Oz 03: Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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except the sawhorse, which, as it trotted along with_the Scarecrow upon his back, hummed a queer song, of_which this_was the chorus:

" would a wooden horse in a woodland go ? Aye, aye ! I sigh, he_would, although had he not had a wooden head he'd mount the mountain top instead ."

but no one paid any attention to_this because they were now close to_the Nome king's dominions, and_his splendid underground palace could_not_be very far away .

suddenly they heard a shout of jeering laughter, and stopped short . they_would_have to stop in a minute, anyway, for_the huge mountain barred their further progress and_the path ran close up_to a wall of rock and ended .

" who was_that laughing ? " asked Ozma .

there_was no reply, but in_the gloom they_could see strange forms flit across the face of_the rock . whatever the creations might_be they seemed very like the rock itself, for they were the color of rocks and their shapes were as rough and rugged as if_they had_been broken away from_the side of_the mountain . they kept close to_the steep cliff facing our friends, and glided up and down, and this_way and_that, with a lack of regularity that was quite confusing . and_they seemed not to need places to rest their feet, but clung to_the surface of_the rock as a fly does to a window- pane, and were never still for a moment .

" do_not mind them," said Tiktok, as Dorothy shrank back ." they_are on-ly the Nomes ."

" and what_are Nomes ? " asked the girl, half frightened .

" they_are rock fair-ies, and serve the Nome king," replied the machine ." but they_will do us no harm . you_must call for_the king, be- cause with- out him you_can ne-ver find the en- trance to_the PAL- ace ."

" you call," said Dorothy to Ozma .

just then the Nomes laughed again, and_the sound was so weird and disheartening that_the twenty-six officers commanded the private to " right- about- face ! " and_they all started to run as fast as they_could .

the tin woodman at once pursued his army and cried " halt ! " and when_they had stopped their flight he asked: " where are_you going ? "

"I-- I_find I've forgotten the brush for_my whiskers," said a general, trembling with fear ."S-s- so we_are g- going back after it ! "

" that_is impossible," replied the tin woodman ." for_the giant with_the hammer would kill you all if_you tried to_pass him ."

"Oh ! I'd forgotten the giant," said the general, turning pale .

" you seem to forget a good_many things," remarked the tin woodman ." I_hope you won't forget that you_are brave men ."

" never ! " cried the general, slapping his gold- embroidered chest .

" never ! " cried all the other officers, indignantly slapping their chests .

" for_my part," said the private, meekly, " I_must obey my officers; so when I_am told to run, I run; and when I_am told to fight, I fight ."

" that_is right," agreed the tin woodman ." and now you_must all come back to Ozma, and obey her orders . and if_you try to run away again i_will_have her reduce all the twenty-six officers to privates, and make_the private your general ."

this terrible threat so frightened them that_they at once returned to where Ozma was standing beside the cowardly lion .

then Ozma cried out in a loud voice:

"I demand that_the Nome king appear to_us ! "

there_was no reply, except that_the shifting Nomes upon_the mountain laughed in derision .

" you_must not command the Nome king," said Tiktok, " for you_do_not rule him, as_you_do your own peo-ple ."

so Ozma called again, saying:

"I request the Nome king to appear to_us ."

only the mocking laughter replied to her, and_the shadowy Nomes continued to flit here and there upon_the rocky cliff .

" try en- treat-y," said Tiktok to Ozma ." if he_will_not come at your re- quest, then the Nome king may list-en to your plead-ing ."

Ozma looked around her proudly .

" do_you wish your ruler to plead with_this wicked Nome king ? " she asked ." shall Ozma of Oz humble herself to a creature who lives in an underground kingdom ? "

" no ! " they all shouted, with big voices; and_the Scarecrow added:

" if he_will_not come, we_will dig him out of_his hole, like a fox, and conquer his stubbornness . but our sweet little ruler must always maintain her dignity, just as I maintain mine ."

"I'm not afraid to plead with_him," said Dorothy ."I'm only a little girl from Kansas, and we've got more dignity at home than we_know what to_do with .I'LL call the Nome king ."

" do," said the hungry tiger; " and if he makes hash of you I'll willingly eat you for breakfast tomorrow morning ."

so Dorothy stepped forward and said:

" please Mr Nome king, come here and_see us ."

the Nomes started to laugh again; but a low growl came from_the mountain, and in a flash they had all vanished from sight and were silent .

then a door in_the rock opened, and a voice cried:

" enter ! "

"Isn't it a trick ? " asked the tin woodman .

" never mind," replied Ozma ." we came here to rescue the poor queen of Ev and her ten children, and we_must run some risks to_do_so ."

" the Nome king is hon- EST and good na-tured," said Tiktok ." you_can trust him to_do what_is right ."

so Ozma led the way, hand in hand with Dorothy, and_they passed through_the arched doorway of rock and entered a long passage which_was lighted by jewels set in_the walls and having lamps behind them . there_was no one to escort them, or to show them the way, but all the party pressed through_the passage until they came to a round, domed cavern that was grandly furnished .

in_the center of_this room was a throne carved out of a solid boulder of rock, rude and rugged in shape but glittering with great rubies and diamonds and emeralds on every part of_its surface . and upon_the throne sat the Nome king .

this important monarch of_the underground world was a little fat man clothed in gray- brown garments that were the exact color of_the rock throne in_which he_was seated . his bushy hair and flowing beard were also colored like the rocks, and so was his face . he wore no crown of any sort, and_his only ornament was a broad, jewel- studded belt that encircled his fat little body . as for_his features, they seemed kindly and good humored, and_his eyes were turned merrily upon his visitors as Ozma and Dorothy stood before him with their followers ranged in close order behind them .

" why, he looks just like Santa Claus-- only he isn't the same color ! " whispered Dorothy to her friend; but the Nome king heard the speech, and it made him laugh aloud .

"' he had a red face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly ! '"

quoth the monarch, in a pleasant voice; and they_could all see that he really did shake like jelly when he laughed .

both Ozma and Dorothy were much relieved to_find the Nome king so jolly, and a minute later he waved his right hand and_the girls each found a cushioned stool at her side .

" sit down, my dears," said the king, " and tell me why you_have come all this_way to_see me, and what I_can do to_make you happy ."

while they seated themselves the Nome king picked up a pipe, and taking aglowing red coal out of_his pocket he placed it in_the bowl of_the pipe and began puffing out clouds of smoke that curled in rings above his head . Dorothy thought this made the little monarch look more like Santa Claus than ever; but Ozma now began speaking, and every_one listened intently to her words .

" your majesty," said she, " I_am the ruler of_the land of Oz, and I_have come here to ask_you to release the good queen of Ev and her ten children, whom you_have enchanted and hold as_your prisoners ."

"Oh, no; you_are mistaken about_that," replied the king ." they_are_not my prisoners, but my slaves, whom I purchased from_the king of Ev ."

" but that was wrong," said Ozma .

"According to_the laws of Ev, the king can do no wrong," answered the monarch, eying a ring of smoke he had just blown from_his mouth; " so_that he had a perfect right to_sell his family to_me in exchange for a long life ."

" you cheated him, though," declared Dorothy; " for_the king of Ev did_not have a long life . he jumped into_the sea and was drowned ."

" that was not my fault," said the Nome king, crossing his legs and smiling contentedly ." I_gave him the long life, all right; but he destroyed it ."

" then how could it be a long life ? " asked Dorothy .

" easily enough," was_the reply ." now suppose, my dear, that I gave_you a pretty doll in exchange for a lock of your hair, and_that after you had received the doll you smashed it into pieces and destroyed it . could you say that I had_not given you a pretty doll ? "

" no," answered Dorothy .

" and could you, in fairness, ask me to return to_you the lock of hair, just because you had smashed the doll ? "

" no," said Dorothy, again .

" of_course not," the Nome king returned ." nor will I_give up the queen and her children because the king of Ev destroyed his long life by jumping into_the sea . they belong to_me and I_shall keep them ."

" but you_are treating them cruelly," said Ozma, who was much distressed by_the king's refusal .

" in what way ? " he asked .

" by making them your slaves," said she .

" cruelty," remarked the monarch, puffing out wreathes of smoke and watching them float into_the air, " is a thing I_can't abide . so, as slaves must work hard, and_the queen of Ev and her children were delicate and tender, I transformed them all into articles of ornament and bric-a-brac and scattered them around the various rooms of_my palace . instead of being obliged to labor, they merely decorate my apartments, and I really think I_have treated them with great kindness ."

" but what a dreadful fate is theirs ! " exclaimed Ozma, earnestly ." and_the kingdom of Ev is in great need of_its royal family to govern it . if_you_will liberate them, and restore them to_their proper forms, i_will give_you ten ornaments to replace each_one you lose ."

the Nome king looked grave .

" suppose I refuse ? " he asked .

" then," said Ozma, firmly, " I_am here with my friends and my army to conquer your kingdom and oblige you to obey my wishes ."

the Nome king laughed until he choked; and he choked until he coughed; and he coughed until his face turned from grayish- brown to bright red . and then he wiped his eyes with a rock- colored handkerchief and grew grave again .

" you_are as brave as_you_are pretty, my dear," he_said to Ozma ." but you_have little idea of_the extent of_the task you_have undertaken . come with me for a moment ."

he arose and took Ozma's hand, leading her to a little door at one side of_the room . this he opened and_they stepped out upon a balcony, from whence they obtained a wonderful view of_the underground world .

a vast cave extended for miles and miles under the mountain, and in every direction were furnaces and forges glowing brightly and Nomes hammering upon precious metals or polishing gleaming jewels . all around the walls of_the cave were thousands of doors of silver and gold, built into_the solid rock, and these extended in rows far away into_the distance, as far as Ozma's eyes could follow them .

while the little maid from Oz gazed wonderingly upon_this scene the Nome king uttered a shrill whistle, and at once all the silver and gold doors flew open and solid ranks of Nome soldiers marched out from every_one . so great were their numbers that_they quickly filled the immense underground cavern and forced the busy workmen to abandon their tasks .

although this tremendous army consisted of rock- colored Nomes, all squat and fat, they were clothed in glittering armor of polished steel, inlaid with beautiful gems . upon his brow each wore a brilliant electric light, and_they bore sharp spears and swords and battle-axes of solid bronze . it_was evident they were perfectly trained, for they stood in straight rows, rank after rank, with their weapons held erect and true, as_if awaiting but the word of command to level them upon their foes .

" this," said the Nome king, " is but a small part of_my army . no ruler upon earth has ever dared to fight me, and no ruler ever will, for I_am too powerful to oppose ."

he whistled again, and at once the martial array filed through_the silver and gold doorways and disappeared, after which the workmen again resumed their labors at_the furnaces .

then, sad and discouraged, Ozma of Oz turned to her friends, and_the Nome king calmly reseated himself on_his rock throne .

" it would_be foolish for_us to fight," the girl said to_the tin woodman ." for_our brave Twenty-Seven would_be quickly destroyed .I'm sure I_do_not know how to act in_this emergency ."

" ask_the king where his kitchen is," suggested the tiger ."I'm hungry as a bear ."

" I_might pounce upon_the king and tear him in pieces," remarked the cowardly lion .

" try it," said the monarch, lighting his pipe with another hot coal which he_took from_his pocket .

the lion crouched low and tried to spring upon_the Nome king; but he hopped only a little way into_the air and came down again in_the same place, not being able to approach the throne by even an inch .

" it seems to_me," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully, " that_our best plan is to wheedle his

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