Oz 03: Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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surpass me . so i_will go to my cabinet and change to no .17, which i_think is my best appearance .Don't you ? "

" your no .17 is exceedingly beautiful," answered Nanda, with another bow .

again the princess yawned . then she said:

" help me to rise ."

so the maid assisted her to gain her feet, although Langwidere was_the stronger of_the two; and then the princess slowly walked across the silver floor to her cabinet, leaning heavily at every step upon Nanda's arm .

now I_must explain to_you that_the princess Langwidere had thirty heads-- as_many as there_are days in_the month . but of_course she_could only wear one_of_them at_a_time, because she had but one neck . these heads were kept in what she called her " cabinet," which_was a beautiful dressing- room that lay just between Langwidere's sleeping- chamber and_the mirrored sitting- room . each head was in a separate cupboard lined with velvet . the cupboards ran all around the sides of_the dressing- room, and had elaborately carved doors with gold numbers on_the outside and jeweled- framed mirrors on_the inside of_them .

when_the princess got out of her crystal bed in_the morning she went to her cabinet, opened one_of_the velvet- lined cupboards, and took the head it contained from its golden shelf . then, by_the aid of_the mirror inside the open door, she put on_the head-- as neat and straight as could_be-- and afterward called her maids to robe her for_the day . she always wore a simple white costume, that suited all the heads . for, being able to_change her face whenever she liked, the princess had no interest in wearing a variety of gowns, as have other ladies who_are compelled to wear the same face constantly .

of_course the thirty heads were in great variety, no two formed alike but all being of exceeding loveliness . there were heads with golden hair, brown hair, rich auburn hair and black hair; but none with gray hair . the heads had eyes of blue, of gray, of hazel, of brown and of black; but there were no red eyes among them, and all were bright and handsome . the noses were Grecian, Roman, retrousse and oriental, representing all types of beauty; and_the mouths were of assorted sizes and shapes, displaying pearly teeth when_the heads smiled . as for dimples, they appeared in cheeks and chins, wherever they_might_be most charming, and one_or_two heads had freckles upon_the faces to contrast the better with_the brilliancy of_their complexions .

one key unlocked all the velvet cupboards containing these treasures--a curious key carved from a single blood- red ruby-- and this_was fastened to a strong but slender chain which the princess wore around her left wrist .

when Nanda had supported Langwidere to a position in front of cupboard no .17, the princess unlocked the door with her ruby key and after handing head no .9, which she had_been wearing, to_the maid, she took no .17 from its shelf and fitted it to her neck . it had black hair and dark eyes and a lovely pearl- and- white complexion, and when Langwidere wore it she knew she was remarkably beautiful in appearance .

there_was only_one trouble with no .17; the temper that went with it ( and which_was hidden somewhere under the glossy black hair) was fiery, harsh and haughty in_the extreme, and it often led the princess to_do unpleasant things which she regretted when she came to wear her other heads .

but she did_not remember this today, and went to meet her guests in_the drawing- room with afeeling of certainty that she_would surprise them with her beauty .

however, she was greatly disappointed to_find that her visitors were merely a small girl in a gingham dress, a copper man that_would only go when wound up, and a yellow hen that was sitting contentedly in Langwidere's best work- basket, where there_was a china egg used for darning stockings .( it may surprise you to learn that a princess ever does such a common thing as darn stockings . but, if_you_will stop to_think, you_will realize_that a princess is sure to wear holes in her stockings, the same as other people; only it isn't considered quite polite to mention the matter .)

"Oh ! " said Langwidere, slightly lifting the nose of no .17 ." i_thought some one of importance had called ."

" then you were right," declared Dorothy ."I'm a good_deal of 'portance myself, and when Billina lays an egg she has_the proudest cackle you ever heard . as for Tiktok, he's the--"

" stop-- stop ! " commanded the princess, with an angry flash of her splendid eyes ." how dare you annoy me with your senseless chatter ? "

" why, you horrid thing ! " said Dorothy, who was not accustomed to being treated so rudely .

the princess looked at her more closely .

" tell me," she resumed, " are_you of royal blood ? "

" better than that, MA'am," said Dorothy ." I_came from Kansas ."

"Huh ! " cried the princess, scornfully ." you_are a foolish child, and I_cannot allow you to annoy me . run away, you little goose, and bother some one else ."

Dorothy was so indignant that for a moment she_could find no words to reply . but she rose from her chair, and was about to leave the room when_the princess, who had_been scanning the girl's face, stopped her by saying, more gently:

" come nearer to_me ."

Dorothy obeyed, without a thought of fear, and stood before_the princess while Langwidere examined her face with careful attention .

" you_are rather attractive," said the lady, presently ." not at all beautiful, you understand, but you_have a certain style of prettiness that_is different from_that of any of_my thirty heads . so I believe I'll take your head and give_you no .26 for_it ."

" well, I b'lieve you won't ! " exclaimed Dorothy .

" it_will do_you no good to refuse," continued the princess; " for I_need your head for_my collection, and in_the land of Ev my will is law .I never have cared much for no .26, and you_will_find that_it_is very little worn . besides, it_will do_you just as_well as_the one you're wearing, for all practical purposes ."

"I don't know anything about_your no .26, and I don't want to," said Dorothy, firmly ."I'm not used to taking cast- off things, so I'll just keep my own head ."

" you refuse ? " cried the princess, with a frown .

" of_course I_do," was_the reply .

" then," said Langwidere, " I_shall lock you up in atower until you decide to obey me .Nanda," turning to her maid, " call my army ."

Nanda rang a silver bell, and at once a big fat colonel in a bright red uniform entered the room, followed by ten lean soldiers, who all looked sad and discouraged and saluted the princess in a very melancholy fashion .

" carry that girl to_the north Tower and lock her up ! " cried the princess, pointing to Dorothy .

" to hear is to obey," answered the big red colonel, and caught the child by her arm . but at_that moment Tiktok raised his dinner- pail and pounded it so forcibly against the colonel's head that_the big officer sat down upon_the floor with a sudden bump, looking both dazed and very_much astonished .

" help ! " he shouted, and_the ten lean soldiers sprang to assist their leader .

there_was great excitement for_the next few_moments, and Tiktok had knocked down seven of_the army, who were sprawling in every direction upon_the carpet, when suddenly the machine paused, with_the dinner- pail raised for another blow, and remained perfectly motionless .

" my AC-tion has run down," he_called to Dorothy ." wind me up, quick ."

she tried to obey, but the big colonel had by_this_time managed to_get upon his feet again, so he grabbed fast hold of_the girl and she was helpless to escape .

" this_is too bad," said the machine ."I ought_to_have run six hours lon-ger, at_least, but I sup- pose my long walk and my fight with_the wheel-ers made me run down fast-er than us-u-al ."

" well, it can't be helped," said Dorothy, with a sigh .

" will_you exchange heads with me ? " demanded the princess .

" no, indeed ! " cried Dorothy .

" then lock her up," said Langwidere to her soldiers, and_they led Dorothy to a high tower at_the north of_the palace and locked her securely within .

the soldiers afterward tried to lift Tiktok, but they found the machine so solid and heavy that they_could_not stir it . so they left him standing in_the center of_the drawing- room .

" people will think I_have a new statue," said Langwidere, " so it won't matter in_the least, and Nanda can keep him well polished ."

" what shall we_do with_the hen ? " asked the colonel, who had just discovered Billina in_the work- basket .

" put her in_the chicken- house," answered the princess ."Someday I'll have her fried for breakfast ."

" she looks rather tough, your highness," said Nanda, doubtfully .

" that_is a base slander ! " cried Billina, struggling frantically in_the colonel's arms ." but the breed of chickens I come from is said to_be poison to all princesses ."

" then," remarked Langwidere, " i_will_not fry the hen, but keep her to lay eggs; and if she doesn't do her duty I'll have her drowned in_the horse trough ."

7 .Ozma of Oz to_the rescue

Nanda brought Dorothy bread and water for her supper, and she slept upon a hard stone couch with a single pillow and a silken coverlet .

in_the morning she leaned out_of_the window of her prison in_the tower to_see if there_was any_way to escape . the room was not so very high up, when compared with_our modern buildings, but it_was far enough above the trees and farm houses to_give her a good view of_the surrounding country .

to_the east she saw the forest, with_the sands beyond it and_the ocean beyond that . there_was even a dark speck upon_the shore that she thought might_be the chicken- coop in_which she had arrived at_this singular country .

then she looked to_the north, and saw a deep but narrow valley lying between two rocky mountains, and a third mountain that shut off the valley at_the further end .

westward the fertile land of Ev suddenly ended a little way from_the palace, and_the girl could_see miles and miles of sandy desert that stretched further than her eyes could reach . it was_this desert, she thought, with much interest, that alone separated her from_the wonderful land of Oz, and she remembered sorrowfully that she had_been told no one had ever been able to cross this dangerous waste but herself . once a cyclone had carried her across it, and a magical pair of silver shoes had carried her back again . but now she had neither a cyclone nor silver shoes to assist her, and her condition was sad indeed . for she had become the prisoner of a disagreeable princess who insisted that she_must exchange her head for another one that she was not used to, and which might_not fit her at all .

really, there seemed no hope of help for her from her old friends in_the land of Oz . thoughtfully she gazed from her narrow window . on all the desert not aliving thing was stirring .

wait, though ! something surely was stirring on_the desert-- something her eyes had_not observed at first . now it seemed like a cloud; now it seemed like a spot of silver; now it seemed to_be a mass of rainbow colors that moved swiftly toward her .

what could it be, she wondered ?

then, gradually, but in a brief space of_time nevertheless, the vision drew near enough to Dorothy to_make out what it_was .

a broad green carpet was unrolling itself upon_the desert, while advancing across the carpet was a wonderful procession that made the girl open her eyes in amazement as she gazed .

first came a magnificent golden chariot, drawn by a great lion and an immense tiger, who stood shoulder to shoulder and trotted along as gracefully as a well- matched team of thoroughbred horses . and standing upright within_the chariot was a beautiful girl clothed in flowing robes of silver gauze and wearing a jeweled diadem upon her dainty head . she held in one hand the satin ribbons that guided her astonishing team, and in_the other an ivory wand that separated at_the top into two prongs, the prongs being tipped by_the letters "O" and "Z", made of glistening diamonds set closely together .

the girl seemed neither older nor larger than Dorothy herself, and at once the prisoner in_the tower guessed that_the lovely driver of_the chariot must_be that Ozma of Oz of whom she had so lately heard from Tiktok .

Following close behind the chariot Dorothy saw her old friend the Scarecrow, riding calmly astride a wooden saw- horse, which pranced and trotted as naturally as any meat horse could_have done .

and then came nick chopper, the tin woodman, with_his funnel- shaped cap tipped carelessly over his left ear, his gleaming axe over his right shoulder, and_his whole body sparkling as brightly as it had ever done in_the old days when first she knew him .

the tin woodman was on foot, marching at_the head of a company of twenty-seven soldiers, of whom some were lean and some fat, some short and some tall; but all the twenty-seven were dressed in handsome uniforms of various designs and colors, no two being alike in any respect .

behind the soldiers the green carpet rolled itself up again, so_that there_was always just enough of it for_the procession to walk upon, in_order_that their feet might_not come in contact

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