Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]
stone hall hung all over with rusty armor, and seated on a great stone chair, snoring so loudly that all the steel helmets rattled, was a knight . the tallest and crossest of_the Pokes rushed at him with a long poker, giving him such a shove that he sprawled to_the floor .

" so --" yawned the cowardly lion, awakened by_the clatter, " knight has fallen ! "

"Prisoners -- sir Hokus ! " shouted the chief poker, lifting the knight's plume and speaking into_the helmet as_if he were telephoning .

the knight arose with great dignity, and after straightening his armor, let down his visor, and Dorothy saw a kind, timid face with melancholy blue eyes -- not at all Pokish, as she explained to Ozma later .

" what means this unwonted clamor ? " asked sir Hokus, peering curiously at_the prisoners .

" we're sorry to waken you," said Dorothy politely, " but could you please give_us some breakfast ? "

"A lot ! " added the cowardly lion, licking his chops .

" it's safer for_me to sing," said the knight mournfully, and throwing back his head, he roared in a high, hoarse voice:

"Don't yawn ! Don't yawn ! we're out of breath -- begone -- begone or die the death ! "

the cowardly lion growled threateningly and began lashing his tail .

" if he weren't in a can, I'd eat him," he rumbled, " but I never could abide tinned meat ."

" he's not in a can, he's in armor," explained Dorothy, too interested to_pay much attention to_the cowardly lion, for at_the first note of_the knight's song, the Pokes began scowling horribly, and by_the_time he had finished they were backing out_of_the room faster than Dorothy ever imagined they_could go .

" so_that's why the sign said don't sing," thought Dorothy to herself . the air seemed clearer somehow, and she no longer felt sleepy .

when_the last poke had disappeared, the knight sighed and climbed gravely back on_his stone chair .

" my singing makes them very wroth . in faith, they_cannot endure music; it wakens them," explained sir Hokus ." but hold, 'twas food you asked of me . breakfast, I believe you called it ." with an uneasy glance at_the cowardly lion, who was sniffing the air hungrily, the knight banged on_his steel armor with_his sword, and a fat, lazy poke shuffled slowly into_the hall .

"Pid, bring the stew," roared sir Hokus as_the poke stood blinking at them dully .

" stew, Pid ! " he repeated loudly, and began to hum under his breath, at which Pid fairly ran out_of_the room, returning in_a_few_minutes with a large yellow bowl . this he handed ungraciously to Dorothy . then he brought a great copper tub of_the stuff for_the cowardly lion and retired sulkily .

Dorothy thought she had never tasted anything more delicious . the cowardly lion was gulping down his share with closed eyes, and both, I_am very sorry to_say, forgot even to thank sir Hokus .

" are_you perchance a damsel in distress ? "

quite startled, Dorothy looked up from her bowl and saw the knight regarding her wistfully .

" she's in Pokes, and_that's the same thing," said the cowardly lion without opening his eyes .

" we're lost," began the little girl, " but --"

there_was something so quaint and gentle about_the knight, that she soon found herself talking to him like an old friend . she told him all of_their adventures since leaving the emerald city and even told about_the disappearance of_the Scarecrow .

"Passing strange, yet how refreshing," murmured sir Hokus ." and if I seem a little behind times, you_must not blame me . for centuries, I_have dozed in_this gray castle, and it cometh over me that things have greatly changed . this beast now, he talks quite manfully, and this kingdom that you mention, this Oz ? never heard of it ! "

" never heard of Oz ? " gasped the little girl ." why, you're a subject of Oz, and Pokes is in Oz, though I don't know just where ."

here Dorothy gave him a short history of_the fairy country, and of_the many adventures she had had since she had come there . sir Hokus listened with growing melancholy .

" to_think," he sighed mournfully, " that i_was prisoner here while all that was happening ! "

" are_you a prisoner ? " asked Dorothy in surprise ." i_thought you were king of_the Pokes ! "

"Uds daggers ! " thundered sir Hokus so suddenly that Dorothy jumped ." I_am a knight ! "

Seeing her startled expression, he controlled himself ." i_was a knight," he continued brokenly ." long centuries_ago, mounted on my goodly steed, I fared from my father's castle to offer my sword to a mighty king . his name ? " sir Hokus tapped his forehead uncertainly ." go to, I_have forgot ."

" could it have_been king Arthur ? " exclaimed Dorothy, wide- eyed with interest ." why, just think of your being still alive ! "

" that's just the point," choked the knight ."I've been alive -- still, so still that I've forgotten everything . why, I_can't even remember how I used to_talk," he confessed miserably .

" but how did you get here ? " rumbled the cowardly lion, who did_not like being left out_of_the conversation .

"I had barely left my father's castle before I met a stranger," said sir Hokus, sitting up very straight, " who challenged me to battle .I spurred my horse forward, our lances met, and_the stranger was unseated . but by my faith, 'twas no mortal knight ." sir Hokus sighed deeply and lapsed into silence .

" what happened ? " asked Dorothy curiously, for sir Hokus seemed to_have forgotten them .

" the knight," said he with another mighty sigh, " struck the ground with_his lance and cried, ' live wretch, for centuries in_the stupidest country out_of_the world,' and disappeared . and here -- here I_am ! " with adespairing gesture, sir Hokus arose, big tears splashing down his armor .

" I_feel that I_am brave, very brave, but how am I to_know until I_have encountered danger ? Ah, friends, behold in me a knight who has never had a real adventure, never killed a dragon, nor championed a lady, nor gone on a quest ! "

Dropping on_his knees before_the little girl, sir Hokus took her hand ." let me go with_you on_this quest for_the valiant Scarecrow . let me be your good night ! " he begged eagerly .

" good night," coughed the cowardly lion, who, to_tell the truth, was feeling a bit jealous . but Dorothy was thrilled, and as sir Hokus continued to look at her pleadingly, she took off her hair ribbon and bound it ' round his arm .

" you shall be my own true knight, and I your lady fair ! " she announced solemnly, and exactly as she had read in books .

at_this interesting juncture the cowardly lion gave a tremendous yawn, and sir Hokus with an exclamation of alarm jumped to_his feet . the Pokes had returned to_the hall, and Dorothy felt herself falling asleep again .

up, up, my lieges and away ! we take_the field again -- for Ladies fair we fight today and king ! up, up, my merry men !

shrilled the knight as_if he were leading an army to battle . the Pokes opened both eyes, but did_not immediately retire . sir Hokus bravely swallowed a yawn and hastily clearing his throat shouted another song, which he evidently made up on_the spur of_the moment:

Avaunt ! be off ! be gone - methinks we'll be asleep in forty winks !

this_time the Pokes left sullenly, but the effect of_their presence had thrown Dorothy, the cowardly lion, and_the knight into a violent fit of_the gapes .

" if I fall asleep, nothing can save you," said sir Hokus in an agitated voice ."Hah, hoh, hum ! Hah -- ! "

the knight's eyes closed .

"Don't do_it, don't do_it ! " begged Dorothy, shaking him violently ." can't we run away ? "

"I've been trying for five centuries," wailed the knight in a discouraged voice, " but I always fall asleep before I reach the gate, and_they bring me back here . they're rather fond of me in their slow way," he added apologetically .

"Couldn't you keep singing ? " asked the cowardly lion anxiously, for_the prospect of afive- century stay in Pokes was more than he_could bear .

"Couldn't we all sing ? " suggested Dorothy ." surely all three of us won't fall asleep at once ."

"I'm not much of a singer," groaned the cowardly lion, beginning to tremble, " but I'm willing to_do my share ! "

"I like you," said sir Hokus, going over and thumping the cowardly lion approvingly on_the back ." you ought_to_be knighted ! "

the lion blinked his eyes, for sir Hokus' iron fist bruised him severely, but knowing it_was kindly meant, he bore it bravely .

" I_am henceforth abeknighted lion," he whispered to Dorothy while sir Hokus was straightening his armor . next the knight took down an iron poker, which he handed to Dorothy .

" to wake us up with," he explained ." and now, lady Dorothy, if_you_are ready, we_will start on_the quest for_the honorable Scarecrow, and remember, everybody sing -- sing for your life ! "

chapter 6

SINGING their way out of POKES

Taking a deep breath, sir Hokus, the cowardly lion and Dorothy burst out_of_the hall singing at_the top of_their voices .

" three blind mice -- ! " sang Dorothy .

" across the plain ! " shouted sir Hokus .

" I_am the cowardly lion of Oz ! " roared the lion .

the Pokes were so taken aback at_the horrid sounds that_they ran scurrying right and left . in another minute the three were out_of_the castle and singing their way through_the gloomy garden . Dorothy stuck to_the three blind Mice . sir Hokus sang verse after verse of an old English ballad, and_the cowardly lion roared and gurgled a song of_his own making, which, considering it_was a first attempt, was not so bad:

I_am the cowardly lion of Oz ! be good ! begone ! beware ! Becoz when I_am scared full fierce I be; Br--rah--grr-- ruff, look out for_me !

the Pokes stumbled this_way and_that, and all went well until they rushed into a company of Pokes who were playing croquet . the slowness with_which they raised their mallets fascinated Dorothy, and she stopped to watch them in_spite of herself .

"Don't stop ! sing ! " growled the cowardly lion in_the middle of a line . to_make up for lost time, Dorothy closed her eyes and sang harder than ever, but alas ! next instant she fell over a wicket, which so deprived her of breath that she_could barely scramble up, let alone sing . as_soon_as she stopped singing, the Pokes paused in their flight, and as_soon_as they paused Dorothy began to gape .Singing for dear life, sir Hokus jerked Dorothy by_the arm, and_the cowardly lion roared so loud that_the Pokes covered their ears and began backing away .

" there_was a knight ! come on, come on ! " sang sir Hokus, and Dorothy came, and in_a_few_minutes was able to_take up the " three blind Mice" again . but running and singing at_the same time is_not an easy task . and running through Pokes is like trying to run through water .( you_know how hard that_is ? )

" three blind Mice -- uh -- hah -- three blind -- Mice -- uh-hah -- I_can't sing another note ! Thu -- ree-- ! " gasped poor Dorothy, stumbling along, while the cowardly lion was puffing like an engine . the Pokes in_the garden had recovered from their first alarm and were following at a safe distance . the gates of_the city were only a short distance off, but it seemed to Dorothy that she_could_not go another step .

a large group of Pokes had gathered at_the gates, and unless they_could sing their way through, they_would fall asleep and be carried ignominiously back to_the castle .

" now ! " wheezed sir Hokus, " remember, it_is for_the Scarecrow ! " all of_them swallowed, took a deep breath, and put their last remaining strength into their voices . but a wily poke who had stuffed some cotton in_his ears now approached pushing a little cart .

" take -- ! " he drawled, and before Dorothy realized what she was doing, she had accepted a cone from_the poke .

"Hah, hoh, hum ! why, it's hokey pokey ! " spluttered Dorothy, and with a deep sigh of delight she took a large bite of_the pink ice cream . how cool it felt on her dry throat ! she opened her mouth for a second taste, yawned terrifically, and fell with a thud to_the stone pavement .

" Dorothy ! " wailed sir Hokus, stopping short in_his song and bending over the little girl . the poor cowardly lion gave a gulp of despair and began running around the two, roaring and singing in achoked voice . the Pokes nodded to each_other in a pleased fashion, and_the chief poker started cautiously toward them with a long, thick rope . the cowardly lion redoubled his efforts . then, seeing sir Hokus about to_fall, he jumped on_the knight with all his strength . down crashed sir Hokus, his armor clanging against the stones that paved the gateway .

" sing ! " roared the cowardly lion, glaring at him fiercely . the fall wakened the poor knight, but he had_not the strength to rise .Sitting on_the hard stones and looking reproachfully at_the cowardly lion, he began his ballad in a half-hearted fashion . the cowardly lion's heart was like to burst between lack of breath and fear, but making one last tremendous effort and still roaring his song, he bounded at_the chief poker, seized the rope, and was back before_the stupid creature had time to yawn .

" tie it around your waist; take Dorothy in your arms ! " gasped the cowardly lion out_of_the corner of_his mouth . sir Hokus, though completely dazed, had just enough presence of mind to obey, and_the next minute the cowardly lion, growling between his teeth like a good fellow, was dashing through_the group of Pokes, the other end of_the rope in_his mouth .

Bumpety bump -- bump -- bump ! Bangety- bang- bang ! went sir Hokus over the cobbles, holding his helmet with one hand and Dorothy fast in_the other arm . the Pokes fell this_way and_that,

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]