Ruth Plumly Thompson

This book is dedicated to My sister Dorothy Thompson Curtiss and all other lovely Dorothys including Dorothy of Oz

List of Chapters
1 Mustafa of Mudge
2 Magic Circus
3 Court of Mudge
4 Mustafa's Mandate
5 Two Cowardly Lion Hunters
6 The Seven Doors
7 The Escape From Doorways
8 The Cowardly Lion's Quest
9 In Search of Brave Man
10 Isle of Un
11 Strange Fishing Party
12 Saved by Flyaboutabus
13 Mustafa's Blue Magic
14 Flying in Deluge
15 Mustafa Keeps Watch
16 Fall Sky
17 The Stone Man of Oz
18 Notta's Last Disguise
19 Emerald City
20 The Cowardly Lion's Peril
21 Oz Magic Triumphs
22 Happy Home in Oz

CHAPTER 1 Mustafa of Mudge

"TAZZYWALLER, another lion," said Mustafa of Mudge, giving his blue whiskers terrible tweak "Another lion, Tazzywaller, at once ! "

"Your Highness already has nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions and half ! " said Tazzywaller bowing humbly

"Oh, that ! "interrupted Mustafa impatiently "Very careless of you, Tazzywaller, to bring me half lion-the wrong half, too ! Monstrous annoying the back legs and tail of lion jumping about reservation Unnatural, I call it "

"But, your Highness will remember that fortunate blow scimitar cut off the right half lion I devoured, eaten, destroyed ! " Tazzywaller's eyes bulged unhappy recollection

"I'd have endeavored to console myself," sniffed Mustafa disagreeably, "and Panapee would make an excellent chamberlain But wasting time another lion lion, I tell you, at once ! "

Mustafa's voice rose to roar Springing throne, he began stamping first one foot, then the other The round face of poor Tazzywaller grew paler at each stamp "But no more lions in Mudge," he pleaded "Your Highness must know that The royal hunters have tracked them all down, and even if there were more, afford another single lion I beg of your Highness to consider the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine already eating us out sandals The Mudgers are complaining lion tax-"Silence ! " screamed Mustafa, jumping air stamp both feet same time

"You're making most noise yourself," said Tazzywaller sulkily

" all this arguing about ? " demanded sleepy voice, and through curtain back apartment appeared the huge, turbaned head of Mixtuppa, Queen of Mudge

"Lions ! your Majesty," sighed the chief chamberlain, looking uneasily at Mustafa's wife, who was even more unreasonable than her royal husband "His Highness desires another lion "

"Well, why don't you get him one ? 't stand this stamping," wheezed Mixtuppa irritably

"Neither can I," grumbled Mustafa "It hurts my royal feet "

"No one asked you to stamp Why don't you stop it ? " sniffed Tazzywaller

" get me the lion ? " asked Mustafa, pausing with foot upraised

" if there were any more, but no more lions in Mudge ! " wailed Tazzywaller Down came Mustafa's foot with terrible stamp

"Great Gazupp ! " screamed the monarch of Mudge "What kind of chamberlain ? I'll appoint Panapee chamberlain in your place and you- feed the lions ! " he finished furiously

Mustafa clapped his hands sharply and small Mudger who bounced room he snapped, "Tell Panapee to appear before me at once " He paid no attention pleadings of Tazzywaller, who was bumping his head floor, nor advice of Mixtuppa, who was wagging her head curtain The next moment Panapee stood throne as tall and thin as Tazzywaller was round and fat His little eyes snapped with glee at sight chamberlain rolling about floor As purse bearer he always had to walk back of Tazzywaller in royal processions, and his rival in disgrace was an exquisite pleasure envious old Mudger

"Your Excellency sent ? " asked Panapee bowing deeply

"Yes," shrilled Mustafa, pushing back his turban and pointing trembling finger at Tazzywaller

" no more lions in Mudge and I, Mustafa, another lion "

"Your Highness knows best," murmured Panapee, rolling up his eyes and putting his finger tips together

" as I no more lions in Mudge," cried Tazzywaller, springing feet and shaking his fist under Panapee's nose

" other countries besides Mudge," said Panapee loftily "Now I presume your Highness was thinking of an odd, unusual sort of lion; something bigger and better kind now fighting amiably royal reservation ? "

"How well you understand me," sighed Mustafa, sinking back among his cushions "That's just what want, Pannya strange, rare, royal sort of lion; one keep the rest and add honor and dignity court "

" book," confided Panapee, placing his finger mysteriously beside his nose, "a book of lions, and if your Highness will but excuse me fetch it from my tent "

" going lion out of book ? " asked Mixtuppa sleepily "How stupid of Tazzywaller not thought "

Now, while Panapee goes book, tell you that Mudge is blue and barbarous country southwestern part Munchkin country of Oz hot, dry, desert land Mudgers themselves are short-tempered, long-legged tribe of trouble-makers They live in blue, striped tents and, for their bright blue whiskers, take them for Arabs, wear sweeping white robes and turbans to protect themselves heat and desert sands

In olden Oz times the Mudgers used to descend helpless little countries that surrounded them and carry off everything of value But Glinda, the good sorceress of Oz, put stop One night, flying over Mudge in her swan chariot, she had dropped blue book and it had fallen oldest Mudger kingdom, hitting him terrible blow nose It blow all, for in gold letters first page book stood this sentence:

" day on, any Mudger leaving the land of Mudge shall lose his head By order of Ozma, Ruler of all Oz "

There were other warnings blue book, but the first had changed the whole history country No Mudger was brave enough to venture out of Mudge , so the thieving raids on other countries had stopped instantly, Mudgers, deprived pleasure of stealing from their neighbors, stole from , and were always quarreling among themselves and moving their tents from place The peoples surrounding countries would come borders of Mudge to bargain dates, figs and cocoanuts the land was famous, but Mustafa's grandfather, who was then ruler desert kingdom, disagreeably decided that since no Mudger might leave Mudge no outsider should enter his country Warnings were posted on all the borders of Mudge and soon no one came near the horrid little kingdom, so went on growing more blue and barbarous all the time, as people are bound no friends or neighbors

When Mustafa, who really was not bad fellow at heart, assumed the throne he tried to divert the minds quarrelsome subjects by organizing hunts There were many lions uninhabited parts desert, and for time hunting lions kept the Mudgers out of mischief But soon they were quarreling over even that, royal hunting expeditions were more nature of battles than pleasure excursions

Mustafa, in despair, confided to Tazzywaller that he much preferred the lions subjects So Tazzywaller had mildly suggested that he keep few for company Mustafa, who was terribly bored duties as King, was delighted idea and issued orders that hereafter all lions brought royal tents

At first he had kept in large enclosed cage garden, but as his subjects grew more unmanageable, his affection for lions increased He insisted upon more and more lions, until, as Tazzywaller had stated, there were nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine and one-half royal collection Mustafa pretended that he kept these lions to frighten away the enemies of Mudge, and purpose he had large iron enclosure erected all around the kingdom, no one could come in or go out without passing royal lion reservation Indeed, little Munchkin boys and girls recited their lessons, they always described Mudge as country entirely surrounded by lions But only an excuse Mustafa knew well enough that no one dared leave Mudge, no one wanted there, but it sounded well people complained lion tax

Mustafa's lions were terrible trial to poor Tazzywaller his position as chief chamberlain of Mudge, produce lion whenever Mustafa demanded one pretty often; By his orders the whole country combed for lions and only the week before word brought that not another lion left whole country Then Tazzywaller himself had gone hunting, and after an exhausting trip had come very last old lion of Mudge When Tazzywaller tried to capture him, the beast had selfishly tried to devour the fat chamberlain In protecting himself Tazzywaller cut the old lion in two scimitar Before remedy the disaster the front, and best part, lion had jumped over the lion enclosure and disappeared

Fairy Kingdom of Oz nothing can really be killed, both halves lion were quite unhurt and lively, but Mustafa very angry when Tazzywaller brought him the half he had managed to catch It had almost cost him his position

" I who suggested lions first place," groaned poor Tazzywaller "Lions ! Bah ! Mustafa has taste for lions and lions have taste ! "

"That's odd ," drawled Mixtuppa, rolling her blue eyes at Tazzy "Poor taste I call it ! " "Silence ! " exploded Mustafa so sharply that Mixtuppa hastily drew in her head Mustafa was already regretting his unkindness, but too proud back his words Yes, Tazzy to feed the lions He sighed mournfully; but just then Panapee came whirling tent flap, large book under his arm

"This book," puffed Panapee proudly-but he got no further

"Give it ," commanded Mustafa, snatch up the volume from Panapee Even Tazzywaller edged nearer, sleepy head of Mixtuppa was again thrust curtain

"Famous Lions of Oz," read Mustafa, and opened the dusty volume with trembling fingers But he got no further second page, for picture most splendid lion he had ever seen whole Mudger existence, and underneath, in blue letters, stood the words " famous Cowardly Lion of Oz, King of all forest creatures "

"Cowardly Lion ? " gasped Mustafa "How singular ! How rare ! Why, he doesn't look cowardly at all "

"If your Highness will but read," exulted Panapee, pointing opposite page Breathlessly Mustafa began