Oz 13: The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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country, for Glinda would read in her book all that we_do, and as her magic is greater than mine, she_would soon put a stop to our plans ."

" I_said ' people,' didn't I ? " retorted the Nome ." the book doesn't make a record of what birds do, or beasts . it only tells the doings of people . so, if_we fly into_the country as birds, Glinda won't know anything about_it ."

" two birds couldn't conquer the land of Oz," asserted the boy, scornfully .

" no; that's true," admitted Ruggedo, and then he rubbed his forehead and stroked his long pointed beard and thought some more .

"Ah, now I_have the idea ! " he declared ."I suppose you_can transform us into beasts as_well as birds ? "

" of_course ."

" and can_you make a bird a beast, and a beast a bird again, without taking a human form in between ? "

" certainly," said Kiki ." I_can transform myself or others into anything that_can talk . there's a magic word that_must be spoken in connection with_the transformations, and as beasts and birds and dragons and fishes can talk in Oz, we_may become any of_these we_desire to . however, if I transformed myself into a tree, i_would always remain a tree, because then I_could_not utter the magic word to_change the transformation ."

" I_see; I_see," said Ruggedo, nodding his bushy, white head until the point of_his hair waved back and forth like a pendulum ." that fits in with my idea, exactly . now, listen, and I'll explain to_you my plan . we'll fly to Oz as birds and settle in one_of_the thick forests in_the Gillikin country . there you_will transform us into powerful beasts, and as Glinda doesn't keep any track of_the doings of beasts we_can act without being discovered ."

" but how can two beasts raise an army to conquer the powerful people of Oz ? " inquired Kiki .

" that's easy . but not an army of people, mind you . that_would_be quickly discovered . and while we_are in Oz you and_I_will never resume our human forms until we've conquered the country and destroyed Glinda, and Ozma, and_the wizard, and Dorothy, and all the rest, and so have nothing more to fear from_them ."

" it_is impossible to kill anyone in_the land of Oz," declared Kiki .

" it isn't necessary to kill the Oz people," rejoined Ruggedo .

"I'm afraid I don't understand you," objected the boy ." what_will happen to_the Oz people, and what sort of an army could we get together, except of people ? "

"I'll tell you . the forests of Oz are full of beasts . some_of_them, in_the far- away places, are savage and cruel, and would gladly follow a leader as savage as themselves . they_have never troubled the Oz people much, because they had no leader to urge them on, but we_will tell them to help_us conquer Oz and as a reward we_will transform all the beasts into men_and_women, and let them live in_the houses and enjoy all the good things; and we_will transform all the people of Oz into beasts of various sorts, and send_them to live in_the forests and_the jungles . that_is a splendid idea, you_must admit, and it's so easy that we won't have any trouble at all to carry it through to success ."

" will the beasts consent, do_you_think ? " asked the boy .

" to_be_sure they_will . we_can get every beast in Oz on_our side-- except a few who live in Ozma's palace, and_they won't count ."

4 .Conspirators

Kiki Aru didn't know much about Oz and didn't know much about_the beasts who lived there, but the old Nome's plan seemed to him to_be quite reasonable . he had a faint suspicion that Ruggedo meant to_get the best of him in some way, and he resolved to_keep a close watch on_his fellow- conspirator . as long as he kept to himself the secret word of_the transformations, Ruggedo would_not dare to harm him, and he promised himself that as_soon_as they had conquered Oz, he_would transform the old Nome into a marble statue and keep him in_that form forever .

Ruggedo, on_his part, decided that he_could, by careful watching and listening, surprise the boy's secret, and when he had learned the magic word he_would transform Kiki Aru into a bundle of faggots and burn him up and so be rid of him .

this_is always the way with wicked people . they_cannot_be trusted even by one another .Ruggedo thought he_was fooling Kiki, and Kiki thought he_was fooling Ruggedo; so both were pleased .

" it's a long way across the desert," remarked the boy, " and_the sands are hot and send up poisonous vapors . let_us wait until evening and then fly across in_the night when it_will_be cooler ."

the former Nome king agreed to_this, and_the two spent the rest of_that day in talking over their plans . when evening came they paid the inn- keeper and walked out to a little grove of trees that stood near by .

" remain here for_a_few_minutes and I'll soon be back," said Kiki, and walking swiftly away, he left the Nome standing in_the grove .Ruggedo wondered where he had gone, but stood quietly in_his place until, all of a sudden, his form changed to_that of a great eagle, and he uttered apiercing cry of astonishment and flapped his wings in a sort of panic . at once his eagle cry was answered from beyond the grove, and another eagle, even larger and more powerful than_the transformed Ruggedo, came sailing through_the trees and alighted beside him .

" now we_are ready for_the start," said the voice of Kiki, coming from_the eagle .

Ruggedo realized that this_time he had_been outwitted . he had thought Kiki would utter the magic word in_his presence, and so he_would learn what it_was, but the boy had_been too shrewd for_that .

as_the two eagles mounted high into_the air and began their flight across the great desert that separates the land of Oz from all the rest of_the world, the Nome said:

" when i_was king of_the Nomes I had a magic way of working transformations that i_thought was good, but it could_not compare with your secret word .I had to_have certain tools and make passes and say alot of mystic words before I_could transform anybody ."

" what became of your magic tools ? " inquired Kiki .

" the Oz people took them all away from me-- that horrid girl, Dorothy, and_that terrible fairy, Ozma, the ruler of Oz-- at_the_time they took away my underground kingdom and kicked me upstairs into_the cold, heartless world ."

" why did you let them do_that ? " asked the boy .

" well," said Ruggedo, "I couldn't help it . they rolled eggs at me--EGGS-- dreadful eggs ! -- and if an egg even touches aNome, he_is ruined for life ."

" is any kind of an egg dangerous to aNome ? "

" any kind and every kind . an egg is the_only_thing I'm afraid of ."

5 .a happy corner of Oz

there_is no other country so beautiful as_the land of Oz . there_are no other people so happy and contented and prosperous as_the Oz people . they_have all they desire; they love and admire their beautiful girl ruler, Ozma of Oz, and_they mix work and play so justly that both are delightful and satisfying and no one has any reason to complain . once in a while something happens in Oz to disturb the people's happiness for a brief time, for so rich and attractive a fairyland is sure to_make a few selfish and greedy outsiders envious, and therefore certain evil-doers have treacherously plotted to conquer Oz and enslave its people and destroy its girl ruler, and so gain the wealth of Oz for themselves . but up_to_the time when_the cruel and crafty Nome, Ruggedo, conspired with Kiki Aru, the Hyup, all such attempts had failed . the Oz people suspected no danger . life in_the_world's nicest fairyland was one round of joyous, happy days .

in_the center of_the emerald city of Oz, the capital city of Ozma's dominions, is a vast and beautiful garden, surrounded by a wall inlaid with shining emeralds, and in_the center of_this garden stands Ozma's royal palace, the most splendid building ever constructed . from a hundred towers and domes floated the banners of Oz, which included the Ozmies, the Munchkins, the Gillikins, the Winkies and_the Quadlings . the banner of_the Munchkins is blue, that of_the Winkies yellow; the Gillikin banner is purple, and_the Quadling's banner is red . the colors of_the emerald city are of_course green .Ozma's own banner has a green center, and_is divided into four quarters . these quarters are colored blue, purple, yellow and red, indicating that she rules over all the countries of_the land of Oz .

this fairyland is so big, however, that all of it is_not_yet known to its girl ruler, and it_is said that in some far parts of_the country, in forests and mountain fastnesses, in hidden valleys and thick jungles, are people and beasts that know as little about Ozma as she knows of_them . still, these unknown subjects are_not nearly so numerous as_the known inhabitants of Oz, who occupy all the countries near to_the emerald city . indeed, I'm sure it_will_not_be long until all parts of_the fairyland of Oz are explored and their peoples made acquainted with their ruler, for in Ozma's palace are several of her friends who_are so curious that_they_are constantly discovering new and extraordinary places and inhabitants .

one_of_the_most frequent discoverers of_these hidden places in Oz is a little Kansas girl named Dorothy, who_is Ozma's dearest friend and lives in luxurious rooms in_the royal palace . Dorothy is, indeed, a princess of Oz, but she does_not like to_be called a princess, and because she_is simple and sweet and does_not pretend to_be anything but an ordinary little girl, she_is called just " Dorothy" by everybody and is_the most popular person, next to Ozma, in all the land of Oz .

one morning Dorothy crossed the hall of_the palace and knocked on_the door of another girl named trot, also a guest and friend of Ozma . when told to enter, Dorothy found that trot had company, an old sailor- man with one wooden leg and one meat leg, who was sitting by_the open window puffing smoke from a corn-cob pipe . this sailor- man was named Cap'n bill, and he had accompanied trot to_the land of Oz and was her oldest and most faithful comrade and friend . Dorothy liked Cap'n bill, too, and after she had greeted him, she said to trot:

" you_know, Ozma's birthday is next_month, and I've been wondering what I_can give here as a birthday present . she's so good to_us all that we certainly ought to remember her birthday ."

" that's true," agreed trot ."I've been wondering, too, what I_could give Ozma . it's pretty hard to decide, ' cause she's got already all she wants, and as she's a fairy and knows alot about magic, she_could satisfy any wish ."

" I_know," returned Dorothy, " but that isn't the point . it isn't that Ozma NEEDS anything, but that_it_will please her to_know we've remembered her birthday . but what shall we_give her ? "

trot shook her head in despair .

"I've tried to_think and I_can't," she declared .

" it's the same way with me," said Dorothy .

" I_know one_thing that 'ud please her," remarked Cap'n bill, turning his round face with its fringe of whiskers toward the two girls and staring at them with_his big, light- blue eyes wide open .

" what_is it, Cap'n bill ? "

" it's an enchanted flower," said he ." it's a pretty plant that stands in a golden flower- pot an' grows all sorts o' flowers, one after another . one minute a fine rose buds an' blooms, an' then a tulip, an' next achrys--chrys--"

"--anthemum," said Dorothy, helping him .

" that's it; and next a dahlia, an' then adaffydil, an' on all through_the range o' posies .Jus' as_soon_as one fades away, another comes, of a different sort, an' the perfume from 'em is mighty snifty, an' they keeps bloomin' night and day, year in an' year out ."

" that's wonderful ! " exclaimed Dorothy ." i_think Ozma would like it ."

" but where is_the magic flower, and how can we get it ? " asked trot .

" dun' no, zac'ly," slowly replied Cap'n bill ." the glass Cat tol' me about_it only yesterday, an' said it_was in some lonely place up at_the nor' east o' here . the glass Cat goes travelin' all around Oz, you_know, an' the little critter sees alot o' things no one else does ."

" that's true," said Dorothy, thoughtfully ." northeast of here must_be in_the Munchkin country, and perhaps a good way off, so let's ask_the glass Cat to_tell us how to_get to_the magic flower ."

so the two girls, with Cap'n bill stumping along on_his wooden leg after them, went out into_the garden, and after some_time spent in searching, they found the glass Cat curled up in_the sunshine beside a bush, fast sleep .

the glass Cat is one_of_the_most curious creatures in all Oz . it was_made by a famous magician named Dr .Pipt before Ozma had forbidden her subjects to work magic .Dr .Pipt had made the glass Cat to catch mice, but the Cat refused to catch mice and was considered more curious than useful .

this astonished cat was_made all of glass and was so clear and transparent that you_could_see through it as easily as through a window . in_the top of_its head, however, was a mass of delicate pink balls which looked like jewels but were intended for brains . it had a heart made of blood- red ruby . the eyes were two large emeralds . but, aside from_these colors, all the rest of_the animal was of clear glass, and it had a spun- glass tail that was really beautiful .

" here, wake up," said Cap'n bill ." we_want to_talk to_you ."

slowly the glass Cat got upon its feed,

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