"The Prince ! Where Prince ? " demanded Toddledy same breath "Miserable Mesmerizer can of nothing ? " Akbad, worn and weary long flight, fairly blinked with astonishment, for naturally nothing of Philador's disappearance, but he realized that severely punished for stealing the golden pear that Quiberon had probably devoured the little Prince, but resolved to save himself

"Have no fear Prince Ozure Isles," he began boldly "I, Akbad the Soothsayer, have saved him "

"How ? Where ? " The King plucked him frantically arm

" safe Emerald City," lied Akbad calmly "Last night, determined to save the Prince but our fair Islands , I picked the golden pear

little murmur of disapproval greeted Akbad's statement all looked curiously and accusingly golden wings, which they seemed first time

"Immediately," continued the wily Soothsayer, "these wings attached themselves to my shoulders Flying Prince's bed chamber, I lifted him in my arms and carried him great capital of Oz Leaving him kindly care gentle ruler, Ozma, I stole garden and seizing mortal maiden returned Ozure Isles and left her cave of Quiberon " Folding his arms proudly he waited King's commendation

"That was very wrong of you," sighed Cheeriobed, letting his arm drop heavily at his side, "but I suppose it best "

"Idiot ! " hissed Toddledy, "Why did you not ask Ozma to ? "

" ! " declared Akbad promptly " Wizard returns blue forest she will journey to our illustrious islands, destroy Quiberon and restore His Majesty's Queen ! " Even Toddledy was silenced surprising news, while the Ozure Islanders began to cheer loud and lustily Only the King still seemed disturbed

"But the mortal maiden, save the mortal maiden ! " exclaimed Cheeriobed anxiously " never have carried her monster's cave go with me to rescue this poor child ? " The Islanders looked uncomfortably at one another, then King started resolutely off by himself, dozen boldest Guards followed

" only perish once," declared the leader gallantly, "and destroyed with Your Majesty is an honor but pleasure " Akbad made no attempt to accompany them, but the others, shamed by such bravery dashed hurriedly King

last one had gone, Akbad stepped quietly garden Sinking down under the emerald tree he mopped his brow sleeve and cursed his own stupidity Why had he not done as he had said: appealed to Ozma for help instead of foolishly seizing the mortal maiden ? Perhaps not too late fly back and beg Ozma the little Prince and save the Ozure Isles Hoarsely he commanded the wings him Emerald City, but motionless and heavy they hung shoulders Horrified that no longer obey him, he rubbed against the tree in an unsuccessful effort to brush them off Then he tried every magic phrase and incantation that to rid himself golden wings but though he pulled and tugged the wings stuck fast

Now having wings sounds fine enough, but one born with wings to wear them comfortably Akbad could neither sit nor lie down with any ease and when he walked the wings trailed disturbingly behind him , after several trials that still fly, but not beyond the shore island and as he sank exhausted rocks the King army came marching back They had tramped boldly monster's cave, but had found neither Quiberon nor Trot knew nothing caves beyond the water fall they had sadly turned homeward The King was sad, the others, while they said nothing of it, were secretly delighted themselves alive

"Quiberon has gone," declared Cheeriobed gravely "The mortal maiden also has vanished But saved Philador say nothing stealing golden pear naught now but wait coming of Ozma little Prince And Ozma way to save this mortal child "

" ," muttered Akbad and, King shaking his head went on palace, the Soothsayer flew into tall tree and tried up the excuses offer His Majesty when Ozma failed to appear

As for Cheeriobed, troubled though over the disappearance little mortal, help but think worst misfortunes were over Almost cheerfully, he bustled about giving orders for grand reception to welcome Ozma Island Kingdom and bidding the royal household have everything in readiness for Philador's return

CHAPTER 7

The Trials of Tattypoo

same evening Philador and Akbad flew off Ozure Isles, the Good Witch North sat quietly before her fire, spinning silver from straw Agnes, her pet dragon, would toss log blaze and set it glowing with her fiery breath The cat with two tails purred drowsily chimney corner and nothing cozier than this little room good witch's hut And Tattypoo was content Ruling over the North Country, settling disputes between its small kingdoms, and advising the Gillikens, about everything from birthday parties to preserves, filled her time most pleasantly The door good witch's hut was never bolted and no one, coming for help or advice, had ever been turned away So though her skin was drawn and wrinkled and her hair white as snow, little hut plainly, even poorly furnished, Tattypoo was perfectly happy

But Agnes, the amiable dragon, was not Agnes longed for grandeur and style and felt ruler of all the Gillikens should wear crown or live in castle Agnes, while not exactly conceited, felt that her own beauty was utterly wasted little hut She longed to flash her silver scales and switch her tail fine courts of Oz But Tattypoo was neither vain nor ambitious and only chuckled when Agnes complained poorness dwelling, the plainness food lack of servants to wait upon them She had lived purple forest Gilliken mountain side that she had grown to love every tree and tumbling brook and even the witch's little cottage

the Wizard first came to Oz ruled over, well know, by four witches Little Dorothy's house fell wicked witch East, and later this same little Dorothy had put out with pail of water the wicked witch West Glinda the good sorceress had conquered the bad witch South and Tattypoo had conquered Mombi, the wicked witch North, not before she had stolen Cheeriobed's Queen, however, and done many mischievous transformations At first Mombi deprived of her magic powers but after her last attempt to capture the Emerald City she, too, put out with pail of water, Tattypoo only witch of any power or consequence in Oz And as she explained over and over again to Agnes, being good witch in an important country like Oz was honor enough for her, and as long as she used her magic powers for good and Gillikens were peaceful and prosperous under her rule, be perfectly satisfied and happy

Agnes, of her vanity, was as good dragon as Tattypoo was witch and had really earned her title amiable dragon For Agnes had never devoured any captive maidens, burned down village or threatened kingdom She was small cozy sort of dragon, too, taking up only about half room and wearing rubbers her claws from scratching the floor She had wandered into Tattypoo's hut the very day the good witch had conquered Mombi, and had lived with her She was so good tempered and companionable, Tattypoo put up quite cheerfully with her occasional dissatisfied spells

Tonight, Agnes was feeling particularly dissatisfied morning Tattypoo had disenchanted poor forest maiden The girl had knocked door and asked for food Tattypoo after one look realized she was under some evil spell and immediately consulted her books of sorcery few magic potions and passes had changed the maiden to her rightful self And she no King's daughter, whom Tattypoo had sent home on fast wish to her father's castle

" change poor girls to princesses, why don't something ? " complained Agnes, giving the fire vicious poke "I don't mind being dragon Dragons are unusual and interesting, but witches are ugly and out of style Were you always witch ? always intend witch ? Were you never young or pretty at all ? " Agnes' question made Tattypoo pause The hum spinning wheel ceased as she tried to recall the past Had she ever been young or pretty ? Letting the silver threads slide through her fingers, she gazed thoughtfully fire, but all dim and hazy good witch could remember nothing of her youth or the days before she had come purple forest She remembered distinctly her first meeting with Mombi The wicked witch was changing woodcutter into tree stump and Tattypoo, running forward, had put stop Her magic proved stronger than Mombi's so it hard to overpower her that, but she had driven Mombi forest and taken possession of her hut and magic tools Later, the Gillikens had come in crowds to thank Tattypoo and beg her to rule over them in Mombi's place So Tattypoo had stayed on, undoing of Mombi's mischief as and growing fonder and fonder peace loving Gillikens She had always been so busy helping other people, she had never thought about herself at all, but tonight Agnes' question made her vaguely unhappy and she began really annoyed that remember nothing of her own past

" been young, once," murmured Tattypoo, absently leaning down to stroke the cat with two tails "Even witches are young

" ," sniffed the dragon impatiently, "and if I had your magic powers, I'd be young again "

"It wouldn't be right to practice magic own benefit," answered Tattypoo in shocked voice "It's against the law "

" any law against youth and beauty ? " demanded Agnes tartly, but the good witch kept shaking her head and muttering over and over, "It wouldn't be right It wouldn't be right "

"Well, how you used to look," said Agnes, waving her tail toward the stairway "Surely no law against that ? "

"How ? " asked Tattypoo, leaning back in her chair and fixing her mild blue eyes full amiable dragon

"Why, the witch's window ! Let's have look witch's window ! " coaxed Agnes, and sliding across the floor she began pulling her silver length up the rickety steps cottage Tattypoo, reaching for her staff, hobbled hurnedly after her