Oz 17: The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19]
cried Panapee haughtily, " this_is your new master, Mustafa of Mudge . your highness, here_is_the lion you were just wishing for ! "

" an odd looking beast," puffed the ruler of Mudge, tugging at his mustache .

" an awful looking creature I call it," sniffed Tazzywaller, who was jealous to_think another lion really had_been captured after he_said there were no more .

" maybe it's the cowardly lion," mused Mustafa ." I_see that his knees are trembling . are_you the cowardly lion ? " he demanded, pointing his scimitar at poor Notta . the clown roared dismally, to_prove he_was no coward . how was he to_know that in_the land of Oz all animals can and_are expected to_talk ? why, he_did_not even know he_was in Oz, and in_the hands of_the Mudgers .

" he refuses to answer," said Mustafa gloomily ." well, a dumb lion is better than no lion at all . take him away, Panny, and lock him up with_the other lions . I_hope he's a good fighter . let me see, that makes ten thousand for_you to feed, Tazzywaller, if_the others don't chew this_one up . he rubbed his hands joyfully together ."I'll come out later on and_see how they take to him . but I_am not going to_be satisfied until I_have the cowardly lion, Panny . this lion is a cowardly lion but not the cowardly lion . take him away ! "

Mustafa picked up the lion book and, waving Notta out_of_the tent, fell to looking at_the picture of_the cowardly lion of Oz .

all during this conversation Notta's hair had_been prickling under his mane .Ten thousand lions ! Sizzling sawdust ! better face these wild- looking men than that . rule one had failed, it_was time to_try rule two .

" come on," growled the Mudger at his head and gave the rope arouhd his neck a sharp tug . but before_the clown had a chance to move or speak, there_was a shrill scream, and out rushed Bob up, almost upsetting old Tazzywaller . he flung both arms around the trembling lion .

" you shan't take him away," cried the little boy stormily ." it isn't a lion . it's Notta ! "

"Notta ? " roared Mustafa, lurching forward and looking at Bobbie with astonishment .

" not a lion," cried the clown, rising on_his hind legs and hastily removing his lion head .

chapter 4 Mustafa's mandate

there_was a moment of absolute silence following Notta's disclosure . with_his lion body and clown head he presented an amazing and ridiculous appearance . nothing like this had ever been seen in Mudge, and_the Mudgers simply gaped with astonishment .

" steady now, Bob," whispered the clown, putting his lion paw around the little boy ." all we_have to_do is_to_be polite- rule two, you_know ! "

Mustafa was_the first to recover ." not a lion ! " cried the monarch of Mudge hoarsely ." why, how dare you disappoint me like this ? did you hear that, Tazzywaller, Panny, Mixtuppa- all of you ? he_says he's not a lion ." a sob of rage choked Mustafa's voice .

"I apologize for not being a lion," said Notta, in a polite, slightly shaky voice ."Ten thousand pardons ! "

"Ten thousand puddings ! " screamed Mustafa furiously .

" puddings by all means, if your highness prefers them," corrected Notta hastily ." i_told you there were no more lions in Mudge," wheezed Tazzywaller with a triumphant glance

at Panapee ." I_knew it wasn't a lion all along ." " well, what_is it then ? " asked Mustafa angrily ." the little fellow's a boy of some kind, but this other ? " he waved scornfully at_the poor clown .

"A wizard, your highness ? " hissed Panapee ."A wizard, that's what he_is .

" now don't call me names," begged Notta, extending the front paws of_his disguise ."I'm Notta ."

" not a wizard, I suppose," said Tazzywaller scornfully .

" why don't you ask him how he got here ? " sighed Mixtuppa, reasonably enough .Notta stared curiously at_the large head of Mixtuppa, wagging through_the blue curtain . perhaps here was someone who_would understand politeness .

" madam, your highness, gracious and lovely lady," began the clown with a deep bow, " we fell into_this charming country through no fault of_our own .

" well, it wasn't our fault; we_have no faults here," snapped Mustafa ungraciously ." how did you get past the lion enclosure ? " demanded Panapee ." how do_you explain this being a lion one minute and a creature of another sort the next ? "

" well, there_is something very queer about_it," admitted Notta, rubbing his forehead in a puzzled way ." one minute Bob and I were in a circus doing a bit of a trick and-"

" I_knew it_was a trick," exclaimed Panapee triumphantly ." he admits it ! "

" silence ! " cried Mustafa, who was beginning to enjoy the recital ." you were in a circus ? Tazzywaller, what_is a circus ? "

" it's a show," explained Notta hastily, for he_could tell by_the puzzled faces of_the Mudgers that_they had never heard of_such a thing ." and we were in_it .I put Bob on my shoulder and shouted a silly rhyme, and in a flash he_is gone .I shout it again and I'm gone too ! "

" gone where ? " asked Mustafa, rubbing his chin .

" to here," replied Notta, gazing about him uneasily ." funny how a little verse could carry us so_far ." he recited:

"Udge ! budge ! go to Mudge ! Udger budger, I'm aMudger ! "

no sooner had he done so than Mustafa sprang into_the air and all the Mudgers began roaring with fright and fury .

" he's discovered the secret of Mudge," shrilled Mustafa, pulling out a handful of_his whiskers .

" how dare you use our own privately patented, particular, magic transformation formula ? now you'll be wishing all sorts of people into_the country ! "

" he's a wizard ! " screamed Panapee ." i_told you he_was a wizard ! twist his tail; off with_his head; throw him to_the lions ! "

" wait, let me explain," pleaded the clown, but his voice was drowned in_the angry hubbub . then all at once a gong at_the back of_the tent rang thunderously .Mustafa, who had already seized the tail of Notta's disguise, paused . so did the others . on a platform at_the other end of_the tent stood Tazzywaller, thumping the gong with all his might . the noise was so terrible that even Notta and Bob, frightened though they were, had to_cover their ears . not until Mustafa ran to_the little platform and commanded Tazzywaller to stop, did the awful clangor cease .

" what do_you_mean by_this impertinence ? " panted Mustafa, seizing Tazzy's arm .

" it was_the only way I_could get your attention," said Tazzywaller calmly ." I_have something important to_say . about lions," he finished meaningly .

" well, what_is it ? " puffed Mustafa eagerly ." be quiet ! " he_called to_the Mudgers who were again closing in on Notta and Bob .

" that person," cried Tazzywaller, with a wave toward Notta, " is undoubtedly a- wizard . instead of snatching off his head, which will_be of no use to_us, even as an ornament, why_not compel him to_serve us ? he_is a wizard, or he_would_not_be in Mudge . well then, let him go to_the emerald city and bring back the cowardly lion ! "

Mustafa stared at his former chamberlain in amazed admiration, then flinging both arms about his neck, hugged him almost to suffocation . next instant he had clapped his hands and issued a dozen orders to as_many little servitors . at_the first the shouting Mudgers retired backward from_the tent, at_the second Panapee also retired, leaving Bob and Notta alone with Tazzy and their Majesties . outside, the marching and countermarching of_the blue guard could_be heard as_they surrounded the royal tent .

" the rules aren't working at all well, Bob," breathed Notta anxiously .Bob said nothing .. he just clutched the clown's hand a little tighter and stared at Mustafa in open- eyed wonder .

" now then," chuckled the monarch of Mudge, " now then, my handsome wizard, what do_you call yourself ? "

"Notta," began the clown, resolved to_be polite as long as possible, "Notta bit more ."

"Notta ! " coughed Mustafa, opening his eyes wide . that doesn't sound like a name . it sounds like-"

"A joke," put in_the clown, with one of_his broad smiles, "a little joke on me . you_see it_is meant to_be funny ."

" well, it doesn't amuse me at all ." Mustafa stared solemnly into_the clown's face ." why are_you so white ? and why is his hair," Mustafa jerked his thumb at Bob-" so red ? "

" for_the same reason that your majesty's whiskers are blue," replied Notta promptly .Mustafa did_not quite like this answer .

" your business ? " he inquired next ."I suppose you deny being a wizard ? "

"Oh, absolutely ! " said Notta ." but my busi ness, if your majesty insists, is fun .I make people laugh and thus prolong their lives ."

"A funny business," sniffed Mustafa, with a puzzled look at Tazzywaller ." well, you_will_have to_make me laugh to prolong your life, and the_only_thing that makes me laugh is lions ! "

"Lions ! " Notta wrinkled up his forehead ."I'm afraid lions are_not in my line at all . you_see I didn't work in_that part of_the show ."

" you pretended to_be a lion," interrupted Mustafa sternly, " and you haye proved yourself a wizard . so unless you_can capture the cowardly lion of Oz and bring him back to Mudge, you shall be thrown into_the lion reservation, whereby nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions will tear you to bits . do_you agree ? "

" tear me to bits ! " gulped the clown ." my father often said I'd go to_the dogs, but he never dreamed I'd be thrown to_the lions . say, is_this cowardly lion very fierce ? " instead of answering, Mustafa handed him Panapee's lion book, saying, " you_may read that while I make preparations for your journey .

Smiling almost pleasantly, the monarch of Mudge linked his arm through Tazzywaller's and disappeared behind the blue curtain at_the back of_the tent .Mixtuppa also drew in her head and Bob up and Notta were left alone .

"Isn't it time to run ? " asked the little boy anxiously . he had never in_his whole life heard so_much about lions . but Notta put his fingers to_his lips and shook his head .

" no use," whispered the clown ." the tent's surrounded . we_must pretend, my boy pretend we_are going to hunt this cowardly lion . then, once out_of_the country, we'll take_the first train home ." he sat down on a huge cushion and began turning the pages of_the lion book, Bob up looking curiously over his shoulder . they were both quite interested in a description of_the cowardly lion and princess Dorothy, when Mustafa came whirling back . he_was followed by a small Mudger servant, with three white packets upon his head .

" here," said Mustafa, with a wave at_the packets, " are provisions for three days . travel straight north until you reach a yellow brick road and follow that road till you come to_the emerald city . there you_will_find the cowardly lion ."

" but, see here," began Notta, who had_been doing some quick thinking, " why does_not your majesty transport this lion to Mudge by_the magic verse ? "

" for a wizard," sniffed Mustafa, " you_are astonishingly stupid . that verse only transports people, and one must touch the person .

" well then, why_not send some of your valiant tribesmen to capture him ? I, I_am a stranger here and_have never captured a lion in my life ."

" because it_is written in_the book of Mudge that any Mudger leaving his country will lose his head," droned Mixtuppa, thrusting her turban through_the curtain ." and if_you take my advice you_will go at once . all this arguing keeps me awake, and when I'm awake I lose my temper, and when I lose my temper other folks lose their heads, and when_that-"

"I'll go," sighed Notta, seeing that no sense at all was to_be had from_this ridiculous pair . he stepped out of_his lion disguise and, rolling it up into a small bundle, thrust it into his trouser leg . next he slung the three packets around his neck and, taking Bob's hand, declared himself ready to_go .

Rubbing his hands gleefully, Mustafa led them out_of_the royal tent, through a double line of_the Mudger guard, to_the great iron enclosure that surrounded his kingdom . the lions were snarling and quarreling among themselves, but as_soon_as Mustafa came in sight they began calling him names and screaming for their dinner .

" be quiet, my little pets," chuckled the monarch of Mudge good-naturedly ." this_is_not dinner, only a silly wizard ."

" give_us the boy, then," roared the largest of_the lions, licking his chops ." give_us the boy," roared all the other lions immediately .Notta and Bob up stared at Mustafa's pets in horror and disbelief, for neither had in their lives ever heard a lion talk before .Bob, especially, was terribly dismayed by_the personal nature of_their conversation . but, while they were still trembling, two heavy doors were slipped through_the bars, about five feet apart, making a safe and narrow passageway through_the enclosure . the gates on_the inside and outside of_the enclosure were unlocked and Mustafa waved imperiously for_them to_go .

this Notta and Bob lost no time in doing .

" remember," called Mustafa warningly, as_they scurried through, " if_you run away instead of hunting for_the cowardly lion, I_shall know of it . when a messenger disobeys me, my magic ring turns black . if_it turns black I_shall know you_are deceiving me, and in_that case Mustafa held up his thumb so_that Notta could_see his ring" in_that case I_shall take it off, and if I take it off you_will both turn as blue as my whiskers and find yourselves unable to move until you decide to_do as I_have commanded . goodbye, my chalk- faced wizard, a pleasant journey and a swift return ! "

Notta was too shocked and astounded to answer .Grasping Bob up more firmly than before, he rushed out the iron gate and off through a field of blue daisies, until the dreadful roaring of_the lions of Mudge could no longer be heard .

" and this," puffed the clown at last, sinking down under a great tree, " this_is what comes of trying to_be funny . never try to_be funny, my boy ."

" no, sir," answered Bob, staring anxiously over his shoulder to_see whether any of Mustafa's lions had followed them .

chapter 5

two cowardly lion Hunters

for a time Notta and Bob up sat quietly under the tree, each busy with_his own thoughts . the clown was repeating to himself Mustafa's warning, and trying to recall some mention of_such a country as Mudge in_the geographies he

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19]