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]
he had studied . the little boy was thinking that at_this_time yesterday he_was calmly eating oatmeal and apple sauce, with nothing more exciting ahead than lessons and bed . perhaps he_was asleep, and dreaming about lions and blue whiskered Mudgers . he touched Notta experimentally, to_see if he_would disappear or turn suddenly to_the harsh- voiced matron of_the orphan asylum . but the clown only turned a neat somersault, walked a few paces on_his hands and sat down again .

"Bob," asked the clown, tilting his cap forward so he_could scratch his ear, " do I look like a lion hunter ? "

Bob up shook his head slowly and almost laughed . something inside tickled tremendously, but he remembered, just in_time, that laughing was against the rules of_the orphan home, so he swallowed instead .

" we're both lion hunters," observed the clown reflectively, " and_that being the case we had better start hunting at once, for_it would never do for_the lions to_find us first . it's like a game of hide- and- seek, Bob . so_long as_we_are hunting him, this cowardly lion is_it . but if_we stop hunting, then we're it . in a game of hide- and- seek with a lion, it's your hide or his . being it, means being et, hide- and- seek and all ! "

Notta glanced slyly at Bob out_of_the corner of_his eye to_see whether he were going to smile .Bob was looking uncertainly at_the forest, stretching so darkly ahead, and thinking he_would just as soon not play this game of hide- and- seek at all . but as Notta had already started toward the forest, there_was nothing for him to_do but follow . the short, spring afternoon was drawing to a close and a round silver moon showed faintly over the tree tops .

" things might_be alot better, and again they_might_be alot worse," mused Notta, as_they walked along under the trees ." why, if_you were in_the home, you_would probably be eating corn meal mush for supper and-"

" what_are we going to_have for supper, Notta ? " asked Bob, looking up at_the clown inquiringly ." well, hurrah ! " shouted the clown, turning a rapid cartwheel ." you're getting on, my lad; called me Notta as natural as a brother . as_to supper, that depends on Mustafa . let's see what the old rascal has_given us ."

on a flat stump that happened to_be near, Notta opened one_of_the packets and set out a regular feast . there were dozens of small meat sandwiches, there were ripe figs, a jar of honey, and a little jug full of blue tea, which they found most refreshing . after they had feasted, Notta carefully packed up the rest and, feeling more cheerful, the two cowardly lion hunters stepped along through_the forest .

" I_can't make out where we_are, at all," said the clown presently, " but in a country where lions talk, and verses fling one about, it's safer to obey orders, don't you_think so, Bob up, my boy ? so_long as_we travel towards this emerald city we_are obeying orders and_are safe from Mustafa's ring . when we get there_is time enough to worry about_the cowardly lion . now take an emerald city, Bob; did you ever hear of_such a place ? why, it's as strange as blue whiskers and cowardly lions . everything's strange . in_fact, i_think we've fallen into one_of_these fairy tales .I always had a kind of notion they were true ! "

" but the cowardly lion liked Dorothy," burst out Bob quite unexpectedly, " so maybe he_will like us ." he had_been turning slowly over in_his mind the few facts he had managed to read in_the lion book .

" why, bless my heart ! " cried the clown, looking down at Bob admiringly, " so he_did, and furthermore, didn't that book say Dorothy was from Kansas ? "

Bob up nodded solemnly .

" well, then everything's clear as candy ! "

Notta turned a somersault from pure relief ." we'll go straight to_this emerald city and tell our troubles to Dorothy, and when she learns that we_are from_the United_States, surely she will help_us to_get back, and if_we_could take a couple of talking lions along our fortune would_be made . why, even Barnum and Bailey never showed atalking lion ."

Notta was so enthusiastic by_this_time that he fairly bounced along . but Bob was growing sleepy . he_found it harder and harder to_keep pace with Notta's long legs, and finally fell sprawling over the roots of a large tree .Notta had him up in a minute .

"Lights out ? " chuckled the clown, touching Bob's eyelids gently ." well, then, let's go to bed . it's too dark to_go on, anyway .

"I don't see any beds," sighed Bob, leaning wearily against the clown's knee .

" neither do I," admitted the clown, " but we'll just pretend we're flowers, and sleep on_the ground ." in a minute the clown had raked a pile of leaves together under the tree and placed Bob carefully in_the center .

" are there any bears in_this wood ? " asked Bob, looking around doubtfully . it_was quite dark now, and_the moonlight sifting through_the leaves made queer shapes out of all the shadows ." this isn't a bear forest," said Notta positively ." i_think it's a fairy forest, Bob, and_that reminds me of a song I used to_know ."

Reaching over, Notta pulled the little boy into his big, comfortable lap, and with a twinkle in_his eyes he put his back against the tree and began to sing:

"Oh the moon's a balloon on a silvery string, and_the sandman holds on to_it tight ! 'Tis a ticklish task- what would happen, I ask, if he let it fly off some fine night ?

" but he_knows that_there_are Seven points to a star, that might puncture the moon; and a steeple would finish it quite ! how we'd miss it at night, for_the moon means so_much to some people ! "

there_was another verse to_the song, and Bob, leaning drowsily against Notta's chest, thought he had never heard anything so perfectly beautiful . he had never sat on a real lap before, nor had a song sung especially for him . so the little boy snuggled down contentedly, his eyes straying to_the moon, just visible above the tree tops . why, there_was a string on_it, a bright silver string, and a little, old man was holding to_the end, just as Notta had sung !

" fast asleep," muttered the clown, holding Bob a bit tighter . and so he_was fast asleep and dreaming of_the sandman's balloon .Notta meant to_keep awake, for he_was not so sure there were no bears in_this dark forest, but the day's experiences had so tired him that, in a short time, he_was sound asleep himself .

no sooner had Notta's eyes closed, than a little, bent fairyman came tiptoeing from behind the tree . he held his lantern close to Notta's face .

" such a beautiful voice," sighed the little fellow to himself ." it would_be a shame to_have it swallowed up by one_of_the forest creatures . and this must_be a child ." he held his lantern close to Bob's red head . he watched them for a while in silence, then pulling his silvery beard thoughtfully, set the little red lantern beside them and pattered off into_the darkness .

Notta had_been right . it_was a fairy forest . every forest in_the wonderful land of Oz is a fairy forest, inhabited by strange creatures and peoples . but the clown's song had so pleased the old fairyman that he determined to protect the two strangers from all harm, and though many bears and other beasts came snuffling past, they dared not approach, for_the red lantern told them plainly it_was "Claws off ." so grumbling and growling, they went searching further for their dinners .

the little lantern disappeared with_the first ray of sunshine and, quite unconscious of_the dangers they had slept through, Notta and Bob awoke almost at_the same minute .

" well," yawned Notta, winking the only eye he had open, " we're still here, I_see ." he rolled over and over and turned a dozen handsprings to_get the kinks out of_his back ."I've often wondered what made flowers so stiff and now I_know . it's sleeping on_the ground .I'm glad I'm not a flower, aren't you, Bob ? "

Bob nodded and hopped up quite briskly . there_was a fine breeze blowing, and_the day was so sunny and bright that he_felt ready for anything, and just to look at Notta made him feel happy .

" do_you_think we'll find the emerald city today ? " he asked, skipping along beside the clown, who was making for a little brook just ahead .

" well, according to Mustafa, it ought to_take three days," answered Notta ." but Mustafa was never in a circus, and anyone who has_been in a circus can travel three times as fast as other folks, so I shouldn't be surprised at all if_we were to_be eating our supper in_this emerald city tonight . if I had only wished old Billy along he could_have carried us in style ."

" the elephant ? " exclaimed Bob, with round eyes . the clown nodded and, kneeling down on_the edge of_the brook, began to splash water on_his face and hands .Bob did the same, and had just taken off his shoes in_order to paddle properly, when a cry from Notta made him pause .

" now I've done it," wailed the clown dolefully, jumping up and down .

" what ? " asked Bob curiously .

" washed my face ." Notta pointed to_his face, which_was quite red and shiny from_the cold water .' and I haven't any powder ! have_you any powder, Bob ? Oh, my ! cold pie ! it's hard enough to_be funny with a white face, but without one I simply could_not joke at all . whatever's to_become of us ? I'm no clown this_way .

Bob was terribly distressed, for if Notta couldn't be funny nothing would seem the same . he_felt hastily in_his pockets- not that he expected to_find anything, but because he didn't know what else to_do and in_the last one his hand closed on a bag of candy the old gentleman had bought for him at_the circus . it_was squashed and sticky from being slept on, . but mechanically Bob handed it over .

" why, it's marshmallows ! " cried Notta in delight ."Bob, you_have saved the honor of_my profession . we_must preserve these carefully ." he patted his face with a small sugary marshmallow and surveyed his reflection with pleased satisfaction ." I_feel funny already," he announced cheerfully .Bob was much relieved and Notta did look more natural with_his face whitened .

" now for breakfast," said the clown, licking the sugar off his lips . it_was great fun, Bob thought, washing in a brook and having breakfast under the trees . after finishing off some more of Mustafa's sandwiches, they started quite briskly through_the forest .

" i_think the rules are going to work better today," chuckled the clown, " i_will use disguise number three . number three's a bear, Bob up . now, here's our program, first disguise, then politeness, then joke and run . we_shall get along famously ." Notta sprang into_the air and clicked his heels together for very light-heartedness .

Bob was thinking to himself that Notta's last disguise had_not helped them much, but he_was too polite to mention such a thing, and as there seemed to_be no danger in sight he trotted along contentedly, stopping now_and_then to pick the bright blue flowers that grew everywhere under the trees . the forest was not so large as it had seemed in_the night, and in an hour they had come to_the end of it and started down a narrow lane .

" well, we're still going north ." Notta looked complacently at a large sign post that stood at_the beginning of_the lane .

" north road to D," said the sign briefly .

" wonder what D stands for ? "

" because it can't sit down ." the sign snapped out the sentence so suddenly that Notta tripped and fell over a stone, and Bob simply gasped with astonishment .

" they didn't paint any line for_it to sit on," explained the sign post patiently .

" where does this lane go to ? " gulped the clown, edging over and taking Bob's hand .

" it doesn't go any place . it stays where it_is .

" see here," puffed the clown in exasperation, "I never heard of atalking sign post, but so_long as_you_can talk, you_might give_us a few directions .

"I only give one direction and_that's north . you_can take it, or leave it ."

Notta tried the post with a few more questions, but it just sniffed sulkily, and seeing no more was to_be got out of it, the two hurried on .

" maybe D stands for Dorothy," said Bob, after a little silence .

" maybe," mused the clown, looking uneasily over his shoulder, " but this_is a strange country, and we'll have to_take it as we_find it .Hello, what's this ? "

a sudden turn brought them up short, for_the lane was closed off by a gray wall, so high one could_not possibly climb over and so wide that_it would take days to walk ' round . and in_the wall were seven heavy oak doors .

" this_is_the kingdom of Doorways," announced a large sign, posted half way up the walls ." be_sure to use the right door ."

" but which_is the right door ? " gasped the clown, half expecting the sign to answer him .

" there_are seven," exclaimed Bob, who had_been counting them up on_his fingers .

" and only one_of_them right," choked the clown anxiously . the two stood perfectly still, gazing in fascination at_the seven doors .

" which_is the right door ? " repeated Notta, scratching his ear doubtfully .

chapter 6 the Seven Doors

as Bob and Notta came closer, they noticed that each door had a brass plate nailed on_the center panel, engraved with various names and instructions ." keep out ! " directed one shortly .

" well, that surely cannot_be the right one, exclaimed the clown, moving hastily to_the next .

"Don't waken the baby," advised the second door . so Notta and Bob tiptoed carefully past,

" this_way to_the Dorms . no admittance till February," said

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