Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23]
to capture and devour some_of_the young chickens . but they_are protected by magic, so the hawk did_not get a single one_of_them ."

" that_is a very bad report," said the king, nervously ." very bad, indeed . my Nomes are willing to fight, but they simply can't face hen's eggs-- and I don't blame them ."

" they won't need to_face them," replied Guph ."I'm afraid of eggs myself, and don't propose to_take any chances of being poisoned by_them . my plan is to send the Whimsies through_the tunnel first, and then the Growleywogs and_the Phanfasms . by_the_time we Nomes get there the eggs will all be used up, and we_may then pursue and capture the inhabitants at our leisure ."

" perhaps you_are right," returned the king, with a dismal sigh ." but i_want it distinctly understood that I claim Ozma and Dorothy as my own prisoners . they_are rather nice girls, and I_do_not intend to let any of_those dreadful creatures hurt them, or make them their slaves . when I_have captured them i_will bring them here and transform them into china ornaments to stand on my mantle . they_will look very pretty-- Dorothy on one end of_the mantle and Ozma on_the other-- and I_shall take great care to_see they_are_not broken when_the maids dust them ."

" very_well, your majesty . do what you_will with_the girls for all I care . now that_our plans are arranged, and we_have the three most powerful bands of evil spirits in_the_world to assist us, let_us_make haste to_get the tunnel finished as_soon_as_possible ."

" it_will_be ready in three days," promised the king, and hurried away to inspect the work and_see that_the Nomes kept busy .

14 . how the wizard practiced sorcery

" where next ? " asked the wizard when_they had left the town of Fuddlecumjig and_the sawhorse had started back along the road .

" why, Ozma laid out this trip," replied Dorothy, " and she 'vised us to_see the Rigmaroles next, and then visit the tin woodman ."

" that sounds good," said the wizard ." but what road do we take to_get to_the Rigmaroles ? "

"I don't know, 'zactly," returned the little girl; " but it must_be somewhere just southwest from here ."

" then why need we go way back to_the crossroads ? " asked the shaggy man ." we_might save alot of_time by branching off here ."

" there isn't any path," asserted uncle Henry .

" then we'd better go back to_the signposts, and make sure of_our way," decided Dorothy .

but after they had gone a short distance farther the sawhorse, who had overheard their conversation, stopped and said:

" here_is a path ."

sure enough, a dim path seemed to branch off from_the road they were on, and it led across pretty green meadows and past leafy groves, straight toward the southwest .

" that looks like a good path," said Omby Amby ." why_not try it ? "

" all right," answered Dorothy ."I'm anxious to_see what the Rigmaroles are like, and this path ought to_take us there the quickest way ."

no one made any objection to_this plan, so the sawhorse turned into_the path, which proved to_be nearly as good as_the one they had taken to_get to_the Fuddles . as first they passed a few retired farm houses, but soon these scattered dwellings were left behind and only the meadows and_the trees were before them . but they rode along in cheerful contentment, and aunt Em got into an argument with Billina about_the proper way to raise chickens .

" I_do_not care to contradict you," said the yellow Hen, with dignity, " but I_have an idea I_know more about chickens than human beings do ."

"Pshaw ! " replied aunt Em ."I've raised chickens for nearly forty years, Billina, and I_know you've got to starve 'em to_make 'em lay lots of eggs, and stuff 'em if_you_want good broilers ."

"Broilers ! " exclaimed Billina, in horror ." broil my chickens ! "

" why, that's what they're for, ain't it ? " asked aunt Em, astonished .

" no, aunt, not in Oz," said Dorothy ." people do_not eat chickens here . you_see, Billina was_the first hen that was ever seen in_this country, and I brought her here myself . everybody liked her an' respected her, so the Oz people wouldn't any more eat her chickens than they_would eat Billina ."

" well, I declare," gasped aunt Em ." how about_the eggs ? "

"Oh, if_we_have more eggs than we_want to hatch, we allow people to eat them," said Billina ." indeed, I_am very_glad the Oz folks like our eggs, for otherwise they_would spoil ."

" this certainly is a queer country," sighed aunt Em .

" excuse me," called the sawhorse, " the path has ended and I'd like to_know which_way to_go ."

they looked around and sure enough there_was no path to_be seen .

" well," said Dorothy, " we're going southwest, and it seems just as easy to_follow that direction without a path as with one ."

" certainly," answered the sawhorse ." it_is_not hard to draw the wagon over the meadow .I only want to_know where to_go ."

" there's a forest over there across the prairie," said the wizard, " and it lies in_the direction we_are going . make straight for_the forest, sawhorse, and you're bound to_go right ."

so the wooden animal trotted on again and_the meadow grass was so soft under the wheels that_it made easy riding . but Dorothy was a little uneasy at losing the path, because now there_was nothing to guide them .

no houses were to_be seen at all, so they_could_not ask their way of any farmer; and although the land of Oz was always beautiful, wherever one might go, this part of_the country was strange to all the party .

" perhaps we're lost," suggested aunt Em, after they had proceeded quite a way in silence .

" never mind," said the shaggy man; "I've been lost many a time-- and so has Dorothy-- and we've always been found again ."

" but we_may get hungry," remarked Omby Amby ." that_is_the worst of getting lost in a place where there_are no houses near ."

" we had a good dinner at_the fuddle town," said uncle Henry, " and that_will keep us from starving to death for_a_long_time ."

" no one ever starved to death in Oz," declared Dorothy, positively; " but people may get pretty hungry sometimes ."

the wizard said nothing, and he_did_not seem especially anxious . the sawhorse was trotting along briskly, yet the forest seemed farther away than they had thought when_they first saw it . so it_was nearly sundown when_they finally came to_the trees; but now they found themselves in a most beautiful spot, the wide-spreading trees being covered with flowering vines and having soft mosses underneath them ." this_will_be a good place to camp," said the wizard, as_the sawhorse stopped for further instructions .

" camp ! " they all echoed .

" certainly," asserted the wizard ." it_will_be dark before very long and we_cannot travel through_this forest at night . so let_us_make a camp here, and_have some supper, and sleep until daylight comes again ."

they all looked at_the little man in astonishment, and aunt Em said, with a sniff:

"A pretty camp we'll have, I_must say ! I suppose you intend us to sleep under the wagon ."

" and chew grass for_our supper," added the shaggy man, laughing .

but Dorothy seemed to_have no doubts and was quite cheerful

" it's lucky we_have the wonderful wizard with_us," she said; " because he_can do ' most anything he_wants to ."

"Oh, yes; I forgot we had a wizard," said uncle Henry, looking at_the little man curiously .

"I didn't," chirped Billina, contentedly .

the wizard smiled and climbed out_of_the wagon, and all the others followed him .

" in_order to camp," said he, " the first thing we_need is tents . will some one please lend me a handkerchief ? "

the shaggy man offered him one, and aunt Em another . he_took them both and laid them carefully upon_the grass near to_the edge of_the forest . then he laid his own handkerchief down, too, and standing a little back from_them he waved his left_hand toward the handkerchiefs and said:

"Tents of canvas, white as snow, let me see how fast you grow ! "

then, lo and behold ! the handkerchiefs became tiny tents, and as_the travelers looked at them the tents grew bigger and bigger until in_a_few_minutes each_one was large enough to contain the entire party .

" this," said the wizard, pointing to_the first tent, " is for_the accommodation of_the ladies . Dorothy, you and your aunt may step inside and take off your things ."

every_one ran to look inside the tent, and_they saw two pretty white beds, all ready for Dorothy and aunt Em, and a silver roost for Billina .Rugs were spread upon_the grassy floor and some camp chairs and a table completed the furniture .

" well, well, well ! this beats anything I ever saw or heard of ! " exclaimed aunt Em, and she glanced at_the wizard almost fearfully, as_if he_might_be dangerous because of_his great powers .

"Oh, Mr wizard ! how did you manage to_do_it ? " asked Dorothy .

" it's a trick Glinda the sorceress taught me, and it_is much better magic than I used to practice in Omaha, or when I first came to Oz," he answered ." when_the good Glinda found i_was to live in_the emerald city always, she promised to help me, because she said the wizard of Oz ought really to_be a clever wizard, and not a humbug . so we_have_been much together and I_am learning so fast that I expect to_be_able to accomplish some really wonderful things in_time ."

" you've done it now ! " declared Dorothy ." these tents are just wonderful ! "

" but come and_see the men's tent," said the wizard . so they went to_the second tent, which had shaggy edges because it_has_been made from_the shaggy man's handkerchief, and found that completely furnished also . it contained four neat beds for uncle Henry, Omby Amby, the shaggy man and_the wizard . also there_was a soft rug for Toto to lie upon .

" the third tent," explained the wizard, " is our dining room and kitchen ."

they visited that next, and found a table and dishes in_the dining tent, with plenty of_those things necessary to use in cooking . the wizard carried out a big kettle and set it swinging on a crossbar before_the tent . while he_was doing this Omby Amby and_the shaggy man brought a supply of twigs from_the forest and then they built a fire underneath the kettle .

" now, Dorothy," said the wizard, smiling, "I expect you to cook our supper ."

" but there_is nothing in_the kettle," she cried .

" are_you sure ? " inquired the wizard .

"I didn't see anything put in, and I'm almost sure it_was empty when_you brought it out," she replied .

" nevertheless," said the little man, winking slyly at uncle Henry, " you_will do well to watch our supper, my dear, and_see that_it doesn't boil over ."

then the men took some pails and went into_the forest to search for a spring of water, and while they were gone aunt Em said to Dorothy:

"I believe the wizard is fooling us . I_saw the kettle myself, and when he hung it over the fire there wasn't a thing in_it but air ."

"Don't worry," remarked Billina, confidently, as she nestled in_the grass before_the fire ." you'll find something in_the kettle when it's taken off-- and it won't be poor, innocent chickens, either ."

" your hen has very bad manners, Dorothy," said aunt Em, looking somewhat disdainfully at Billina ." it seems too bad she ever learned how to_talk ."

there might_have_been another unpleasant quarrel between aunt Em and Billina had_not the men returned just then with their pails filled with clear, sparkling water . the wizard told Dorothy that she was a good cook and he believed their supper was ready .

so uncle Henry lifted the kettle from_the fire and poured its contents into a big platter which the wizard held for him . the platter was fairly heaped with a fine stew, smoking hot, with many kinds of vegetables and dumplings and a rich, delicious gravy .

the wizard triumphantly placed the platter upon_the table in_the dining tent and then they all sat down in camp chairs to_the feast .

there were several_other dishes on_the table, all carefully covered, and when_the time came to remove these covers they found bread and butter, cakes, cheese, pickles and fruits--including some_of_the luscious strawberries of Oz .

no one ventured to ask a question as_to how these things came there . they contented themselves by eating heartily the good things provided, and Toto and Billina had their full share, you_may_be_sure . after_the meal was over, aunt Em whispered to Dorothy:

" that_may have_been magic food, my dear, and for_that reason perhaps it won't be very nourishing; but I'm willing to_say it tasted as good as anything I ever et ." then she added, in a louder voice: " who's going to_do_the dishes ? "

" no one, madam," answered the wizard ." the dishes have ' done' themselves ."

"La sakes ! " ejaculated the good lady, holding up her hands in amazement . for, sure enough, when she looked at_the dishes they had a moment before left upon_the table, she found them all washed and dried and piled up into neat stacks .

15 . how Dorothy happened to_get lost

it_was a beautiful evening, so they drew their camp chairs in a circle before one_of_the tents and began to_tell stories to amuse themselves and pass away the time before_they went to bed .

pretty soon a zebra was seen coming out_of_the forest, and he trotted straight up to_them and said politely:

" good evening, people ."

the zebra was a sleek little animal and had a slender head, a stubby mane and a paint- brush tail-- very like a donkey's . his neatly shaped white body was covered with regular bars of

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23]