Oz 22: The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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journey were impossible and, jumping up resolutely, Philador began to_make his preparations .

first he cooked himself some breakfast . there were bread and coffee in_the cupboard, and eggs and milk in_the chest and after he had eaten, Philador's spirits rose considerably .Putting a loaf of bread, a square of butter, some cheese and a jar of honey into a small basket, he_was about to step out into_the forest, when a really splendid idea occurred to him . perhaps there_might_be some magic contrivance in_the good witch's hut to help him on_his journey .Setting down the basket, Philador searched carefully through_the whole cottage and in a small shed at_the back found Tattypoo's witch workshop .a huge cauldron hanging on a crane was set in_the large fire place . the walls were lined with shelves and_the shelves covered with curious boxes and bottles . with both hands in_his pockets and_his crown on_the back of_his head, the little prince tried to decide which to_take . the labels were mostly in magic, a language Philador had unfortunately never studied .Taking down a blue box he started to open it . now this box had an eyelid and it winked at Philador so knowingly that he_gave a jump and knocked a simply enormous bottle from_the shelf over his head . the bottle fell to_the floor with a loud crash, breaking into three separate pieces and a thick brown liquid began to ooze out upon_the floor . as Philador, dropping the blue box, looked down in fright and dismay, the liquid began to run into_the shape of a man .Backing into a corner the little prince watched the queer figure forming on_the floor . it grew more and more distinct, thickening through_the middle and finally as Philador, with both hands before his face, backed as far into_the corner as he_could, the man out_of_the bottle curled upward and made him a deep bow .

" i_thank_you," he began in a husky voice ."I've been shut up in_that bottle for thirty years and thought i_was shelved for life ."

"Wh~ what_are you ? " stuttered Philador in an unsteady voice ." and how did you get into_the bottle ? " he half expected the man to melt and run away, but the liquid from_which he_was formed seemed to_have hardened perfectly and, except for_his strange eyes and powdered hair, the old fellow looked almost natural . he sighed deeply at_the little prince's question and seating himself on a low bench, motioned for_the prince to sit beside him . rather nervously Philador seated himself on_the other end of_the bench .

" I_am a medicine man, and aGilliken," began the old gentleman solemnly .

of_course ! thought Philador with a little chuckle . who but a medicine man would come out of a bottle !

"I spent my whole life studying cures and remedies, but though I hung out my sign, and had office hours every day, no one ever came to consult me," said the medicine man sorrowfully ." but this_was not strange when_you stop to consider that no one in Oz is ever ill; however, it_was very dull for_me .

the little prince nodded sympathetically and gave a slight start as he noticed for_the first time that_the medicine man's eyes were cough drops . he_was so interested in_this discovery he missed a whole sentence of_the old fellow's story ." so I decided to travel," the medicine man was now hurrying on to explain, " and discover cures for trouble Oz people really did suffer from, such as impatience, bad tempers, rudeness and so on . in_the forests hereabout grow many powerful roots and herbs and it_was while i_was searching for an herb to_prevent talkativeness that I met the wicked witch of_the north ."

"Mombi ! " gasped Philador, edging closer, and thinking how_much mischief this old sorceress was responsible for .

" yes, Mombi ! " sighed the medicine man mournfully ."I had a great cauldron of cough mixture, which I always use as_the basis for all my cures, boiling over the fire, and Mombi, declaring I had stolen her rarest herbs, threw me into_the pot ." Philador shuddered . he_could fairly see the furious witch pouncing upon_the helpless little gentleman .

"Didn't you fight ? " he asked, as_the medicine man stared sadly at his boots .

"Oh, yes ! " the little fellow assured him earnestly, " but Mombi had the strength of ten men and tumbled me into_the cauldron before I_could even call for help . being a native of Oz, I could_not_be utterly destroyed .I remember quite distinctly melting into_the cough mixture and later being poured into a bottle . after_that I recall nothing till you knocked me from_the shelf this_morning . how do I look ? " he asked .

" you look all right to_me," answered Philador kindly ." how do_you feel ? "

" well," answered the medicine man, clearing his throat experimentally, " I_feel a little hoarse, but I suppose that's the cough mixture ." Jumping briskly to_his feet he walked over to a large mirror that hung on_the wall of_the shed, and leaning forward stared long and earnestly at his reflection .

" well ? " asked Philador as_the little man continued to gaze in_the mirror, " are_you the same ? "

" no, I've shrunk ! it must_have been the boiling," mused the medicine man in a depressed voice ." my eyes look queer and there's a queer rattle in my chest . hear it ? " he shook himself from side to side, and Philador was forced to confess that he_did ." never mind, though," piped the little fellow at last ."I'm out of_that bottle and_that's something ! " Throwing out his chest he put both hands in_his pockets and beamed upon_the little boy .

Philador gave a frightened scream and pointing at his shirt front bade him look in_the mirror . no wonder Philador had screamed ! when_the medicine man threw out his chest, both sides of_his shirt front flew open like the doors in a small closet, disclosing three shelves . on_these shelves stood a row of boxes and bottles and as_the little prince continued to stare, the old gentleman took out first one and then another .Clicking his heels together he . sprang gleefully into_the air .

" it's all my remedies ! " he explained excitedly ." my laugh lozenges, soothing syrup, cross drops and everything ! how handy to_have a medicine chest and always right with me ! "

"Doesn't it hurt ? " asked Philador doubtfully ." can_you breathe all right and don't it feel hollow ? " the medicine man took three long breaths, put back all the bottles and boxes and slamming the doors of_his chest shook his head delightedly .

" it feels fine ! " he_said gaily ." but look here, isn't this Mombi's hut and hadn't we better run before she comes back ? " Philador had_been so interested he had forgotten his own troubles for a few_moments, but now he rapidly told the medicine man the mischief Mombi had done to_his own royal family and of_the threat of Quiberon to destroy the Ozure Isles . then he explained how Mombi herself had_been conquered by Tattypoo and later put out by order of Ozma of Oz .

the medicine man listened with interest and concern and when_the little prince told of_his flight on_the blue gull to_the good witch's hut and of_the strange disappearance of Tattypoo and_the message on_the magic slate he ruffled up his wonderful hair and declared himself ready to_go at once to_the emerald city .

" two heads are better than one," he asserted stoutly ." you released me from_that odious bottle and I_shall never rest until I_have repaid you .

" thank_you, sir ! " Straightening his crown, Philador smiled gratefully at his strange new friend .

"Oh, call me Herby," chuckled the medicine man, winking his cough drops eyes merrily, " and I'll call you Phil for short . how will that be ? "

" all right, Herby," laughed the little prince, deciding it would_be quite jolly to_have this gay little Gilliken accompany him to_the capital .Herby heartily approved of_his plan for taking some of Tattypoo's magic along and after a short search they took the good witch's thinking cap from a Peg on_the door and a rope they found curled up on_the kitchen table . the rope was marked "jumping rope," and would come in mighty handily on a journey of adventures .Pouring several saucers of milk for_the cat with two tails, Philador put the jumping rope in_the basket, the basket on_his arm and declared himself ready to start .Herby had the witch's thinking cap slung round his neck and almost instantly it proved its magic powers . neither Herby nor the little prince knew in_which direction the emerald city lay, and as_they stood looking uncertainly into_the forest the medicine man bethought himself of_the cap .Putting it on_his head he asked it to_tell them the way to_the capital . the medicine man's little brown face looked so comical under the cap ruffles, Philador could_not help laughing but Herby, closing his eyes began to walk straight ahead .

chapter 9

king of_the Uplanders

deeper and deeper the two travelers penetrated into_the grim forest . except for_the twitter of birds, and_the occasional creaking of a branch, as some animal made its way through_the underbrush, there_was no sound . almost holding his breath, Philador trotted after_the old medicine man, peering nervously to_the right and left and half expecting a bear or walapus to spring out of some hollow tree . but as time passed and no wild beasts of any nature did appear, he began to breathe easier and to look around with real interest and delight . the huge gnarled trees were tinged with purple . wild grape and wistaria vines climbed in riotous profusion up the trunks and out over the limbs, lacing them together and forming fairy- like arbors and leafy lanes . the floor of_the forest was thickly strewn with violets and_the fragrance of lavender was everywhere .Herby, being a native Gilliken, was accustomed to_the grandeur of_the forest and pattered along in a business- like manner, giving no attention to_the purple pansies, clustered around the great trees, nor the lordly flags, edging each forest stream .

"I've heard that_the emerald city is but a day's journey from Mombi's hut," he_called over his shoulder, " and with_this thinking cap to guide us we'll be there for dinner . then Ozma can magically transport us to_the Ozure Isles and save your father's kingdom .I trust the wizard of Oz will give_me an audience," he added hopefully ."I'd like to show him my medicine chest and tell him my story ."

" but I wonder what did become of Tattypoo ? " mused Philador, stopping to admire some especially lovely pansies ." do_you suppose we_shall ever find out ? "

" of_course ! of_course ! with Ozma's famous picture and_the wizard's magic we_shall discover everything ." Waving his arms happily, Herby quickened his steps . as for Philador, the more he thought about_the capital of Oz, the more impatient he became to reach his journey's end .Herby had taken off the thinking cap, and was marching along briskly, the boxes and bottles in_his medicine chest rattling and tinkling and_his wispy white hair snapping in_the morning breeze . the trees were farther apart now, and presently they stepped out_of_the forest altogether . but only to_find themselves on_the brink of arushing torrent .

" now what ? " muttered the medicine man gloomily, and while Philador gazed anxiously up and down the bank, he hurriedly opened the chest .

" what_are you doing ? " asked the boy curiously, as Herby poured several pills from a small bottle into his palm .

"Keeping myself from getting cross," puffed the medicine man, quickly swallowing the pills ." have some ? "

" but we_want to_get cross this river ! " chuckled the little prince laughing in_spite of himself .

" well, I don't see how we_are to_do_it, Phil ." Mournfully the little man returned the pill bottle to_his chest and slammed the doors ." that's what_was making me cross, and I never allow myself to_feel cross," he finished placidly .

" surely there_is some way over ." Sitting down on a log, Philador stared thoughtfully at_the ground . both had forgotten the thinking cap which would doubtless have solved the problem in a second . as it_was, they wasted nearly ten minutes wondering what to_do and would probably have_been sitting there yet, had_not a sudden rattle from_the witch's basket attracted their attention .Peeping in to_see whether a squirrel had gotten into_the sandwiches, Phil was surprised to_see the jumping rope knocking its handles sharply together .

"Hurrah ! " shouted the medicine man ."Tattypoo is helping us . take_the rope Phil, and_see what happens ." rather uncertainly Philador picked up the rope . nothing happened at first, then Phil began to revolve it as he had seen the little girls on_the Ozure Isles do . at_the second skip he flew lightly over the raging river .Herby shouted and waved from_the other side so he gaily skipped back .

" it's a good thing i_took those pills," cried Herby, shaking his finger at Phil, " otherwise I should_have_been very cross when_you skipped across the river and left me ." at Philador's suggestion they each took an end of_the rope, then both skipping together jumped the river at one bound .

"I'm glad we brought this, aren't you ? " Beaming with satisfaction and pleasure, Philador rolled up the marvelous jumping rope and put it back in_the basket . the medicine man, again bethinking himself of_the witch's cap and to_be_sure they were still going in_the right direction, put it gravely on_his head .

" the way lies over those mountains," he observed after a short pause .a quick walk through some fields brought them to_the foot of_the first mountain and, undaunted by its height and cragginess, they began to ascend, pulling themselves upward with_the help of small saplings and bushes . the mountain side was covered with heather so that_it_was as purple as_the witch's forest . half way up, there_was a small plateau and, weary from their stiff climb, the two adventurers stopped to rest .

"Whew ! " puffed the little

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