Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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good_many laws seem foolish to_those people who_do_not understand them," she said; " but no law is ever made without some purpose, and_that purpose is usually to protect all the people and guard their welfare . as_you_are a stranger, i_will explain this law which to_you seems so foolish . years_ago there were many Witches and Magicians in_the land of Oz, and one_of_the things they often used in making their magic charms and transformations was asix-leaved clover . these Witches and Magicians caused so_much trouble among my people, often using their powers for evil rather than good, that I decided to forbid anyone to practice magic or sorcery except Glinda the good and her assistant, the wizard of Oz, both of whom I_can trust to use their arts only to benefit my people and to_make them happier . since I issued that law the land of Oz has_been far more peaceful and quiet; but I learned that some_of_the Witches and Magicians were still practicing magic on_the sly and using the six-leaved clovers to_make their potions and charms . therefore I_made another law forbidding anyone from plucking asix-leaved clover or from gathering other plants and herbs which the Witches boil in their kettles to work magic with . that has almost put an end to wicked sorcery in_our land, so you_see the law was not a foolish one, but wise and just; and, in any event, it_is wrong to disobey a law ."

Ojo knew she was right and felt greatly mortified to realize he had acted and spoken so ridiculously . but he raised his head and looked Ozma in_the face, saying:

" I_am sorry I_have acted wrongly and broken your law . I_did it to save Unc Nunkie, and thought I would_not_be found out . but I_am guilty of_this act and whatever punishment you_think I deserve i_will suffer willingly ."

Ozma smiled more brightly, then, and nodded graciously .

" you_are forgiven," she said ." for, although you_have committed a serious fault, you_are now penitent and i_think you_have_been punished enough . soldier, release Ojo the lucky and--"

"I beg your pardon; I'm Ojo the unlucky," said the boy .

" at_this moment you_are lucky," said she ." release him, soldier, and let him go free ."

the people were glad_to_hear Ozma's decree and murmured their approval . as_the royal audience was now over, they began to leave the throne room and soon there were none remaining except Ojo and_his friends and Ozma and her favorites .

the girl ruler now asked Ojo to sit down and tell her all his story, which he_did, beginning at_the_time he had left his home in_the forest and ending with_his arrival at_the emerald city and_his arrest .Ozma listened attentively and was thoughtful for some moments after_the boy had finished speaking . then she said:

" the crooked magician was wrong to make_the glass Cat and_the patchwork girl, for it_was against the law . and if he had_not unlawfully kept the bottle of liquid of petrifaction standing on_his shelf, the accident to_his wife Margolotte and to Unc Nunkie could_not have occurred . I_can understand, however, that Ojo, who loves his uncle, will_be unhappy unless he_can save him . also I_feel it_is wrong to leave those two victims standing as marble statues, when_they ought_to_be alive . so I propose we allow Dr .Pipt to make_the magic charm which will save them, and_that we assist Ojo to_find the things he_is seeking . what do_you_think, wizard ? "

" that_is perhaps the best thing to_do," replied the wizard ." but after_the crooked magician has restored those poor people to life you_must take away his magic powers ."

" i_will," promised Ozma .

" now tell me, please, what magic things must you find ? " continued the wizard, addressing Ojo .

" the three hairs from_the woozy's tail I_have," said the boy ." that_is, I_have the woozy, and_the hairs are in_his tail . the six-leaved clover I--I--"

" you_may take it and keep it," said Ozma ." that_will_not be breaking the law, for_it is already picked, and_the crime of picking it_is forgiven ."

" thank_you ! " cried Ojo gratefully . then he continued: " the next thing I_must find is a gill of water from a dark well ."

the wizard shook his head ." that," said he, " will_be a hard task, but if_you travel far enough you_may discover it ."

" I_am willing to travel for years, if_it_will save Unc Nunkie," declared Ojo, earnestly .

" then you'd better begin your journey at once," advised the wizard .

Dorothy had_been listening with interest to_this conversation . now she turned to Ozma and asked: " may I go with Ojo, to help him ? "

" would you like to ? " returned Ozma .

" yes . I_know Oz pretty well, but Ojo doesn't know it at all .I'm sorry for_his uncle and poor Margolotte and I'd like to help save them . may I go ? "

" if_you_wish to," replied Ozma .

" if Dorothy goes, then I_must go to_take care of her," said the Scarecrow, decidedly ."A dark well can only be discovered in some out- of- the- way place, and there_may_be dangers there ."

" you_have my permission to accompany Dorothy," said Ozma ." and while you_are gone i_will take care of_the patchwork girl ."

"I'll take care of myself," announced Scraps, " for I'm going with_the Scarecrow and Dorothy .I promised Ojo to help him find the things he_wants and I'll stick to my promise ."

" very_well," replied Ozma ." but I_see no need for Ojo to take_the glass Cat and_the woozy ."

"I prefer to remain here," said the cat ."I've nearly been nicked half a dozen times, already, and if_they're going into dangers it's best for_me to_keep away from_them ."

" let Jellia Jamb keep her till Ojo returns," suggested Dorothy ." we won't need to take_the woozy, either, but he ought_to_be saved because of_the three hairs in_his tail ."

" better take me along," said the woozy ." my eyes can flash fire, you_know, and I_can growl--a little ."

"I'm sure you'll be safer here," Ozma decided, and_the woozy made no further objection to_the plan .

after consulting together they decided that Ojo and_his party should leave the very next_day to search for_the gill of water from a dark well, so they now separated to_make preparations for_the journey .

Ozma gave the Munchkin boy a room in_the palace for_that night and_the afternoon he passed with Dorothy--getting acquainted, as she said-- and receiving advice from_the shaggy man as_to where they_must go . the shaggy man had wandered in many parts of Oz, and so had Dorothy, for_that matter, yet neither of_them knew where a dark well was to_be found .

" if such a thing is anywhere in_the settled parts of Oz," said Dorothy, " we'd prob'ly have heard of it long_ago . if_it's in_the wild parts of_the country, no one there would need a dark well .P'raps there isn't such a thing ."

"Oh, there_must_be ! " returned Ojo, positively; " or else the recipe of Dr .Pipt wouldn't call for_it ."

" that's true," agreed Dorothy; " and, if_it's anywhere in_the land of Oz, we're bound to_find it ."

" well, we're bound to search for_it, anyhow," said the Scarecrow ." as for finding it, we_must trust to luck ."

"Don't do_that," begged Ojo, earnestly ."I'm called Ojo the unlucky, you_know ."

chapter Nineteen

trouble with_the Tottenhots

a day's journey from_the emerald city brought the little band of adventurers to_the home of jack Pumpkinhead, which_was a house formed from_the shell of an immense pumpkin . jack had made it himself and was very proud of it . there_was a door, and several windows, and through_the top was stuck astovepipe that led from a small stove inside . the door was reached by a flight of three steps and there_was a good floor on which_was arranged some furniture that was quite comfortable .

it_is certain that jack Pumpkinhead might_have had a much finer house to live in had he_wanted it, for Ozma loved the stupid fellow, who had_been her earliest companion; but jack preferred his pumpkin house, as it matched himself very_well, and in_this he_was not so stupid, after all .

the body of_this remarkable person was_made of wood, branches of trees of various sizes having been used for_the_purpose . this wooden framework was covered by a red shirt-- with white spots in_it-- blue trousers, a yellow vest, a jacket of green- and- gold and stout leather shoes . the neck was a sharpened stick on_which the pumpkin head was set, and_the eyes, ears, nose and mouth were carved on_the skin of_the pumpkin, very like a child's jack-o'- lantern .

the house of_this interesting creation stood in_the center of a vast pumpkin- field, where the vines grew in profusion and bore pumpkins of extraordinary size as_well as_those which were smaller . some_of_the pumpkins now ripening on_the vines were almost as large as jack's house, and he_told Dorothy he intended to add another pumpkin to_his mansion .

the travelers were cordially welcomed to_this quaint domicile and invited to_pass the night there, which they had planned to_do . the patchwork girl was greatly interested in jack and examined him admiringly .

" you_are quite handsome," she said; " but not as really beautiful as_the Scarecrow ."

jack turned, at_this, to examine the Scarecrow critically, and_his old friend slyly winked one painted eye at him .

" there_is no accounting for tastes," remarked the Pumpkinhead, with a sigh ." an old crow once told me i_was very fascinating, but of_course the bird might_have_been mistaken . yet I_have noticed that_the crows usually avoid the Scarecrow, who_is a very honest fellow, in_his way, but stuffed . I_am not stuffed, you_will observe; my body is good solid hickory ."

"I adore stuffing," said the patchwork girl .

" well, as for_that, my head is stuffed with pumpkin-seeds," declared jack ."I use them for brains, and when_they are fresh I_am intellectual . just now, I_regret to_say, my seeds are rattling a bit, so I_must soon get another head ."

"Oh; do_you change your head ? " asked Ojo .

" to_be_sure .Pumpkins are_not permanent, more's the pity, and in_time they spoil . that_is why I grow such a great field of pumpkins-- that I_may select a new head whenever necessary ."

" who carves the faces on them ? " inquired the boy .

"I do_that myself .I lift off my old head, place it on a table before me, and use the face for a pattern to_go by .Sometimes the faces I carve are better than others-- more expressive and cheerful, you_know-- but i_think they average very_well ."

before she had started on_the journey Dorothy had packed a knapsack with_the things she might need, and this knapsack the Scarecrow carried strapped to_his back . the little girl wore a plain gingham dress and a checked sunbonnet, as she knew they were best fitted for travel .Ojo also had brought along his basket, to_which Ozma had added a bottle of " square meal Tablets" and some fruit . but jack Pumpkinhead grew alot of things in_his garden besides pumpkins, so he cooked for_them a fine vegetable soup and gave Dorothy, Ojo and Toto, the only ones who found it necessary to eat, a pumpkin pie and some green cheese . for beds they_must use the sweet dried grasses which jack had strewn along one side of_the room, but that satisfied Dorothy and Ojo very_well .Toto, of_course, slept beside his little mistress .

the Scarecrow, Scraps and_the Pumpkinhead were tireless and had no need to sleep, so they sat up and talked together all night; but they stayed outside the house, under the bright stars, and talked in low tones so as not to disturb the sleepers . during the conversation the Scarecrow explained their quest for a dark well, and asked jack's advice where to_find it .

the Pumpkinhead considered the matter gravely .

" that_is going to_be a difficult task," said he, " and if I were you I'd take any ordinary well and enclose it, so as to_make it dark ."

" I_fear that wouldn't do," replied the Scarecrow ." the well must_be naturally dark, and_the water must never have seen the light of day, for otherwise the magic charm might_not work at all ."

" how_much of_the water do you_need ? " asked jack .

"A gill ."

" how_much is a gill ? "

" why--a gill is a gill, of_course," answered the Scarecrow, who did_not wish to display his ignorance .

" I_know ! " cried Scraps ." jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch--"

" no, no; that's wrong," interrupted the Scarecrow ." there_are two kinds of gills, i_think; one is a girl, and_the other is--"

"A gillyflower," said jack .

" no; a measure ."

" how big a measure ? "

" well, I'll ask Dorothy ."

so next morning they asked Dorothy, and she said:

"I don't just know how_much a gill is, but I've brought along a gold flask that holds a pint . that's more than a gill, I'm sure, and_the crooked magician may measure it to suit himself . but the thing that's bothering us most, jack, is to_find the well ."

jack gazed around the landscape, for he_was standing in_the doorway of_his house .

" this_is a flat country, so you won't find any dark wells here," said he ." you_must go into_the mountains, where rocks and caverns are ."

" and where is_that ? " asked Ojo .

" in_the Quadling country, which lies south of here," replied the Scarecrow ."I've known all along that we_must go to_the mountains ."

" so have I," said Dorothy .

" but-- goodness me ! -- the Quadling country is full of dangers," declared jack ."I've never been there myself, but--"

" I_have," said the Scarecrow ."I've faced the dreadful Hammerheads, which_have no arms and butt you like a goat; and I've faced the Fighting Trees, which bend down their branches to pound and whip you, and had many_other adventures there ."

" it's a wild country," remarked Dorothy, soberly, " and if_we go there we're sure to_have troubles of_our

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