Oz 22: The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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little prince, taking off his crown and looking ruefully at a long rent in_his blue cloak ." I_hope there_are not many more mountains like this_one ! "

" there aren't ! " the answer was so loud and emphatic Philador jumped nearly a foot, and Herby, after one astonished glance at_the speaker, threw open his chest and began rummaging wildly among its contents .

" what's he doing ? " asked the stranger, as Herby clapped a dozen lozenges into his mouth .

"Taking his medicine . it's just a habit he has," answered the little prince, eyeing the newcomer apologetically .

" i_was taking a laugh lozenge, if_you_must know," announced the medicine man, slamming his chest .

"A laugh lozenge ! " roared the huge mountaineer, leaning over to_get a better look at_the little man ." why, what for ? "

" to_keep from laughing at you," explained Herby calmly .

" give_me one ! give_me two, give_me a dozen before I die ! " Rocking backward and forward, the great stranger howled so_long and so heartily that Philador began to pound him on_the back, but Herby, waiting his chance, popped six lozenges into his mouth . instantly he stopped laughing ." that's funny ! " he mused uneasily ."I still feel like laughing at you, but I_can't ."

" same here ! " Slapping his medicine chest, Herby strutted up and down ." you've heard of cough drops to_keep one from coughing . well laugh lozenges keep you from laughing at_the wrong time . have another ? " he invited generously .

" no thanks ! " the big man shook his head in a puzzled manner and turned to_the little prince .

" how do_you happen to_be climbing my mountain ? " he inquired politely .

" because it wouldn't climb itself," answered Philador boldly . his answer tickled the mountaineer so tremendously he burst into a loud roar .

"Ho ! Ho ! so it can't ! " he shouted, " and you've saved my laugh, boy ! i_was afraid i_was cured for life ."

" those laugh lozenges will only keep you from laughing at me," explained Herby hastily .

"Oh ! " wheezed the stranger with a relieved chuckle, " that's all right then . I_can stand not laughing at you, but I_must laugh with_you . it's the_only_thing I really do well," and to_prove it he began to laugh so merrily that Philador and Herby could_not help from joining in . every time Philador tried to stop, another look at_the mountaineer would set him off again . to_begin with_the fellow was six feet tall and dressed in purple kilts like a highlander . then, his toes curled up almost to_his knees, his nose curled up, so did his eyebrows and_the corners of_his mouth, while his hair grew straight on end and waved to and fro . indeed, a more comical and curious countenance the little prince had never gazed upon in_his life .

" explain yourselves ! " choked the mountaineer at last ."I'm on a vacation but what_are you on ? "

" vacation ! " exclaimed Philador wiping his eyes and taking a long look at a huge ax the mountaineer carried over one shoulder, for he had quite evidently been chopping wood, you're joking ! "

"Joe king ! why, of_course I'm Joe king, but how did you guess ? " Regarding the little boy with twinkling eyes he continued, "I'm joking all the time . that's my name you_see and_that~" he waved up toward the mountain top, " that_is my kingdom . I_am king of_the Uplanders, but i_was tired of kinging it so came down here to work and_have a little fun ."

" do_you_think work is fun ? " asked Herby seriously .

" well, it_is for a king," admitted the mountain monarch frankly ."Takes the kinks out of kinging . you look like a royal person your own self," he observed, eyeing Philador with sudden attention ." I_see you_are wearing a crown .

" he's a prince," confided Herby mysteriously, " and unless we reach the emerald city tonight, his kingdom will_be utterly destroyed by a monster ."

" then he_can_have half of_mine," offered Joe king promptly .Philador could_not help smiling at_this generous offer .

" if_you_would just show us the quickest way over the mountains," he began eagerly, " it would help_us alot . you_see, my father is back on_the Ozure Isles, and he_is more important than I_am . then there's my mother ! "

" tell me all," commanded Joe, sitting down on a tree stump and drawing Phil to_his side . so Philador related the whole of_his strange story and even told how the medicine man had_been released from Mombi's enchantment . when he had finished the king slapped his thigh and sprang briskly to_his feet .

"I'll help_you ! " he declared promptly, and began ho-ing and hah-ing so sonorously that Phil-ador had to_put both hands to_his ears and Herby dodged behind a tree to_keep out_of_the draught .

"Ho ! Ho ! where are_you ? Hi ! Hi ! come back here you rascal . high boy ! Ho ! boy, I_say high boy ! "

" whom are_you calling ? " faltered the little prince, removing one hand from_his ear .

" my horse," panted the king, beginning to stamp, whistle and clap his hands . and presently there_was a clash, clatter and scrape, and down the mountain slid the strangest steed Phil or the medicine man had ever beheld . it_was, to_be perfectly frank with_you, a giant horse . and as_you_have doubtless never seen a giant horse I'd better describe him at once . he_was, to_begin with, twice as large as an ordinary horse and of a shiny purple . his eyes were red and roguish, his mane white and flowing, while his tail was an umbrella . yes, it really was . but it_was his legs that were most remarkable . high boy had telescope legs, capable of stretching up or down . when he slid into view, the front two were short and_the hind two were long, so_that he had the appearance of a kangaroo .a thistle bush hung loosely from_the corner of_his mouth, and he_seemed quite annoyed at being disturbed .

" what's up ? " he snorted, rolling his eyes from one to another . as_they finally rested on_the medicine man, he began to chew up the thistle bush with great rapidity . then, throwing back his head, he began to laugh as only a high horse can .

" better give him a laugh lozenge," muttered his majesty, winking at Philador, and Herby, who really did_not like being laughed at, tip- toed forward and slipped several lozenges down high boy's throat .

" I_cannot help looking funny," he explained with great dignity ."I'm made from a funny mixture ! "

"Haw ! Haw ! " sniffed the giant horse, opening one eye ." i_should say you_are ! that open front chest ! that cap ! he ! he ! you're enough to_make a horse laugh and a stone lion roar ! Ho ! Ho ! Hah ! Hah ! "

" there, there ! " cautioned the king ." we all have our peculiarities .Herby's a medicine man and just full of harmless remedies . there, there now, that_will do ! "

" it_will_have to_do," coughed the giant horse " I_can't hah another hah ! "

Herby and Phil exchanged a satisfied little nod at_this, and_the king, taking high boy by_the forelock, introduced him to_the travelers .

" high boy, this_is_the prince of_the Ozure Isles ! prince, my horse ! " the giant horse pulled himself up and politely thrust out his hoof, which Philador shook with some nervousness . next Herby was presented and hastily munched a laugh lozenge, so he_could keep a straight face during the proceedings .

" high boy will carry you quickly to_the capital, won't you, old fellow ? "

high boy nodded his head merrily and after several prances came over and stood beside the king . his legs were now all of_the same length, and as Philador wondered how they should ever mount upon his back there came a series of clicks . the horse's legs grew shorter and shorter, till its body almost touched the ground .

"Hop on," directed Joe and, seizing his lunch basket, Philador hastened to obey .Herby, holding his chest with both hands, climbed up after him and_the king mounting last of all gave the signal to start . then up went high boy's legs to an unbelievable height, up snapped his umbrella tail shading the travelers most comfortably and next instant they were galloping over the purple mountain as fast as_the west wind and_the south wind, too .

and riding a high horse has its advantages, let me tell you . when climbing a mountain it keeps its front legs short and its back legs long, so_that its body is always on a level . this_was quite fortunate, for Herby and Philador had trouble enough keeping their seats and_the little medicine man was so jostled and bounced about he_did nothing but groan .

" my bottles will_be smashed to bits," he chattered anxiously ." do_you hear them knocking about ? " Philador certainly did, but was so excited and interested in_this strange steed and_his merry master he_could_not be properly sympathetic .

" look ! " he cried breathlessly, " we're almost to_the top and there's a purple city and a castle high up in_the clouds ."

" that's up town ! " cried Joe king, pridefully ." and a tip top place to_be, isn't it, Highty, old boy ? " " take_the high way up and_the low way down, and when_you_are there, you_may_have the town ! " he roared lustily ." and here we_are on my mountain top ! where we_have high times .Whoa ! high boy . stop ! "

the giant horse, with a joyous neigh, did stop, for they were right at_the city gates . no one came to admit them so high boy raised himself up and looked over the wall .

" open in_the name of_the law ! " he snorted impatiently ." the king and two strangers are without ! "

chapter 10

high Times up town

at high boy'S loud call, two Uplander Guards in purple kilts came running to open the gates . they were as tall and comical as their king and bowed deeply as_they swung back the golden bars . high boy was in_such haste to enter he_did_not lower himself sufficiently, and_the king's head was knocked severely on_the top of_the arch .

" look what you're doing ! " spluttered his majesty, returning the salute of_the guards and waving for two small pages to approach .

" pray announce us to_the queen," he commanded grandly ." here are the right brave and puissant prince of_the Ozure Isles and_his friend and companion, the medicine man of Oz ! "

the pages immediately raised their golden trumpets and blew three shrill blasts, and while Philador secretly wondered what puissant might mean, called loudly: " his high and mighty majesty, the king ! his brave and puissant highness the prince of_the Ozure Isles and_the medicine man of Oz ! "

" how about me ? " whinnied high boy, shaking his mane and prancing along so skittishly that Herby threw his arms ' round Philador to_keep from falling off .

" and_the high horse ! " shouted the pages joyously, at which the irrepressible beast rose on_his hind legs and bowed to_the left and right . the Uplanders, who had run to doors and windows at_the pages' loud cries, clapped and cheered, first for_the king, next for_the visitors and lastly for high boy himself, till the noise and confusion was simply tremendous . whenever high boy saw one of_his friends leaning from an upper window, he'd stretch up his telescope legs .

"Hello Mary ! " he_would snort, nudging the little girl or whoever it chanced to_be with_his soft nose ."Hello Jim ! " then down he_would drop to greet an old gentleman in a basement doorway, so_that his three riders had an exceedingly up and down time of it .

but even so Philador managed to_see alot of up town . the streets of_this strange mountain city were narrow and steep, the houses tall and towered . there were glimpses of gardens at_the back, gardens sweet with hyacinth and lilac, and in_the open spaces between, grew the tallest grass Philador had ever imagined .a purple haze hung in_the air and_the castle, rising majestically from_the top of_the town, seemed to rest on an airy embankment of clouds . in almost no time, they were in_the courtyard of_the castle itself, the pages tooting away for dear life .a dozen of_the king's retainers rushed out and Philador, gazing upward, saw a lovely lady in a lavender lace dress leaning over the balcony . she wore an amethyst crown and he guessed at once that she_must be the queen .

"Hi ! Hi ! hyacinth ! " Lengthening his legs till his body was on a level with_the balcony, high boy rested his head affectionately on_the queen's shoulder ." did you miss me ? " he whinnied hoarsely .

" of_course ! of_course ! " smiled her highness, nodding pleasantly to Herby and Phil .

the king, with a great grunt, had immediately flung himself off high boy's back, and_the little prince and medicine man made haste to_follow him . on closer inspection Philador found queen hyacinth even lovelier than she had seemed from_the courtyard . although her nose and mouth tipped upward like the king's, she was so gay and pretty that_the little prince almost wished she were his own lady mother and did_not mind at all when she kissed him on both cheeks .Herby blushed with pleasure as_the queen shook his hand and held himself stiffly to_keep his pills from rattling .

while two Uplander Footmen drew out high chairs for_the visitors and fetched tall glasses of grape juice, Joe king told her majesty the strange story of_their adventures . when hyacinth heard how Mombi had long_ago stolen Philador's mother, she kissed him again, then hurrying into_the castle ordered the royal cook to_prepare a tremendous feast for_the travelers . high boy, resting his chin on_the balcony rail, had listened with close attention to_the whole recital . now with a tremulous sigh he began to lower himself into_the courtyard .

" goodbye, old Toz ! " he_called roguishly to_the medicine man ." see you again, princeling, but now the tall grass is calling me ."

"Does he eat tall grass ? " asked Philador, looking over the balcony with great interest as high boy galloped away .

" of_course ! that's what makes him

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