Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20]
the lost princess of OZ by L . frank BAUM

this book is dedicated to my Granddaughter OZMA BAUM

to my Readers

some of_my youthful readers are developing wonderful imaginations . this pleases me . imagination has brought mankind through_the dark Ages to its present state of civilization . imagination led Columbus to discover America . imagination led Franklin to discover electricity . imagination has_given us the steam engine, the telephone, the talking- machine and_the automobile, for_these things had to_be dreamed of before_they became realities . so I believe that dreams -- day dreams, you_know, with your eyes wide open and your brain- machinery whizzing -- are likely to lead to_the betterment of_the world . the imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization .a prominent educator tells me that fairy tales are of untold value in developing imagination in_the young .I believe it .

among_the letters I receive from children are many containing suggestions of " what to write about in_the next Oz book ." some_of_the ideas advanced are mighty interesting, while others are too extravagant to_be seriously considered -- even in a fairy tale . yet I like them all, and I_must admit that_the main idea in " the lost princess of Oz" was suggested to_me by a sweet little girl of eleven who called to_see me and to_talk about_the land of Oz . said she: "I s' pose if Ozma ever got lost, or stolen, ev'rybody in Oz would_be dreadful sorry ."

that was all, but quite enough foundation to build this present story on . if_you happen to like the story, give credit to my little friend's clever hint .

L . frank Baum royal historian of Oz

1 a terrible loss
2 the Troubles of Glinda the good
3 the robbery of Cayke the Cookie Cook
4 among_the Winkies
5 Ozma's friends are perplexed
6 the search party
7 the merry- go- round Mountains
8 the mysterious city
9 the high Coco-Lorum of Thi
10 Toto loses something
11 button- bright loses himself
12 the Czarover of Herku
13 the truth pond
14 the unhappy Ferryman
15 the big lavender bear
16 the little pink bear
17 the Meeting
18 the conference
19 Ugu the shoemaker
20 more Surprises
21 magic against magic
22 in_the wicker castle
23 the Defiance of Ugu the shoemaker
24 the little pink bear Speaks truly
25 Ozma of Oz
26 Dorothy Forgives

the lost princess

by L . frank BAUM

chapter 1

a terrible loss

there could_be no_doubt of_the fact: princess Ozma, the lovely girl ruler of_the fairyland of Oz, was lost . she had completely disappeared . not one of her subjects-- not even her closest friends-- knew what had become of her . it_was Dorothy who first discovered it . Dorothy was a little Kansas girl who had come to_the land of Oz to live and had_been given a delightful suite of rooms in Ozma's royal palace just because Ozma loved Dorothy and wanted her to live as near her as possible so the two girls might_be much together .

Dorothy was not the only girl from_the outside world who had_been welcomed to Oz and lived in_the royal palace . there_was another named Betsy bobbin, whose adventures had led her to seek refuge with Ozma, and still another named trot, who had_been invited, together with her faithful companion Cap'n bill, to_make her home in_this wonderful fairyland . the three girls all had rooms in_the palace and were great chums; but Dorothy was_the dearest friend of_their gracious ruler and only she at any hour dared to seek Ozma in her royal apartments . for Dorothy had lived in Oz much longer than_the other girls and had_been made a princess of_the realm .

Betsy was a year older than Dorothy and trot was a year younger, yet the three were near enough of an age to_become great playmates and to_have nice times together . it_was while the three were talking together one morning in Dorothy's room that Betsy proposed they make a journey into_the Munchkin country, which_was one_of_the four great countries of_the land of Oz ruled by Ozma ."I've never been there yet," said Betsy bobbin, " but the Scarecrow once told me it_is_the prettiest country in all Oz ."

"I'd like to_go, too," added trot .

" all right," said Dorothy ."I'll go and ask Ozma . perhaps she will let_us take_the sawhorse and_the red wagon, which would_be much nicer for_us than having to walk all the way . this land of Oz is a pretty big place when_you get to all the edges of it ."

so she jumped up and went along the halls of_the splendid palace until she came to_the royal suite, which filled all the front of_the second floor . in a little waiting room sat Ozma's maid, Jellia Jamb, who was busily sewing ." is Ozma up yet ? " inquired Dorothy .

"I don't know, my dear," replied Jellia ."I haven't heard a word from her this_morning . she hasn't even called for her bath or her breakfast, and it_is far past her usual time for_them ."

" that's strange ! " exclaimed the little girl .

" yes," agreed the maid, " but of_course no harm could_have happened to her . no one can die or be killed in_the land of Oz, and Ozma is herself a powerful fairy, and she has no enemies so_far as we_know . therefore I_am not at all worried about her, though I_must admit her silence is unusual ."

" perhaps," said Dorothy thoughtfully, " she has overslept . or she_may_be reading or working out some new sort of magic to_do good to her people ."

" any of_these things may_be true," replied Jellia Jamb, " so I haven't dared disturb our royal mistress . you, however, are aprivileged character, princess, and I_am_sure that Ozma wouldn't mind at all if_you went in to_see her ."

" of_course not," said Dorothy, and opening the door of_the outer chamber, she went in . all was still here . she walked into another room, which_was Ozma's boudoir, and then, pushing back a heavy drapery richly broidered with threads of pure gold, the girl entered the sleeping- room of_the fairy ruler of Oz . the bed of ivory and gold was vacant; the room was vacant; not a trace of Ozma was to_be found . very_much surprised, yet still with no fear that anything had happened to her friend, Dorothy returned through_the boudoir to_the other rooms of_the suite . the bath, the wardrobe, and even into_the great throne room, which adjoined the royal suite, but in none of_these places could she find Ozma .

so she returned to_the anteroom where she had left the maid, Jellia Jamb, and said, " she isn't in her rooms now, so she must_have gone out ."

"I don't understand how she_could do_that without my seeing her," replied Jellia, " unless she made herself invisible ."

" she isn't there, anyhow," declared Dorothy .

" then let_us go find her," suggested the maid, who appeared to_be a little uneasy . so they went into_the corridors, and there Dorothy almost stumbled over a queer girl who was dancing lightly along the passage .

" stop a minute, Scraps ! " she called, " have_you seen Ozma this_morning ? "

" not I ! " replied the queer girl, dancing nearer ."I lost both my eyes in a tussle with_the woozy last night, for_the creature scraped 'em both off my face with_his square paws . so I put the eyes in my pocket, and this_morning button- bright led me to aunt Em, who sewed 'em on again . so I've seen nothing at all today, except during_the_last five minutes . so of_course I haven't seen Ozma ."

" very_well, Scraps," said Dorothy, looking curiously at_the eyes, which were merely two round, black buttons sewed upon_the girl's face .

there were other things about Scraps that_would_have seemed curious to one seeing her for_the first time . she was commonly called " the patchwork girl" because her body and limbs were made from a gay- colored patchwork quilt which had_been cut into shape and stuffed with cotton . her head was a round ball stuffed in_the same manner and fastened to her shoulders . for hair, she had a mass of brown yarn, and to_make a nose for her a part of_the cloth had_been pulled out into_the shape of a knob and tied with a string to hold it in place . her mouth had_been carefully made by cutting a slit in_the proper place and lining it with red silk, adding two rows of pearls for teeth and a bit of red flannel for a tongue .

in_spite of_this queer make- up, the patchwork girl was magically alive and had proved herself not the least jolly and agreeable of_the many quaint characters who inhabit the astonishing fairyland of Oz . indeed, Scraps was a general favorite, although she was rather flighty and erratic and did and said many things that surprised her friends . she was seldom still, but loved to dance, to_turn handsprings and somersaults, to climb trees and to indulge in many_other active sports .

"I'm going to search for Ozma," remarked Dorothy, " for she isn't in her rooms, and i_want to ask her a question ."

"I'll go with_you," said Scraps, " for_my eyes are brighter than yours, and_they can_see farther ."

"I'm not sure of_that," returned Dorothy ." but come along, if_you like ."

together they searched all through_the great palace and even to_the farthest limits of_the palace grounds, which were quite extensive, but nowhere could they find a trace of Ozma . when Dorothy returned to where Betsy and trot awaited her, the little girl's face was rather solemn and troubled, for never before had Ozma gone away without telling her friends where she was going, or without an escort that befitted her royal state . she was gone, however, and none had seen her go . Dorothy had met and questioned the Scarecrow, Tik-Tok, the shaggy man, button- bright, Cap'n bill, and even the wise and powerful wizard of Oz, but not one_of_them had seen Ozma since she parted with her friends the evening before and had gone to her own rooms .

" she didn't say anything las' night about going anywhere," observed little trot .

" no, and_that's the strange part of it," replied Dorothy ." usually Ozma lets us know of everything she does ."

" why_not look in_the magic picture ? " suggested Betsy bobbin ." that_will tell us where she_is in just one second ."

" of_course ! " cried Dorothy ." why didn't i_think of_that before ? " and at once the three girls hurried away to Ozma's boudoir, where the magic picture always hung . this wonderful magic picture was one_of_the royal Ozma's greatest treasures . there_was a large gold frame in_the center of which_was abluish- gray canvas on_which various scenes constantly appeared and disappeared . if one who stood before it wished to_see what any person anywhere in_the_world was doing, it_was only necessary to make_the wish and_the scene in_the magic picture would shift to_the scene where that person was and show exactly what he or she was then engaged in doing . so the girls knew it would_be easy for_them to wish to_see Ozma, and from_the picture they_could quickly learn where she was .

Dorothy advanced to_the place where the picture was usually protected by thick satin curtains and pulled the draperies aside . then she stared in amazement, while her two friends uttered exclamations of disappointment .

the magic picture was gone . only a blank space on_the wall behind the curtains showed where it had formerly hung .

chapter 2

the TROUBLES of GLINDA the good

that same morning there_was great excitement in_the castle of_the powerful sorceress of Oz, Glinda the good . this castle, situated in_the Quadling country, far south of_the emerald city where Ozma ruled, was a splendid structure of exquisite marbles and silver grilles . here the sorceress lived, surrounded by a bevy of_the most beautiful maidens of Oz, gathered from all the four countries of_that fairyland as_well as from_the magnificent emerald city itself, which stood in_the place where the four countries cornered . it_was considered a great honor to_be allowed to_serve the good sorceress, whose arts of magic were used only to benefit the Oz people .Glinda was Ozma's most valued servant, for her knowledge of sorcery was wonderful, and she_could accomplish almost anything that her mistress, the lovely girl ruler of Oz, wished her to .

of all the magical things which surrounded Glinda in her castle, there_was none more marvelous than her great book of Records . on_the pages of_this record book were constantly being inscribed, day by day and hour by hour, all the important events that happened anywhere in_the known world, and_they were inscribed in_the book at exactly the moment the events happened . every adventure in_the land of Oz and in_the big outside world, and even in places that you and I_have never heard of, were recorded accurately in_the great book, which never made a mistake and stated only the exact truth . for_that reason, nothing could_be concealed from Glinda the good, who had only to look at_the pages of_the great book of Records to_know everything that had taken place . that was one reason she was such a great sorceress, for_the records made her wiser than any_other living person .

this wonderful book was placed upon a big gold table that stood in_the middle of Glinda's drawing room . the legs of_the table, which were incrusted with precious gems, were firmly fastened to_the tiled floor, and_the book itself was chained to_the table and locked with six stout golden padlocks, the keys to_which Glinda carried on a chain that was secured around her own neck . the pages of_the great book were larger in size than those of an American newspaper, and although they were

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20]