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]
upholstered with cushions of corn- colored silk .

the second story contained a fine banquet room, where the Scarecrow might entertain his guests, and_the three stories above that were bed-chambers exquisitely furnished and decorated .

" from_these rooms," said the Scarecrow, proudly, " one may obtain fine views of_the surrounding cornfields . the corn I grow is always husky, and I call the ears my regiments, because they_have so_many kernels . of_course I_cannot ride my cobs, but I really don't care shucks about_that . taken altogether, my farm will stack up with any in_the neighborhood ."

the visitors partook of some light refreshment and then hurried away to resume the road to_the emerald city . the Scarecrow found a seat in_the wagon between Omby Amby and_the shaggy man, and_his weight did_not add much to_the load because he_was stuffed with straw .

" you_will notice I_have one oat- field on my property," he remarked, as_they drove away ."Oat- straw is, I_have found, the best of all straws to re- stuff myself with when my interior gets musty or out of shape ."

" are_you able to re- stuff yourself without help ? " asked aunt Em ." i_should think that after_the straw was taken out of you there wouldn't be anything left but your clothes ."

" you_are almost correct, madam," he answered ." my servants do_the stuffing, under my direction . for_my head, in_which are my excellent brains, is a bag tied at_the bottom . my face is neatly painted upon one side of_the bag, as_you_may see . my head does_not need re-stuffing, as my body does, for all that_it requires is to_have the face touched up with fresh paint occasionally ."

it_was not far from_the Scarecrow's mansion to_the farm of jack Pumpkinhead, and when_they arrived there both uncle Henry and aunt Em were much impressed . the farm was one vast pumpkin field, and some_of_the pumpkins were of enormous size . in one_of_them, which had_been neatly hollowed out, jack himself lived, and he declared that_it_was a very comfortable residence . the reason he grew so_many pumpkins was in_order_that he might change his head as often as it became wrinkled or threatened to spoil .

the pumpkin- headed man welcomed his visitors joyfully and offered them several delicious pumpkin pies to eat .

"I don't indulge in pumpkin pies myself, for two reasons," he_said ." one reason is_that were I to eat pumpkins i_would become a cannibal, and_the other reason is_that I never eat, not being hollow inside ."

" very_good reasons," agreed the Scarecrow .

they told jack Pumpkinhead of_the dreadful news about_the Nome king, and he decided to_go with_them to_the emerald city and help comfort Ozma .

"I had expected to live here in ease and comfort for many centuries," said jack, dolefully; " but of_course if_the Nome king destroys everything in Oz I_shall_be destroyed too . really, it seems too bad, doesn't it ? "

they were soon on their journey again, and so swiftly did the sawhorse draw the wagon over the smooth roads that before twilight fell they had reached the royal palace in_the emerald city, and were at their journey's end .

26 . how Ozma refused to fight for her kingdom

Ozma was in her rose garden picking a bouquet when_the party arrived, and she greeted all her old and new friends as smilingly and sweetly as ever .

Dorothy's eyes were full of tears as she kissed the lovely ruler of Oz, and she whispered to her:

"Oh, Ozma, Ozma ! I'm so sorry ! "

Ozma seemed surprised .

" sorry for what, Dorothy ? " she asked .

" for all your trouble about_the Nome king," was_the reply .

Ozma laughed with genuine amusement .

" why, that has_not troubled me a bit, dear princess," she replied . then, looking around at_the sad faces of her friends, she added: " have_you all been worrying about_this tunnel ? "

" we_have ! " they exclaimed in a chorus .

" well, perhaps it_is more serious than I imagined," admitted the fair ruler; " but I haven't given the matter much thought . after dinner we_will all meet together and talk it over ."

so they went to_their rooms and prepared for dinner, and Dorothy dressed herself in her prettiest gown and put on her coronet, for she thought that_this might_be the last time she_would ever appear as a princess of Oz .

the Scarecrow, the tin woodman and jack Pumpkinhead all sat at_the dinner table, although none_of_them was_made so he_could eat . usually they served to enliven the meal with their merry talk, but to- night all seemed strangely silent and uneasy .

as_soon_as_the dinner was finished Ozma led the company to her own private room in_which hung the magic picture . when_they had seated themselves the Scarecrow was_the first to_speak .

" is_the Nome king's tunnel finished, Ozma ? " he asked .

" it_was completed to- day," she replied ." they_have built it right under my palace grounds, and it ends in front of_the forbidden fountain . nothing but a crust of earth remains to separate our enemies from_us, and when_they march here, they_will easily break through_this crust and rush upon us ."

" who_will assist the Nome king ? " inquired the Scarecrow .

" the Whimsies, the Growleywogs and_the Phanfasms," she replied ."I watched to- day in my magic picture the messengers whom the Nome king sent to all these people to summon them to assemble in_his great caverns ."

" let_us_see what they_are doing now," suggested the tin woodman .

so Ozma wished to_see the Nome king's cavern, and at once the landscape faded from_the magic picture and was replaced by_the scene then being enacted in_the jeweled cavern of king Roquat .

a wild and startling scene it_was which the Oz people beheld .

before_the Nome king stood the chief of_the Whimsies and_the grand Gallipoot of_the Growleywogs, surrounded by their most skillful generals . very fierce and powerful they looked, so_that even the Nome king and general Guph, who stood beside his master, seemed a bit fearful in_the presence of_their allies .

now a still more formidable creature entered the cavern . it was_the first and foremost of_the Phanfasms and he proudly sat down in king Roquat's own throne and demanded the right to lead his forces through_the tunnel in advance of all the others . the first and foremost now appeared to all eyes in_his hairy skin and_the bear's head . what his real form was even Roquat did_not know .

through_the arches leading into_the vast series of caverns that lay beyond the throne room of king Roquat could_be seen ranks upon ranks of_the invaders--thousands of Phanfasms, Growleywogs and Whimsies standing in serried lines, while behind them were massed the thousands upon thousands of general Guph's own army of Nomes .

" listen ! " whispered Ozma ." i_think we_can hear what they_are saying ."

so they kept still and listened .

" is all ready ? " demanded the first and foremost, haughtily .

" the tunnel is finally completed," replied general Guph .

" how long will it take us to march to_the emerald city ? " asked the grand Gallipoot of_the Growleywogs .

" if_we start at midnight," replied the Nome king, " we_shall arrive at_the emerald city by daybreak . then, while all the Oz people are sleeping, we_will capture them and make them our slaves . after_that we_will destroy the city itself and march through_the land of Oz, burning and devastating as_we go ."

" good ! " cried the first and foremost ." when we get through with Oz it_will_be a desert wilderness .Ozma shall be my slave ."

" she shall be my slave ! " shouted the grand Gallipoot, angrily .

" we'll decide that by and by," said king Roquat hastily ."Don't let_us quarrel now, friends . first let_us conquer Oz, and then we_will divide the spoils of war in a satisfactory manner ."

the first and foremost smiled wickedly; but he only said:

"I and my Phanfasms go first, for nothing on earth can oppose our power ."

they all agreed to_that, knowing the Phanfasms to_be the mightiest of_the combined forces . king Roquat now invited them to attend a banquet he had prepared, where they_might occupy themselves in eating and drinking until midnight arrived .

as_they had now seen and heard all of_the plot against them that_they cared to, Ozma allowed her magic picture to fade away . then she turned to her friends and said:

" our enemies will_be here sooner than I expected . what do_you advise me to_do ? "

" it_is now too late to assemble our people," said the tin woodman, despondently ." if_you had allowed me to arm and drill my Winkies, we_might_have put up a good fight and destroyed many of_our enemies before we were conquered ."

" the Munchkins are good fighters, too," said Omby Amby; " and so are the Gillikins ."

" but I_do_not wish to fight," declared Ozma, firmly ." no one has_the right to destroy any living creatures, however evil they_may_be, or to hurt them or make them unhappy . i_will_not fight, even to save my kingdom ."

" the Nome king is_not so particular," remarked the Scarecrow ." he intends to destroy us all and ruin our beautiful country ."

" because the Nome king intends to_do evil is no excuse for_my doing the same," replied Ozma .

" self- preservation is_the first law of nature," quoted the shaggy man .

" true," she said, readily ." i_would like to discover a plan to save ourselves without fighting ."

that seemed a hopeless task to_them, but realizing that Ozma was determined not to fight, they tried to_think of some means that might promise escape .

"Couldn't we bribe our enemies, by giving them alot of emeralds and gold ? " asked jack Pumpkinhead .

" no, because they believe they_are able to_take everything we_have," replied the ruler .

" I_have thought of something," said Dorothy .

" what_is it, dear ? " asked Ozma .

" let_us use the magic belt to wish all of us in Kansas . we_will put some emeralds in_our pockets, and can sell them in Topeka for enough to_pay off the mortgage on uncle Henry's farm . then we_can all live together and be happy ."

"A clever idea ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow .

" Kansas is a very_good country .I've been there," said the shaggy man .

" that seems to_me an excellent plan," approved the tin woodman .

" no ! " said Ozma, decidedly ." never will I desert my people and leave them to so cruel a fate . i_will use the magic belt to send the rest of you to Kansas, if_you_wish, but if_my beloved country must_be destroyed and my people enslaved i_will remain and share their fate ."

" quite right," asserted the Scarecrow, sighing ." i_will remain with_you ."

" and so will I," declared the tin woodman and_the shaggy man and jack Pumpkinhead, in turn .Tiktok, the machine man, also said he intended to stand by Ozma ." for," said he, " i_should_be of no use at all in Kan-sas ."

" for_my part," announced Dorothy, gravely, " if_the ruler of Oz must not desert her people, a princess of Oz has no right to run away, either .I'm willing to_become a slave with_the rest of you; so all we_can do with_the magic belt is to use it to send uncle Henry and aunt Em back to Kansas ."

"I've been a slave all my life," aunt Em replied, with considerable cheerfulness, " and so has Henry .I guess we won't go back to Kansas, anyway .I'd rather take my chances with_the rest of you ."

Ozma smiled upon them all gratefully .

" there_is no need to despair just yet," she said ."I'll get up early to- morrow morning and be at_the forbidden fountain when_the fierce warriors break through_the crust of_the earth . i_will speak to_them pleasantly and perhaps they won't be so very bad, after all ."

" why do they call it the forbidden fountain ? " asked Dorothy, thoughtfully .

"Don't you_know, dear ? " returned Ozma, surprised .

" no," said Dorothy ." of_course I've seen the fountain in_the palace grounds, ever_since I first came to Oz; and I've read the sign which says: ' all Persons are forbidden to drink at_this fountain .' but I never knew why they were forbidden . the water seems clear and sparkling and it bubbles up in a golden basin all the time ."

" that water," declared Ozma, gravely, " is_the most dangerous thing in all the land of Oz . it_is_the water of oblivion ."

" what does that mean ? " asked Dorothy .

" whoever drinks at_the forbidden fountain at once forgets everything he has ever known," Ozma asserted .

" it wouldn't be a bad way to forget our troubles," suggested uncle Henry .

" that_is true; but you_would forget everything else, and become as ignorant as a baby," returned Ozma .

"Does it make one crazy ? " asked Dorothy .

" no; it only makes one forget," replied the girl ruler ." it_is said that once-- long, long_ago--a wicked king ruled Oz, and made himself and all his people very miserable and unhappy . so Glinda, the good sorceress, placed this fountain here, and_the king drank of_its water and forgot all his wickedness . his mind became innocent and vacant, and when he learned the things of life again they were all good things . but the people remembered how wicked their king had_been, and were still afraid of him . therefore, he_made them all drink of_the water of oblivion and forget everything they had known, so that_they became as simple and innocent as their king . after_that, they all grew wise together, and their wisdom was good, so_that peace and happiness reigned in_the land . but for fear some one might drink of_the water again, and in an instant forget all he had learned, the king put that sign upon_the fountain, where

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