Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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where it has remained for many centuries up to_this very day ."

they had all listened intently to Ozma's story, and when she finished speaking there_was a long period of silence while all thought upon_the curious magical power of_the water of oblivion .

finally the Scarecrow's painted face took on a broad smile that stretched the cloth as far as it would go .

" how thankful I_am," he_said, " that I_have such an excellent assortment of brains ! "

"I gave_you the best brains I ever mixed," declared the wizard, with an air of pride .

" you_did, indeed ! " agreed the Scarecrow, " and_they work so splendidly that they_have found a way to save Oz-- to save us all ! "

"I'm glad_to_hear that," said the wizard ." we never needed saving more than we_do just now ."

" do_you_mean to_say you_can save us from those awful Phanfasms, and Growleywogs and Whimsies ? " asked Dorothy eagerly .

"I'm sure of it, my dear," asserted the Scarecrow, still smiling genially .

" tell us how ! " cried the tin woodman .

" not now," said the Scarecrow ." you_may all go to bed, and I advise you to forget your worries just as completely as if_you had drunk of_the water of oblivion in_the forbidden fountain .I'm going to stay here and tell my plan to Ozma alone, but if_you_will all be at_the forbidden fountain at daybreak, you'll see how easily we_will save the kingdom when our enemies break through_the crust of earth and come from_the tunnel ."

so they went away and let the Scarecrow and Ozma alone; but Dorothy could_not sleep a wink all night .

" he_is only aScarecrow," she said to herself, " and I'm not sure that his mixed brains are as clever as he thinks they_are ."

but she knew that if_the Scarecrow's plan failed they were all lost; so she tried to_have faith in him .

27 . how the fierce Warriors invaded Oz

the Nome king and_his terrible allies sat at_the banquet table until midnight . there_was much quarreling between_the Growleywogs and Phanfasms, and one_of_the wee- headed Whimsies got angry at general Guph and choked him until he nearly stopped breathing . yet no one was seriously hurt, and_the Nome king felt much relieved when_the clock struck twelve and_they all sprang up and seized their weapons .

"Aha ! " shouted the first and foremost ." now to conquer the land of Oz ! "

he marshaled his Phanfasms in battle array and at his word of command they marched into_the tunnel and began the long journey through it to_the emerald city . the first and foremost intended to_take all the treasures of Oz for himself; to kill all who_could_be killed and enslave the rest; to destroy and lay waste the whole country, and afterward to conquer and enslave the Nomes, the Growleywogs and_the Whimsies . and he_knew his power was sufficient to enable him to_do all these things easily .

next marched into_the tunnel the army of gigantic Growleywogs, with their grand Gallipoot at their head . they were dreadful beings, indeed, and longed to_get to Oz that they_might begin to pilfer and destroy . the grand Gallipoot was a little afraid of_the first and foremost, but had a cunning plan to murder or destroy that powerful being and secure the wealth of Oz for himself . mighty little of_the plunder would the Nome king get, thought the grand Gallipoot .

the chief of_the Whimsies now marched his false- headed forces into_the tunnel . in_his wicked little head was a plot to destroy both the first and foremost and_the grand Gallipoot . he intended to let them conquer Oz, since they insisted on going first; but he_would afterward treacherously destroy them, as_well as king Roquat, and keep all the slaves and treasure of Ozma's kingdom for himself .

after all his dangerous allies had marched into_the tunnel the Nome king and general Guph started to_follow them, at_the head of fifty thousand Nomes, all fully armed .

"Guph," said the king, " those creatures ahead of us mean mischief . they intend to_get everything for themselves and leave us nothing ."

" I_know," replied the general; " but they_are_not as clever as they_think they_are . when_you get the magic belt you_must at once wish the Whimsies and Growleywogs and Phanfasms all back into their own countries-- and_the belt will surely take them there ."

" good ! " cried the king ." an excellent plan, Guph .I'll do_it . while they_are conquering Oz I'll get the magic belt, and then only the Nomes will remain to ravage the country ."

so you_see there_was only one_thing that all were agreed upon-- that Oz should_be destroyed .

on, on, on_the vast ranks of invaders marched, filling the tunnel from side to side . with a steady tramp, tramp, they advanced, every step taking them nearer to_the beautiful emerald city .

" nothing can save the land of Oz ! " thought the first and foremost, scowling until his bear face was as black as_the tunnel .

" the emerald city is as good as destroyed already ! " muttered the grand Gallipoot, shaking his war club fiercely .

" in a few hours Oz will_be a desert ! " said the chief of_the Whimsies, with an evil laugh .

" my dear Guph," remarked the Nome king to_his general, " at last my vengeance upon Ozma of Oz and her people is about to_be accomplished ."

" you_are right ! " declared the general ."Ozma is surely lost ."

and now the first and foremost, who was in advance and nearing the emerald city, began to cough and to sneeze .

" this tunnel is terribly dusty," he growled, angrily ."I'll punish that Nome king for not having it swept clean . my throat and eyes are getting full of dust and I'm as thirsty as a fish ! "

the grand Gallipoot was coughing too, and_his throat was parched and dry .

" what a dusty place ! " he cried ."I'll be_glad when we reach Oz, where we_can get a drink ."

" who has any water ? " asked the Whimsie chief, gasping and choking . but none of_his followers carried a drop of water, so he hastened on to_get through_the dusty tunnel to_the land of Oz .

" where did all this dust come from ? " demanded general Guph, trying hard to swallow but finding his throat so dry he couldn't .

"I don't know," answered the Nome king ."I've been in_the tunnel every day while it_was being built, but I never noticed any dust before ."

" let's hurry ! " cried the general ."I'd give half the gold in Oz for a drink of water ."

the dust grew thicker and thicker, and_the throats and eyes and noses of_the invaders were filled with it . but not one halted or turned back . they hurried forward more fierce and vengeful than ever .

28 . how they drank at_the forbidden fountain

the Scarecrow had no need to sleep; neither had the tin woodman or Tiktok or jack Pumpkinhead . so they all wandered out into_the palace grounds and stood beside the sparkling water of_the forbidden fountain until daybreak . during this_time they indulged in occasional conversation .

" nothing could make me forget what I_know," remarked the Scarecrow, gazing into_the fountain, " for I_cannot drink the water of oblivion or water of any kind . and I_am_glad that_this_is so, for I consider my wisdom unexcelled ."

" you_are cer-tain-ly ve-ry wise," agreed Tiktok ." for_my part, I_can on-ly think by MA- chin-er-y, so I_do_not pre- tend to_know as_much as_you_do ."

" my tin brains are very bright, but that_is all I claim for_them," said nick chopper, modestly ." yet I_do_not aspire to being very wise, for I_have noticed that_the happiest people are those who_do_not let their brains oppress them ."

" mine never worry me," jack Pumpkinhead acknowledged ." there_are many seeds of thought in my head, but they_do_not sprout easily . I_am_glad that_it_is so, for if I occupied my days in thinking i_should_have no time for anything else ."

in_this cheery mood they passed the hours until the first golden streaks of dawn appeared in_the sky . then Ozma joined them, as fresh and lovely as ever and robed in one of her prettiest gowns .

" our enemies have_not_yet arrived," said the Scarecrow, after greeting affectionately the sweet and girlish ruler .

" they_will soon be here," she said, " for I_have just glanced at my magic picture, and_have seen them coughing and choking with_the dust in_the tunnel ."

"Oh, is_there dust in_the tunnel ? " asked the tin woodman .

" yes; Ozma placed it there by_means of_the magic belt," explained the Scarecrow, with one of_his broad smiles .

then Dorothy came to_them, uncle Henry and aunt Em following close after her . the little girl's eyes were heavy because she had had a sleepless and anxious night .Toto walked by her side, but the little dog's spirits were very_much subdued .Billina, who was always up by daybreak, was not long in joining the group by_the fountain .

the wizard and_the shaggy man next arrived, and soon after appeared Omby Amby, dressed in_his best uniform .

" there lies the tunnel," said Ozma, pointing to a part of_the ground just before_the forbidden fountain, " and in a few_moments the dreadful invaders will break through_the earth and swarm over the land . let_us all stand on_the other side of_the fountain and watch to_see what happens ."

at once they followed her suggestion and moved around the fountain of_the water of oblivion . there they stood silent and expectant until the earth beyond gave way with a sudden crash and up leaped the powerful form of_the first and foremost, followed by all his grim warriors .

as_the leader sprang forward his gleaming eyes caught the play of_the fountain and he rushed toward it and drank eagerly of_the sparkling water . many_of_the other Phanfasms drank, too, in_order to clear their dry and dusty throats . then they stood around and looked at one another with simple, wondering smiles .

the first and foremost saw Ozma and her companions beyond the fountain, but instead of making an effort to capture her he merely stared at her in pleased admiration of her beauty-- for he had forgotten where he_was and why he had come there .

but now the grand Gallipoot arrived, rushing from_the tunnel with a hoarse cry of mingled rage and thirst . he too saw the fountain and hastened to drink of_its forbidden waters . the other Growleywogs were_not slow to_follow suit, and even before_they had finished drinking the chief of_the Whimsies and_his people came to push them away, while they one and all cast off their false heads that they_might slake their thirst at_the fountain .

when_the Nome king and general Guph arrived they both made a dash to drink, but the general was so mad with thirst that he knocked his king over, and while Roquat lay sprawling upon_the ground the general drank heartily of_the water of oblivion .

this rude act of_his general made the Nome king so angry that for a moment he forgot he_was thirsty and rose to_his feet to glare upon_the group of terrible warriors he had brought here to assist him . he_saw Ozma and her people, too, and yelled out:

" why don't you capture them ? why don't you conquer Oz, you idiots ? why do_you stand there like alot of dummies ? "

but the great warriors had become like little children . they had forgotten all their enmity against Ozma and against Oz . they had even forgotten who they themselves were, or why they were in_this strange and beautiful country . as for_the Nome king, they_did_not recognize him, and wondered who he_was .

the sun came up and sent its flood of silver rays to light the faces of_the invaders . the frowns and scowls and evil looks were all gone . even the most monstrous of_the creatures there assembled smiled innocently and seemed light-hearted and content merely to_be alive .

not so with Roquat, the Nome king . he had_not drunk from_the forbidden fountain and all his former rage against Ozma and Dorothy now inflamed him as fiercely as ever . the sight of general Guph babbling like a happy child and playing with_his hands in_the cool waters of_the fountain astonished and maddened red Roquat .Seeing that his terrible allies and_his own general refused to act, the Nome king turned to order his great army of Nomes to advance from_the tunnel and seize the helpless Oz people .

but the Scarecrow suspected what_was in_the king's mind and spoke a word to_the tin woodman . together they ran at Roquat and grabbing him up tossed him into_the great basin of_the fountain .

the Nome king's body was round as a ball, and it bobbed up and down in_the water of oblivion while he spluttered and screamed with fear lest he_should drown . and when he cried out, his mouth filled with water, which ran down his throat, so_that straightway he forgot all he had formerly known just as completely as had all the other invaders .

Ozma and Dorothy could_not refrain from laughing to_see their dreaded enemies become as harmless as babies . there_was no danger now that Oz would_be destroyed . the only question remaining to solve was how to_get rid of_this horde of intruders .

the shaggy man kindly pulled the Nome king out_of_the fountain and set him upon his thin legs .Roquat was dripping wet, but he chattered and laughed and wanted to drink more of_the water . no thought of injuring any person was now in_his mind .

before he left the tunnel he had commanded his fifty thousand Nomes to remain there until he ordered them to advance, as he_wished to_give his allies time to conquer Oz

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