Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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of dark brown, and_his hoofs were delicate as_those of a deer .

" good evening, friend zebra," said Omby Amby, in reply to_the creature's greeting ." can we_do anything for_you ? "

" yes," answered the zebra ." i_should like you to settle a dispute that has long been a bother to_me, as_to whether there_is more water or land in_the_world ."

" who_are you disputing with ? " asked the wizard .

" with a soft- shell crab," said the zebra ." he lives in a pool where I go to drink every day, and he_is a very impertinent crab, I assure you . I_have told him many_times that_the land is much greater in extent than_the water, but he will_not_be convinced . even this very evening, when i_told him he_was an insignificant creature who lived in a small pool, he asserted that_the water was greater and more important than_the land . so, seeing your camp, I decided to ask_you to settle the dispute for once and all, that I_may not be further annoyed by_this ignorant crab ."

when_they had listened to_this explanation Dorothy inquired:

" where is_the soft- shell crab ? "

" not far away," replied the zebra ." if_you_will agree to judge between_us i_will run and get him ."

" run along, then," said the little girl .

so the animal pranced into_the forest and soon came trotting back to_them . when he drew near they found a soft- shell crab clinging fast to_the stiff hair of_the zebra's head, where it held on by one claw .

" now then, Mr crab," said the zebra, " here are the people i_told you about; and_they know more than you_do, who lives in a pool, and more than I_do, who lives in a forest . for they_have been travelers all over the world, and know every part of it ."

" there_is more of_the world than Oz," declared the crab, in a stubborn voice .

" that_is true," said Dorothy; " but I used to live in Kansas, in_the United_States, and I've been to California and to Australia and so has uncle Henry ."

" for_my part," added the shaggy man, "I've been to Mexico and Boston and many_other foreign countries ."

" and I," said the wizard, " have_been to Europe and Ireland ."

" so you_see," continued the zebra, addressing the crab, " here are people of real consequence, who_know what they_are talking about ."

" then they know there's more water in_the_world than there_is land," asserted the crab, in a shrill, petulant voice .

" they know you_are wrong to_make such an absurd statement, and they_will probably think you_are a lobster instead of a crab," retorted the animal .

at_this taunt the crab reached out its other claw and seized the zebra's ear, and_the creature gave a cry of pain and began prancing up and down, trying to shake off the crab, which clung fast .

" stop pinching ! " cried the zebra ." you promised not to pinch if i_would carry you here ! "

" and you promised to treat me respectfully," said the crab, letting go the ear .

" well, haven't I ? " demanded the zebra .

" no; you called me a lobster," said the crab .

"Ladies and gentlemen," continued the zebra, " please pardon my poor friend, because he_is ignorant and stupid, and does_not understand . also the pinch of_his claw is very annoying . so pray tell him that_the world contains more land than water, and when he has heard your judgment i_will carry him back and dump him into his pool, where I_hope he_will_be more modest in_the_future ."

" but we_cannot tell him that," said Dorothy, gravely, " because it would_not_be true ."

" what ! " exclaimed the zebra, in astonishment; " do I hear you aright ? "

" the soft- shell crab is correct," declared the wizard ." there_is considerably more water than there_is land in_the_world ."

" impossible ! " protested the zebra ." why, I_can run for days upon_the land, and find but little water ."

" did you ever see an ocean ? " asked Dorothy .

" never," admitted the zebra ." there_is no such thing as an ocean in_the land of Oz ."

" well, there_are several oceans in_the_world," said Dorothy, " and people sail in ships upon these oceans for weeks and weeks, and never see a bit of land at all . and_the joggerfys will tell you that all the oceans put together are bigger than all the land put together ."

at_this the crab began laughing in queer chuckles that reminded Dorothy of_the way Billina sometimes cackled .

" now will_you give up, Mr zebra ? " it cried, jeeringly; " now will_you give up ? "

the zebra seemed much humbled .

" of_course I_cannot read geographys," he_said .

" you_could take one_of_the wizard's school Pills," suggested Billina, " and that_would make you learned and wise without studying ."

the crab began laughing again, which so provoked the zebra that he tried to shake the little creature off . this resulted in more ear-pinching, and finally Dorothy told them that if they_could_not behave they_must go back to_the forest .

"I'm sorry I asked you to decide this question," said the zebra, crossly ." so_long as neither of us could prove we were right we quite enjoyed the dispute; but now I_can never drink at_that pool again without the soft- shell crab laughing at me . so I_must find another drinking place ."

" do ! do, you ignoramus ! " shouted the crab, as loudly as his little voice would carry ." rile some other pool with your clumsy hoofs, and let your betters alone after_this ! "

then the zebra trotted back to_the forest, bearing the crab with_him, and disappeared amid the gloom of_the trees . and as it_was now getting dark the travelers said good night to one another and went to bed .

Dorothy awoke just as_the light was beginning to_get strong next morning, and not caring to sleep any later she quietly got out of bed, dressed herself, and left the tent where aunt Em was yet peacefully slumbering .

outside she noticed Billina busily pecking around to secure bugs or other food for breakfast, but none_of_the men in_the other tent seemed awake . so the little girl decided to_take a walk in_the woods and try to discover some path or road that they_might follow when_they again started upon their journey .

she had reached the edge of_the forest when_the yellow Hen came fluttering along and asked where she was going .

" just to_take a walk, Billina; and maybe I'll find some path," said Dorothy .

" then I'll go along," decided Billina, and scarcely had she spoken when Toto ran up and joined them .

Toto and_the yellow Hen had become quite friendly by_this_time, although at first they_did_not get along well together .Billina had_been rather suspicious of dogs, and Toto had had an idea that_it_was every dog's duty to chase ahen on sight . but Dorothy had talked to_them and scolded them for not being agreeable to one another until they grew better acquainted and became friends .

I won't say they loved each_other dearly, but at_least they had stopped quarreling and now managed to_get on together very_well .

the day was growing lighter every_minute and driving the black shadows out_of_the forest; so Dorothy found it very pleasant walking under the trees . she went some distance in one direction, but not finding a path, presently turned in a different direction . there_was no path here, either, although she advanced quite a way into_the forest, winding here and there among_the trees and peering through_the bushes in an endeavor to_find some beaten track .

" i_think we'd better go back," suggested the yellow Hen, after a time ." the people will all be up by_this_time and breakfast will_be ready ."

" very_well," agreed Dorothy ." let's see-- the camp must_be over this_way ."

she had probably made a mistake about_that, for after they had gone far enough to_have reached the camp they still found themselves in_the thick of_the woods . so the little girl stopped short and looked around her, and Toto glanced up into her face with_his bright little eyes and wagged his tail as_if he_knew something was wrong . he couldn't tell much about direction himself, because he had spent his time prowling among_the bushes and running here and there; nor had Billina paid much attention to where they were going, being interested in picking bugs from_the moss as_they passed along . the yellow Hen now turned one eye up toward the little girl and asked:

" have_you forgotten where the camp is, Dorothy ? "

" yes," she admitted; " have_you, Billina ? "

"I didn't try to remember," returned Billina ."I'd no idea you_would get lost, Dorothy ."

" it's the thing we don't expect, Billina, that usually happens," observed the girl, thoughtfully ." but it's no use standing here . let's go in_that direction," pointing a finger at random ." it may_be we'll get out_of_the forest over there ."

so on they went again, but this_way the trees were closer together, and_the vines were so tangled that often they tripped Dorothy up .

suddenly a voice cried sharply:

" halt ! "

at first, Dorothy could_see nothing, although she looked around very carefully . but Billina exclaimed:

" well, I declare ! "

" what_is it ? " asked the little girl: for Toto began barking at something, and following his gaze she discovered what it_was .

a row of spoons had surrounded the three, and these spoons stood straight up on their handles and carried swords and muskets . their faces were outlined in_the polished bowls and_they looked very stern and severe .

Dorothy laughed at_the queer things .

" who_are you ? " she asked .

" we're the spoon brigade," said one .

" in_the service of_his majesty king Kleaver," said another .

" and you_are our prisoners," said a third .

Dorothy sat down on an old stump and looked at them, her eyes twinkling with amusement .

" what would happen," she inquired, " if i_should set my dog on_your brigade ? "

" he_would die," replied one_of_the spoons, sharply ." one shot from_our deadly muskets would kill him, big as he_is ."

"Don't risk it, Dorothy," advised the yellow Hen ." remember this_is a fairy country, yet none of us three happens to_be a fairy ."

Dorothy grew sober at_this .

"P'raps you're right, Billina," she answered ." but how funny it_is, to_be captured by alot of spoons ! "

" I_do_not_see anything very funny about_it," declared a spoon ." we're the regular military brigade of_the kingdom ."

" what kingdom ? " she asked .

"Utensia," said he .

"I never heard of it before," asserted Dorothy . then she added thoughtfully, "I don't believe Ozma ever heard of Utensia, either . tell me, are_you not subjects of Ozma of Oz ? "

" we_have never heard of her," retorted a spoon ." we_are subjects of king Kleaver, and obey only his orders, which are to bring all prisoners to him as soon as_they_are captured . so step lively, my girl, and march with_us, or we_may_be tempted to cut off a few of your toes with_our swords ."

this threat made Dorothy laugh again . she did_not believe she was in any danger; but here was a new and interesting adventure, so she was willing to_be taken to Utensia that she might see what king Kleaver's kingdom was like .

16 . how Dorothy visited Utensia

there must_have been from six to eight dozen spoons in_the brigade, and_they marched away in_the shape of a hollow square, with Dorothy, Billina and Toto in_the center of_the square . before_they had gone very far Toto knocked over one_of_the spoons by wagging his tail, and then the captain of_the Spoons told the little dog to_be more careful, or he_would_be punished . so Toto was careful, and_the spoon brigade moved along with astonishing swiftness, while Dorothy really had to walk fast to_keep up with it .

by and by they left the woods and entered a big clearing, in which_was the kingdom of Utensia .

Standing all around the clearing were a good_many cookstoves, ranges and grills, of all sizes and shapes, and besides these there were several kitchen cabinets and cupboards and a few kitchen tables . these things were crowded with utensils of all sorts: frying pans, sauce pans, kettles, forks, knives, basting and soup spoons, nutmeg graters, sifters, colanders, meat saws, flat irons, rolling pins and many_other things of a like nature .

when_the spoon brigade appeared with_the prisoners a wild shout arose and many_of_the utensils hopped off their stoves or their benches and ran crowding around Dorothy and_the hen and_the dog .

" stand back ! " cried the captain, sternly, and he led his captives through_the curious throng until they came before a big range that stood in_the center of_the clearing . beside this range was a butcher block upon_which lay a great cleaver with a keen edge . it rested upon_the flat of_its back, its legs were crossed and it_was smoking a long pipe .

" wake up, your majesty," said the captain ." here are prisoners ."

Hearing this, king Kleaver sat up and looked at Dorothy sharply .

" gristle and fat ! " he cried ." where did this girl come from ? "

" I_found her in_the forest and brought her here a prisoner," replied the captain .

" why did you do_that ? " inquired the king, puffing his pipe lazily .

" to create some excitement," the captain answered ." it_is so quiet here that we_are all getting rusty for want of amusement . for_my part, I prefer to_see stirring times ."

" naturally," returned the cleaver, with a nod ." I_have always said, captain, without a bit of irony, that you_are a sterling officer and a solid citizen, bowled and polished to a degree . but what do_you expect me to_do

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