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-
- The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Marvelous Land of Oz
-
- by L. Frank Baum
-
-
- The Marvelous
- Land of Oz
-
- Being an account of the
- further adventures of the
-
- Scarecrow
- and Tin Woodman
-
- and also the strange ex-
- periences of the highly mag-
- nified Woggle-Bug, Jack Pumpkin-
- head, the Animated Saw-Horse
- and the Gump;
- the story being
-
- A Sequel to The Wizard of Oz
-
- By
-
- L. Frank Baum
-
- Author of Father Goose-His Book; The Wizard of Oz; The Magical Monarch
- of Mo; The Enchanted Isle of Yew; The Life and Adventures of
- Santa Claus; Dot and Tot of Merryland etc. etc.
-
- PICTURED BY
-
- John R. Neil
-
- BOOKS OF WONDER
- WILLIAM MORROW & COMPANY, INC.
- NEW YORK
-
-
-
- Copyright 1904
-
- by
-
- L. Frank Baum
-
- All rights reserved
-
- Published, July, 1904
-
-
-
-
-
- Author's Note
-
- AFTER the publication of "The Wonderful Wizard of OZ" I began to receive
- letters from children, telling me of their pleasure in reading the story and
- asking me to "write something more" about the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.
- At first I considered these little letters, frank and earnest though they
- were, in the light of pretty compliments; but the letters continued to come
- during succeeding months, and even years.
-
- Finally I promised one little girl, who made a long journey to see me and
- prefer her request, -- and she is a "Dorothy," by the way -- that when a
- thousand little girls had written me a thousand little letters asking for
- the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman I would write the book, Either little
- Dorothy was a fairy in disguise, and waved her magic wand, or the success of
- the stage production of "The Wizard of OZ" made new friends for the story,
- For the thousand letters reached their destination long since -- and many
- more followed them.
-
- And now, although pleading guilty to long delay, I have kept my promise in
- this book.
-
- L. FRANK BAUM.
-
- Chicago, June, 1904
-
-
-
- To those excellent
- good fellows
- and
- comedians
- David C.
- Montgomery
- and
- Frank A. Stone
- whose clever
- personations of
- the
- Tin Woodman
- and the
- Scarecrow
- have delighted
- thousands of
- children
- throughout the land,
- this book is
- gratefully dedicated
- by
- THE AUTHOR
-
-
-
- LIST OF CHAPTERS
- PAGE
- Tip Manufactures Pumpkinhead 7
-
- The Marvelous Powder of Life 15
-
- The Flight of the Fugitives 29
-
- Tip Makes an Experiment in Magic 39
-
- The Awakening of the Saw-horse 47
-
- Jack Pumpkinhead's Ride to the Emerald City 59
-
- His Majesty the Scarecrow 71
-
- Gen. Jinjur's Army of Revolt 83
-
- The Scarecrow Plans an escape 97
-
- The Journey to the Tin Woodman 109
-
- A Nickel-Plated Emperor 121
-
- Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E. 135
-
- A Highly Magnified History 147
-
- Old Mombi indulges in Witchcraft 159
-
- The Prisoners of the Queen 169
-
- The Scarecrow Takes Time to Think 181
-
- The Astonishing Flight of the Gump 191
-
- In the Jackdaw's Nest 201
-
- Dr. Nikidik's Famous Wishing Pills 219
-
- The Scarecrow Appeals to Glenda the Good 231
-
- The Tin-Woodman Plucks a Rose 247
-
- The Transformation of Old Mombi 257
-
- Princess Ozma of Oz 265
-
- The Riches of Content 279
-
-
-
- 7 Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead
-
-
- In the Country of the Gillikins, which is at the North of the Land of Oz,
- lived a youth called Tip. There was more to his name than that, for old
- Mombi often declared that his whole name was Tippetarius; but no one was
- expected to say such a long word when "Tip" would do just as well.
-
- This boy remembered nothing of his parents, for he had been brought when
- quite young to be reared by the old woman known as Mombi, whose reputation,
- I am sorry to say, was none of the best. For the Gillikin people had reason
- to suspect her of indulging in magical arts, and therefore hesitated to
- associate with her.
-
- Mombi was not exactly a Witch, because the Good Witch who ruled that part of
- the Land of Oz
-
-
-
- 8 Line-Art Drawing
-
- had forbidden any other Witch to exist in her dominions. So Tip's guardian,
- however much she might aspire to working magic, realized it was unlawful to
- be more than a Sorceress, or at most a Wizardess.
-
- Tip was made to carry wood from the forest, that the old woman might boil
- her pot. He also worked in the corn-fields, hoeing and husking; and he fed
- the pigs and milked the four-horned cow that was Mombi's especial pride.
-
- But you must not suppose he worked all the time, for he felt that would be
- bad for him. When sent to the forest Tip often climbed trees for birds' eggs
- or amused himself chasing the fleet white rabbits or fishing in the brooks
- with bent pins. Then he would hastily gather his armful of wood and carry it
- home. And when he was supposed to be working in the corn-fields, and the
- tall stalks hid him from Mombi's view, Tip would often dig in the gopher
- holes, or if the mood seized him --
-
-
-
- 9
- lie upon his back between the rows of corn and take a nap. So, by taking
- care not to exhaust his strength, he grew as strong and rugged as a boy may
- be.
-
- Mombi's curious magic often frightened her neighbors, and they treated her
- shyly, yet respectfully, because of her weird powers. But Tip frankly hated
- her, and took no pains to hide his feelings. Indeed, he sometimes showed
- less respect for the old woman than he should have done, considering she was
- his guardian.
-
- There were pumpkins in Mombi's corn-fields, lying golden red among the rows
- of green stalks; and these had been planted and carefully tended that the
- four-horned cow might eat of them in the winter time. But one day, after the
- corn had all been cut and stacked, and Tip was carrying the pumpkins to the
- stable, he took a notion to make a "Jack Lantern" and try to give the old
- woman a fright with it.
-
- So he selected a fine, big pumpkin -- one with a lustrous, orange-red color
- -- and began carving it. With the point of his knife he made two round eyes,
- a three-cornered nose, and
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 10
- a mouth shaped like a new moon. The face, when completed, could not have
- been considered strictly beautiful; but it wore a smile so big and broad,
- and was so Jolly in expression, that even Tip laughed as he looked
- admiringly at his work.
-
- The child had no playmates, so he did not know that boys often dig out the
- inside of a "pumpkin-jack," and in the space thus made put a lighted candle
- to render the face more startling; but he conceived an idea of his own that
- promised to be quite as effective. He decided to manufacture the form of a
- man, who would wear this pumpkin head, and to stand it in a place where old
- Mombi would meet it face to face.
-
- "And then," said Tip to himself, with a laugh, "she'll squeal louder than
- the brown pig does when I pull her tail, and shiver with fright worse than I
- did last year when I had the ague!"
-
- He had plenty of time to accomplish this task, for Mombi had gone to a
- village -- to buy groceries, she said -- and it was a journey of at least
- two days.
-
- So he took his axe to the forest, and selected some stout, straight
- saplings, which he cut down and trimmed of all their twigs and leaves. From
- these he would make the arms, and legs, and feet of his man. For the body he
- stripped a sheet of thick
-
-
-
- 11
- bark from around a big tree, and with much labor fashioned it into a
- cylinder of about the right size, pinning the edges together with wooden
- pegs. Then, whistling happily as he worked, he carefully jointed the limbs
- and fastened them to the body with pegs whittled into shape with his knife.
-
- By the time this feat had been accomplished it began to grow dark, and Tip
- remembered he must milk the cow and feed the pigs. So he picked up his
- wooden man and carried it back to the house with him.
-
- During the evening, by the light of the fire in the kitchen, Tip carefully
- rounded all the edges of the joints and smoothed the rough places in a neat
- and workmanlike manner. Then he stood the figure up against the wall and
- admired it. It seemed remarkably tall, even for a full-grown man; but that
- was a good point in a small boy's eyes, and Tip did not object at all to the
- size of his creation.
-
- Next morning, when he looked at his work again, Tip saw he had forgotten to
- give the dummy a neck, by means of which he might fasten the pumpkinhead to
- the body. So he went again to the forest, which was not far away, and
- chopped from a tree several pieces of wood with which to complete his work.
- When he returned he fastened a cross-piece
-
-
-
- 12
- to the upper end of the body, making a hole through the center to hold
- upright the neck. The bit of wood which formed this neck was also sharpened
- at the upper end, and when all was ready Tip put on the pumpkin head,
- pressing it well down onto the neck, and found that it fitted very well. The
- head could be turned to one side or the other, as he pleased, and the hinges
- of the arms and legs allowed him to place the dummy in any position he
- desired.
-
- "Now, that," declared Tip, proudly, "is really a very fine man, and it
- ought to frighten several screeches out of old Mombi! But it would be much
- more lifelike if it were properly dressed."
-
- To find clothing seemed no easy task; but Tip boldly ransacked the great
- chest in which Mombi kept all her keepsakes and treasures, and at the very
- bottom he discovered some purple trousers, a red shirt and a pink vest which
- was dotted with white spots. These he carried away to his man and succeeded,
- although the garments did not fit very well, in dressing the creature in a
- jaunty fashion. Some knit stockings belonging to Mombi and a much worn pair
- of his own shoes completed the man's apparel, and Tip was so delighted that
- he danced up and down and laughed aloud in boyish ecstacy.
-
-
-
- 13
-
- "I must give him a name!" he cried. "So good a man as this must surely have
- a name. I believe," he added, after a moment's thought, "I will name the
- fellow 'Jack Pumpkinhead!'"
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 14 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 15 The Marvelous Powder of Life
-
-
- After considering the matter carefully, Tip decided that the best place to
- locate Jack would be at the bend in the road, a little way from the house.
- So he started to carry his man there, but found him heavy and rather awkward
- to handle. After dragging the creature a short distance Tip stood him on his
- feet, and by first bending the joints of one leg, and then those of the
- other, at the same time pushing from behind, the boy managed to induce Jack
- to walk to the bend in the road. It was not accomplished without a few
- tumbles, and Tip really worked harder than he ever had in the fields or
-
-
-
- 16
- forest; but a love of mischief urged him on, and it pleased him to test the
- cleverness of his workmanship.
-
- "Jack's all right, and works fine!" he said to himself, panting with the
- unusual exertion. But just then he discovered the man's left arm had fallen
- off in the journey so he went back to find it, and afterward, by whittling a
- new and stouter pin for the shoulder-joint, he repaired the injury so
- successfully that the arm was stronger than before. Tip also noticed that
- Jack's pumpkin head had twisted around until it faced his back; but this was
- easily remedied. When, at last, the man was set up facing the turn in the
- path where old Mombi was to appear, he looked natural enough to be a fair
- imitation of a Gillikin farmer, -- and unnatural enough to startle anyone
- that came on him unawares.
-
- As it was yet too early in the day to expect the old woman to return home,
- Tip went down into the valley below the farm-house and began to gather nuts
- from the trees that grew there.
-
- However, old Mombi returned earlier than usual. She had met a crooked
- wizard who resided in a lonely cave in the mountains, and had traded
- several important secrets of magic with him. Hav-
-
-
-
- 17
- ing in this way secured three new recipes, four magical powders and a
- selection of herbs of wonderful power and potency, she hobbled home as fast
- as she could, in order to test her new sorceries.
-
- So intent was Mombi on the treasures she had gained that when she turned the
- bend in the road and caught a glimpse of the man, she merely nodded and
- said:
-
- "Good evening, sir."
-
- But, a moment after, noting that the person did not move or reply, she cast
- a shrewd glance into his face and discovered his pumpkin head elaborately
- carved by Tip's jack-knife.
-
- "Heh!" ejaculated Mombi, giving a sort of grunt; "that rascally boy has
- been playing tricks again! Very good! ve -- ry good! I'll beat him black-
- and-blue for trying to scare me in this fashion!"
-
- Angrily she raised her stick to smash in the grinning pumpkin head of the
- dummy; but a sudden thought made her pause, the uplifted stick left
- motionless in the air.
-
- "Why, here is a good chance to try my new powder!" said she, eagerly. "And
- then I can tell whether that crooked wizard has fairly traded secrets, or
- whether he has fooled me as wickedly as I fooled him."
-
-
-
- 18
-
- So she set down her basket and began fumbling in it for one of the precious
- powders she had obtained.
-
- While Mombi was thus occupied Tip strolled back, with his pockets full of
- nuts, and discovered the old woman standing beside his man and apparently
- not the least bit frightened by it.
-
- At first he was generally disappointed; but the next moment he became
- curious to know what Mombi was going to do. So he hid behind a hedge, where
- he could see without being seen, and prepared to watch.
-
- After some search the woman drew from her basket an old pepper-box, upon the
- faded label of which the wizard had written with a lead-pencil:
-
- "Powder of Life."
-
- "Ah -- here it is!" she cried, joyfully. "And now let us see if it is
- potent. The stingy wizard didn't give me much of it, but I guess there's
- enough for two or three doses."
-
- Tip was much surprised when he overheard this speech. Then he saw old Mombi
- raise her arm and sprinkle the powder from the box over the pumpkin head of
- his man Jack. She did this in the same way one would pepper a baked potato,
- and the powder sifted down from Jack's head and scattered
-
-
-
- 19 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "OLD MOMBI DANCED AROUND HIM"
-
-
-
- 20
- over the red shirt and pink waistcoat and purple trousers Tip had dressed
- him in, and a portion even fell upon the patched and worn shoes.
-
- Then, putting the pepper-box back into the basket, Mombi lifted her left
- hand, with its little finger pointed upward, and said:
-
- "Weaugh!"
-
- Then she lifted her right hand, with the thumb pointed upward, and said:
-
- "Teaugh!"
-
- Then she lifted both hands, with all the fingers and thumbs spread out, and
- cried:
-
- "Peaugh!"
-
- Jack Pumpkinhead stepped back a pace, at this, and said in a reproachful
- voice:
-
- "Don't yell like that! Do you think I'm deaf?"
-
- Old Mombi danced around him, frantic with delight.
-
- "He lives!" she screamed: "He lives! he lives!"
-
- Then she threw her stick into the air and caught it as it came down; and she
- hugged herself with both arms, and tried to do a step of a jig; and all the
- time she repeated, rapturously:
-
- "He lives! -- he lives! -- he lives!"
-
- Now you may well suppose that Tip observed all this with amazement.
-
-
-
- 21
-
- At first he was so frightened and horrified that he wanted to run away, but
- his legs trembled and shook so badly that he couldn't. Then it struck him as
- a very funny thing for Jack to come to life, especially as the expression on
- his pumpkin face was so droll and comical it excited laughter on the
- instant. So, recovering from his first fear, Tip began to laugh; and the
- merry peals reached old Mombi's ears and made her hobble quickly to the
- hedge, where she seized Tip's collar and dragged him back to where she had
- left her basket and the pumpkinheaded man.
-
- "You naughty, sneaking, wicked boy!" she exclaimed, furiously:" I'll teach
- you to spy out my secrets and to make fun of me!"
-
- "I wasn't making fun of you," protested Tip. "I was laughing at old
- Pumpkinhead! Look at him! Isn't he a picture, though?"
-
- "I hope you are not reflecting on my personal appearance," said Jack; and it
- was so funny to hear his grave voice, while his face continued to wear its
- jolly smile, that Tip again burst into a peal of laughter.
-
- Even Mombi was not without a curious interest in the man her magic had
- brought to life; for, after staring at him intently, she presently asked:
-
-
-
- 22 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- OLD MOMBI PUTS JACK IN THE STABLE
-
-
-
- 23
-
- "What do you know?"
-
- "Well, that is hard to tell," replied Jack. "For although I feel that I
- know a tremendous lot, I am not yet aware how much there is in the world to
- find out about. It will take me a little time to discover whether I am very
- wise or very foolish."
-
- "To be sure," said Mombi, thoughtfully.
-
- "But what are you going to do with him, now he is alive?" asked Tip,
- wondering.
-
- "I must think it over," answered Mombi. "But we must get home at once, for
- it is growing dark. Help the Pumpkinhead to walk."
-
- "Never mind me," said Jack; "I can walk as well as you can. Haven't I got
- legs and feet, and aren't they jointed?"
-
- "Are they?" asked the woman, turning to Tip.
-
- "Of course they are; I made 'em myself," returned the boy, with pride.
-
- So they started for the house, but when they reached the farm yard old
- Mombi led the pumpkin man to the cow stable and shut him up in an empty
- stall, fastening the door securely on the outside.
-
- "I've got to attend to you, first," she said, nodding her head at Tip.
-
- Hearing this, the boy became uneasy; for he
-
-
-
- 24
- knew Mombi had a bad and revengeful heart, and would not hesitate to do any
- evil thing.
-
- They entered the house. It was a round, domeshaped structure, as are nearly
- all the farm houses in the Land of Oz.
-
- Mombi bade the boy light a candle, while she put her basket in a cupboard
- and hung her cloak on a peg. Tip obeyed quickly, for he was afraid of her.
-
- After the candle had been lighted Mombi ordered him to build a fire in the
- hearth, and while Tip was thus engaged the old woman ate her supper. When
- the flames began to crackle the boy came to her and asked a share of the
- bread and cheese; but Mombi refused him.
-
- "I'm hungry!" said Tip, in a sulky tone.
-
- "You won't be hungry long," replied Mombi, with a grim look.
-
- The boy didn't like this speech, for it sounded like a threat; but he
- happened to remember he had nuts in his pocket, so he cracked some of those
- and ate them while the woman rose, shook the crumbs from her apron, and hung
- above the fire a small black kettle.
-
- Then she measured out equal parts of milk and vinegar and poured them into
- the kettle. Next she
-
-
-
- 25
- produced several packets of herbs and powders and began adding a portion of
- each to the contents of the kettle. Occasionally she would draw near the
- candle and read from a yellow paper the recipe of the mess she was
- concocting.
-
- As Tip watched her his uneasiness increased.
-
- "What is that for?" he asked.
-
- "For you," returned Mombi, briefly.
-
- Tip wriggled around upon his stool and stared awhile at the kettle, which
- was beginning to bubble. Then he would glance at the stern and wrinkled
- features of the witch and wish he were any place but in that dim and smoky
- kitchen, where even the shadows cast by the candle upon the wall were enough
- to give one the horrors. So an hour passed away, during which the silence
- was only broken by the bubbling of the pot and the hissing of the flames.
-
- Finally, Tip spoke again.
-
- "Have I got to drink that stuff?" he asked, nodding toward the pot.
-
- "Yes," said Mombi.
-
- "What'll it do to me?" asked Tip.
-
- "If it's properly made," replied Mombi, "it will change or transform you
- into a marble statue."
-
- Tip groaned, and wiped the perspiration from his forehead with his sleeve.
-
-
-
- 26
-
- "I don't want to be a marble statue!" he protested.
-
- "That doesn't matter I want you to be one," said the old woman, looking at
- him severely.
-
- "What use'll I be then?" asked Tip. "There won't be any one to work for
- you."
-
- "I'll make the Pumpkinhead work for me," said Mombi.
-
- Again Tip groaned.
-
- "Why don't you change me into a goat, or a chicken?" he asked, anxiously.
- "You can't do anything with a marble statue."
-
- "Oh, yes, I can," returned Mombi. "I'm going to plant a flower garden, next
- Spring, and I'll put you in the middle of it, for an ornament. I wonder I
- haven't thought of that before; you've been a bother to me for years."
-
- At this terrible speech Tip felt the beads of perspiration starting all
- over his body. but he sat still and shivered and looked anxiously at the
- kettle.
-
- "Perhaps it won't work," he mutttered, in a voice that sounded weak and
- discouraged.
-
- "Oh, I think it will," answered Mombi, cheerfully. "I seldom make a
- mistake."
-
- Again there was a period of silence a silence so long and gloomy that when
- Mombi finally lifted the kettle from the fire it was close to midnight.
-
-
-
- 27 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "I DON'T WANT TO BE A MARBLE STATUE."
-
-
-
- 28
-
- "You cannot drink it until it has become quite cold," announced the old
- witch for in spite of the law she had acknowledged practising witchcraft.
- "We must both go to bed now, and at daybreak I will call you and at once
- complete your transformation into a marble statue."
-
- With this she hobbled into her room, bearing the steaming kettle with her,
- and Tip heard her close and lock the door.
-
- The boy did not go to bed, as he had been commanded to do, but still sat
- glaring at the embers of the dying fire.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 29 The Flight of the Fugitives
-
-
- Tip reflected.
-
- "It's a hard thing, to be a marble statue," he thought, rebelliously, "and
- I'm not going to stand it. For years I've been a bother to her, she says; so
- she's going to get rid of me. Well, there's an easier way than to become a
- statue. No boy could have any fun forever standing in the middle of a flower
- garden! I'll run away, that's what I'll do -- and I may as well go before
- she makes me drink that nasty stuff in the kettle." He waited until the
- snores of the old witch announced she was fast asleep, and then he arose
- softly and went to the cupboard to find something to eat.
-
-
-
- 30
-
- "No use starting on a journey without food," he decided, searching upon the
- narrow shelves.
-
- He found some crusts of bread; but he had to look into Mombi's basket to
- find the cheese she had brought from the village. While turning over the
- contents of the basket he came upon the pepper-box which contained the
- "Powder of Life."
-
- "I may as well take this with me," he thought, "or Mombi'll be using it to
- make more mischief with." So he put the box in his pocket, together with the
- bread and cheese.
-
- Then he cautiously left the house and latched the door behind him. Outside
- both moon and stars shone brightly, and the night seemed peaceful and
- inviting after the close and ill-smelling kitchen.
-
- "I'll be glad to get away," said Tip, softly; "for I never did like that old
- woman. I wonder how I ever came to live with her."
-
- He was walking slowly toward the road when a thought made him pause.
-
- "I don't like to leave Jack Pumpkinhead to the tender mercies of old Mombi,"
- he muttered. "And Jack belongs to me, for I made him even if the old witch
- did bring him to life."
-
- He retraced his steps to the cow-stable and opened the door of the stall
- where the pumpkin-
-
-
-
- 31 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "TIP LED HIM ALONG THE PATH."
-
-
-
- 32
- headed man had been left.
-
- Jack was standing in the middle of the stall, and by the moonlight Tip could
- see he was smiling just as jovially as ever.
-
- "Come on!" said the boy, beckoning."
-
- "Where to?" asked Jack.
-
- "You'll know as soon as I do," answered Tip, smiling sympathetically into
- the pumpkin face.
-
- "All we've got to do now is to tramp."
-
- "Very well," returned Jack, and walked awkwardly out of the stable and into
- the moonlight.
-
- Tip turned toward the road and the man followed him. Jack walked with a sort
- of limp, and occasionally one of the joints of his legs would turn backward,
- instead of frontwise, almost causing him to tumble. But the Pumpkinhead was
- quick to notice this, and began to take more pains to step carefully; so
- that he met with few accidents.
-
- Tip led him along the path without stopping an instant. They could not go
- very fast, but they walked steadily; and by the time the moon sank away and
- the sun peeped over the hills they had travelled so great a distance that
- the boy had no reason to fear pursuit from the old witch. Moreover, he had
- turned first into one path, and then into another, so that should anyone
- follow them it
-
-
-
- 33
- would prove very difficult to guess which way they had gone, or where to
- seek them.
-
- Fairly satisfied that he had escaped -- for a time, at least -- being turned
- into a marble statue, the boy stopped his companion and seated himself upon
- a rock by the roadside.
-
- "Let's have some breakfast," he said.
-
- Jack Pumpkinhead watched Tip curiously, but refused to join in the repast.
- "I don't seem to be made the same way you are," he said.
-
- "I know you are not," returned Tip; "for I made you."
-
- "Oh! Did you?" asked Jack.
-
- "Certainly. And put you together. And carved your eyes and nose and ears and
-
- Line-Art Drawing along the right side of the page
-
-
-
- 34
- mouth," said Tip proudly. "And dressed you."
-
- Jack looked at his body and limbs critically.
-
- "It strikes me you made a very good job of it," he remarked.
-
- "Just so-so," replied Tip, modestly; for he began to see certain defects in
- the construction of his man. "If I'd known we were going to travel together
- I might have been a little more particular."
-
- "Why, then," said the Pumpkinhead, in a tone that expressed surprise, "you
- must be my creator my parent my father!"
-
- "Or your inventor," replied the boy with a laugh. "Yes, my son; I really
- believe I am!"
-
- "Then I owe you obedience," continued the man, "and you owe me -- support."
-
- "That's it, exactly", declared Tip, jumping up. "So let us be off."
-
- "Where are we going?" asked Jack, when they had resumed their journey.
-
- "I'm not exactly sure," said the boy; "but I believe we are headed South,
- and that will bring us, sooner or later, to the Emerald City."
-
- "What city is that?" enquired the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Why, it's the center of the Land of Oz, and the biggest town in all the
- country. I've never been there, myself, but I've heard all about its
-
-
-
- 35
- history. It was built by a mighty and wonderful Wizard named Oz, and
- everything there is of a green color -- just as everything in this Country
- of the Gillikins is of a purple color."
-
- "Is everything here purple?" asked Jack.
-
- "Of course it is. Can't you see?" returned the boy.
-
- "I believe I must be color-blind," said the Pumpkinhead, after staring about
- him.
-
- "Well, the grass is purple, and the trees are purple, and the houses and
- fences are purple," explained Tip. "Even the mud in the roads is purple. But
- in the Emerald City everything is green that is purple here. And in the
- Country of the Munchkins, over at the East, everything is blue; and in the
- South country of the Quadlings everything is red; and in the West country of
- the Winkies, where the Tin Woodman rules, everything is yellow."
-
- "Oh!" said Jack. Then, after a pause, he asked: "Did you say a Tin Woodman
- rules the Winkies?"
-
- "Yes; he was one of those who helped Dorothy to destroy the Wicked Witch of
- the West, and the Winkies were so grateful that they invited him to become
- their ruler, -- just as the people of the Emerald City invited the Scarecrow
- to rule them."
-
- "Dear me!" said Jack. "I'm getting confused with all this history. Who is
- the Scarecrow?"
-
-
-
- 36
-
- "Another friend of Dorothy's," replied Tip.
-
- "And who is Dorothy?"
-
- "She was a girl that came here from Kansas, a place in the big, outside
- World. She got blown to the Land of Oz by a cyclone, and while she was here
- the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman accompanied her on her travels."
-
- "And where is she now?" inquired the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Glinda the Good, who rules the Quadlings, sent her home again," said the
- boy.
-
- "Oh. And what became of the Scarecrow?"
-
- "I told you. He rules the Emerald City," answered Tip.
-
- "I thought you said it was ruled by a wonderful Wizard," objected Jack,
- seeming more and more confused.
-
- "Well, so I did. Now, pay attention, and I'll explain it," said Tip,
- speaking slowly and looking the smiling Pumpkinhead squarely in the eye.
- "Dorothy went to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard to send her back to
- Kansas; and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman went with her. But the Wizard
- couldn't send her back, because he wasn't so much of a Wizard as he might
- have been. And then they got angry at the Wizard, and threat-
-
-
-
- 37
- ened to expose him; so the Wizard made a big balloon and escaped in it, and
- no one has ever seen him since."
-
- "Now, that is very interesting history," said Jack, well pleased; "and I
- understand it perfectly all but the explanation."
-
- "I'm glad you do," responded Tip. "After the Wizard was gone, the people of
- the Emerald City made His Majesty, the Scarecrow, their King; "and I have
- heard that he became a very popular ruler."
-
- "Are we going to see this queer King?" asked Jack, with interest.
-
- "I think we may as well," replied the boy; "unless you have something better
- to do."
-
- "Oh, no, dear father," said the Pumpkinhead. "I am quite willing to go
- wherever you please."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 38 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 39 Tip Makes an Experiment in Magic
-
-
- The boy, small and rather delicate in appearance seemed somewhat embarrassed
- at being called "father" by the tall, awkward, pumpkinheaded man, but to
- deny the relationship would involve another long and tedious explanation; so
- he changed the subject by asking, abruptly:
-
- "Are you tired?"
-
- "Of course not!" replied the other. "But," he continued, after a pause, "it
- is quite certain I shall wear out my wooden joints if I keep on walking."
-
- Tip reflected, as they journeyed on, that this was true. He began to regret
- that he had not constructed the wooden limbs more carefully and
- substantially. Yet how could he ever have guessed
-
-
-
- 40
- that the man he had made merely to scare old Mombi with would be brought to
- life by means of a magical powder contained in an old pepper-box?
-
- So he ceased to reproach himself, and began to think how he might yet remedy
- the deficiencies of Jack's weak joints.
-
- While thus engaged they came to the edge of a wood, and the boy sat down to
- rest upon an old sawhorse that some woodcutter had left there.
-
- "Why don't you sit down?" he asked the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Won't it strain my joints?" inquired the other.
-
- "Of course not. It'll rest them," declared the boy.
-
- So Jack tried to sit down; but as soon as he bent his joints farther than
- usual they gave way altogether, and he came clattering to the ground with
- such a crash that Tip feared he was entirely ruined.
-
- Line-Art Drawing along right side of this page
-
-
-
- 41
-
- He rushed to the man, lifted him to his feet, straightened his arms and
- legs, and felt of his head to see if by chance it had become cracked. But
- Jack seemed to be in pretty good shape, after all, and Tip said to him:
-
- "I guess you'd better remain standing, hereafter. It seems the safest way."
-
- "Very well, dear father." just as you say, replied the smiling Jack, who had
- been in no wise confused by his tumble.
-
- Tip sat down again. Presently the Pumpkinhead asked:
-
- "What is that thing you are sitting on?"
-
- "Oh, this is a horse," replied the boy, carelessly.
-
- "What is a horse?" demanded Jack.
-
- "A horse? Why, there are two kinds of horses," returned Tip, slightly
- puzzled how to explain. "One kind of horse is alive, and has four legs and a
- head and a tail. And people ride upon its back."
-
- "I understand," said Jack, cheerfully "That's the kind of horse you are now
- sitting on."
-
- "No, it isn't," answered Tip, promptly.
-
- "Why not? That one has four legs, and a head, and a tail." Tip looked at the
- saw-horse more carefully, and found that the Pumpkinhead was right. The body
-
-
-
- 42
- had been formed from a tree-trunk, and a branch had been left sticking up at
- one end that looked very much like a tail. In the other end were two big
- knots that resembled eyes, and a place had been chopped away that might
- easily be mistaken for the horse's mouth. As for the legs, they were four
- straight limbs cut from trees and stuck fast into the body, being spread
- wide apart so that the saw-horse would stand firmly when a log was laid
- across it to be sawed.
-
- "This thing resembles a real horse more than I imagined," said Tip, trying
- to explain. "But a real horse is alive, and trots and prances and eats oats,
- while this is nothing more than a dead horse, made of wood, and used to saw
- logs upon."
-
- "If it were alive, wouldn't it trot, and prance, and eat oats?" inquired the
- Pumpkinhead.
-
- "It would trot and prance, perhaps; but it wouldn't eat oats," replied the
- boy, laughing at the idea." And of course it can't ever be alive, because it
- is made of wood."
-
- "So am I," answered the man.
-
- Tip looked at him in surprise.
-
- "Why, so you are!" he exclaimed. "And the magic powder that brought you to
- life is here in my pocket."
-
-
-
- 43 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- THE MAGICAL POWDER OF LIFE
-
-
-
- 44
-
- He brought out the pepper box, and eyed it curiously.
-
- "I wonder," said he, musingly, "if it would bring the saw-horse to life."
-
- "If it would," returned Jack, calmly for nothing seemed to surprise him" I
- could ride on its back, and that would save my joints from wearing out."
-
- "I'll try it!" cried the boy, jumping up. "But I wonder if I can remember
- the words old Mombi said, and the way she held her hands up."
-
- He thought it over for a minute, and as he had watched carefully from the
- hedge every motion of the old witch, and listened to her words, he believed
- he could repeat exactly what she had said and done.
-
- So he began by sprinkling some of the magic Powder of Life from the pepper-
- box upon the body of the saw-horse. Then he lifted his left hand, with the
- little finger pointing upward, and said: "Weaugh!"
-
- "What does that mean, dear father?" asked Jack, curiously.
-
- "I don't know," answered Tip. Then he lifted his right hand, with the thumb
- pointing upward and said: "Teaugh!"
-
- "What's that, dear father?" inquired Jack.
-
-
-
- 45
-
- "It means you must keep quiet!" replied the boy, provoked at being
- interrupted at so important a moment.
-
- "How fast I am learning!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, with his eternal smile.
-
- Tip now lifted both hands above his head, with all the fingers and thumbs
- spread out, and cried in a loud voice: "Peaugh!"
-
- Immediately the saw-horse moved, stretched its legs, yawned with its
- chopped-out mouth, and shook a few grains of the powder off its back. The
- rest of the powder seemed to have vanished into the body of the horse.
-
- "Good!" called Jack, while the boy looked on in astonishment. "You are a
- very clever sorcerer, dear father!"
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 46 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 47 The Awakening of the Saw-horse
-
-
- The Saw-Horse, finding himself alive, seemed even more astonished than Tip.
- He rolled his knotty eyes from side to side, taking a first wondering view
- of the world in which he had now so important an existence. Then he tried to
- look at himself; but he had, indeed, no neck to turn; so that in the
- endeavor to see his body he kept circling around and around, without
- catching even a glimpse of it. His legs were stiff and awkward, for there
- were no knee-joints in them; so that presently he bumped against Jack
- Pumpkinhead and sent that personage tumbling upon the moss that lined the
- roadside.
-
-
-
- 48
-
- Tip became alarmed at this accident, as well as at the persistence of the
- Saw-Horse in prancing around in a circle; so he called out:
-
- "Whoa! Whoa, there!"
-
- The Saw-Horse paid no attention whatever to this command, and the next
- instant brought one of his wooden legs down upon Tip's foot so forcibly that
- the boy danced away in pain to a safer distance, from where he again yelled:
-
- "Whoa! Whoa, I say!"
-
- Jack had now managed to raise himself to a sitting position, and he looked
- at the Saw-Horse with much interest.
-
- "I don't believe the animal can hear you," he remarked.
-
- "I shout loud enough, don't I?" answered Tip, angrily.
-
- "Yes; but the horse has no ears," said the smiling Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Sure enough!" exclaimed Tip, noting the fact for the first time. "How,
- then, am I going to stop him?"
-
- But at that instant the Saw-Horse stopped himself, having concluded it was
- impossible to see his own body. He saw Tip, however, and came close to the
- boy to observe him more fully.
-
-
-
- 49
-
- It was really comical to see the creature walk; for it moved the legs on its
- right side together, and those on its left side together, as a pacing horse
- does; and that made its body rock sidewise, like a cradle.
-
- Tip patted it upon the head, and said "Good boy! Good Boy!" in a coaxing
- tone; and the Saw-Horse pranced away to examine with its bulging eyes the
- form of Jack Pumpkinhead.
-
- "I must find a halter for him," said Tip; and having made a search in his
- pocket he produced a roll of strong cord. Unwinding this, he approached the
- Saw-Horse and tied the cord around its neck, afterward fastening the other
- end to a large tree. The Saw-Horse, not understanding the action, stepped
- backward and snapped the string easily; but it made no attempt to run away.
-
- "He's stronger than I thought," said the boy, "and rather obstinate, too."
-
- "Why don't you make him some ears?" asked Jack. "Then you can tell him what
- to do."
-
- "That's a splendid idea!" said Tip. "How did you happen to think of it?"
-
- "Why, I didn't think of it," answered the Pumpkinhead; "I didn't need to,
- for it's the simplest and easiest thing to do."
-
-
-
- 50
-
- So Tip got out his knife and fashioned some ears out of the bark of a small
- tree.
-
- "I mustn't make them too big," he said, as he whittled, "or our horse would
- become a donkey."
-
- "How is that?" inquired Jack, from the roadside.
-
- "Why, a horse has bigger ears than a man; and a donkey has bigger ears than
- a horse," explained Tip.
-
- "Then, if my ears were longer, would I be a horse?" asked Jack.
-
- "My friend," said Tip, gravely, "you'll never be anything but a Pumpkinhead,
- no matter how big your ears are."
-
- "Oh," returned Jack, nodding; "I think I understand."
-
- "If you do, you're a wonder," remarked the boy "but there's no harm in
- thinking you understand. I guess these ears are ready now. Will you hold the
- horse while I stick them on?"
-
- "Certainly, if you'll help me up," said Jack.
-
- So Tip raised him to his feet, and the Pumpkinhead went to the horse and
- held its head while the boy bored two holes in it with his knife-blade and
- inserted the ears.
-
- "They make him look very handsome," said Jack, admiringly.
-
-
-
- 51
-
- But those words, spoken close to the Saw-Horse, and being the first sounds
- he had ever heard, so startled the animal that he made a bound forward and
- tumbled Tip on one side and Jack on the other. Then he continued to rush
- forward as if frightened by the clatter of his own foot-steps.
-
- "Whoa!" shouted Tip, picking himself up; "whoa! you idiot whoa!" The Saw-
- Horse would probably have paid no attention to this, but just then it
- stepped a leg into a gopher-hole and stumbled head-over-heels to the ground,
- where it lay upon its back, frantically waving its four legs in the air.
-
- Tip ran up to it.
-
- "You're a nice sort of a horse, I must say!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you
- stop when I yelled 'whoa?'"
-
- "Does 'whoa' mean to stop?" asked the Saw-Horse, in a surprised voice, as it
- rolled its eyes upward to look at the boy.
-
- "Of course it does," answered Tip.
-
- "And a hole in the ground means to stop, also, doesn't it?" continued the
- horse.
-
- "To be sure; unless you step over it," said Tip.
-
- "What a strange place this is," the creature exclaimed, as if amazed. "What
- am I doing here, anyway?"
-
-
-
- 52 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "DO KEEP THOSE LEGS STILL."
-
-
-
- 53
-
- "Why, I've brought you to life," answered the boy "but it won't hurt you
- any, if you mind me and do as I tell you."
-
- "Then I will do as you tell me," replied the Saw-Horse, humbly. "But what
- happened to me, a moment ago? I don't seem to be just right, someway."
-
- "You're upside down," explained Tip. "But just keep those legs still a
- minute and I'll set you right side up again."
-
- "How many sides have I?" asked the creature, wonderingly.
-
- "Several," said Tip, briefly. "But do keep those legs still."
-
- The Saw-Horse now became quiet, and held its legs rigid; so that Tip, after
- several efforts, was able to roll him over and set him upright.
-
- "Ah, I seem all right now," said the queer animal, with a sigh.
-
- "One of your ears is broken," Tip announced, after a careful examination.
- "I'll have to make a new one."
-
- Then he led the Saw-Horse back to where Jack was vainly struggling to regain
- his feet, and after assisting the Pumpkinhead to stand upright Tip whittled
- out a new ear and fastened it to the horse's head.
-
-
-
- 54
-
- "Now," said he, addressing his steed, "pay attention to what I'm going to
- tell you. 'Whoa!' means to stop; 'Get-Up!' means to walk forward; 'Trot!'
- means to go as fast as you can. Understand?"
-
- "I believe I do," returned the horse.
-
- "Very good. We are all going on a journey to the Emerald City, to see His
- Majesty, the Scarecrow; and Jack Pumpkinhead is going to ride on your back,
- so he won't wear out his joints."
-
- "I don't mind," said the Saw-Horse. "Anything that suits you suits me."
-
- Then Tip assisted Jack to get upon the horse.
-
- "Hold on tight," he cautioned, "or you may fall off and crack your pumpkin
- head."
-
- "That would be horrible!" said Jack, with a shudder. "What shall I hold on
- to?"
-
- "Why, hold on to his ears," replied Tip, after a moment's hesitation.
-
- "Don't do that!" remonstrated the Saw-Horse; "for then I can't hear."
-
- That seemed reasonable, so Tip tried to think of something else.
-
- "I'll fix it!" said he, at length. He went into the wood and cut a short
- length of limb from a young, stout tree. One end of this he sharpened to a
- point, and then he dug a hole in the back of
-
-
-
- 55 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "DOES IT HURT?" ASKED THE BOY
-
-
-
- 56
- the Saw-Horse, just behind its head. Next he brought a piece of rock from
- the road and hammered the post firmly into the animal's back.
-
- "Stop! Stop!" shouted the horse; "you're jarring me terribly."
-
- "Does it hurt?" asked the boy.
-
- "Not exactly hurt," answered the animal; "but it makes me quite nervous to
- be jarred."
-
- "Well, it's all over now" said Tip, encouragingly. "Now, Jack, be sure to
- hold fast to this post and then you can't fall off and get smashed."
-
- So Jack held on tight, and Tip said to the horse:
-
- "Get up."
-
- The obedient creature at once walked forward, rocking from side to side as
- he raised his feet from the ground.
-
- Tip walked beside the Saw-Horse, quite content with this addition to their
- party. Presently he began to whistle.
-
- "What does that sound mean?" asked the horse.
-
- "Don't pay any attention to it," said Tip. "I'm just whistling, and that
- only means I'm pretty well satisfied."
-
- "I'd whistle myself, if I could push my lips together," remarked Jack. "I
- fear, dear father, that in some respects I am sadly lacking."
-
-
-
- 57
-
- After journeying on for some distance the narrow path they were following
- turned into a broad roadway, paved with yellow brick. By the side of the
- road Tip noticed a sign-post that read:
-
- "NINE MILES TO THE EMERALD CITY."
-
-
- But it was now growing dark, so he decided to camp for the night by the
- roadside and to resume the journey next morning by daybreak. He led the Saw-
- Horse to a grassy mound upon which grew several bushy trees, and carefully
- assisted the Pumpkinhead to alight.
-
- "I think I'll lay you upon the ground, overnight," said the boy. "You will
- be safer that way."
-
- "How about me?" asked the Saw-Horse.
-
- "It won't hurt you to stand," replied Tip; "and, as you can't sleep, you may
- as well watch out and see that no one comes near to disturb us."
-
- Then the boy stretched himself upon the grass beside the Pumpkinhead, and
- being greatly wearied by the journey was soon fast asleep.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 58 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 59 Jack Pumpkinhead's Ride to the Emerald City
-
-
- At daybreak Tip was awakened by the Pumpkinhead. He rubbed the sleep from
- his eyes, bathed in a little brook, and then ate a portion of his bread and
- cheese. Having thus prepared for a new day the boy said:
-
- "Let us start at once. Nine miles is quite a distance, but we ought to reach
- the Emerald City by noon if no accidents happen." So the Pumpkinhead was
- again perched upon the back of the Saw-Horse and the journey was resumed.
-
- Tip noticed that the purple tint of the grass and trees had now faded to a
- dull lavender, and before long this lavender appeared to take on a greenish
- tinge that gradually brightened as they drew nearer to the great City where
- the Scarecrow ruled.
-
-
-
- 60
-
- The little party had traveled but a short two miles upon their way when the
- road of yellow brick was parted by a broad and swift river. Tip was puzzled
- how to cross over; but after a time he discovered a man in a ferry-boat
- approaching from the other side of the stream.
-
- When the man reached the bank Tip asked:
-
- "Will you row us to the other side?"
-
- "Yes, if you have money," returned the ferryman, whose face looked cross and
- disagreeable.
-
- "But I have no money," said Tip.
-
- "None at all?" inquired the man.
-
- "None at all," answered the boy.
-
- "Then I'll not break my back rowing you over," said the ferryman, decidedly.
-
- "What a nice man!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, smilingly.
-
- The ferryman stared at him, but made no reply. Tip was trying to think, for
- it was a great disappointment to him to find his journey so suddenly brought
- to an end.
-
- "I must certainly get to the Emerald City," he said to the boatman; "but how
- can I cross the river if you do not take me?"
-
- The man laughed, and it was not a nice laugh.
-
- "That wooden horse will float," said he; "and
-
-
-
- 61 Line-Art Drawing
-
- you can ride him across. As for the pumpkinheaded loon who accompanies you,
- let him sink or swim it won't matter greatly which."
-
- "Don't worry about me," said Jack, smiling pleasantly upon the crabbed
- ferryman; "I'm sure I ought to float beautifully."
-
- Tip thought the experiment was worth making, and the Saw-Horse, who did not
- know what danger meant, offered no objections whatever. So the boy led it
- down into the water and climbed upon its back. Jack also waded in up to his
- knees and
-
-
-
- 62
- grasped the tail of the horse so that he might keep his pumpkin head above
- the water.
-
- "Now," said Tip, instructing the Saw-Horse, "if you wiggle your legs you
- will probably swim; and if you swim we shall probably reach the other side."
-
- The Saw-Horse at once began to wiggle its legs, which acted as oars and
- moved the adventurers slowly across the river to the opposite side. So
- successful was the trip that presently they were climbing, wet and dripping,
- up the grassy bank.
-
- Tip's trouser-legs and shoes were thoroughly soaked; but the Saw-Horse had
- floated so perfectly that from his knees up the boy was entirely dry. As for
- the Pumpkinhead, every stitch of his gorgeous clothing dripped water.
-
- "The sun will soon dry us," said Tip "and, anyhow, we are now safely across,
- in spite of the ferryman, and can continue our journey.
-
- "I didn't mind swimming, at all," remarked the horse.
-
- "Nor did I," added Jack.
-
- They soon regained the road of yellow brick, which proved to be a
- continuation of the road they had left on the other side, and then Tip once
- more mounted the Pumpkinhead upon the back of the Saw-Horse.
-
-
-
- 63
-
- "If you ride fast," said he, "the wind will help to dry your clothing. I
- will hold on to the horse's tail and run after you. In this way we all will
- become dry in a very short time."
-
- "Then the horse must step lively," said Jack.
-
- "I'll do my best," returned the Saw-Horse, cheerfully.
-
- Tip grasped the end of the branch that served as tail to the Saw-Horse, and
- called loudly: "Get-up!"
-
- The horse started at a good pace, and Tip followed behind. Then he decided
- they could go faster, so he shouted: "Trot!"
-
- Now, the Saw-Horse remembered that this word was the command to go as fast
- as he could; so he began rocking along the road at a tremendous pace,
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 64
- and Tip had hard work -- running faster than he ever had before in his life
- -- to keep his feet.
-
- Soon he was out of breath, and although he wanted to call "Whoa!" to the
- horse, he found he could not get the word out of his throat. Then the end of
- the tail he was clutching, being nothing more than a dead branch, suddenly
- broke away, and the next minute the boy was rolling in the dust of the road,
- while the horse and its pumpkin-headed rider dashed on and quickly
- disappeared in the distance.
-
- By the time Tip had picked himself up and cleared the dust from his throat
- so he could say "Whoa!" there was no further need of saying it, for the
- horse was long since out of sight.
-
- So he did the only sensible thing he could do. He sat down and took a good
- rest, and afterward began walking along the road.
-
- "Some time I will surely overtake them," he reflected; "for the road will
- end at the gates of the Emerald City, and they can go no further than that."
-
- Meantime Jack was holding fast to the post and the Saw-Horse was tearing
- along the road like a racer. Neither of them knew Tip was left behind, for
- the Pumpkinhead did not look around and the Saw-Horse couldn't.
-
- As he rode, Jack noticed that the grass and trees
-
-
-
- 65
- had become a bright emerald-green in color, so he guessed they were nearing
- the Emerald City even before the tall spires and domes came into sight.
-
- At length a high wall of green stone, studded thick with emeralds, loomed up
- before them; and fearing the Saw-Horse would not know enough to stop and so
- might smash them both against this wall, Jack ventured to cry "Whoa!" as
- loud as he could.
-
- So suddenly did the horse obey that had it not been for his post Jack would
- have been pitched off head foremost, and his beautiful face ruined.
-
- "That was a fast ride, dear father!" he exclaimed; and then, hearing no
- reply, he turned around and discovered for the first time that Tip was not
- there.
-
- This apparent desertion puzzled the Pumpkinhead, and made him uneasy. And
- while he was wondering what had become of the boy, and what he ought to do
- next under such trying circumstances, the gateway in the green wall opened
- and a man came out.
-
- This man was short and round, with a fat face that seemed remarkably good-
- natured. He was clothed all in green and wore a high, peaked green hat upon
- his head and green spectacles over his eyes. Bowing before the Pumpkinhead
- he said:
-
- "I am the Guardian of the Gates of the Emerald
-
-
-
- 66
- City. May I inquire who you are, and what is your business?"
-
- "My name is Jack Pumpkinhead," returned the other, smilingly; "but as to my
- business, I haven't the least idea in the world what it is."
-
- The Guardian of the Gates looked surprised, and shook his head as if
- dissatisfied with the reply.
-
- "What are you, a man or a pumpkin?" he asked, politely.
-
- "Both, if you please," answered Jack.
-
- "And this wooden horse -- is it alive?" questioned the Guardian.
-
- The horse rolled one knotty eye upward and winked at Jack. Then it gave a
- prance and brought one leg down on the Guardian's toes.
-
- "Ouch!" cried the man; "I'm sorry I asked that question. But the answer is
- most convincing. Have you any errand, sir, in the Emerald City?"
-
- "It seems to me that I have," replied the Pumpkinhead, seriously; "but I
- cannot think what it is. My father knows all about it, but he is not here."
-
- "This is a strange affair very strange!" declared the Guardian. "But you
- seem harmless. Folks do not smile so delightfully when they mean mischief."
-
- "As for that," said Jack, "I cannot help my smile, for it is carved on my
- face with a jack-knife."
-
-
-
- 67
-
- "Well, come with me into my room," resumed the Guardian, "and I will see
- what can be done for you."
-
- So Jack rode the Saw-Horse through the gateway into a little room built into
- the wall. The Guardian pulled a bell-cord, and presently a very tall soldier
- -- clothed in a green uniform -- entered from the opposite door. This
- soldier carried a long green gun over his shoulder and had lovely green
- whiskers that fell quite to his knees. The Guardian at once addressed him,
- saying:
-
- "Here is a strange gentleman who doesn't know why he has come to the Emerald
- City, or what he wants. Tell me, what shall we do with him?"
-
- The Soldier with the Green Whiskers looked at Jack with much care and
- curiosity. Finally he shook his head so positively that little waves rippled
- down his whiskers, and then he said:
-
- "I must take him to His Majesty, the Scarecrow."
-
- But what will His Majesty, the Scarecrow, do with him?" asked the Guardian
- of the Gates.
-
- "That is His Majesty's business," returned the soldier. "I have troubles
- enough of my own. All outside troubles must be turned over to His Majesty.
- So put the spectacles on this fellow, and I'll take him to the royal
- palace."
-
-
-
- 68
-
- So the Guardian opened a big box of spectacles and tried to fit a pair to
- Jack's great round eyes.
-
- "I haven't a pair in stock that will really cover those eyes up," said the
- little man, with a sigh; "and your head is so big that I shall be obliged to
- tie the spectacles on."
-
- "But why need I wear spectacles?" asked Jack.
-
- "It's the fashion here," said the Soldier, "and they will keep you from
- being blinded by the glitter and glare of the gorgeous Emerald City."
-
- "Oh!" exclaimed Jack. "Tie them on, by all means. I don't wish to be
- blinded."
-
- "Nor I!" broke in the Saw-Horse; so a pair of green spectacles was quickly
- fastened over the bulging knots that served it for eyes.
-
- Then the Soldier with the Green Whiskers led them through the inner gate and
- they at once found themselves in the main street of the magnificent Emerald
- City.
-
- Sparkling green gems ornamented the fronts of the beautiful houses and the
- towers and turrets were all faced with emeralds. Even the green marble
- pavement glittered with precious stones, and it was indeed a grand and
- marvelous sight to one who beheld it for the first time.
-
- However, the Pumpkinhead and the Saw-Horse,
-
-
-
- 69
- knowing nothing of wealth and beauty, paid little attention to the wonderful
- sights they saw through their green spectacles. They calmly followed after
- the green soldier and scarcely noticed the crowds of green people who stared
- at them in surprise. When a green dog ran out and barked at them the Saw-
- Horse promptly kicked at it with its wooden leg and sent the little animal
- howling into one of the houses; but nothing more serious than this happened
- to interrupt their progress to the royal palace.
-
- The Pumpkinhead wanted to ride up the green marble steps and straight into
- the Scarecrow's presence; but the soldier would not permit that. So Jack
- dismounted, with much difficulty, and a servant led the Saw-Horse around to
- the rear while the Soldier with the Green Whiskers escorted the Pumpkinhead
- into the palace, by the front entrance.
-
- The stranger was left in a handsomely furnished waiting room while the
- soldier went to announce him. It so happened that at this hour His Majesty
- was at leisure and greatly bored for want of something to do, so he ordered
- his visitor to be shown at once into his throne room.
-
- Jack felt no fear or embarrassment at meeting the ruler of this magnificent
- city, for he was entirely ignorant of all worldly customs. But when he en-
-
-
-
- 70
- tered the room and saw for the first time His Majesty the Scarecrow seated
- upon his glittering throne, he stopped short in amazement.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 71 His Majesty the Scarecrow
-
-
- I suppose every reader of this book knows what a scarecrow is; but Jack
- Pumpkinhead, never having seen such a creation, was more surprised at
- meeting the remarkable King of the Emerald City than by any other one
- experience of his brief life.
-
- His Majesty the Scarecrow was dressed in a suit of faded blue clothes, and
- his head was merely a small sack stuffed with straw, upon which eyes, ears,
- a nose and a mouth had been rudely painted to represent a face. The clothes
- were also stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly or carelessly that his
- Majesty's legs and arms seemed more bumpy than was necessary. Upon his hands
- were gloves with long fingers, and these were padded with cotton. Wisps of
- straw stuck out from the monarch's
-
-
-
- 72
- coat and also from his neck and boot-tops. Upon his head he wore a heavy
- golden crown set thick with sparkling jewels, and the weight of this crown
- caused his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving a thoughtful expression to the
- painted face. Indeed, the crown alone betokened majesty; in all else the,
- Scarecrow King was but a simple scarecrow -- flimsy, awkward, and
- unsubstantial.
-
- But if the strange appearance of his Majesty the Scarecrow seemed startling
- to Jack, no less wonderful was the form of the Pumpkinhead to the Scarecrow.
- The purple trousers and pink waistcoat and red shirt hung loosely over the
- wooden joints Tip had manufactured, and the carved face on the pumpkin
- grinned perpetually, as if its wearer considered life the jolliest thing
- imaginable.
-
- At first, indeed, His Majesty thought his queer visitor was laughing at him,
- and was inclined to resent such a liberty; but it was not without reason
- that the Scarecrow had attained the reputation of being the wisest personage
- in the Land of Oz. He made a more careful examination of his visitor, and
- soon discovered that Jack's features were carved into a smile and that he
- could not look grave if he wished to.
-
- The King was the first to speak. After regarding
-
-
-
- 73 Line-Art Drawing
-
- Jack for some minutes he said, in a tone of wonder:
-
- "Where on earth did you come from, and how do you happen to be alive?"
-
- "I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned the Pumpkinhead; "but I do not
- understand you."
-
-
-
- 74
-
- "What don't you understand?" asked the Scarecrow.
-
- "Why, I don't understand your language. You see, I came from the Country of
- the Gillikins, so that I am a foreigner."
-
- "Ah, to be sure!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "I myself speak the language of
- the Munchkins, which is also the language of the Emerald City. But you, I
- suppose, speak the language of the Pumpkinheads?"
-
- "Exactly so, your Majesty" replied the other, bowing; "so it will be
- impossible for us to understand one another."
-
- "That is unfortunate, certainly," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "We must
- have an interpreter."
-
- "What is an interpreter?" asked Jack.
-
- "A person who understands both my language and your own. When I say
- anything, the interpreter can tell you what I mean; and when you say
- anything the interpreter can tell me what you mean. For the interpreter can
- speak both languages as well as understand them."
-
- "That is certainly clever," said Jack, greatly pleased at finding so simple
- a way out of the difficulty.
-
- So the Scarecrow commanded the Soldier with the Green Whiskers to search
- among his people
-
-
-
- 75
- until he found one who understood the language of the Gillikins as well as
- the language of the Emerald City, and to bring that person to him at once.
-
- When the Soldier had departed the Scarecrow said:
-
- "Won't you take a chair while we are waiting?"
-
- "Your Majesty forgets that I cannot understand you," replied the
- Pumpkinhead. "If you wish me to sit down you must make a sign for me to do
- so." The Scarecrow came down from his throne and rolled an armchair to a
- position behind the Pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden push that sent
- him sprawling upon the cushions in so awkward a fashion that he doubled up
- like a jackknife, and had hard work to untangle himself.
-
- "Did you understand that sign?" asked His Majesty, politely.
-
- "Perfectly," declared Jack, reaching up his arms to turn his head to the
- front, the pumpkin having twisted around upon the stick that supported it.
-
- "You seem hastily made," remarked the Scarecrow, watching Jack's efforts to
- straighten himself.
-
- "Not more so than your Majesty," was the frank reply.
-
- "There is this difference between us," said the Scarecrow, "that whereas I
- will bend, but not break, you will break, but not bend."
-
-
-
- 76 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "HE GAVE JACK A SUDDEN PUSH"
-
-
-
- 77
-
- At this moment the soldier returned leading a young girl by the hand. She
- seemed very sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful green eyes
- and hair. A dainty green silk skirt reached to her knees, showing silk
- stockings embroidered with pea-pods, and green satin slippers with bunches
- of lettuce for decorations instead of bows or buckles. Upon her silken waist
- clover leaves were embroidered, and she wore a jaunty little jacket trimmed
- with sparkling emeralds of a uniform size.
-
- "Why, it's little Jellia Jamb!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, as the green maiden
- bowed her pretty head before him. "Do you understand the language of the
- Gillikins, my dear?"
-
- "Yes, your Majesty, she answered, "for I was born in the North Country."
-
- "Then you shall be our interpreter," said the Scarecrow, "and explain to
- this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to me all that he says. Is
- this arrangement satisfactory?" he asked, turning toward his guest.
-
- "Very satisfactory indeed," was the reply.
-
- "Then ask him, to begin with," resumed the Scarecrow, turning to Jellia,
- "what brought him to the Emerald City"
-
- But instead of this the girl, who had been staring at Jack, said to him:
-
-
-
- 78
-
- "You are certainly a wonderful creature. Who made you?"
-
- "A boy named Tip," answered Jack.
-
- "What does he say?" inquired the Scarecrow. "My ears must have deceived me.
- What did he say?"
-
- "He says that your Majesty's brains seem to have come loose," replied the
- girl, demurely.
-
- The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt of his head with his
- left hand.
-
- "What a fine thing it is to understand two different languages," he said,
- with a perplexed sigh. "Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to being
- put in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City."
-
- "I didn't insult you!" protested Jack, indignantly.
-
- "Tut -- tut!" cautioned the Scarecrow "wait, until Jellia translates my
- speech. What have we got an interpreter for, if you break out in this rash
- way?"
-
- "All right, I'll wait," replied the Pumpkinhead, in a surly tone -- although
- his face smiled as genially as ever. "Translate the speech, young woman."
-
- "His Majesty inquires if you are hungry, said Jellia.
-
- "Oh, not at all!" answered Jack, more pleasantly, "for it is impossible for
- me to eat."
-
- "It's the same way with me," remarked the Scarecrow. "What did he say,
- Jellia, my dear?"
-
-
-
- 79
-
- "He asked if you were aware that one of your eyes is painted larger than the
- other," said the girl, mischievously.
-
- "Don't you believe her, your Majesty, cried Jack.
-
- "Oh, I don't," answered the Scarecrow, calmly. Then, casting a sharp look at
- the girl, he asked:
-
- "Are you quite certain you understand the languages of both the Gillikins
- and the Munchkins?"
-
- "Quite certain, your Majesty," said Jellia Jamb, trying hard not to laugh in
- the face of royalty.
-
- "Then how is it that I seem to understand them myself?" inquired the
- Scarecrow.
-
- "Because they are one and the same!" declared the girl, now laughing
- merrily. "Does not your Majesty know that in all the land of Oz but one
- language is spoken?"
-
- "Is it indeed so?" cried the Scarecrow, much relieved to hear this; "then I
- might easily have been my own interpreter!"
-
- "It was all my fault, your Majesty," said Jack, looking rather foolish," I
- thought we must surely speak different languages, since we came from
- different countries."
-
- "This should be a warning to you never to think," returned the Scarecrow,
- severely. "For
-
-
-
- 80
- unless one can think wisely it is better to remain a dummy -- which you most
- certainly are."
-
- "I am! -- I surely am!" agreed the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "It seems to me," continued the Scarecrow, more mildly, "that your
- manufacturer spoiled some good pies to create an indifferent man."
-
- "I assure your Majesty that I did not ask to be created," answered Jack.
-
- "Ah! It was the same in my case," said the King, pleasantly. And so, as we
- differ from all ordinary people, let us become friends."
-
- "With all my heart!" exclaimed Jack.
-
- "What! Have you a heart?" asked the Scarecrow, surprised.
-
- "No; that was only imaginative -- I might say, a figure of speech," said the
- other.
-
- "Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so I must
- beg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you have no
- right to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.
-
- "To be sure!" said Jack, without in the least comprehending.
-
- His Majesty then dismissed Jellia Jamb and the Soldier with the Green
- Whiskers, and when they were gone he took his new friend by the arm and led
- him into the courtyard to play a game of quoits.
-
-
-
- 81 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 82 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 83 Gen. Jinjur's Army of Revolt
-
-
- Tip was so anxious to rejoin his man Jack and the Saw-Horse that he walked a
- full half the distance to the Emerald City without stopping to rest. Then he
- discovered that he was hungry and the crackers and cheese he had provided
- for the Journey had all been eaten.
-
- While wondering what he should do in this emergency he came upon a girl
- sitting by the roadside. She wore a costume that struck the boy as being
- remarkably brilliant: her silken waist being of emerald green and her skirt
- of four distinct colors -- blue in front, yellow at the left side, red at
- the back and purple at the right side. Fastening
-
-
-
- 84
- the waist in front were four buttons -- the top one blue, the next yellow, a
- third red and the last purple.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- The splendor of this dress was almost barbaric; so Tip was fully justified
- in staring at the gown for some moments before his eyes were attracted by
- the
-
-
-
- 85
- pretty face above it. Yes, the face was pretty enough, he decided; but it
- wore an expression of discontent coupled to a shade of defiance or audacity.
-
- While the boy stared the girl looked upon him calmly. A lunch basket stood
- beside her, and she held a dainty sandwich in one hand and a hard-boiled egg
- in the other, eating with an evident appetite that aroused Tip's sympathy.
-
- He was just about to ask a share of the luncheon when the girl stood up and
- brushed the crumbs from her lap.
-
- "There!" said she; "it is time for me to go. Carry that basket for me and
- help yourself to its contents if you are hungry."
-
- Tip seized the basket eagerly and began to eat, following for a time the
- strange girl without bothering to ask questions. She walked along before him
- with swift strides, and there was about her an air of decision and
- importance that led him to suspect she was some great personage.
-
- Finally, when he had satisfied his hunger, he ran up beside her and tried to
- keep pace with her swift footsteps -- a very difficult feat, for she was
- much taller than he, and evidently in a hurry.
-
- "Thank you very much for the sandwiches," said Tip, as he trotted along.
- "May I ask your name?"
-
-
-
- 86
-
- "I am General Jinjur," was the brief reply.
-
- "Oh!" said the boy surprised. "What sort of a General?"
-
- "I command the Army of Revolt in this war," answered the General, with
- unnecessary sharpness.
-
- "Oh!" he again exclaimed. "I didn't know there was a war."
-
- "You were not supposed to know it," she returned, "for we have kept it a
- secret; and considering that our army is composed entirely of girls," she
- added, with some pride, "it is surely a remarkable thing that our Revolt is
- not yet discovered."
-
- "It is, indeed," acknowledged Tip. "But where is your army?"
-
- "About a mile from here," said General Jinjur. "The forces have assembled
- from all parts of the Land of Oz, at my express command. For this is the day
- we are to conquer His Majesty the Scarecrow, and wrest from him the throne.
- The Army of Revolt only awaits my coming to march upon the Emerald City."
-
- "Well!" declared Tip, drawing a long breath, "this is certainly a surprising
- thing! May I ask why you wish to conquer His Majesty the Scarecrow?"
-
- "Because the Emerald City has been ruled by men long enough, for one
- reason," said the girl.
-
-
-
- 87
- "Moreover, the City glitters with beautiful gems, which might far better be
- used for rings, bracelets and necklaces; and there is enough money in the
- King's treasury to buy every girl in our Army a dozen new gowns. So we
- intend to conquer the City and run the government to suit ourselves."
-
- Jinjur spoke these words with an eagerness and decision that proved she was
- in earnest.
-
- "But war is a terrible thing," said Tip, thoughtfully.
-
- "This war will be pleasant," replied the girl, cheerfully.
-
- "Many of you will be slain!" continued the boy, in an awed voice.
-
- "Oh, no", said Jinjur. "What man would oppose a girl, or dare to harm her?
- And there is not an ugly face in my entire Army."
-
- Tip laughed.
-
- "Perhaps you are right," said he. "But the Guardian of the Gate is
- considered a faithful Guardian, and the King's Army will not let the City be
- conquered without a struggle."
-
- "The Army is old and feeble," replied General Jinjur, scornfully. "His
- strength has all been used to grow whiskers, and his wife has such a temper
- that she has already pulled more than half of them
-
-
-
- 88
- out by the roots. When the Wonderful Wizard reigned the Soldier with the
- Green Whiskers was a very good Royal Army, for people feared the Wizard. But
- no one is afraid of the Scarecrow, so his Royal Army don't count for much in
- time of war."
-
- After this conversation they proceeded some distance in silence, and before
- long reached a large clearing in the forest where fully four hundred young
- women were assembled. These were laughing and talking together as gaily as
- if they had gathered for a picnic instead of a war of conquest.
-
- They were divided into four companies, and Tip noticed that all were dressed
- in costumes similar to that worn by General Jinjur. The only real difference
- was that while those girls from the Munchkin country had the blue strip in
- front of their skirts, those from the country of the Quadlings had the red
- strip in front; and those from the country of the Winkies had the yellow
- strip in front, and the Gillikin girls wore the purple strip in front. All
- had green waists, representing the Emerald City they intended to conquer,
- and the top button on each waist indicated by its color which country the
- wearer came from. The uniforms were Jaunty and becoming, and quite effective
- when massed together.
-
- Tip thought this strange Army bore no weapons
-
-
-
- 89
- whatever; but in this he was wrong. For each girl had stuck through the knot
- of her back hair two long, glittering knitting-needles.
-
- General Jinjur immediately mounted the stump of a tree and addressed her
- army.
-
- "Friends, fellow-citizens, and girls!" she said; "we are about to begin our
- great Revolt against the men of Oz! We march to conquer the Emerald City --
- to dethrone the Scarecrow King -- to acquire thousands of gorgeous gems --
- to rifle the royal treasury -- and to obtain power over our former
- oppressors!"
-
- "Hurrah!" said those who had listened; but Tip thought most of the Army was
- too much engaged in chattering to pay attention to the words of the General.
-
- The command to march was now given, and the girls formed themselves into
- four bands, or companies, and set off with eager strides toward the Emerald
- City.
-
- Line-Art Drawing on the right of this page.
-
-
-
- 90 Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- The boy followed after them, carrying several baskets and wraps and packages
- which various members of the Army of Revolt had placed in his care. It was
- not long before they came to the green granite walls of the City and halted
- before the gateway.
-
-
-
- 91
-
- The Guardian of the Gate at once came out and looked at them curiously, as
- if a circus had come to town. He carried a bunch of keys swung round his
- neck by a golden chain; his hands were thrust carelessly into his pockets,
- and he seemed to have no idea at all that the City was threatened by rebels.
- Speaking pleasantly to the girls, he said:
-
- "Good morning, my dears! What can I do for you?"
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- "Surrender instantly!" answered General Jinjur, standing before him and
- frowning as terribly as her pretty face would allow her to.
-
- "Surrender!" echoed the man, astounded. "Why, it's impossible. It's against
- the law! I never heard of such a thing in my life."
-
-
-
- 92
-
- "Still, you must surrender!" exclaimed the General, fiercely. "We are
- revolting!"
-
- "You don't look it," said the Guardian, gazing from one to another,
- admiringly.
-
- "But we are!" cried Jinjur, stamping her foot, impatiently; "and we mean to
- conquer the Emerald City!"
-
- "Good gracious!" returned the surprised Guardian of the Gates; "what a
- nonsensical idea! Go home to your mothers, my good girls, and milk the cows
- and bake the bread. Don't you know it's a dangerous thing to conquer a
- city?"
-
- "We are not afraid!" responded the General; and she looked so determined
- that it made the Guardian uneasy.
-
- So he rang the bell for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, and the next
- minute was sorry he had done so. For immediately he was surrounded by a
- crowd of girls who drew the knitting-needles from their hair and began
- Jabbing them at the Guardian with the sharp points dangerously near his fat
- cheeks and blinking eyes.
-
- The poor man howled loudly for mercy and made no resistance when Jinjur drew
- the bunch of keys from around his neck.
-
- Followed by her Army the General now rushed
-
-
-
- 93 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- GENERAL JINJUR AND HER ARMY CAPTURE THE CITY.
-
-
-
- 94
- to the gateway, where she was confronted by the Royal Army of Oz -- which
- was the other name for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
-
- "Halt!" he cried, and pointed his long gun full in the face of the leader.
-
- Some of the girls screamed and ran back, but General Jinjur bravely stood
- her ground and said, reproachfully:
-
- "Why, how now? Would you shoot a poor, defenceless girl?"
-
- "No," replied the soldier. "for my gun isn't loaded."
-
- "Not loaded?"
-
- "No; for fear of accidents. And I've forgotten where I hid the powder and
- shot to load it with. But if you'll wait a short time I'll try to hunt them
- up."
-
- "Don't trouble yourself," said Jinjur, cheerfully. Then she turned to her
- Army and cried:
-
- "Girls, the gun isn't loaded!"
-
- "Hooray," shrieked the rebels, delighted at this good news, and they
- proceeded to rush upon the Soldier with the Green Whiskers in such a crowd
- that it was a wonder they didn't stick the knitting-needles into one
- another.
-
- But the Royal Army of Oz was too much afraid
-
-
-
- 95
- of women to meet the onslaught. He simply turned about and ran with all his
- might through the gate and toward the royal palace, while General Jinjur and
- her mob flocked into the unprotected City.
-
- In this way was the Emerald City captured without a drop of blood being
- spilled. The Army of Revolt had become an Army of Conquerors!
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 96 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 97 The Scarecrow Plans an escape
-
-
- Tip slipped away from the girls and followed swiftly after the Soldier with
- the Green Whiskers. The invading army entered the City more slowly, for they
- stopped to dig emeralds out of the walls and paving-stones with the points
- of their knitting-needles. So the Soldier and the boy reached the palace
- before the news had spread that the City was conquered.
-
- The Scarecrow and Jack Pumpkinhead were still playing at quoits in the
- courtyard when the game was interrupted by the abrupt entrance of the Royal
- Army of Oz, who came flying in without his hat or gun, his clothes in sad
- disarray and his long beard floating a yard behind him as he ran.
-
-
-
- 98
-
- "Tally one for me," said the Scarecrow, calmly "What's wrong, my man?" he
- added, addressing the Soldier.
-
- "Oh! your Majesty -- your Majesty! The City is conquered!" gasped the Royal
- Army, who was all out of breath.
-
- "This is quite sudden," said the Scarecrow. "But please go and bar all the
- doors and windows of the palace, while I show this Pumpkinhead how to throw
- a quoit."
-
- The Soldier hastened to do this, while Tip, who had arrived at his heels,
- remained in the courtyard to look at the Scarecrow with wondering eyes.
-
- His Majesty continued to throw the quoits as coolly as if no danger
- threatened his throne, but the Pumpkinhead, having caught sight of Tip,
- ambled toward the boy as fast as his wooden legs would go.
-
- "Good afternoon, noble parent!" he cried, delightedly." I'm glad to see you
- are here. That terrible Saw-Horse ran away with me."
-
- "I suspected it," said Tip. "Did you get hurt? Are you cracked at all?"
-
- "No, I arrived safely," answered Jack, "and his Majesty has been very kind
- indeed to me.
-
- At this moment the Soldier with the Green Whiskers returned, and the
- Scarecrow asked:
-
-
-
- 99
-
- "By the way, who has conquered me?"
-
- "A regiment of girls, gathered from the four corners of the Land of Oz,"
- replied the Soldier, still pale with fear.
-
- "But where was my Standing Army at the time?" inquired his Majesty, looking
- at the Soldier, gravely.
-
- "Your Standing Army was running," answered the fellow, honestly; "for no man
- could face the terrible weapons of the invaders."
-
- "Well," said the Scarecrow, after a moment's thought, "I don't mind much the
- loss of my throne, for it's a tiresome job to rule over the Emerald City.
- And this crown is so heavy that it makes my head ache. But I hope the
- Conquerors have no intention of injuring me, just because I happen to be the
- King."
-
- "I heard them, say" remarked Tip, with some hesitation, "that they intend to
- make a rag carpet of your outside and stuff their sofa-cushions with your
- inside."
-
- "Then I am really in danger," declared his Majesty, positively, "and it will
- be wise for me to consider a means to escape."
-
- "Where can you go?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Why, to my friend the Tin Woodman, who
-
-
-
- 100 Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- rules over the Winkies, and calls himself their Emperor," was the answer. "I
- am sure he will protect me."
-
- Tip was looking out the window.
-
- "The palace is surrounded by the enemy," said
-
-
-
- 101
- he "It is too late to escape. They would soon tear you to pieces."
-
- The Scarecrow sighed.
-
- "In an emergency," he announced, "it is always a good thing to pause and
- reflect. Please excuse me while I pause and reflect."
-
- "But we also are in danger," said the Pumpkinhead, anxiously." If any of
- these girls understand cooking, my end is not far off!"
-
- "Nonsense!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "they're too busy to cook, even if they
- know how!"
-
- "But should I remain here a prisoner for any length of time," protested
- Jack," I'm liable to spoil."
-
- "Ah! then you would not be fit to associate with," returned the Scarecrow.
- "The matter is more serious than I suspected."
-
- "You," said the Pumpkinhead, gloomily, "are liable to live for many years.
- My life is necessarily short. So I must take advantage of the few days that
- remain to me."
-
- "There, there! Don't worry," answered the Scarecrow soothingly; "if you'll
- keep quiet long enough for me to think, I'll try to find some way for us all
- to escape."
-
- So the others waited in patient silence while the Scarecrow walked to a
- corner and stood with his
-
-
-
- 102
- face to the wall for a good five minutes. At the end of that time he faced
- them with a more cheerful expression upon his painted face.
-
- "Where is the Saw-Horse you rode here?" he asked the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Why, I said he was a jewel, and so your man locked him up in the royal
- treasury," said Jack.
-
- "It was the only place I could think of your Majesty," added the Soldier,
- fearing he had made a blunder.
-
- "It pleases me very much," said the Scarecrow. "Has the animal been fed?"
-
- "Oh, yes; I gave him a heaping peck of sawdust."
-
- "Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "Bring the horse here at once."
-
- The Soldier hastened away, and presently they heard the clattering of the
- horse's wooden legs upon the pavement as he was led into the courtyard.
-
- His Majesty regarded the steed critically. "He doesn't seem especially
- graceful!" he remarked, musingly. "but I suppose he can run?"
-
- "He can, indeed," said Tip, gazing upon the Saw-Horse admiringly.
-
- "Then, bearing us upon his back, he must make a dash through the ranks of
- the rebels and carry us to my friend the Tin Woodman," announced the
- Scarecrow.
-
-
-
- 103
-
- "He can't carry four!" objected Tip.
-
- "No, but he may be induced to carry three," said his Majesty. "I shall
- therefore leave my Royal Army Behind. For, from the ease with which he was
- conquered, I have little confidence in his powers."
-
- "Still, he can run," declared Tip, laughing.
-
- "I expected this blow" said the Soldier, sulkily; "but I can bear it. I
- shall disguise myself by cutting off my lovely green whiskers. And, after
- all, it is no more dangerous to face those reckless girls than to ride this
- fiery, untamed wooden horse!"
-
- "Perhaps you are right," observed his Majesty. "But, for my part, not being
- a soldier, I am fond of danger. Now, my boy, you must mount first. And
- please sit as close to the horse's neck as possible."
-
- Tip climbed quickly to his place, and the Soldier and the Scarecrow managed
- to hoist the Pumpkinhead to a seat just behind him. There remained so little
- space for the King that he was liable to fall off as soon as the horse
- started.
-
- "Fetch a clothesline," said the King to his Army, "and tie us all together.
- Then if one falls off we will all fall off."
-
- And while the Soldier was gone for the clothesline his Majesty continued,
- "it is well for me to be careful, for my very existence is in danger."
-
-
-
- 104
-
- "I have to be as careful as you do," said Jack.
-
- "Not exactly," replied the Scarecrow. "for if anything happened to me, that
- would be the end of me. But if anything happened to you, they could use you
- for seed."
-
- The Soldier now returned with a long line and tied all three firmly
- together, also lashing them to the body of the Saw-Horse; so there seemed
- little danger of their tumbling off.
-
- "Now throw open the gates," commanded the Scarecrow, "and we will make a
- dash to liberty or to death."
-
- The courtyard in which they were standing was located in the center of the
- great palace, which surrounded it on all sides. But in one place a passage
- led to an outer gateway, which the Soldier had barred by order of his
- sovereign. It was through this gateway his Majesty proposed to escape, and
- the Royal Army now led the Saw-Horse along the passage and unbarred the
- gate, which swung backward with a loud crash.
-
- "Now," said Tip to the horse, "you must save us all. Run as fast as you can
- for the gate of the City, and don't let anything stop you."
-
- "All right!" answered the Saw-Horse, gruffly, and dashed away so suddenly
- that Tip had to gasp
-
-
-
- 105 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "WE WILL MAKE A DASH TO LIBERTY OR TO DEATH."
-
-
-
- 106
- for breath and hold firmly to the post he had driven into the creature's
- neck.
-
- Several of the girls, who stood outside guarding the palace, were knocked
- over by the Saw-Horse's mad rush. Others ran screaming out of the way, and
- only one or two jabbed their knitting-needles frantically at the escaping
- prisoners. Tip got one small prick in his left arm, which smarted for an
- hour afterward; but the needles had no effect upon the Scarecrow or Jack
- Pumpkinhead, who never even suspected they were being prodded.
-
- As for the Saw-Horse, he made a wonderful record upsetting a fruit cart,
- overturning several meek looking men, and finally bowling over the new
- Guardian of the Gate -- a fussy little fat woman appointed by General
- Jinjur.
-
- Nor did the impetuous charger stop then. Once outside the walls of the
- Emerald City he dashed along the road to the West with fast and violent
- leaps that shook the breath out of the boy and filled the Scarecrow with
- wonder.
-
- Jack had ridden at this mad rate once before, so he devoted every effort to
- holding, with both hands, his pumpkin head upon its stick, enduring meantime
- the dreadful jolting with the courage of a philosopher.
-
-
-
- 107 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- THE WOODEN STEED GAVE ONE FINAL LEAP
-
-
-
- 108
-
- "Slow him up! Slow him up!" shouted the Scarecrow. "My straw is all shaking
- down into my legs."
-
- But Tip had no breath to speak, so the Saw-Horse continued his wild career
- unchecked and with unabated speed.
-
- Presently they came to the banks of a wide river, and without a pause the
- wooden steed gave one final leap and launched them all in mid-air.
-
- A second later they were rolling, splashing and bobbing about in the water,
- the horse struggling frantically to find a rest for its feet and its riders
- being first plunged beneath the rapid current and then floating upon the
- surface like corks.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 109 The Journey to the Tin Woodman
-
-
- Tip was well soaked and dripping water from every angle of his body. But he
- managed to lean forward and shout in the ear of the Saw-Horse:
-
- "Keep still, you fool! Keep still!"
-
- The horse at once ceased struggling and floated calmly upon the surface, its
- wooden body being as buoyant as a raft.
-
- "What does that word 'fool' mean?" enquired the horse.
-
- "It is a term of reproach," answered Tip, somewhat ashamed of the
- expression. "I only use it when I am angry."
-
- "Then it pleases me to be able to call you a fool, in return," said the
- horse. "For I did not make
-
-
-
- 110
- the river, nor put it in our way; so only a term of, reproach is fit for one
- who becomes angry with me for falling into the water."
-
- "That is quite evident," replied Tip; "so I will acknowledge myself in the
- wrong." Then he called out to the Pumpkinhead: "are you all right, Jack?"
-
- There was no reply. So the boy called to the King "are you all right, your
- majesty?"
-
- The Scarecrow groaned.
-
- "I'm all wrong, somehow," he said, in a weak voice. "How very wet this water
- is!"
-
- Tip was bound so tightly by the cord that he could not turn his head to look
- at his companions; so he said to the Saw-Horse:
-
- "Paddle with your legs toward the shore."
-
- The horse obeyed, and although their progress was slow they finally reached
- the opposite river bank at a place where it was low enough to enable the
- creature to scramble upon dry land.
-
- With some difficulty the boy managed to get his knife out of his pocket and
- cut the cords that bound the riders to one another and to the wooden horse.
- He heard the Scarecrow fall to the ground with a mushy sound, and then he
- himself quickly dismounted and looked at his friend Jack.
-
- The wooden body, with its gorgeous clothing,
-
-
-
- 111
- still sat upright upon the horse's back; but the pumpkin head was gone, and
- only the sharpened stick that served for a neck was visible. As for the
- Scarecrow, the straw in his body had shaken down with the jolting and packed
- itself into his legs and the lower part of his body -- which appeared very
- plump and round while his upper half seemed like an empty sack. Upon his
- head the Scarecrow still wore the heavy crown, which had been sewed on to
- prevent his losing it; but the head was now so damp and limp that the weight
- of the gold and jewels sagged forward and crushed the painted face into a
- mass of wrinkles that made him look exactly like a Japanese pug dog.
-
- Tip would have laughed -- had he not been so anxious about his man Jack. But
- the Scarecrow, however damaged, was all there, while the pumpkin head that
- was so necessary to Jack's existence was missing; so the boy seized a long
- pole that fortunately lay near at hand and anxiously turned again toward the
- river.
-
- Far out upon the waters he sighted the golden hue of the pumpkin, which
- gently bobbed up and down with the motion of the waves. At that moment it
- was quite out of Tip's reach, but after a time it floated nearer and still
- nearer until the boy
-
-
-
- 112 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- TIP RESCUES JACK'S PUMPKIN HEAD
-
-
-
- 113
- was able to reach it with his pole and draw it to the shore. Then he brought
- it to the top of the bank, carefully wiped the water from its pumpkin face
- with his handkerchief, and ran with it to Jack and replaced the head upon
- the man's neck.
-
- "Dear me!" were Jack's first words. "What a dreadful experience! I wonder if
- water is liable to spoil pumpkins?"
-
- Tip did not think a reply was necessary, for he knew that the Scarecrow also
- stood in need of his help. So he carefully removed the straw from the King's
- body and legs, and spread it out in the sun to dry. The wet clothing he hung
- over the body of the Saw-Horse.
-
- "If water spoils pumpkins," observed Jack, with a deep sigh, "then my days
- are numbered."
-
- "I've never noticed that water spoils pumpkins," returned Tip; "unless the
- water happens to be boiling. If your head isn't cracked, my friend, you must
- be in fairly good condition."
-
- "Oh, my head isn't cracked in the least," declared Jack, more cheerfully.
-
- "Then don't worry," retorted the boy. "Care once killed a cat."
-
- "Then," said Jack, seriously, "I am very glad indeed that I am not a cat."
-
-
-
- 114
-
- The sun was fast drying their clothing, and Tip stirred up his Majesty's
- straw so that the warm rays might absorb the moisture and make it as crisp
- and dry as ever. When this had been accomplished he stuffed the Scarecrow
- into symmetrical shape and smoothed out his face so that he wore his usual
- gay and charming expression.
-
- "Thank you very much," said the monarch, brightly, as he walked about and
- found himself to be well balanced. "There are several distinct advantages in
- being a Scarecrow. For if one has friends near at hand to repair damages,
- nothing very serious can happen to you."
-
- "I wonder if hot sunshine is liable to crack pumpkins," said Jack, with an
- anxious ring in his voice.
-
- "Not at all -- not at all!" replied the Scarecrow, gaily." All you need
- fear, my boy, is old age. When your golden youth has decayed we shall
- quickly part company -- but you needn't look forward to it; we'll discover
- the fact ourselves, and notify you. But come! Let us resume our journey. I
- am anxious to greet my friend the Tin Woodman."
-
- So they remounted the Saw-Horse, Tip holding to the post, the Pumpkinhead
- clinging to Tip, and the Scarecrow with both arms around the wooden form of
- Jack.
-
-
-
- 115 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- TIP STUFFS THE SCARECROW WITH DRY STRAW.
-
-
-
- 116
-
- "Go slowly, for now there is no danger of pursuit," said Tip to his steed.
-
- "All right!" responded the creature, in a voice rather gruff.
-
- "Aren't you a little hoarse?" asked the Pumpkinhead politely.
-
- The Saw-Horse gave an angry prance and rolled one knotty eye backward toward
- Tip.
-
- "See here," he growled, "can't you protect me from insult?"
-
- "To be sure!" answered Tip, soothingly. "I am sure Jack meant no harm. And
- it will not do for us to quarrel, you know; we must all remain good
- friends."
-
- "I'll have nothing more to do with that Pumpkinhead," declared the Saw-
- Horse, viciously. "he loses his head too easily to suit me."
-
- There seemed no fitting reply to this speech, so for a time they rode along
- in silence.
-
- After a while the Scarecrow remarked:
-
- "This reminds me of old times. It was upon this grassy knoll that I once
- saved Dorothy from the Stinging Bees of the Wicked Witch of the West."
-
- "Do Stinging Bees injure pumpkins?" asked Jack, glancing around fearfully.
-
- "They are all dead, so it doesn't matter," replied
-
-
-
- 117
- the Scarecrow." And here is where Nick Chopper destroyed the Wicked Witch's
- Grey Wolves."
-
- "Who was Nick Chopper?" asked Tip.
-
- "That is the name of my friend the Tin Woodman, answered his Majesty. And
- here is where the Winged Monkeys captured and bound us, and flew away with
- little Dorothy," he continued, after they had traveled a little way farther.
-
- "Do Winged Monkeys ever eat pumpkins?" asked Jack, with a shiver of fear.
-
- "I do not know; but you have little cause to, worry, for the Winged Monkeys
- are now the slaves of Glinda the Good, who owns the Golden Cap that commands
- their services," said the Scarecrow, reflectively.
-
- Then the stuffed monarch became lost in thought recalling the days of past
- adventures. And the Saw-Horse rocked and rolled over the flower-strewn
- fields and carried its riders swiftly upon their way.
-
- * * * * * * * * *
-
-
- Twilight fell, bye and bye, and then the dark shadows of night. So Tip
- stopped the horse and they all proceeded to dismount.
-
- "I'm tired out," said the boy, yawning wearily; "and the grass is soft and
- cool. Let us lie down here and sleep until morning."
-
-
-
- 118
-
- "I can't sleep," said Jack.
-
- "I never do," said the Scarecrow.
-
- "I do not even know what sleep is," said the Saw-Horse.
-
- "Still, we must have consideration for this poor boy, who is made of flesh
- and blood and bone, and gets tired," suggested the Scarecrow, in his usual
- thoughtful manner. "I remember it was the same way with little Dorothy. We
- always had to sit through the night while she slept."
-
- "I'm sorry," said Tip, meekly, "but I can't help it. And I'm dreadfully
- hungry, too!"
-
- "Here is a new danger!" remarked Jack, gloomily. "I hope you are not fond of
- eating pumpkins."
-
- "Not unless they're stewed and made into pies," answered the boy, laughing.
- "So have no fears of me, friend Jack."
-
- "What a coward that Pumpkinhead is!" said the Saw-Horse, scornfully.
-
- "You might be a coward yourself, if you knew you were liable to spoil!"
- retorted Jack, angrily.
-
- "There! -- there!" interrupted the Scarecrow; "don't let us quarrel. We all
- have our weaknesses, dear friends; so we must strive to be considerate of
- one another. And since this poor boy is hungry and has nothing whatever to
- eat, let us all remain
-
-
-
- 119
- quiet and allow him to sleep; for it is said that in sleep a mortal may
- forget even hunger."
-
- "Thank you!" exclaimed Tip, gratefully. "Your Majesty is fully as good as
- you are wise -- and that is saying a good deal!"
-
- He then stretched himself upon the grass and, using the stuffed form of the
- Scarecrow for a pillow, was presently fast asleep.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 120 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 121 A Nickel-Plated Emperor
-
-
- Tip awoke soon after dawn, but the Scarecrow had already risen and plucked,
- with his clumsy fingers, a double-handful of ripe berries from some bushes
- near by. These the boy ate greedily, finding them an ample breakfast, and
- afterward the little party resumed its Journey.
-
- After an hour's ride they reached the summit of a hill from whence they
- espied the City of the Winkies and noted the tall domes of the Emperor's
- palace rising from the clusters of more modest dwellings.
-
- The Scarecrow became greatly animated at this sight, and exclaimed:
-
- "How delighted I shall be to see my old friend the Tin Woodman again! I hope
- that he rules his people more successfully than I have ruled mine!"
-
- Is the Tin Woodman the Emperor of the Winkies?" asked the horse.
-
- "Yes, indeed. They invited him to rule over
-
-
-
- 122
- them soon after the Wicked Witch was destroyed; and as Nick Chopper has the
- best heart in all the world I am sure he has proved an excellent and able
- emperor."
-
- "I thought that 'Emperor' was the title of a person who rules an empire,"
- said Tip, "and the Country of the Winkies is only a Kingdom."
-
- "Don't mention that to the Tin Woodman!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, earnestly.
- "You would hurt his feelings terribly. He is a proud man, as he has every
- reason to be, and it pleases him to be termed Emperor rather than King."
-
- "I'm sure it makes no difference to me," replied the boy.
-
- The Saw-Horse now ambled forward at a pace so fast that its riders had hard
- work to stick upon its back; so there was little further conversation until
- they drew up beside the palace steps.
-
- An aged Winkie, dressed in a uniform of silver cloth, came forward to assist
- them to alight. Said the Scarecrow to his personage:
-
- "Show us at once to your master, the Emperor."
-
- The man looked from one to another of the party in an embarrassed way, and
- finally answered:
-
- "I fear I must ask you to wait for a time. The Emperor is not receiving this
- morning."
-
-
-
- 123
-
- "How is that?" enquired the Scarecrow, anxiously." I hope nothing has
- happened to him."
-
- "Oh, no; nothing serious," returned the man. "But this is his Majesty's day
- for being polished; and just now his august presence is thickly smeared with
- putz-pomade."
-
- "Oh, I see!" cried the Scarecrow, greatly reassured. "My friend was ever
- inclined to be a dandy, and I suppose he is now more proud than ever of his
- personal appearance."
-
- "He is, indeed," said the man, with a polite bow. "Our mighty Emperor has
- lately caused himself to be nickel-plated."
-
- "Good Gracious!" the Scarecrow exclaimed at hearing this. "If his wit bears
- the same polish, how sparkling it must be! But show us in -- I'm sure the
- Emperor will receive us, even in his present state"
-
- "The Emperor's state is always magnificent," said the man. "But I will
- venture to tell him of your arrival, and will receive his commands
- concerning you."
-
- So the party followed the servant into a splendid ante-room, and the Saw-
- Horse ambled awkwardly after them, having no knowledge that a horse might be
- expected to remain outside.
-
-
-
- 124
-
- The travelers were at first somewhat awed by their surroundings, and even
- the Scarecrow seemed impressed as he examined the rich hangings of silver
- cloth caught up into knots and fastened with tiny silver axes. Upon a
- handsome center-table stood a large silver oil-can, richly engraved with
- scenes from the past adventures of the Tin Woodman, Dorothy, the Cowardly
- Lion and the Scarecrow: the lines of the engraving being traced upon the
- silver in yellow gold. On the walls hung several portraits, that of the
- Scarecrow seeming to be the most prominent and carefully executed, while a
- the large painting of the famous Wizard of Oz, in act of presenting the Tin
- Woodman with a heart, covered almost one entire end of the room.
-
- While the visitors gazed at these things in silent admiration they suddenly
- heard a loud voice in the next room exclaim:
-
- "Well! well! well! What a great surprise!"
-
- And then the door burst open and Nick Chopper rushed into their midst and
- caught the Scarecrow in a close and loving embrace that creased him into
- many folds and wrinkles.
-
- "My dear old friend! My noble comrade!" cried the Tin Woodman, joyfully.
- "how delighted!," I am to meet you once again.
-
-
-
- 125 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- CAUGHT THE SCARECROW IN A CLOSE AND LOVING EMBRACE
-
-
-
- 126
-
- And then he released the Scarecrow and held him at arms' length while he
- surveyed the beloved, painted features.
-
- But, alas! the face of the Scarecrow and many portions of his body bore
- great blotches of putz-pomade; for the Tin Woodman, in his eagerness to
- welcome his friend, had quite forgotten the condition of his toilet and had
- rubbed the thick coating of paste from his own body to that of his comrade.
-
- "Dear me!" said the Scarecrow dolefully. "What a mess I'm in!"
-
- "Never mind, my friend," returned the Tin Woodman," I'll send you to my
- Imperial Laundry, and you'll come out as good as new."
-
- "Won't I be mangled?" asked the Scarecrow.
-
- "No, indeed!" was the reply. "But tell me, how came your Majesty here? and
- who are your companions?"
-
- The Scarecrow, with great politeness, introduced Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead,
- and the latter personage seemed to interest the Tin Woodman greatly.
-
- "You are not very substantial, I must admit," said the Emperor. "but you are
- certainly unusual, and therefore worthy to become a member of our select
- society."
-
- "I thank your Majesty, said Jack, humbly.
-
-
-
- 127 Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- "I hope you are enjoying good health?" continued the Woodman.
-
- "At present, yes;" replied the Pumpkinhead, with a sigh; "but I am in
- constant terror of the day when I shall spoil."
-
- "Nonsense!" said the Emperor -- but in a kindly, sympathetic tone. "Do not,
- I beg of you, dampen today's sun with the showers of tomorrow. For before
- your head has time to spoil you can have it canned, and in that way it may
- be preserved indefinitely."
-
- Tip, during this conversation, was looking at the Woodman with undisguised
- amazement, and noticed that the celebrated Emperor of the Winkies was
- composed entirely of pieces of tin, neatly soldered
-
-
-
- 128
- and riveted together into the form of a man. He rattled and clanked a
- little, as he moved, but in the main he seemed to be most cleverly
- constructed, and his appearance was only marred by the thick coating of
- polishing-paste that covered him from head to foot.
-
- The boy's intent gaze caused the Tin Woodman to remember that he was not in
- the most presentable condition, so he begged his friends to excuse him while
- he retired to his private apartment and allowed his servants to polish him.
- This was accomplished in a short time, and when the emperor returned his
- nickel-plated body shone so magnificently that the Scarecrow heartily
- congratulated him on his improved appearance.
-
- "That nickel-plate was, I confess, a happy thought," said Nick; "and it was
- the more necessary because I had become somewhat scratched during my
- adventurous experiences. You will observe this engraved star upon my left
- breast. It not only indicates where my excellent heart lies, but covers very
- neatly the patch made by the Wonderful Wizard when he placed that valued
- organ in my breast with his own skillful hands."
-
- "Is your heart, then, a hand-organ?" asked the Pumpkinhead, curiously.
-
-
-
- 129
-
- "By no means," responded the emperor, with dignity. "It is, I am convinced,
- a strictly orthodox heart, although somewhat larger and warmer than most
- people possess."
-
- Then he turned to the Scarecrow and asked:
-
- "Are your subjects happy and contented, my dear friend?"
-
- "I cannot, say" was the reply. "for the girls of Oz have risen in revolt and
- driven me out of the emerald City."
-
- "Great Goodness!" cried the Tin Woodman, "What a calamity! They surely do
- not complain of your wise and gracious rule?"
-
- "No; but they say it is a poor rule that don't work both ways," answered the
- Scarecrow; "and these females are also of the opinion that men have ruled
- the land long enough. So they have captured my city, robbed the treasury of
- all its jewels, and are running things to suit themselves."
-
- "Dear me! What an extraordinary idea!" cried the Emperor, who was both
- shocked and surprised.
-
- "And I heard some of them say," said Tip, "that they intend to march here
- and capture the castle and city of the Tin Woodman."
-
- "Ah! we must not give them time to do that," said the Emperor, quickly; "we
- will go at once and
-
-
-
- 130 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- RENOVATING HIS MAJESTY, THE SCARECROW.
-
-
-
- 131
- recapture the Emerald City and place the Scarecrow again upon his throne."
-
- "I was sure you would help me," remarked the Scarecrow in a pleased voice.
- "How large an army can you assemble?"
-
- "We do not need an army," replied the Woodman. "We four, with the aid of my
- gleaming axe, are enough to strike terror into the hearts of the rebels."
-
- "We five," corrected the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Five?" repeated the Tin Woodman.
-
- "Yes; the Saw-Horse is brave and fearless," answered Jack, forgetting his
- recent quarrel with the quadruped.
-
- The Tin Woodman looked around him in a puzzled way, for the Saw-Horse had
- until now remained quietly standing in a corner, where the Emperor had not
- noticed him. Tip immediately called the odd-looking creature to them, and it
- approached so awkwardly that it nearly upset the beautiful center-table and
- the engraved oil-can.
-
- "I begin to think," remarked the Tin Woodman as he looked earnestly at the
- Saw-Horse, "that wonders will never cease! How came this creature alive?"
-
- "I did it with a magic powder," modestly asserted the boy. "and the Saw-
- Horse has been very useful to us."
-
-
-
- 132
-
- "He enabled us to escape the rebels," added the Scarecrow.
-
- "Then we must surely accept him as a comrade," declared the emperor. "A live
- Saw-Horse is a distinct novelty, and should prove an interesting study. Does
- he know anything?"
-
- "Well, I cannot claim any great experience in life," the Saw-Horse answered
- for himself. "but I seem to learn very quickly, and often it occurs to me
- that I know more than any of those around me."
-
- "Perhaps you do," said the emperor; "for experience does not always mean
- wisdom. But time is precious Just now, so let us quickly make preparations
- to start upon our Journey.
-
- The emperor called his Lord High Chancellor and instructed him how to run
- the kingdom during his absence. Meanwhile the Scarecrow was taken apart and
- the painted sack that served him for a head was carefully laundered and
- restuffed with the brains originally given him by the great Wizard. His
- clothes were also cleaned and pressed by the Imperial tailors, and his crown
- polished and again sewed upon his head, for the Tin Woodman insisted he
- should not renounce this badge of royalty. The Scarecrow now presented a
- very respectable appearance, and although in no way addicted to vanity he
-
-
-
- 133
- was quite pleased with himself and strutted a trifle as he walked. While
- this was being done Tip mended the wooden limbs of Jack Pumpkinhead and made
- them stronger than before, and the Saw-Horse was also inspected to see if he
- was in good working order.
-
- Then bright and early the next morning they set out upon the return Journey
- to the emerald City, the Tin Woodman bearing upon his shoulder a gleaming
- axe and leading the way, while the Pumpkinhead rode upon the Saw-Horse and
- Tip and the Scarecrow walked upon either side to make sure that he didn't
- fall off or become damaged.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 134 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 135 Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E.
-
-
- Now, General Jinjur -- who, you will remember, commanded the Army of Revolt
- -- was rendered very uneasy by the escape of the Scarecrow from the Emerald
- City. She feared, and with good reason, that if his Majesty and the Tin
- Woodman Joined forces, it would mean danger to her and her entire army; for
- the people of Oz had not yet forgotten the deeds of these famous heroes, who
- had passed successfully through so many startling adventures.
-
- So Jinjur sent post-haste for old Mombi, the witch, and promised her large
- rewards if she would come to the assistance of the rebel army.
-
- Mombi was furious at the trick Tip had played upon her as well as at his
- escape and the theft of the precious Powder of Life; so she needed no urging
-
-
-
- 136
- to induce her to travel to the Emerald City to assist Jinjur in defeating
- the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who had made Tip one of their friends.
-
- Mombi had no sooner arrived at the royal palace than she discovered, by
- means of her secret magic, that the adventurers were starting upon their
- Journey to the Emerald City; so she retired to a small room high up in a
- tower and locked herself in while she practised such arts as she could
- command to prevent the return of the Scarecrow and his companions.
-
- That was why the Tin Woodman presently stopped and said:
-
- "Something very curious has happened. I ought to know by heart and every
- step of this Journey, yet I fear we have already lost our way."
-
- "That is quite impossible!" protested the Scarecrow. "Why do you think, my
- dear friend, that we have gone astray?"
-
- "Why, here before us is a great field of sunflowers -- and I never saw this
- field before in all my life."
-
- At these words they all looked around, only to find that they were indeed
- surrounded by a field of tall stalks, every stalk bearing at its top a
- gigantic sunflower. And not only were these flowers almost
-
-
-
- 137
- blinding in their vivid hues of red and gold, but each one whirled around
- upon its stalk like a miniature wind-mill, completely dazzling the vision of
- the beholders and so mystifying them that they knew not which way to turn.
-
- "It's witchcraft!" exclaimed Tip.
-
- While they paused, hesitating and wondering, the Tin Woodman uttered a cry
- of impatience and advanced with swinging axe to cut down the stalks before
- him. But now the sunflowers suddenly stopped their rapid whirling, and the
- travelers plainly saw a girl's face appear in the center of each flower.
- These lovely faces looked upon the astonished band with mocking smiles, and
- then burst into a chorus of merry laughter at the dismay their appearance
- caused.
-
- "Stop! stop!" cried Tip, seizing the Woodman's arm; "they're alive! they're
- girls!"
-
- At that moment the flowers began whirling again, and the faces faded away
- and were lost in the rapid revolutions.
-
- The Tin Woodman dropped his axe and sat down upon the ground.
-
- "It would be heartless to chop down those pretty creatures," said he,
- despondently. "and yet I do not know how else we can proceed upon our way"
-
- "They looked to me strangely like the faces of
-
-
-
- 138
- the Army of Revolt," mused the Scarecrow. "But I cannot conceive how the
- girls could have followed us here so quickly."
-
- "I believe it's magic," said Tip, positively, "and that someone is playing a
- trick upon us. I've known old Mombi do things like that before. Probably
- it's nothing more than an illusion, and there are no sunflowers here at
- all."
-
- "Then let us shut our eyes and walk forward," suggested the Woodman.
-
- "Excuse me," replied the Scarecrow. "My eyes are not painted to shut.
- Because you happen to have tin eyelids, you must not imagine we are all
- built in the same way."
-
- "And the eyes of the Saw-Horse are knot eyes," said Jack, leaning forward to
- examine them.
-
- "Nevertheless, you must ride quickly forward," commanded Tip, "and we will
- follow after you and so try to escape. My eyes are already so dazzled that I
- can scarcely see."
-
- So the Pumpkinhead rode boldly forward, and Tip grasped the stub tail of the
- Saw-Horse and followed with closed eyes. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman
- brought up the rear, and before they had gone many yards a Joyful shout from
- Jack announced that the way was clear before them.
-
-
-
- 139
-
- Then all paused to look backward, but not a trace of the field of sunflowers
- remained.
-
- More cheerfully, now they proceeded upon their Journey; but old Mombi had so
- changed the appearance of the landscape that they would surely have been
- lost had not the Scarecrow wisely concluded to take their direction from the
- sun. For no witch-craft could change the course of the sun, and it was
- therefore a safe guide.
-
- However, other difficulties lay before them. The Saw-Horse stepped into a
- rabbit hole and fell to the ground. The Pumpkinhead was pitched high into
- the air, and his history would probably have ended at that exact moment had
- not the Tin Woodman skillfully caught the pumpkin as it descended and saved
- it from injury.
-
- Tip soon had it fitted to the neck again and replaced Jack upon his feet.
- But the Saw-Horse did not escape so easily. For when his leg was pulled from
- the rabbit hole it was found to be broken short off, and must be replaced or
- repaired before he could go a step farther.
-
- "This is quite serious," said the Tin Woodman." If there were trees near by
- I might soon manufacture another leg for this animal; but I cannot see even
- a shrub for miles around."
-
-
-
- 140 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- THE TIN WOODMAN SKILLFULLY CAUGHT THE PUMPKIN
-
-
-
- 141
-
- "And there are neither fences nor houses in this part of the land of Oz,"
- added the Scarecrow, disconsolately.
-
- "Then what shall we do?" enquired the boy.
-
- "I suppose I must start my brains working," replied his Majesty the
- Scarecrow; "for experience has, taught me that I can do anything if I but
- take time to think it out."
-
- "Let us all think," said Tip; "and perhaps we shall find a way to repair the
- Saw-Horse."
-
- So they sat in a row upon the grass and began to think, while the Saw-Horse
- occupied itself by gazing curiously upon its broken limb.
-
- "Does it hurt?" asked the Tin Woodman, in a soft, sympathetic voice.
-
- "Not in the least," returned the Saw-Horse; "but my pride is injured to find
- that my anatomy is so brittle."
-
- For a time the little group remained in silent thought. Presently the Tin
- Woodman raised his head and looked over the fields.
-
- "What sort of creature is that which approaches us?" he asked, wonderingly.
-
- The others followed his gaze, and discovered coming toward them the most
- extraordinary object they had ever beheld. It advanced quickly and
-
-
-
- 142
- noiselessly over the soft grass and in a few minutes stood before the
- adventurers and regarded them with an astonishment equal to their own.
-
- The Scarecrow was calm under all circumstances.
-
- "Good morning!" he said, politely.
-
- The stranger removed his hat with a flourish, bowed very low, and then
- responded:
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- "Good morning, one and all. I hope you are, as an aggregation, enjoying
- excellent health. Permit me to present my card."
-
- With this courteous speech it extended a card toward the Scarecrow, who
- accepted it, turned it over and over, and handed it with a shake of his head
- to Tip.
-
- The boy read aloud:
-
-
- "MR. H. M. WOGGLE-BUG, T. E."
-
-
-
- 143
-
- "Dear me!" ejaculated the Pumpkinhead, staring somewhat intently.
-
- "How very peculiar!" said the Tin Woodman.
-
- Tip's eyes were round and wondering, and the Saw-Horse uttered a sigh and
- turned away its head.
-
- "Are you really a Woggle-Bug?" enquired the Scarecrow.
-
- "Most certainly, my dear sir!" answered the stranger, briskly. "Is not my
- name upon the card?"
-
- "It is," said the Scarecrow. "But may I ask what 'H. M.' stands for?"
-
- "'H. M.' means Highly Magnified," returned the Woggle-Bug, proudly.
-
- "Oh, I see." The Scarecrow viewed the stranger critically. "And are you, in
- truth, highly magnified?"
-
- "Sir," said the Woggle-Bug, "I take you for a gentleman of judgment and
- discernment. Does it not occur to you that I am several thousand times
- greater than any Woggle-Bug you ever saw before? Therefore it is plainly
- evident that I am Highly Magnified, and there is no good reason why you
- should doubt the fact."
-
- "Pardon me," returned the Scarecrow. "My brains are slightly mixed since I
- was last laundered. Would it be improper for me to ask, also, what the
- 'T.E.' at the end of your name stands for?"
-
-
-
- 144
-
- "Those letters express my degree," answered the Woggle-Bug, with a
- condescending smile. "To be more explicit, the initials mean that I am
- Thoroughly Educated."
-
- "Oh!" said the Scarecrow, much relieved.
-
- Tip had not yet taken his eyes off this wonderful personage. What he saw was
- a great, round, buglike body supported upon two slender legs which ended in
- delicate feet -- the toes curling upward. The body of the Woggle-Bug was
- rather flat, and judging from what could be seen of it was of a glistening
- dark brown color upon the back, while the front was striped with alternate
- bands of light brown and white, blending together at the edges. Its arms
- were fully as slender as its legs, and upon a rather long neck was perched
- its head -- not unlike the head of a man, except that its nose ended in a
- curling antenna, or "feeler," and its ears from the upper points bore
- antennae that decorated the sides of its head like two miniature, curling
- pig tails. It must be admitted that the round, black eyes were rather
- bulging in appearance; but the expression upon the Woggle-Bug's face was by
- no means unpleasant.
-
- For dress the insect wore a dark-blue swallowtail coat with a yellow silk
- lining and a flower in the button-hole; a vest of white duck that stretched
-
-
-
- 145
- tightly across the wide body; knickerbockers of fawn-colored plush, fastened
- at the knees with gilt buckles; and, perched upon its small head, was
- jauntily set a tall silk hat.
-
- Standing upright before our amazed friends the Woggle-Bug appeared to be
- fully as tall as the Tin Woodman; and surely no bug in all the Land of Oz
- had ever before attained so enormous a size.
-
- "I confess," said the Scarecrow, "that your abrupt appearance has caused me
- surprise, and no doubt has startled my companions. I hope, however, that
- this circumstance will not distress you. We shall probably get used to you
- in time."
-
- "Do not apologize, I beg of you!" returned the Woggle-Bug, earnestly. "It
- affords me great pleasure to surprise people; for surely I cannot be classed
- with ordinary insects and am entitled to both curiosity and admiration from
- those I meet."
-
- "You are, indeed," agreed his Majesty.
-
- "If you will permit me to seat myself in your august company," continued the
- stranger, "I will gladly relate my history, so that you will be better able
- to comprehend my unusual -- may I say remarkable? -- appearance."
-
- "You may say what you please," answered the Tin Woodman, briefly.
-
-
-
- 146
-
- So the Woggle-Bug sat down upon the grass, facing the little group of
- wanderers, and told them the following story:
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 147 A Highly Magnified History
-
-
- "It is but honest that I should acknowledge at the beginning of my recital
- that I was born an ordinary Woggle-Bug," began the creature, in a frank and
- friendly tone. "Knowing no better, I used my arms as well as my legs for
- walking, and crawled under the edges of stones or hid among the roots of
- grasses with no thought beyond finding a few insects smaller than myself to
- feed upon.
-
- "The chill nights rendered me stiff and motionless, for I wore no clothing,
- but each morning the warm rays of the sun gave me new life and restored me
- to activity. A horrible existence is this, but you must remember it is the
- regular ordained existence of Woggle-Bugs, as well as of many other tiny
- creatures that inhabit the earth.
-
- "But Destiny had singled me out, humble though I was, for a grander fate!
- One day I crawled near
-
-
-
- 148
- to a country school house, and my curiosity being excited by the monotonous
- hum of the students within, I made bold to enter and creep along a crack
- between two boards until I reached the far end, where, in front of a hearth
- of glowing embers, sat the master at his desk.
-
- "No one noticed so small a creature as a Woggle-Bug, and when I found that
- the hearth was even warmer and more comfortable than the sunshine, I
- resolved to establish my future home beside it. So I found a charming nest
- between two bricks and hid myself therein for many, many months.
-
- "Professor Nowitall is, doubtless, the most famous scholar in the land of
- Oz, and after a few days I began to listen to the lectures and discourses he
- gave his pupils. Not one of them was more attentive than the humble,
- unnoticed Woggle-Bug, and I acquired in this way a fund of knowledge that I
- will myself confess is simply marvelous. That is why I place 'T.E.'
- Thoroughly Educated upon my cards; for my greatest pride lies in the fact
- that the world cannot produce another Woggle-Bug with a tenth part of my own
- culture and erudition."
-
- "I do not blame you," said the Scarecrow. "Education is a thing to be proud
- of. I'm educated myself. The mess of brains given me by the Great
-
-
-
- 149
- Wizard is considered by my friends to be unexcelled."
-
- "Nevertheless," interrupted the Tin Woodman, "a good heart is, I believe,
- much more desirable than education or brains."
-
- "To me," said the Saw-Horse, "a good leg is more desirable than either."
-
- "Could seeds be considered in the light of brains?" enquired the
- Pumpkinhead, abruptly.
-
- "Keep quiet!" commanded Tip, sternly.
-
- "Very well, dear father," answered the obedient Jack.
-
- The Woggle-Bug listened patiently -- even respectfully -- to these remarks,
- and then resumed his story.
-
- "I must have lived fully three years in that secluded school-house hearth,"
- said he, "drinking thirstily of the ever-flowing fount of limpid knowledge
- before me."
-
- "Quite poetical," commented the Scarecrow, nodding his head approvingly.
-
- "But one, day" continued the Bug, "a marvelous circumstance occurred that
- altered my very existence and brought me to my present pinnacle of
- greatness. The
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 150
- Professor discovered me in the act of crawling across the hearth, and before
- I could escape he had caught me between his thumb and forefinger.
-
- "'My dear children,' said he, 'I have captured a Woggle-Bug -- a very rare
- and interesting specimen. Do any of you know what a Woggle-Bug is?'
-
- "'No!' yelled the scholars, in chorus.
-
- "'Then,' said the Professor, 'I will get out my famous magnifying-glass and
- throw the insect upon a screen in a highly-magnified condition, that you may
- all study carefully its peculiar construction and become acquainted with its
- habits and manner of life.'
-
- "He then brought from a cupboard a most curious instrument, and before I
- could realize what had happened I found myself thrown upon a screen in a
- highly-magnified state -- even as you now behold me.
-
- "The students stood up on their stools and craned their heads forward to get
- a better view of me, and two little girls jumped upon the sill of an open
- window where they could see more plainly.
-
- "'Behold!' cried the Professor, in a loud voice, 'this highly-magnified
- Woggle-Bug; one of the most curious insects in existence!'
-
- "Being Thoroughly Educated, and knowing what is required of a cultured
- gentleman, at this juncture I stood upright and, placing my hand upon my
-
-
-
- 151 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "THEE STUDENTS STOOD UP ON THEIR STOOLS."
-
-
-
- 152
- bosom, made a very polite bow. My action, being unexpected, must have
- startled them, for one of the little girls perched upon the window-sill gave
- a scream and fell backward out the window, drawing her companion with her as
- she disappeared.
-
- "The Professor uttered a cry of horror and rushed away through the door to
- see if the poor children were injured by the fall. The scholars followed
- after him in a wild mob, and I was left alone in the school-room, still in a
- Highly-Magnified state and free to do as I pleased.
-
- "It immediately occurred to me that this was a good opportunity to escape. I
- was proud of my great size, and realized that now I could safely travel
- anywhere in the world, while my superior culture would make me a fit
- associate for the most learned person I might chance to meet.
-
- "So, while the Professor picked the little girls -- who were more frightened
- than hurt -- off the ground, and the pupils clustered around him closely
- grouped, I calmly walked out of the school-house, turned a corner, and
- escaped unnoticed to a grove of trees that stood near"
-
- "Wonderful!" exclaimed the Pumpkinhead, admiringly.
-
- "It was, indeed," agreed the Woggle-Bug. "I
-
-
-
- 153
- have never ceased to congratulate myself for escaping while I was Highly
- Magnified; for even my excess-
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- ive knowledge would have proved of little use to me had I remained a tiny,
- insignificant insect."
-
- "I didn't know before," said Tip, looking at the
-
-
-
- 154
- Woggle-Bug with a puzzled expression, "that insects wore clothes."
-
- "Nor do they, in their natural state," returned the stranger. "But in the
- course of my wanderings I had the good fortune to save the ninth life of a
- tailor -- tailors having, like cats, nine lives, as you probably know. The
- fellow was exceedingly grateful, for had he lost that ninth life it would
- have been the end of him; so he begged permission to furnish me with the
- stylish costume I now wear. It fits very nicely, does it not?" and the
- Woggle-Bug stood up and turned himself around slowly, that all might examine
- his person.
-
- "He must have been a good tailor," said the Scarecrow, somewhat enviously.
-
- "He was a good-hearted tailor, at any rate," observed Nick Chopper.
-
- "But where were you going, when you met us?" Tip asked the Woggle-Bug.
-
- "Nowhere in particular," was the reply, "although it is my intention soon to
- visit the Emerald City and arrange to give a course of lectures to select
- audiences on the 'Advantages of Magnification.'"
-
- "We are bound for the Emerald City now," said the Tin Woodman; "so, if it
- pleases you to do so, you are welcome to travel in our company."
-
-
-
- 155
-
- The Woggle-Bug bowed with profound grace.
-
- "It will give me great pleasure," said he "to accept your kind invitation;
- for nowhere in the Land of Oz could I hope to meet with so congenial a
- company."
-
- "That is true," acknowledged the Pumpkinhead. "We are quite as congenial as
- flies and honey."
-
- "But -- pardon me if I seem inquisitive -- are you not all rather -- ahem!
- rather unusual?" asked the Woggle-Bug, looking from one to another with
- unconcealed interest.
-
- "Not more so than yourself," answered the Scarecrow. "Everything in life is
- unusual until you get accustomed to it."
-
- "What rare philosophy!" exclaimed the Woggle-Bug, admiringly.
-
- "Yes; my brains are working well today," admitted the Scarecrow, an accent
- of pride in his voice.
-
- "Then, if you are sufficiently rested and refreshed, let us bend our steps
- toward the Emerald City," suggested the magnified one.
-
- "We can't," said Tip. "The Saw-Horse has broken a leg, so he can't bend his
- steps. And there is no wood around to make him a new limb from. And we can't
- leave the horse behind because the Pumpkinhead is so stiff in his Joints
- that he has to ride."
-
-
-
- 156
-
- "How very unfortunate!" cried the Woggle-Bug. Then he looked the party over
- carefully and said:
-
- "If the Pumpkinhead is to ride, why not use one of his legs to make a leg
- for the horse that carries him? I judge that both are made of wood."
-
- "Now, that is what I call real cleverness," said the Scarecrow, approvingly.
- "I wonder my brains did not think of that long ago! Get to work, my dear
- Nick, and fit the Pumpkinhead's leg to the Saw-Horse."
-
- Jack was not especially pleased with this idea; but he submitted to having
- his left leg amputated by the Tin Woodman and whittled down to fit the left
- leg of the Saw-Horse. Nor was the Saw-Horse especially pleased with the
- operation, either; for he growled a good deal about being "butchered," as he
- called it, and afterward declared that the new leg was a disgrace to a
- respectable Saw-Horse.
-
- "I beg you to be more careful in your speech," said the Pumpkinhead,
- sharply. "Remember, if you please, that it is my leg you are abusing."
-
- "I cannot forget it," retorted the Saw-Horse, "for it is quite as flimsy as
- the rest of your person."
-
- "Flimsy! me flimsy!" cried Jack, in a rage. "How dare you call me flimsy?"
-
- "Because you are built as absurdly as a jumping-
-
-
-
- 157
- jack," sneered the horse, rolling his knotty eyes in a vicious manner. "Even
- your head won't stay straight, and you never can tell whether you are
- looking backwards or forwards!"
-
- "Friends, I entreat you not to quarrel!" pleaded the Tin Woodman,
- anxiously." As a matter of fact, we are none of us above criticism; so let
- us bear with each others' faults."
-
- "An excellent suggestion," said the Woggle-Bug, approvingly. "You must have
- an excellent heart, my metallic friend."
-
- "I have," returned Nick, well pleased. "My heart is quite the best part of
- me. But now let us start upon our Journey.
-
- They perched the one-legged Pumpkinhead upon the Saw-Horse, and tied him to
- his seat with cords, so that he could not possibly fall off.
-
- And then, following the lead of the Scarecrow, they all advanced in the
- direction of the Emerald City.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 158 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 159 Old Mombi indulges in Witchcraft
-
-
- They soon discovered that the Saw-Horse limped, for his new leg was a trifle
- too long. So they were obliged to halt while the Tin Woodman chopped it down
- with his axe, after which the wooden steed paced along more comfortably. But
- the Saw-Horse was not entirely satisfied, even yet.
-
- "It was a shame that I broke my other leg!" it growled.
-
- "On the contrary," airily remarked the Woggle-Bug, who was walking
- alongside, "you should consider the accident most fortunate. For a horse is
- never of much use until he has been broken."
-
- "I beg your pardon," said Tip, rather provoked, for he felt a warm interest
- in both the Saw-Horse and his man Jack; "but permit me to say that your joke
- is a poor one, and as old as it is poor."
-
-
-
- 160
-
- "Still, it is a Joke," declared the Woggle-Bug; firmly, "and a Joke derived
- from a play upon words is considered among educated people to be eminently
- proper."
-
- "What does that mean?" enquired the Pumpkinhead, stupidly.
-
- "It means, my dear friend," explained the Woggle-Bug, "that our language
- contains many words having a double meaning; and that to pronounce a joke
- that allows both meanings of a certain word, proves the joker a person of
- culture and refinement, who has, moreover, a thorough command of the
- language."
-
- "I don't believe that," said Tip, plainly; "anybody can make a pun."
-
- "Not so," rejoined the Woggle-Bug, stiffly. "It requires education of a high
- order. Are you educated, young sir?"
-
- "Not especially," admitted Tip.
-
- "Then you cannot judge the matter. I myself am Thoroughly Educated, and I
- say that puns display genius. For instance, were I to ride upon this Saw-
- Horse, he would not only be an animal he would become an equipage. For he
- would then be a horse-and-buggy."
-
- At this the Scarecrow gave a gasp and the Tin
-
-
-
- 161
- Woodman stopped short and looked reproachfully at the Woggle-Bug. At the
- same time the Saw-Horse loudly snorted his derision; and even the
- Pumpkinhead put up his hand to hide the smile which, because it was carved
- upon his face, he could not change to a frown.
-
- But the Woggle-Bug strutted along as if he had made some brilliant remark,
- and the Scarecrow was obliged to say:
-
- "I have heard, my dear friend, that a person can become over-educated; and
- although I have a high respect for brains, no matter how they may be
- arranged or classified, I begin to suspect that yours are slightly tangled.
- In any event, I must beg you to restrain your superior education while in
- our society."
-
- "We are not very particular," added the Tin Woodman; "and we are exceedingly
- kind hearted. But if your superior culture gets leaky again -- " He did not
- complete the sentence, but he twirled his gleaming axe so carelessly that
- the Woggle-Bug looked frightened, and shrank away to a safe distance.
-
- The others marched on in silence, and the Highly Magnified one, after a
- period of deep thought, said in an humble voice:
-
- "I will endeavor to restrain myself."
-
-
-
- 162
-
- "That is all we can expect," returned the Scarecrow pleasantly; and good
- nature being thus happily restored to the party, they proceeded upon their
- way.
-
- When they again stopped to allow Tip to rest -- the boy being the only one
- that seemed to tire -- the Tin Woodman noticed many small, round holes in
- the grassy meadow.
-
- "This must be a village of the Field Mice," he said to the Scarecrow." I
- wonder if my old friend, the Queen of the Mice, is in this neighborhood."
-
- "If she is, she may be of great service to us," answered the Scarecrow, who
- was impressed by a sudden thought. "See if you can call her, my dear Nick."
-
- So the Tin Woodman blew a shrill note upon a silver whistle that hung around
- his neck, and presently a tiny grey mouse popped from a near-by hole and
- advanced fearlessly toward them. For the Tin Woodman had once saved her
- life, and the Queen of the Field Mice knew he was to be trusted."
-
- "Good day, your Majesty, said Nick, politely addressing the mouse; "I trust
- you are enjoying good health?"
-
- "Thank you, I am quite well," answered the Queen, demurely, as she sat up
- and displayed the tiny golden crown upon her head. "Can I do anything to
- assist my old friends?"
-
-
-
- 163
-
- "You can, indeed," replied the Scarecrow, eagerly. "Let me, I intreat you,
- take a dozen of your subjects with me to the Emerald City."
-
- "Will they be injured in any way?" asked the Queen, doubtfully.
-
- "I think not," replied the Scarecrow. "I will carry them hidden in the straw
- which stuffs my body, and when I give them the signal by unbuttoning my
- jacket, they have only to rush out and scamper home again as fast as they
- can. By doing this they will assist me to regain my throne, which the Army
- of Revolt has taken from me."
-
- "In that case," said the Queen, "I will not refuse your request. Whenever
- you are ready, I will call twelve of my most intelligent subjects."
-
- "I am ready now" returned the Scarecrow. Then he lay flat upon the ground
- and unbuttoned his jacket, displaying the mass of straw with which he was
- stuffed.
-
- The Queen uttered a little piping call, and in an instant a dozen pretty
- field mice had emerged from their holes and stood before their ruler,
- awaiting her orders.
-
- What the Queen said to them none of our travelers could understand, for it
- was in the mouse language; but the field mice obeyed without hesitation,
-
-
-
- 164
- running one after the other to the Scarecrow and hiding themselves in the
- straw of his breast.
-
- When all of the twelve mice had thus concealed themselves, the Scarecrow
- buttoned his Jacket securely and then arose and thanked the Queen for her
- kindness.
-
- "One thing more you might do to serve us," suggested the Tin Woodman; "and
- that is to run ahead and show us the way to the Emerald City. For some enemy
- is evidently trying to prevent us from reaching it."
-
- "I will do that gladly," returned the Queen. "Are you ready?"
-
- The Tin Woodman looked at Tip.
-
- "I'm rested," said the boy. "Let us start."
-
- Then they resumed their journey, the little grey Queen of the Field Mice
- running swiftly ahead and then pausing until the travelers drew near, when
- away she would dart again.
-
- Without this unerring guide the Scarecrow and his comrades might never have
- gained the Emerald City; for many were the obstacles thrown in their way by
- the arts of old Mombi. Yet not one of the obstacles really existed -- all
- were cleverly contrived deceptions. For when they came to the banks of a
- rushing river that threatened to bar their way the
-
-
-
- 165
- little Queen kept steadily on, passing through the seeming flood in safety;
- and our travelers followed her without encountering a single drop of water.
-
- Again, a high wall of granite towered high above their heads and opposed
- their advance. But the grey Field Mouse walked straight through it, and the
- others did the same, the wall melting into mist as they passed it.
-
- Afterward, when they had stopped for a moment to allow Tip to rest, they saw
- forty roads branching off from their feet in forty different directions; and
- soon these forty roads began whirling around like a mighty wheel, first in
- one direction and then in the other, completely bewildering their vision.
-
- But the Queen called for them to follow her and darted off in a straight
- line; and when they had gone a few paces the whirling pathways vanished and
- were seen no more.
-
- Mombi's last trick was the most fearful of all. She sent a sheet of
- crackling flame rushing over the meadow to consume them; and for the first
- time the Scarecrow became afraid and turned to fly.
-
- "If that fire reaches me I will be gone in no time!" said he, trembling
- until his straw rattled. "It's the most dangerous thing I ever encountered."
-
- "I'm off, too!" cried the Saw-Horse, turning and
-
-
-
- 166
- prancing with agitation; "for my wood is so dry it would burn like
- kindlings."
-
- "Is fire dangerous to pumpkins?" asked Jack, fearfully.
-
- "You'll be baked like a tart -- and so will I!"
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- answered the Woggle-Bug, getting down on all fours so he could run the
- faster.
-
- But the Tin Woodman, having no fear of fire, averted the stampede by a few
- sensible words.
-
- "Look at the Field Mouse!" he shouted. "The fire does not burn her in the
- least. In fact, it is no fire at all, but only a deception."
-
-
-
- 167
-
- Indeed, to watch the little Queen march calmly through the advancing flames
- restored courage to every member of the party, and they followed her without
- being even scorched.
-
- "This is surely a most extraordinary adventure," said the Woggle-Bug, who
- was greatly amazed; "for it upsets all the Natural Laws that I heard
- Professor Nowitall teach in the school-house."
-
- "Of course it does," said the Scarecrow, wisely. "All magic is unnatural,
- and for that reason is to be feared and avoided. But I see before us the
- gates of the Emerald City, so I imagine we have now overcome all the magical
- obstacles that seemed to oppose us."
-
- Indeed, the walls of the City were plainly visible, and the Queen of the
- Field Mice, who had guided them so faithfully, came near to bid them good-
- bye.
-
- "We are very grateful to your Majesty for your kind assistance," said the
- Tin Woodman, bowing before the pretty creature.
-
- "I am always pleased to be of service to my friends," answered the Queen,
- and in a flash she had darted away upon her journey home.
-
-
-
- 168 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 169 The Prisoners of the Queen
-
-
- Approaching the gateway of the Emerald City the travelers found it guarded
- by two girls of the Army of Revolt, who opposed their entrance by drawing
- the knitting-needles from their hair and threatening to prod the first that
- came near.
-
- But the Tin Woodman was not afraid."
-
- At the worst they can but scratch my beautiful nickel-plate," he said. "But
- there will be no 'worst,' for I think I can manage to frighten these absurd
- soldiers very easily. Follow me closely, all of you!"
-
- Then, swinging his axe in a great circle to right and left before him, he
- advanced upon the gate, and the others followed him without hesitation.
-
- The girls, who had expected no resistance whatever, were terrified by the
- sweep of the glittering axe and fled screaming into the city; so that our
-
-
-
- 170
- travelers passed the gates in safety and marched down the green marble
- pavement of the wide street toward the royal palace.
-
- "At this rate we will soon have your Majesty upon the throne again," said
- the Tin Woodman, laughing at his easy conquest of the guards.
-
- "Thank you, friend Nick," returned the Scarecrow, gratefully. "Nothing can
- resist your kind heart and your sharp axe."
-
- As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men
- were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in
- groups, gossiping and laughing.
-
- "What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy
- beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the
- sidewalk.
-
- "Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty as you ought to know very well,"
- replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things
- to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore
- order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the
- strength of every man in the Emerald City."
-
- "Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it
-
-
-
- 171
- is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
-
- "I really do not know" replied the man, with a deep sigh. "Perhaps the women
- are made of castiron."
-
- No movement was made, as they passed along the street, to oppose their
- progress. Several of the women stopped their gossip long enough to cast
- curious looks upon our friends, but immediately they would turn away with a
- laugh or a sneer and resume their chatter. And when they met with several
- girls belonging to the Army of Revolt, those soldiers, instead of being
- alarmed or appearing surprised, merely stepped out of the way and allowed
- them to advance without protest.
-
- This action rendered the Scarecrow uneasy."
-
- I'm afraid we are walking into a trap," said he.
-
- "Nonsense!" returned Nick Chopper, confidently; "the silly creatures are
- conquered already!"
-
- But the Scarecrow shook his head in a way that expressed doubt, and Tip
- said:
-
- "It's too easy, altogether. Look out for trouble ahead."
-
- "I will," returned his Majesty. Unopposed they reached the royal palace and
- marched up the marble steps, which had once been
-
-
-
- 172 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- "IT'S TOO EASY, ALTOGETHER."
-
-
-
- 173
- thickly crusted with emeralds but were now filled with tiny holes where the
- jewels had been ruthlessly torn from their settings by the Army of Revolt.
- And so far not a rebel barred their way.
-
- Through the arched hallways and into the magnificent throne room marched the
- Tin Woodman and his followers, and here, when the green silken curtains fell
- behind them, they saw a curious sight.
-
- Seated within the glittering throne was General Jinjur, with the Scarecrow's
- second-best crown upon her head, and the royal sceptre in her right hand. A
- box of caramels, from which she was eating, rested in her lap, and the girl
- seemed entirely at ease in her royal surroundings.
-
- The Scarecrow stepped forward and confronted her, while the Tin Woodman
- leaned upon his axe and the others formed a half-circle back of his
- Majesty's person.
-
- "How dare you sit in my throne?" demanded the Scarecrow, sternly eyeing the
- intruder. "Don't you know you are guilty of treason, and that there is a law
- against treason?"
-
- "The throne belongs to whoever is able to take it," answered Jinjur, as she
- slowly ate another caramel. "I have taken it, as you see; so just now I am
- the Queen, and all who oppose me are guilty of
-
-
-
- 174
- treason, and must be punished by the law you have just mentioned."
-
- This view of the case puzzled the Scarecrow.
-
- "How is it, friend Nick?" he asked, turning to the Tin Woodman.
-
- "Why, when it comes to Law, I have nothing to, say" answered that personage.
- "for laws were never meant to be understood, and it is foolish to make the
- attempt."
-
- "Then what shall we do?" asked the Scarecrow, in dismay.
-
- "Why don't you marry the Queen? And then you can both rule," suggested the
- Woggle-Bug.
-
- Jinjur glared at the insect fiercely. "Why don't you send her back to her
- mother, where she belongs?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead.
-
- Jinjur frowned.
-
- "Why don't you shut her up in a closet until she behaves herself, and
- promises to be good?" enquired Tip. Jinjur's lip curled scornfully.
-
- "Or give her a good shaking!" added the Saw-Horse.
-
- "No," said the Tin Woodman, "we must treat the poor girl with gentleness.
- Let us give her all the Jewels she can carry, and send her away happy and
- contented."
-
-
-
- 175
-
- At this Queen Jinjur laughed aloud, and the next minute clapped her pretty
- hands together thrice, as if for a signal.
-
- "You are very absurd creatures," said she; "but I am tired of your nonsense
- and have no time to bother with you longer."
-
- While the monarch and his friends listened in amazement to this impudent
- speech, a startling thing happened. The Tin Woodman's axe was snatched from
- his grasp by some person behind him, and he found himself disarmed and
- helpless. At the same instant a shout of laughter rang in the ears of the
- devoted band, and turning to see whence this came they found themselves
- surrounded by the Army of Revolt, the girls bearing in either hand their
- glistening knitting-needles. The entire throne room seemed to be filled with
- the rebels, and the Scarecrow and his comrades realized that they were
- prisoners.
-
- "You see how foolish it is to oppose a woman's wit," said Jinjur, gaily;
- "and this event only proves that I am more fit to rule the Emerald City than
- a Scarecrow. I bear you no ill will, I assure you; but lest you should prove
- troublesome to me in the future I shall order you all to be destroyed. That
- is, all except the boy, who belongs to old Mombi and must be restored to her
- keeping. The rest of
-
-
-
- 176
- you are not human, and therefore it will not be wicked to demolish you. The
- Saw-Horse and the Pumpkinhead's body I will have chopped up for kindling-
- wood; and the pumpkin shall be made into tarts. The Scarecrow will do nicely
- to start a bonfire, and the tin man can be cut into small pieces and fed to
- the goats. As for this immense Woggle-Bug -- "
-
- "Highly Magnified, if you please!" interrupted the insect.
-
- "I think I will ask the cook to make green-turtle soup of you," continued
- the Queen, reflectively.
-
- The Woggle-Bug shuddered.
-
- "Or, if that won't do, we might use you for a Hungarian goulash, stewed and
- highly spiced," she added, cruelly.
-
- This programme of extermination was so terrible that the prisoners looked
- upon one another in a panic of fear. The Scarecrow alone did not give way to
- despair. He stood quietly before the Queen and his brow was wrinkled in deep
- thought as he strove to find some means to escape.
-
- While thus engaged he felt the straw within his breast move gently. At once
- his expression changed from sadness to joy, and raising his hand he quickly
- unbuttoned the front of his jacket.
-
- This action did not pass unnoticed by the crowd
-
-
-
- 177
- of girls clustering about him, but none of them suspected what he was doing
- until a tiny grey mouse leaped from his bosom to the floor and scampered
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
- away between the feet of the Army of Revolt. Another mouse quickly followed;
- then another and another, in rapid succession. And suddenly such a
-
-
-
- 178
- scream of terror went up from the Army that it might easily have filled the
- stoutest heart with consternation. The flight that ensued turned to a
- stampede, and the stampede to a panic.
-
- For while the startled mice rushed wildly about the room the Scarecrow had
- only time to note a whirl of skirts and a twinkling of feet as the girls
- disappeared from the palace -- pushing and crowding one another in their mad
- efforts to escape.
-
- The Queen, at the first alarm, stood up on the cushions of the throne and
- began to dance frantically upon her tiptoes. Then a mouse ran up the
- cushions, and with a terrified leap poor Jinjur shot clear over the head of
- the Scarecrow and escaped through an archway -- never pausing in her wild
- career until she had reached the city gates.
-
- So, in less time than I can explain, the throne room was deserted by all
- save the Scarecrow and his friends, and the Woggle-Bug heaved a deep sigh of
- relief as he exclaimed:
-
- "Thank goodness, we are saved!"
-
- "For a time, yes;" answered the Tin Woodman. "But the enemy will soon
- return, I fear."
-
- "Let us bar all the entrances to the palace!" said the Scarecrow. "Then we
- shall have time to think what is best to be done."
-
-
-
- 179
-
- So all except Jack Pumpkinhead, who was still tied fast to the Saw-Horse,
- ran to the various entrances of the royal palace and closed the heavy doors,
- bolting and locking them securely. Then, knowing that the Army of Revolt
- could not batter down the barriers in several days, the adventurers gathered
- once more in the throne room for a council of war.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 180 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 181 The Scarecrow Takes Time to Think
-
-
- "It seems to me," began the Scarecrow, when all were again assembled in the
- throne room, "that the girl Jinjur is quite right in claiming to be Queen.
- And if she is right, then I am wrong, and we have no business to be
- occupying her palace."
-
- "But you were the King until she came," said the Woggle-Bug, strutting up
- and down with his hands in his pockets; "so it appears to me that she is the
- interloper instead of you."
-
- "Especially as we have just conquered her and put her to flight," added the
- Pumpkinhead, as he raised his hands to turn his face toward the Scarecrow.
-
- "Have we really conquered her?" asked the Scarecrow, quietly. "Look out of
- the window, and tell me what you see."
-
-
-
- 182
-
- Tip ran to the window and looked out.
-
- "The palace is surrounded by a double row of girl soldiers," he announced.
-
- "I thought so," returned the Scarecrow. "We are as truly their prisoners as
- we were before the mice frightened them from the palace."
-
- "My friend is right," said Nick Chopper, who had been polishing his breast
- with a bit of chamois-leather. "Jinjur is still the Queen, and we are her
- prisoners."
-
- "But I hope she cannot get at us," exclaimed the Pumpkinhead, with a shiver
- of fear. "She threatened to make tarts of me, you know."
-
- "Don't worry," said the Tin Woodman. "It cannot matter greatly. If you stay
- shut up here you will spoil in time, anyway. A good tart is far more
- admirable than a decayed intellect."
-
- "Very true," agreed the Scarecrow.
-
- "Oh, dear!" moaned Jack; "what an unhappy lot is mine! Why, dear father, did
- you not make me out of tin -- or even out of straw -- so that I would keep
- indefinitely."
-
- "Shucks!" returned Tip, indignantly. "You ought to be glad that I made you
- at all." Then he added, reflectively, "everything has to come to an end,
- some time."
-
-
-
- 183
-
- "But I beg to remind you," broke in the Woggle-Bug, who had a distressed
- look in his bulging, round eyes, "that this terrible Queen Jinjur suggested
- making a goulash of me -- Me! the only Highly Magnified and Thoroughly
- Educated Woggle-Bug in the wide, wide world!"
-
- "I think it was a brilliant idea," remarked the Scarecrow, approvingly.
-
- "Don't you imagine he would make a better soup?" asked the Tin Woodman,
- turning toward his friend.
-
- "Well, perhaps," acknowledged the Scarecrow.
-
- The Woggle-Bug groaned.
-
- "I can see, in my mind's eye," said he, mournfully, "the goats eating small
- pieces of my dear comrade, the Tin Woodman, while my soup is being cooked on
- a bonfire built of the Saw-Horse and Jack Pumpkinhead's body, and Queen
- Jinjur watches me boil while she feeds the flames with my friend the
- Scarecrow!"
-
- This morbid picture cast a gloom over the entire party, making them restless
- and anxious.
-
- "It can't happen for some time," said the Tin Woodman, trying to speak
- cheerfully; "for we shall be able to keep Jinjur out of the palace until she
- manages to break down the doors."
-
-
-
- 184
-
- "And in the meantime I am liable to starve to death, and so is the Woggle-
- Bug," announced Tip.
-
- "As for me," said the Woggle-Bug, "I think that I could live for some time
- on Jack Pumpkinhead. Not that I prefer pumpkins for food; but I believe they
- are somewhat nutritious, and Jack's head is large and plump."
-
- "How heartless!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman, greatly shocked. "Are we
- cannibals, let me ask? Or are we faithful friends?"
-
- "I see very clearly that we cannot stay shut up in this palace," said the
- Scarecrow, with decision. "So let us end this mournful talk and try to
- discover a means to escape."
-
- At this suggestion they all gathered eagerly around the throne, wherein was
- seated the Scarecrow, and as Tip sat down upon a stool there fell from his
- pocket a pepper-box, which rolled upon the floor.
-
- "What is this?" asked Nick Chopper, picking up the box.
-
- "Be careful!" cried the boy. "That's my Powder of Life. Don't spill it, for
- it is nearly gone."
-
- "And what is the Powder of Life?" enquired the Scarecrow, as Tip replaced
- the box carefully in his pocket.
-
- "It's some magical stuff old Mombi got from a
-
-
-
- 185
- crooked sorcerer," explained the boy. "She brought Jack to life with it, and
- afterward I used it to bring the Saw-Horse to life. I guess it will make
- anything live that is sprinkled with it; but there's only about one dose
- left."
-
- "Then it is very precious," said the Tin Woodman.
-
- "Indeed it is," agreed the Scarecrow. "It may prove our best means of escape
- from our difficulties. I believe I will think for a few minutes; so I will
- thank you, friend Tip, to get out your knife and rip this heavy crown from
- my forehead."
-
- Tip soon cut the stitches that had fastened the crown to the Scarecrow's
- head, and the former monarch of the Emerald City removed it with a sigh of
- relief and hung it on a peg beside the throne.
-
- "That is my last memento of royalty" said he; "and I'm glad to get rid of
- it. The former King of this City,
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 186
- who was named Pastoria, lost the crown to the Wonderful Wizard, who passed
- it on to me. Now the girl Jinjur claims it, and I sincerely hope it will not
- give her a headache."
-
- "A kindly thought, which I greatly admire," said the Tin Woodman, nodding
- approvingly.
-
- "And now I will indulge in a quiet think," continued the Scarecrow, lying
- back in the throne.
-
- The others remained as silent and still as possible, so as not to disturb
- him; for all had great confidence in the extraordinary brains of the
- Scarecrow.
-
- And, after what seemed a very long time indeed to the anxious watchers, the
- thinker sat up, looked upon his friends with his most whimsical expression,
- and said:
-
- "My brains work beautifully today. I'm quite proud of them. Now, listen! If
- we attempt to escape through the doors of the palace we shall surely be
- captured. And, as we can't escape through the ground, there is only one
- other thing to be done. We must escape through the air!"
-
- He paused to note the effect of these words; but all his hearers seemed
- puzzled and unconvinced.
-
- "The Wonderful Wizard escaped in a balloon," he continued. "We don't know
- how to make a balloon, of course; but any sort of thing that can
-
-
-
- 187
- fly through the air can carry us easily. So I suggest that my friend the Tin
- Woodman, who is a skillful mechanic, shall build some sort of a machine,
- with good strong wings, to carry us; and our friend Tip can then bring the
- Thing to life with his magical powder."
-
- "Bravo!" cried Nick Chopper.
-
- "What splendid brains!" murmured Jack.
-
- "Really quite clever!" said the Educated Woggle-Bug.
-
- "I believe it can be done," declared Tip; "that is, if the Tin Woodman is
- equal to making the Thing."
-
- "I'll do my best," said Nick, cheerily; "and, as a matter of fact, I do not
- often fail in what I attempt. But the Thing will have to be built on the
- roof of the palace, so it can rise comfortably into the air."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 188
-
- "To be sure," said the Scarecrow.
-
- "Then let us search through the palace," continued the Tin Woodman, "and
- carry all the material we can find to the roof, where I will begin my work."
-
- "First, however," said the Pumpkinhead, "I beg you will release me from this
- horse, and make me another leg to walk with. For in my present condition I
- am of no use to myself or to anyone else."
-
- So the Tin Woodman knocked a mahogany center-table to pieces with his axe
- and fitted one of the legs, which was beautifully carved, on to the body of
- Jack Pumpkinhead, who was very proud of the acquisition.
-
- "It seems strange," said he, as he watched the Tin Woodman work, "that my
- left leg should be the most elegant and substantial part of me."
-
- "That proves you are unusual," returned the Scarecrow. "and I am convinced
- that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual
- ones. For the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and die
- unnoticed."
-
- "Spoken like a philosopher!" cried the Woggle-Bug, as he assisted the Tin
- Woodman to set Jack upon his feet.
-
- "How do you feel now?" asked Tip, watching
-
-
-
- 189
- the Pumpkinhead stump around to try his new leg."
-
- As good as new" answered Jack, Joyfully, "and quite ready to assist you all
- to escape."
-
- "Then let us get to work," said the Scarecrow, in a business-like tone.
-
- So, glad to be doing anything that might lead to the end of their captivity,
- the friends separated to wander over the palace in search of fitting
- material to use in the construction of their aerial machine.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 190 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 191 The Astonishing Flight of the Gump
-
-
- When the adventurers reassembled upon the roof it was found that a
- remarkably queer assortment of articles had been selected by the various
- members of the party. No one seemed to have a very clear idea of what was
- required, but all had brought something.
-
- The Woggle-Bug had taken from its position over the mantle-piece in the
- great hallway the head of a Gump, which was adorned with wide-spreading
- antlers; and this, with great care and greater difficulty, the insect had
- carried up the stairs to the roof. This Gump resembled an Elk's head, only
- the nose turned upward in a saucy manner and there were whiskers
-
-
-
- 192
- upon its chin, like those of a billy-goat. Why the Woggle-Bug selected this
- article he could not have explained, except that it had aroused his
- curiosity.
-
- Tip, with the aid of the Saw-Horse, had brought a large, upholstered sofa to
- the roof. It was an oldfashioned piece of furniture, with high back and
- ends, and it was so heavy that even by resting the greatest weight upon the
- back of the Saw-Horse, the boy found himself out of breath when at last the
- clumsy sofa was dumped upon the roof.
-
- The Pumpkinhead had brought a broom, which was the first thing he saw. The
- Scarecrow arrived with a coil of clothes-lines and ropes which he had taken
- from the courtyard, and in his trip up the stairs he had become so entangled
- in the loose ends of the ropes that both he and his burden tumbled in a heap
- upon the roof and might have rolled off if Tip had not rescued him.
-
- The Tin Woodman appeared last. He also had been to the courtyard, where he
- had cut four great, spreading leaves from a huge palm-tree that was the
- pride of all the inhabitants of the Emerald City.
-
- "My dear Nick!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, seeing what his friend had done;
- "you have been guilty of the greatest crime any person can commit in the
- Emerald City. If I remember rightly, the
-
-
-
- 193 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- ALL BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE ROOF.
-
-
-
- 194
- penalty for chopping leaves from the royal palm-tree is to be killed seven
- times and afterward imprisoned for life."
-
- "It cannot be helped now" answered the Tin Woodman, throwing down the big
- leaves upon the roof. "But it may be one more reason why it is necessary for
- us to escape. And now let us see what you have found for me to work with."
-
- Many were the doubtful looks cast upon the heap of miscellaneous material
- that now cluttered the roof, and finally the Scarecrow shook his head and
- remarked:
-
- "Well, if friend Nick can manufacture, from this mess of rubbish, a Thing
- that will fly through the air and carry us to safety, then I will
- acknowledge him to be a better mechanic than I suspected."
-
- But the Tin Woodman seemed at first by no means sure of his powers, and only
- after polishing his forehead vigorously with the chamois-leather did he
- resolve to undertake the task.
-
- "The first thing required for the machine," said he, "is a body big enough
- to carry the entire party. This sofa is the biggest thing we have, and might
- be used for a body. But, should the machine ever tip sideways, we would all
- slide off and fall to the ground."
-
-
-
- 195
-
- "Why not use two sofas?" asked Tip. "There's another one just like this down
- stairs."
-
- "That is a very sensible suggestion," exclaimed the Tin Woodman. "You must
- fetch the other sofa at once."
-
- So Tip and the Saw-Horse managed, with much labor, to get the second sofa to
- the roof; and when the two were placed together, edge to edge, the backs and
- ends formed a protecting rampart all around the seats.
-
- "Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "We can ride within this snug nest quite
- at our ease."
-
- The two sofas were now bound firmly together with ropes and clothes-lines,
- and then Nick Chopper fastened the Gump's head to one end.
-
- "That will show which is the front end of the Thing," said he, greatly
- pleased with the idea." And, really, if you examine it critically, the Gump
- looks very well as a figure-head. These great palm-leaves, for which I have
- endangered my life seven times, must serve us as wings."
-
- "Are they strong enough?" asked the boy.
-
- "They are as strong as anything we can get," answered the Woodman; "and
- although they are not in proportion to the Thing's body, we are not in a
- position to be very particular."
-
-
-
- 196
-
- So he fastened the palm-leaves to the sofas, two on each side.
-
- Said the Woggle-Bug, with considerable admiration:
-
- "The Thing is now complete, and only needs to be brought to life."
-
- "Stop a moment!" exclaimed Jack." Are you not going to use my broom?"
-
- "What for?" asked the Scarecrow.
-
- "Why, it can be fastened to the back end for a tail," answered the
- Pumpkinhead. "Surely you would not call the Thing complete without a tail."
-
- "Hm!" said the Tin Woodman, "I do not see the use of a tail. We are not
- trying to copy a beast, or a fish, or a bird. All we ask of the Thing is to
- carry us through the air.
-
- "Perhaps, after the Thing is brought to life, it can use a tail to steer
- with," suggested the Scarecrow. "For if it flies through the air it will not
- be unlike a bird, and I've noticed that all birds have tails, which they use
- for a rudder while flying."
-
- "Very well," answered Nick, "the broom shall be used for a tail," and he
- fastened it firmly to the back end of the sofa body.
-
- Tip took the pepper-box from his pocket.
-
- "The Thing looks very big," said he, anxiously;
-
-
-
- 197
- "and I am not sure there is enough powder left to bring all of it to life.
- But I'll make it go as far as possible."
-
- "Put most on the wings," said Nick Chopper; "for they must be made as strong
- as possible."
-
- "And don't forget the head!" exclaimed the Woggle-Bug.
-
- "Or the tail!" added Jack Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Do be quiet," said Tip, nervously; "you must give me a chance to work the
- magic charm in the proper manner."
-
- Very carefully he began sprinkling the Thing with the precious powder. Each
- of the four wings was first lightly covered with a layer. then the sofas
- were sprinkled, and the broom given a slight coating.
-
- "The head! The head! Don't, I beg of you, forget the head!" cried the
- Woggle-Bug, excitedly.
-
- "There's only a little of the powder left," announced Tip, looking within
- the box." And it seems to me it is more important to bring the legs of the
- sofas to life than the head."
-
- "Not so," decided the Scarecrow. "Every thing must have a head to direct it;
- and since this creature is to fly, and not walk, it is really unimportant
- whether its legs are alive or not."
-
- So Tip abided by this decision and sprinkled the Gump's head with the
- remainder of the powder.
-
-
-
- 198
-
- "Now" said he, "keep silence while I work the, charm!"
-
- Having heard old Mombi pronounce the magic words, and having also succeeded
- in bringing the Saw-Horse to life, Tip did not hesitate an instant in
- speaking the three cabalistic words, each accompanied by the peculiar
- gesture of the hands.
-
- It was a grave and impressive ceremony.
-
- As he finished the incantation the Thing shuddered throughout its huge bulk,
- the Gump gave the screeching cry that is familiar to those animals, and then
- the four wings began flopping furiously.
-
- Tip managed to grasp a chimney, else he would have been blown off the roof
- by the terrible breeze raised by the wings. The Scarecrow, being light in
- weight, was caught up bodily and borne through the air until Tip luckily
- seized him by one leg and held him fast. The Woggle-Bug lay flat upon the
- roof and so escaped harm,
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 199
- and the Tin Woodman, whose weight of tin anchored him firmly, threw both
- arms around Jack Pumpkinhead and managed to save him. The Saw-Horse toppled
- over upon his back and lay with his legs waving helplessly above him.
-
- And now, while all were struggling to recover themselves, the Thing rose
- slowly from the roof and mounted into the air.
-
- "Here! Come back!" cried Tip, in a frightened voice, as he clung to the
- chimney with one hand and the Scarecrow with the other. "Come back at once,
- I command you!"
-
- It was now that the wisdom of the Scarecrow, in bringing the head of the
- Thing to life instead of the legs, was proved beyond a doubt. For the Gump,
- already high in the air, turned its head at Tip's command and gradually
- circled around until it could view the roof of the palace.
-
- "Come back!" shouted the boy, again.
-
- And the Gump obeyed, slowly and gracefully waving its four wings in the air
- until the Thing had settled once more upon the roof and become still.
-
-
-
- 200 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 201 In the Jackdaw's Nest
-
-
- "This," said the Gump, in a squeaky voice not at all proportioned to the
- size of its great body, "is the most novel experience I ever heard of. The
- last thing I remember distinctly is walking through the forest and hearing a
- loud noise. Something probably killed me then, and it certainly ought to
- have been the end of me. Yet here I am, alive again, with four monstrous
- wings and a body which I venture to say would make any respectable animal or
- fowl weep with shame to own. What does it all mean? Am I a Gump, or am I a
- juggernaut?" The creature, as it spoke, wiggled its chin whiskers in a very
- comical manner.
-
- "You're just a Thing," answered Tip, "with a Gump's head on it. And we have
- made you and brought you to life so that you may carry us through the air
- wherever we wish to go."
-
-
-
- 202
-
- "Very good!" said the Thing. "As I am not a Gump, I cannot have a Gump's
- pride or independent spirit. So I may as well become your servant as
- anything else. My only satisfaction is that I do not seem to have a very
- strong constitution, and am not likely to live long in a state of slavery."
-
- "Don't say that, I beg of you!" cried the Tin Woodman, whose excellent heart
- was strongly affected by this sad speech." Are you not feeling well today?"
-
- "Oh, as for that," returned the Gump, "it is my first day of existence; so I
- cannot Judge whether I am feeling well or ill." And it waved its broom tail
- to and fro in a pensive manner.
-
- "Come, come!" said the Scarecrow, kindly. "do try, to be more cheerful and
- take life as you find it. We shall be kind masters, and will strive to
- render your existence as pleasant as possible. Are you willing to carry us
- through the air wherever we wish to go?"
-
- "Certainly," answered the Gump. "I greatly prefer to navigate the air. For
- should I travel on the earth and meet with one of my own species, my
- embarrassment would be something awful!"
-
- "I can appreciate that," said the Tin Woodman, sympathetically.
-
- "And yet," continued the Thing, "when I carefully
-
-
-
- 203
- look you over, my masters, none of you seems to be constructed much more
- artistically than I am."
-
- "Appearances are deceitful," said the Woggle-Bug, earnestly. "I am both
- Highly Magnified and Thoroughly Educated."
-
- "Indeed!" murmured the Gump, indifferently.
-
- "And my brains are considered remarkably rare specimens," added the
- Scarecrow, proudly.
-
- "How strange!" remarked the Gump.
-
- "Although I am of tin," said the Woodman, "I own a heart altogether the
- warmest and most admirable in the whole world."
-
- "I'm delighted to hear it," replied the Gump, with a slight cough.
-
- "My smile," said Jack Pumpkinhead, "is worthy your best attention. It is
- always the same."
-
- "Semper idem," explained the Woggle-Bug, pompously; and the Gump turned to
- stare at him.
-
- "And I," declared the Saw-Horse, filling in an awkward pause, "am only
- remarkable because I can't help it."
-
- "I am proud, indeed, to meet with such exceptional masters," said the Gump,
- in a careless tone. "If I could but secure so complete an introduction to
- myself, I would be more than satisfied."
-
- "That will come in time," remarked the Scare-
-
-
-
- 204
- crow. "To 'Know Thyself' is considered quite an accomplishment, which it has
- taken us, who are your elders, months to perfect. But now," he added,
- turning to the others, "let us get aboard and start upon our journey."
-
- "Where shall we go?" asked Tip, as he clambered to a seat on the sofas and
- assisted the Pumpkinhead to follow him.
-
- "In the South Country rules a very delightful Queen called Glinda the Good,
- who I am sure will gladly receive us," said the Scarecrow, getting into the
- Thing clumsily. "Let us go to her and ask her advice."
-
- "That is cleverly thought of," declared Nick Chopper, giving the Woggle-Bug
- a boost and then toppling the Saw-Horse into the rear end of the cushioned
- seats." I know Glinda the Good, and believe she will prove a friend indeed."
-
- "Are we all ready?" asked the boy.
-
- "Yes," announced the Tin Woodman, seating himself beside the Scarecrow.
-
- "Then," said Tip, addressing the Gump, "be kind enough to fly with us to the
- Southward; and do not go higher than to escape the houses and trees, for it
- makes me dizzy to be up so far."
-
- "All right," answered the Gump, briefly.
-
-
-
- 205
-
- It flopped its four huge wings and rose slowly into the air; and then, while
- our little band of adventurers clung to the backs and sides of the sofas for
- support, the Gump turned toward the South and soared swiftly and
- majestically away.
-
- "The scenic effect, from this altitude, is marvelous," commented the
- educated Woggle-Bug, as they rode along.
-
- "Never mind the scenery," said the Scarecrow. "Hold on tight, or you may get
- a tumble. The Thing seems to rock badly.'
-
- "It will be dark soon," said Tip, observing that the sun was low on the
- horizon. "Perhaps we should have waited until morning. I wonder if the Gump
- can fly in the night."
-
- "I've been wondering that myself," returned the Gump quietly. "You see, this
- is a new experience to me. I used to have legs that carried me swiftly over
- the ground. But now my legs feel as if they were asleep."
-
- "They are," said Tip. "We didn't bring 'em to life."
-
- "You're expected to fly," explained the Scarecrow. "not to walk."
-
- "We can walk ourselves," said the Woggle-Bug."
-
- I begin to understand what is required of me," remarked the Gump; "so I will
- do my best to
-
-
-
- 206
- please you," and he flew on for a time in silence.
-
- Presently Jack Pumpkinhead became uneasy.
-
- "I wonder if riding through the air is liable to spoil pumpkins," he said.
-
- "Not unless you carelessly drop your head over the side," answered the
- Woggle-Bug. "In that event your head would no longer be a pumpkin, for it
- would become a squash."
-
- "Have I not asked you to restrain these unfeeling jokes?" demanded Tip,
- looking at the Woggle-Bug with a severe expression.
-
- "You have; and I've restrained a good many of them," replied the insect.
- "But there are opportunities for so many excellent puns in our language
- that, to an educated person like myself, the temptation to express them is
- almost irresistible."
-
- "People with more or less education discovered those puns centuries ago,"
- said Tip.
-
- "Are you sure?" asked the Woggle-Bug, with a startled look.
-
- "Of course I am," answered the boy. "An educated Woggle-Bug may be a new
- thing; but a Woggle-Bug education is as old as the hills, judging from the
- display you make of it."
-
- The insect seemed much impressed by this remark, and for a time maintained a
- meek silence.
-
-
-
- 207
-
- The Scarecrow, in shifting his seat, saw upon the cushions the pepper-box
- which Tip had cast aside, and began to examine it.
-
- "Throw it overboard," said the boy; "it's quite empty now, and there's no
- use keeping it."
-
- "Is it really empty?" asked the Scarecrow, looking curiously into the box.
-
- "Of course it is," answered Tip. "I shook out every grain of the powder.
-
- "Then the box has two bottoms," announced the Scarecrow, "for the bottom on
- the inside is fully an inch away from the bottom on the outside."
-
- "Let me see," said the Tin Woodman, taking the box from his friend. "Yes,"
- he declared, after looking it over, "the thing certainly has a false bottom.
- Now, I wonder what that is for?"
-
- "Can't you get it apart, and find out?" enquired Tip, now quite interested
- in the mystery.
-
- "Why, yes; the lower bottom unscrews," said the Tin Woodman. "My fingers are
- rather stiff; please see if you can open it."
-
- He handed the pepper-box to Tip, who had no difficulty in unscrewing the
- bottom. And in the cavity below were three silver pills, with a carefully
- folded paper lying underneath them.
-
- This paper the boy proceeded to unfold, taking
-
-
-
- 208
- care not to spill the pills, and found several lines clearly written in red
- ink.
-
- "Read it aloud," said the Scarecrow. so Tip read, as follows:
-
- "DR. NIKIDIK'S CELEBRATED WISHING PILLS.
-
- "Directions for Use: Swallow one pill; count seventeen by twos; then make a
- Wish.
- -The Wish will immediately be granted.
- CAUTION: Keep in a Dry and Dark Place."
-
-
- "Why, this is a very valuable discovery!" cried the Scarecrow.
-
- "It is, indeed," replied Tip, gravely. "These pills may be of great use to
- us. I wonder if old Mombi knew they were in the bottom of the pepper-box. I
- remember hearing her say that she got the Powder of Life from this same
- Nikidik."
-
- "He must be a powerful Sorcerer!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman; "and since the
- powder proved a success we ought to have confidence in the pills."
-
- "But how," asked the Scarecrow, "can anyone count seventeen by twos?
- Seventeen is an odd number."
-
- "That is true," replied Tip, greatly disappointed. "No one can possibly
- count seventeen by twos."
-
- "Then the pills are of no use to us," wailed the Pumpkinhead; "and this fact
- overwhelms me with
-
-
-
- 209
- grief. For I had intended wishing that my head would never spoil."
-
- "Nonsense!" said the Scarecrow, sharply. "If we could use the pills at all
- we would make far better wishes than that."
-
- "I do not see how anything could be better," protested poor Jack. "If you
- were liable to spoil at any time you could understand my anxiety."
-
- "For my part," said the Tin Woodman, "I sympathize with you in every
- respect. But since we cannot count seventeen by twos, sympathy is all you
- are liable to get."
-
- By this time it had become quite dark, and the voyagers found above them a
- cloudy sky, through which the rays of the moon could not penetrate.
-
- The Gump flew steadily on, and for some reason the huge sofa-body rocked
- more and more dizzily every hour.
-
- The Woggle-Bug declared he was sea-sick; and Tip was also pale and somewhat
- distressed. But the others clung to the backs of the sofas and did not seem
- to mind the motion as long as they were not tipped out.
-
- Darker and darker grew the night, and on and on sped the Gump through the
- black heavens. The
-
-
-
- 210
- travelers could not even see one another, and an oppressive silence settled
- down upon them.
-
- After a long time Tip, who had been thinking deeply, spoke.
-
- "How are we to know when we come to the pallace of Glinda the Good?" he
- asked.
-
- "It's a long way to Glinda's palace," answered the Woodman; "I've traveled
- it."
-
- "But how are we to know how fast the Gump is flying?" persisted the boy. "We
- cannot see a single thing down on the earth, and before morning we may be
- far beyond the place we want to reach."
-
- "That is all true enough," the Scarecrow replied, a little uneasily. "But I
- do not see how we can stop just now; for we might alight in a river, or on,
- the top of a steeple; and that would be a great disaster."
-
- So they permitted the Gump to fly on, with regular flops of its great wings,
- and waited patiently for morning.
-
- Then Tip's fears were proven to be well founded; for with the first streaks
- of gray dawn they looked over the sides of the sofas and discovered rolling
- plains dotted with queer villages, where the houses, instead of being dome-
- shaped -- as they all are in the Land of Oz -- had slanting roofs that rose
- to a peak
-
-
-
- 211
- in the center. Odd looking animals were also moving about upon the open
- plains, and the country was unfamiliar to both the Tin Woodman and the
- Scarecrow, who had formerly visited Glinda the Good's domain and knew it
- well.
-
- "We are lost!" said the Scarecrow, dolefully. "The Gump must have carried us
- entirely out of the Land of Oz and over the sandy deserts and into the
- terrible outside world that Dorothy told us about."
-
- "We must get back," exclaimed the Tin Woodman, earnestly. "we must get back
- as soon as possible!"
-
- "Turn around!" cried Tip to the Gump. "turn as quickly as you can!"
-
- "If I do I shall upset," answered the Gump. "I'm not at all used to flying,
- and the best plan would be for me to alight in some place, and then I can
- turn around and take a fresh start."
-
- Just then, however, there seemed to be no stopping-place that would answer
- their purpose. They flew over a village so big that the Woggle-Bug declared
- it was a city. and then they came to a range of high mountains with many
- deep gorges and steep cliffs showing plainly.
-
- "Now is our chance to stop," said the boy, finding
-
-
-
- 212
- they were very close to the mountain tops. Then he turned to the Gump and
- commanded: "Stop at the first level place you see!"
-
- "Very well," answered the Gump, and settled down upon a table of rock that
- stood between two cliffs.
-
- But not being experienced in such matters, the Gump did not judge his speed
- correctly; and instead of coming to a stop upon the flat rock he missed it
- by half the width of his body, breaking off both his right wings against the
- sharp edge of the rock and then tumbling over and over down the cliff.
-
- Our friends held on to the sofas as long as they could, but when the Gump
- caught on a proJecting rock the Thing stopped suddenly -- bottom side up --
- and all were immediately dumped out.
-
- By good fortune they fell only a few feet; for underneath them was a monster
- nest, built by a colony of Jackdaws in a hollow ledge of rock; so none of
- them -- not even the Pumpkinhead -- was injured by the fall. For Jack found
- his precious head resting on the soft breast of the Scarecrow, which made an
- excellent cushion; and Tip fell on a mass of leaves and papers, which saved
- him from injury. The Woggle-Bug had bumped his round head against
-
-
-
- 213 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- ALL WERE IMMEDIATELY DUMPED OUT.
-
-
-
- 214
- the Saw-Horse, but without causing him more than a moment's inconvenience.
-
- The Tin Woodman was at first much alarmed; but finding he had escaped
- without even a scratch upon his beautiful nickle-plate he at once regained
- his accustomed cheerfulness and turned to address his comrades.
-
- "Our Journey had ended rather suddenly," said he; "and we cannot justly
- blame our friend the Gump for our accident, because he did the best he could
- under the circumstances. But how we are ever to escape from this nest I must
- leave to someone with better brains than I possess."
-
- Here he gazed at the Scarecrow; who crawled to the edge of the nest and
- looked over. Below them was a sheer precipice several hundred feet in depth.
- Above them was a smooth cliff unbroken save by the point of rock where the
- wrecked body of the Gump still hung suspended from the end of one of the
- sofas. There really seemed to be no means of escape, and as they realized
- their helpless plight the little band of adventurers gave way to their
- bewilderment.
-
- "This is a worse prison than the palace," sadly remarked the Woggle-Bug.
-
- "I wish we had stayed there," moaned Jack.
-
-
-
- 215
- "I'm afraid the mountain air isn't good for pumpkins."
-
- "It won't be when the Jackdaws come back," growled the Saw-Horse, which lay
- waving its legs in a vain endeavor to get upon its feet again. "Jackdaws are
- especially fond of pumpkins."
-
- "Do you think the birds will come here?" asked Jack, much distressed.
-
- "Of course they will," said Tip; "for this is their nest. And there must be
- hundreds of them," he continued, "for see what a lot of things they have
- brought here!"
-
- Indeed, the nest was half filled with a most curious collection of small
- articles for which the birds could have no use, but which the thieving
- Jackdaws had stolen during many years from the homes of men. And as the nest
- was safely hidden where no human being could reach it, this lost property
- would never be recovered.
-
- The Woggle-Bug, searching among the rubbish -- for the Jackdaws stole
- useless things as well as valuable ones -- turned up with his foot a
- beautiful diamond necklace. This was so greatly admired by the Tin Woodman
- that the Woggle-Bug presented it to him with a graceful speech, after which
- the Woodman hung it around his neck with much pride,
-
-
-
- 216 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- TURNED UP A BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND NECKLACE.
-
-
-
- 217
- rejoicing exceedingly when the big diamonds glittered in the sun's rays.
-
- But now they heard a great jabbering and flopping of wings, and as the sound
- grew nearer to them Tip exclaimed:
-
- "The Jackdaws are coming! And if they find us here they will surely kill us
- in their anger."
-
- "I was afraid of this!" moaned the Pumpkinhead. "My time has come!"
-
- "And mine, also!" said the Woggle-Bug; "for Jackdaws are the greatest
- enemies of my race."
-
- The others were not at all afraid; but the Scarecrow at once decided to save
- those of the party who were liable to be injured by the angry birds. So he
- commanded Tip to take off Jack's head and lie down with it in the bottom of
- the nest, and when this was done he ordered the Woggle-Bug to lie beside
- Tip. Nick Chopper, who knew from past experience Just what to do, then took
- the Scarecrow to pieces (all except his head) and scattered the straw over
- Tip and the Woggle-Bug, completely covering their bodies.
-
- Hardly had this been accomplished when the flock of Jackdaws reached them.
- Perceiving the intruders in their nest the birds flew down upon them with
- screams of rage.
-
-
-
- 218 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 219 Dr. Nikidik's Famous Wishing Pills
-
-
- The Tin Woodman was usually a peaceful man, but when occasion required he
- could fight as fiercely as a Roman gladiator. So, when the Jackdaws nearly
- knocked him down in their rush of wings, and their sharp beaks and claws
- threatened to damage his brilliant plating, the Woodman picked up his axe
- and made it whirl swiftly around his head.
-
- But although many were beaten off in this way, the birds were so numerous
- and so brave that they continued the attack as furiously as before. Some of
- them pecked at the eyes of the Gump, which hung over the nest in a helpless
- condition; but the Gump's eyes were of glass and could not be injured.
- Others of the Jackdaws rushed at the Saw-Horse; but that animal, being still
- upon his back, kicked out so viciously with his wooden legs that he beat off
- as many assailants as did the Woodman's axe.
-
-
-
- 220
-
- Finding themselves thus opposed, the birds fell upon the Scarecrow's straw,
- which lay at the center of the nest, covering Tip and the Woggle-Bug and
- Jack's pumpkin head, and began tearing it away and flying off with it, only
- to let it drop, straw by straw into the great gulf beneath.
-
- The Scarecrow's head, noting with dismay this wanton destruction of his
- interior, cried to the Tin Woodman to save him; and that good friend
- responded with renewed energy. His axe fairly flashed among the Jackdaws,
- and fortunately the Gump began wildly waving the two wings remaining on the
- left side of its body. The flutter of these great wings filled the Jackdaws
- with terror, and when the Gump by its exertions freed itself from the peg of
- rock on which it hung, and sank flopping into the nest, the alarm of the
- birds knew no bounds and they fled screaming over the mountains.
-
- When the last foe had disappeared, Tip crawled from under the sofas and
- assisted the Woggle-Bug to follow him.
-
- "We are saved!" shouted the boy, delightedly.
-
- "We are, indeed!" responded the Educated Insect, fairly hugging the stiff
- head of the Gump in his joy. "and we owe it all to the flopping of the
- Thing, and the good axe of the Woodman!"
-
-
-
- 221
-
- "If I am saved, get me out of here!" called Jack; whose head was still
- beneath the sofas; and Tip managed to roll the pumpkin out and place it upon
- its neck again. He also set the Saw-Horse upright, and said to it:
-
- "We owe you many thanks for the gallant fight you made."
-
- "I really think we have escaped very nicely," remarked the Tin Woodman, in a
- tone of pride.
-
- "Not so!" exclaimed a hollow voice.
-
- At this they all turned in surprise to look at the Scarecrow's head, which
- lay at the back of the nest.
-
- "I am completely ruined!" declared the Scarecrow, as he noted their
- astonishment. "For where is the straw that stuffs my body?"
-
- The awful question startled them all. They gazed around the nest with
- horror, for not a vestige of straw remained. The
-
-
-
- 222
- Jackdaws had stolen it to the last wisp and flung it all into the chasm that
- yawned for hundreds of feet beneath the nest.
-
- "My poor, poor friend!" said the Tin Woodman, taking up the Scarecrow's head
- and caressing it tenderly; "whoever could imagine you would come to this
- untimely end?"
-
- "I did it to save my friends," returned the head; "and I am glad that I
- perished in so noble and unselfish a manner."
-
- "But why are you all so despondent?" inquired the Woggle-Bug. "The
- Scarecrow's clothing is still safe."
-
- "Yes," answered the Tin Woodman; "but our friend's clothes are useless
- without stuffing."
-
- "Why not stuff him with money?" asked Tip.
-
- "Money!" they all cried, in an amazed chorus.
-
- "To be sure," said the boy. "In the bottom of the nest are thousands of
- dollar bills -- and two-dollar bills -- and five-dollar bills -- and tens,
- and twenties, and fifties. There are enough of them to stuff a dozen
- Scarecrows. Why not use the money?"
-
- The Tin Woodman began to turn over the rubbish with the handle of his axe;
- and, sure enough, what they had first thought only worthless papers were
- found to be all bills of various denominations,
-
-
-
- 223
- which the mischievous Jackdaws had for years been engaged in stealing from
- the villages and cities they visited.
-
- There was an immense fortune lying in that inaccessible nest; and Tip's
- suggestion was, with the Scarecrow's consent, quickly acted upon.
-
- They selected all the newest and cleanest bills and assorted them into
- various piles. The Scarecrow's left leg and boot were stuffed with five-
- dollar bills; his right leg was stuffed with ten-dollar bills, and his body
- so closely filled with fifties, one-hundreds and one-thousands that he could
- scarcely button his jacket with comfort.
-
- "You are now" said the Woggle-Bug, impressively, when the task had been
- completed, "the most valuable member of our party; and as you
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 224
- are among faithful friends there is little danger of your being spent."
-
- "Thank you," returned the Scarecrow, gratefully. "I feel like a new man; and
- although at first glance I might be mistaken for a Safety Deposit Vault, I
- beg you to remember that my Brains are still composed of the same old
- material. And these are the possessions that have always made me a person to
- be depended upon in an emergency."
-
- "Well, the emergency is here," observed Tip; "and unless your brains help us
- out of it we shall be compelled to pass the remainder of our lives in this
- nest."
-
- "How about these wishing pills?" enquired the Scarecrow, taking the box from
- his jacket pocket. "Can't we use them to escape?"
-
- "Not unless we can count seventeen by twos," answered the Tin Woodman. "But
- our friend the Woggle-Bug claims to be highly educated, so he ought easily
- to figure out how that can be done."
-
- "It isn't a question of education," returned the Insect; "it's merely a
- question of mathematics. I've seen the professor work lots of sums on the
- blackboard, and he claimed anything could be done with x's and y's and a's,
- and such things, by mixing them up with plenty of plusses and minuses and
- equals, and so forth. But he never said anything, so far as
-
-
-
- 225
- I can remember, about counting up to the odd number of seventeen by the even
- numbers of twos."
-
- "Stop! stop!" cried the Pumpkinhead. "You're making my head ache."
-
- "And mine," added the Scarecrow. "Your mathematics seem to me very like a
- bottle of mixed pickles the more you fish for what you want the less chance
- you have of getting it. I am certain that if the thing can be accomplished
- at all, it is in a very simple manner."
-
- "Yes," said Tip. "old Mombi couldn't use x's and minuses, for she never went
- to school."
-
- "Why not start counting at a half of one?" asked the Saw-Horse, abruptly.
- "Then anyone can count up to seventeen by twos very easily."
-
- They looked at each other in surprise, for the Saw-Horse was considered the
- most stupid of the entire party.
-
- "You make me quite ashamed of myself," said the Scarecrow, bowing low to the
- Saw-Horse.
-
- "Nevertheless, the creature is right," declared the Woggle-Bug; for twice
- one-half is one, and if you get to one it is easy to count from one up to
- seventeen by twos."
-
- "I wonder I didn't think of that myself," said the Pumpkinhead.
-
-
-
- 226
-
- "I don't," returned the Scarecrow. "You're no wiser than the rest of us, are
- you? But let us make a wish at once. Who will swallow the first pill?"
-
- "Suppose you do it," suggested Tip.
-
- "I can't," said the Scarecrow.
-
- "Why not? You've a mouth, haven't you?" asked the boy.
-
- "Yes; but my mouth is painted on, and there's no swallow connected with it,'
- answered the Scarecrow. "In fact," he continued, looking from one to another
- critically, "I believe the boy and the Woggle-Bug are the only ones in our
- party that are able to swallow."
-
- Observing the truth of this remark, Tip said:
-
- "Then I will undertake to make the first wish. Give me one of the Silver
- Pills."
-
- This the Scarecrow tried to do; but his padded gloves were too clumsy to
- clutch so small an object, and he held the box toward the boy while Tip
- selected one of the pills and swallowed it.
-
- "Count!" cried the Scarecrow.
-
- "One-half, one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven,!" counted Tip. thirteen,
- fifteen, seventeen.
-
- "Now wish!" said the Tin Woodman anxiously:
-
- But Just then the boy began to suffer such fearful pains that he became
- alarmed.
-
-
-
- 227
-
- "The pill has poisoned me!" he gasped; "O -- h! O-o-o-o-o! Ouch! Murder!
- Fire! O-o-h!" and here he rolled upon the bottom of the nest in such
- contortions that he frightened them all.
-
- "What can we do for you. Speak, I beg!" entreated the Tin Woodman, tears of
- sympathy running down his nickel cheeks.
-
- "I -- I don't know!" answered Tip. "O -- h! I wish I'd never swallowed that
- pill!"
-
- Then at once the pain stopped, and the boy rose to his feet again and found
- the Scarecrow looking with amazement at the end of the pepper-box.
-
- "What's happened?" asked the boy, a little ashamed of his recent exhibition.
-
- "Why, the three pills are in the box again!" said the Scarecrow.
-
- "Of course they are," the Woggle-Bug declared. "Didn't Tip wish that he'd
- never swallowed one of them? Well, the wish came true, and he didn't swallow
- one of them. So of course they are all three in the box."
-
- "That may be; but the pill gave me a dreadful pain, just the same," said the
- boy.
-
- "Impossible!" declared the Woggle-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 228
- Bug. "If you have never swallowed it, the pill can not have given you a
- pain. And as your wish, being granted, proves you did not swallow the pill,
- it is also plain that you suffered no pain."
-
- "Then it was a splendid imitation of a pain," retorted Tip, angrily.
- "Suppose you try the next pill yourself. We've wasted one wish already."
-
- "Oh, no, we haven't!" protested the Scarecrow. "Here are still three pills
- in the box, and each pill is good for a wish."
-
- "Now you're making my head ache," said Tip. "I can't understand the thing at
- all. But I won't take another pill, I promise you!" and with this remark he
- retired sulkily to the back of the nest.
-
- "Well," said the Woggle-Bug, "it remains for me to save us in my most Highly
- Magnified and Thoroughly Educated manner; for I seem to be the only one able
- and willing to make a wish. Let me have one of the pills."
-
- He swallowed it without hesitation, and they all stood admiring his courage
- while the Insect counted seventeen by twos in the same way that Tip had
- done. And for some reason -- perhaps because Woggle-Bugs have stronger
- stomachs than boys -- the silver pellet caused it no pain whatever.
-
- "I wish the Gump's broken wings mended, and
-
-
-
- 229
- as good as new!" said the Woggle-Bug, in a slow; impressive voice.
-
- All turned to look at the Thing, and so quickly had the wish been granted
- that the Gump lay before them in perfect repair, and as well able to fly
- through the air as when it had first been brought to life on the roof of the
- palace.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 230 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 231 The Scarecrow Appeals to Glenda the Good
-
-
- "Hooray!" shouted the Scarecrow, gaily. "We can now leave this miserable
- Jackdaws' nest whenever we please."
-
- "But it is nearly dark," said the Tin Woodman; "and unless we wait until
- morning to make our flight we may get into more trouble. I don't like these
- night trips, for one never knows what will happen."
-
- So it was decided to wait until daylight, and the adventurers amused
- themselves in the twilight by searching the Jackdaws' nest for treasures.
-
- The Woggle-Bug found two handsome bracelets of wrought gold, which fitted
- his slender arms very well. The Scarecrow took a fancy for rings, of which
- there were many in the nest. Before long he
-
-
-
- 232
- had fitted a ring to each finger of his padded gloves, and not being content
- with that display he added one more to each thumb. As he carefully chose
- those rings set with sparkling stones, such as rubies, amethysts and
- sapphires, the Scarecrow's hands now presented a most brilliant appearance.
-
- "This nest would be a picnic for Queen Jinjur," said he, musingly. "for as
- nearly as I can make out she and her girls conquered me merely to rob my
- city of its emeralds."
-
- The Tin Woodman was content with his diamond necklace and refused to accept
- any additional decorations; but Tip secured a fine gold watch, which was
- attached to a heavy fob, and placed it in his pocket with much pride. He
- also pinned several jeweled brooches to Jack Pumpkinhead's red waistcoat,
- and attached a lorgnette, by means of a fine chain, to the neck of the Saw-
- Horse.
-
- "It's very pretty," said the creature, regarding the lorgnette approvingly;
- "but what is it for?"
-
- None of them could answer that question, however; so the Saw-Horse decided
- it was some rare decoration and became very fond of it.
-
- That none of the party might be slighted, they ended by placing several
- large seal rings upon the points of the Gump's antlers, although that odd
-
-
-
- 233
- personage seemed by no means gratified by the attention.
-
- Darkness soon fell upon them, and Tip and the Woggle-Bug went to sleep while
- the others sat down to wait patiently for the day.
-
- Next morning they had cause to congratulate themselves upon the useful
- condition of the Gump; for with daylight a great flock of Jackdaws
- approached to engage in one more battle for the possession of the nest.
-
- But our adventurers did not wait for the assault. They tumbled into the
- cushioned seats of the sofas as quickly as possible, and Tip gave the word
- to the Gump to start.
-
- At once it rose into the air, the great wings flopping strongly and with
- regular motions, and in a few moments they were so far from the nest that
- the chattering Jackdaws took possession without any attempt at pursuit.
-
- The Thing flew due North, going in the same direction from whence it had
- come. At least, that was the Scarecrow's opinion, and the others agreed that
- the Scarecrow was the best judge of direction. After passing over several
- cities and villages the Gump carried them high above a broad plain where
- houses became more and more scattered until they
-
-
-
- 234
- disappeared altogether. Next came the wide, sandy desert separating the rest
- of the world from the Land of Oz, and before noon they saw the dome-shaped
- houses that proved they were once more within the borders of their native
- land.
-
- "But the houses and fences are blue," said the Tin Woodman, "and that
- indicates we are in the land of the Munchkins, and therefore a long distance
- from Glinda the Good."
-
- "What shall we do?" asked the boy, turning to their guide.
-
- "I don't know" replied the Scarecrow, frankly. "If we were at the Emerald
- City we could then move directly southward, and so reach our destination.
- But we dare not go to the Emerald City, and the Gump is probably carrying us
- further in the wrong direction with every flop of its wings."
-
- "Then the Woggle-Bug must swallow another pill," said Tip, decidedly, "and
- wish us headed in the right direction."
-
- "Very well," returned the Highly Magnified one; "I'm willing."
-
- But when the Scarecrow searched in his pocket for the pepper-box containing
- the two silver Wishing Pills, it was not to be found. Filled with anxiety,
- the voyagers hunted throughout every inch of the
-
-
-
- 235
- Thing for the precious box; but it had disappeared entirely.
-
- And still the Gump flew onward, carrying them they knew not where.
-
- "I must have left the pepper-box in the Jackdaws' nest," said the Scarecrow,
- at length.
-
- "It is a great misfortune," the Tin Woodman declared. "But we are no worse
- off than before we discovered the Wishing Pills."
-
- "We are better off," replied Tip. "for the one pill we used has enabled us
- to escape from that horrible nest."
-
- "Yet the loss of the other two is serious, and I deserve a good scolding for
- my carelessness," the Scarecrow rejoined, penitently. "For in such an
- unusual party as this accidents are liable to happen any moment, and even
- now we may be approaching a new danger."
-
- No one dared contradict this, and a dismal silence ensued.
-
- The Gump flew steadily on.
-
- Suddenly Tip uttered an exclamation of surprise. "We must have reached the
- South Country," he cried, "for below us everything is red!"
-
- Immediately they all leaned over the backs of the sofas to look -- all
- except Jack, who was too careful
-
-
-
- 236
- of his pumpkin head to risk its slipping off his neck. Sure enough; the red
- houses and fences and trees indicated they were within the domain of Glinda
- the Good; and presently, as they glided rapidly on, the Tin Woodman
- recognized the roads and buildings they passed, and altered slightly the
- flight of
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 237
- the Gump so that they might reach the palace of the celebrated Sorceress.
-
- "Good!" cried the Scarecrow, delightedly. "We do not need the lost Wishing
- Pills now, for we have arrived at our destination."
-
- Gradually the Thing sank lower and nearer to the ground until at length it
- came to rest within the beautiful gardens of Glinda, settling upon a velvety
- green lawn close by a fountain which sent sprays of flashing gems, instead
- of water, high into the air, whence they fell with a soft, tinkling sound
- into the carved marble basin placed to receive them.
-
- Everything was very gorgeous in Glinda's gardens, and while our voyagers
- gazed about with admiring eyes a company of soldiers silently appeared and
- surrounded them. But these soldiers of the great Sorceress were entirely
- different from those of Jinjur's Army of Revolt, although they were likewise
- girls. For Glinda's soldiers wore neat uniforms and bore swords and spears;
- and they marched with a skill and precision that proved them well trained in
- the arts of war.
-
- The Captain commanding this troop -- which was Glinda's private Body Guard -
- - recognized the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman at once, and greeted them
- with respectful salutations.
-
-
-
- 238
-
- "Good day!" said the Scarecrow, gallantly removing his hat, while the
- Woodman gave a soldierly salute; "we have come to request an audience with
- your fair Ruler."
-
- "Glinda is now within her palace, awaiting you," returned the Captain; "for
- she saw you coming long before you arrived."
-
- "That is strange!" said Tip, wondering.
-
- "Not at all," answered the Scarecrow, "for Glinda the Good is a mighty
- Sorceress, and nothing that goes on in the Land of Oz escapes her notice. I
- suppose she knows why we came as well as we do ourselves."
-
- "Then what was the use of our coming?" asked Jack, stupidly.
-
- "To prove you are a Pumpkinhead!" retorted the Scarecrow. "But, if the
- Sorceress expects us, we must not keep her waiting."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 239
-
- So they all clambered out of the sofas and followed the Captain toward the
- palace -- even the Saw-Horse taking his place in the queer procession.
-
- Upon her throne of finely wrought gold sat Glinda, and she could scarcely
- repress a smile as her peculiar visitors entered and bowed before her. Both
- the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman she knew and liked; but the awkward
- Pumpkinhead and Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug were creatures she had never
- seen before, and they seemed even more curious than the others. As for the
- Saw-Horse, he looked to be nothing more than an animated chunk of wood; and
- he bowed so stiffly that his head bumped against the floor, causing a ripple
- of laughter among the soldiers, in which Glinda frankly joined.
-
- "I beg to announce to your glorious highness," began the Scarecrow, in a
- solemn voice, "that my Emerald City has been overrun by a crowd of impudent
- girls with knitting-needles, who have enslaved all the men, robbed the
- streets and public buildings of all their emerald jewels, and usurped my
- throne."
-
- "I know it," said Glinda.
-
- "They also threatened to destroy me, as well as all the good friends and
- allies you see before you," continued the Scarecrow. "and had we not managed
-
-
-
- 240
- to escape their clutches our days would long since have ended."
-
- "I know it," repeated Glinda.
-
- "Therefore I have come to beg your assistance," resumed the Scarecrow, "for
- I believe you are always glad to succor the unfortunate and oppressed."
-
- "That is true," replied the Sorceress, slowly. "But the Emerald City is now
- ruled by General Jinjur, who has caused herself to be proclaimed Queen. What
- right have I to oppose her?"
-
- "Why, she stole the throne from me," said the Scarecrow.
-
- "And how came you to possess the throne?" asked Glinda.
-
- "I got it from the Wizard of Oz, and by the choice of the people," returned
- the Scarecrow, uneasy at such questioning.
-
- "And where did the Wizard get it?" she continued gravely.
-
- "I am told he took it from Pastoria, the former King," said the Scarecrow,
- becoming confused under the intent look of the Sorceress.
-
- "Then," declared Glinda, "the throne of the Emerald City belongs neither to
- you nor to Jinjur, but to this Pastoria from whom the Wizard usurped it."
-
- "That is true," acknowledged the Scarecrow,
-
-
-
- 241
- humbly; "but Pastoria is now dead and gone, and some one must rule in his
- place."
-
- "Pastoria had a daughter, who is the rightful heir to the throne of the
- Emerald City. Did you know that?" questioned the Sorceress.
-
- "No," replied the Scarecrow. "But if the girl still lives I will not stand
- in her way. It will satisfy me as well to have Jinjur turned out, as an
- impostor, as to regain the throne myself. In fact, it isn't much fun to be
- King, especially if one has good brains. I have known for some time that I
- am fitted to occupy a far more exalted position. But where is the girl who
- owns the throne, and what is her name?"
-
- "Her name is Ozma," answered Glinda. "But where she is I have tried in vain
- to discover. For the Wizard of Oz, when he stole the throne from Ozma's
- father, hid the girl in some secret place; and by means of a magical trick
- with which I am not familiar he also managed to prevent her being discovered
- -- even by so experienced a Sorceress as myself."
-
- "That is strange," interrupted the Woggle-Bug, pompously. "I have been
- informed that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was nothing more than a humbug!"
-
-
-
- 242
-
- "Nonsense!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, much provoked by this speech. "Didn't
- he give me a wonderful set of brains?"
-
- "There's no humbug about my heart," announced the Tin Woodman, glaring
- indignantly at the Woggle-Bug.
-
- "Perhaps I was misinformed," stammered the Insect, shrinking back; "I never
- knew the Wizard personally."
-
- "Well, we did," retorted the Scarecrow, "and he was a very great Wizard, I
- assure you. It is true he was guilty of some slight impostures, but unless
- he was a great Wizard how -- let me ask -- could he have hidden this girl
- Ozma so securely that no one can find her?"
-
- "I -- I give it up!" replied the Woggle-Bug, meekly.
-
- "That is the most sensible speech you've made," said the Tin Woodman.
-
- "I must really make another effort to discover where this girl is hidden,"
- resumed the Sorceress, thoughtfully. "I have in my library a book in which
- is inscribed every action of the Wizard while he was in our land of Oz --
- or, at least, every action that could be observed by my spies. This book I
- will read carefully tonight, and try to single out the acts that may guide
- us in discovering the lost Ozma. In
-
-
-
- 243
- the meantime, pray amuse yourselves in my palace and command my servants as
- if they were your own. I will grant you another audience tomorrow."
-
- With this gracious speech Glinda dismissed the adventurers, and they
- wandered away through the beautiful gardens, where they passed several hours
- enjoying all the delightful things with which the Queen of the Southland had
- surrounded her royal palace.
-
- On the following morning they again appeared before Glinda, who said to
- them:
-
- "I have searched carefully through the records of the Wizard's actions, and
- among them I can find but three that appear to have been suspicious. He ate
- beans with a knife, made three secret visits to old Mombi, and limped
- slightly on his left foot."
-
- "Ah! that last is certainly suspicious!" exclaimed the Pumpkinhead.
-
- "Not necessarily," said the Scarecrow. "he may, have had corns. Now, it
- seems to me his eating beans with a knife is more suspicious."
-
- "Perhaps it is a polite custom in Omaha, from which great country the Wizard
- originally came," suggested the Tin Woodman.
-
- "It may be," admitted the Scarecrow.
-
-
-
- 244
-
- "But why," asked Glinda, "did he make three secret visits to old Mombi?"
-
- "Ah! Why, indeed!" echoed the Woggle-Bug, impressively.
-
- "We know that the Wizard taught the old woman many of his tricks of magic,"
- continued Glinda; "and this he would not have done had she not assisted him
- in some way. So we may suspect with good reason that Mombi aided him to hide
- the girl Ozma, who was the real heir to the throne of the Emerald City, and
- a constant danger to the usurper. For, if the people knew that she lived,
- they would quickly make her their Queen and restore her to her rightful
- position."
-
- "An able argument!" cried the Scarecrow. "I have no doubt that Mombi was
- mixed up in this wicked business. But how does that knowledge help us?"
-
- "We must find Mombi," replied Glinda, "and force her to tell where the girl
- is hidden."
-
- "Mombi is now with Queen Jinjur, in the Emerald, City" said Tip. "It was she
- who threw so many obstacles in our pathway, and made Jinjur threaten to
- destroy my friends and give me back into the old witch's power."
-
- "Then," decided Glinda, "I will march with my
-
-
-
- 245
- army to the Emerald City, and take Mombi prisoner. After that we can,
- perhaps, force her to tell the truth about Ozma."
-
- "She is a terrible old woman!" remarked Tip, with a shudder at the thought
- of Mombi's black kettle; "and obstinate, too."
-
- "I am quite obstinate myself," returned the Sorceress, with a sweet smile.
- "so I do not fear Mombi in the least. Today I will make all necessary
- preparations, and we will march upon the Emerald City at daybreak tomorrow."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 246 The Tin-Woodman Plucks a Rose
-
-
- The Army of Glinda the Good looked very grand and imposing when it assembled
- at daybreak before the palace gates. The uniforms of the girl soldiers were
- pretty and of gay colors, and their silver-tipped spears were bright and
- glistening, the long shafts being inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All the
- officers wore sharp, gleaming swords, and shields edged with peacock-
- feathers; and it really seemed that no foe could by any possibility defeat
- such a brilliant army.
-
- The Sorceress rode in a beautiful palanquin which was like the body of a
- coach, having doors and
-
-
-
- 247
- windows with silken curtains; but instead of wheels, which a coach has, the
- palanquin rested upon two long, horizontal bars, which were borne upon the
- shoulders of twelve servants.
-
- The Scarecrow and his comrades decided to ride in the Gump, in order to keep
- up with the swift march of the army; so, as soon as Glinda had started and
- her soldiers had marched away to the inspiring strains of music played by
- the royal band, our friends climbed into the sofas and followed. The Gump
- flew along slowly at a point directly over the palanquin in which rode the
- Sorceress.
-
- "Be careful," said the
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 248
- Tin Woodman to the Scarecrow, who was leaning far over the side to look at
- the army below. "You might fall."
-
- "It wouldn't matter," remarked the educated Woggle-Bug. "he can't get broke
- so long as he is stuffed with money."
-
- "Didn't I ask you" began Tip, in a reproachful voice.
-
- "You did!" said the Woggle-Bug, promptly. "And I beg your pardon. I will
- really try to restrain myself."
-
- "You'd better," declared the boy. "That is, if you wish to travel in our
- company."
-
- "Ah! I couldn't bear to part with you now," murmured the Insect, feelingly;
- so Tip let the subject drop.
-
- The army moved steadily on, but night had fallen before they came to the
- walls of the Emerald City. By the dim light of the new moon, however,
- Glinda's forces silently surrounded the city and pitched their tents of
- scarlet silk upon the greensward. The tent of the Sorceress was larger than
- the others, and was composed of pure white silk, with scarlet banners flying
- above it. A tent was also pitched for the Scarecrow's party; and when these
- preparations had been made, with military precision and quickness, the army
- retired to rest.
-
-
-
- 249
-
- Great was the amazement of Queen Jinjur next morning when her soldiers came
- running to inform her of the vast army surrounding them. She at once climbed
- to a high tower of the royal palace and saw banners waving in every
- direction and the great white tent of Glinda standing directly before the
- gates.
-
- "We are surely lost!" cried Jinjur, in despair; "for how can our knitting-
- needles avail against the long spears and terrible swords of our foes?"
-
- "The best thing we can do," said one of the girls, "is to surrender as
- quickly as possible, before we get hurt."
-
- "Not so," returned Jinjur, more bravely. "The enemy is still outside the
- walls, so we must try to gain time by engaging them in parley. Go you with a
- flag of truce to Glinda and ask her why she has dared to invade my
- dominions, and what are her demands."
-
- So the girl passed through the gates, bearing a white flag to show she was
- on a mission of peace, and came to Glinda's tent. "Tell your Queen," said
- the Sorceress to the girl, "that she must deliver up to me old Mombi, to be
- my prisoner. If this is done I will not molest her farther."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 250
-
- Now when this message was delivered to the Queen it filled her with dismay,
- for Mombi was her chief counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly afraid of the
- old hag. But she sent for Mombi, and told her what Glinda had said.
-
- "I see trouble ahead for all of us," muttered the old witch, after glancing
- into a magic mirror she carried in her pocket. "But we may even yet escape
- by deceiving this sorceress, clever as she thinks herself."
-
- "Don't you think it will be safer for me to deliver you into her hands?"
- asked Jinjur, nervously.
-
- "If you do, it will cost you the throne of the Emerald City!" answered the
- witch, positively. "But if you will let me have my own way, I can save us
- both very easily."
-
- "Then do as you please," replied Jinjur, "for it is so aristocratic to be a
- Queen that I do not wish to be obliged to return home again, to make beds
- and wash dishes for my mother."
-
- So Mombi called Jellia Jamb to her, and performed a certain magical rite
- with which she was familiar. As a result of the enchantment Jellia took on
- the form and features of Mombi, while the old witch grew to resemble the
- girl so closely that it seemed impossible anyone could guess the deception.
-
-
-
- 251
-
- "Now," said old Mombi to the Queen, "let your soldiers deliver up this girl
- to Glinda. She will think she has the real Mombi in her power, and so will
- return immediately to her own country in the South."
-
- Therefore Jellia, hobbling along like an aged
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- woman, was led from the city gates and taken before Glinda.
-
- "Here is the person you demanded," said one of the guards, "and our Queen
- now begs you will go away, as you promised, and leave us in peace."
-
- "That I will surely do," replied Glinda, much pleased; "if this is really
- the person she seems to be."
-
- "It is certainly old Mombi," said the guard, who believed she was speaking
- the truth; and then Jinjur's soldiers returned within the city's gates.
-
-
-
- 252
-
- The Sorceress quickly summoned the Scarecrow and his friends to her tent,
- and began to question the supposed Mombi about the lost girl Ozma. But
- Jellia knew nothing at all of this affair, and presently she grew so nervous
- under the questioning that she gave way and began to weep, to Glinda's great
- astonishment.
-
- "Here is some foolish trickery!" said the Sorceress, her eyes flashing with
- anger. "This is not Mombi at all, but some other person who has been made to
- resemble her! Tell me," she demanded, turning to the trembling girl, "what
- is your name?"
-
- This Jellia dared not tell, having been threatened with death by the witch
- if she confessed the fraud. But Glinda, sweet and fair though she was,
- understood magic better than any other person in the Land of Oz. So, by
- uttering a few potent words and making a peculiar gesture, she quickly
- transformed the girl into her proper shape, while at the same time old
- Mombi, far away in Jinjur's palace, suddenly resumed her own crooked form
- and evil features.
-
- "Why, it's Jellia Jamb!" cried the Scarecrow, recognizing in the girl one of
- his old friends.
-
- "It's our interpreter!" said the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.
-
- Then Jellia was forced to tell of the trick Mombi
-
-
-
- 253
- Line-Art Drawing
-
- had played and she also begged Glinda's protection, which the Sorceress
- readily granted. But Glinda was now really angry, and sent word to Jinjur
- that the fraud was discovered and she must deliver up the real Mombi or
- suffer terrible consequences. Jinjur was prepared for this message, for the
- witch well understood, when her natural form was thrust upon her, that
- Glinda had discovered her trickery. But the wicked old creature had already
- thought up a new deception, and had made Jinjur promise to carry it out. So
- the Queen said to Glinda's messenger:
-
- "Tell your mistress that I cannot find Mombi anywhere, but that Glinda is
- welcome to enter the
-
-
-
- 254
- city and search herself for the old woman. She may also bring her friends
- with her, if she likes; but if she does not find Mombi by sundown, the
- Sorceress must promise to go away peaceably and bother us no more."
-
- Glinda agreed to these terms, well knowing that Mombi was somewhere within
- the city walls. So Jinjur caused the gates to be thrown open, and Glinda
- marched in at the head of a company of soldiers, followed by the Scarecrow
- and the Tin Woodman, while Jack Pumpkinhead rode astride the Saw-Horse, and
- the Educated, Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug sauntered behind in a dignified
- manner. Tip walked by the side of the Sorceress, for Glinda had conceived a
- great liking for the boy.
-
- Of course old Mombi had no intention of being found by Glinda; so, while her
- enemies were marching up the street, the witch transformed herself into a
- red rose growing upon a bush in the garden of the palace. It was a clever
- idea, and a trick Glinda did not suspect; so several precious hours were
- spent in a vain search for Mombi.
-
- As sundown approached the Sorceress realized she had been defeated by the
- superior cunning of the aged witch; so she gave the command to her people to
- march out of the city and back to their tents.
-
- The Scarecrow and his comrades happened to be
-
-
-
- 255
- searching in the garden of the palace just then, and they turned with
- disappointment to obey Glinda's command. But before they left the garden the
- Tin Woodman, who was fond of flowers, chanced to espy a big red rose growing
- upon a bush; so he plucked the flower and fastened it securely in the tin
- buttonhole of his tin bosom.
-
- As he did this he fancied he heard a low moan proceed from the rose; but he
- paid no attention to the sound, and Mombi was thus carried out of the city
- and into Glinda's camp without anyone having a suspicion that they had
- succeeded in their quest.
-
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 256 The Transformation of Old Mombi
-
-
- The Witch was at first frightened at finding herself captured by the enemy;
- but soon she decided that she was exactly as safe in the Tin Woodman's
- button-hole as growing upon the bush. For no one knew the rose and Mombi to
- be one, and now that she was without the gates of the City her chances of
- escaping altogether from Glinda were much improved.
-
- "But there is no hurry," thought Mombi. "I will wait awhile and enjoy the
- humiliation of this Sorceress when she finds I have outwitted her." So
- throughout the night the rose lay quietly on the Woodman's bosom, and in the
- morning, when Glinda summoned our friends to a consultation, Nick Chopper
- carried his pretty flower with him to the white silk tent.
-
-
-
- 257 Line-Art Drawing
-
-
- "For some reason," said Glinda, "we have failed to find this cunning old
- Mombi; so I fear our expedition will prove a failure. And for that I am
- sorry, because without our assistance little Ozma will never be rescued and
- restored to her rightful position as Queen of the Emerald City"
-
- "Do not let us give up so easily," said the Pumpkinhead. "Let us do
- something else."
-
- "Something else must really be done," replied Glinda, with a smile. "yet I
- cannot understand how I have been defeated so easily by an old Witch who
- knows far less of magic than I do myself."
-
- "While we are on the ground I believe it would be wise for us to conquer the
- Emerald City for Princess Ozma, and find the girl afterward," said the
- Scarecrow." And while the girl remains hidden I will gladly rule in her
- place, for I understand the business of ruling much better than Jinjur
- does."
-
-
-
- 258
-
- "But I have promised not to molest Jinjur," objected Glinda.
-
- "Suppose you all return with me to my kingdom -- or Empire, rather," said
- the Tin Woodman, politely including the entire party in a royal wave of his
- arm. "It will give me great pleasure to entertain you in my castle, where
- there is room enough and to spare. And if any of you wish to be nickel-
- plated, my valet will do it free of all expense."
-
- While the Woodman was speaking Glinda's eyes had been noting the rose in his
- button-hole, and now she imagined she saw the big red leaves of the flower
- tremble slightly. This quickly aroused her suspicions, and in a moment more
- the Sorceress had decided that the seeming rose was nothing else than a
- transformation of old Mombi. At the same instant Mombi knew she was
- discovered and must quickly plan an escape, and as transformations were easy
- to her she immediately took the form of a Shadow and glided along the wall
- of the tent toward the entrance, thinking thus to disappear.
-
- But Glinda had not only equal cunning, but far more experience than the
- Witch. So the Sorceress reached the opening of the tent before the Shadow,
- and with a wave of her hand closed the entrance so securely that Mombi could
- not find a crack big
-
-
-
- 259
- enough to creep through. The Scarecrow and his friends were greatly
- surprised at Glinda's actions; for none of them had noted the Shadow. But
- the Sorceress said to them:
-
- "Remain perfectly quiet, all of you! For the old Witch is even now with us
- in this tent, and I hope to capture her."
-
- These words so alarmed Mombi that she quickly transformed herself from a
- shadow to a Black Ant, in which shape she crawled along the ground, seeking
- a crack or crevice in which to hide her tiny body.
-
- Fortunately, the ground where the tent had been pitched, being Just before
- the city gates, was hard and smooth; and while the Ant still crawled about,
- Glinda discovered it and ran quickly forward to effect its capture But, Just
- as her hand was descending, the Witch, now fairly frantic with fear, made
- her last transformation, and in the form of a huge Griffin sprang through
- the wall of the tent -- tearing the silk asunder in her rush -- and in a
- moment had darted away with the speed of a whirlwind.
-
- Glinda did not hesitate to follow. She sprang upon the back of the Saw-Horse
- and cried:
-
- "Now you shall prove that you have a right to be alive! Run -- run -- run!"
-
- The Saw-Horse ran. Like a flash he followed the
-
-
-
- 260
- Griffin, his wooden legs moving so fast that they twinkled like the rays of
- a star. Before our friends could recover from their surprise both the
- Griffin and the Saw-Horse had dashed out of sight.
-
- "Come! Let us follow!" cried the Scarecrow.
-
- They ran to the place where the Gump was lying and quickly tumbled aboard.
-
- "Fly!" commanded Tip, eagerly.
-
- "Where to?" asked the Gump, in its calm voice.
-
- "I don't know," returned Tip, who was very nervous at the delay; "but if you
- will mount into the air I think we can discover which way Glinda has gone."
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 261
-
- "Very well," returned the Gump, quietly; and it spread its great wings and
- mounted high into the air.
-
- Far away, across the meadows, they could now see two tiny specks, speeding
- one after the other; and they knew these specks must be the Griffin and the
- Saw-Horse. So Tip called the Gump's attention to them and bade the creature
- try to overtake the Witch and the Sorceress. But, swift as was the Gump's
- flight, the pursued and pursuer moved more swiftly yet, and within a few
- moments were blotted out against the dim horizon.
-
- "Let us continue to follow them, nevertheless," said the Scarecrow. "for the
- Land of Oz is of small extent, and sooner or later they must both come to a
- halt."
-
- Old Mombi had thought herself very wise to choose the form of a Griffin, for
- its legs were exceedingly fleet and its strength more enduring than that of
- other animals. But she had not reckoned on the untiring energy of the Saw-
- Horse, whose wooden limbs could run for days without slacking their speed.
- Therefore, after an hour's hard running, the Griffin's breath began to fail,
- and it panted and gasped painfully, and moved more slowly than before. Then
- it reached the edge of the desert and began racing across the deep sands.
- But its tired feet sank far
-
-
-
- 262
- into the sand, and in a few minutes the Griffin fell forward, completely
- exhausted, and lay still upon the desert waste.
-
- Glinda came up a moment later, riding the still vigorous Saw-Horse; and
- having unwound a slender golden thread from her girdle the Sorceress threw
- it over the head of the panting and helpless Griffin, and so destroyed the
- magical power of Mombi's transformation.
-
- For the animal, with one fierce shudder, disappeared from view, while in its
- place was discovered the form of the old Witch, glaring savagely at the
- serene and beautiful face of the Sorceress.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 263 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 264 Princess Ozma of Oz
-
-
- "You are my prisoner, and it is useless for you to struggle any longer,"
- said Glinda, in her soft, sweet voice. "Lie still a moment, and rest
- yourself, and then I will carry you back to my tent."
-
- "Why do you seek me?" asked Mombi, still scarce able to speak plainly for
- lack of breath. "What have I done to you, to be so persecuted?"
-
- "You have done nothing to me," answered the gentle Sorceress; "but I suspect
- you have been guilty of several wicked actions; and if I find it is true
- that you have so abused your knowledge of magic, I intend to punish you
- severely."
-
- "I defy you!" croaked the old hag. "You dare not harm me!"
-
- Just then the Gump flew up to them and alighted upon the desert sands beside
- Glinda. Our friends
-
-
-
- 265
- were delighted to find that Mombi had finally been captured, and after a
- hurried consultation it was decided they should all return to the camp in
- the Gump. So the Saw-Horse was tossed aboard, and then Glinda still holding
- an end of the golden thread that was around Mombi's neck, forced her
- prisoner to climb into the sofas. The others now followed, and Tip gave the
- word to the Gump to return.
-
- The Journey was made in safety, Mombi sitting in her place with a grim and
- sullen air; for the old hag was absolutely helpless so long as the magical
- thread encircled her throat. The army hailed Glinda's return with loud
- cheers, and the party of friends soon gathered again in the royal tent,
- which had been neatly repaired during their absence.
-
- "Now," said the Sorceress to Mombi, "I want you to tell us why the Wonderful
- Wizard of Oz paid you three visits, and what became of the child, Ozma,
- which so curiously disappeared."
-
- The Witch looked at Glinda defiantly, but said not a word.
-
- "Answer me!" cried the Sorceress.
-
- But still Mombi remained silent.
-
- "Perhaps she doesn't know," remarked Jack.
-
- "I beg you will keep quiet," said Tip. "You might spoil everything with your
- foolishness."
-
-
-
- 266
-
- "Very well, dear father!" returned the Pumpkinhead, meekly.
-
- "How glad I am to be a Woggle-Bug!" murmured the Highly Magnified Insect,
- softly. "No one can expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin."
-
- "Well," said the Scarecrow, "what shall we do to make Mombi speak? Unless
- she tells us what we wish to know her capture will do us no good at all."
-
- "Suppose we try kindness," suggested the Tin Woodman. "I've heard that
- anyone can be conquered with kindness, no matter how ugly they may be."
-
- At this the Witch turned to glare upon him so horribly that the Tin Woodman
- shrank back abashed.
-
- Glinda had been carefully considering what to do, and now she turned to
- Mombi and said:
-
- "You will gain nothing, I assure you, by thus defying us. For I am
- determined to learn the truth about the girl Ozma, and unless you tell me
- all that you know, I will certainly put you to death."
-
- "Oh, no! Don't do that!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman. "It would be an awful
- thing to kill anyone -- even old Mombi!"
-
- "But it is merely a threat," returned Glinda. "I shall not put Mombi to
- death, because she will prefer to tell me the truth."
-
- "Oh, I see!" said the tin man, much relieved.
-
-
-
- 267
-
- "Suppose I tell you all that you wish to know,". said Mombi, speaking so
- suddenly that she startled them all. "What will you do with me then?"
-
- "In that case," replied Glinda, "I shall merely ask you to drink a powerful
- draught which will cause you to forget all the magic you have ever learned."
-
- "Then I would become a helpless old woman!"
-
- "But you would be alive," suggested the Pumpkinhead, consolingly.
-
- "Do try to keep silent!" said Tip, nervously.
-
- "I'll try," responded Jack; "but you will admit that it's a good thing to be
- alive."
-
- "Especially if one happens to be Thoroughly Educated," added the Woggle-Bug,
- nodding approval.
-
- "You may make your choice," Glinda said to old Mombi, "between death if you
- remain silent, and the loss of your magical powers if you tell me the truth.
- But I think you will prefer to live.
-
- Mombi cast an uneasy glance at the Sorceress, and saw that she was in
- earnest, and not to be trifled with. So she replied, slowly:
-
- "I will answer your questions."
-
- "That is what I expected," said Glinda, pleasantly. "You have chosen wisely,
- I assure you."
-
- She then motioned to one of her Captains, who brought her a beautiful golden
- casket. From this
-
-
-
- 268
- the Sorceress drew an immense white pearl, attached to a slender chain which
- she placed around her neck in such a way that the pearl rested upon her
- bosom, directly over her heart.
-
- "Now," said she, "I will ask my first question: Why did the Wizard pay you
- three visits?"
-
- "Because I would not come to him," answered Mombi.
-
- "That is no answer," said Glinda, sternly. "Tell me the truth."
-
- "Well," returned Mombi, with downcast eyes, "he visited me to learn the way
- I make tea-biscuits."
-
- "Look up!" commanded the Sorceress.
-
- Mombi obeyed.
-
- "What is the color of my pearl?" demanded Glinda.
-
- "Why -- it is black!" replied the old Witch, in a tone of wonder.
-
- "Then you have told me a falsehood!" cried Glinda, angrily. "Only when the
- truth is spoken will my magic pearl remain a pure white in color."
-
- Mombi now saw how useless it was to try to deceive the Sorceress; so she
- said, meanwhile scowling at her defeat:
-
- "The Wizard brought to me the girl Ozma, who was then no more than a baby,
- and begged me to conceal the child."
-
-
-
- 269
-
- "That is what I thought," declared Glinda, calmly. "What did he give you for
- thus serving him?"
-
- "He taught me all the magical tricks he knew. Some were good tricks, and
- some were only frauds; but I have remained faithful to my promise."
-
- "What did you do with the girl?" asked Glinda; and at this question everyone
- bent forward and listened eagerly for the reply.
-
- "I enchanted her," answered Mombi.
-
- "In what way?"
-
- "I transformed her into -- into -- "
-
- "Into what?" demanded Glinda, as the Witch hesitated.
-
- "Into a boy!" said Mombi, in a low tone."
-
- A boy!" echoed every voice; and then, because they knew that this old woman
- had reared Tip from childhood, all eyes were turned to where the boy stood.
-
- "Yes," said the old Witch, nodding her head; "that is the Princess Ozma --
- the child brought to me by the Wizard who stole her father's throne. That is
- the rightful ruler of the Emerald City!" and she pointed her long bony
- finger straight at the boy.
-
- "I!" cried Tip, in amazement. "Why, I'm no Princess Ozma -- I'm not a girl!"
-
- Glinda smiled, and going to Tip she took his small brown hand within her
- dainty white one.
-
-
-
- 270 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- MOMBI POINTED HER LONG, BONY FINGER AT THE BOY
-
-
-
- 271
-
- "You are not a girl just now" said she, gently, "because Mombi transformed
- you into a boy. But you were born a girl, and also a Princess; so you must
- resume your proper form, that you may become Queen of the Emerald City."
-
- "Oh, let Jinjur be the Queen!" exclaimed Tip, ready to cry. "I want to stay
- a boy, and travel with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, and the Woggle-
- Bug, and Jack -- yes! and my friend the Saw-Horse -- and the Gump! I don't
- want to be a girl!"
-
- "Never mind, old chap," said the Tin Woodman, soothingly; "it don't hurt to
- be a girl, I'm told; and we will all remain your faithful friends just the
- same. And, to be honest with you, I've always considered girls nicer than
- boys."
-
- "They're just as nice, anyway," added the Scarecrow, patting Tip
- affectionately upon the head.
-
- "And they are equally good students," proclaimed the Woggle-Bug. "I should
- like to become your tutor, when you are transformed into a girl again."
-
- "But -- see here!" said Jack Pumpkinhead, with a gasp: "if you become a
- girl, you can't be my dear father any more!"
-
- "No," answered Tip, laughing in spite of his anxiety. "and I shall not be
- sorry to escape the relationship." Then he added, hesitatingly, as he turned
- to
-
-
-
- 272 Line-Art Drawing
-
- Glinda: "I might try it for awhile,-just to see how it seems, you know. But
- if I don't like being a girl you must promise to change me into a boy
- again."
-
- "Really," said the Sorceress, "that is beyond my magic. I never deal in
- transformations, for they are not honest, and no respectable sorceress likes
- to make things appear to be what they are not. Only unscrupulous witches use
- the art, and therefore I must ask Mombi to effect your release from her
- charm, and restore you to your proper form. It will be the last opportunity
- she will have to practice magic."
-
-
-
- 273
-
- Now that the truth about Princes Ozma had been discovered, Mombi did not
- care what became of Tip; but she feared Glinda's anger, and the boy
- generously promised to provide for Mombi in her old age if he became the
- ruler of the Emerald City. So the Witch consented to effect the
- transformation, and preparations for the event were at once made.
-
- Glinda ordered her own royal couch to be placed in the center of the tent.
- It was piled high with cushions covered with rose-colored silk, and from a
- golden railing above hung many folds of pink gossamer, completely concealing
- the interior of the couch.
-
- The first act of the Witch was to make the boy drink a potion which quickly
- sent him into a deep and dreamless sleep. Then the Tin Woodman and the
- Woggle-Bug bore him gently to the couch, placed him upon the soft cushions,
- and drew the gossamer hangings to shut him from all earthly view.
-
- The Witch squatted upon the ground and kindled a tiny fire of dried herbs,
- which she drew from her bosom. When the blaze shot up and burned clearly old
- Mombi scattered a handful of magical powder over the fire, which straightway
- gave off a rich violet vapor, filling all the tent with its fragrance and
- forcing the Saw-Horse to sneeze -- although he had been warned to keep
- quiet.
-
-
-
- 274 Full page line-art drawing.
-
- MOMBI AT HER MAGICAL INCANTATIONS.
-
-
-
- 275
-
- Then, while the others watched her curiously, the hag chanted a rhythmical
- verse in words which no one understood, and bent her lean body seven times
- back and forth over the fire. And now the incantation seemed complete, for
- the Witch stood upright and cried the one word "Yeowa!" in a loud voice.
-
- The vapor floated away; the atmosphere became, clear again; a whiff of fresh
- air filled the tent, and the pink curtains of the couch trembled slightly,
- as if stirred from within.
-
- Glinda walked to the canopy and parted the silken hangings. Then she bent
- over the cushions, reached out her hand, and from the couch arose the form
- of a young girl, fresh and beautiful as a May morning. Her eyes sparkled as
- two diamonds, and her lips were tinted like a tourmaline. All adown her back
- floated tresses of ruddy gold, with a slender jeweled circlet confining them
- at the brow. Her robes of silken gauze floated around her like a cloud, and
- dainty satin slippers shod her feet.
-
- At this exquisite vision Tip's old comrades stared in wonder for the space
- of a full minute, and then every head bent low in honest admiration of the
- lovely Princess Ozma. The girl herself cast one look into Glinda's bright
- face, which glowed with pleasure and satisfaction, and then turned upon the
-
-
-
- 276
- others. Speaking the words with sweet diffidence, she said:
-
- "I hope none of you will care less for me than you did before. I'm just the
- same Tip, you know; only -- only -- "
-
- "Only you're different!" said the Pumpkinhead; and everyone thought it was
- the wisest speech he had ever made.
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 277 Full page line-art drawing.
-
-
-
- 278 The Riches of Content
-
-
- When the wonderful tidings reached the ears of Queen Jinjur -- how Mombi the
- Witch had been captured; how she had confessed her crime to Glinda; and how
- the long-lost Princess Ozma had been discovered in no less a personage than
- the boy Tip -- she wept real tears of grief and despair.
-
- "To think," she moaned, "that after having ruled as Queen, and lived in a
- palace, I must go back to scrubbing floors and churning butter again! It is
- too horrible to think of! I will never consent!"
-
- So when her soldiers, who spent most of their time making fudge in the
- palace kitchens, counseled Jinjur to resist, she listened to their foolish
- prattle and sent a sharp defiance to Glinda the Good and the Princess Ozma.
- The result was a declaration of war, and the very next day Glinda marched
- upon the Emerald City with pennants flying and bands playing,
-
-
-
- 279
- and a forest of shining spears, sparkling brightly beneath the sun's rays.
-
- But when it came to the walls this brave assembly made a sudden halt; for
- Jinjur had closed and barred every gateway, and the walls of the Emerald
- City were builded high and thick with many blocks of green marble. Finding
- her advance thus baffled, Glinda bent her brows in deep thought, while the
- Woggle-Bug said, in his most positive tone:
-
- "We must lay siege to the city, and starve it into submission. It is the
- only thing we can do."
-
- "Not so," answered the Scarecrow. "We still have the Gump, and the Gump can
- still fly"
-
- The Sorceress turned quickly at this speech, and her face now wore a bright
- smile.
-
- "You are right," she exclaimed, "and certainly have reason to be proud of
- your brains. Let us go to the Gump at once!"
-
- So they passed through the ranks of the army until they came to the place,
- near the Scarecrow's tent, where the Gump lay. Glinda and Princess Ozma
- mounted first, and sat upon the sofas. Then the Scarecrow and his friends
- climbed aboard, and still there was room for a Captain and three soldiers,
- which Glinda considered sufficient for a guard.
-
- Now, at a word from the Princess, the queer
-
-
-
- 280 Line-Art Drawing
-
- Thing they had called the Gump flopped its palm-leaf wings and rose into the
- air, carrying the party of adventurers high above the walls. They hovered
- over the palace, and soon perceived Jinjur reclining in a hammock in the
- courtyard, where she was comfortably reading a novel with a green cover and
- eating green chocolates, confident that the walls would protect her from her
- enemies. Obeying a quick command, the Gump alighted safely in this very
- courtyard, and before Jinjur had time to do more than scream, the Captain
- and three soldiers
-
-
-
- 281
- leaped out and made the former Queen a prisoner, locking strong chains upon
- both her wrists.
-
- That act really ended the war; for the Army of Revolt submitted as soon as
- they knew Jinjur to be a captive, and the Captain marched in safety through
- the streets and up to the gates of the city, which she threw wide open. Then
- the bands played their most stirring music while Glinda's army marched into
- the city, and heralds proclaimed the conquest of the audacious Jinjur and
- the accession of the beautiful Princess Ozma to the throne of her royal
- ancestors.
-
- At once the men of the Emerald City cast off their aprons. And it is said
- that the women were so tired eating of their husbands' cooking that they
-
- Line-Art Drawing
-
-
-
- 282
- all hailed the conquest of Jinjur with Joy. Certain it is that, rushing one
- and all to the kitchens of their houses, the good wives prepared so
- delicious a feast for the weary men that harmony was immediately restored in
- every family.
-
- Ozma's first act was to oblige the Army of Revolt to return to her every
- emerald or other gem stolen from the public streets and buildings; and so
- great was the number of precious stones picked from their settings by these
- vain girls, that every one of the royal jewelers worked steadily for more
- than a month to replace them in their settings.
-
- Meanwhile the Army of Revolt was disbanded and the girls sent home to their
- mothers. On promise of good behavior Jinjur was likewise released.
-
- Ozma made the loveliest Queen the Emerald City had ever known; and, although
- she was so young and inexperienced, she ruled her people with wisdom and
- Justice. For Glinda gave her good advice on all occasions; and the Woggle-
- Bug, who was appointed to the important post of Public Educator, was quite
- helpful to Ozma when her royal duties grew perplexing.
-
- The girl, in her gratitude to the Gump for its services, offered the
- creature any reward it might name.
-
-
-
- 283
-
- "Then," replied the Gump, "please take me to pieces. I did not wish to be
- brought to life, and I am greatly ashamed of my conglomerate personality.
- Once I was a monarch of the forest, as my antlers fully prove; but now, in
- my present upholstered condition of servitude, I am compelled to fly through
- the air -- my legs being of no use to me whatever. Therefore I beg to be
- dispersed."
-
- So Ozma ordered the Gump taken apart. The antlered head was again hung over
- the mantle-piece in the hall, and the sofas were untied and placed in the
- reception parlors. The broom tail resumed its accustomed duties in the
- kitchen, and finally, the Scarecrow replaced all the clotheslines and ropes
- on the pegs from which he had taken them on the eventful day when the Thing
- was constructed.
-
- You might think that was the end of the Gump; and so it was, as a flying-
- machine. But the head over the mantle-piece continued to talk whenever it
- took a notion to do so, and it frequently startled, with its abrupt
- questions, the people who waited in the hall for an audience with the Queen.
-
- The Saw-Horse, being Ozma's personal property, was tenderly cared for; and
- often she rode the queer creature along the streets of the Emerald City. She
- had its wooden legs shod with gold, to keep them
-
-
-
- 284
- from wearing out, and the tinkle of these golden shoes upon the pavement
- always filled the Queen's subjects with awe as they thought upon this
- evidence of her magical powers.
-
- "The Wonderful Wizard was never so wonderful as Queen Ozma," the people said
- to one another, in whispers; "for he claimed to do many things he could not
- do; whereas our new Queen does many things no one would ever expect her to
- accomplish."
-
- Jack Pumpkinhead remained with Ozma to the end of his days; and he did not
- spoil as soon as he had feared, although he always remained as stupid as
- ever. The Woggle-Bug tried to teach him several arts and sciences; but Jack
- was so poor a student that any attempt to educate him was soon abandoned.
-
- After Glinda's army had marched back home, and peace was restored to the
- Emerald City, the Tin Woodman announced his intention to return to his own
- Kingdom of the Winkies.
-
- "It isn't a very big Kingdom," said he to Ozma, "but for that very reason it
- is easier to rule; and I have called myself an Emperor because I am an
- Absolute Monarch, and no one interferes in any way with my conduct of public
- or personal affairs. When I get home I shall have a new coat of nickel
- plate; for I have become somewhat marred and scratched lately;
-
-
-
- 285
- and then I shall be glad to have you pay me a visit."
-
- "Thank you," replied Ozma. "Some day I may accept the invitation. But what
- is to become of the Scarecrow?"
-
- "I shall return with my friend the Tin Woodman," said the stuffed one,
- seriously. "We have decided never to be parted in the future."
-
- "And I have made the Scarecrow my Royal Treasurer," explained the Tin
- Woodman." For it has occurred to me that it is a good thing to have a Royal
- Treasurer who is made of money. What do you think?"
-
- "I think," said the little Queen, smiling, "that your friend must be the
- richest man in all the world."
-
- "I am," returned the Scarecrow. "but not on account of my money. For I
- consider brains far superior to money, in every way. You may have noticed
- that if one has money without brains, he cannot use it to advantage; but if
- one has brains without money, they will enable him to live comfortably to
- the end of his days."
-
- "At the same time," declared the Tin Woodman, "you must acknowledge that a
- good heart is a thing that brains can not create, and that money can not
- buy. Perhaps, after all, it is I who am the richest man in all the world."
-
-
-
- 286
-
- "You are both rich, my friends," said Ozma, gently; "and your riches are the
- only riches worth having -- the riches of content!"
-
- The End
-
-
- End of Project Gutenberg Etext of "The Marvelous Land of Oz"
-
-
-