Oz 16: Kabumpo in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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he_was still too stunned to_be curious .

" nothing will make me get up," thought Kabumpo dully ."I'm going to lie here forever and- ever- and ever- and-" just as he reached this drowsy conclusion, something red hot fell down his neck and a voice louder than all the rest shouted in_his ear ." what_are you ? "

"Ouch ! " screamed Kabumpo, now thoroughly aroused . he opened one eye and rolled over on_his side .a tall, curious creature was bending over him . its head was on fire and as Kabumpo blinked angrily another red hot shower spattered into his ear . with a trumpet of rage Kabumpo lunged to_his feet . the hot- headed person fell over backwards and a crowd of similar creatures pattered off into_the corner and regarded Kabumpo uneasily . they were as tall as Pompa but very thin and tube- like in shape and their heads appeared to_be a mass of flickering flames .

" like giant candles," reflected the elegant elephant, his curiosity getting the better of_his anger . he glanced about hurriedly . he_was in a huge white tiled chamber and_the only lights came from_the heads of_its singular occupants .a little distance away prince Pompadore sat rubbing first his knees and then his head .

" it's another faller," said one_of_the giant Candlemen to_the other ." two fallers in one day ! this_is exciting- an 'Ouch' it calls itself ! "

"I don't care what it calls itself," answered the second Candleman crossly ."I call it mighty rude . how dare you blow out our king ? " shouted the hot- headed fellow, shaking his fist at_the elegant elephant ." here, some of you, light him up ! "

" blow out your king ? " gasped Kabumpo in amazement . sure enough, he had . there at his feet lay the king of_the Candles, stiff and lifeless and with never a head to bless himself with . while the elegant elephant stared at_the long candlestick figure a fat little Candleman rushed forward and lit with_his own head the small black wick sticking out_of_the king's collar .

instantly the ruddy flame face of_the king appeared, his eyes snapping dangerously .Jumping to_his feet he advanced toward Pompadore ." is_this your Ouch ? " spluttered the king, jerking his thumb at Kabumpo ." you_must take him away at once .I never was so put out in my life . me, the hand-dipped king of_the whole Illumi nation, to_be blown out by a bumpy creature without any headlight . where's your headlight ? " he demanded fiercely, leaning over the prince and dropping hot tallow down his neck .

Pompa jumped up in a hurry and backed toward Kabumpo ." be careful how you talk to him," roared the elegant elephant, swaying backwards and forward like a big ship ." he's a prince the prince of Pumperdink ! " Kabumpo tossed his trunk threateningly .

"A prince ? " spluttered the king, changing his tone instantly ." well, that's different .a prince can fall in on us any_time and welcome but an Ouch ! why bring this great clumsy Ouch along ? " he rolled his eyes mournfully at Kabumpo .

" he's not an Ouch," explained Pompa, who was gradually recovering from_the shock of_his fall ." he_is Kabumpo, an elegant elephant, and he blew you out by mistake .Didn't you, Kabumpo ? "

" purely an accident- nothing intentional, I assure you," chuckled Kabumpo . he_was beginning to enjoy himself ." if there's any more trouble I'll blow 'em all out," he reflected comfortably, " for they're nothing but great big candles ."

Seeing their king in friendly conversation with_the strangers, the other Candlemen came closer- too close for comfort, in_fact . they were always leaning over and dropping hot tallow on a body and_the heat from their flaming heads was simply suffocating .

" sing the national air for_them," said the candle king carelessly and_the Candlemen, in their queer crackling voices, sang the following song, swaying rhythmically to_the tune:

" flicker, flicker, Candlemen, cheer our king and cheer again ! neat as wax and always bright, cheer's the king of candle light !

kindle lightly windle slightly, here we burn both day and nightly, here we_have good times to burn till each_one goes out in turn ."

" thank_you," said Pompa, mopping his head with_his silk handkerchief .

" thank_you very_much," Kabumpo groaned plaintively, for_the great elephant was nearly stifled .

" how is_it you_are so tall and thin ? " asked Pompa after an awkward pause .

" how is_it you_are so short and lumpy and unevenly dipped ? " responded king cheer promptly ." if I were in your place," he_gave Kabumpo a contemptuous glance, "I'd have myself redipped . where are your wicks ? and how can_you walk about without being lighted ? "

" we're not fireworks," puffed Kabumpo indignantly and then he_gave a shrill scream .Ten Candlemen tottered and went out, falling to_the ground with a great clatter . then Pompa leaped several feet in_the air and_his scream put out five more .

" stop ! " cried king cheer angrily ." stand where you_are ! " but Kabumpo and Pompa neither stopped nor stood where they were . the elegant elephant rushed over to_the prince and threw his heavy robe over his head . and just in_time, for Pompa's golden locks were a mass of flames . then the prince tore off his velvet jacket and clapped it to Kabumpo's tail, which also was blazing merrily .

" great Grump ! " rumbled the elegant elephant furiously, when he had extinguished Pompa and Pompa had extinguished him ."I'll put you all out for_this ! " he raised his trunk and pointed it straight at_the Candlemen, who cowered in_the far corner .

" i_was only trying to light you up," wailed a little fellow, holding out his hands pleadingly ." i_thought that was your wick ." he pointed atrembling finger at Kabumpo's tail and another at Pompa's head .

" wick ! " snorted Kabumpo in a rage while the prince ran his hand sorrowfully through his once luxuriant pompadour, of_which nothing but a short stubble remained-" wick ! what would we be doing with wicks ? "

"I don't think he meant any harm," put in .Pompadore, whose kind heart was touched by_the little Candleman's terror ." and it wouldn't help_us any ."

" thought it_was my wick," shrilled Kabumpo, glancing over his shoulder at his poor scorched tail ." he's a wicked little wretch . he's ruined your looks ."

" I_know ! " Pompa sighed dismally ." no one will want to marry me now . it's all coming true, Kabumpo, just as count it up said . remember ? ' if a thin prince sets out on a fat elephant to_find a proper princess, how_many yards of fringe will the elephant lose from_his robe and how bald will the prince be at_the end of_the journey ? ' and we've scarcely begun ! "

" great haystacks ! " whistled Kabumpo, his little eyes twinkling ." so I_have lost every bit of fringe from my robe and my tail and half the back of_my robe besides . this_is nice, I_must say .

" we only tried to_give_you a warm welcome," said the king timidly .

" warm welcome ! well i_should think you_did," sniffed Kabumpo ." how do we get out of here ? "

"Oh, that's very simple," said the king, cheering up ."Tommy, go for_the snuffer ."

before Kabumpo or Pompa realized what this_would mean a little Candleman named Tommy tallow had returned with a tall black candle person . he stepped to_the side wall, quickly jerked a rope and down over Kabumpo dropped a great brass snuffer and over the prince another .

" that ought to_put the cross old things out," Pompa heard the king say just before his snuffer reached the floor .

" this_is terrible," fumed the poor prince, thumping on_the sides of_the huge brass dome ." I_might as_well have stayed at home and disappeared comfortably . my poor old father and my mother ! I wonder where they_are now ? "

sunk in gloomy reflection, Pompadore leaned against the side of_the snuffer . and one cannot blame him for feeling dismal . the fall down the deep passage, the shock of losing his hair and now imprisonment under astifling brass dome were enough to extinguish the hopes of_the stoutest hearted adventurer .

" I_shall never find a proper princess ! " wailed Pompa, tying and untying his handkerchief . but just then there_was a creak from without and_the great dome lifted as suddenly as it had fallen- so suddenly in_fact that Pompa fell flat on_his back . there stood Kabumpo winding up the long rope with_his trunk and grumbling furiously all the while .

"Takes more than a snuffer to_keep me down," wheezed the elegant elephant, hurrying over and jerking the prince to_his feet ." three humps of_my shoulders and off she goes ! what makes it so dark ? "

" the Candlemen have all gone," sighed Pompa, brushing his hand wearily across his forehead ." all except that one ."

in a distant corner sat Tommy tallow and_the light from_his head was_the only light in_the great chamber . he_was reading a book with tin leaves and looked up in surprise when he_saw the elegant elephant and Pompadore approaching . then he started to sputter and ran toward a bell rope at_the side of_the chamber .

" stop ! " shouted Kabumpo, " or I'll blow off your head ! " at that_the little Candleman trembled so violently that his flame head almost went out .

" now suppose you show us the way out," snapped the elegant elephant, stamping one big foot until the floor trembled .

" you_could burn out ! " gasped Tommy faintly ." that's what we_do ! "

"Don't say out," whispered Pompa anxiously ." we_want to_go away from here," he explained earnestly ." back on_the top of_the ground, you_know ."

"Oh ! " whistled Tommy tallow, his face lighting up ." that's easy- this_way, please ! " he almost ran to a big door at one side of_the room and tugging it open, waved them through .

" goodbye ! " he_called, slamming the door quickly behind them .

Kabumpo and_the prince found themselves in a wide dim hallway . it slanted up gradually and there were tall candle guards stationed about a hundred yards apart all of_the way .

" are_you going to a birthday party or awedding ? " asked the first guard, as_they passed him .

"Wedding," sniffed Kabumpo ." why ? "

" well, hardly any of_the candles go out of here unless they're needed for a birthday or awedding," explained the guard, shifting his big feet ." you're mighty poorly made though . what kind of candles do_you call yourselves ? "

" Roman," chuckled Kabumpo with a wink ." we roam around," he added ponderously .

" do all the candles used above ground come from here ? " asked Pompa curiously .

" certainly," replied the guard ." all candles come from Illumi and_they don't like to leave either because as_soon_as they strike the upper air they shrink down to ordinary cake and candlestick size .Distressing, isn't it ? "

"I suppose it must_be," smiled Pompadore ." goodbye ! " the guard touched his flame hat and Kabumpo quickened his pace .

" i_want air," rumbled the great elephant, panting along as fast as he_could go ."I've seen and felt about all I care to_see and feel of_the Illumi nation ."

" so have I ! " the prince of Pumperdink touched his scorched locks and sighed deeply ."I'm afraid Ozma will never marry me now, and Pumperdink will disappear forever ! "

"Don't be aGooch ! " snapped the elegant elephant shortly ." our adventures have only begun ."

they passed the rest of_the guards without further conversation, and after about two hours came to_the end of_the long tiled passageway and stepped upon firm ground again .

Kabumpo was terribly out of breath, for_the whole way had_been up hill . for a full minute he stood sniffing the fresh night air . then, turning around, he looked for_the opening through which they had come . not a sign of_the passage anywhere !

" that's curious," puffed the elegant elephant ." but never mind . we don't want to_go back anyway .

" i_should say not," gasped the prince wearily ." where are we now, Kabumpo ? "

" still in_the Gilliken country, i_think, but headed in_the right direction . all we_have to_do is to_keep going south," said the elegant elephant cheerfully .

" but we've had nothing to eat since morning," objected Pompadore .

" that's so," agreed Kabumpo, scratching his head thoughtfully, " and not a house in sight ! "

" but I smell something cooking," insisted the prince, sniffing hungrily .

" so do I," said the elegant elephant, lifting his trunk, " and it smells like soup . let's follow our noses, Pompa, my boy ."

" yours is_the longest," laughed the prince, as Kabumpo swung him upon_the elephant's back . so, guided by_the fragrant whiffs that came floating toward them, Kabumpo set out through_the trees .

chapter 12

the delicious sea of soup

strange puffed Kabumpo, swinging along rapidly .

"I hear water," answered Pompa, peering out over Kabumpo's head, " and there it_is ! " Rippling silver under the rays of_the moon, which shone brightly, lay a great inland sea .

the trees had thinned out, and a smooth, sandy beach stretched down to_the shore .a slight mist hunt in_the air and all around was_the delicious fragrance of vegetable soup .

" somebody's making soup," sighed the prince, " but who, and where ? "

" never mind, Pompa," wheezed the elegant elephant, walking down to_the water's edge, " perhaps you_can catch some fish, and while you cook them I'll go back and eat some leaves ."

with a jerk of_his trunk, Kabumpo pulled a length of_the heavy silver thread from_his torn robe and handed it up_to Pompa .Fastening a jeweled pin to one end, the prince cast his line far out into_the waves . at_the first tug he drew it in ." what_is it ? " asked the elegant elephant, as Pompa pulled the dripping line over his trunk .

"Oh, how delicious ! how wonderful ! " ex- claimed the once fastidious prince of Pumper-dink .Kabumpo could hear him munching away with relish .

" what_is it ? " he asked again .

"A carrot ! a lovely, red, delightful, tender carrot ! "

" carrot ! who ever heard of a sea carrot ? " grunted Kabumpo ."I'm afraid you're not yourself, my boy . let me see it ."

Snaps and crunches, as Pompa consumed his strange

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