Oz 05: The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum
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seem cold to_me, Polly," said Dorothy; " but perhaps you're not warmly dressed ."

"I'm so used to living nearer the sun," replied the rainbow's daughter, " that at first I feared i_would freeze down here . but my dance has warmed me some, and now I wonder how I_am ever to_get home again ."

" won't your father miss you, and look for_you, and let down another rainbow for_you ? "

" perhaps so, but he's busy just now because it rains in so_many parts of_the world at_this season, and he has_to set his rainbow in alot of different places . what would you advise me to_do, Dorothy ? "

" come with_us," was_the answer ."I'm going to_try to_find my way to_the emerald city, which_is in_the fairy land of Oz . the emerald city is ruled by a friend of_mine, the princess Ozma, and if_we_can manage to_get there I'm sure she will know a way to send_you home to your father again ."

" do_you really think so ? " asked polychrome, anxiously .

"I'm pretty sure ."

" then I'll go with_you," said the little maid; " for travel will help keep me warm, and father can find me in one part of_the world as_well as another-- if he gets time to look for_me ."

" come along, then," said the shaggy man, cheerfully; and_they started on once more .Polly walked beside Dorothy a while, holding her new friend's hand as_if she feared to let it go; but her nature seemed as light and buoyant as her fleecy robes, for suddenly she darted ahead and whirled round in a giddy dance . then she tripped back to_them with sparkling eyes and smiling cheeks, having regained her usual happy mood and forgotten all her worry about being lost .

they found her acharming companion, and her dancing and laughter-- for she laughed at times like the tinkling of a silver bell-- did much to enliven their journey and keep them contented .

6 . the city of Beasts

when noon came they opened the fox- king's basket of luncheon, and found a nice roasted turkey with cranberry sauce and some slices of bread and butter . as_they sat on_the grass by_the roadside the shaggy man cut up the turkey with_his pocket- knife and passed slices of it around .

" haven't you any dewdrops, or mist-cakes, or cloudbuns ? " asked polychrome, longingly .

"' course not," replied Dorothy ." we eat solid things, down here on_the earth . but there's a bottle of cold tea . try some, won't you ? "

the rainbow's daughter watched button- bright devour one leg of_the turkey .

" is_it good ? " she asked .

he nodded .

" do_you_think I_could eat it ? "

" not this," said button- bright .

" but I mean another piece ? "

"Don't know," he replied .

" well, I'm going to_try, for I'm very hungry," she decided, and took a thin slice of_the white breast of turkey which the shaggy man cut for her, as_well as a bit of bread and butter . when she tasted it polychrome thought the turkey was good-- better even than mist-cakes; but a little satisfied her hunger and she finished with a tiny sip of cold tea .

" that's about as_much as a fly would eat," said Dorothy, who was making a good meal herself ." but I_know some people in Oz who eat nothing at all ."

" who_are they ? " inquired the shaggy man .

" one is ascarecrow who's stuffed with straw, and_the other a woodman made out of tin . they haven't any appetites inside of 'em, you_see; so they never eat anything at all ."

" are they alive ? " asked button- bright .

"Oh yes," replied Dorothy; " and_they're very clever and very nice, too . if_we get to Oz I'll introduce them to_you ."

" do_you really expect to_get to Oz ? " inquired the shaggy man, taking a drink of cold tea .

"I don't know just what to 'spect," answered the child, seriously; " but I've noticed if I happen to_get lost I'm almost sure to_come to_the land of Oz in_the end, somehow 'r other; so I_may get there this_time . but I_can't promise, you_know; all I_can do is wait and_see ."

" will the Scarecrow scare me ? " asked button- bright .

" no; ' cause you're not a crow," she returned ." he has_the loveliest smile you ever saw-- only it's painted on and he_can't help it ."

luncheon being over they started again upon their journey, the shaggy man, Dorothy and button- bright walking soberly along, side by side, and_the rainbow's daughter dancing merrily before them .

Sometimes she darted along the road so swiftly that she was nearly out of sight, then she came tripping back to greet them with her silvery laughter . but once she came back more sedately, to_say:

" there's a city a little way off ."

"I 'spected that," returned Dorothy; " for_the fox- people warned us there_was one on_this road . it's filled with stupid beasts of some sort, but we musn't be afraid of 'em ' cause they won't hurt us ."

" all right," said button- bright; but polychrome didn't know whether it_was all right or not .

" it's a big city," she said, " and_the road runs straight through it ."

" never mind," said the shaggy man; " as long as I carry the love magnet every living thing will love me, and you_may_be_sure I shan't allow any of_my friends to_be harmed in any_way ."

this comforted them somewhat, and_they moved on again . pretty soon they came to a signpost that read:

"HAF aMYLE to DUNKITON ."

"Oh," said the shaggy man, " if_they're donkeys, we've nothing to fear at all ."

" they_may kick," said Dorothy, doubtfully .

" then we_will cut some switches, and make them behave," he replied . at_the first tree he cut himself a long, slender switch from one_of_the branches, and shorter switches for_the others .

"Don't be afraid to order the beasts around," he_said; " they're used to_it ."

before long the road brought them to_the gates of_the city . there_was a high wall all around, which had_been whitewashed, and_the gate just before our travelers was amere opening in_the wall, with no bars across it . no towers or steeples or domes showed above the enclosure, nor was any living thing to_be seen as our friends drew near .

suddenly, as_they were about to boldly enter through_the opening, there arose a harsh clamor of sound that swelled and echoed on every side, until they were nearly deafened by_the racket and had to_put their fingers to_their ears to_keep the noise out .

it_was like the firing of many cannon, only there were no cannon-balls or other missiles to_be seen; it_was like the rolling of mighty thunder, only not a cloud was in_the sky; it_was like the roar of countless breakers on a rugged seashore, only there_was no sea or other water anywhere about .

they hesitated to advance; but, as_the noise did no harm, they entered through_the whitewashed wall and quickly discovered the cause of_the turmoil . inside were suspended many sheets of tin or thin iron, and against these metal sheets a row of donkeys were pounding their heels with vicious kicks .

the shaggy man ran up_to_the nearest donkey and gave the beast a sharp blow with_his switch .

" stop that noise ! " he shouted; and_the donkey stopped kicking the metal sheet and turned its head to look with surprise at_the shaggy man . he switched the next donkey, and made him stop, and then the next, so_that gradually the rattling of heels ceased and_the awful noise subsided . the donkeys stood in a group and eyed the strangers with fear and trembling .

" what do_you_mean by making such a racket ? " asked the shaggy man, sternly .

" we were scaring away the foxes," said one_of_the donkeys, meekly ." usually they run fast enough when_they hear the noise, which makes them afraid ."

" there_are no foxes here," said the shaggy man .

"I beg to differ with_you . there's one, anyhow," replied the donkey, sitting upright on its haunches and waving a hoof toward button- bright ." we saw him coming and thought the whole army of foxes was marching to attack us ."

" button- bright isn't a fox," explained the shaggy man ." he's only wearing a fox head for a time, until he_can get his own head back ."

"Oh, I_see," remarked the donkey, waving its left ear reflectively ."I'm sorry we_made such a mistake, and had all our work and worry for nothing ."

the other donkeys by_this_time were sitting up and examining the strangers with big, glassy eyes . they made a queer picture, indeed; for they wore wide, white collars around their necks and_the collars had many scallops and points . the gentlemen-donkeys wore high pointed caps set between their great ears, and_the lady-donkeys wore sunbonnets with holes cut in_the top for_the ears to stick through . but they had no other clothing except their hairy skins, although many wore gold and silver bangles on their front wrists and bands of different metals on their rear ankles . when_they were kicking they had braced themselves with their front legs, but now they all stood or sat upright on their hind legs and used the front ones as arms .Having no fingers or hands the beasts were rather clumsy, as_you_may guess; but Dorothy was surprised to observe how_many things they_could do with their stiff, heavy hoofs .

some_of_the donkeys were white, some were brown, or gray, or black, or spotted; but their hair was sleek and smooth and their broad collars and caps gave them a neat, if whimsical, appearance .

" this_is a nice way to welcome visitors, I_must say ! " remarked the shaggy man, in a reproachful tone .

"Oh, we_did_not mean to_be impolite," replied agrey donkey which had_not spoken before ." but you were_not expected, nor did you send in your visiting cards, as_it_is proper to_do ."

" there_is some truth in_that," admitted the shaggy man; " but, now you_are informed that we_are important and distinguished travelers, I trust you_will accord us proper consideration ."

these big words delighted the donkeys, and made them bow to_the shaggy man with great respect . said the grey one:

" you shall be taken before his great and glorious majesty king Kik-a- bray, who_will greet you as becomes your exalted stations ."

" that's right," answered Dorothy ." take us to some one who knows something ."

"Oh, we all know something, my child, or we shouldn't be donkeys," asserted the grey one, with dignity ." the word ' donkey' means ' clever,' you_know ."

"I didn't know it," she replied ." i_thought it meant ' stupid' ."

" not at all, my child . if_you_will look in_the encyclopedia Donkaniara you_will_find I'm correct . but come; i_will myself lead you before our splendid, exalted, and most intellectual ruler ."

all donkeys love big words, so it_is no wonder the grey one used so_many_of_them .

7 . the shaggy man's transformation

they found the houses of_the town all low and square and built of bricks, neatly whitewashed inside and out . the houses were_not set in rows, forming regular streets, but placed here and there in a haphazard manner which made it puzzling for a stranger to_find his way .

" stupid people must_have streets and numbered houses in their cities, to guide them where to_go," observed the grey donkey, as he walked before_the visitors on_his hind legs, in an awkward but comical manner; " but clever donkeys know their way about without such absurd marks . moreover, a mixed city is much prettier than one with straight streets ."

Dorothy did_not agree with_this, but she said nothing to contradict it . presently she saw a sign on a house that read: " madam de Fayke, Hoofist," and she asked their conductor:

" what's a'hoofist,' please ? "

" one who reads your fortune in your hoofs," replied the grey donkey .

"Oh, I_see," said the little girl ." you_are quite civilized here ."

"Dunkiton," he replied, " is_the center of_the world's highest civilization ."

they came to a house where two youthful donkeys were whitewashing the wall, and Dorothy stopped a moment to watch them . they dipped the ends of_their tails, which were much like paint-brushes, into a pail of whitewash, backed up against the house, and wagged their tails right and left until the whitewash was rubbed on_the wall, after which they dipped these funny brushes in_the pail again and repeated the performance .

" that_must be fun," said button- bright .

" no, it's work," replied the old donkey; " but we_make our youngsters do all the whitewashing, to_keep them out of mischief ."

"Don't they go to school ? " asked Dorothy .

" all donkeys are born wise," was_the reply, " so the only school we_need is_the school of experience .Books are only for_those who_know nothing, and so are obliged to learn things from other people ."

" in other words, the more stupid one is, the more he thinks he_knows," observed the shaggy man . the grey donkey paid no attention to_this speech because he had just stopped before a house which had painted over the doorway a pair of hoofs, with a donkey tail between_them and a rude crown and sceptre above .

"I'll see if his magnificent majesty king Kik-a- bray is at home," said he . he lifted his head and called "Whee-haw ! whee-haw ! whee-haw ! " three times, in ashocking voice, turning about and kicking with_his heels against the panel of_the door . for a time there_was no reply; then the door opened far enough to permit a

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