Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl 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 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24]
some_of_the contents in Margolotte's dish . no one saw him do_this, for all were looking at_the powder of life; but soon the woman remembered what she had_been doing, and came back to_the cupboard .

" let's see," she remarked; " i_was about to_give my girl a little ' cleverness,' which_is the doctor's substitute for ' intelligence'--a quality he has_not_yet learned how to manufacture ." Taking down the bottle of " cleverness" she added some_of_the powder to_the heap on_the dish .Ojo became a bit uneasy at_this, for he had already put quite alot of_the " cleverness" powder in_the dish; but he dared not interfere and so he comforted himself with_the thought that one cannot_have too_much cleverness .

Margolotte now carried the dish of brains to_the bench .Ripping the seam of_the patch on_the girl's forehead, she placed the powder within_the head and then sewed up the seam as neatly and securely as before .

" my girl is all ready for your powder of life, my dear," she said to her husband . but the magician replied:

" this powder must not be used before to- morrow morning; but i_think it_is now cool enough to_be bottled ."

he selected a small gold bottle with a pepper- box top, so that_the powder might_be sprinkled on any object through_the small holes . very carefully he placed the powder of life in_the gold bottle and then locked it up in a drawer of_his cabinet .

" at last," said he, rubbing his hands together gleefully, " I_have ample leisure for a good talk with my old friend Unc Nunkie . so let_us sit down cosily and enjoy ourselves . after stirring those four kettles for six years I_am glad_to_have a little rest ."

" you_will_have to_do most of_the talking," said Ojo, " for Unc is called the silent one and uses few words ."

" I_know; but that renders your uncle a most agreeable companion and gossip," declared Dr .Pipt ." most people talk too_much, so it_is a relief to_find one who talks too little ."

Ojo looked at_the magician with much awe and curiosity .

"Don't you find it very annoying to_be so crooked ? " he asked .

" no; I_am quite proud of_my person," was_the reply ."I suppose I_am the only crooked magician in all the world . some others are accused of being crooked, but I_am the only genuine ."

he_was really very crooked and Ojo wondered how he managed to_do_so many things with_such a twisted body . when he sat down upon a crooked chair that had_been made to fit him, one knee was under his chin and_the other near the small of_his back; but he_was a cheerful man and_his face bore a pleasant and agreeable expression .

" I_am not allowed to perform magic, except for_my own amusement," he_told his visitors, as he lighted a pipe with a crooked stem and began to smoke ." too many people were working magic in_the land of Oz, and so our lovely princess Ozma put a stop to_it . i_think she was quite right . there were several wicked Witches who caused alot of trouble; but now they_are all out of business and only the great sorceress, Glinda the good, is permitted to practice her arts, which never harm anybody . the wizard of Oz, who used to_be a humbug and knew no magic at all, has_been taking lessons of Glinda, and I'm told he_is getting to_be a pretty good wizard; but he_is merely the assistant of_the great sorceress .I've the right to_make a servant girl for_my wife, you_know, or a glass Cat to catch our mice-- which she refuses to_do-- but I_am forbidden to work magic for others, or to use it as a profession ."

" magic must_be a very interesting study," said Ojo .

" it truly is," asserted the magician ." in my_time I've performed some magical feats that were worthy of_the skill of Glinda the good . for instance, there's the powder of life, and my liquid of petrifaction, which_is contained in_that bottle on_the shelf yonder-- over the window ."

" what does the liquid of petrifaction do ? " inquired the boy .

"Turns everything it touches to solid marble . it's an invention of_my own, and I_find it very useful . once two of_those dreadful Kalidahs, with bodies like bears and heads like tigers, came here from_the forest to attack us; but I sprinkled some_of_that liquid on them and instantly they turned to marble .I now use them as ornamental statuary in my garden . this table looks to_you like wood, and once it really was wood; but I sprinkled a few drops of_the liquid of petrifaction on_it and now it_is marble . it_will never break nor wear out ."

" fine ! " said Unc Nunkie, wagging his head and stroking his long gray beard .

" dear me; what achatterbox you're getting to_be, Unc," remarked the magician, who was pleased with_the compliment . but just then there came ascratching at_the back door and a shrill voice cried:

" let me in ! hurry up, can't you ? let me in ! "

Margolotte got up and went to_the door .

" ask like a good cat, then," she said .

"Mee-ee-ow-w-w ! there; does that suit your royal highness ? " asked the voice, in scornful accents .

" yes; that's proper cat talk," declared the woman, and opened the door .

at once acat entered, came to_the center of_the room and stopped short at_the sight of strangers .Ojo and Unc Nunkie both stared at it with wide open eyes, for surely no such curious creature had ever existed before-- even in_the land of Oz .

chapter Four

the glass Cat

the cat was_made of glass, 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, and it had a heart made of a blood- red ruby . the eyes were two large emeralds, but aside from_these colors all the rest of_the animal was clear glass, and it had a spun- glass tail that was really beautiful .

" well, Doc Pipt, do_you_mean to introduce us, or not ? " demanded the cat, in a tone of annoyance ."Seems to_me you_are forgetting your manners ."

" excuse me," returned the magician ." this_is Unc Nunkie, the descendant of_the former kings of_the Munchkins, before this country became a part of_the land of Oz ."

" he_needs a haircut," observed the cat, washing its face .

" true," replied Unc, with a low chuckle of amusement .

" but he has lived alone in_the heart of_the forest for many years," the magician explained; " and, although that_is a barbarous country, there_are no barbers there ."

" who is_the dwarf ? " asked the cat .

" that_is_not a dwarf, but a boy," answered the magician ." you_have never seen a boy before . he_is now small because he_is young . with more years he_will grow big and become as tall as Unc Nunkie ."

"Oh . is_that magic ? " the glass animal inquired .

" yes; but it_is nature's magic, which_is more wonderful than any art known to man . for instance, my magic made you, and made you live; and it_was a poor job because you_are useless and a bother to_me; but I_can't make you grow . you_will always be the same size-- and_the same saucy, inconsiderate glass Cat, with pink brains and a hard ruby heart ."

" no one can regret more than I the fact that you_made me," asserted the cat, crouching upon_the floor and slowly swaying its spun- glass tail from side to side ." your world is a very uninteresting place .I've wandered through your gardens and in_the forest until I'm tired of it all, and when I come into_the house the conversation of your fat wife and of yourself bores me dreadfully ."

" that_is because I gave_you different brains from those we ourselves possess-- and much too good for acat," returned Dr .Pipt .

" can't you take 'em out, then, and replace 'em with pebbles, so_that I won't feel above my station in life ? " asked the cat, pleadingly .

" perhaps so .I'll try it, after I've brought the patchwork girl to life," he_said .

the cat walked up_to_the bench on_which the patchwork girl reclined and looked at her attentively .

" are_you going to_make that dreadful thing live ? " she asked .

the magician nodded .

" it_is intended to_be my wife's servant maid," he_said ." when she_is alive she will do all our work and mind the house . but you_are_not to order her around, bungle, as_you_do us . you_must treat the patchwork girl respectfully ."

"I won't .I couldn't respect such a bundle of scraps under any circumstances ."

" if_you don't, there_will_be more scraps than you_will like," cried Margolotte, angrily .

" why didn't you make her pretty to look at ? " asked the cat ." you_made me pretty-- very pretty, indeed-- and I love to watch my pink brains roll around when_they're working, and to_see my precious red heart beat ." she went to a long mirror, as she said this, and stood before it, looking at herself with an air of much pride ." but that poor patched thing will hate herself, when she's once alive," continued the cat ." if I were you I'd use her for a mop, and make another servant that_is prettier ."

" you_have a perverted taste," snapped Margolotte, much annoyed at_this frank criticism ." i_think the patchwork girl is beautiful, considering what she's made of . even the rainbow hasn't as_many colors, and you_must admit that_the rainbow is a pretty thing ."

the glass Cat yawned and stretched herself upon_the floor .

" have your own way," she said ."I'm sorry for_the patchwork girl, that's all ."

Ojo and Unc Nunkie slept that night in_the magician's house, and_the boy was glad to stay because he_was anxious to_see the patchwork girl brought to life . the glass Cat was also a wonderful creature to little Ojo, who had never seen or known anything of magic before, although he had lived in_the fairyland of Oz ever_since he_was born . back there in_the woods nothing unusual ever happened .Unc Nunkie, who might_have_been king of_the Munchkins, had_not his people united with all the other countries of Oz in acknowledging Ozma as their sole ruler, had retired into_this forgotten forest nook with_his baby nephew and_they had lived all alone there . only that_the neglected garden had failed to grow food for_them, they_would always have lived in_the solitary blue forest; but now they had started out to mingle with other people, and_the first place they came to proved so interesting that Ojo could scarcely sleep a wink all night .

Margolotte was an excellent cook and gave them a fine breakfast . while they were all engaged in eating, the good woman said:

" this_is_the last meal I_shall_have to cook for some_time, for right after breakfast Dr .Pipt has promised to bring my new servant to life . I_shall let her wash the breakfast dishes and sweep and dust the house . what a relief it_will_be ! "

" it_will, indeed, relieve you of much drudgery," said the magician ." by_the_way, Margolotte, i_thought I_saw you getting some brains from_the cupboard, while i_was busy with my kettles . what qualities have_you given your new servant ? "

" only those that an humble servant requires," she answered ." I_do_not wish her to_feel above her station, as_the glass Cat does . that_would make her discontented and unhappy, for of_course she_must always be a servant ."

Ojo was somewhat disturbed as he listened to_this, and_the boy began to fear he had done wrong in adding all those different qualities of brains to_the lot Margolotte had prepared for_the servant . but it_was too late now for regret, since all the brains were securely sewn up inside the patchwork girl's head . he_might_have confessed what he had done and thus allowed Margolotte and her husband to_change the brains; but he_was afraid of incurring their anger . he believed that Unc had seen him add to_the brains, and Unc had_not said a word against it; but then, Unc never did say anything unless it_was absolutely necessary .

as_soon_as breakfast was over they all went into_the magician's big workshop, where the glass Cat was lying before_the mirror and_the patchwork girl lay limp and lifeless upon_the bench .

" now, then," said Dr .Pipt, in a brisk tone, " we_shall perform one_of_the greatest feats of magic possible to man, even in_this marvelous land of Oz . in no other country could it be_done at all . i_think we ought_to_have a little music while the patchwork girl comes to life . it_is pleasant to reflect that_the first sounds her golden ears will hear will_be delicious music ."

as he spoke he went to a phonograph, which screwed fast to a small table, and wound up the spring of_the instrument and adjusted the big gold horn .

" the music my servant will usually hear," remarked Margolotte, " will_be my orders to_do her work . but I_see no harm in allowing her to listen to_this unseen band while she wakens to her first realization of life . my orders will beat the band, afterward ."

the phonograph was now playing astirring march tune and_the magician unlocked his cabinet and took out the gold bottle containing the powder of life .

they all bent over the bench on_which the patchwork girl reclined .Unc Nunkie and Margolotte stood behind, near the windows, Ojo at one side and_the magician in front, where he_would_have freedom to sprinkle the powder . the glass Cat came near, too, curious to watch the important scene .

" all ready ? " asked Dr .Pipt .

" all is ready," answered his wife .

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24]