Oz 09: The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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before her . so she made her way downstairs and questioned the servants . they said they had seen the little boy go out into_the garden, some_time_ago, but the old man with_the wooden leg they had_not seen at all .

therefore trot, not knowing what else to_do, rambled through_the great gardens, seeking for button- bright or Cap'n bill and not finding either of_them . this part of_the garden, which lay before_the castle, was not walled in, but extended to_the roadway, and_the paths were open to_the edge of_the forest; so, after two hours of vain search for her friends, the little girl returned to_the castle .

but at_the doorway a soldier stopped her .

"I live here," said trot, " so it's all right to let me in . the king has_given me a room ."

" well, he has taken it back again," was_the soldier's reply ." his majesty's orders are to_turn you away if_you attempt to enter . I_am also ordered to forbid the boy, your companion, to again enter the king's castle ."

" how ' bout Cap'n bill ? " she inquired .

" why, it seems he has mysteriously disappeared," replied the soldier, shaking his head ominously ." where he has gone to, I_can't make out, but I_can assure you he_is no longer in_this castle .I'm sorry, little girl, to disappoint you .Don't blame me; I_must obey my master's orders ."

now, all her life trot had_been accustomed to depend on Cap'n bill, so when_this good friend was suddenly taken from her she felt very miserable and forlorn indeed . she was brave enough not to cry before_the soldier, or even to let him see her grief and anxiety, but after she was turned away from_the castle she sought a quiet bench in_the garden and for a time sobbed as_if her heart would break .

it_was button- bright who found her, at last, just as_the sun had set and_the shades of evening were falling . he also had_been turned away from_the king's castle, when he tried to enter it, and in_the park he_came across trot .

" never mind," said the boy ." we_can find a place to sleep ."

" i_want Cap'n bill," wailed the girl .

" well, so do I," was_the reply ." but we haven't got him . where do_you s' pose he_is, trot ?

"I don't s' pose anything . he's gone, an' that's all I_know ' bout it ."

button- bright sat on_the bench beside her and thrust his hands in_the pockets of_his knickerbockers . then he reflected somewhat gravely for him .

"Cap'n bill isn't around here," he_said, letting his eyes wander over the dim garden, " so we_must go somewhere else if we_want to_find him . besides, it's fast getting dark, and if we_want to_find a place to sleep we_must get busy while we_can_see where to_go ."

he rose from_the bench as he_said this and trot also jumped up, drying her eyes on her apron . then she walked beside him out_of_the grounds of_the king's castle . they_did_not go by_the main path, but passed through an opening in a hedge and found themselves in a small but well- worn roadway .Following this for some distance, along awinding way, they came upon no house or building that_would afford them refuge for_the night . it became so dark that they_could scarcely see their way, and finally trot stopped and suggested that_they camp under a tree .

" all right," said button- bright, "I've often found that leaves make a good warm blanket . but -- look there, trot ! -- isn't that a light flashing over yonder ? "

" it certainly is, button- bright . let's go over and_see if_it's a house . whoever lives there couldn't treat us worse than_the king did ."

to reach the light they had to leave the road, so they stumbled over hillocks and brushwood, hand in hand, keeping the tiny speck of light always in sight .

they were rather forlorn little waifs, outcasts in a strange country and forsaken by their only friend and guardian, Cap'n bill . so they were very_glad when finally they reached a small cottage and, looking in through_its one window, saw Pon, the gardener's boy, sitting by a fire of twigs .

as trot opened the door and walked boldly in, Pon sprang up_to greet them . they told him of Cap'n bill's disappearance and how they had_been turned out_of_the king's castle . as_they finished the story Pon shook his head sadly .

" king Krewl is plotting mischief, I_fear," said he, " for to- day he sent for old Blinkie, the wicked witch, and with my own eyes I_saw her come from_the castle and hobble away toward her hut . she had_been with_the king and Googly-Goo, and i_was afraid they were going to work some enchantment on Gloria so she_would no longer love me . but perhaps the witch was only called to_the castle to enchant your friend, Cap'n bill ."

" could she do_that ? " asked trot, horrified by_the suggestion .

"I suppose so, for old Blinkie can do alot of wicked magical things ."

" what sort of an enchantment could she put on Cap'n bill ? "

"I don't know . but he has disappeared, so I'm pretty certain she has_done something dreadful to him . but don't worry . if_it has happened, it can't be helped, and if_it hasn't happened we_may_be_able to_find him in_the morning ."

with_this Pon went to_the cupboard and brought food for_them . trot was far too worried to eat, but button- bright made a good supper from_the simple food and then lay down before_the fire and went to sleep . the little girl and_the gardener's boy, however, sat for_a_long_time staring into_the fire, busy with their thoughts . but at last trot, too, became sleepy and Pon gently covered her with_the one blanket he possessed . then he threw more wood on_the fire and laid himself down before it, next to button- bright . soon all three were fast asleep . they were in a good_deal of trouble; but they were young, and sleep was good to_them because for a time it made them forget .

chapter Thirteen

Glinda the good and_the Scarecrow of Oz

that country south of_the emerald city, in_the land of Oz, is known as_the Quadling country, and in_the very southernmost part of it stands a splendid palace in_which lives Glinda the good .

Glinda is_the royal sorceress of Oz . she has wonderful magical powers and uses them only to benefit the subjects of Ozma's kingdom . even the famous wizard of Oz pays tribute to her, for Glinda taught him all the real magic he_knows, and she_is his superior in all sorts of sorcery everyone loves Glinda, from_the dainty and exquisite ruler, Ozma, down to_the humblest inhabitant of Oz, for she_is always kindly and helpful and willing to listen to_their troubles, however busy she_may_be . no one knows her age, but all can_see how beautiful and stately she_is . her hair is like red gold and finer than_the finest silken strands . her eyes are blue as_the sky and always frank and smiling . her cheeks are the envy of peach-blows and her mouth is enticing as arosebud .Glinda is tall and wears splendid gowns that trail behind her as she walks . she wears no jewels, for her beauty would shame them .

for attendants Glinda has half a hundred of_the loveliest girls in Oz . they_are gathered from all over Oz, from among_the Winkies, the Munchkins, the Gillikins and_the Quadlings, as_well as from Ozma's magnificent emerald city, and it_is considered a great favor to_be allowed to_serve the royal sorceress .

among_the many wonderful things in Glinda's palace is_the great book of Records . in_this book is inscribed everything that takes place in all the world, just the instant it happens; so_that by referring to its pages Glinda knows what_is taking place far and near, in every country that exists . in_this_way she learns when and where she_can help any in distress or danger, and although her duties are confined to assisting those who inhabit the land of Oz, she_is always interested in what takes place in_the unprotected outside world .

so it was_that on a certain evening Glinda sat in her library, surrounded by a bevy of her maids, who were engaged in spinning, weaving and embroidery, when an attendant announced the arrival at_the palace of_the Scarecrow .

this personage was one_of_the_most famous and popular in all the land of Oz . his body was merely a suit of Munchkin clothes stuffed with straw, but his head was a round sack filled with bran, with_which the wizard of Oz had mixed some magic brains of a very superior sort . the eyes, nose and mouth of_the Scarecrow were painted upon_the front of_the sack, as were his ears, and since_this quaint being had_been endowed with life, the expression of_his face was very interesting, if somewhat comical .

the Scarecrow was good all through, even to_his brains, and while he_was naturally awkward in_his movements and lacked the neat symmetry of other people, his disposition was so kind and considerate and he_was so obliging and honest, that all who knew him loved him, and there were few people in Oz who had_not met our Scarecrow and made his acquaintance . he lived part of_the time in Ozma's palace at_the emerald city, part of_the time in_his own corncob castle in_the Winkie country, and part of_the time he traveled over all Oz, visiting with_the people and playing with_the children, whom he dearly loved .

it_was on one of_his wandering journeys that_the Scarecrow had arrived at Glinda's palace, and_the sorceress at once made him welcome . as he sat beside her, talking of_his adventures, he asked:

" what's new in_the way of news ? "

Glinda opened her great book of Records and read some_of_the last pages .

" here_is an item quite curious and interesting," she announced, an accent of surprise in her voice ." three people from_the big outside world have arrived in Jinxland ."

" where is Jinxland ? " inquired the Scarecrow .

" very near here, a little to_the east of us," she said ." in_fact, Jinxland is a little slice taken off the Quadling country, but separated from_it by a range of high mountains, at_the foot of_which lies a wide, deep gulf that_is supposed to_be impassable ."

" then Jinxland is really a part of_the land of Oz," said he .

" yes," returned Glinda, " but Oz people know nothing of it, except what_is recorded here in my book ."

" what does the book say about_it ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" it_is ruled by a wicked man called king Krewl, although he has no right to_the title . most of_the people are good, but they_are very timid and live in constant fear of_their fierce ruler . there_are also several wicked Witches who keep the inhabitants of Jinxland in a state of terror ."

" do those witches have any magical powers ? " inquired the Scarecrow .

" yes, they seem to understand witchcraft in its most evil form, for one_of_them has just transformed a respectable and honest old sailor -- one_of_the strangers who arrived there -- into a grasshopper . this same witch, Blinkie by name, is also planning to freeze the heart of a beautiful Jinxland girl named princess Gloria ."

" why, that's a dreadful thing to_do ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow .

Glinda's face was very grave . she read in her book how trot and button- bright were turned out_of_the king's castle, and how they found refuge in_the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy

"I'm afraid those helpless earth people will endure much suffering in Jinxland, even if_the wicked king and_the witches permit them to live," said the good sorceress, thoughtfully ." i_wish I_might help them ."

" can I_do anything ? " asked the Scarecrow, anxiously ." if_so, tell me what to_do, and I'll do_it ."

for a few_moments Glinda did_not reply, but sat musing over the records . then she said: " I_am going to send_you to Jinxland, to protect trot and button- bright and Cap'n bill ."

" all right," answered the Scarecrow in a cheerful voice ." I_know button- bright already, for he has_been in_the land of Oz before . you remember he went away from_the land of Oz in one_of_our wizard's big bubbles ."

" yes," said Glinda, "I remember that ." then she carefully instructed the Scarecrow what to_do and gave him certain magical things which he placed in_the pockets of_his ragged Munchkin coat .

" as_you_have no need to sleep," said she, " you_may as_well start at once ."

" the night is_the same as day to_me," he replied, " except that I cannot_see my way so_well in_the dark ."

" i_will furnish a light to guide you," promised the sorceress .

so the Scarecrow bade her good-bye and at once started on_his journey . by morning he had reached the mountains that separated the Quadling country from Jinxland . the sides of_these mountains were too steep to climb, but the Scarecrow took a small rope from_his pocket and tossed one end upward, into_the air . the rope unwound itself for hundreds of feet, until it caught upon a peak of rock at_the very top of a mountain, for it_was a magic rope furnished him by Glinda . the Scarecrow climbed the rope and, after pulling it up, let it down on_the other side of_the mountain range . when he descended the rope on_this side he_found himself in Jinxland, but at his feet yawned the great gulf, which_must be crossed before he_could proceed any farther .

the Scarecrow

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