Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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were exceedingly thin, there were so_many_of_them that_they made an enormous, bulky volume . with its gold cover and gold clasps, the book was so heavy that three men could scarcely have lifted it . yet this_morning when Glinda entered her drawing room after breakfast, the good sorceress was amazed to discover that her great book of Records had mysteriously disappeared .

Advancing to_the table, she found the chains had_been cut with some sharp instrument, and this must_have been done while all in_the castle slept .Glinda was shocked and grieved . who could_have done this wicked, bold thing ? and who_could wish to deprive her of her great book of Records ?

the sorceress was thoughtful for a time, considering the consequences of her loss . then she went to her room of magic to_prepare a charm that_would tell her who had stolen the record book . but when she unlocked her cupboard and threw open the doors, all of her magical instruments and rare chemical compounds had_been removed from_the shelves . the sorceress has now both angry and alarmed . she sat down in a chair and tried to_think how this extraordinary robbery could_have taken place . it_was evident that_the thief was some person of very great power, or the theft could_not have_been accomplished without her knowledge . but who, in all the land of Oz, was powerful and skillful enough to do_this awful thing ? and who, having the power, could also have an object in defying the wisest and most talented sorceress the world has ever known ?

Glinda thought over the perplexing matter for a full hour, at_the end of_which time she was still puzzled how to explain it . but although her instruments and chemicals were gone, her knowledge of magic had_not_been stolen, by any means, since no thief, however skillful, can rob one of knowledge, and_that is why knowledge is_the best and safest treasure to acquire .Glinda believed that when she had time to gather more magical herbs and elixirs and to manufacture more magical instruments, she would_be_able to discover who the robber was and what had become of her precious book of Records .

" whoever has_done this," she said to her maidens, " is a very foolish person, for in_time he_is sure to_be found out and will then be severely punished ."

she now made a list of_the things she needed and dispatched messengers to every part of Oz with instructions to obtain them and bring them to her as_soon_as_possible . and one of her messengers met the little wizard of Oz, who was seated on_the back of_the famous live sawhorse and was clinging to its neck with both his arms, for_the sawhorse was speeding to Glinda's castle with_the velocity of_the wind, bearing the news that royal Ozma, ruler of all the great land of Oz, had suddenly disappeared and no one in_the emerald city knew what had become of her .

" also," said the wizard as he stood before_the astonished sorceress, "Ozma's magic picture is gone, so we_cannot consult it to discover where she_is . so I_came to_you for assistance as_soon_as we realized our loss . let_us look in_the great book of Records ."

" alas," returned the sorceress sorrowfully, " we_cannot do_that, for_the great book of Records has also disappeared ! "

chapter 3

of CAYKE the COOKIE COOK

one more important theft was reported in_the land of Oz that eventful morning, but it took place so_far from either the emerald city or the castle of Glinda the good that none of_those persons we_have mentioned learned of_the robbery until long afterward .

in_the far southwestern corner of_the Winkie country is a broad tableland that_can_be reached only by climbing a steep hill, whichever side one approaches it . on_the hillside surrounding this tableland are no paths at all, but there_are quantities of bramble bushes with sharp prickers on them, which prevent any of_the Oz people who live down below from climbing up to_see what_is on top . but on top live the Yips, and although the space they occupy is_not great in extent, the wee country is all their own . the Yips had never-- up_to_the time this story begins-- left their broad tableland to_go down into_the land of Oz, nor had the Oz people ever climbed up_to_the country of_the Yips .

Living all alone as_they_did, the Yips had queer ways and notions of_their own and did_not resemble any_other people of_the land of Oz . their houses were scattered all over the flat surface; not like a city, grouped together, but set wherever their owners' fancy dictated, with fields here, trees there, and odd little paths connecting the houses one with another . it_was here, on_the morning when Ozma so strangely disappeared from_the emerald city, that Cayke the Cookie Cook discovered that her diamond- studded gold dishpan had_been stolen, and she raised such a hue and cry over her loss and wailed and shrieked so loudly that many_of_the Yips gathered around her house to inquire what_was the matter .

it_was a serious thing in any part of_the land of Oz to accuse one of stealing, so when_the Yips heard Cayke the Cookie Cook declare that her jeweled dishpan had_been stolen, they were both humiliated and disturbed and forced Cayke to_go with_them to_the Frogman to_see what could_be_done about_it . I_do_not suppose you_have ever before heard of_the Frogman, for like all other dwellers on_that tableland, he had never been away from_it, nor had anyone come up there to_see him . the Frogman was in truth descended from_the common frogs of Oz, and when he_was first born he lived in a pool in_the Winkie country and was much like any_other frog . being of an adventurous nature, however, he soon hopped out of_his pool and began to travel, when a big bird came along and seized him in its beak and started to fly away with_him to its nest . when high in_the air, the frog wriggled so frantically that he got loose and fell down, down, down into a small hidden pool on_the tableland of_the Yips . now that pool, it seems, was unknown to_the Yips because it_was surrounded by thick bushes and was not near to any dwelling, and it proved to_be an enchanted pool, for_the frog grew very fast and very big, feeding on_the magic skosh which_is found nowhere else on earth except in_that one pool . and_the skosh not_only made the frog very big so_that when he stood on_his hind legs he_was as tall as any Yip in_the country, but it made him unusually intelligent, so_that he soon knew more than_the Yips did and was able to reason and to argue very_well indeed .

no one could expect a frog with_these talents to remain in a hidden pool, so he finally got out of it and mingled with_the people of_the tableland, who were amazed at his appearance and greatly impressed by his learning . they had never seen a frog before, and_the frog had never seen aYip before, but as there were plenty of Yips and only_one frog, the frog became the most important . he_did_not hop any more, but stood upright on_his hind legs and dressed himself in fine clothes and sat in chairs and did all the things that people do, so he soon came to_be called the Frogman, and that_is_the only name he has ever had . after some_years had passed, the people came to regard the Frogman as their adviser in all matters that puzzled them . they brought all their difficulties to him, and when he_did_not know anything, he pretended to_know it, which seemed to answer just as_well . indeed, the Yips thought the Frogman was much wiser than he really was, and he allowed them to_think so, being very proud of_his position of authority .

there_was another pool on_the tableland which_was not enchanted but contained good, clear water and was located close to_the dwellings . here the people built the Frogman a house of_his own, close to_the edge of_the pool so_that he_could take a bath or a swim whenever he_wished . he usually swam in_the pool in_the early morning before anyone else was up, and during the day he dressed himself in_his beautiful clothes and sat in_his house and received the visits of all the Yips who came to him to ask his advice . the Frogman's usual costume consisted of knee-breeches made of yellow satin plush, with trimmings of gold braid and jeweled knee-buckles; a white satin vest with silver buttons in_which were set solitaire rubies; a swallow- tailed coat of bright yellow; green stockings and red leather shoes turned up at_the toes and having diamond buckles . he wore, when he walked out, a purple silk hat and carried a gold- headed cane . over his eyes he wore great spectacles with gold rims, not because his eyes were bad, but because the spectacles made him look wise, and so distinguished and gorgeous was his appearance that all the Yips were very proud of him .

there_was no king or queen in_the Yip country, so the simple inhabitants naturally came to look upon_the Frogman as their leader as_well as their counselor in all times of emergency . in_his heart the big frog knew he_was no wiser than_the Yips, but for a frog to_know as_much as a person was quite remarkable, and_the Frogman was shrewd enough to make_the people believe he_was far more wise than he really was . they never suspected he_was a humbug, but listened to_his words with great respect and did just what he advised them to_do .

now when Cayke the Cookie Cook raised such an outcry over the theft of her diamond- studded dishpan, the first thought of_the people was to_take her to_the Frogman and inform him of_the loss, thinking that of_course he_would tell her where to_find it . he listened to_the story with_his big eyes wide open behind his spectacles, and said in_his deep, croaking voice, " if_the dishpan is stolen, somebody must_have taken it ."

" but who ? " asked Cayke anxiously ." who is_the thief ? "

" the one who took the dishpan, of_course," replied the Frogman, and hearing this all the Yips nodded their heads gravely and said to one another, " it_is absolutely true ! "

" but i_want my dishpan ! " cried Cayke .

" no one can blame you for_that wish," remarked the Frogman .

" then tell me where I_may find it," she urged .

the look the Frogman gave her was a very wise look, and he rose from_his chair and strutted up and down the room with_his hands under his coattails in a very pompous and imposing manner . this_was the first time so difficult a matter had_been brought to him, and he_wanted time to_think . it would never do to let them suspect his ignorance, and so he thought very, very hard how best to answer the woman without betraying himself ."I beg to inform you," said he, " that nothing in_the Yip country has ever been stolen before ."

" we_know that already," answered Cayke the Cookie Cook impatiently .

" therefore," continued the Frogman, " this theft becomes a very_important matter ."" therefore," continued the Frogman, " this theft becomes a very_important matter ."

" well, where is my dishpan ? " demanded the woman .

" it_is lost, but it must_be found . unfortunately, we_have no policemen or detectives to unravel the mystery, so we_must employ other means to regain the lost article .Cayke must first write a proclamation and tack it to_the door of her house, and_the proclamation must read that whoever stole the jeweled dishpan must return it at once ."

" but suppose no one returns it," suggested Cayke .

" then," said the Frogman, " that very fact will_be proof that no one has stolen it ."

Cayke was not satisfied, but the other Yips seemed to approve the plan highly . they all advised her to_do as_the Frogman had told her to, so she posted the sign on her door and waited patiently for someone to return the dishpan-- which no one ever did . again she went, accompanied by a group of her neighbors, to_the Frogman, who by_this_time had given the matter considerable thought . said he to Cayke, " I_am now convinced that no Yip has taken your dishpan, and since it_is gone from_the Yip country, I suspect that some stranger came from_the world down below us in_the darkness of night when all of us were asleep and took away your treasure . there can_be no other explanation of_its disappearance . so if_you_wish to recover that golden, diamond- studded dishpan, you_must go into_the lower world after it ."

this_was indeed astartling proposition .Cayke and her friends went to_the edge of_the flat tableland and looked down the steep hillside to_the plains below . it_was so_far to_the bottom of_the hill that nothing there could_be seen very distinctly, and it seemed to_the Yips very venturesome, if_not dangerous, to_go so_far from home into an unknown land . however, Cayke wanted her dishpan very badly, so she turned to her friends and asked, " who_will go with me ? "

no one answered the question, but after a period of silence one_of_the Yips said, " we_know what_is here on_the top of_this flat hill, and it seems to_us a very pleasant place, but what_is down below we_do_not know . the chances are it_is_not so pleasant, so we had best stay where we_are ."

" it may_be a far better country than this_is," suggested the Cookie Cook .

" maybe, maybe," responded another Yip, " but

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