Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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the last thing is_the easiest of all to_get, and I'm sure that my dear Unc Nunkie-- and good Margolotte, as_well-- will soon be restored to life ."

the Munchkin boy said this with much pride and pleasure .

" good ! " exclaimed the tin woodman; "I congratulate you . but what_is the fifth and last thing you_need, in_order to complete the magic charm ? "

" the left wing of a yellow butterfly," said Ojo ." in_this yellow country, and with your kind assistance, that ought_to_be very easy to_find ."

the tin woodman stared at him in amazement .

" surely you_are joking ! " he_said .

" no," replied Ojo, much surprised; " I_am in earnest ."

" but do_you_think for a moment that i_would permit you, or anyone else, to pull the left wing from a yellow butterfly ? " demanded the tin woodman sternly .

" why_not, sir ? "

" why_not ? you ask me why_not ? it would_be cruel-- one_of_the_most cruel and heartless deeds I ever heard of," asserted the tin woodman ." the butterflies are among_the prettiest of all created things, and_they are very sensitive to pain . to tear a wing from one would cause it exquisite torture and it would soon die in great agony . i_would_not permit such a wicked deed under any circumstances ! "

Ojo was astounded at hearing this . Dorothy, too, looked grave and disconcerted, but she knew in her heart that_the tin woodman was right . the Scarecrow nodded his head in approval of_his friend's speech, so it_was evident that he agreed with_the emperor's decision .Scraps looked from one to another in perplexity .

" who cares for a butterfly ? " she asked .

"Don't you ? " inquired the tin woodman .

" not the snap of a finger, for I_have no heart," said the patchwork girl ." but i_want to help Ojo, who_is my friend, to rescue the uncle whom he loves, and I'd kill a dozen useless butterflies to enable him to do_that ."

the tin woodman sighed regretfully .

" you_have kind instincts," he_said, " and with a heart you_would indeed be a fine creature . I_cannot blame you for your heartless remark, as_you_cannot understand the feelings of_those who possess hearts .I, for instance, have a very neat and responsive heart which the wonderful wizard of Oz once gave_me, and so I_shall never-- never-- never permit a poor yellow butterfly to_be tortured by anyone ."

" the yellow country of_the Winkies," said Ojo sadly, " is_the only place in Oz where a yellow butterfly can_be found ."

"I'm glad of_that," said the tin woodman ." as I rule the Winkie country, I_can protect my butterflies ."

" unless I get the wing-- just one left wing--" said Ojo miserably, " I_can't save Unc Nunkie ."

" then he_must remain a marble statue forever," declared the tin emperor, firmly .

Ojo wiped his eyes, for he_could_not hold back the tears .

"I'll tell you what to_do," said Scraps ." we'll take a whole yellow butterfly, alive and well, to_the crooked magician, and let him pull the left wing off ."

" no, you won't," said the tin woodman ." you_can't have one of_my dear little butterflies to treat in_that way ."

" then what in_the_world shall we_do ? " asked Dorothy .

they all became silent and thoughtful . no one spoke for_a_long_time . then the tin woodman suddenly roused himself and said:

" we_must all go back to_the emerald city and ask Ozma's advice . she's a wise little girl, our ruler, and she may find a way to help Ojo save his Unc Nunkie ."

so the following morning the party started on_the journey to_the emerald city, which they reached in due time without any important adventure . it_was a sad journey for Ojo, for without the wing of_the yellow butterfly he_saw no way to save Unc Nunkie-- unless he waited six years for_the crooked magician to_make a new lot of_the powder of life . the boy was utterly discouraged, and as he walked along he groaned aloud .

" is anything hurting you ? " inquired the tin woodman in a kindly tone, for_the emperor was with_the party .

"I'm Ojo the unlucky," replied the boy ." I_might_have known i_would fail in anything I tried to_do ."

" why are_you Ojo the unlucky ? " asked the tin man .

" because i_was born on a Friday ."

" Friday is_not unlucky," declared the emperor ." it's just one of seven days . do_you suppose all the world becomes unlucky one-seventh of_the time ? "

" it was_the thirteenth day of_the month," said Ojo .

"Thirteen ! Ah, that_is indeed a lucky number," replied the tin woodman ." all my good luck seems to happen on_the thirteenth .I suppose most people never notice the good luck that comes to_them with_the number 13, and yet if_the least bit of bad luck falls on_that_day, they blame it to_the number, and not to_the proper cause ."

"Thirteen's my lucky number, too," remarked the Scarecrow .

" and mine," said Scraps ."I've just thirteen patches on my head ."

" but," continued Ojo, "I'm left- handed ."

" many of_our greatest men are that way," asserted the emperor ." to_be left- handed is usually to_be two- handed; the right- handed people are usually one- handed ."

" and I've a wart under my right arm," said Ojo .

" how lucky ! " cried the tin woodman ." if_it were on_the end of your nose it might_be unlucky, but under your arm it_is luckily out_of_the way ."

" for all those reasons," said the Munchkin boy, " I_have_been called Ojo the unlucky ."

" then we_must turn over a new leaf and call you henceforth Ojo the lucky," declared the tin man ." every reason you_have given is absurd . but I_have noticed that_those who continually dread ill luck and fear it_will overtake them, have no time to_take advantage of any good fortune that comes their way . make up your mind to_be Ojo the lucky ."

" how can I ? " asked the boy, " when all my attempts to save my dear uncle have failed ? "

" never give up, Ojo," advised Dorothy ." no one ever knows what's going to happen next ."

Ojo did_not reply, but he_was so dejected that even their arrival at_the emerald city failed to interest him .

the people joyfully cheered the appearance of_the tin woodman, the Scarecrow and Dorothy, who were all three general favorites, and on entering the royal palace word came to_them from Ozma that she_would at once grant them an audience .

Dorothy told the girl ruler how successful they had_been in their quest until they came to_the item of_the yellow butterfly, which the tin woodman positively refused to sacrifice to_the magic potion .

" he_is quite right," said Ozma, who did_not seem a bit surprised ." had Ojo told me that one_of_the things he sought was_the wing of a yellow butterfly i_would_have informed him, before he started out, that he_could never secure it . then you_would_have_been saved the troubles and annoyances of your long journey ."

"I didn't mind the journey at all," said Dorothy; " it_was fun ."

" as it has turned out," remarked Ojo, " I_can never get the things the crooked magician sent me for; and so, unless I wait the six years for him to make_the powder of life, Unc Nunkie cannot_be saved ."

Ozma smiled .

"Dr .Pipt will make no more powder of life, I promise you," said she ." I_have sent for him and had him brought to_this palace, where he now is, and_his four kettles have_been destroyed and_his book of recipes burned up . I_have also had brought here the marble statues of your uncle and of Margolotte, which are standing in_the next room ."

they were all greatly astonished at_this announcement .

"Oh, let me see Unc Nunkie ! let me see him at once, please ! " cried Ojo eagerly .

" wait a moment," replied Ozma, " for I_have something more to_say . nothing that happens in_the land of Oz escapes the notice of_our wise sorceress, Glinda the good . she knew all about_the magic-making of Dr .Pipt, and how he had brought the glass Cat and_the patchwork girl to life, and_the accident to Unc Nunkie and Margolotte, and of Ojo's quest and_his journey with Dorothy .Glinda also knew that Ojo would fail to_find all the things he sought, so she sent for_our wizard and instructed him what to_do . something is going to happen in_this palace, presently, and_that ' something' will, I_am_sure, please you all . and now," continued the girl ruler, rising from her chair, " you_may follow me into_the next room ."

chapter Twenty-Eight

the wonderful wizard of Oz

when Ojo entered the room he ran quickly to_the statue of Unc Nunkie and kissed the marble face affectionately .

" I_did my best, Unc," he_said, with a sob, " but it_was no use ! "

then he drew back and looked around the room, and_the sight of_the assembled company quite amazed him .

aside from_the marble statues of Unc Nunkie and Margolotte, the glass Cat was there, curled up on arug; and_the woozy was there, sitting on its square hind legs and looking on_the scene with solemn interest; and there_was the shaggy man, in a suit of shaggy pea- green satin, and at a table sat the little wizard, looking quite important and as_if he_knew much more than he cared to_tell .

last of all, Dr .Pipt was there, and_the crooked magician sat humped up in a chair, seeming very dejected but keeping his eyes fixed on_the lifeless form of_his wife Margolotte, whom he fondly loved but whom he now feared was lost to him forever .

Ozma took a chair which Jellia Jamb wheeled forward for_the ruler, and back of her stood the Scarecrow, the tin woodman and Dorothy, as_well as_the cowardly lion and_the hungry tiger . the wizard now arose and made a low bow to Ozma and another less deferent bow to_the assembled company .

"Ladies and gentlemen and beasts," he_said, "I beg to announce that_our gracious ruler has permitted me to obey the commands of_the great sorceress, Glinda the good, whose humble assistant I_am proud to_be . we_have discovered that_the crooked magician has_been indulging in_his magical arts contrary to law, and therefore, by royal edict, I hereby deprive him of all power to work magic in_the_future . he_is no longer a crooked magician, but a simple Munchkin; he_is no longer even crooked, but a man like other men ."

as he pronounced these words the wizard waved his hand toward Dr .Pipt and instantly every crooked limb straightened out and became perfect . the former magician, with a cry of joy, sprang to_his feet, looked at himself in wonder, and then fell back in_his chair and watched the wizard with fascinated interest .

" the glass Cat, which Dr .Pipt lawlessly made," continued the wizard, " is a pretty cat, but its pink brains made it so conceited that_it_was a disagreeable companion to everyone . so the other day i_took away the pink brains and replaced them with transparent ones, and now the glass Cat is so modest and well behaved that Ozma has decided to_keep her in_the palace as a pet ."

" i_thank_you," said the cat, in a soft voice .

" the woozy has proved himself a good woozy and a faithful friend," the wizard went on, " so we_will send_him to_the royal menagerie, where he_will_have good care and plenty to eat all his life ."

" much obliged," said the woozy ." that beats being fenced up in a lonely forest and starved ."

" as for_the patchwork girl," resumed the wizard, " she_is so remarkable in appearance, and so clever and good tempered, that_our gracious ruler intends to preserve her carefully, as one_of_the curiosities of_the curious land of Oz .Scraps may live in_the palace, or wherever she pleases, and be nobody's servant but her own ."

" that's all right," said Scraps .

" we_have all been interested in Ojo," the little wizard continued, " because his love for_his unfortunate uncle has led him bravely to_face all sorts of dangers, in_order_that he might rescue him . the Munchkin boy has a loyal and generous heart and has_done his best to restore Unc Nunkie to life . he has failed, but there_are others more powerful than_the crooked magician, and there_are more ways than Dr .Pipt knew of to destroy the charm of_the liquid of petrifaction .Glinda the good has told me of one_way, and you shall now learn how great is_the knowledge and power of_our peerless sorceress ."

as he_said this the wizard advanced to_the statue of Margolote and made a magic pass, at_the same time muttering a magic word that none could hear distinctly . at once the woman moved, turned her head wonderingly this_way and_that, to note all who stood before her, and seeing Dr .Pipt, ran forward and threw herself into her husband's outstretched arms .

then the wizard made the magic pass and spoke the magic word before_the statue of Unc Nunkie . the old Munchkin immediately came to life and with a low bow to_the wizard said: " thanks ."

but now Ojo rushed up and threw his arms joyfully about his uncle, and_the old man hugged his little nephew tenderly and stroked his hair and wiped away the boy's tears with a handkerchief, for Ojo was crying from pure happiness .

Ozma came forward to congratulate them .

" I_have_given to_you, my dear Ojo and Unc Nunkie, a nice house just outside the walls of_the emerald city," she said, " and there you shall make your future home and be under my protection ."

"Didn't I_say you were Ojo the lucky ? " asked the tin woodman, as everyone crowded around to shake Ojo's hand .

" yes; and it_is true ! " replied Ojo, gratefully .

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