Oz 20: The Hungry Tiger of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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blast of trumpets wakened him next morning and a few_moments later Ippty came to conduct him to_the pasha .Irashi had craftily arranged to receive the hungry tiger in_the prison courtyard, and surrounded by_the rash Guardsmen, with Fizzenpop standing anxiously at his side, he waited for_the tiger to appear . the walk from_the palace to_the prison was not long, but it gave the hungry tiger quite a glimpse of_the country and_the people . the palace and all of_the cottages and stores were of pink stone . pink trees lined the pink marble walks and even the sky had a rosy glow . the Rashers, themselves, hurrying to and fro in their tremendous flapping turbans, oddly quilted robes and soft pink slippers, seemed pleasant enough fellows and again the hungry tiger's conscience began to trouble him . but it_was too late to_turn back now, so he stalked uncomfortably after Ippty . the prison itself looked quite like a wing of_the pink palace and unsuspectingly the hungry tiger passed through_the great golden gates and into a high walled court .

"Ah hah ! " exclaimed Irashi, as he advanced majestically to_the center of_the court- yard ." so here he_is at last, the famous and famished tiger of Oz . and in uniform, too . is_it not splendid that_the future jailer of rash should wear stripes," chuckled the pasha, poking Fizzenpop playfully in_the ribs ." even now our prisoners will go behind the bars- after they_are eaten," he whispered hoarsely, fearing Fizzenpop might_not get the joke .Ippty burst into a roar, but the grand vizier, after one look at_the huge figure of_the tiger, began to tremble from top to toe . the hungry tiger, himself, was not at all pleased with_his reception .

" are_you laughing at me" he growled, lashing his tail and showing so_many teeth the rash Guardsmen took to_their pink heels ." are_you laughing at me ? "

" no ! no, certainly not," grunted Irashi, moving hurriedly toward the gates ." I_hope_you_will be most comfortable and happy here ." at each word, Irashi took a great leap, followed closely by Ippty and Fizzenpop . by_the_time he finished his sentence and before_the hungry tiger realized what_was happening, all three were on_the other side of_the gates and_the tiger, himself, was locked fast in_the courtyard ." stay here, you saucy monster ." puffed Irashi, shaking his scepter playfully, and taking Fizzenpop by one arm and Ippty by_the other, he waddled off, leaving the hungry tiger to reflect upon his folly . first he hurled himself again and again at_the golden gates, then he ran round and round the prison yard examining every inch of_the high walls . but it_was useless . there_was not so_much as a chink in_the marble blocks .Raging with anger at Irashi and disgusted with himself for being so easily caught, he crouched down in agloomy corner of_the yard to_think . all choice in_the matter of eating the rash prisoners was now removed, for, as he sadly reflected, there would probably be nothing else to eat . but eating prisoners, when_you_are free and happy, and eating prisoners because there_is nothing else are entirely different matters and already half the pleasure was gone from_the experiment . how was he to escape from_this miserable little monarch ? would Dorothy and Betsy miss him ? why, oh why, had he not listened to_the voice of_his conscience or even had himself stuffed, as_the wizard suggested ?

Blinking his eyes mournfully, the hungry tiger began to_feel sorry not_only for_the rash prisoners, but dreadfully sorry for himself, for was he not a prisoner, too ? he had plenty of_time to_feel sorry, for not a soul came near him all day- not even a rash mouse . there_was a tub of water in_the corner of_the yard, but nothing to eat, and as_the shadows grew longer and longer the poor tiger grew hungrier and hungrier .Betsy's party seemed years_ago and when, toward evening, shrill screams from_the wall announced the approach of Irashi and_the guards, he looked up almost hopefully to_see whether they were bringing a prisoner . they were .Propped up between two guards, and advancing most unwillingly, was a tall turbaned figure .

" here ! " shouted Irashi, leaning far over the wall, " here_is your supper . eat this rogue at once . he has wakened me from my sacred nap with_his horrible howling ."

"I suppose I'll have to," mumbled the hungry tiger uncomfortably to himself, and growling to_keep his courage up and_his conscience down, he advanced toward the wall just as_the guardsmen dropped the luckless rasher over . he landed lightly on_the balls of_his feet and after one look at_the hungry tiger pulled his turban over his eyes and began to screech with terror .

" eat him up ! shut him up ! what's the matter, have_you no teeth ? " bawled Irashi covering his ears .

"I never dine till ten o'clock," answered the hungry tiger stiffly . he_was not going to_be bullied by_the wretched little sovereign of rash ." and I never eat until I_am alone," he growled raising his roar above the wails of_the prisoner .

" suit yourself," grumbled Irashi . but secretly he_was disappointed . to watch the hungry tiger devour the prisoner would_have_been a real treat for_the wicked little pasha .Covering both ears to drown the poor fellow's doleful yells, he scrambled down the steps on_the other side of_the wall ." we'll return later to_see if he_is eaten," puffed the little pasha, turning back toward the castle, and_the guardsmen, exchanging uneasy glances, clanked after him . as_soon_as they were alone, the hungry tiger approached the prisoner .

" would you mind stopping that noise ? " he begged earnestly ." you're really spoiling my supper .

" your supper ? " gulped the rasher, trembling violently, " do_you expect me to submit to eating without a sound ? "

" well, i_wish that you_would," sighed the tiger hopefully ."I never cared for music with my meals . now don't be frightened, I won't hurt you- much . if_you were_not so tall, I'd swallow you whole ."

"Oh ! " groaned the prisoner falling upon his knees, " have_you no heart ? no conscience ? are_you really cruel enough to devour a poor fellow like me ? " at each word, the hungry tiger recoiled a bit further .

" but what can I_do ? I've nothing else to eat and it_is_the rash law that you_should perish . by_the_way, what_was your crime ? " he asked sadly . now that_the time for eating a live man was at hand, he_found himself curiously disturbed .

"I'm a singer," began the prisoner, in achoked and frightened voice ." this afternoon, hoping to earn a few rash pence, I stopped beneath the palace balcony and-" Straightening up and throwing out his chest, the singer burst into tears and song, mingling them so thoroughly the hungry tiger was soon crying like a baby himself . without the tears, the song went something like this:

"Oh why must lovely roses die ? Oh why, snif ! snif ! Oh why, say why ? Oh why must hay be cut and mown in its first hey- day ? groan, snif, groan !

and why must grass be trodden down and trees cut up_to build a town ? should little lambs grow into chops and hang around in butcher shops ? no ! no ! I weep, it_is too sad .Snif, snuffle, snif, I_feel so sad ! "

" so do I ! " roared the hungry tiger ." stop ! stop ! I_am positively ill . what's that ? " that was a large bunch of bananas . it came whistling over the wall, followed by three onions, a sausage, a squash pie and a head of cabbage .

" they always throw things when I sing," sobbed the singer, drying his eyes on_his pink sleeve .

" pass me that sausage, ' gulped the hungry tiger in a faint voice .

" are-aren't you going to eat me ? " stuttered the sad singer, offering the sausage fearfully and jumping back as_if he expected the tiger to snap off his arm . between bites, and_the sausage took only two, the hungry tiger shook his head .

" not now," he answered wearily ." I_might_have swallowed you, but that song ! never ! a man full of music like that_would ruin my digestion . how's the pie ? "

" squashed," said the singer, in a depressed whisper ." try the onions ." he held them out hopefully, but the hungry tiger only shuddered .

" eat them yourself," he advised gloomily, you seem to enjoy crying ." Reaching for a banana, the hungry tiger ripped off the skin and swallowed it whole . three more, he treated in_the same reckless fashion . then licking his whiskers, he regarded the sad singer reproach- fully ." you_may go now," he_said gruffly ." your singing is outrageous, but you_are neither wicked enough to satisfy my conscience nor fat enough to satisfy my appetite . go- go- be-fore-"

" but how can I go," moaned the singer, waving despairingly at_the high walls . I_do_not know whether his tears were from grief, gratitude or onions .( he had eaten all three by_this_time .)

" well, you_can't stay here," rumbled the tiger anxiously, " for_you're supposed to_be eaten ."

"I'll hide," muttered the prisoner, glaring around wildly . but there_was no place in_the whole pink yard where he_could conceal himself . round and round tore the worried rasher and round and round after him nosed the hungry tiger and, just as_the moon rose up over the pink turrets of_the palace, they discovered a loose block in_the stone pavings .Scratching frantically with_his powerful claws the hungry tiger managed to dig up the whole block and dragging it aside found a small damp under- ground chamber .

the sad singer was overjoyed, when he peeped into_the dark hole, for he had become very nervous, in_his fear that_the tiger would soon decide to eat him . to_tell the truth, the hungry tiger was glad himself . the sad singer did_not look very_good to eat .

" there ! " grunted the hungry tiger, thrust-ing the singer in and throwing some bananas and a head of cabbage after him ." be quiet and whatever you_do, don't sing ! " he had just pushed the block back, leaving a small crevice to_give the prisoner air, when Irashi and Ippty appeared upon_the wall .

"Ah ! he has eaten him ! " cried Irashi rapturously, and clapping his hands like a child, be began to address the hungry tiger in most affectionate terms, promising him a dozen prisoners upon_the morrow . but the hungry tiger merely turned his back and gazed solemnly up at_the moon, and seeing nothing was to_be got out of him, Irashi and_his wicked scribe tiptoed off to bed, well pleased with_the new jailer of rash . the hungry tiger himself, in_spite of ahorribly hollow feeling ( what_is a sausage and four bananas to a tiger ? ) soon fell asleep . and perhaps because he had done nothing to trouble his kind old conscience, he dreamed that he_was safely back in_the emerald city with dear little Ozma of Oz .

chapter 4

the vegetable man of Oz

we_shall_have to leave the poor hungry tiger in_the jail yard of rash and take a peep at what_is going on in_the emerald city of Oz . it_will_be something exciting, I_am_sure . one never can guess what_will happen next in_the fairyland of Oz .

" red ripe tomatoes ! red ripe tomatoes ! fresh straw-burees ! fresh straw-burees ! ripe red tomatoes, fine new potatoes salad ! Cress and peas ! fresh straw-burees ! "

"Strawberries ! " exclaimed Betsy bobbin in delight, and running to_the palace window, looked up and down the garden to_see where the voice was coming from . it_was so like old times in_the States it made Betsy homesick ." why, I never heard a huckster calling around here before," thought Betsy ."I believe I'll buy some for breakfast and surprise Ozma ." Fastening the last button on her blue frock, she skipped out_of_the room, down the stairs and into_the garden, following the sound of_the husky voice .Sometimes it seemed to_be quite near, at other times to_come drifting back to her from a great distance and before long Betsy was perfectly breathless from darting to and fro . but at last a sharp turn in_the path brought her right upon_the owner of_the voice . it_was a vegetable man, sure enough, his small hand cart piled high with fresh greens and rosy strawberries .

"I'll take a box of berries, please," panted Betsy, and standing on her tiptoes, she pointed to a very large and tempting one .

" certainly miss," said the vegetable man, and handing her the box stood smiling and bowing in_the roadway . but instead of taking it Betsy gasped and put both hands behind her .

" now don't be skeered," said the vegetable man softly ." I_know I'm an odd one, but you'll get used to_me . try to_get used to_me," he begged coaxingly .Betsy thought it would take a long_time, but he_seemed so earnest that she took a long breath and looked at him again . his face was red and smooth as abeet . queer, rootlike whiskers sprouted raggedly from_the bottom, curious celery leaf hair waved excitedly from_the top, while a turnip nose and two tall corn ears gave him a most roguish and inquisitive expression . his body was more like an enormous potato than anything else and_his arms and legs were long, wiry roots of some coarse vegetable fibre .

" well ? " asked the vegetable man anxiously, as Betsy finished her inspection ." can_you stand me at all ? "

"I- i_think you're pretty interesting," confessed Betsy, who was an exceedingly polite and kind hearted little girl .

"Am I ? " beamed the stranger, rubbing his twig like hands together, " well ! well ! I'm glad_to_hear you say that, for_it's just what I've been thinking myself . but i_was not always like this, my dear ." the vegetable man's blue eyes were the only natural feature about him and_they twinkled so merrily above his turnip nose that Betsy began

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