Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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but why take chances ? contentment with one's lot is true wisdom .

perhaps in some other country there_are better cookies than you cook, but as we_have always eaten your cookies and liked them-- except when_they are burned on_the bottom-- we_do_not long for any better ones ."

Cayke might_have agreed to_this argument had she not been so anxious to_find her precious dishpan, but now she exclaimed impatiently, " you_are cowards, all of you ! if none of you_are willing to explore with me the great world beyond this small hill, i_will surely go alone ."

" that_is a wise resolve," declared the Yips, much relieved ." it_is your dishpan that_is lost, not ours . and if_you_are willing to risk your life and liberty to regain it, no one can deny you the privilege ."

while they were thus conversing, the Frogman joined them and looked down at_the plain with_his big eyes and seemed unusually thoughtful . in_fact, the Frogman was thinking that he'd like to_see more of_the world . here in_the Yip country he had become the most important creature of_them all, and_his importance was getting to_be a little tame . it would_be nice to_have other people defer to him and ask his advice, and there seemed no reason so_far as he could_see why his fame should_not spread throughout all Oz . he_knew nothing of_the rest of_the world, but it_was reasonable to_believe that there were more people beyond the mountain where he now lived than there were Yips, and if he went among them he_could surprise them with_his display of wisdom and make them bow down to him as_the Yips did . in other words, the Frogman was ambitious to_become still greater than he_was, which_was impossible if he always remained upon_this mountain . he_wanted others to_see his gorgeous clothes and listen to_his solemn sayings, and here was an excuse for him to_get away from_the Yip country . so he_said to Cayke the Cookie Cook, " i_will go with_you, my good woman," which greatly pleased Cayke because she felt the Frogman could_be of much assistance to her in her search .

but now, since_the mighty Frogman had decided to undertake the journey, several of_the Yips who were young and daring at once made up their minds to_go along, so the next morning after breakfast the Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook and nine of_the Yips started to slide down the side of_the mountain . the bramble bushes and cactus plants were very prickly and uncomfortable to_the touch, so the Frogman quickly commanded the Yips to_go first and break a path, so_that when he followed them he_would_not tear his splendid clothes .Cayke, too, was wearing her best dress and was likewise afraid of_the thorns and prickers, so she kept behind the Frogman .

they made rather slow progress and night overtook them before_they were halfway down the mountainside, so they found a cave in_which they sought shelter until morning .Cayke had brought along a basket full of her famous cookies, so they all had plenty to eat . on_the second day the Yips began to wish they had_not embarked on_this adventure . they grumbled a good_deal at having to cut away the thorns to make_the path for_the Frogman and_the Cookie Cook, for their own clothing suffered many tears, while Cayke and_the Frogman traveled safely and in comfort .

" if_it_is true that anyone came to our country to steal your diamond dishpan," said one_of_the Yips to Cayke, " it must_have been a bird, for no person in_the form of a man, woman or child could_have climbed through these bushes and back again ."

" and, allowing he could_have done so," said another Yip, " the diamond- studded gold dishpan would_not have repaid him for_his troubles and_his tribulations ."

" for_my part," remarked a third Yip, " i_would rather go back home and dig and polish some more diamonds and mine some more gold and make you another dishpan than be scratched from head to heel by_these dreadful bushes . even now, if_my mother saw me, she_would not know I_am her son ."

Cayke paid no heed to_these mutterings, nor did the Frogman . although their journey was slow, it_was being made easy for_them by_the Yips, so they had nothing to complain of and no desire to_turn back . quite near to_the bottom of_the great hill they came upon a great gulf, the sides of_which were as smooth as glass . the gulf extended a long distance-- as far as they_could see in either direction-- and although it_was not very wide, it_was far too wide for_the Yips to leap across it . and should they fall into_it, it_was likely they_might never get out again ." here our journey ends," said the Yips ." we_must go back again ."

Cayke the Cookie Cook began to weep .

" I_shall never find my pretty dishpan again, and my heart will_be broken ! " she sobbed .

the Frogman went to_the edge of_the gulf and with_his eye carefully measured the distance to_the other side ." being a frog," said he, " I_can leap, as all frogs do, and being so big and strong, I_am_sure I_can leap across this gulf with ease . but the rest of you, not being frogs, must return the way you came ."

" we_will do_that with pleasure," cried the Yips, and at once they turned and began to climb up the steep mountain, feeling they had had quite enough of_this unsatisfactory adventure .Cayke the Cookie Cook did_not go with_them, however . she sat on a rock and wept and wailed and was very miserable .

" well," said the Frogman to her, " i_will now bid you goodbye . if I_find your diamond- decorated gold dishpan, i_will promise to_see that_it_is safely returned to_you ."

" but I prefer to_find it myself ! " she said ." see here, Frogman, why can't you carry me across the gulf when_you leap it ? you_are big and strong, while I_am small and thin ."

the Frogman gravely thought over this suggestion . it_was a fact that Cayke the Cookie Cook was not a heavy person . perhaps he_could leap the gulf with her on_his back ." if_you_are willing to risk a fall," said he, " i_will make_the attempt ."

at once she sprang up and grabbed him around his neck with both her arms . that_is, she grabbed him where his neck ought_to_be, for_the Frogman had no neck at all . then he squatted down, as frogs do when_they leap, and with_his powerful rear legs he_made a tremendous jump . over the gulf they sailed, with_the Cookie Cook on_his back, and he had leaped so hard-- to_make sure of not falling in-- that he sailed over alot of bramble bushes that grew on_the other side and landed in a clear space which_was so_far beyond the gulf that when_they looked back they_could_not see it at all .

Cayke now got off the Frogman's back and he stood erect again and carefully brushed the dust from_his velvet coat and rearranged his white satin necktie .

"I had no idea I_could leap so_far," he_said wonderingly ."Leaping is one more accomplishment I_can now add to_the long list of deeds I_am able to perform ."

" you_are certainly fine at leap- frog," said the Cookie Cook admiringly, " but, as_you say, you_are wonderful in many ways . if_we meet with any people down here, I_am_sure they_will consider you the greatest and grandest of all living creatures ."

" yes," he replied, " I_shall probably astonish strangers, because they_have never before had the pleasure of seeing me . also, they_will marvel at my great learning . every time I open my mouth, Cayke, I_am liable to_say something important ."

" that_is true," she agreed, " and it_is fortunate your mouth is so very wide and opens so_far, for otherwise all the wisdom might_not_be_able to_get out of it ." " perhaps nature made it wide for_that very reason," said the Frogman ." but come, let_us now go on, for_it is getting late and we_must find some sort of shelter before night overtakes us ."

chapter 4

among_the WINKIES

the settled parts of_the Winkie country are full of happy and contented people who_are ruled by a tin emperor named nick chopper, who in turn is a subject of_the beautiful girl ruler, Ozma of Oz . but not all of_the Winkie country is fully settled . at_the east, which part lies nearest the emerald city, there_are beautiful farmhouses and roads, but as_you travel west, you first come to a branch of_the Winkie river, beyond which there_is a rough country where few people live, and some_of_these are quite unknown to_the rest of_the world . after passing through_this rude section of territory, which no one ever visits, you_would come to still another branch of_the Winkie river, after crossing which you_would find another well- settled part of_the Winkie country extending westward quite to_the deadly desert that surrounds all the land of Oz and separates that favored fairyland from_the more common outside world . the Winkies who live in_this west section have many tin mines, from_which metal they make a great deal of rich jewelry and other articles, all of_which are highly esteemed in_the land of Oz because tin is so bright and pretty and there_is not so_much of it as there_is of gold and silver .

not all the Winkies are miners, however, for some till the fields and grow grains for food, and it_was at one_of_these far- west Winkie farms that_the Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook first arrived after they had descended from_the mountain of_the Yips ." goodness me ! " cried Nellary the Winkie wife when she saw the strange couple approaching her house ." I_have_seen many queer creatures in_the land of Oz, but none more queer than this giant frog who dresses like a man and walks on_his hind legs . come here, Wiljon," she called to her husband, who was eating his breakfast, " and take a look at_this astonishing freak ."

Wiljon the Winkie came to_the door and looked out . he_was still standing in_the doorway when_the Frogman approached and said with a haughty croak, " tell me, my good man, have_you seen a diamond- studded gold dishpan ? "

" no, nor have I seen a copper- plated lobster," replied Wiljon in an equally haughty tone .

the Frogman stared at him and said, " do_not be insolent, fellow ! "

" no," added Cayke the Cookie Cook hastily, " you_must_be very polite to_the great Frogman, for he is_the wisest creature in all the world ."

" who says that ? " inquired Wiljon .

" he_says so himself," replied Cayke, and_the Frogman nodded and strutted up and down, twirling his gold- headed cane very gracefully .

"Does the Scarecrow admit that_this overgrown frog is_the wisest creature in_the_world ? " asked Wiljon .

" I_do_not know who the Scarecrow is," answered Cayke the Cookie Cook .

" well, he lives at_the emerald city, and he_is supposed to_have the finest brains in all Oz . the wizard gave them to him, you_know ."

" mine grew in my head," said the Frogman pompously, " so i_think they_must_be better than any wizard brains . I_am so wise that sometimes my wisdom makes my head ache . I_know so_much that often I_have to forget part of it, since no one creature, however great, is able to contain so_much knowledge ."

" it must_be dreadful to_be stuffed full of wisdom," remarked Wiljon reflectively and eyeing the Frogman with a doubtful look ." it_is my good fortune to_know very little ."

" I_hope, however, you_know where my jeweled dishpan is," said the Cookie Cook anxiously .

" I_do_not know even that," returned the Winkie ." we_have trouble enough in keeping track of_our own dishpans without meddling with_the dishpans of strangers ."

Finding him so ignorant, the Frogman proposed that_they walk on and seek Cayke's dishpan elsewhere .Wiljon the Winkie did_not seem greatly impressed by_the great Frogman, which seemed to_that personage as strange as it_was disappointing . but others in_this unknown land might prove more respectful .

"I'd like to meet that wizard of Oz," remarked Cayke as_they walked along a path ." if he_could give aScarecrow brains, he_might_be able to_find my dishpan ."

"Poof ! " grunted the Frogman scornfully ." I_am greater than any wizard . depend on me . if your dishpan is anywhere in_the_world, I_am_sure to_find it ."

" if_you_do_not, my heart will_be broken," declared the Cookie Cook in a sorrowful voice .

for a while the Frogman walked on in silence . then he asked, " why do_you attach so_much importance to adishpan ? "

" it_is_the greatest treasure I possess," replied the woman ." it belonged to my mother and to all my grandmothers since_the beginning of_time . it_is, I believe, the very oldest thing in all the Yip country-- or was while it_was there-- and," she added, dropping her voice to an awed whisper, " it has magic powers ! "

" in what way ? " inquired the Frogman, seeming to_be surprised at_this statement .

" whoever has owned that dishpan has_been a good cook, for_one_thing . no one else is able to_make such good cookies as I_have cooked, as_you and all the Yips know . yet the very morning after my dishpan was stolen, I tried to_make a batch of cookies and_they burned up in_the oven ! I_made another batch that proved too tough to eat, and i_was so ashamed of_them that I buried them in_the ground . even the third batch of cookies, which I brought with me in my basket, were pretty poor stuff and no better than any woman could make who does_not own my diamond- studded gold dishpan . in_fact, my good Frogman, Cayke the Cookie Cook will never be_able to cook good cookies again until her magic dishpan is restored to her ."

" in_that case," said the Frogman with a sigh, "I suppose we_must manage to_find it ."

chapter 5

OZMA'S friends are perplexed

" really," said Dorothy, looking solemn, " this_is very s'prising . we_can't even find

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