Ork flies you are to fly,
and wherever the Ork lands you are to land. Is that
satisfactory?"
The birds declared it was quite satisfactory, so Cap'n
Bill took counsel with the Ork.
"On our way here," said that peculiar creature, "I
noticed a broad, sandy desert at the left of me, on which
was no living thing."
"Then we'd better keep away from it," replied the
sailor.
"Not so," insisted the Ork. "I have found, on my
travels, that the most pleasant countries often lie in
the midst of deserts; so I think it would be wise for us
to fly over this desert and discover what lies beyond it.
For in the direction we came from lies the ocean, as we
well know, and beyond here is this strange Land of Mo,
which we do not care to explore. On one side, as we can
see from this mountain, is a broad expanse of plain, and
on the other the desert. For my part, I vote for the
desert."
"What do you say, Trot?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"It's all the same to me," she replied.
No one thought of asking Button-Bright's opinion, so it
was decided to fly over the desert. They bade good-bye to
the Bumpy Man and thanked him for his kindness and
hospitality. Then they seated themselves in the swings --
one for each bird -- and told the Ork to start away and
they would follow.
The whirl of the Ork's tail astonished the birds at
first, but after he had gone a short distance they rose
in the air, carrying their passengers easily, and flew
with strong, regular strokes of their great wings in the
wake of their leader.
Chapter Nine
The Kingdom of Jinxland
Trot rode with more comfort than she had expected,
although the swing swayed so much that she had to hold on
tight with both hands. Cap'n Bill's bird followed the
Ork, and Trot came next, with Button-Bright trailing
behind her. It was quite an imposing procession, but
unfortunately there was no one to see it, for the Ork had
headed straight for the great sandy desert and in a few
minutes after starting they were flying high over the
broad waste, where no living thing could exist.
The little girl thought this would be a bad place for
the birds to lose strength, or for the cloth ropes to
give way; but although she could not help feeling a
trifle nervous and fidgety she had confidence in the huge
and brilliantly plumaged bird that bore her, as well as
in Cap'n Bill's knowledge of how to twist and fasten a
rope so it would hold.
That was a remarkably big desert. There was nothing to
relieve the monotony of view and every minute seemed an
hour and every hour a day. Disagreeable fumes and gases
rose from the sands, which would have been deadly to the
travelers had they not been so high in the air. As it
was, Trot was beginning to feel sick, when a breath of
fresher air filled her nostrils and on looking ahead she
saw a great cloud of pink-tinted mist. Even while she
wondered what it could be, the Ork plunged boldly into
the mist and the other birds followed. She could see
nothing for a time, nor could the bird which carried her
see where the Ork had gone, but it kept flying as
sturdily as ever and in a few moments the mist was passed
and the girl saw a most beautiful landscape spread out
below her, extending as far as her eye could reach.
She saw bits of forest, verdure clothed hills, fields
of waving grain, fountains, rivers and lakes; and
throughout the scene were scattered groups of pretty
houses and a few grand castles and palaces.
Over all this delightful landscape -- which from Trot's
high perch seemed like a magnificent painted picture --
was a rosy glow such as we sometimes see in the west at
sunset. In this case, however, it was not in the west
only, but everywhere.
No wonder the Ork paused to circle slowly over this
lovely country. The other birds followed his action, all
eyeing the place with equal delight. Then, as with one
accord, the four formed a group and slowly sailed
downward. This brought them to that part of the newly-
discovered land which bordered on the desert's edge; but
it was just as pretty here as anywhere, so the Ork and
the birds alighted and the three passengers at once got
out of their swings.
"Oh, Cap'n Bill, isn't this fine an' dandy?" exclaimed
Trot rapturously. "How lucky we were to discover this
beautiful country!"
"The country seems rather high class, I'll admit,
Trot," replied the old sailor-man, looking around him,
"but we don't know, as yet, what its people are like."
"No one could live in such a country without being
happy and good -- I'm sure of that," she said earnestly.
"Don't you think so, Button-Bright?"
"I'm not thinking, just now," answered the little boy.
"It tires me to think, and I never seem to gain anything
by it. When we see the people who live here we will know
what they are like, and no 'mount of thinking will make
them any different."
"That's true enough," said the Ork. "But now I want to
make a proposal. While you are getting acquainted with
this new country, which looks as if it contains
everything to make one happy, I would like to fly along -
- all by myself -- and see if I can find my home on the
other side of the great desert. If I do, I will stay
there, of course. But if I fail to find Orkland I will
return to you in a week, to see if I can do anything more
to assist you."
They were sorry to lose their queer companion, but
could offer no objection to the plan; so the Ork bade
them good-bye and rising swiftly in the air, he flew over
the country and was soon lost to view in the distance.
The three birds which had carried our friends now
begged permission to return by the way they had come, to
their own homes, saying they were anxious to show their
families how big they had become. So Cap'n Bill and Trot
and Button-Bright all thanked them gratefully for their
assistance and soon the birds began their long flight
toward the Land of Mo. Being now left to themselves in
this strange land, the three comrades selected a pretty
pathway and began walking along it. They believed this
path would lead them to a splendid castle which they
espied in the distance, the turrets of which towered far
above the tops of the trees which surrounded it. It did
not seem very far away, so they sauntered on slowly,
admiring the beautiful ferns and flowers that lined the
pathway and listening to the singing of the birds and the
soft chirping of the grasshoppers.
Presently the path wound over a little hill. In a
valley that lay beyond the hill was a tiny cottage
surrounded by flower beds and fruit trees. On the shady
porch of the cottage they saw, as they approached, a
pleasant faced woman sitting amidst a group of children,
to whom she was telling stories. The children quickly
discovered the strangers and ran toward them with
exclamations of astonishment, so that Trot and her
friends became the center of a curious group, all
chattering excitedly. Cap'n Bill's wooden leg seemed to
arouse the wonder of the children, as they could not
understand why he had not two meat legs. This attention
seemed to please the old sailor, who patted the heads of
the children kindly and then, raising his hat to the
woman, he inquired:
"Can you tell us, madam, just what country this is?"
She stared hard at all three of the strangers as she
replied briefly: "Jinxland."
"Oh!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill, with a puzzled look. "And
where is Jinxland, please?"
"In the Quadling Country," said she.
"What!" cried Trot, in sudden excitement. "Do you mean
to say this is the Quadling Country of the Land of Oz?"
"To be sure I do," the woman answered. "Every bit of
land that is surrounded by the great desert is the Land
of Oz, as you ought to know as well as I do; but I'm
sorry to say that Jinxland is separated from the rest of
the Quadling Country by that row of high mountains you
see yonder, which have such steep sides that no one can
cross them. So we live here all by ourselves, and are
ruled by our own King, instead of by Ozma of Oz."
"I've been to the Land of Oz before," said Button-
Bright, "but I've never been here."
"Did you ever hear of Jinxland before?" asked Trot.
"No," said Button-Bright.
"It is on the Map of Oz, though," asserted the woman,
"and it's a fine country, I assure you. If only," she
added, and then paused to look around her with a
frightened expression. "If only --" here she stopped
again, as if not daring to go on with her speech.
"If only what, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill.
The woman sent the children into the house. Then she
came closer to the strangers and whispered: "If only we
had a different King, we would be very happy and
contented."
"What's the matter with your King?" asked Trot,
curiously. But the woman seemed frightened to have said
so much. She retreated to her porch, merely saying:
"The King punishes severely any treason on the part of
his subjects."
"What's treason?" asked Button-Bright.
"In this case," replied Cap'n Bill, "treason seems to
consist of knockin' the King; but I guess we know his
disposition now as well as if the lady had said more."
"I wonder," said Trot, going up to the woman, "if you
could spare us something to eat. We haven't had anything
but popcorn and lemonade for a long time."
"Bless your heart! Of course I can spare you some
food," the woman answered, and entering her cottage she
soon returned with a tray loaded with sandwiches, cakes
and cheese. One of the children drew a bucket of clear,
cold water from a spring and the three wanderers ate
heartily and enjoyed the good things immensely.
When Button-Bright could eat no more he filled the
pockets of his jacket with cakes and cheese, and not even
the children objected to this. Indeed they all seemed
pleased to see the strangers eat, so Cap'n Bill decided
that no matter what the King of Jinxland was like, the
people would prove friendly and hospitable.
"Whose castle is that, yonder, ma'am?" he asked, waving
his hand toward the towers that rose above the trees.
"It belongs to his Majesty, King Krewl." she said.
"Oh, indeed; and does he live there?"
"When he is not out hunting with his fierce courtiers
and war captains," she replied.
"Is he hunting now?" Trot inquired.
"I do not know, my dear. The less we know about the
King's actions the safer we are."
It was evident the woman did not like to talk about
King Krewl and so, having finished their meal, they said
good-bye and continued along the pathway.
"Don't you think we'd better keep away from that
King's castle, Cap'n?" asked Trot.
"Well," said he, "King Krewl would find out, sooner or
later, that we are in his country, so we may as well face
the music now. Perhaps he isn't quite so bad as that
woman thinks he is. Kings aren't always popular with
their people, you know, even if they do the best they
know how."
"Ozma is pop'lar," said Button-Bright.
"Ozma is diff'rent from any other Ruler, from all I've
heard," remarked Trot musingly, as she walked beside the
boy. "And, after all, we are really in the Land of Oz,
where Ozma rules ev'ry King and ev'rybody else. I never
heard of anybody getting hurt in her dominions, did you,
Button-Bright?"
"Not when she knows about it," he replied. "But those
birds landed us in just the wrong place, seems to me.
They might have carried us right on, over that row of
mountains, to the Em'rald City."
"True enough," said Cap'n Bill; "but they didn't, an'
so we must make the best of Jinxland. Let's try not to be
afraid."
"Oh, I'm not very scared," said Button-Bright, pausing
to look at a pink rabbit that popped its head out of a
hole in the field near by.
"Nor am I," added Trot. "Really, Cap'n, I'm so glad to
be anywhere at all in the wonderful fairyland of Oz that
I think I'm the luckiest girl in all the world. Dorothy
lives in the Em'rald City, you know, and so does the
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and Tik-Tok and the Shaggy
Man -- and all the rest of 'em that we've heard so much
about -- not to mention Ozma, who must be the sweetest
and loveliest girl in all the world!"
"Take your time, Trot," advised Button-Bright. "You
don't have to say it all in one breath, you know. And you
haven't mentioned half of the curious people in the
Em'rald City."
"That 'ere Em'rald City," said Cap'n Bill impressively,
"happens to be on the other side o' those mountains, that
we're told no one is able to cross. I don't want to
discourage of you, Trot, but we're a'most as much
separated from your Ozma an' Dorothy as we were when we
lived in Californy."
There was so much truth in this statement that they all
walked on in silence for some time. Finally they reached
the grove of stately trees that bordered the grounds of
the King's castle. They had gone halfway through it when
the sound of sobbing, as of someone in bitter distress,
reached their ears and caused them to halt abruptly.
Chapter Ten
Pon, the Gardener's Boy
It was Button-Bright who first discovered, lying on his
face beneath a broad spreading tree near the pathway, a
young man whose body shook with the force of his sobs. He
was dressed in a long brown smock and had sandals on his
feet, betokening one in humble life. His head was bare
and showed a shock of brown, curly hair. Button-Bright
looked down on the young man and said:
"Who cares, anyhow?"
"I do!" cried the young man, interrupting his sobs to
roll over, face upward, that he might see who had spoken.
"I care, for my heart is broken!"
"Can't you get another one?" asked the little boy.
"I don't want another!" wailed the young man.
By this time Trot and Cap'n Bill arrived at the spot
and the girl leaned over and said in a sympathetic voice:
"Tell us your troubles and perhaps we may help you."
The youth sat up, then, and bowed politely. Afterward
he got upon his feet, but still kept wringing his hands
as he tried to choke down his sobs. Trot thought he was
very brave to control such awful agony so well.
"My name is Pon," he began. "I'm the gardener's boy."
"Then the gardener of the King is your father, I
suppose," said Trot.
"Not my father, but my master," was the reply
"I do the work and the gardener gives the orders. And
it was not my fault, in the least, that the Princess
Gloria fell in love with me."
"Did she, really?" asked the little girl.
"I don't see why," remarked Button-Bright, staring at
the youth.
"And who may the Princess Gloria be?" inquired Cap'n
Bill.
"She is the niece of King Krewl, who is her guardian.
The Princess lives in the castle and is the loveliest and
sweetest maiden in all Jinxland. She is fond of flowers
and used to walk in the gardens with her attendants. At
such times, if I was working at my tasks, I used to cast
down my eyes as Gloria passed me; but one day I glanced
up and found her gazing at me with a very tender look in
her eyes. The next day she dismissed her attendants and,
coming to my side, began to talk with me. She said I had
touched her heart as no other young man had ever done. I
kissed her hand. Just then the King came around a bend in
the walk. He struck me with his fist and kicked me with
his foot. Then he seized the arm of the Princess and
rudely dragged her into the castle."
"Wasn't he awful!" gasped Trot indignantly.
"He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, "so it was the
least I could expect. Up to that time I had not thought
of loving Princess Gloria, but realizing it would be
impolite not to return her love, I did so. We met at
evening, now and then, and she told me the King wanted
her to marry a rich courtier named Googly-Goo, who is old
enough to be Gloria's father. She has refused Googly-Goo
thirty-nine times, but he still persists and has brought
many rich presents to bribe the King. On that account
King Krewl has commanded his niece to marry the old man,
but the Princess has assured me, time and again, that she
will wed only me. This morning we happened to meet in the
grape arbor and as I was respectfully saluting the cheek
of the Princess, two of the King's guards seized me and
beat me terribly before the very eyes of Gloria, whom the
King himself held back so she could not interfere."
"Why, this King must be a monster!" cried Trot.
"He is far worse than that," said Pon, mournfully.
"But, see here," interrupted Cap'n Bill, who had
listened carefully to Pon. "This King may not be so much
to blame, after all. Kings are proud folks, because
they're so high an' mighty, an' it isn't reasonable for a
royal Princess to marry a common gardener's boy."
"It isn't right," declared Button-Bright. "A Princess
should marry a Prince."
"I'm not a common gardener's boy," protested Pon. "If I
had my rights I would be the King instead of Krewl. As it
is, I'm a Prince, and as royal as any man in Jinxland."
"How does that come?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"My father used to be the King and Krewl was his Prime
Minister. But one day while out hunting, King Phearse --
that was my father's name -- had a quarrel with Krewl and
tapped him gently on the nose with the knuckles of his
closed hand. This so provoked the wicked Krewl that he
tripped my father backward, so that he fell into a deep
pond. At once Krewl threw in a mass of heavy stones,
which so weighted down my poor father that his body could
not rise again to the surface. It is impossible to kill
anyone in this land, as perhaps you know, but when my
father was pressed down into the mud at the bottom of the
deep pool and the stones held him so he could never
escape, he was of no more use to himself or the world
than if he had died. Knowing this, Krewl proclaimed
himself King, taking possession of the royal castle and
driving all my father's people out. I was a small boy,
then, but when I grew up I became a gardener. I have
served King Krewl without his knowing that I am the son
of the same King Phearse whom he so cruelly made away
with."
"My, but that's a terr'bly exciting story!" said Trot,
drawing a long breath. "But tell us, Pon, who was
Gloria's father?"
"Oh, he was the King before my father," replied Pon.
"Father was Prime Minister for King Kynd, who was
Gloria's father. She was only a baby when King Kynd fell
into the Great Gulf that lies just this side of the
mountains -- the same mountains that separate Jinxland
from the rest of the Land of Oz. It is said the Great
Gulf has no bottom; but, however that may be, King Kynd
has never been seen again and my father became King in
his place."
"Seems to me," said Trot, "that if Gloria had her
rights she would be Queen of Jinxland."
"Well, her father was a King," admitted Pon, "and so
was my father; so we are of equal rank, although she's a
great lady and I'm a humble gardener's boy. I can't see
why we should not marry if we want to except that King
Krewl won't let us."
"It's a sort of mixed-up mess, taken altogether,"
remarked Cap'n Bill. "But we are on our way to visit King
Krewl, and if we get a chance, young man, we'll put in a
good word for you."
"Do, please!" begged Pon.
"Was it the flogging you got that broke your heart?"
inquired Button-Bright.
"Why, it helped to break it, of course," said Pon.
"I'd get it fixed up, if I were you," advised the boy,
tossing a pebble at a chipmunk in a tree. "You ought to
give Gloria just as good a heart as she gives you."
"That's common sense," agreed Cap'n Bill. So they left
the gardener's boy standing beside the path, and resumed
their journey toward the castle.
Chapter Eleven
The Wicked King and Googly-Goo
When our friends approached the great doorway of the
castle they found it guarded by several soldiers dressed
in splendid uniforms. They were armed with swords and
lances. Cap'n Bill walked straight up to them and asked:
"Does the King happen to be at home?"
"His Magnificent and Glorious Majesty, King Krewl, is
at present inhabiting his Royal Castle," was the stiff
reply.
"Then I guess we'll go in an' say how-d'ye-do,"
continued Cap'n Bill, attempting to enter the doorway.
But a soldier barred his way with a lance.
"Who are you, what are your names, and where
do you come from?" demanded the soldier.
"You wouldn't know if we told you," returned the
sailor, "seein' as we're strangers in a strange land."
"Oh, if you are strangers you will be permitted to
enter," said the soldier, lowering his lance. "His
Majesty is very fond of strangers."
"Do many strangers come here?" asked Trot.
"You are the first that ever came to our country," said
the man. "But his Majesty has often said that if
strangers ever arrived in Jinxland he would see that they
had a very exciting time."
Cap'n Bill scratched his chin thoughtfully. He wasn't
very favorably impressed by this last remark. But he
decided that as there was no way of escape from Jinxland
it would be wise to confront the King boldly and try to
win his favor. So they entered the castle, escorted by
one of the soldiers.
It was certainly a fine castle, with many large rooms,
all beautifully furnished. The passages were winding and
handsomely decorated, and after following several of
these the soldier led them into an open court that
occupied the very center of the huge building. It was
surrounded on every side by high turreted walls, and
contained beds of flowers, fountains and walks of many
colored marbles which were matched together in quaint
designs. In an open space near the middle of the court
they saw a group of courtiers and their ladies, who
surrounded a lean man who wore upon his head a jeweled
crown. His face was hard and sullen and through the slits
of his half-closed eyelids the eyes glowed like coals of
fire. He was dressed in brilliant satins and velvets and
was seated in a golden throne-chair.
This personage was King Krewl, and as soon as Cap'n
Bill saw him the old sailor knew at once that he was not
going to like the King of Jinxland.
"Hello! who's here?" said his Majesty, with a deep
scowl.
"Strangers, Sire," answered the soldier, bowing so low
that his forehead touched the marble tiles.
"Strangers, eh? Well, well; what an unexpected visit!
Advance, strangers, and give an account of yourselves."
The King's voice was as harsh as his features. Trot
shuddered a little but Cap'n Bill calmly replied:
"There ain't much for us to say, 'cept as we've arrived
to look over your country an' see how we like it. Judgin'
from the way you speak, you don't know who we are, or
you'd be jumpin' up to shake hands an' offer us seats.
Kings usually treat us pretty well, in the great big
Outside World where we come from, but in this little
kingdom -- which don't amount to much, anyhow -- folks
don't seem to 'a' got much culchure."
The King listened with amazement to this bold speech,
first with a frown and then gazing at the two children
and the old sailor with evident curiosity. The courtiers
were dumb with fear, for no one had ever dared speak in
such a manner to their self-willed, cruel King before.
His Majesty, however, was somewhat frightened, for cruel
people are always cowards, and he feared these mysterious
strangers might possess magic powers that would destroy
him unless he treated them well. So he commanded his
people to give the new arrivals seats, and they obeyed
with trembling haste.
After being seated, Cap'n Bill lighted his pipe and
began puffing smoke from it, a sight so strange to them
that it filled them all with wonder. Presently the King
asked:
"How did you penetrate to this hidden country? Did you
cross the desert or the mountains?"
"Desert," answered Cap'n Bill, as if the task were too
easy to be worth talking about.
"Indeed! No one has ever been able to do that before,"
said the King.
"Well, it's easy enough, if you know how," asserted
Cap'n Bill, so carelessly that it greatly impressed his
hearers. The King shifted in his throne uneasily. He was
more afraid of these strangers than before.
"Do you intend to stay long in Jinxland?" was his next
anxious question.
"Depends on how we like it," said Cap'n Bill. "Just now
I might suggest to your Majesty to order some rooms got
ready for us in your dinky little castle here. And a
royal banquet, with some fried onions an' pickled tripe,
would set easy on our stomicks an' make us a bit happier
than we are now."
"Your wishes shall be attended to," said King Krewl,
but his eyes flashed from between their slits in a wicked
way that made Trot hope the food wouldn't be poisoned. At
the King's command several of his attendants hastened
away to give the proper orders to the castle servants and
no sooner were they gone than a skinny old man entered
the courtyard and bowed before the King.
This disagreeable person was dressed in rich velvets,
with many furbelows and laces. He was covered with golden
chains, finely wrought rings and jeweled ornaments. He
walked with mincing steps and glared at all the courtiers
as if he considered himself far superior to any or all of
them.
"Well, well, your Majesty; what news -- what news?" he
demanded, in a shrill, cracked voice.
The King gave him a surly look.
"No news, Lord Googly-Goo, except that strangers have
arrived," he said.
Googly-Goo cast a contemptuous glance at Cap'n Bill and
a disdainful one at Trot and Button-Bright. Then he said:
"Strangers do not interest me, your Majesty. But the
Princess Gloria is very interesting -- very interesting,
indeed! What does she say, Sire? Will she marry me?"
"Ask her," retorted the King.
"I have, many times; and every time she has refused."
"Well?" said the King harshly.
"Well," said Googly-Goo in a jaunty tone, "a bird
that can sing, and won't sing, must be made to sing."
"Huh!" sneered the King. "That's easy, with a bird; but
a girl is harder to manage."
"Still," persisted Googly-Goo, "we must overcome
difficulties. The chief trouble is that Gloria fancies
she loves that miserable gardener's boy, Pon. Suppose we
throw Pon into the Great Gulf, your Majesty?"
"It would do you no good," returned the King. "She
would still love him."
"Too bad, too bad!" sighed Googly-Goo. "I have laid
aside more than a bushel of precious gems --each worth a
king's ransom -- to present to your Majesty on the day I
wed Gloria."
The King's eyes sparkled, for he loved wealth above
everything; but the next moment he frowned deeply again.
"It won't help us to kill Pon," he muttered. "What we
must do is kill Gloria's love for Pon."
"That is better, if you can find a way to do it,"
agreed Googly-Goo. "Everything would come right if you
could kill Gloria's love for that gardener's boy. Really,
Sire, now that I come to think of it, there must be fully
a bushel and a half of those jewels!"
Just then a messenger entered the court to say that the
banquet was prepared for the strangers. So Cap'n Bill,
Trot and Button-Bright entered the castle and were taken
to a room where a fine feast was spread upon the table.
"I don't like that Lord Googly-Goo," remarked Trot as
she was busily eating.
"Nor I," said Cap'n Bill. "But from the talk we heard I
guess the gardener's boy won't get the Princess."
"Perhaps not," returned the girl; "but I hope old
Googly doesn't get her, either."
"The King means to sell her for all those jewels,"
observed Button-Bright, his mouth half full of cake and
jam.
"Poor Princess!" sighed Trot. "I'm sorry for her,
although I've never seen her. But if she says no to
Googly-Goo, and means it, what can they do?"
"Don't let us worry about a strange Princess," advised
Cap'n Bill. "I've a notion we're not too safe, ourselves,
with this cruel King."
The two children felt the same way and all three were
rather solemn during the remainder of the meal.
When they had eaten, the servants escorted them to
their rooms. Cap'n Bill's room was way to one end of the
castle, very high up, and Trot's room was at the opposite
end, rather low down. As for Button-Bright, they placed
him in the middle, so that all were as far apart as they
could possibly be. They didn't like this arrangement very
well, but all the rooms were handsomely furnished and
being guests of the King they dared not complain.
After the strangers had left the courtyard the King and
Googly-Goo had a long talk together, and the King said:
"I cannot force Gloria to marry you just now, because
those strangers may interfere. I suspect that the wooden-
legged man possesses great magical powers, or he would
never have been able to carry himself and those children
across the deadly desert."
"I don't like him; he looks dangerous," answered
Googly-Goo. "But perhaps you are mistaken about his being
a wizard. Why don't you test his powers?"
"How?" asked the King.
"Send for the Wicked Witch. She will tell you in a
moment whether that wooden-legged person is a common man
or a magician."
"Ha! that's a good idea," cried the King. "Why didn't I
think of the Wicked Witch before? But the woman demands
rich rewards for her services."
"Never mind; I will pay her," promised the wealthy
Googly-Goo.
So a servant was dispatched to summon the Wicked Witch,
who lived but a few leagues from King Krewl's castle.
While they awaited her, the withered old courtier
proposed that they pay a visit to Princess Gloria and see
if she was not now in a more complaisant mood. So the two
started away together and searched the castle over
without finding Gloria.
At last Googly-Goo suggested she might be in the rear
garden, which was a large park filled with bushes and
trees and surrounded by a high wall. And what was their
anger, when they turned a corner of the path, to find in
a quiet nook the beautiful Princess, and kneeling before
her, Pon, the gardener's boy! With a roar of rage the
King dashed forward; but Pon had scaled the wall by means
of a ladder, which still stood in its place, and when he
saw the King coming he ran up the ladder and made good
his escape. But this left Gloria confronted by her angry
guardian, the King, and by old Googly-Goo, who was
trembling with a fury he could not express in words.
Seizing the Princess by her arm the King dragged her
back to the castle. Pushing her into a room on the lower
floor he locked the door upon the unhappy girl. And at
that moment the arrival of the Wicked Witch was
announced.
Hearing this, the King smiled, as a tiger smiles,
showing his teeth. And Googly-Goo smiled, as a serpent
smiles, for he had no teeth except a couple of fangs. And
having frightened each other with these smiles the two
dreadful men went away to the Royal Council Chamber to
meet the Wicked Witch.
Chapter Twelve
The Wooden-Legged Grass-Hopper
Now it so happened that Trot, from the window of her
room, had witnessed the meeting of the lovers in the
garden and had seen the King come and drag Gloria away.
The little girl's heart went out in sympathy for the poor
Princess, who seemed to her to be one of the sweetest and
loveliest young ladies she had ever seen, so she crept
along the passages and from a hidden niche saw Gloria
locked in her room.
The key was still in the lock, so when the King had
gone away, followed by Googly-Goo, Trot stole up to the
door, turned the key and entered. The Princess lay prone
upon a couch, sobbing bitterly. Trot went up to her and
smoothed her hair and tried to comfort her.
"Don't cry," she said. "I've unlocked the door, so you
can go away any time you want to."
"It isn't that," sobbed the Princess. "I am unhappy
because they will not let me love Pon, the gardener's
boy!"
"Well, never mind; Pon isn't any great shakes, anyhow,
seems to me," said Trot soothingly. "There are lots of
other people you can love."
Gloria rolled over on the couch and looked at the
little girl reproachfully.
"Pon has won my heart, and I can't help loving him,"
she explained. Then with sudden indignation she added:
"But I'll never love Googly-Goo -- never, as long as I
live!"
"I should say not!" replied Trot. "Pon may not be much
good, but old Googly is very, very bad. Hunt around, and
I'm sure you'll find someone worth your love. You're very
pretty, you know, and almost anyone ought to love you."
"You don't understand, my dear," said Gloria, as she
wiped the tears from her eyes with a dainty lace
handkerchief bordered with pearls. "When you are older
you will realize that a young lady cannot decide whom she
will love, or choose the most worthy. Her heart alone
decides for her, and whomsoever her heart selects, she
must love, whether he amounts to much or not."
Trot was a little puzzled by this speech, which seemed
to her unreasonable; but she made no reply and presently
Gloria's grief softened and she began to question the
little girl about herself and her adventures. Trot told
her how they had happened to come to Jinxland, and all
about Cap'n Bill and the Ork and Pessim and the Bumpy
Man.
While they were thus conversing together, getting more
and more friendly as they became better acquainted, in
the Council Chamber the King and Googly-Goo were talking
with the Wicked Witch.
This evil creature was old and ugly. She had lost one
eye and wore a black patch over it, so the people of
Jinxland had named her "Blinkie." Of course witches are
forbidden to exist in the Land of Oz, but Jinxland was so
far removed from the center of Ozma's dominions, and so
absolutely cut off from it by the steep mountains and the
bottomless gulf, that the laws of Oz were not obeyed very
well in that country. So there were several witches in
Jinxland who were the terror of the people, but King
Krewl favored them and permitted them to exercise their
evil sorcery.
Blinkie was the leader of all the other witches and
therefore the most hated and feared. The King used her
witchcraft at times to assist him in carrying out his
cruelties and revenge, but he was always obliged to pay
Blinkie large sums of money or heaps of precious jewels
before she would undertake an enchantment. This made him
hate the old woman almost as much as his subjects did,
but to-day Lord Googly-Goo had agreed to pay the witch's
price, so the King greeted her with gracious favor.
"Can you destroy the love of Princess Gloria for the
gardener's boy?" inquired his Majesty.
The Wicked Witch thought about it before she replied:
"That's a hard question to answer. I can do lots of
clever magic, but love is a stubborn thing to conquer.
When you think you've killed it, it's liable to bob up
again as strong as ever. I believe love and cats have
nine lives. In other words, killing love is a hard job,
even for a skillful witch, but I believe I can do
something that will answer your purpose just as well."
"What is that?" asked the King.
"I can freeze the girl's heart. I've got a special
incantation for that, and when Gloria's heart is
thoroughly frozen she can no longer love Pon."
"Just the thing!" exclaimed Googly-Goo, and the King
was likewise much pleased.
They bargained a long time as to the price, but finally
the old courtier agreed to pay the Wicked Witch's
demands. It was arranged that they should take Gloria to
Blinkie's house the next day, to have her heart frozen.
Then King Krewl mentioned to the old hag the strangers
who had that day arrived in Jinxland, and said to her:
"I think the two children -- the boy and the girl --
are unable to harm me, but I have a suspicion that the
wooden-legged man is a powerful wizard."
The witch's face wore a troubled look when she heard
this.
"If you are right," she said, "this wizard might spoil
my incantation and interfere with me in other ways. So it
will be best for me to meet this stranger at once and
match my magic against his, to decide which is the
stronger."
"All right," said the King. "Come with me and I will
lead you to the man's room."
Googly-Goo did not accompany them, as he was obliged to
go home to get the money and jewels he had promised to
pay old Blinkie, so the other two climbed several flights
of stairs and went through many passages until they came
to the room occupied by Cap'n Bill.
The sailor-man, finding his bed soft and inviting, and
being tired with the adventures he had experienced, had
decided to take a nap. When the Wicked Witch and the King
softly opened his door and entered, Cap'n Bill was
snoring with such vigor that he did not hear them at all.
Blinkie approached the bed and with her one eye
anxiously stared at the sleeping stranger.
"Ah," she said in a soft whisper, "I believe you are
right, King Krewl. The man looks to me like a very
powerful wizard. But by good luck I have caught him
asleep, so I shall transform him before he wakes up,
giving him such a form that he will be unable to oppose
me."
"Careful!" cautioned the King, also speaking low. "If
he discovers what you are doing he may destroy you, and
that would annoy me because I need you to attend to
Gloria."
But the Wicked Witch realized as well as he did that
she must be careful. She carried over her arm a black
bag, from which she now drew several packets carefully
wrapped in paper. Three of these she selected, replacing
the others in the bag. Two of the packets she mixed
together. and then she cautiously opened the third.
"Better stand back, your Majesty," she advised, "for if
this powder falls on you you might be transformed
yourself."
The King hastily retreated to the end of the room. As
Blinkie mixed the third powder with the others she waved
her hands over it, mumbled a few words, and then backed
away as quickly as she could.
Cap'n Bill was slumbering peacefully, all unconscious
of what was going on. Puff! A great cloud of smoke rolled
over the bed and completely hid him from view. When the
smoke rolled away, both Blinkie and the King saw that the
body of the stranger had quite disappeared, while in his
place, crouching in the middle of the bed, was a little
gray grasshopper.
One curious thing about this grasshopper was that the
last joint of its left leg was made of wood. Another
curious thing -- considering it was a grasshopper -- was
that it began talking, crying out in a tiny but sharp
voice:
"Here -- you people! What do you mean by treating me
so? Put me back where I belong, at once, or you'll be
sorry!"
The cruel King turned pale at hearing the grasshopper's
threats, but the Wicked Witch merely laughed in derision.
Then she raised her stick and aimed a vicious blow at the
grasshopper, but before the stick struck the bed the tiny
hopper made a marvelous jump -- marvelous, indeed, when
we consider that it had a wooden leg. It rose in the air
and sailed across the room and passed right through the
open window, where it disappeared from their view.
"Good!" shouted the King. "We are well rid of this
desperate wizard." And then they both laughed heartily at
the success of the incantation, and went away to complete
their horrid plans.
After Trot had visited a time with Princess Gloria, the
little girl went to Button-Bright's room but did not find
him there. Then she went to Cap'n Bill's room, but he was
not there because the witch and the King had been there
before her. So she made her way downstairs and questioned
the servants. They said they had seen the little boy go
out into the garden, some time ago, but the old man with
the wooden leg they had not seen at all.
Therefore Trot, not knowing what else to do, rambled
through the great gardens, seeking for Button-Bright or
Cap'n Bill and not finding either of them. This part of
the garden, which lay before the castle, was not walled
in, but extended to the roadway, and the paths were open
to the edge of the forest; so, after two hours of vain
search for her friends, the little girl returned to the
castle.
But at the doorway a soldier stopped her.
"I live here," said Trot, "so it's all right to let
me in. The King has given me a room."
"Well, he has taken it back again," was the soldier's
reply. "His Majesty's orders are to turn you away if you
attempt to enter. I am also ordered to forbid the boy,
your companion, to again enter the King's castle."
"How 'bout Cap'n Bill?" she inquired.
"Why, it seems he has mysteriously disappeared,"
replied the soldier, shaking his head ominously. "Where
he has gone to, I can't make out, but I can assure you he
is no longer in this castle. I'm sorry, little girl, to
disappoint you. Don't blame me; I must obey my master's
orders."
Now, all her life Trot had been accustomed to depend on
Cap'n Bill, so when this good friend was suddenly taken
from her she felt very miserable and forlorn indeed. She
was brave enough not to cry before the soldier, or even
to let him see her grief and anxiety, but after she was
turned away from the castle she sought a quiet bench in
the garden and for a time sobbed as if her heart would
break.
It was Button-Bright who found her, at last, just as
the sun had set and the shades of evening were falling.
He also had been turned away from the King's castle, when
he tried to enter it, and in the park he came across
Trot.
"Never mind," said the boy. "We can find a place to
sleep."
"I want Cap'n Bill," wailed the girl.
"Well, so do I," was the reply. "But we haven't got
him. Where do you s'pose he is, Trot?
"I don't s'pose anything. He's gone, an' that's all I
know 'bout it."
Button-Bright sat on the bench beside her and thrust
his hands in the pockets of his knickerbockers. Then he
reflected somewhat gravely for him.
"Cap'n Bill isn't around here," he said, letting his
eyes wander over the dim garden, "so we must go somewhere
else if we want to find him. Besides, it's fast getting
dark, and if we want to find a place to sleep we must get
busy while we can see where to go."
He rose from the bench as he said this and Trot also
jumped up, drying her eyes on her apron. Then she walked
beside him out of the grounds of the King's castle. They
did not go by the main path, but passed through an
opening in a hedge and found themselves in a small but
well-worn roadway. Following this for some distance,
along a winding way, they came upon no house or building
that would afford them refuge for the night. It became so
dark that they could scarcely see their way, and finally
Trot stopped and suggested that they camp under a tree.
"All right," said Button-Bright, "I've often found that
leaves make a good warm blanket. But -- look there, Trot!
-- isn't that a light flashing over yonder?"
"It certainly is, Button-Bright. Let's go over and see
if it's a house. Whoever lives there couldn't treat us
worse than the King did."
To reach the light they had to leave the road, so they
stumbled over hillocks and brushwood, hand in hand,
keeping the tiny speck of light always in sight.
They were rather forlorn little waifs, outcasts in a
strange country and forsaken by their only friend and
guardian, Cap'n Bill. So they were very glad when finally
they reached a small cottage and, looking in through its
one window, saw Pon, the gardener's boy, sitting by a
fire of twigs.
As Trot opened the door and walked boldly in, Pon
sprang up to greet them. They told him of Cap'n Bill's
disappearance and how they had been turned out of the
King's castle. As they finished the story Pon shook his
head sadly.
"King Krewl is plotting mischief, I fear," said he,
"for to-day he sent for old Blinkie, the Wicked Witch,
and with my own eyes I saw her come from the castle and
hobble away toward her hut. She had been with the King
and Googly-Goo, and I was afraid they were going to work
some enchantment on Gloria so she would no longer love
me. But perhaps the witch was only called to the castle
to enchant your friend, Cap'n Bill."
"Could she do that?" asked Trot, horrified by the
suggestion.
"I suppose so, for old Blinkie can do a lot of wicked
magical things."
"What sort of an enchantment could she put on Cap'n
Bill?"
"I don't know. But he has disappeared, so I'm pretty
certain she has done something dreadful to him. But don't
worry. If it has happened, it can't be helped, and if it
hasn't happened we may be able to find him in the
morning."
With this Pon went to the cupboard and brought food for
them. Trot was far too worried to eat, but Button-Bright
made a good supper from the simple food and then lay down
before the fire and went to sleep. The little girl and
the gardener's boy, however, sat for a long time staring
into the fire, busy with their thoughts. But at last
Trot, too, became sleepy and Pon gently covered her with
the one blanket he possessed. Then he threw more wood on
the fire and laid himself down before it, next to Button-
Bright. Soon all three were fast asleep. They were in a
good deal of trouble; but they were young, and sleep was
good to them because for a time it made them forget.
Chapter Thirteen
Glinda the Good and the Scarecrow of Oz
That country south of the Emerald City, in the Land of
Oz, is known as the Quadling Country, and in the very
southernmost part of it stands a splendid palace in which
lives Glinda the Good.
Glinda is the Royal Sorceress of Oz. She has wonderful
magical powers and uses them only to benefit the subjects
of Ozma's kingdom. Even the famous Wizard of Oz pays
tribute to her, for Glinda taught him all the real magic
he knows, and she is his superior in all sorts of sorcery
Everyone loves Glinda, from the dainty and exquisite
Ruler, Ozma, down to the humblest inhabitant of Oz, for
she is always kindly and helpful and willing to listen to
their troubles, however busy she may be. No one knows her
age, but all can see how beautiful and stately she is.
Her hair is like red gold and finer than the finest
silken strands. Her eyes are blue as the sky and always
frank and smiling. Her cheeks are the envy of peach-blows
and her mouth is enticing as a rosebud. Glinda is tall
and wears splendid gowns that trail behind her as she
walks. She wears no jewels, for her beauty would shame
them.
For attendants Glinda has half a hundred of the
loveliest girls in Oz. They are gathered from all over
Oz, from among the Winkies, the Munchkins, the Gillikins
and the Quadlings, as well as from Ozma's magnificent
Emerald City, and it is considered a great favor to be
allowed to serve the Royal Sorceress.
Among the many wonderful things in Glinda's palace is
the Great Book of Records. In this book is inscribed
everything that takes place in all the world, just the
instant it happens; so that by referring to its pages
Glinda knows what is taking place far and near, in every
country that exists. In this way she learns when and
where she can help any in distress or danger, and
although her duties are confined to assisting those who
inhabit the Land of Oz, she is always interested in what
takes place in the unprotected outside world.
So it was that on a certain evening Glinda sat in her
library, surrounded by a bevy of her maids, who were
engaged in spinning, weaving and embroidery, when an
attendant announced the arrival at the palace of the
Scarecrow.
This personage was one of the most famous and popular
in all the Land of Oz. His body was merely a suit of
Munchkin clothes stuffed with straw, but his head was a
round sack filled with bran, with which the Wizard of Oz
had mixed some magic brains of a very superior sort. The
eyes, nose and mouth of the Scarecrow were painted upon
the front of the sack, as were his ears, and since this
quaint being had been endowed with life, the expression
of his face was very interesting, if somewhat comical.
The Scarecrow was good all through, even to his brains,
and while he was naturally awkward in his movements and
lacked the neat symmetry of other people, his disposition
was so kind and considerate and he was so obliging and
honest, that all who knew him loved him, and there were
few people in Oz who had not met our Scarecrow and made
his acquaintance. He lived part of the time in Ozma's
palace at the Emerald City, part of the time in his own
corncob castle in the Winkie Country, and part of the
time he traveled over all Oz, visiting with the people
and playing with the children, whom he dearly loved.
It was on one of his wandering journeys that the
Scarecrow had arrived at Glinda's palace, and the
Sorceress at once made him welcome. As he sat beside her,
talking of his adventures, he asked:
"What's new in the way of news?"
Glinda opened her Great Book of Records and read some
of the last pages.
"Here is an item quite curious and interesting," she
announced, an accent of surprise in her voice. "Three
people from the big Outside World have arrived in
Jinxland."
"Where is Jinxland?" inquired the Scarecrow.
Back to Full Books
|