Oz 08: Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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with Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a tiny lizard-- one_of_the chameleon sort-- and you shall live in my cavern and amuse me ."

" pardon me for contradicting your majesty," returned Quox in a quiet voice, " but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic ."

"Eh ? why_not ? " asked the king in surprise .

" there's a reason," said Quox ." do you_see this ribbon around my neck ? "

" yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such a silly thing ."

" do you_see it plainly ? " persisted the dragon, with a little chuckle of amusement .

" I_do," declared Ruggedo .

" then you no longer possess any magical powers, and_are as helpless as aclam," asserted Quox ." my great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, enchanted this ribbon in_such_a_way that whenever your majesty looked upon it all knowledge of magic would desert you instantly, nor will any magical formula you_can remember ever perform your bidding ."

"Pooh ! I don't believe a word of it ! " cried Ruggedo, half frightened, nevertheless . then he turned toward Files and tried to transform him into a fiddle bow . but he_could_not remember the right words or the right pass of_the hands and after several trials he finally gave up the attempt .

by_this_time the Nome king was so alarmed that he_was secretly shaking in_his shoes .

" i_told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, " and now you_see the result of your disobedience ."

Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his royal chamberlain, who dodged it with_his usual cleverness, and then he_said with an attempt to swagger:

" never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these invaders; fire and_the sword will do_the business and I_am still king of_the Nomes and lord and master of_my underground kingdom ! "

" again I beg to differ with your majesty," said Quox ." the great Jinjin commands you to depart instantly from_this kingdom and seek the earth's surface, where you_will wander for all time to_come, without a home or country, without a friend or follower, and without any more riches than you_can carry with_you in your pockets . the great Jinjin is so generous that he_will allow you to_fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but you_must take nothing more ."

Ruggedo now stared at_the dragon in amazement .

"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate ? " he asked in a hoarse voice .

" he_does," said Quox .

" and just for throwing a few strangers down the forbidden tube ? "

" just for_that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice .

" well, I won't do_it . and your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do_it, either ! " declared Ruggedo ."I intend to remain here, king of_the Nomes, until the end of_the world, and I defy your Tititi- Hoochoo and all his fairies-- as_well as his clumsy messenger, whom I_have_been obliged to chain up ! "

the dragon smiled again, but it_was not the sort of smile that made Ruggedo feel very happy . instead, there_was something so cold and merciless in_the dragon's expression that_the condemned Nome king trembled and was sick at heart .

there_was little comfort for Ruggedo in_the fact that_the dragon was now chained, although he had boasted of it . he glared at_the immense head of Quox as_if fascinated and there_was fear in_the old king's eyes as he watched his enemy's movements .

for_the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as_if he had something to_do and was about to_do_it . very deliberately he raised one claw, touched the catch of_the great jeweled locket that was suspended around his neck, and at once it opened wide .

nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out upon_the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click . but the effect upon_the nomes of_this simple thing was astounding . general Guph, Kaliko, pang and_his band of executioners were all standing close to_the door that led to_the vast series of underground caverns which constituted the dominions of_the nomes, and as_soon_as they saw the eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through_the door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar across it .

Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped upon_the seat of_his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily toward him . perhaps these eggs, sent by_the wise and crafty Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled directly after Ruggedo and when_they reached the throne where he had taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to_the seat .

this_was too_much for_the king to bear . his horror of eggs was real and absolute and he_made a leap from_the throne to_the center of_the room and then ran to a far corner .

the eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in_his direction .Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then he drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at_the advancing eggs . but the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer . the king stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until they were but half a yard distant; then with an agile leap he jumped clear over them and made a rush for_the passage that led to_the outer entrance .

of_course the dragon was in_his way, being chained in_the passage with_his head in_the cavern, but when he_saw the king making toward him he crouched as low as he_could and dropped his chin to_the floor, leaving a small space between his body and_the roof of_the passage .

Ruggedo did_not hesitate an instant . impelled by fear, he leaped to_the dragon's nose and then scrambled to_his back, where he succeeded in squeezing himself through_the opening . after_the head was passed there_was more room and he slid along the dragon's scales to_his tail and then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to_the entrance . not pausing here, so great was his fright, the king dashed on down the mountain path, but before he had gone very far he stumbled and fell .

when he picked himself up he observed that no one was following him, and while he recovered his breath he happened to_think of_the decree of_the Jinjin-- that he_should_be driven from_his kingdom and made a wanderer on_the face of_the earth . well, here he_was, driven from_his cavern in truth; driven by_those dreadful eggs; but he_would go back and defy them; he_would_not submit to losing his precious kingdom and_his tyrannical powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he_must .

so, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back along the path to_the entrance, and when he arrived there he_saw the six eggs lying in a row just before_the arched opening .

at first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, for_the eggs were now motionless . while he_was wondering what could_be_done, he remembered there_was a magical charm which would destroy eggs and render them harmless to nomes . there were nine passes to_be made and six verses of incantation to_be recited; but Ruggedo knew them all . now that he had ample time to_be exact, he carefully went through_the entire ceremony .

but nothing happened . the eggs did_not disappear, as he had expected; so he repeated the charm a second time . when_that also failed, he remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic power had_been taken away from_him and in_the_future he_could do no more than any common mortal .

and there were the eggs, forever barring him from_the kingdom which he had ruled so_long with absolute sway ! he threw rocks at them, but could_not hit a single egg . he raved and scolded and tore his hair and beard, and danced in helpless passion, but that did nothing to avert the just judgment of_the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil deeds had brought upon him .

from this_time on he_was an outcast--a wanderer upon_the face of_the earth-- and he had even forgotten to_fill his pockets with gold and jewels before he fled from_his former kingdom !

chapter Nineteen

king Kaliko

after_the king had made good his escape Files said to_the dragon, in a sad voice:

" alas ! why did you not come before ? because you were sleeping instead of conquering, the lovely rose princess has become a fiddle without a bow, while poor shaggy sits there acooing dove ! "

"Don't worry," replied Quox ."Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, and I_have my orders from_the great Jinjin himself . bring the fiddle here and touch it lightly to my pink ribbon ."

Files obeyed and at_the moment of contact with_the ribbon the Nome king's charm was broken and_the rose princess herself stood before them as sweet and smiling as ever .

the dove, perched on_the back of_the throne, had seen and heard all this, so without being told what to_do_it flew straight to_the dragon and alighted on_the ribbon . next instant shaggy was himself again and Quox said to him grumblingly:

" please get off my left toe, shaggy man, and be more particular where you step ."

"I beg your pardon ! " replied shaggy, very_glad to resume his natural form . then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest and to assist the clockwork man to_his feet .

" MA-ny thanks ! " said Tik-Tok ." where is_the wicked king who_want-ed to melt me in acru-ci- ble ? "

" he has gone, and gone for good," answered polychrome, who had managed to squeeze into_the room beside the dragon and had witnessed the occurrences with much interest ." but I wonder where Betsy bobbin and Hank can_be, and if any harm has befallen them ."

" we_must search the cavern until we_find them," declared shaggy; but when he went to_the door leading to_the other caverns he_found it shut and barred .

"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, " and I believe I_can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold ."

" but you_are a prisoner, and_the chains that hold you_are fastened in some other room, so_that we_cannot release you," Files said anxiously .

"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon ." I_have remained a prisoner only because I wished to_be one," and with_this he stepped forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if_they had_been threads .

but when he tried to push in_the heavy metal door, even his mighty strength failed, and after several attempts he_gave it up and squatted himself in a corner to_think of a better way .

"I'll o- pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to_the king's big gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening .

Kaliko, in_the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon . but when he heard the sound of_the gong, which had so often called him into_the king's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had_been victorious; so he_took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern .

great was his astonishment to_find the king gone and_the enchantments removed from_the princess and shaggy . but the eggs were also gone and so Kaliko advanced to_the dragon, whom he_knew to_be Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger, and bowed humbly before_the beast .

" what_is your will ? " he inquired .

" where is Betsy ? " demanded the dragon .

" safe in my own private room," said Kaliko .

" go and get her ! " commanded Quox .

so Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon_the door . the little girl had_been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the door .

" you_may come out now," said Kaliko ." the king has fled in disgrace and your friends are asking for_you ."

so Betsy and Hank returned with_the royal chamberlain to_the throne cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends . they told her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind Kaliko had_been to her .Quox did_not have much to_say until the conversation was ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked:

" do_you suppose you_could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has_done ? "

" me ? " stammered the chamberlain, greatly surprised by_the question ." well, I couldn't be a worse king, I'm sure ."

" would the nomes obey you ? " inquired the dragon .

" of_course," said Kaliko ." they like me better than ever they_did Ruggedo ."

" then hereafter you shall be the metal monarch, king of_the Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your kingdom wisely and well," said Quox .

"Hooray ! " cried Betsy; "I'm glad of_that . king Kaliko, I salute your majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old kingdom ! "

" we all wish him joy," said polychrome; and then the others made haste to congratulate the new king .

" will_you release my dear brother ? " asked shaggy .

" the ugly one ? very willingly," replied Kaliko ."I begged Ruggedo long_ago to send_him away, but he_would_not do_so .I also offered to help your brother to escape, but he_would_not go ."

" he's so conscientious ! " said shaggy, highly pleased ." all of_our family have noble natures . but is my dear brother well ? " he added anxiously .

" he eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new king .

" I_hope he doesn't work too hard," said shaggy .

" he doesn't work at all . in_fact, there_is nothing he_can do in_these dominions as_well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that_it worries us to_keep them all busy . so your brother has only to amuse himself ."

" why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy .

" not exactly," returned Kaliko ."A prisoner cannot go where or when he pleases, and is_not his own master ."

" where is my brother now ? " inquired shaggy .

" in_the metal forest ."

" where is_that ? "

" the metal forest is in_the great domed cavern, the largest in all our dominions," replied Kaliko ."

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