Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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it . but she listened patiently, with a smile on her lovely face at their eagerness, and presently had gleaned all the details of_their adventures .

Ozma thanked the Frogman very earnestly for_his assistance, and she advised Cayke the Cookie Cook to dry her weeping eyes, for she promised to_take her to_the emerald city and_see that her cherished dishpan was restored to her . then the beautiful ruler took a chain of emeralds from around her own neck and placed it around the neck of_the little pink bear .

" your wise answers to_the questions of_my friends," said she, "helped them to rescue me . therefore I_am deeply grateful to_you and to your noble king ."

the bead eyes of_the little pink bear stared unresponsive to_this praise until the big lavender bear turned the crank in its side, when it said in its squeaky voice, "I thank your majesty ."

" for_my part," returned the bear king, "I realize_that you were well worth saving, miss Ozma, and so I_am much pleased that we_could_be of service to_you . by_means of_my magic wand I_have_been creating exact images of your emerald city and your royal palace, and I_must confess that_they_are more attractive than any places I_have ever seen-- not excepting bear center ."

" i_would like to entertain you in my palace," returned Ozma sweetly, " and you_are welcome to return with me and to_make me a long visit, if your bear subjects can spare you from your own kingdom ."

" as for_that," answered the king, " my kingdom causes me little worry, and I often find it somewhat tame and uninteresting . therefore I_am_glad to accept your kind invitation . corporal waddle may_be trusted to care for_my bears in my absence ."

" and you'll bring the little pink bear ? " asked Dorothy eagerly .

" of_course, my dear . i_would_not willingly part with_him ."

they remained in_the wicker castle for three days, carefully packing all the magical things that had_been stolen by Ugu and also taking whatever in_the way of magic the shoemaker had inherited from_his ancestors ." for," said Ozma, " I_have forbidden any of_my subjects except Glinda the good and_the wizard of Oz to practice magical arts, because they_cannot_be trusted to_do good and not harm . therefore Ugu must never again be permitted to work magic of any sort ."

" well," remarked Dorothy cheerfully, "a dove can't do much in_the way of magic, anyhow, and I'm going to_keep Ugu in_the form of a dove until he reforms and becomes a good and honest shoemaker ."

when everything was packed and loaded on_the backs of_the animals, they set out for_the river, taking a more direct route than that by_which Cayke and_the Frogman had come . in_this_way they avoided the Cities of Thi and Herku and bear center and after a pleasant journey reached the Winkie river and found a jolly ferryman who had a fine, big boat and was willing to carry the entire party by water to a place quite near to_the emerald city .

the river had many windings and many branches, and_the journey did_not end in a day, but finally the boat floated into a pretty lake which_was but a short distance from Ozma's home . here the jolly ferryman was rewarded for_his labors, and then the entire party set out in a grand procession to march to_the emerald city .News that_the royal Ozma had_been found spread quickly throughout_the neighborhood, and both sides of_the road soon became lined with loyal subjects of_the beautiful and beloved ruler . therefore Ozma's ears heard little but cheers, and her eyes beheld little else than waving handkerchiefs and banners during all the triumphal march from_the lake to_the city's gates .

and there she met a still greater concourse, for all the inhabitants of_the emerald city turned out to welcome her return, and all the houses were decorated with flags and bunting, and never before were the people so joyous and happy as at_this moment when_they welcomed home their girl ruler . for she had_been lost and was now found again, and surely that was cause for rejoicing .Glinda was at_the royal palace to meet the returning party, and_the good sorceress was indeed glad_to_have her great book of Records returned to her, as_well as all the precious collection of magic instruments and elixirs and chemicals that had_been stolen from her castle .Cap'n bill and_the wizard at once hung the magic picture upon_the wall of Ozma's boudoir, and_the wizard was so light-hearted that he_did several tricks with_the tools in_his black bag to amuse his companions and prove that once again he_was a powerful wizard .

for a whole week there_was feasting and merriment and all sorts of joyous festivities at_the palace in honor of Ozma's safe return . the lavender bear and_the little pink bear received much attention and were honored by all, much to_the bear king's satisfaction . the Frogman speedily became a favorite at_the emerald city, and_the shaggy man and Tik-Tok and jack Pumpkinhead, who had now returned from their search, were very polite to_the big frog and made him feel quite at home . even the Cookie Cook, because she was quite a stranger and Ozma's guest, was shown as_much deference as_if she had_been a queen .

" all the same, your majesty," said Cayke to Ozma, day after day with tiresome repetition, " I_hope_you_will soon find my jeweled dishpan, for never can I be quite happy without it ."

chapter 26

Dorothy FORGIVES

the gray dove which had once been Ugu the shoemaker sat on its tree in_the far Quadling country and moped, chirping dismally and brooding over its misfortunes . after a time, the Scarecrow and_the tin woodman came along and sat beneath the tree, paying no heed to_the mutterings of_the gray dove . the tin woodman took a small oilcan from_his tin pocket and carefully oiled his tin joints with it .

while he_was thus engaged, the Scarecrow remarked, " I_feel much better, dear comrade, since we_found that heap of nice, clean straw and you stuffed me anew with it ."

" and I_feel much better now that my joints are oiled," returned the tin woodman with a sigh of pleasure ." you and I, friend Scarecrow, are much more easily cared for than those clumsy meat people, who spend half their time dressing in fine clothes and who_must live in splendid dwellings in_order_to_be contented and happy . you and I_do_not eat, and so we_are spared the dreadful bother of getting three meals a day . nor do we waste half our lives in sleep, a condition that causes the meat people to lose all consciousness and become as thoughtless and helpless as logs of wood ."

" you speak truly," responded the Scarecrow, tucking some wisps of straw into his breast with_his padded fingers ."I often feel sorry for_the meat people, many of whom are my friends . even the beasts are happier than they, for they require less to_make them content . and_the birds are the luckiest creatures of all, for they_can fly swiftly where they_will and find a home at any place they care to perch . their food consists of seeds and grains they gather from_the fields, and their drink is a sip of water from some running brook . if I could_not_be aScarecrow or a tin woodman, my next choice would_be to live as a bird does ."

the gray dove had listened carefully to_this speech and seemed to_find comfort in_it, for_it hushed its moaning . and just then the tin woodman discovered Cayke's dishpan, which_was on_the ground quite near to him ." here_is a rather pretty utensil," he_said, taking it in_his tin hand to examine it, " but i_would_not care to own it . whoever fashioned it of gold and covered it with diamonds did_not add to its usefulness, nor do I consider it as beautiful as_the bright dishpans of tin one usually sees . no yellow color is ever so handsome as_the silver sheen of tin," and he turned to look at his tin legs and body with approval .

" I_cannot quite agree with_you there," replied the Scarecrow ." my straw stuffing has a light yellow color, and it_is_not only pretty to look at, but it crunkles most delightfully when I move ."

" let_us admit that all colors are good in their proper places," said the tin woodman, who was too kind-hearted to quarrel, " but you_must agree with me that adishpan that_is yellow is unnatural . what shall we_do with_this one, which we_have just found ? "

" let_us carry it back to_the emerald city," suggested the Scarecrow ." some_of_our friends might like to_have it for a foot- bath, and in using it that way, its golden color and sparkling ornaments would_not injure its usefulness ."

so they went away and took the jeweled dishpan with_them . and after wandering through_the country for a day or so longer, they learned the news that Ozma had_been found . therefore they straightway returned to_the emerald city and presented the dishpan to princess Ozma as a token of_their joy that she had_been restored to_them .Ozma promptly gave the diamond- studded gold dishpan to Cayke the Cookie Cook, who was delighted at regaining her lost treasure that she danced up and down in glee and then threw her skinny arms around Ozma's neck and kissed her gratefully .Cayke's mission was now successfully accomplished, but she was having such a good_time at_the emerald city that she seemed in no hurry to_go back to_the country of_the Yips .

it_was several weeks after_the dishpan had_been restored to_the Cookie Cook when one day, as Dorothy was seated in_the royal gardens with trot and Betsy beside her, a gray dove came flying down and alighted at_the girl's feet .

" I_am Ugu the shoemaker," said the dove in a soft, mourning voice, " and I_have come to ask_you to forgive me for_the great wrong I_did in stealing Ozma and_the magic that belonged to her and to others ."

" are_you sorry, then ? " asked Dorothy, looking hard at_the bird .

" I_am very sorry," declared Ugu ."I've been thinking over my misdeeds for_a_long_time, for doves have little else to_do but think, and I'm surprised that i_was such a wicked man and had so little regard for_the rights of others . I_am now convinced that even had I succeeded in making myself ruler of all Oz, I should_not have_been happy, for many days of quiet thought have shown me that only those things one acquires honestly are able to render one content ."

"I guess that's so," said trot .

"Anyhow," said Betsy, " the bad man seems truly sorry, and if he has now become a good and honest man, we ought to forgive him ."

" I_fear I_cannot become a good man again," said Ugu, " for_the transformation I_am under will always keep me in_the form of a dove . but with_the kind forgiveness of_my former enemies, I_hope to_become a very_good dove and highly respected ."

" wait here till I run for_my magic belt," said Dorothy, " and I'll transform you back to your reg'lar shape in ajiffy ."

" no, don't do_that ! " pleaded the dove, fluttering its wings in an excited way ."I only want your forgiveness .I don't want to_be a man again . as Ugu the shoemaker i_was skinny and old and unlovely . as a dove I_am quite pretty to look at . as a man i_was ambitious and cruel, while as a dove I_can_be content with my lot and happy in my simple life . I_have learned to love the free and independent life of a bird, and I'd rather not change back ."

" just as_you like, Ugu," said Dorothy, resuming her seat ." perhaps you_are right, for_you're certainly a better dove than you were a man, and if you_should ever backslide an' feel wicked again, you couldn't do much harm as a gray dove ."

" then you forgive me for all the trouble I caused you ? " he asked earnestly .

" of_course . anyone who's sorry just has_to be forgiven ."

" thank_you," said the gray dove, and flew away again .

the end

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