Oz 05: The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17]
a donkey's head to stick out and look at them .

it_was a white head, with big, awful ears and round, solemn eyes .

" have the foxes gone ? " it asked, in atrembling voice .

" they haven't been here, most stupendous majesty," replied the grey one ." the new arrivals prove to_be travelers of distinction ."

"Oh," said the king, in a relieved tone of voice ." let them come in ."

he opened the door wide, and_the party marched into a big room, which, Dorothy thought, looked quite unlike a king's palace . there were mats of woven grasses on_the floor and_the place was clean and neat; but his majesty had no other furniture at all-- perhaps because he didn't need it . he squatted down in_the center of_the room and a little brown donkey ran and brought a big gold crown which it placed on_the monarch's head, and a golden staff with a jeweled ball at_the end of it, which the king held between his front hoofs as he sat upright .

" now then," said his majesty, waving his long ears gently to and fro, " tell me why you_are here, and what you expect me to_do for_you ." he eyed button- bright rather sharply, as_if afraid of_the little boy's queer head, though it was_the shaggy man who undertook to reply .

" most noble and supreme ruler of Dunkiton," he_said, trying not to laugh in_the solemn king's face, " we_are strangers traveling through your dominions and_have entered your magnificent city because the road led through it, and there_was no way to_go around . all we_desire is to_pay our respects to your majesty-- the cleverest king in all the world, I'm sure-- and then to_continue on_our way ."

this polite speech pleased the king very_much; indeed, it pleased him so_much that_it proved an unlucky speech for_the shaggy man . perhaps the love magnet helped to win his majesty's affections as_well as_the flattery, but however this_may_be, the white donkey looked kindly upon_the speaker and said:

" only a donkey should_be able to use such fine, big words, and you_are too wise and admirable in all ways to_be amere man . also, I_feel that I love you as_well as I_do my own favored people, so i_will bestow upon you the greatest gift within my power--a donkey's head ."

as he spoke he waved his jeweled staff . although the shaggy man cried out and tried to leap backward and escape, it proved of no use . suddenly his own head was gone and a donkey head appeared in its place--a brown, shaggy head so absurd and droll that Dorothy and Polly both broke into merry laughter, and even button- bright's fox face wore a smile .

" dear me ! dear me ! " cried the shaggy man, feeling of_his shaggy new head and_his long ears ." what a misfortune-- what a great misfortune ! give_me back my own head, you stupid king-- if_you love me at all ! "

"Don't you like it ? " asked the king, surprised .

"Hee-haw ! I hate it ! take it away, quick ! " said the shaggy man .

" but I_can't do_that," was_the reply ." my magic works only_one way . I_can do things, but I_can't undo them . you'll have to_find the truth pond, and bathe in its water, in_order to_get back your own head . but I advise you not to do_that . this head is much more beautiful than_the old one ."

" that's a matter of taste," said Dorothy .

" where is_the truth pond ? " asked the shaggy man, earnestly .

" somewhere in_the land of Oz; but just the exact location of it I_can not tell," was_the answer .

"Don't worry, shaggy man," said Dorothy, smiling because her friend wagged his new ears so comically ." if_the truth pond is in Oz, we'll be_sure to_find it when we get there ."

"Oh ! are_you going to_the land of Oz ? " asked king Kik-a- bray .

"I don't know," she replied, " but we've been told we_are nearer the land of Oz than to Kansas, and if_that's so, the quickest way for_me to_get home is to_find Ozma ."

"Haw-haw ! do_you_know the mighty princess Ozma ? " asked the king, his tone both surprised and eager .

"' course I_do; she's my friend," said Dorothy .

" then perhaps you'll do me a favor," continued the white donkey, much excited .

" what_is it ? " she asked .

" perhaps you_can_get me an invitation to princess Ozma's birthday celebration, which will_be the grandest royal function ever held in fairyland .I'd love to_go ."

"Hee-haw ! you deserve punishment, rather than reward, for giving me this dreadful head," said the shaggy man, sorrowfully .

" i_wish you wouldn't say 'hee-haw' so_much," polychrome begged him; " it makes cold chills run down my back ."

" but I_can't help it, my dear; my donkey head wants to bray continually," he replied ."Doesn't your fox head want to yelp every_minute ? " he asked button- bright .

"Don't know," said the boy, still staring at_the shaggy man's ears . these seemed to interest him greatly, and_the sight also made him forget his own fox head, which_was a comfort .

" what do_you_think, Polly ? shall I promise the donkey king an invitation to Ozma's party ? " asked Dorothy of_the rainbow's daughter, who was flitting about_the room like a sunbeam because she_could never keep still .

" do as_you please, dear," answered polychrome ." he might help to amuse the guests of_the princess ."

" then, if_you_will give_us some supper and a place to sleep to- night, and_let_us get started on_our journey early to- morrow morning," said Dorothy to_the king, "I'll ask Ozma to invite you-- if I happen to_get to Oz ."

" good ! Hee-haw ! excellent ! " cried Kik-a- bray, much pleased ." you shall all have fine suppers and good beds . what food would you prefer, a bran mash or ripe oats in_the shell ? "

" neither one," replied Dorothy, promptly .

" perhaps plain hay, or some sweet juicy grass would suit you better," suggested Kik-a- bray, musingly .

" is_that all you_have to eat ? " asked the girl .

" what more do you_desire ? "

" well, you_see we're not donkeys," she explained, " and so we're used to other food . the foxes gave_us a nice supper in Foxville ."

" we'd like some dewdrops and mist-cakes," said polychrome .

"I'd prefer apples and a ham sandwich," declared the shaggy man, " for although I've a donkey head, I still have my own particular stomach ."

" i_want pie," said button- bright .

" i_think some beefsteak and chocolate layer- cake would taste best," said Dorothy .

"Hee-haw ! I declare ! " exclaimed the king ." it seems each_one of you wants a different food . how queer all living creatures are, except donkeys ! "

" and donkeys like you_are queerest of all," laughed polychrome .

" well," decided the king, "I suppose my magic staff will produce the things you crave; if_you_are lacking in good taste it_is_not my fault ."

with_this, he waved his staff with_the jeweled ball, and before them instantly appeared a tea- table, set with linen and pretty dishes, and on_the table were the very things each had wished for . Dorothy's beefsteak was smoking hot, and_the shaggy man's apples were plump and rosy-cheeked . the king had_not thought to_provide chairs, so they all stood in their places around the table and ate with good appetite, being hungry . the rainbow's daughter found three tiny dewdrops on a crystal plate, and button- bright had a big slice of apple pie, which he devoured eagerly .

Afterward the king called the brown donkey, which_was his favorite servant, and bade it lead his guests to_the vacant house where they were to_pass the night . it had only_one room and no furniture except beds of clean straw and a few mats of woven grasses; but our travelers were contented with_these simple things because they realized it was_the best the donkey- king had to offer them . as_soon_as it_was dark they lay down on_the mats and slept comfortably until morning .

at daybreak there_was a dreadful noise throughout_the city . every donkey in_the place brayed . when he heard this the shaggy man woke up and called out "Hee-haw ! " as loud as he_could .

" stop that ! " said button- bright, in a cross voice . both Dorothy and Polly looked at_the shaggy man reproachfully .

"I couldn't help it, my dears," he_said, as_if ashamed of_his bray; " but I'll try not to_do_it again ."

of coursed they forgave him, for as he still had the love magnet in_his pocket they were all obliged to love him as_much as ever .

they_did_not see the king again, but Kik-a- bray remembered them; for a table appeared again in their room with_the same food upon it as on_the night before .

"Don't want pie for breakfus'," said button- bright .

"I'll give_you some of_my beefsteak," proposed Dorothy; " there's plenty for_us all ."

that suited the boy better, but the shaggy man said he_was content with_his apples and sandwiches, although he ended the meal by eating button- bright's pie .Polly liked her dewdrops and mist-cakes better than any_other food, so they all enjoyed an excellent breakfast .Toto had the scraps left from_the beefsteak, and he stood up nicely on_his hind legs while Dorothy fed them to him .

breakfast ended, they passed through_the village to_the side opposite that by_which they had entered, the brown servant- donkey guiding them through_the maze of scattered houses . there_was the road again, leading far away into_the unknown country beyond .

" king Kik-a- bray says you_must not forget his invitation," said the brown donkey, as_they passed through_the opening in_the wall .

"I shan't," promised Dorothy .

perhaps no one ever beheld a more strangely assorted group than_the one which now walked along the road, through pretty green fields and past groves of feathery pepper-trees and fragrant mimosa . polychrome, her beautiful gauzy robes floating around her like a rainbow cloud, went first, dancing back and forth and darting now here to pluck a wild- flower or there to watch a beetle crawl across the path .Toto ran after her at times, barking joyously the while, only to_become sober again and trot along at Dorothy's heels . the little Kansas girl walked holding button- bright's hand clasped in her own, and_the wee boy with_his fox head covered by_the sailor hat presented an odd appeaance . strangest of all, perhaps, was_the shaggy man, with_his shaggy donkey head, who shuffled along in_the rear with_his hands thrust deep in_his big pockets .

none_of_the party was really unhappy . all were straying in an unknown land and had suffered more or less annoyance and discomfort; but they realized they were having a fairy adventure in a fairy country, and were much interested in finding out what would happen next .

8 . the Musicker

about_the middle of_the forenoon they began to_go up a long hill . by- and- by_this hill suddenly dropped down into a pretty valley, where the travelers saw, to_their surprise, a small house standing by_the road- side .

it was_the first house they had seen, and_they hastened into_the valley to discover who lived there . no one was in sight as_they approached, but when_they began to_get nearer the house they heard queer sounds coming from_it . they_could_not make these out at first, but as_they became louder our friends thought they heard a sort of music like that made by a wheezy hand- organ; the music fell upon their ears in_this_way:

Tiddle-widdle-iddle oom pom-pom ! Oom, pom-pom ! oom, pom-pom ! Tiddle-tiddle-tiddle oom pom-pom ! Oom, pom-pom--pah !

" what_is it, a band or a mouth- organ ? " asked Dorothy .

"Don't know," said button- bright .

"Sounds to_me like a played- out phonograph," said the shaggy man, lifting his enormous ears to listen .

"Oh, there just COULDN'T be afunnygraf in fairyland ! " cried Dorothy .

" it's rather pretty, isn't it ? " asked polychrome, trying to dance to_the strains .

Tiddle-widdle-iddle, oom pom-pom, Oom pom-pom; oom pom-pom !

came the music to_their ears, more distinctly as_they drew nearer the house . presently, they saw a little fat man sitting on a bench before_the door . he wore a red, braided jacket that reached to_his waist, a blue waistcoat, and white trousers with gold stripes down the sides . on_his bald head was perched a little, round, red cap held in place by a rubber elastic underneath his chin . his face was round, his eyes a faded blue, and he wore white cotton gloves . the man leaned on a stout gold- headed cane, bending forward on_his seat to watch his visitors approach .

singularly enough, the musical sounds they had heard seemed to_come from_the inside of_the fat man himself; for he_was playing no instrument nor was any to_be seen near him .

they came up and stood in a row, staring at him, and he stared back while the queer sounds came from_him as before:

Tiddle-iddle-iddle, oom pom-pom, Oom, pom-pom; oom pom-pom ! Tiddle-widdle-iddle, oom pom-pom, Oom, pom-pom--pah !

why, he's areg'lar musicker ! " said button- bright .

" what's amusicker ? " asked Dorothy .

" him ! " said the boy .

Hearing this, the fat man sat up a little stiffer than before, as_if he had received a compliment, and still came the sounds:

Tiddle-widdle-iddle, oom pom-pom, Oom pom-pom, oom--

" stop it ! " cried the shaggy man, earnestly ." stop that dreadful noise ."

the fat man looked at him sadly and began his reply . when he spoke the music changed and_the words seemed to accompany the notes . he_said-- or rather sang:

it isn't a noise that you hear, but music, harmonic and clear

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17]