Oz 13: The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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feed, yawned and then looked at_the three who stood before it .

" how dare you disturb me ? " it asked in a peevish voice ." you ought_to_be ashamed of yourselves ."

" never mind that," returned the sailor ." do_you remember tellin' me yesterday ' bout a magic flower in a gold pot ? "

" do_you_think I'm a fool ? look at my brains-- you_can see 'em work . of_course I remember ! " said the cat .

" well, where can we_find it ? "

" you_can't . it's none of your business, anyhow . go away and let me sleep," advised the glass Cat .

" now, see here," said Dorothy; " we_want the magic flower to_give to Ozma on her birthday . you'd be_glad to_please Ozma, wouldn't you ? "

"I'm not sure," replied the creature ." why should i_want to_please anybody ? "

" you've got a heart, ' cause I_can_see it inside of you," said trot .

" yes; it's a pretty heart, and I'm fond of it," said the cat, twisting around to view its own body ." but it's made from a ruby, and it's hard as nails ."

"Aren't you good for anything ? " asked trot .

" yes, I'm pretty to look at, and_that's more than can_be said of you," retorted the creature .

trot laughed at_this, and Dorothy, who understood the glass Cat pretty well, said soothingly:

" you_are indeed beautiful, and if_you_can tell Cap'n bill where to_find the magic flower, all the people in Oz will praise your cleverness . the flower will belong to Ozma, but everyone will know the glass Cat discovered it ."

this_was the kind of praise the crystal creature liked .

" well," it said, while the pink brains rolled around, " I_found the magic flower way up in_the north of_the Munchkin country where few people live or ever go . there's a river there that flows through a forest, and in_the middle of_the forest there_is a small island on_which stands the gold pot in_which grows the magic flower ."

" how did you get to_the island ? " asked Dorothy ." glass cats can't swim ."

" no, but I'm not afraid of water," was_the reply ."I just walked across the river on_the bottom ."

" under the water ? " exclaimed trot .

the cat gave her a scornful look .

" how could I walk over the water on_the bottom of_the river ? if_you were transparent, anyone could_see your brains were_not working . but I'm sure you_could never find the place alone . it has always been hidden from_the Oz people ."

" but you, with your fine pink brains, could find it again, I s' pose," remarked Dorothy .

" yes; and if_you_want that magic flower for Ozma, I'll go with_you and show you the way ."

" that's lovely of you ! " declared Dorothy ." trot and Cap'n bill will go with_you, for_this is_to_be their birthday present to Ozma . while you're gone I'll have to_find something else to_give her ."

" all right . come on, then, Cap'n," said the glass Cat, starting to move away .

" wait a minute," begged trot ." how long will we be gone ? "

"Oh, about a week ."

" then I'll put some things in a basket to_take with_us," said the girl, and ran into_the palace to_make her preparations for_the journey .

6 .Ozma's birthday Presents

when Cap'n bill and trot and_the glass Cat had started for_the hidden island in_the far- off river to_get the magic flower, Dorothy wondered again what she_could give Ozma on her birthday . she met the patchwork girl and said:

" what_are you going to_give Ozma for a birthday present ? "

"I've written a song for her," answered the strange patchwork girl, who went by_the name of "Scraps," and who, through stuffed with cotton, had a fair assortment of mixed brains ." it's a splendid song and_the chorus runs this_way:

I_am crazy; you're a daisy, Ozma dear; I'm demented; you're contented, Ozma dear; I_am patched and gay and glary; you're a sweet and lovely fairy; may your birthdays all be happy, Ozma dear ! "

" how do_you like it, Dorothy ? " inquired the patchwork girl .

" is_it good poetry, Scraps ? " asked Dorothy, doubtfully .

" it's as good as any ordinary song," was_the reply ." I_have_given it a dandy title, too . I_shall call the song: ' when Ozma has a birthday, everybody's sure to_be gay, for she_cannot help the fact that she was born .'"

" that's a pretty long title, Scraps," said Dorothy .

" that makes it stylish," replied the patchwork girl, turning a somersault and alighting on one stuffed foot ." now-a-days the titles are sometimes longer than_the songs ."

Dorothy left her and walked slowly toward the place, where she met the tin woodman just going up the front steps .

" what_are you going to_give Ozma on her birthday ? " she asked .

" it's a secret, but I'll tell you," replied the tin woodman, who was emperor of_the Winkies ." I_am having my people make Ozma a lovely girdle set with beautiful tin nuggets . each tin nugget will_be surrounded by a circle of emeralds, just to set it off to good advantage . the clasp of_the girdle will_be pure tin ! won't that be fine ? "

"I'm sure she'll like it," said Dorothy ." do_you_know what I_can give her ? "

"I haven't the slightest idea, Dorothy . it took me three months to_think of_my own present for Ozma ."

the girl walked thoughtfully around to_the back of_the palace, and presently came upon_the famous Scarecrow of Oz, who has having two of_the palace servants stuff his legs with fresh straw .

" what_are you going to_give Ozma on her birthday ? " asked Dorothy .

" i_want to_surprise her," answered the Scarecrow .

"I won't tell," promised Dorothy .

" well, I'm having some straw slippers made for her-- all straw, mind you, and braided very artistically .Ozma has always admired my straw filling, so I'm sure she'll be pleased with_these lovely straw slippers ."

"Ozma will_be pleased with anything her loving friends give her," said the girl ." what I'M worried about, Scarecrow, is what to_give Ozma that she hasn't got already ."

" that's what worried me, until i_thought of_the slippers," said the Scarecrow ." you'll have to_think, Dorothy; that's the only way to_get a good idea . if I hadn't such wonderful brains, I'd never have thought of_those straw foot-decorations ."

Dorothy left him and went to her room, where she sat down and tried to_think hard .a pink kitten was curled up on_the window-sill and Dorothy asked her:

" what can I_give Ozma for her birthday present ? "

"Oh, give her some milk," replied the pink kitten; " that's the nicest thing I_know of ."

afuzzy little black dog had squatted down at Dorothy's feet and now looked up at her with intelligent eyes .

" tell me, Toto," said the girl; " what would Ozma like best for a birthday present ? "

the little black dog wagged his tail .

" your love," said he ."Ozma wants to_be loved more than anything else ."

" but I already love her, Toto ! "

" then tell her you love her twice_as_much as_you ever did before ."

" that wouldn't be true," objected Dorothy, " for I've always loved her as_much as I_could, and, really, Toto, i_want to_give Ozma some present, ' cause everyone else will give her a present ."

" let me see," said Toto ." how would it be to_give her that useless pink kitten ? "

" no, Toto; that wouldn't do ."

" then six kisses ."

" no; that's no present ."

" well, I guess you'll have to figure it out for_yourself, Dorothy," said the little dog ." to my notion you're more particular than Ozma will_be ."

Dorothy decided that if anyone could help her it would_be Glinda the good, the wonderful sorceress of Oz who was Ozma's faithful subject and friend . but Glinda's castle was in_the Quadling country and quite a journey from_the emerald city .

so the little girl went to Ozma and asked permission to use the wooden sawhorse and_the royal red wagon to_pay a visit to Glinda, and_the girl ruler kissed princess Dorothy and graciously granted permission .

the wooden sawhorse was one_of_the_most remarkable creatures in Oz . its body was a small log and its legs were limbs of trees stuck in_the body . its eyes were knots, its mouth was sawed in_the end of_the log and its ears were two chips .a small branch had_been left at_the rear end of_the log to_serve as a tail .

Ozma herself, during one of her early adventures, had brought this wooden horse to life, and so she was much attached to_the queer animal and had shod the bottoms of_its wooden legs with plates of gold so they_would not wear out . the sawhorse was a swift and willing traveler, and though it could talk if need arose, it seldom said anything unless spoken to . when_the sawhorse was harnessed to_the red wagon there were no reins to guide him because all that was needed was to_tell him where to_go .

Dorothy now told him to_go to Glinda's castle and_the sawhorse carried her there with marvelous speed .

"Glinda," said Dorothy, when she had_been greeted by_the sorceress, who was tall and stately, with handsome and dignified features and dressed in a splendid and becoming gown, " what_are you going to_give Ozma for a birthday present ? "

the sorceress smiled and answered:

" come into my patio and_I_will show you ."

so they entered a place that was surrounded by_the wings of_the great castle but had no roof, and was filled with flowers and fountains and exquisite statuary and many settees and chairs of polished marble or filigree gold . here there were gathered fifty beautiful young girls, Glinda's handmaids, who had_been selected from all parts of_the land of Oz on account of_their wit and beauty and sweet dispositions . it_was a great honor to_be made one of Glinda's handmaidens .

when Dorothy followed the sorceress into_this delightful patio all the fifty girls were busily weaving, and their shuttles were filled with asparkling green spun glass such as_the little girl had never seen before .

" what_is it, Glinda ? " she asked .

" one of_my recent discoveries," explained the sorceress ." I_have found a way to_make threads from emeralds, by softening the stones and then spinning them into long, silken strands . with_these emerald threads we_are weaving cloth to_make Ozma a splendid court gown for her birthday . you_will notice that_the threads have all the beautiful glitter and luster of_the emeralds from_which they_are made, and so Ozma's new dress will_be the most magnificent the world has ever seen, and quite fitting for_our lovely ruler of_the fairyland of Oz ."

Dorothy's eyes were fairly dazed by_the brilliance of_the emerald cloth, some of_which the girls had already woven .

"I've never seen anything so beautiful ! " she said, with a sigh ." but tell me, Glinda, what can I_give our lovely Ozma on her birthday ? "

the good sorceress considered this question for_a_long_time before she replied . finally she said:

" of_course there_will_be a grand feast at_the royal palace on Ozma's birthday, and all our friends will_be present . so I suggest_that you make a fine big birthday cake of Ozma, and surround it with candles ."

"Oh, just a cake ! " exclaimed Dorothy, in disappointment .

" nothing is nicer for a birthday," said the sorceress .

" how_many candles should there be on_the cake ? " asked the girl .

" just a row of_them," replied Glinda, " for no one knows how old Ozma is, although she appears to_us to_be just a young girl-- as fresh and fair as_if she had lived but a few years ."

"A cake doesn't seem like much of a present," Dorothy asserted .

" make it a surprise cake," suggested the sorceress ."Don't you remember the four and twenty blackbirds that were baked in a pie ? well, you_need not use live blackbirds in your cake, but you_could_have some surprise of a different sort ."

" like what ? " questioned Dorothy, eagerly .

" if i_told you, it wouldn't be your present to Ozma, but mine," answered the sorceress, with a smile ." think it over, my dear, and I_am_sure you_can originate a surprise that_will add greatly to_the joy and merriment of Ozma's birthday banquet ."

Dorothy thanked her friend and entered the red wagon and told the sawhorse to_take her back home to_the palace in_the emerald city .

on_the way she thought the matter over seriously of making a surprise birthday cake and finally decided what to_do .

as_soon_as she reached home, she went to_the wizard of Oz, who had a room fitted up in one_of_the high towers of_the palace, where he studied magic so as to_be_able to perform such wizardry as Ozma commanded him to_do for_the welfare of her subjects .

the wizard and Dorothy were firm friends and had enjoyed many strange adventures together . he_was a little man with a bald head and sharp eyes and a round, jolly face, and because he_was neither haughty nor proud he had become a great favorite with_the Oz people .

" wizard," said Dorothy, " i_want you to help me fix up a present for Ozma's birthday ."

"I'll be_glad to_do anything for_you and for Ozma," he answered ." what's on_your mind, Dorothy ? "

"I'm going to_make a great cake, with frosting and candles, and all that, you_know ."

" very_good," said the wizard .

" in_the center of_this cake I'm going to leave a hollow place, with just a roof of_the frosting over it," continued the girl .

" very_good," repeated the wizard, nodding his bald head .

" in_that hollow place," said Dorothy, " i_want to hide alot of monkeys about three inches high, and after_the cake is placed on_the banquet table, i_want the monkeys to break through_the frosting and dance

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