Oz 20: The Hungry Tiger of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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the hungry tiger of Oz

by ruth Plumly Thompson

list of Chapters
1 the pasha of rash
2 Betsy's birthday
3 the hungry tiger in rash
4 the vegetable man of Oz
5 Prisoners in rash
6 the scarlet prince
7 escape from rash
8 in down town
9 the Indus tree
10 the magic spectacles
11 the second rash ruby
12 immense city
13 beside the wall
14 TheAirman of Oz
15 rusty ore to_the rescue
16 Reddy and_the Giants
17 the big wig's secret
18 the third rash ruby
19 Reddy restored to_the throne
20 safe in_the emerald city

chapter 1

the pasha of rash

BURNT again ! " roared the pasha of rash, flinging his bowl of pudding across the table ."Vassals ! Varlets ! Villains ! fetch forth the cook ! " at_the pasha's furious words the two rash Footmen who stood behind his chair, took arunning slide down the long dining hall and leaped through_the door into_the pantry . several cups crashed against the door as it closed, so it_is just as_well that_they hurried .

as_the pasha reached for a large sauce dish, Ippty, the chief scribe of_the realm, slipped quietly under the table, where he began jotting down in a little note book each shocking remark about_the pudding, making a huge blot whenever a plate broke or a cup splintered to fragments . he had to write pretty fast to_keep up with_the peppery little pasha and covered three pages with notes and blots by_the_time the footmen returned with Hasha, the cook, shivering between_them .

" so ! " wheezed the ruler of all the Rashes, puffing out his cheeks and glaring at_the frightened little man, " here you_are ! "

"Am ! " choked the poor cook, falling upon his knees, " and may your excellency live forever ! "

" live forever ! " sputtered the pasha, thump-ing the table with_his fist, " on burnt puddings and raw roasts ? it's a wonder I'm alive at all . do_you take me for an ostrich that you serve me lumps of charcoal and call it pudding ? are_you acook or a donkey ? "

at_this, Ippty lifted a corner of_the table cloth and peered out to_see what Hasha would say . then, as_the cook made no remark he calmly wrote " donkey," closed the little book and crept cautiously out from_his hiding place . there were only three spoons left on_the table and he_felt pretty sure that_these would_be flung at Hasha and not at him . he_was perfectly right about_this and as_the last one clattered down upon_the head of_the luckless cook, Hasha rose, and extending both arms began tremulously:

" I_did_not burn the pudding, excellency, it was_the fire ."

" the fire ? " raged the pasha, his eyes fairly popping with indignation ." do_you hear that Ippty, he blames it on_the fire . and who tends the fire, pray ? put him out ! fire him ! Fizzenpop ! Fizzenpop, you old rascal, where are_you ? "

the fire shall be put out and_the cook shall be fired," muttered Ippty, flipping his book open and scribbling away industriously . this, he_could readily do, for_the first finger of_the scribe's right hand was a fountain pen, his second finger a long yellow pencil, his third finger an eraser, his little finger a stick of sealing wax and_his thumb a fat candle .Ippty's left_hand was quite usual, except for_the pen knife that served him for a thumb .Blotting the last entry in_the book with_his cuff, which_was neatly cut from blotting paper, he turned expectantly toward the . door, just as Fizzenpop, the grand vizier, came hurtling through . being grand vizier of rash was no easy task and Fizzenpop had grown thin and bald in_the service of_his country .

" what now ? " he gasped, pulling on_his slipper and looking anxiously from one to_the other .

" punish this pudding burner ! " commanded the pasha angrily ." put him-"

" in jail ! " chuckled Ippty ." in other words you_are to incarcerate the cook ." the chief scribe loved long words and knew almost as_many as_the crossword puzzle makers .

" but your highness," objected the grand vizier, pointing his long finger, " the prison is already overcrowded . could we not, could we not cut off his-" Hasha looked imploringly at Fizzenpop, and_the grand vizier, clearing his throat, finished hastily, " cut off his allowance instead ? "

" no ! " thundered Irasha furiously, "I'll be peppered if i_will . prison is_the place for him ! out of_my sight, scullion ! " he waved contemptously at_the cook .

" all right," signed Fizzenpop, "I'll put him in_the cell with your grand uncle ." ( the pasha's grand uncle had_been flung into prison for beating the rash sovereign at chess .) " but remember, warned the grand vizier, as Hasha was led disconsolately away by_the guards, " remember there_is not room for another person . your highness will_have to_find some other way to dispose of prisoners ."

" what can I_do ? " mumbled the pasha, leaning sulkily on_his elbow .

" if_you'd take my advice, you'd set them all free," said Fizzenpop calmly ." with half the population in prison, how do_you expect to_get any work done ? "

" well, why don't they behave themselves then ? " demanded the pasha fretfully .Fizzenpop sighed again, but made no further answer . what use to ask this wicked little ruler why he_did_not behave himself ? half the arrests in rash were for no reason at all, and as_you_are probably puzzling about_the location of_this singular country, I_must tell you that rash is a small pink kingdom, in_the southwestern country of Ev and directly across the deadly desert from_the fairyland of Oz . the Rashes, it_is true, are a hasty and hot- tempered race and always breaking out in spots, but they_are warm-hearted and generous as_well, and with just treatment and proper handling, as loyal subjects as a sovereign could ask for . but Irasha, the present pasha, was neither just nor wise . he had seized the throne by treachery and was feared and hated by_the entire rash nation, so_that one revolution followed another and_the realm was in a constant state of uproar . again and again poor old Fizzenpop would make up his mind to retire, but feeling that he_could serve his countrymen better by remaining, had stayed on, enduring the terrible tempers of_the pasha and living for_the day when_the rightful ruler should_be restored to_the throne .

" well, why don't you say something ? " growled Irasha, growing irritable at_the long silence ." what do other countries do with their prisoners ? "

" why_not destroy them ? proposed Ippty cheerfully, before Fizzenpop had a chance to answer . the chief scribe was as cruel and merciless as his master .Irasha had discovered him in a rash book shop, where he_was employed as clerk, and fascinated by his strange hands had raised him to_his present important position ." in ancient countries," continued Ippty, sharpening the second finger of_his right hand with_the thumb of_his left, " in ancient countries prisoners were thrown to_the wild beasts . now I call that very neat . no fuss or worry, and practically no expense ." Ippty closed his thumb with a pleased smile and looked brightly at_the pasha .

" what ! " shrieked Fizzenpop, stamping his foot furiously at_the scribe, " who ever would think of_such a thing ? "

" i_would," answered the pasha calmly ." i_think it's a very_good plan Ippty . but the trouble is," he paused and pushed back his spotted turban, " the trouble is, we_have no wild animals . i_wish I had a wild animal," sighed Irasha gloomily . with_the exception of a few speckled bears, there_are no animals of any kind in rash, and Fizzenpop had just drawn a long breath of relief when Ippty began again .

" but there_are plenty of wild animals in Oz, your highness ! " suggested Ippty ." why_not send across the deadly desert and get a wild animal from Oz ? "

" why_not ? " the pasha straightened up in_his chair and looked almost pleasant ."I believe i_will" he mused thoughtfully ." an excellent notion, Ippty, for in_that case we should_not need a prison at all and_the expense of feeding the monster would_be practically nothing ."

" and what's to_prevent it from eating us ? " demanded Fizzenpop explosively . up_to now he had_been able to soften the lot of_the rash prisoners very considerably . he shuddered to_think what would happen if Ippty's dreadful plan really was carried out; but Fizzenpop was too wise to openly oppose this rash pair, so he merely shrugged his shoulders ." well," he sighed folding his arms resignedly, " I_hope it works out .I, myself, am too thin to worry, but this beast will probably consider you and Ippty choice morsels ! " he rolled his eyes sideways at_the fat little pasha and_the still fatter scribe ." how will a wild animal know the difference between Pashas and prisoners ? " he inquired sarcastically .Irasha looked rather uncomfortable .

" we'll have to_get a civilized wild animal," he muttered uneasily, " an educated fellow who_will eat whom we tell him to and obey the laws of_the country ."

" and who ever heard of a civilized wild animal ? " sniffed the grand vizier, with a sour smile .

" I_have," declared Ippty, elevating his nose disagreeably ." there_are any number of educated wild animals in_the emerald city of Oz . there's the cowardly lion, for instance, there's the comfortable camel and_the doubtful dromedary, and there's the hungry tiger . how about_the hungry tiger ? " asked Ippty triumphantly .

" hungry tiger ! " Fizzenpop gave a gasp of dismay, for he had never even heard of_such a creature .

" let's get the hungry tiger," yawned the pasha, who was growing rather sleepy ." he'll be just the one for_us . but are_you sure he's tame and harmless, Ippty, and safe to_have about ? "

"Oh quite ! " Ippty assured him quickly ." why, he wouldn't hurt a baby, his conscience is so tender . that's why he's hungry you_know ."

" then what makes you_think he_will eat the prisoners ? " asked the grand vizier nervously .

" well;" observed Ippty, scratching his ear with_his fountain pen, " when_this tiger realizes that_it_is perfectly legal and lawful to eat prisoners I daresay he_will jump at_the chance, for in_that way he_can satisfy his appetite and_his conscience at_the same time . there_are no criminals in_the emerald city, for Ozma, the queen, is a silly, soft hearted little fairy and never arrests anyone, so the hungry tiger will_be_glad enough to_come here and eat our prisoners .

"Ippty is right," puffed the pasha, rising sitffly from_his chair ." just take a hurry- cane from_the stand there, and fetch back this hungry tiger, old fellow, and if he won't come fetch him anyway .

" certainly your highness," murmured the scribe, bowing low ." i_will start for Oz at once .

" you'll be sorry for_this," panted Fizzenpop as_the pasha's pudgy figure disappeared down the pink passageway, and between anger and anxiety the grand vizier of rash began to hop up and down like ajumpingjack .

" what_are you dancing," yawned Ippty, "a pepper jig ? " and brushing insolently past Fizzenpop, he lifted a hurry- cane from_the stand and prepared to depart . first, he lit his right thumb, for it_was growing dark; then he tore a page from_his note book and wrote, " carry me to_the emerald city ." Unscrewing the top, he thrust this paper carefully down into_the head of_the cane and screwed the head on again . he had just time to straighten his turban before_the hurry- cane, with a whistle and crash, carried him clear out_of_the castle .Rushing to_the window Fizzenpop saw him straddling like some strange bird over too_much mountain . the flight of Ippty was not surprising to Fizzenpop for hurry-canes are one_of_the chief products of rash and_are nearly always used for long journeys . no, it_was not Ippty's departure that worried the old states- man . it was_the thought of Ippty's return with_the hungry tiger of Oz . how was he to save his poor prisoners from_this dreadful beast ?

pale with anxiety, he rushed into_the rash library and after some searching found what he_was looking for- professor Wogglebug's encyclopedia of Oz . all his life, Fizzenpop had_been so busy straightening out affairs in rash he had had no time to study adjacent Kingdoms at all and knew little or nothing of_the great fairyland that lay across the desert .Flipping over the pages of_the encyclopedia to_the T's the grand vizier ran his finger down the list till he_came to_the hungry tiger .

" this great and beautiful beast," stated the book shortly, " came to_the emerald city during the first year of Ozma's reign . he has_been in all important processions and adventures since then, and_is a great favorite with_the celebrities of Oz . because of_his sociable nature he prefers life in_the capitol to life in_the jungle and because of_his tender conscience has never been known to devour a live man, fairy, or person .

" never been known to devour a live person ? " shrilled Fizzenpop, dropping the encyclopedia with a bang ." merciful mustard ! what shall I_do now ? "

chapter 2

Betsy's birthday

well ! " signed Betsy bobbin, dropping into one_of_the royal hammocks and swinging her heels contentedly, " it was_the best party I ever had ." "I'm so full of birthday cake, I_feel like a sponge," groaned the cowardly lion, and sinking down on_the grass he began to lick the frosting off his paws .

" no wonder ! you had ten pieces," grumbled the hungry tiger, settling down sulkily beside him ." now I call that more than your share, old chap ."

" why shouldn't I_have the lion's share," chuckled the great beast, winking at Betsy ." I_notice you ate three roast ducks and all the plum pudding ."

" and still I_am hungry," complained the tiger, rolling his eyes sadly from side to side . he looked so comical Betsy burst out laughing and_the cowardly lion fairly roared .Scraps, the patchwork girl came running over to_see what_was the matter . all the celebrities had_been invited to Betsy's party and now, in_the pleasant dusk, were walking about under the trees in_the palace garden .

of all gardens in and out_of_the world, there_is none so lovely as Ozma's, and of all fairy cities there_is none

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