Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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great army of Nomes .I come of a long- lived race, and I_may say that I expect to live a long_time yet . sit down, you Phanfasms-- if_you_can find a seat in_this wild haunt-- and listen to what I_have to_say ."

with all his knowledge and bravery general Guph did_not know that_the steady glare from_the bear eyes was reading his inmost thoughts as surely as if_they had_been put into words . he_did_not know that_these despised rock heaps of_the Phanfasms were merely deceptions to_his own eyes, nor could he guess that he_was standing in_the midst of one_of_the_most splendid and luxurious cities ever built by magic power . all that he_saw was a barren waste of rock heaps, a hairy man with an owl's head and another with a bear's head . the sorcery of_the Phanfasms permitted him to_see no more .

suddenly the first and foremost swung his brass hoop and caught Guph around the neck with it . the next instant, before_the general could think what had happened to him, he_was dragged inside the rock hut . here, his eyes still blinded to realities, he perceived only a dim light, by_which the hut seemed as rough and rude inside as it_was outside . yet he had a strange feeling that many bright eyes were fastened upon him and_that he stood in a vast and extensive hall .

the first and foremost now laughed grimly and released his prisoner .

" if_you_have anything to_say that_is interesting," he remarked, " speak out , before I strangle you ."

so Guph spoke out . he tried not to_pay any attention to a strange rustling sound that he heard, as of an unseen multitude drawing near to listen to_his words . his eyes could_see only the fierce bear- man, and to him he addressed his speech . first he_told of_his plan to conquer the land of Oz and plunder the country of_its riches and enslave its people, who, being fairies, could_not_be killed . after relating all this, and telling of_the tunnel the Nome king was building, he_said he had come to ask_the first and foremost to join the Nomes, with_his band of terrible warriors, and help them to defeat the Oz people .

the general spoke very earnestly and impressively, but when he had finished the bear- man began to laugh as_if much amused, and_his laughter seemed to_be echoed by a chorus of merriment from an unseen multitude . then, for_the first time, Guph began to_feel a trifle worried .

" who else has promised to help_you ? " finally asked the first and foremost .

" the Whimsies," replied the general .

again the bear- headed Phanfasm laughed .

" any others ? " he inquired .

" only the Growleywogs," said Guph .

this answer set the first and foremost laughing anew .

" what share of_the spoils am I to_have ? " was_the next question .

" anything you like, except king Roquat's magic belt," replied Guph .

at_this the Phanfasm set up a roar of laughter, which had its echo in_the unseen chorus, and_the bear- man seemed so amused that he actually rolled upon_the ground and shouted with merriment .

"Oh, these blind and foolish Nomes ! " he_said ." how big they seem to themselves and how small they really are ! "

suddenly he arose and seized Guph's neck with one hairy paw, dragging him out_of_the hut into_the open .

here he_gave a curious wailing cry, and, as_if in answer, from all the rocky huts on_the mountain- top came flocking a horde of Phanfasms, all with hairy bodies, but wearing heads of various animals, birds and reptiles . all were ferocious and repulsive- looking to_the deceived eyes of_the Nome, and Guph could_not repress a shudder of disgust as he looked upon them .

the first and foremost slowly raised his arms, and in atwinkling his hairy skin fell from_him and he appeared before_the astonished Nome as a beautiful woman, clothed in aflowing gown of pink gauze . in her dark hair flowers were entwined, and her face was noble and calm .

at_the same instant the entire band of Phanfasms was transformed into a pack of howling wolves, running here and there as_they snarled and showed their ugly yellow fangs .

the woman now raised her arms, even as_the man- bear had done, and in atwinkling the wolves became crawling lizards, while she herself changed into a huge butterfly .

Guph had only time to cry out in fear and take a step backward to avoid the lizards when another transformation occurred, and all returned instantly to_the forms they had originally worn .

then the first and foremost, who had resumed his hairy body and bear head, turned to_the Nome and asked

" do_you still demand our assistance ? "

" more than ever," answered the general, firmly .

" then tell me: what can_you offer the Phanfasms that they_have not already ? " inquired the first and foremost .

Guph hesitated . he really did_not know what to_say . the Nome king's vaunted magic belt seemed a poor thing compared to_the astonishing magical powers of_these people . gold, jewels and slaves they_might secure in any quantity without especial effort . he_felt that he_was dealing with powers greatly beyond him . there_was but one argument that might influence the Phanfasms, who were creatures of evil .

" permit me to_call your attention to_the exquisite joy of making the happy unhappy," said he at last ." consider the pleasure of destroying innocent and harmless people ."

"Ah ! you_have answered me," cried the first and foremost ." for_that reason alone we_will aid you . go home, and tell your bandy-legged king that as_soon_as his tunnel is finished the Phanfasms will_be with_him and lead his legions to_the conquest of Oz . the deadly desert alone has kept us from destroying Oz long_ago, and your underground tunnel is a clever thought . go home, and prepare for_our coming ! "

Guph was very_glad to_be permitted to_go with_this promise . the owl- man led him back down the mountain path and ordered the scarlet alligator to crawl away and allow the Nome to cross the bridge in safety .

after_the visitor had gone a brilliant and gorgeous city appeared upon_the mountain top, clearly visible to_the eyes of_the gaily dressed multitude of Phanfasms that lived there . and_the first and foremost, beautifully arrayed, addressed the others in_these words:

" it_is time we went into_the world and brought sorrow and dismay to its people . too long have we remained for ourselves upon_this mountain top, for while we_are thus secluded many nations have grown happy and prosperous, and_the chief joy of_the race of Phanfasms is to destroy happiness . so i_think it_is lucky that_this messenger from_the Nomes arrived among us just now, to remind us that_the opportunity has_come for_us to_make trouble . we_will use king Roquat's tunnel to conquer the land of Oz . then we_will destroy the Whimsies, the Growleywogs and_the Nomes, and afterward go out to ravage and annoy and grieve the whole world ."

the multitude of evil Phanfasms eagerly applauded this plan, which they fully approved .

I_am told that_the Erbs are the most powerful and merciless of all the evil spirits, and_the Phanfasms of Phantastico belong to_the race of Erbs .

12 . how they matched the Fuddles

Dorothy and her fellow travelers rode away from_the Cuttenclip village and followed the indistinct path as far as_the sign- post . here they took the main road again and proceeded pleasantly through_the pretty farming country . when evening came they stopped at adwelling and were joyfully welcomed and given plenty to eat and good beds for_the night .

early next morning, however, they were up and eager to start, and after a good breakfast they bade their host good-bye and climbed into_the red wagon, to_which_the sawhorse had_been hitched all night . being made of wood, this horse never got tired nor cared to lie down . Dorothy was not quite_sure whether he ever slept or not, but it_was certain that he never did when anybody was around .

the weather is always beautiful in Oz, and this_morning the air was cool and refreshing and_the sunshine brilliant and delightful .

in about an hour they came to a place where another road branched off . there_was a sign- post here which read:

this_way to FUDDLECUMJIG

"Oh, here_is where we turn," said Dorothy, observing the sign .

" what ! are we going to Fuddlecumjig ? " asked the captain general .

" yes; Ozma thought we_might enjoy the Fuddles . they_are said to_be very interesting," she replied .

" no one would suspect it from their name," said aunt Em ." who_are they, anyhow ? more paper things ? "

" i_think not," answered Dorothy, laughing; " but I_can't say 'zactly, aunt Em, what they_are . we'll find out when we get there ."

" perhaps the wizard knows," suggested uncle Henry .

" no; I've never been there before," said the wizard ." but I've often heard of Fuddlecumjig and_the Fuddles, who_are said to_be the most peculiar people in all the land of Oz ."

" in what way ? " asked the shaggy man .

"I don't know, I'm sure," said the wizard .

just then, as_they rode along the pretty green lane toward Fuddlecumjig, they espied a kangaroo sitting by_the roadside . the poor animal had its face covered with both its front paws and was crying so bitterly that_the tears coursed down its cheeks in two tiny streams and trickled across the road, where they formed a pool in a small hollow .

the sawhorse stopped short at_this pitiful sight, and Dorothy cried out, with ready sympathy:

" what's the matter, kangaroo ? "

"Boo-hoo ! Boo-hoo ! " wailed the kangaroo; "I've lost my mi--mi--mi--Oh, boo-hoo ! Boo-hoo ! "--

" poor thing," said the wizard, " she's lost her mister . it's probably her husband, and he's dead ."

" no, no, no ! " sobbed the kangaroo ." it-- it isn't that .I've lost my mi--mi--Oh, boo, boo-hoo ! "

" I_know," said the shaggy man; " she's lost her mirror ."

" no; it's my mi--mi--mi--Boo-hoo ! my mi--Oh, Boo-hoo ! " and_the kangaroo cried harder than ever .

" it must_be her mince- pie," suggested aunt Em .

" or her milk- toast," proposed uncle Henry .

"I've lost my mi--mi--mittens ! " said the kangaroo, getting it out at last .

"Oh ! " cried the yellow Hen, with a cackle of relief ." why didn't you say so before ? "

"Boo-hoo ! I--I--couldn't," answered the kangaroo .

" but, see here," said Dorothy, " you don't need mittens in_this warm weather ."

" yes, indeed I_do," replied the animal, stopping her sobs and removing her paws from her face to look at_the little girl reproachfully ." my hands will get all sunburned and tanned without my mittens, and I've worn them so_long that I'll probably catch cold without them ."

" nonsense ! " said Dorothy ."I never heard of any kangaroo wearing mittens ."

"Didn't you ? " asked the animal, as_if surprised .

" never ! " repeated the girl ." and you'll probably make yourself sick if_you don't stop crying . where do_you live ? "

" about two miles beyond Fuddlecumjig," was_the answer ." grandmother Gnit made me the mittens, and she's one_of_the Fuddles ."

" well, you'd better go home now, and perhaps the old lady will make you another pair," suggested Dorothy ." we're on_our way to Fuddlecumjig, and you_may hop along beside us ."

so they rode on, and_the kangaroo hopped beside the red wagon and seemed quickly to_have forgotten her loss . by and by_the wizard said to_the animal:

" are the Fuddles nice people ? "

"Oh, very nice," answered the kangaroo; " that_is, when_they're properly put together . but they get dreadfully scattered and mixed up, at times, and then you_can't do anything with_them ."

" what do_you_mean by their getting scattered ? " inquired Dorothy .

" why, they're made in a good_many small pieces," explained the kangaroo; " and whenever any stranger comes near them they_have a habit of falling apart and scattering themselves around . that's when_they get so dreadfully mixed, and it's a hard puzzle to_put them together again ."

" who usually puts them together ? " asked Omby Amby .

" any_one who_is able to match the pieces .I sometimes put grandmother Gnit together myself, because I_know her so_well I_can tell every piece that belongs to her . then, when she's all matched, she knits for_me, and_that's how she made my mittens . but it took a good_many days hard knitting, and I had to_put grandmother together a good many_times, because every time I_came near, she'd scatter herself ."

" i_should think she_would get used to your coming, and not be afraid," said Dorothy .

" it isn't that," replied the kangaroo ." they're not a bit afraid, when_they're put together, and usually they're very jolly and pleasant . it's just a habit they_have, to scatter themselves, and if_they didn't do_it they wouldn't be Fuddles ."

the travelers thought upon_this quite seriously for a time, while the sawhorse continued to carry them rapidly forward . then aunt Em remarked:

"I don't see much use our visitin' these Fuddles . if we_find them scattered, all we_can do is to sweep 'em up, and then go about our business ."

"Oh, I b'lieve we'd better go on," replied Dorothy ."I'm getting hungry, and we_must try to_get some luncheon at Fuddlecumjig . perhaps the food won't be scattered as badly as_the people ."

" you'll find plenty to eat there," declared the kangaroo, hopping along in big bounds because the sawhorse was going so fast; " and they_have a fine cook, too, if_you_can manage to_put him together . there's the town now-- just ahead of us ! "

they looked ahead and saw a group of very pretty houses standing in a green field a little apart from_the main road .

" some Munchkins came here a few_days_ago and matched alot of people

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