Oz 09: The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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on_the day I wed Gloria ."

the king's eyes sparkled, for he loved wealth above everything; but the next moment he frowned deeply again .

" it won't help_us to kill Pon," he muttered ." what we_must do is kill Gloria's love for Pon ."

" that_is better, if_you_can find a way to_do_it," agreed Googly-Goo ." everything would come right if_you_could kill Gloria's love for_that gardener's boy . really, sire, now that I come to_think of it, there_must_be fully a bushel and a half of_those jewels ! "

just then a messenger entered the court to_say that_the banquet was prepared for_the strangers . so Cap'n bill, trot and button- bright entered the castle and were taken to a room where a fine feast was spread upon_the table .

"I don't like that lord Googly-Goo," remarked trot as she was busily eating .

" nor I," said Cap'n bill ." but from_the talk we heard I guess the gardener's boy won't get the princess ."

" perhaps not," returned the girl; " but I_hope old Googly doesn't get her, either ."

" the king means to_sell her for all those jewels," observed button- bright, his mouth half full of cake and jam .

" poor princess ! " sighed trot ."I'm sorry for her, although I've never seen her . but if she says no to Googly-Goo, and means it, what can they_do ? "

"Don't let_us worry about a strange princess," advised Cap'n bill ."I've a notion we're not too safe, ourselves, with_this cruel king ."

the two children felt the same way and all three were rather solemn during the remainder of_the meal .

when_they had eaten, the servants escorted them to_their rooms .Cap'n bill's room was way to one end of_the castle, very high up, and trot's room was at_the opposite end, rather low down . as for button- bright, they placed him in_the middle, so_that all were as far apart as they_could possibly be . they didn't like this arrangement very_well, but all the rooms were handsomely furnished and being guests of_the king they dared not complain .

after_the strangers had left the courtyard the king and Googly-Goo had a long talk together, and_the king said:

" I_cannot force Gloria to marry you just now, because those strangers may interfere .I suspect that_the wooden- legged man possesses great magical powers, or he_would never have_been_able to carry himself and those children across the deadly desert ."

"I don't like him; he looks dangerous," answered Googly-Goo ." but perhaps you_are mistaken about his being a wizard . why don't you test his powers ? "

" how ? " asked the king .

" send for_the wicked witch . she will tell you in a moment whether that wooden-legged person is a common man or a magician ."

"Ha ! that's a good idea," cried the king ." why didn't i_think of_the wicked witch before ? but the woman demands rich rewards for her services ."

" never mind; i_will pay her," promised the wealthy Googly-Goo .

so a servant was dispatched to summon the wicked witch, who lived but a few leagues from king Krewl's castle . while they awaited her, the withered old courtier proposed that_they pay a visit to princess Gloria and_see if she was not now in a more complaisant mood . so the two started away together and searched the castle over without finding Gloria .

at last Googly-Goo suggested she might_be in_the rear garden, which_was a large park filled with bushes and trees and surrounded by a high wall . and what_was their anger, when_they turned a corner of_the path, to_find in a quiet nook the beautiful princess, and kneeling before her, Pon, the gardener's boy ! with a roar of rage the king dashed forward; but Pon had scaled the wall by_means of a ladder, which still stood in its place, and when he_saw the king coming he ran up the ladder and made good his escape . but this left Gloria confronted by her angry guardian, the king, and by old Googly-Goo, who was trembling with a fury he_could_not express in words .

Seizing the princess by her arm the king dragged her back to_the castle .Pushing her into a room on_the lower floor he locked the door upon_the unhappy girl . and at_that moment the arrival of_the wicked witch was announced .

Hearing this, the king smiled, as a tiger smiles, showing his teeth . and Googly-Goo smiled, as a serpent smiles, for he had no teeth except a couple of fangs . and having frightened each_other with_these smiles the two dreadful men went away to_the royal council chamber to meet the wicked witch .

chapter Twelve

the wooden-Legged grass- hopper

now it so happened that trot, from_the window of her room, had witnessed the meeting of_the lovers in_the garden and had seen the king come and drag Gloria away . the little girl's heart went out in sympathy for_the poor princess, who seemed to her to_be one_of_the sweetest and loveliest young ladies she had ever seen, so she crept along the passages and from a hidden niche saw Gloria locked in her room .

the key was still in_the lock, so when_the king had gone away, followed by Googly-Goo, trot stole up_to_the door, turned the key and entered . the princess lay prone upon a couch, sobbing bitterly . trot went up_to her and smoothed her hair and tried to comfort her .

"Don't cry," she said ."I've unlocked the door, so you_can go away any_time you_want to ."

" it isn't that," sobbed the princess ." I_am unhappy because they_will_not let me love Pon, the gardener's boy ! "

" well, never mind; Pon isn't any great shakes, anyhow, seems to_me," said trot soothingly ." there_are lots of other people you_can love ."

Gloria rolled over on_the couch and looked at_the little girl reproachfully .

"Pon has won my heart, and I_can't help loving him," she explained . then with sudden indignation she added: " but I'll never love Googly-Goo -- never, as long as I live ! "

" i_should say not ! " replied trot ."Pon may not be much good, but old Googly is very, very bad . hunt around, and I'm sure you'll find someone worth your love . you're very pretty, you_know, and almost anyone ought to love you ."

" you don't understand, my dear," said Gloria, as she wiped the tears from her eyes with a dainty lace handkerchief bordered with pearls ." when_you_are older you_will realize_that a young lady cannot decide whom she will love, or choose the most worthy . her heart alone decides for her, and whomsoever her heart selects, she_must love, whether he amounts to much or not ."

trot was a little puzzled by_this speech, which seemed to her unreasonable; but she made no reply and presently Gloria's grief softened and she began to question the little girl about herself and her adventures . trot told her how they had happened to_come to Jinxland, and all about Cap'n bill and_the Ork and Pessim and_the bumpy man .

while they were thus conversing together, getting more and more friendly as_they became better acquainted, in_the council chamber the king and Googly-Goo were talking with_the wicked witch .

this evil creature was old and ugly . she had lost one eye and wore a black patch over it, so the people of Jinxland had named her "Blinkie ." of_course witches are forbidden to exist in_the land of Oz, but Jinxland was so_far removed from_the center of Ozma's dominions, and so absolutely cut off from_it by_the steep mountains and_the bottomless gulf, that_the laws of Oz were_not obeyed very_well in_that country . so there were several witches in Jinxland who were the terror of_the people, but king Krewl favored them and permitted them to exercise their evil sorcery .

Blinkie was_the leader of all the other witches and therefore the most hated and feared . the king used her witchcraft at times to assist him in carrying out his cruelties and revenge, but he_was always obliged to_pay Blinkie large sums of money or heaps of precious jewels before she_would undertake an enchantment . this made him hate the old woman almost as_much as his subjects did, but to- day lord Googly-Goo had agreed to_pay the witch's price, so the king greeted her with gracious favor .

" can_you destroy the love of princess Gloria for_the gardener's boy ? " inquired his majesty .

the wicked witch thought about_it before she replied:

" that's a hard question to answer . I_can do lots of clever magic, but love is a stubborn thing to conquer . when you_think you've killed it, it's liable to bob up again as strong as ever .I believe love and cats have nine lives . in other words, killing love is a hard job, even for a skillful witch, but I believe I_can do something that_will answer your purpose just as_well ."

" what_is that ? " asked the king .

" I_can freeze the girl's heart .I've got a special incantation for_that, and when Gloria's heart is thoroughly frozen she_can no longer love Pon ."

" just the thing ! " exclaimed Googly-Goo, and_the king was likewise much pleased .

they bargained a long_time as_to_the price, but finally the old courtier agreed to_pay the wicked witch's demands . it_was arranged that_they should take Gloria to Blinkie's house the next_day, to_have her heart frozen .

then king Krewl mentioned to_the old hag the strangers who had that day arrived in Jinxland, and said to her:

" i_think the two children -- the boy and_the girl -- are unable to harm me, but I_have a suspicion that_the wooden-legged man is a powerful wizard ."

the witch's face wore a troubled look when she heard this .

" if_you_are right," she said, " this wizard might spoil my incantation and interfere with me in other ways . so it_will_be best for_me to meet this stranger at once and match my magic against his, to decide which_is the stronger ."

" all right," said the king ." come with me and_I_will lead you to_the man's room ."

Googly-Goo did_not accompany them, as he_was obliged to_go home to_get the money and jewels he had promised to_pay old Blinkie, so the other two climbed several flights of stairs and went through many passages until they came to_the room occupied by Cap'n bill .

the sailor- man, finding his bed soft and inviting, and being tired with_the adventures he had experienced, had decided to_take a nap . when_the wicked witch and_the king softly opened his door and entered, Cap'n bill was snoring with_such vigor that he_did_not hear them at all .

Blinkie approached the bed and with her one eye anxiously stared at_the sleeping stranger .

"Ah," she said in a soft whisper, "I believe you_are right, king Krewl . the man looks to_me like a very powerful wizard . but by good luck I_have caught him asleep, so I_shall transform him before he wakes up, giving him such a form that he_will_be unable to oppose me ."

" careful ! " cautioned the king, also speaking low ." if he discovers what you_are doing he_may destroy you, and that_would annoy me because I_need you to attend to Gloria ."

but the wicked witch realized as_well as he_did that she_must be careful . she carried over her arm a black bag, from_which she now drew several packets carefully wrapped in paper . three of_these she selected, replacing the others in_the bag . two of_the packets she mixed together . and then she cautiously opened the third .

" better stand back, your majesty," she advised, " for if_this powder falls on you you_might_be transformed yourself ."

the king hastily retreated to_the end of_the room . as Blinkie mixed the third powder with_the others she waved her hands over it, mumbled a few words, and then backed away as quickly as she_could .

Cap'n bill was slumbering peacefully, all unconscious of what_was going on . puff ! a great cloud of smoke rolled over the bed and completely hid him from view . when_the smoke rolled away, both Blinkie and_the king saw that_the body of_the stranger had quite disappeared, while in_his place, crouching in_the middle of_the bed, was a little gray grasshopper .

one curious thing about_this grasshopper was_that the last joint of_its left leg was_made of wood . another curious thing -- considering it_was a grasshopper -- was_that it began talking, crying out in a tiny but sharp voice:

" here -- you people ! what do_you_mean by treating me so ? put me back where I belong, at once, or you'll be sorry ! "

the cruel king turned pale at hearing the grasshopper's threats, but the wicked witch merely laughed in derision . then she raised her stick and aimed a vicious blow at_the grasshopper, but before_the stick struck the bed the tiny hopper made a marvelous jump -- marvelous, indeed, when we consider that_it had a wooden leg . it rose in_the air and sailed across the room and passed right through_the open window, where it disappeared from their view .

" good ! " shouted the king ." we_are well rid of_this desperate wizard ." and then they both laughed heartily at_the success of_the incantation, and went away to complete their horrid plans .

after trot had visited a time with princess Gloria, the little girl went to button- bright's room but did_not find him there . then she went to Cap'n bill's room, but he_was not there because the witch and_the king had_been there before

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