The Scarecrow of Oz
by
L. Frank Baum
Part 3 out of 4
"Very near here, a little to the east of us," she said.
"In fact, Jinxland is a little slice taken off the
Quadling Country, but separated from it by a range of
high mountains, at the foot of which lies a wide, deep
gulf that is supposed to be impassable."
"Then Jinxland is really a part of the Land of Oz,"
said he.
"Yes," returned Glinda, "but Oz people know nothing of
it, except what is recorded here in my book."
"What does the Book say about it?" asked the Scarecrow.
"It is ruled by a wicked man called King Krewl,
although he has no right to the title. Most of the people
are good, but they are very timid and live in constant
fear of their fierce ruler. There are also several Wicked
Witches who keep the inhabitants of Jinxland in a state
of terror."
"Do those witches have any magical powers?" inquired
the Scarecrow.
"Yes, they seem to understand witchcraft in its most
evil form, for one of them has just transformed a
respectable and honest old sailor -- one of the strangers
who arrived there -- into a grasshopper. This same witch,
Blinkie by name, is also planning to freeze the heart of
a beautiful Jinxland girl named Princess Gloria."
"Why, that's a dreadful thing to do!" exclaimed the
Scarecrow.
Glinda's face was very grave. She read in her book how
Trot and Button-Bright were turned out of the King's
castle, and how they found refuge in the hut of Pon, the
gardener's boy
"I'm afraid those helpless earth people will endure
much suffering in Jinxland, even if the wicked King and
the witches permit them to live," said the good
Sorceress, thoughtfully. "I wish I might help them."
"Can I do anything?" asked the Scarecrow, anxiously.
"If so, tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
For a few moments Glinda did not reply, but sat musing
over the records. Then she said: "I am going to send you
to Jinxland, to protect Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n
Bill."
"All right," answered the Scarecrow in a cheerful
voice. "I know Button-Bright already, for he has been in
the Land of Oz before. You remember he went away from the
Land of Oz in one of our Wizard's big bubbles."
"Yes," said Glinda, "I remember that." Then she
carefully instructed the Scarecrow what to do and gave
him certain magical things which he placed in the pockets
of his ragged Munchkin coat.
"As you have no need to sleep," said she, "you may as
well start at once."
"The night is the same as day to me," he replied,
"except that I cannot see my way so well in the dark."
"I will furnish a light to guide you," promised the
Sorceress.
So the Scarecrow bade her good-bye and at once started
on his journey. By morning he had reached the mountains
that separated the Quadling Country from Jinxland. The
sides of these mountains were too steep to climb, but the
Scarecrow took a small rope from his pocket and tossed
one end upward, into the air. The rope unwound itself for
hundreds of feet, until it caught upon a peak of rock at
the very top of a mountain, for it was a magic rope
furnished him by Glinda. The Scarecrow climbed the rope
and, after pulling it up, let it down on the other side
of the mountain range. When he descended the rope on this
side he found himself in Jinxland, but at his feet yawned
the Great Gulf, which must be crossed before he could
proceed any farther.
The Scarecrow knelt down and examined the ground
carefully, and in a moment he discovered a fuzzy brown
spider that had rolled itself into a ball. So he took two
tiny pills from his pocket and laid them beside the
spider, which unrolled itself and quickly ate up the
pills. Then the Scarecrow said in a voice of command:
"Spin!" and the spider obeyed instantly.
In a few moments the little creature had spun two
slender but strong strands that reached way across the
gulf, one being five or six feet above the other. When
these were completed the Scarecrow started across the
tiny bridge, walking upon one strand as a person walks
upon a rope, and holding to the upper strand with his
hands to prevent him from losing his balance and toppling
over into the gulf. The tiny threads held him safely,
thanks to the strength given them by the magic pills.
Presently he was safe across and standing on the plains
of Jinxland. Far away he could see the towers of the
King's castle and toward this he at once began to walk.
Chapter Fourteen
The Frozen Heart
In the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy, Button-Bright
was the first to waken in the morning. Leaving his
companions still asleep, he went out into the fresh
morning air and saw some blackberries growing on bushes
in a field not far away. Going to the bushes he found the
berries ripe and sweet, so he began eating them. More
bushes were scattered over the fields, so the boy
wandered on, from bush to bush, without paying any heed
to where he was wandering. Then a butterfly fluttered by.
He gave chase to it and followed it a long way. When
finally he paused to look around him, Button-Bright could
see no sign of Pon's house, nor had he the slightest idea
in which direction it lay.
"Well, I'm lost again," he remarked to himself. "But
never mind; I've been lost lots of times. Someone is sure
to find me."
Trot was a little worried about Button-Bright when she
awoke and found him gone. Knowing how careless he was,
she believed that he had strayed away, but felt that he
would come back in time, because he had a habit of not
staying lost. Pon got the little girl some food for her
breakfast and then together they went out of the hut and
stood in the sunshine.
Pon's house was some distance off the road, but they
could see it from where they stood and both gave a start
of surprise when they discovered two soldiers walking
along the roadway and escorting Princess Gloria between
them. The poor girl had her hands bound together, to
prevent her from struggling, and the soldiers rudely
dragged her forward when her steps seemed to lag.
Behind this group came King Krewl, wearing his jeweled
crown and swinging in his hand a slender golden staff
with a ball of clustered gems at one end.
"Where are they going?" asked Trot. "To the house of
the Wicked Witch, I fear," Pon replied. "Come, let us
follow them, for I am sure they intend to harm my dear
Gloria."
"Won't they see us?" she asked timidly.
"We won't let them. I know a short cut through the
trees to Blinkie's house," said he.
So they hurried away through the trees and reached the
house of the witch ahead of the King and his soldiers.
Hiding themselves in the shrubbery, they watched the
approach of poor Gloria and her escort, all of whom
passed so near to them that Pon could have put out a hand
and touched his sweetheart, had he dared to.
Blinkie's house had eight sides, with a door and a
window in each side. Smoke was coming out of the chimney
and as the guards brought Gloria to one of the doors it
was opened by the old witch in person. She chuckled with
evil glee and rubbed her skinny hands together to show
the delight with which she greeted her victim, for
Blinkie was pleased to be able to perform her wicked
rites on one so fair and sweet as the Princess.
Gloria struggled to resist when they bade her enter the
house, so the soldiers forced her through the doorway and
even the King gave her a shove as he followed close
behind. Pon was so incensed at the cruelty shown Gloria
that he forgot all caution and rushed forward to enter
the house also; but one of the soldiers prevented him,
pushing the gardener's boy away with violence and
slamming the door in his face.
"Never mind," said Trot soothingly, as Pon rose from
where he had fallen. "You couldn't do much to help the
poor Princess if you were inside. How unfortunate it is
that you are in love with her!"
"True," he answered sadly, "it is indeed my misfortune.
If I did not love her, it would be none of my business
what the King did to his niece Gloria; but the unlucky
circumstance of my loving her makes it my duty to defend
her."
"I don't see how you can, duty or no duty," observed
Trot.
"No; I am powerless, for they are stronger than I. But
we might peek in through the window and see what they are
doing."
Trot was somewhat curious, too, so they crept up to one
of the windows and looked in, and it so happened that
those inside the witch's house were so busy they did not
notice that Pon and Trot were watching them.
Gloria had been tied to a stout post in the center of
the room and the King was giving the Wicked Witch a
quantity of money and jewels, which Googly-Goo had
provided in payment. When this had been done the King
said to her:
"Are you perfectly sure you can freeze this maiden's
heart, so that she will no longer love that low
gardener's boy?"
"Sure as witchcraft, your Majesty," the creature
replied.
"Then get to work," said the King. "There may be some
unpleasant features about the ceremony that would annoy
me, so I'll bid you good day and leave you to carry out
your contract. One word, however: If you fail, I shall
burn you at the stake!" Then he beckoned to his soldiers
to follow him, and throwing wide the door of the house
walked out.
This action was so sudden that King Krewl almost caught
Trot and Pon eavesdropping, but they managed to run
around the house before he saw them. Away he marched, up
the road, followed by his men, heartlessly leaving Gloria
to the mercies of old Blinkie.
When they again crept up to the window, Trot and Pon
saw Blinkie gloating over her victim. Although nearly
fainting from fear, the proud Princess gazed with haughty
defiance into the face of the wicked creature; but she
was bound so tightly to the post that she could do no
more to express her loathing.
Pretty soon Blinkie went to a kettle that was swinging
by a chain over the fire and tossed into it several
magical compounds. The kettle gave three flashes, and at
every flash another witch appeared in the room.
These hags were very ugly but when one-eyed Blinkie
whispered her orders to them they grinned with joy as
they began dancing around Gloria. First one and then
another cast something into the kettle, when to the
astonishment of the watchers at the window all three of
the old women were instantly transformed into maidens of
exquisite beauty, dressed in the daintiest costumes
imaginable. Only their eyes could not be disguised, and
an evil glare still shone in their depths. But if the
eyes were cast down or hidden, one could not help but
admire these beautiful creatures, even with the knowledge
that they were mere illusions of witchcraft.
Trot certainly admired them, for she had never seen
anything so dainty and bewitching, but her attention was
quickly drawn to their deeds instead of their persons,
and then horror replaced admiration. Into the kettle old
Blinkie poured another mess from a big brass bottle she
took from a chest, and this made the kettle begin to
bubble and smoke violently. One by one the beautiful
witches approached to stir the contents of the kettle and
to mutter a magic charm. Their movements were graceful
and rhythmic and the Wicked Witch who had called them to
her aid watched them with an evil grin upon her wrinkled
face.
Finally the incantation was complete. The kettle ceased
bubbling and together the witches lifted it from the
fire. Then Blinkie brought a wooden ladle and filled it
from the contents of the kettle. Going with the spoon to
Princess Gloria she cried:
"Love no more! Magic art
Now will freeze your mortal heart!"
With this she dashed the contents of the ladle full
upon Gloria's breast.
Trot saw the body of the Princess become transparent,
so that her beating heart showed plainly. But now the
heart turned from a vivid red to gray, and then to white.
A layer of frost formed about it and tiny icicles clung
to its surface. Then slowly the body of the girl became
visible again and the heart was hidden from view. Gloria
seemed to have fainted, but now she recovered and,
opening her beautiful eyes, stared coldly and without
emotion at the group of witches confronting her.
Blinkie and the others knew by that one cold look that
their charm had been successful. They burst into a chorus
of wild laughter and the three beautiful ones began
dancing again, while Blinkie unbound the Princess and set
her free.
Trot rubbed her eyes to prove that she was wide awake
and seeing clearly, for her astonishment was great when
the three lovely maidens turned into ugly, crooked hags
again, leaning on broomsticks and canes. They jeered at
Gloria, but the Princess regarded them with cold disdain.
Being now free, she walked to a door, opened it and
passed out. And the witches let her go.
Trot and Pon had been so intent upon this scene that in
their eagerness they had pressed quite hard against the
window. Just as Gloria went out of the house the window-
sash broke loose from its fastenings and fell with a
crash into the room. The witches uttered a chorus of
screams and then, seeing that their magical incantation
had been observed, they rushed for the open window with
uplifted broomsticks and canes. But Pon was off like the
wind, and Trot followed at his heels. Fear lent them
strength to run, to leap across ditches, to speed up the
hills and to vault the low fences as a deer would.
The band of witches had dashed through the window in
pursuit; but Blinkie was so old, and the others so
crooked and awkward, that they soon realized they would
be unable to overtake the fugitives. So the three who had
been summoned by the Wicked Witch put their canes or
broomsticks between their legs and flew away through the
air, quickly disappearing against the blue sky. Blinkie,
however, was so enraged at Pon and Trot that she hobbled
on in the direction they had taken, fully determined to
catch them, in time, and to punish them terribly for
spying upon her witchcraft.
When Pon and Trot had run so far that they were
confident they had made good their escape, they sat down
near the edge of a forest to get their breath again, for
both were panting hard from their exertions. Trot was the
first to recover speech, and she said to her companion:
"My! wasn't it terr'ble?"
"The most terrible thing I ever saw," Pon agreed.
"And they froze Gloria's heart; so now she can't love
you any more."
"Well, they froze her heart, to be sure," admitted Pon,
"but I'm in hopes I can melt it with my love."
Where do you s'pose Gloria is?" asked the girl, after a
pause.
"She left the witch's house just before we did. Perhaps
she has gone back to the King's castle," he said.
"I'm pretty sure she started off in a diff'rent
direction," declared Trot. "I looked over my shoulder, as
I ran, to see how close the witches were, and I'm sure I
saw Gloria walking slowly away toward the north."
"Then let us circle around that way," proposed Pon,
"and perhaps we shall meet her."
Trot agreed to this and they left the grove and began
to circle around toward the north, thus drawing nearer
and nearer to old Blinkie's house again. The Wicked Witch
did not suspect this change of direction, so when she
came to the grove she passed through it and continued on.
Pon and Trot had reached a place less than half a mile
from the witch's house when they saw Gloria walking
toward them. The Princess moved with great dignity and
with no show of haste whatever, holding her head high and
looking neither to right nor left.
Pon rushed forward, holding out his arms as if to
embrace her and calling her sweet names. But Gloria gazed
upon him coldly and repelled him with a haughty gesture.
At this the poor gardener's boy sank upon his knees and
hid his face in his arms, weeping bitter tears; but the
Princess was not at all moved by his distress. Passing
him by, she drew her skirts aside, as if unwilling they
should touch him, and then she walked up the path a way
and hesitated, as if uncertain where to go next.
Trot was grieved by Pon's sobs and indignant because
Gloria treated him so badly. But she remembered why.
"I guess your heart is frozen, all right," she said to
the Princess. Gloria nodded gravely, in reply, and then
turned her back upon the little girl. "Can't you like
even me?" asked Trot, half pleadingly.
"No," said Gloria.
"Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator," sighed the
little girl. "I'm awful sorry for you, 'cause you were
sweet an' nice to me before this happened. You can't help
it, of course; but it's a dreadful thing, jus' the same."
"My heart is frozen to all mortal loves," announced
Gloria, calmly. "I do not love even myself."
"That's too bad," said Trot, "for, if you can't love
anybody, you can't expect anybody to love you."
"I do!" cried Pon. "I shall always love her."
"Well, you're just a gardener's boy," replied Trot,
"and I didn't think you 'mounted to much, from the first.
I can love the old Princess Gloria, with a warm heart an'
nice manners, but this one gives me the shivers."
"It's her icy heart, that's all," said Pon.
"That's enough," insisted Trot. "Seeing her heart isn't
big enough to skate on, I can't see that she's of any use
to anyone. For my part, I'm goin' to try to find Button-
Bright an' Cap'n Bill."
"I will go with you," decided Pon. "It is evident that
Gloria no longer loves me and that her heart is frozen
too stiff for me to melt it with my own love; therefore I
may as well help you to find your friends."
As Trot started off, Pon cast one more imploring look
at the Princess, who returned it with a chilly stare. So
he followed after the little girl.
As for the Princess, she hesitated a moment and then
turned in the same direction the others had taken, but
going far more slowly. Soon she heard footsteps pattering
behind her, and up came Googly-Goo. a little out of
breath with running.
"Stop, Gloria!" he cried. "I have come to take you back
to my mansion, where we are to be married."
She looked at him wonderingly a moment, then tossed her
head disdainfully and walked on. But Googly-Goo kept
beside her.
"What does this mean?" he demanded. "Haven't you
discovered that you no longer love that gardener's boy,
who stood in my way?"
"Yes; I have discovered it," she replied. "My heart is
frozen to all mortal loves. I cannot love you, or Pon, or
the cruel King my uncle, or even myself. Go your way,
Googly-Goo, for I will wed no one at all."
He stopped in dismay when he heard this, but in another
minute he exclaimed angrily:
"You must wed me, Princess Gloria, whether you want to
or not! I paid to have your heart frozen; I also paid the
King to permit our marriage. If you now refuse me it will
mean that I have been robbed -- robbed -- robbed of my
precious money and jewels!"
He almost wept with despair, but she laughed a cold,
bitter laugh and passed on. Googly-Goo caught at her arm,
as if to restrain her, but she whirled and dealt him a
blow that sent him reeling into a ditch beside the path.
Here he lay for a long time, half covered by muddy water,
dazed with surprise.
Finally the old courtier arose, dripping, and climbed
from the ditch. The Princess had gone; so, muttering
threats of vengeance upon her, upon the King and upon
Blinkie, old Googly-Goo hobbled back to his mansion to
have the mud removed from his costly velvet clothes.
Chapter Fifteen
Trot Meets the Scarecrow
Trot and Pon covered many leagues of ground, searching
through forests, in fields and in many of the little
villages of Jinxland, but could find no trace of either
Cap'n Bill or Button-Bright. Finally they paused beside a
cornfield and sat upon a stile to rest. Pon took some
apples from his pocket and gave one to Trot. Then he
began eating another himself, for this was their time for
luncheon. When his apple was finished Pon tossed the core
into the field.
"Tchuk-tchuk!" said a strange voice. "what do you mean
by hitting me in the eye with an apple-core?"
Then rose up the form of the Scarecrow, who had hidden
himself in the cornfield while he examined Pon and Trot
and decided whether they were worthy to be helped.
"Excuse me," said Pon. "I didn't know you were there."
"How did you happen to be there, anyhow?" asked Trot.
The Scarecrow came forward with awkward steps and stood
beside them.
"Ah, you are the gardener's boy," he said to Pon. Then
he turned to Trot. "And you are the little girl who came
to Jinxland riding on a big bird, and who has had the
misfortune to lose her friend, Cap'n Bill, and her chum,
Button-Bright."
"Why, how did you know all that?" she inquired.
"I know a lot of things," replied the Scarecrow,
winking at her comically. "My brains are the Carefully-
Assorted, Double-Distilled, High-Efficiency sort that the
Wizard of Oz makes. He admits, himself, that my brains
are the best he ever manufactured."
"I think I've heard of you," said Trot slowly, as she
looked the Scarecrow over with much interest; "but you
used to live in the Land of Oz."
"Oh, I do now," he replied cheerfully. "I've just come
over the mountains from the Quadling Country to see if I
can be of any help to you."
"Who, me?" asked Pon.
"No, the strangers from the big world. It seems they
need looking after."
"I'm doing that myself," said Pon, a little
ungraciously. "If you will pardon me for saying so, I
don't see how a Scarecrow with painted eyes can look
after anyone."
"If you don't see that, you are more blind than the
Scarecrow," asserted Trot. "He's a fairy man, Pon, and
comes from the fairyland of Oz, so he can do 'most
anything. I hope," she added, turning to the Scarecrow,
"you can find Cap'n Bill for me."
"I will try, anyhow," he promised. "But who is that old
woman who is running toward us and shaking her stick at
us?"
Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an
exclamation of fear. The next instant they took to their
heels and ran fast up the path. For it was old Blinkie,
the Wicked Witch, who had at last traced them to this
place. Her anger was so great that she was determined not
to abandon the chase of Pon and Trot until she had caught
and punished them. The Scarecrow understood at once that
the old woman meant harm to his new friends, so as she
drew near he stepped before her. His appearance was so
sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him and
toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw body and
went rolling in the path beside him.
The Scarecrow sat up and said: "I beg your pardon!" but
she whacked him with her stick and knocked him flat
again. Then, furious with rage, the old witch sprang upon
her victim and began pulling the straw out of his body.
The poor Scarecrow was helpless to resist and in a few
moments all that was left of him was an empty suit of
clothes and a heap of straw beside it. Fortunately,
Blinkie did not harm his head, for it rolled into a
little hollow and escaped her notice. Fearing that Pon
and Trot would escape her, she quickly resumed the chase
and disappeared over the brow of a hill, following the
direction in which she had seen them go.
Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper
with a wooden leg came hopping along and lit directly on
the upturned face of the Scarecrow's head.
"Pardon me, but you are resting yourself upon my nose,"
remarked the Scarecrow
"Oh! are you alive?" asked the grasshopper.
"That is a question I have never been able to decide,"
said the Scarecrow's head. "When my body is properly
stuffed I have animation and can move around as well as
any live person. The brains in the head you are now
occupying as a throne, are of very superior quality and
do a lot of very clever thinking. But whether that is
being alive, or not, I cannot prove to you; for one who
lives is liable to death, while I am only liable to
destruction."
"Seems to me," said the grasshopper, rubbing his nose
with his front legs, "that in your case it doesn't matter
-- unless you're destroyed already."
"I am not; all I need is re-stuffing," declared the
Scarecrow; "and if Pon and Trot escape the witch, and
come back here, I am sure they will do me that favor."
"Tell me! Are Trot and Pon around here?" inquired the
grasshopper, its small voice trembling with excitement.
The Scarecrow did not answer at once, for both his eyes
were staring straight upward at a beautiful face that was
slightly bent over his head. It was, indeed, Princess
Gloria, who had wandered to this spot, very much
surprised when she heard the Scarecrow's head talk and
the tiny gray grasshopper answer it.
"This," said the Scarecrow, still staring at her, "must
be the Princess who loves Pon, the gardener's boy."
"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed the grasshopper -- who of
course was Cap'n Bill -- as he examined the young lady
curiously.
"No," said Gloria frigidly, "I do not love Pon, or
anyone else, for the Wicked Witch has frozen my heart."
"What a shame!" cried the Scarecrow. "One so lovely
should be able to love. But would you mind, my dear,
stuffing that straw into my body again?"
The dainty Princess glanced at the straw and at the
well-worn blue Munchkin clothes and shrank back in
disdain. But she was spared from refusing the Scarecrow's
request by the appearance of Trot and Pon, who had hidden
in some bushes just over the brow of the hill and waited
until old Blinkie had passed them by. Their hiding place
was on the same side as the witch's blind eye, and she
rushed on in the chase of the girl and the youth without
being aware that they had tricked her.
Trot was shocked at the Scarecrow's sad condition and
at once began putting the straw back into his body. Pon,
at sight of Gloria, again appealed to her to take pity on
him, but the frozen-hearted Princess turned coldly away
and with a sigh the gardener's boy began to assist Trot.
Neither of them at first noticed the small grasshopper,
which at their appearance had skipped off the Scarecrow's
nose and was now clinging to a wisp of grass beside the
path, where he was not likely to be stepped upon. Not
until the Scarecrow had been neatly restuffed and set
upon his feet again -- when he bowed to his restorers and
expressed his thanks -- did the grasshopper move from his
perch. Then he leaped lightly into the path and called
out:
"Trot -- Trot! Look at me. I'm Cap'n Bill! See what the
Wicked Witch has done to me."
The voice was small, to be sure, but it reached Trot's
ears and startled her greatly. She looked intently at the
grasshopper, her eyes wide with fear at first; then she
knelt down and, noticing the wooden leg, she began to
weep sorrowfully.
"Oh, Cap'n Bill -- dear Cap'n Bill! What a cruel thing
to do!" she sobbed.
"Don't cry, Trot," begged the grasshopper. "It didn't
hurt any, and it doesn't hurt now. But it's mighty
inconvenient an' humiliatin', to say the least."
"I wish," said the girl indignantly, while trying hard
to restrain her tears, "that I was big 'nough an' strong
'nough to give that horrid witch a good beating. She
ought to be turned into a toad for doing this to you,
Cap'n Bill!"
"Never mind," urged the Scarecrow, in a comforting
voice, "such a transformation doesn't last always, and as
a general thing there's some way to break the
enchantment. I'm sure Glinda could do it, in a jiffy."
"Who is Glinda?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
Then the Scarecrow told them all about Glinda, not
forgetting to mention her beauty and goodness and her
wonderful powers of magic. He also explained how the
Royal Sorceress had sent him to Jinxland especially to
help the strangers, whom she knew to be in danger because
of the wiles of the cruel King and the Wicked Witch.
Chapter Sixteen
Pon Summons the King to Surrender
Gloria had drawn near to the group to listen to their
talk, and it seemed to interest her in spite of her
frigid manner. They knew, of course, that the poor
Princess could not help being cold and reserved, so they
tried not to blame her.
"I ought to have come here a little sooner," said the
Scarecrow, regretfully; "but Glinda sent me as soon as
she discovered you were here and were likely to get into
trouble. And now that we are all together -- except
Button-Bright, over whom it is useless to worry -- I
propose we hold a council of war, to decide what is best
to be done."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so they all sat down
upon the grass, including Gloria, and the grasshopper
perched upon Trot's shoulder and allowed her to stroke
him gently with her hand.
"In the first place," began the Scarecrow, "this King
Krewl is a usurper and has no right to rule this Kingdom
of Jinxland."
"That is true," said Pon, eagerly. "My father was King
before him, and I --"
"You are a gardener's boy," interrupted the Scarecrow.
"Your father had no right to rule, either, for the
rightful King of this land was the father of Princess
Gloria, and only she is entitled to sit upon the throne
of Jinxland."
"Good!" exclaimed Trot. "But what'll we do with King
Krewl? I s'pose he won't give up the throne unless he has
to."
"No, of course not," said the Scarecrow. "Therefore it
will be our duty to make him give up the throne."
"How?" asked Trot.
"Give me time to think," was the reply. "That's what my
brains are for. I don't know whether you people ever
think, or not, but my brains are the best that the Wizard
of Oz ever turned out, and if I give them plenty of time
to work, the result usually surprises me."
"Take your time, then," suggested Trot. "There's no
hurry."
"Thank you," said the straw man, and sat perfectly
still for half an hour. During this interval the
grasshopper whispered in Trot's ear, to which he was very
close, and Trot whispered back to the grasshopper sitting
upon her shoulder. Pon cast loving glances at Gloria, who
paid not the slightest heed to them.
Finally the Scarecrow laughed aloud.
"Brains working?" inquired Trot.
"Yes. They seem in fine order to-day. We will conquer
King Krewl and put Gloria upon his throne as Queen of
Jinxland."
"Fine!" cried the little girl, clapping her hands
together gleefully. "But how?"
"Leave the how to me," said the Scarecrow proudly.
As a conqueror I'm a wonder. We will, first of all,
write a message to send to King Krewl, asking him to
surrender. If he refuses, then we will make him
surrender."
"Why ask him. when we know he'll refuse?" inquired Pon.
"Why, we must be polite, whatever we do," explained the
Scarecrow. "It would be very rude to conquer a King
without proper notice."
They found it difficult to write a message without
paper, pen and ink, none of which was at hand; so it was
decided to send Pon as a messenger, with instructions to
ask the King, politely but firmly, to surrender.
Pon was not anxious to be the messenger. Indeed, he
hinted that it might prove a dangerous mission. But the
Scarecrow was now the acknowledged head of the Army of
Conquest, and he would listen to no refusal. So off Pon
started for the King's castle, and the others accompanied
him as far as his hut, where they had decided to await
the gardener's boy's return.
I think it was because Pon had known the Scarecrow such
a short time that he lacked confidence in the straw man's
wisdom. It was easy to say: "We will conquer King Krewl,"
but when Pon drew near to the great castle he began to
doubt the ability of a straw-stuffed man, a girl, a
grasshopper and a frozen-hearted Princess to do it. As
for himself, he had never thought of defying the King
before.
That was why the gardener's boy was not very bold when
he entered the castle and passed through to the enclosed
court where the King was just then seated, with his
favorite courtiers around him. None prevented Pon's
entrance, because he was known to be the gardener's boy,
but when the King saw him he began to frown fiercely. He
considered Pon to be to blame for all his trouble with
Princess Gloria, who since her heart had been frozen had
escaped to some unknown place, instead of returning to
the castle to wed Goqgly-Goo, as she had been expected to
do. So the King bared his teeth angrily as he demanded:
"What have you done with Princess Gloria?"
"Nothing, your Majesty! I have done nothing at all,"
answered Pon in a faltering voice. "She does not love me
any more and even refuses to speak to me."
"Then why are you here, you rascal?" roared the King.
Pon looked first one way and then another, but saw no
means of escape; so he plucked up courage.
"I am here to summon your Majesty to surrender."
"What!" shouted the King. "Surrender? Surrender to
whom?"
Pon's heart sank to his boots.
"To the Scarecrow," he replied.
Some of the courtiers began to titter, but King Krewl
was greatly annoyed. He sprang up and began to beat poor
Pon with the golden staff he carried. Pon howled lustily
and would have run away had not two of the soldiers held
him until his Majesty was exhausted with punishing the
boy. Then they let him go and he left the castle and
returned along the road, sobbing at every step because
his body was so sore and aching.
"Well," said the Scarecrow, "did the King surrender?"
"No; but he gave me a good drubbing!" sobbed poor Pon.
Trot was very sorry for Pon, but Gloria did not seem
affected in any way by her lover's anguish. The
grasshopper leaped to the Scarecrow's shoulder and asked
him what he was going to do next.
"Conquer," was the reply. "But I will go alone, this
time, for beatings cannot hurt me at all; nor can lance
thrusts -- or sword cuts -- or arrow pricks."
"Why is that?" inquired Trot.
"Because I have no nerves, such as you meat people
possess. Even grasshoppers have nerves, but straw
doesn't; so whatever they do -- except just one thing --
they cannot injure me. Therefore I expect to conquer King
Krewl with ease."
"What is that one thing you excepted?" asked Trot.
"They will never think of it, so never mind. And now,
if you will kindly excuse me for a time, I'll go over to
the castle and do my conquering."
"You have no weapons," Pon reminded him.
"True," said the Scarecrow. "But if I carried weapons I
might injure someone -- perhaps seriously -- and that
would make me unhappy. I will just borrow that riding-
whip, which I see in the corner of your hut, if you don't
mind. It isn't exactly proper to walk with a riding-whip,
but I trust you will excuse the inconsistency."
Pon handed him the whip and the Scarecrow bowed to all
the party and left the hut, proceeding leisurely along
the way to the King's castle.
Chapter Seventeen
The Ork Rescues Button-Bright
I must now tell you what had become of Button-Bright
since he wandered away in the morning and got lost. This
small boy, as perhaps you have discovered, was almost as
destitute of nerves as the Scarecrow. Nothing ever
astonished him much; nothing ever worried him or made him
unhappy. Good fortune or bad fortune he accepted with a
quiet smile, never complaining, whatever happened. This
was one reason why Button-Bright was a favorite with all
who knew him -- and perhaps it was the reason why he so
often got into difficulties, or found himself lost.
To-day, as he wandered here and there, over hill and
down dale, he missed Trot and Cap'n Bill, of whom he was
fond, but nevertheless he was not unhappy. The birds sang
merrily and the wildflowers were beautiful and the breeze
had a fragrance of new-mown hay
"The only bad thing about this country is its King," he
reflected; "but the country isn't to blame for that."
A prairie-dog stuck its round head out of a mound of
earth and looked at the boy with bright eyes.
"Walk around my house, please," it said, "and then you
won't harm it or disturb the babies."
"All right," answered Button-Bright, and took care not
to step on the mound. He went on, whistling merrily,
until a petulant voice cried:
"Oh, stop it! Please stop that noise. It gets on my
nerves."
Button-Bright saw an old gray owl sitting in the crotch
of a tree, and he replied with a laugh: "All right, old
Fussy," and stopped whistling until he had passed out of
the owl's hearing. At noon he came to a farmhouse where
an aged couple lived. They gave him a good dinner and
treated him kindly, but the man was deaf and the woman
was dumb, so they could answer no questions to guide him
on the way to Pon's house. When he left them he was just
as much lost as he had been before.
Every grove of trees he saw from a distance he visited,
for he remembered that the King's castle was near a grove
of trees and Pon's hut was near the King's castle; but
always he met with disappointment. Finally, passing
through one of these groves, he came out into the open
and found himself face to face with the Ork.
"Hello!" said Button-Bright. "Where did you come from?"
"From Orkland," was the reply. "I've found my own
country, at last, and it is not far from here, either. I
would have come back to you sooner, to see how you are
getting along, had not my family and friends welcomed my
return so royally that a great celebration was held in my
honor. So I couldn't very well leave Orkland again until
the excitement was over."
"Can you find your way back home again?" asked the boy.
"Yes, easily; for now I know exactly where it is. But
where are Trot and Cap'n Bill?"
Button-Bright related to the Ork their adventures since
it had left them in Jinxland, telling of Trot's fear that
the King had done something wicked to Cap'n Bill, and of
Pon's love for Gloria, and how Trot and Button-Bright had
been turned out of the King's castle. That was all the
news that the boy had, but it made the Ork anxious for
the safety of his friends.
"We must go to them at once, for they may need us," he
said.
"I don't know where to go," confessed Button-Bright.
"I'm lost."
"Well, I can take you back to the hut of the gardener's
boy," promised the Ork, "for when I fly high in the air I
can look down and easily spy the King's castle. That was
how I happened to spy you, just entering the grove; so I
flew down and waited until you came out."
"How can you carry me?" asked the boy.
"You'll have to sit straddle my shoulders and put your
arms around my neck. Do you think you can keep from
falling off?"
"I'll try," said Button-Bright. So the Ork squatted
down and the boy took his seat and held on tight. Then
the skinny creature's tail began whirling and up they
went, far above all the tree-tops.
After the Ork had circled around once or twice, its
sharp eyes located the towers of the castle and away it
flew, straight toward the place. As it hovered in the
air, near by the castle, Button-Bright pointed out Pon's
hut, so they landed just before it and Trot came running
out to greet them.
Gloria was introduced to the Ork, who was surprised
to find Cap'n Bill transformed into a grasshopper.
"How do you like it?" asked the creature.
"Why, it worries me good deal," answered Cap'n Bill,
perched upon Trot's shoulder. "I'm always afraid o' bein'
stepped on, and I don't like the flavor of grass an'
can't seem to get used to it. It's my nature to eat
grass, you know, but I begin to suspect it's an acquired
taste."
"Can you give molasses?" asked the Ork.
"I guess I'm not that kind of a grasshopper," replied
Cap'n Bill. "But I can't say what I might do if I was
squeezed -- which I hope I won't be."
"Well," said the Ork, "it's a great pity, and I'd like
to meet that cruel King and his Wicked Witch and punish
them both severely. You're awfully small, Cap'n Bill, but
I think I would recognize you anywhere by your wooden
leg."
Then the Ork and Button-Bright were told all about
Gloria's frozen heart and how the Scarecrow had come from
the Land of Oz to help them. The Ork seemed rather
disturbed when it learned that the Scarecrow had gone
alone to conquer King Krewl.
"I'm afraid he'll make a fizzle of it," said the skinny
creature, "and there's no telling what that terrible King
might do to the poor Scarecrow, who seems like a very
interesting person. So I believe I'll take a hand in this
conquest myself."
"How?" asked Trot.
"Wait and see," was the reply. "But, first of all, I
must fly home again -- back to my own country -- so if
you'll forgive my leaving you so soon, I'll be off at
once. Stand away from my tail, please, so that the wind
from it, when it revolves, won't knock you over."
They gave the creature plenty of room and away it went
like a flash and soon disappeared in the sky.
"I wonder," said Button-Bright, looking solemnly after
the Ork, "whether he'll ever come back again."
"Of course he will!" returned Trot. "The Ork's a pretty
good fellow, and we can depend on him. An' mark my words,
Button-Bright, whenever our Ork does come back, there's
one cruel King in Jinxland that'll wish he hadn't."
Chapter Eighteen
The Scarecrow Meets an Enemy
The Scarecrow was not a bit afraid of King Krewl.
Indeed, he rather enjoyed the prospect of conquering the
evil King and putting Gloria on the throne of Jinxland in
his place. So he advanced boldly to the royal castle and
demanded admittance.
Seeing that he was a stranger, the soldiers allowed him
to enter. He made his way straight to the throne room,
where at that time his Majesty was settling the disputes
among his subjects.
"Who are you?" demanded the King.
"I'm the Scarecrow of Oz, and I command you to
surrender yourself my prisoner."
"Why should I do that? " inquired the King, much
astonished at the straw man's audacity.
"Because I've decided you are too cruel a King to rule
so beautiful a country. You must remember that Jinxland
is a part of Oz, and therefore you owe allegiance to Ozma
of Oz, whose friend and servant I am."
Now, when he heard this, King Krewl was much disturbed
in mind, for he knew the Scarecrow spoke the truth. But
no one had ever before come to Jinxland from the Land of
Oz and the King did not intend to be put out of his
throne if he could help it. Therefore he gave a harsh,
wicked laugh of derision and said:
"I'm busy, now. Stand out of my way, Scarecrow, and
I'll talk with you by and by."
But the Scarecrow turned to the assembled courtiers and
people and called in a loud voice:
"I hereby declare, in the name of Ozma of Oz, that this
man is no longer ruler of Jinxland. From this moment
Princess Gloria is your rightful Queen, and I ask all of
you to be loyal to her and to obey her commands."
The people looked fearfully at the King, whom they all
hated in their hearts, but likewise feared. Krewl was now
in a terrible rage and he raised his golden sceptre and
struck the Scarecrow so heavy a blow that he fell to the
floor.
But he was up again, in an instant, and with Pon's
riding-whip he switched the King so hard that the wicked
monarch roared with pain as much as with rage, calling on
his soldiers to capture the Scarecrow.
They tried to do that, and thrust their lances and
swords into the straw body, but without doing any damage
except to make holes in the Scarecrow's clothes. However,
they were many against one and finally old Googly-Goo
brought a rope which he wound around the Scarecrow,
binding his legs together and his arms to his sides, and
after that the fight was over.
The King stormed and danced around in a dreadful fury,
for he had never been so switched since he was a boy --
and perhaps not then. He ordered the Scarecrow thrust
into the castle prison, which was no task at all because
one man could carry him easily, bound. as he was.
Even after the prisoner was removed the King could not
control his anger. He tried to figure out some way to be
revenged upon the straw man, but could think of nothing
that could hurt him. At last, when the terrified people
and the frightened courtiers had all slunk away, old
Googly-Goo approached the king with a malicious grin upon
his face.
"I'll tell you what to do," said he. "Build a big
bonfire and burn the Scarecrow up, and that will be the
end of him."
The King was so delighted with this suggestion that he
hugged old Googly-Goo in his joy
"Of course!" he cried. "The very thing. Why did I not
think of it myself?"
So he summoned his soldiers and retainers and bade them
prepare a great bonfire in an open space in the castle
park. Also he sent word to all his people to assemble and
witness the destruction of the Scarecrow who had dared to
defy his power. Before long a vast throng gathered in the
park and the servants had heaped up enough fuel to make a
fire that might be seen for miles away -- even in the
daytime.
When all was prepared, the King had his throne brought
out for him to sit upon and enjoy the spectacle, and then
he sent his soldiers to fetch the Scarecrow.
Now the one thing in all the world that the straw man
really feared was fire. He knew he would burn very easily
and that his ashes wouldn't amount to much afterward. It
wouldn't hurt him to be destroyed in such a manner, but
he realized that many people in the Land of Oz, and
especially Dorothy and the Royal Ozma, would feel sad if
they learned that their old friend the Scarecrow was no
longer in existence.
In spite of this, the straw man was brave and faced his
fiery fate like a hero. When they marched him out before
the concourse of people he turned to the King with great
calmness and said:
"This wicked deed will cost you your throne, as well as
much suffering, for my friends will avenge my
destruction."
"Your friends are not here, nor will they know what I
have done to you, when you are gone and can-not tell
them," answered the King in a scornful voice.
Then he ordered the Scarecrow bound to a stout stake
that he had had driven into the ground, and the materials
for the fire were heaped all around him. When this had
been done, the King's brass band struck up a lively tune
and old Googly-Goo came forward with a lighted match and
set fire to the pile.
At once the flames shot up and crept closer and closer
toward the Scarecrow. The King and all his people were so
intent upon this terrible spectacle that none of them
noticed how the sky grew suddenly dark. Perhaps they
thought that the loud buzzing sound -- like the noise of
a dozen moving railway trains -- came from the blazing
fagots; that the rush of wind was merely a breeze. But
suddenly down swept a flock of Orks, half a hundred of
them at the least, and the powerful currents of air
caused by their revolving tails sent the bonfire
scattering in every direction, so that not one burning
brand ever touched the Scarecrow.
But that was not the only effect of this sudden
tornado. King Krewl was blown out of his throne and went
tumbling heels over head until he landed with a bump
against the stone wall of his own castle, and before he
could rise a big Ork sat upon him and held him pressed
flat to the ground. Old Googly-Goo shot up into the air
like a rocket and landed on a tree, where he hung by the
middle on a high limb, kicking the air with his feet and
clawing the air with his hands, and howling for mercy
like the coward he was.
The people pressed back until they were jammed close
together, while all the soldiers were knocked over and
sent sprawling to the earth. The excitement was great for
a few minutes, and every frightened inhabitant of
Jinxland looked with awe and amazement at the great Orks
whose descent had served to rescue the Scarecrow and
conquer King Krewl at one and the same time.
The Ork, who was the leader of the band, soon had the
Scarecrow free of his bonds. Then he said: "Well, we were
just in time to save you, which is better than being a
minute too late. You are now the master here, and we are
determined to see your orders obeyed."
With this the Ork picked up Krewl's golden crown, which
had fallen off his head, and placed it upon the head of
the Scarecrow, who in his awkward way then shuffled over
to the throne and sat down in it.
Seeing this, a rousing cheer broke from the crowd of
people, who tossed their hats and waved their
handkerchiefs and hailed the Scarecrow as their King. The
soldiers joined the people in the cheering, for now they
fully realized that their hated master was conquered and
it would be wise to show their good will to the
conqueror. Some of them bound Krewl with ropes and
dragged him forward, dumping his body on the ground
before the Scarecrow's throne. Googly-Goo struggled until
he finally slid off the limb of the tree and came
tumbling to the ground. He then tried to sneak away and
escape, but the soldiers seized and bound him beside
Krewl.
"The tables are turned," said the Scarecrow, swelling
out his chest until the straw within it crackled
pleasantly, for he was highly pleased; "but it was you
and your people who did it, friend Ork, and from this
time you may count me your humble servant."
Chapter Nineteen
The Conquest of the Witch
Now as soon as the conquest of King Krewl had taken
place, one of the Orks had been dispatched to Pon's house
with the joyful news. At once Gloria and Pon and Trot and
Button-Bright hastened toward the castle. They were
somewhat surprised by the sight that met their eyes, for
there was the Scarecrow, crowned King, and all the people
kneeling humbly before him. So they likewise bowed low to
the new ruler and then stood beside the throne. Cap'n
Bill, as the gray grasshopper, was still perched upon
Trot's shoulder, but now he hopped to the shoulder of the
Scarecrow and whispered into the painted ear:
"I thought Gloria was to be Queen of Jinxland."
The Scarecrow shook his head.
"Not yet," he answered. "No Queen with a frozen heart
is fit to rule any country." Then he turned to his new
friend, the Ork, who was strutting about, very proud of
what he had done, and said: "Do you suppose you, or your
followers, could find old Blinkie the Witch?"
"Where is she?" asked the Ork.
"Somewhere in Jinxland, I'm sure."
"Then," said the Ork, "we shall certainly be able to
find her."
"It will give me great pleasure," declared the
Scarecrow. "When you have found her, bring her here to
me. and I will then decide what to do with her."
The Ork called his followers together and spoke a few
words to them in a low tone. A moment after they rose
into the air -- so suddenly that the Scarecrow, who was
very light in weight, was blown quite out of his throne
and into the arms of Pon, who replaced him carefully upon
his seat. There was an eddy of dust and ashes, too, and
the grasshopper only saved himself from being whirled
into the crowd of people by jumping into a tree, from
where a series of hops soon brought him back to Trot's
shoulder again. The Orks were quite out of sight by this
time, so the Scarecrow made a speech to the people and
presented Gloria to them, whom they knew well already
and were fond of. But not all of them knew of her frozen
heart, and when the Scarecrow related the story of the
Wicked Witch's misdeeds, which had been encouraged and
paid for by Krewl and Googly-Goo, the people were very
indignant.
Meantime the fifty Orks had scattered all over Jinx
land, which is not a very big country, and their sharp
eyes were peering into every valley and grove and gully.
Finally one of them spied a pair of heels sticking out
from underneath some bushes, and with a shrill whistle to
warn his comrades that the witch was found the Ork flew
down and dragged old Blinkie from her hiding-place. Then
two or three of the Orks seized the clothing of the
wicked woman in their strong claws and, lifting her high
in the air, where she struggled and screamed to no avail,
they flew with her straight to the royal castle and set
her down before the throne of the Scarecrow.
"Good!" exclaimed the straw man, nodding his stuffed
head with satisfaction. "Now we can proceed to business.
Mistress Witch, I am obliged to request, gently but
firmly, that you undo all the wrongs you have done by
means of your witchcraft."
"Pah!" cried old Blinkie in a scornful voice. "I defy
you all! By my magic powers I can turn you all into pigs,
rooting in the mud, and I'll do it if you are not
careful."
"I think you are mistaken about that," said the
Scarecrow, and rising from his throne he walked with
wobbling steps to the side of the Wicked Witch. "Before I
left the Land of Oz, Glinda the Royal Sorceress gave me a
box, which I was not to open except in an emergency. But
I feel pretty sure that this occasion is an emergency;
don't you, Trot?" he asked, turning toward the little
girl.
"Why, we've got to do something," replied Trot
seriously. "Things seem in an awful muddle here, jus'
now, and they'll be worse if we don't stop this witch
from doing more harm to people."
"That is my idea, exactly," said the Scarecrow, and
taking a small box from his pocket he opened the cover
and tossed the contents toward Blinkie.
The old woman shrank back, pale and trembling, as a
fine white dust settled all about her. Under its
influence she seemed to the eyes of all observers to
shrivel and grow smaller.
"Oh, dear - oh, dear!" she wailed, wringing her hands
in fear. "Haven't you the antidote, Scarecrow? Didn't the
great Sorceress give you another box?"
"She did," answered the Scarecrow.
"Then give it me -- quick!" pleaded the witch. "Give it
me -- and I'll do anything you ask me to!"
"You will do what I ask first," declared the Scarecrow,
firmly.
The witch was shriveling and growing smaller every
moment.
"Be quick, then!" she cried. "Tell me what I must do
and let me do it, or it will be too late."
"You made Trot's friend, Cap'n Bill, a grasshopper. I
command you to give him back his proper form again," said
the Scarecrow.
"Where is he? Where's the grasshopper? Quick -- quick!"
she screamed.
Cap'n Bill, who had been deeply interested in this
conversation, gave a great leap from Trot's shoulder and
landed on that of the Scarecrow. Blinkie saw him alight
and at once began to make magic passes and to mumble
magic incantations. She was in a desperate hurry, knowing
that she had no time to waste, and the grasshopper was so
suddenly transformed into the old sailor-man, Cap'n Bill,
that he had no opportunity to jump off the Scarecrow's
shoulder; so his great weight bore the stuffed Scarecrow
to the ground. No harm was done, however, and the straw
man got up and brushed the dust from his clothes while
Trot delightedly embraced Cap'n Bill.
"The other box! Quick! Give me the other box," begged
Blinkie, who had now shrunk to half her former size.
"Not yet," said the Scarecrow. "You must first melt
Princess Gloria's frozen heart."
"I can't; it's an awful job to do that! I can't,"
asserted the witch, in an agony of fear -- for still she
was growing smaller.
"You must!" declared the Scarecrow, firmly.
The witch cast a shrewd look at him and saw that he
meant it; so she began dancing around Gloria in a frantic
manner. The Princess looked coldly on, as if not at all
interested in the proceedings, while Blinkie tore a
handful of hair from her own head and ripped a strip of
cloth from the bottom of her gown. Then the witch sank
upon her knees, took a purple powder from her black bag
and sprinkled it over the hair and cloth.
"I hate to do it -- I hate to do it!" she wailed, "for
there is no more of this magic compound in all the world.
But I must sacrifice it to save my own life. A match!
Give me a match, quick!" and panting from lack of breath
she gazed imploringly from one to another.
Cap'n Bill was the only one who had a match, but he
lost no time in handing it to Blinkie, who quickly set
fire to the hair and the cloth and the purple powder. At
once a purple cloud enveloped Gloria, and this gradually
turned to a rosy pink color --brilliant and quite
transparent. Through the rosy cloud they could all see
the beautiful Princess, standing proud and erect. Then
her heart became visible, at first frosted with ice but
slowly growing brighter and warmer until all the frost
had disappeared and it was beating as softly and
regularly as any other heart. And now the cloud dispersed
and disclosed Gloria, her face suffused with joy, smiling
tenderly upon the friends who were grouped about her.
Poor Pon stepped forward -- timidly, fearing a repulse,
but with pleading eyes and arms fondly outstretched
toward his former sweetheart -- and the Princess saw him
and her sweet face lighted with a radiant smile. Without
an instant's hesitation she threw herself into Pon's arms
and this reunion of two loving hearts was so affecting
that the people turned away and lowered their eyes so as
not to mar the sacred joy of the faithful lovers.
But Blinkie's small voice was shouting to the Scarecrow
for help.
"The antidote!" she screamed. "Give me the other box --
quick!"
The Scarecrow looked at the witch with his quaint,
painted eyes and saw that she was now no taller than his
knee. So he took from his pocket the second box and
scattered its contents on Blinkie. She ceased to grow any
smaller, but she could never regain her former size, and
this the wicked old woman well knew.
She did not know, however, that the second powder had
destroyed all her power to work magic, and seeking to be
revenged upon the Scarecrow and his friends she at once
began to mumble a charm so terrible in its effect that it
would have destroyed half the population of Jinxland --
had it worked. But it did not work at all, to the
amazement of old Blinkie. And by this time the Scarecrow
noticed what the little witch was trying to do, and said
to her:
"Go home, Blinkie, and behave yourself. You are no
longer a witch, but an ordinary old woman, and since you
are powerless to do more evil I advise you to try to do
some good in the world. Believe me, it is more fun to
accomplish a good act than an evil one, as you will
discover when once you have tried it."
But Blinkie was at that moment filled with grief and
chagrin at losing her magic powers. She started away
toward her home, sobbing and bewailing her fate, and not
one who saw her go was at all sorry for her.
Chapter Twenty
Queen Gloria
Next morning the Scarecrow called upon all the
courtiers and the people to assemble in the throne room
of the castle, where there was room enough for all that
were able to attend. They found the straw man seated upon
the velvet cushions of the throne, with the King's
glittering crown still upon his stuffed head. On one side
of the throne, in a lower chair, sat Gloria, looking
radiantly beautiful and fresh as a new-blown rose. On the
other side sat Pon, the gardener's boy, still dressed in
his old smock frock and looking sad and solemn; for Pon
could not make himself believe that so splendid a
Princess would condescend to love him when she had come
to her own and was seated upon a throne. Trot and Cap'n
Bill sat at the feet of the Scarecrow and were much
interested in the proceedings. Button-Bright had lost
himself before breakfast, but came into the throne room
before the ceremonies were over. Back of the throne stood
a row of the great Orks, with their leader in the center,
and the entrance to the palace was guarded by more Orks,
who were regarded with wonder and awe.
When all were assembled, the Scarecrow stood up and
made a speech. He told how Gloria's father, the good King
Kynd, who had once ruled them and been loved by everyone,
had been destroyed by King Phearce, the father of Pon,
and how King Phearce had been destroyed by King Krewl.
This last King had been a bad ruler, as they knew very
well, and the Scarecrow declared that the only one in all
Jinxland who had the right to sit upon the throne was
Princess Gloria, the daughter of King Kynd.
"But," he added, "it is not for me, a stranger, to say
who shall rule you. You must decide for yourselves, or
you will not be content. So choose now who shall be your
future ruler."
And they all shouted: "The Scarecrow! The Scarecrow
shall rule us!"
Which proved that the stuffed man had made himself very
popular by his conquest of King Krewl, and the people
thought they would like him for their King. But the
Scarecrow shook his head so vigorously that it became
loose, and Trot had to pin it firmly to his body again.
"No," said he, "I belong in the Land of Oz, where I am
the humble servant of the lovely girl who rules us all --
the royal Ozma. You must choose one of your own
inhabitants to rule over Jinxland. Who shall it be?"
They hesitated for a moment, and some few cried: "Pon!"
but many more shouted: "Gloria!"
So the Scarecrow took Gloria's hand and led her to the
throne, where he first seated her and then took the
glittering crown off his own head and placed it upon that
of the young lady, where it nestled prettily amongst her
soft curls. The people cheered and shouted then, kneeling
before their new Queen; but Gloria leaned down and took
Pon's hand in both her own and raised him to the seat
beside her.
"You shall have both a King and a Queen to care for you
and to protect you, my dear subjects," she said in a
sweet voice, while her face glowed with happiness; "for
Pon was a King's son before he became a gardener's boy,
and because I love him he is to be my Royal Consort."
That pleased them all, especially Pon, who realized
that this was the most important moment of his life. Trot
and Button-Bright and Cap'n Will all congratulated him on
winning the beautiful Gloria; but the Ork sneezed twice
and said that in his opinion the young lady might have
done better.
Then the Scarecrow ordered the guards to bring in the
wicked Krewl, King no longer, and when he appeared,
loaded with chains and dressed in fustian, the people
hissed him and drew back as he passed so their garments
would not touch him.
Krewl was not haughty or overbearing any more; on the
contrary he seemed very meek and in great fear of the
fate his conquerors had in store for him. But Gloria and
Pon were too happy to be revengeful and so they offered
to appoint Krewl to the position of gardener's boy at the
castle, Pon having resigned to become King. But they said
he must promise to reform his wicked ways and to do his
duty faithfully, and he must change his name from Krewl
to Grewl. All this the man eagerly promised to do, and so
when Pon retired to a room in the castle to put on
princely raiment, the old brown smock he had formerly
worn was given to Grewl, who then went out into the
garden to water the roses.
The remainder of that famous day, which was long
remembered in Jinxland, was given over to feasting and
merrymaking. In the evening there was a grand dance in
the courtyard, where the brass band played a new piece of
music called the "Ork Trot" which was dedicated to "Our
Glorious Gloria, the Queen."
While the Queen and Pon were leading this dance, and
all the Jinxland people were having a good time, the
strangers were gathered in a group in the park outside
the castle. Cap'n Bill, Trot, Button-Bright and the
Scarecrow were there, and so was their old friend the
Ork; but of all the great flock of Orks which had
assisted in the conquest but three remained in Jinxland,
besides their leader, the others having returned to their
own country as soon as Gloria was crowned Queen. To the
young Ork who had accompanied them in their adventures
Cap'n Bill said:
"You've surely been a friend in need, and we're mighty
grateful to you for helping us. I might have been a
grasshopper yet if it hadn't been for you, an' I might
remark that bein' a grasshopper isn't much fun."
"If it hadn't been for you, friend Ork," said the
Scarecrow, "I fear I could not have conquered King
Krewl."
"No," agreed Trot, "you'd have been just a heap of
ashes by this time."
And I might have been lost yet," added Button-Bright.
"Much obliged, Mr. Ork."
"Oh, that's all right," replied the Ork. "Friends must
stand together, you know, or they wouldn't be friends.
But now I must leave you and be off to my own country,
where there's going to be a surprise party on my uncle,
and I've promised to attend it."
"Dear me," said the Scarecrow, regretfully. "That is
very unfortunate."
"Why so?" asked the Ork.
"I hoped you would consent to carry us over those
mountains, into the Land of Oz. My mission here is now
finished and I want to get back to the Emerald City."
"How did you cross the mountains before?" inquired the
Ork.
"I scaled the cliffs by means of a rope, and crossed
the Great Gulf on a strand of spider web. Of course I can
return in the same manner, but it would be a hard journey
-- and perhaps an impossible one -- for Trot and Button-
Bright and Cap'n Bill. So I thought that if you had the
time you and your people would carry us over the
mountains and land us all safely on the other side, in
the Land of Oz."
The Ork thoughtfully considered the matter for a while.
Then he said:
"I mustn't break my promise to be present at the
surprise party; but, tell me, could you go to Oz to-
night?"
"What, now?" exclaimed Trot.
"It is a fine moonlight night," said the Ork, "and I've
found in my experience that there's no time so good as
right away. The fact is," he explained, "it's a long
journey to Orkland and I and my cousins here are all
rather tired by our day's work. But if you will start
now, and be content to allow us to carry you over the
mountains and dump you on the other side, just say the
word and -- off we go!"
Cap'n Bill and Trot looked at one another
questioningly. The little girl was eager to visit the
famous fairyland of Oz and the old sailor had endured
such hardships in Jinxland that he would be glad to be
out of it.
"It's rather impolite of us not to say good-bye to the
new King and Queen," remarked the Scarecrow, "but I'm
sure they're too happy to miss us, and I assure you it
will be much easier to fly on the backs of the Orks over
those steep mountains than to climb them as I did."
"All right; let's go!" Trot decided. "But where's
Button-Bright?"
Just at this important moment Button-Bright was lost
again, and they all scattered in search of him. He had
been standing beside them just a few minutes before, but
his friends had an exciting hunt for him before they
finally discovered the boy seated among the members of
the band, beating the end of the bass drum with the bone
of a turkey-leg that he had taken from the table in the
banquet room.
"Hello, Trot," he said, looking up at the little girl
when she found him. "This is the first chance I ever had
to pound a drum with a reg'lar drum stick. And I ate all
the meat off the bone myself."
"Come quick. We're going to the Land of Oz."
"Oh, what's the hurry?" said Button-Bright; but she
seized his arm and dragged him away to the park, where
the others were waiting.
Trot climbed upon the back of her old friend, the Ork
leader, and the others took their seats on the backs of
his three cousins. As soon as all were placed and
clinging to the skinny necks of the creatures, the
revolving tails began to whirl and up rose the four
monster Orks and sailed away toward the mountains. They
were so high in the air that when they passed the crest
of the highest peak it seemed far below them. No sooner
were they well across the barrier than the Orks swooped
downward and landed their passengers upon the ground.
"Here we are, safe in the Land of Oz!" cried the
Scarecrow joyfully.
"Oh, are we?" asked Trot, looking around her curiously.
She could see the shadows of stately trees and the
outlines of rolling hills; beneath her feet was soft
turf, but otherwise the subdued light of the moon
disclosed nothing clearly.
"Seems jus' like any other country," was Cap'n Bill's
comment.
"But it isn't," the Scarecrow assured him. "You are now
within the borders of the most glorious fairyland in all
the world. This part of it is just a corner of the
Quadling Country, and the least interesting portion of
it. It's not very thickly settled, around here, I'll
admit, but --"
He was interrupted by a sudden whir and a rush of air
as the four Orks mounted into the sky.
"Good night!" called the shrill voices of the strange
creatures, and although Trot shouted "Good night!" as
loudly as she could, the little girl was almost ready to
cry because the Orks had not waited to be properly
thanked for all their kindness to her and to Cap'n Bill.
But the Orks were gone, and thanks for good deeds do
not amount to much except to prove one's politeness.
"Well, friends," said the Scarecrow, "we mustn't stay
here in the meadows all night, so let us find a pleasant
place to sleep. Not that it matters to me, in the least,
for I never sleep; but I know that meat people like to
shut their eyes and lie still during the dark hours."
"I'm pretty tired," admitted Trot, yawning as she
followed the straw man along a tiny path, "so, if you
don't find a house handy, Cap'n Bill and I will sleep
under the trees, or even on this soft grass."
But a house was not very far off, although when the
Scarecrow stumbled upon it there was no light in it
whatever. Cap'n Bill knocked on the door several times,
and there being no response the Scarecrow boldly lifted
the latch and walked in, followed by the others. And no
sooner had they entered than a soft light filled the
room. Trot couldn't tell where it came from, for no lamp
of any sort was visible, but she did not waste much time
on this problem, because directly in the center of the
room stood a table set for three, with lots of good food
on it and several of the dishes smoking hot.
The little girl and Button-Bright both uttered
exclamations of pleasure, but they looked in vain for any
cook stove or fireplace, or for any person who might have
prepared for them this delicious feast.
"It's fairyland," muttered the boy, tossing his cap in
a corner and seating himself at the table. "This supper
smells 'most as good as that turkey-leg I had in
Jinxland. Please pass the muffins, Cap'n Bill."
Trot thought it was strange that no people but
themselves were in the house, but on the wall opposite
the door was a gold frame bearing in big letters the
word:
"WELCOME."
So she had no further hesitation in eating of the food
so mysteriously prepared for them.
"But there are only places for three!" she exclaimed.
"Three are quite enough," said the Scarecrow. "I never
eat, because I am stuffed full already, and I like my
nice clean straw better than I do food."
Trot and the sailor-man were hungry and made a hearty
meal, for not since they had left home had they tasted
such good food. It was surprising that Button-Bright
could eat so soon after his feast in Jinxland, but the
boy always ate whenever there was an opportunity. "If I
don't eat now," he said, "the next time I'm hungry I'll
wish I had."
"Really, Cap'n," remarked Trot, when she found a dish
of ice-cream appear beside her plate, "I b'lieve this is
fairyland, sure enough."
"There's no doubt of it, Trot," he answered gravely
"I've been here before," said Button-Bright, "so I
know."
After supper they discovered three tiny bedrooms
adjoining the big living room of the house, and in each
room was a comfortable white bed with downy pillows. You
may be sure that the tired mortals were not long in
bidding the Scarecrow good night and creeping into their
beds, where they slept soundly until morning.
For the first time since they set eyes on the terrible
whirlpool, Trot and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety and
care. Button-Bright never worried about anything. The
Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked out of the
window and tried to count the stars.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dorothy, Betsy and Ozma
I suppose many of my readers have read descriptions of
the beautiful and magnificent Emerald City of Oz, so I
need not describe it here, except to state that never has
any city in any fairyland ever equalled this one in
stately splendor. It lies almost exactly in the center
of the Land of Oz, and in the center of the Emerald City
rises the wall of glistening emeralds that surrounds the
palace of Ozma. The palace is almost a city in itself
and is inhabited by many of the Ruler's especial friends
and those who have won her confidence and favor. As for
Ozma herself, there are no words in any dictionary I can
find that are fitted to describe this young girl's beauty
of mind and person. Merely to see her is to love her for
her charming face and manners; to know her is to love
her for her tender sympathy, her generous nature, her
truth and honor. Born of a long line of Fairy Queens,
Ozma is as nearly perfect as any fairy may be, and she is
noted for her wisdom as well as for her other qualities.
Her happy subjects adore their girl Ruler and each one
considers her a comrade and protector.
At the time of which I write, Ozma's best friend and
most constant companion was a little Kansas girl named
Dorothy, a mortal who had come to the Land of Oz in a
very curious manner and had been offered a home in Ozma's
palace. Furthermore, Dorothy had been made a Princess of
Oz, and was as much at home in the royal palace as was
the gentle Ruler. She knew almost every part of the great
country and almost all of its numerous inhabitants. Next
to Ozma she was loved better than anyone in all Oz, for
Dorothy was simple and sweet, seldom became angry and had
such a friendly, chummy way that she made friends
where-ever she wandered. It was she who first brought the
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion to
the Emerald City. Dorothy had also introduced to Ozma
the Shaggy Man and the Hungry Tiger, as well as Billina
the Yellow Hen, Eureka the Pink Kitten, and many other
delightful characters and creatures. Coming as she did
from our world, Dorothy was much like many other girls we
know; so there were times when she was not so wise as she
might have been, and other times when she was obstinate
and got herself into trouble. But life in a fairy-land
had taught the little girl to accept all sorts of
surprising things as matters-of-course, for while Dorothy
was no fairy -- but just as mortal as we are -- she had
seen more wonders than most mortals ever do.
Another little girl from our outside world also lived
in Ozma's palace. This was Betsy Bobbin, whose strange
adventures had brought her to the Emerald City, where
Ozma had cordially welcomed her. Betsy was a shy little
thing and could never get used to the marvels that
surrounded her, but she and Dorothy were firm friends and
thought themselves very fortunate in being together in
this delightful country.
One day Dorothy and Betsy were visiting Ozma in the
girl Ruler's private apartment, and among the things that
especially interested them was Ozma's Magic Picture, set
in a handsome frame and hung upon the wall of the room.
This picture was a magic one because it constantly
changed its scenes and showed events and adventures
happening in all parts of the world. Thus it was really a
"moving picture" of life, and if the one who stood before
it wished to know what any absent person was doing, the
picture instantly showed that person, with his or her
surroundings.
The two girls were not wishing to see anyone in
particular, on this occasion, but merely enjoyed watching
the shifting scenes, some of which were exceedingly
curious and remarkable. Suddenly Dorothy exclaimed: "Why,
there's Button-Bright!" and this drew Ozma also to look
at the picture, for she and Dorothy knew the boy well.
"Who is Button-Bright?" asked Betsy, who had never met
him.
"Why, he's the little boy who is just getting off the
back of that strange flying creature," exclaimed Dorothy.
Then she turned to Ozma and asked: "What is that thing,
Ozma? A bird? I've never seen anything like it before."
"It is an Ork," answered Ozma, for they were watching
the scene where the Ork and the three big birds were
first landing their passengers in Jinxland after the long
flight across the desert. "I wonder," added the girl
Ruler, musingly, "why those strangers dare venture into
that unfortunate country, which is ruled by a wicked
King."
"That girl, and the one-legged man, seem to be mortals
from the outside world," said Dorothy
"The man isn't one-legged," corrected Betsy; "he has
one wooden leg."
"It's almost as bad," declared Dorothy, watching Cap'n
Bill stump around.
"They are three mortal adventurers," said Ozma, "and
they seem worthy and honest. But I fear they will be
treated badly in Jinxland, and if they meet with any
misfortune there it will reflect upon me, for Jinxland is
a part of my dominions."
"Can't we help them in any way?" inquired Dorothy.
"That seems like a nice little girl. I'd be sorry if
anything happened to her."
"Let us watch the picture for awhile," suggested Ozma,
and so they all drew chairs before the Magic Picture and
followed the adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill and
Button-Bright. Presently the scene shifted and showed
their friend the Scarecrow crossing the mountains into
Jinxland, and that somewhat relieved Ozma's anxiety, for
she knew at once that Glinda the Good had sent the
Scarecrow to protect the strangers.
The adventures in Jinxland proved very interesting to
the three girls in Ozma's palace, who during the
succeeding days spent much of their time in watching the
picture. It was like a story to them.
"That girl's a reg'lar trump!" exclaimed Dorothy,
referring to Trot, and Ozma answered:
"She's a dear little thing, and I'm sure nothing very
bad will happen to her. The old sailor is a fine
character, too, for he has never once grumbled over being
a grasshopper, as so many would have done."
When the Scarecrow was so nearly burned up the girls
all shivered a little, and they clapped their hands in
joy when the flock of Orks came and saved him.
So it was that when all the exciting adventures in
Jinxland were over and the four Orks had begun their
flight across the mountains to carry the mortals into the
Land of Oz, Ozma called the Wizard to her and asked him
to prepare a place for the strangers to sleep.
The famous Wizard of Oz was a quaint little man who
inhabited the royal palace and attended to all the
magical things that Ozma wanted done. He was not as
powerful as Glinda, to be sure, but he could do a great
many wonderful things. He proved this by placing a house
in the uninhabited part of the Quadling Country where the
Orks landed Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright, and
fitting it with all the comforts I have described in the
last chapter.
Next morning Dorothy said to Ozma:
"Oughtn't we to go meet the strangers, so we can show
them the way to the Emerald City? I'm sure that little
girl will feel shy in this beautiful land, and I know if
'twas me I'd like somebody to give me a welcome."
Ozma smiled at her little friend and answered:
"You and Betsy may go to meet them, if you wish, but I
can not leave my palace just now, as I am to have a
conference with Jack Pumpkinhead and Professor Wogglebug
on important matters. You may take the Sawhorse and the
Red Wagon, and if you start soon you will be able to meet
the Scarecrow and the strangers at Glinda's palace."
"Oh, thank you!" cried Dorothy, and went away to tell
Betsy and to make preparations for the journey.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Waterfall
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