Oz 17: The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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the cowardly lion of Oz

ruth Plumly Thompson

this book is dedicated to my sister Dorothy Thompson Curtiss and all other lovely Dorothys including Dorothy of Oz

list of Chapters
1 Mustafa of Mudge
2 magic at_the circus
3 at_the court of Mudge
4 Mustafa's mandate
5 two cowardly lion Hunters
6 the Seven Doors
7 the escape from Doorways
8 the cowardly lion's quest
9 in search of a brave man
10 on_the isle of Un
11 a strange Fishing party
12 saved by aFlyaboutabus
13 Mustafa's blue magic
14 Flying in a deluge
15 Mustafa Keeps watch
16 a fall from_the sky
17 the stone man of Oz
18 Notta's last disguise
19 in_the emerald city
20 the cowardly lion's Peril
21 Oz magic Triumphs
22 a happy home in Oz

chapter 1 Mustafa of Mudge

"TAZZYWALLER, I_must_have another lion," said Mustafa of Mudge, giving his blue whiskers a terrible tweak ." another lion, Tazzywaller, at once ! "

" your highness already has nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions and a half ! " said Tazzywaller bowing humbly .

"Oh, that ! "interrupted Mustafa impatiently ." very careless of you, Tazzywaller, to bring me half a lion- the wrong half, too ! monstrous annoying to_see the back legs and tail of a lion jumping about in_the reservation . unnatural, I call it ."

" but, your highness will remember that had_not a fortunate blow of_my scimitar cut off the right half of_the lion I would_have_been devoured, eaten, destroyed ! " Tazzywaller's eyes bulged at_the unhappy recollection .

"I'd have endeavored to console myself," sniffed Mustafa disagreeably, " and Panapee would make an excellent chamberlain . but this_is wasting time . I_must_have another lion .a lion, I tell you, at once ! "

Mustafa's voice rose to a roar .Springing from_his throne, he began stamping first one foot, then the other . the round face of poor Tazzywaller grew paler at each stamp ." but there_are no more lions in Mudge," he pleaded ." your highness must know that . the royal hunters have tracked them all down, and even if there were more, we_cannot afford another single lion .I beg of your highness to consider the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine already eating us out of_our sandals . the Mudgers are complaining of_the lion tax-" silence ! " screamed Mustafa, jumping into_the air so_that he_could stamp both feet at_the same time .

" you're making most of_the noise yourself," said Tazzywaller sulkily .

" what_is all this arguing about ? " demanded a sleepy voice, and through a curtain at_the back of_the apartment appeared the huge, turbaned head of Mixtuppa, queen of Mudge .

"Lions ! your majesty," sighed the chief chamberlain, looking uneasily at Mustafa's wife, who was even more unreasonable than her royal husband ." his highness desires another lion ."

" well, why don't you get him one ? you_know I_can't stand this stamping," wheezed Mixtuppa irritably .

" neither can I," grumbled Mustafa ." it hurts my royal feet ."

" no one asked you to stamp . why don't you stop it ? " sniffed Tazzywaller .

" will_you get me the lion ? " asked Mustafa, pausing with foot upraised .

" i_would if there were any more, but there_are no more lions in Mudge ! " wailed Tazzywaller . down came Mustafa's foot with a terrible stamp .

" great Gazupp ! " screamed the monarch of Mudge ." what kind of a chamberlain are_you ? I'll appoint Panapee chamberlain in your place and you- you_may feed the lions ! " he finished furiously .

Mustafa clapped his hands sharply and to_the small Mudger who bounced into_the room he snapped, " tell Panapee to appear before me at once ." he paid no attention to_the pleadings of Tazzywaller, who was bumping his head on_the floor, nor to_the advice of Mixtuppa, who was wagging her head through_the curtain . the next moment Panapee stood before_the throne . he_was as tall and thin as Tazzywaller was round and fat . his little eyes snapped with glee at sight of_the chamberlain rolling about on_the floor . as purse bearer he always had to walk back of Tazzywaller in royal processions, and to_see his rival in disgrace was an exquisite pleasure to_the envious old Mudger .

" your excellency sent for_me ? " asked Panapee bowing deeply .

" yes," shrilled Mustafa, pushing back his turban and pointing atrembling finger at Tazzywaller .

" he_says there_are no more lions in Mudge and I, Mustafa, must_have another lion ."

" your highness knows best," murmured Panapee, rolling up his eyes and putting his finger tips together .

" you_know as_well as I that_there_are no more lions in Mudge," cried Tazzywaller, springing to_his feet and shaking his fist under Panapee's nose .

" there_are other countries besides Mudge," said Panapee loftily ." now I presume your highness was thinking of an odd, unusual sort of lion; something bigger and better than_the kind now fighting amiably in_the royal reservation ? "

" how well you understand me," sighed Mustafa, sinking back among his cushions ." that's just what I_do want, Pannya strange, rare, royal sort of lion; one who_will keep the rest in_order and add to_the honor and dignity of_our court ."

" I_have a book," confided Panapee, placing his finger mysteriously beside his nose, "a book of lions, and if your highness will but excuse me i_will fetch it from my tent ."

" are_you going to_get a lion out of a book ? " asked Mixtuppa sleepily ." how stupid of Tazzywaller not to_have thought of_that ."

now, while Panapee goes for_his book, I_must tell you that Mudge is a blue and barbarous country in_the southwestern part of_the Munchkin country of Oz . it_is a hot, dry, desert land and_the Mudgers themselves are a short- tempered, long-legged tribe of trouble-makers . they live in blue, striped tents and, if_it were_not for their bright blue whiskers, you_would take them for Arabs, as_they wear sweeping white robes and turbans to protect themselves from_the heat and desert sands .

in olden Oz times the Mudgers used to descend upon_the helpless little countries that surrounded them and carry off everything of value . but Glinda, the good sorceress of Oz, put a stop to_that . one night, flying over Mudge in her swan chariot, she had dropped a blue book and it had fallen on_the oldest Mudger in_the kingdom, hitting him a terrible blow on_the nose . it had_been a blow to_them all, for in gold letters on_the first page of_the book stood this sentence:

" from_this day on, any Mudger leaving the land of Mudge shall lose his head . by order of Ozma, ruler of all Oz ."

there were other warnings in_the blue book, but the first had changed the whole history of_the country . no Mudger was brave enough to venture out of Mudge after_that, so the thieving raids on other countries had stopped instantly, and_the Mudgers, deprived of_the pleasure of stealing from their neighbors, stole from each_other, and were always quarreling among themselves and moving their tents from place to_place . the peoples of_the surrounding countries would come to_the borders of Mudge to bargain for_the dates, figs and cocoanuts for_which the land was famous, but Mustafa's grandfather, who was then ruler of_the desert kingdom, disagreeably decided that since no Mudger might leave Mudge no outsider should enter his country . warnings were posted on all the borders of Mudge and soon no one came near the horrid little kingdom, so_that it went on growing more blue and barbarous all the time, as people are bound to_do who_have no friends or neighbors .

when Mustafa, who really was not a bad fellow at heart, assumed the throne he tried to divert the minds of_his quarrelsome subjects by organizing hunts . there were many lions in_the uninhabited parts of_the desert, and for a time hunting lions kept the Mudgers out of mischief . but soon they were quarreling over even that, and_the royal hunting expeditions were more in_the nature of battles than pleasure excursions .

Mustafa, in despair, confided to Tazzywaller that he much preferred the lions to_his subjects . so Tazzywaller had mildly suggested that he keep a few for company .Mustafa, who was terribly bored with_his duties as king, was delighted with_the idea and issued orders that hereafter all lions should_be brought to_the royal tents .

at first he had kept two_or_three in a large enclosed cage in_his garden, but as his subjects grew more unmanageable, his affection for lions increased . he insisted upon more and more lions, until, as Tazzywaller had stated, there were nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine and one- half in_the royal collection .Mustafa pretended that he kept these lions to frighten away the enemies of Mudge, and for_this purpose he had a large iron enclosure erected all around the kingdom, so_that no one could come in or go out without passing through_the royal lion reservation . indeed, when_the little Munchkin boys and girls recited their lessons, they always described Mudge as a country entirely surrounded by lions . but this_was only an excuse .Mustafa knew well enough that no one dared leave Mudge, and_that no one wanted to_come there, but it sounded well when_the people complained of_the lion tax .

Mustafa's lions were a terrible trial to poor Tazzywaller . to_keep his position as chief chamberlain of Mudge, he_must produce a lion whenever Mustafa demanded one . this_was pretty often; by his orders the whole country had_been combed for lions and only the week before word had_been brought that there_was not another lion left in_the whole country . then Tazzywaller himself had gone hunting, and after an exhausting trip had come upon_the very last old lion of Mudge . when Tazzywaller tried to capture him, the beast had selfishly tried to devour the fat chamberlain . in protecting himself Tazzywaller cut the old lion in two with_his scimitar . before he_could remedy the disaster the front, and best part, of_the lion had jumped over the lion enclosure and disappeared .

in_the fairy kingdom of Oz nothing can really be killed, so_that both halves of_the lion were quite unhurt and lively, but Mustafa had_been very angry when Tazzywaller brought him the half he had managed to catch . it had almost cost him his position .

" to_think it_was I who suggested lions in_the first place," groaned poor Tazzywaller ."Lions ! Bah ! Mustafa has a taste for lions and lions have a taste for_me ! "

" that's odd of_them," drawled Mixtuppa, rolling her blue eyes at Tazzy ." poor taste I call it ! " " silence ! " exploded Mustafa so sharply that Mixtuppa hastily drew in her head .Mustafa was already regretting his unkindness, but he_was too proud to_take back his words . yes, Tazzy would_have to feed the lions . he sighed mournfully; but just then Panapee came whirling through_the tent flap, a large book under his arm .

" this book," puffed Panapee proudly- but he got no further .

" give it to_me," commanded Mustafa, snatch up the volume from Panapee . even Tazzywaller edged nearer, and_the sleepy head of Mixtuppa was again thrust through_the curtain .

" famous Lions of Oz," read Mustafa, and opened the dusty volume with trembling fingers . but he got no further than_the second page, for there_was a picture of_the most splendid lion he had ever seen in_his whole Mudger existence, and underneath, in blue letters, stood the words " this_is_the famous cowardly lion of Oz, king of all forest creatures ."

" cowardly lion ? " gasped Mustafa ." how singular ! how rare ! why, he doesn't look cowardly at all ."

" if your highness will but read," exulted Panapee, pointing to_the opposite page .Breathlessly Mustafa began .

" the cowardly lion is one_of_the_most unusual and celebrated lions in Oz . for many years he ruled over the forest kingdoms, but in_the reign of_the famous wizard of Oz the cowardly lion was discovered by a little Kansas girl named Dorothy . he became so attached to Dorothy that he accompanied her on her journey to_the emerald city, saving her life many_times on_the way, and proving so brave, in_spite of_his cowardice, that he won the love and admiration of all Oz . since then he has spent most of_his time in_the capital city, sharing in all the adventures of court celebrities, and of Dorothy, who has_been made a royal princess .

he has, by his many brave deeds, endeared himself to_the whole populace and-"

"Panny ! " burst out Mustafa, without waiting to read any more, "Panny, that_is_the lion i_want, the cowardly lion of Oz ! "

" that_is_the lion he_wants ! " repeated Mixtuppa, nodding her head approvingly .

" and of_course he shall_have it," sniffed Tazzywaller, relieved to_think he_was no longer chamberlain ."Panapee, produce this cowardly lion . at once ! "

" it_will take a little time," began the new chamberlain of Mudge nervously ." an expedition must_be fitted out and-"

" how about_the warning in_the book of Mudge ? " asked Tazzywaller sarcastically ." do_you suppose anyone is going to risk his head just for_the honor of catching this cowardly lion ? "

" it would_be a great honor," said Panapee, looking slyly at his rival, "a very great honor . i_was about to suggest_that you, dear Tazzywaller, undertake the journey . even though you were to lose your head, you_could still feed the lions of Mudge ."

" me ! " screamed Tazzywaller, almost turning a somersault ."Oh, no, my brave Panapee, it would_be too great an honor for_me . I_am only the lion feeder . I_must feed them at once ! " Tazzywaller started on a run for_the door, but Mustafa called him back .

" you used to_give_me good advice, Tazzywaller," sighed the ruler of Mudge ." who do_you_think could catch this cowardly lion of Oz ? "

" why_not Panapee ? " asked the former chamberlain wickedly ." he_is a strong, brave man ."

" yes, but what would your highness do without an adviser ? " quavered Panapee in a tremulous tone .

" he_could take my advice," drawled Mixtuppa, " and to_begin with I'd-" what Mixtuppa was about to advise will never be known, for right here fifteen Mudgers burst into_the royal tent ." lion ! " screamed the first ." lion ! lion .- lion ! " screamed all the others, whirling their scimitars until the confusion was terrible .

" let me catch him ! " cried Tazzywaller, but Panapee clutched at his sleeve .

" no, let me ! " squealed Panapee, brushing past him ." I_am chief chamberlain of Mudge ! "

" perhaps it_is_the cowardly lion," puffed Mustafa, springing rapturously from_his throne, and next minute they had all rolled, run or tumbled out_of_the tent, screaming in a way to curdle the blood of twenty lions . under the largest palm tree in_the sandy waste Mustafa was pleased to_call his garden stood a very lumpy and peculiar- looking lion !

chapter 2

magic at_the circus

it_was raining outside, it_was hot and stuffy inside and it was_the last day of_the circus in Stumptown . all over the big tent people moved about restlessly

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