Date: 1908-12-31T15:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Children's Literature; Fantasy; Fairy Tales
Description: Dorothy meets the Shaggy Man, and while trying to find the road to Butterfield, they get lost on an enchanted road. As they travel they meet the rainbow’s daughter, Polychrome, and a little boy, Button-Bright. They have all sorts of strange adventures on the way to Oz to attend Ozma’s birthday party, and meet many notables from Fairyland.
Publisher: MobileRead.com
Rights: Public Domain where copyright is "Life+70" or less, and in the USA.

THE  ROAD  TO  OZ

In which is related how Dorothy Gale of Kansas, the Shaggy Man, Button-Bright, and Polychrome the Rainbow’s Daughter met on an Enchanted Road and followed it all the way to the Marvelous Land of Oz

BY
L. FRANK BAUM
“Royal Historian of Oz”

ILLUSTRATED BY
JOHN R. NEILL

VOLUME II

MobileRead Edition
2020

•
List of Illustrations

•
The Road to Oz:
[ VOLUME II ]

13 — The Truth Pond
14 — Tik-Tok and Billina
15 — The Emperor’s Tin Castle
16 — Visiting the Pumpkin-Field
17 — The Royal Chariot Arrives
18 — The Emerald City
19 — The Shaggy Man’s Welcome
20 — Princess Ozma of Oz
21 — Dorothy Receives the Guests
22 — Important Arrivals
23 — The Grand Banquet
24 — The Birthday Celebration

•   •   •   •   •

•    The Shaggy Man’s own head restored

•    Tik-Tok and Billina

•    Polychrome danced gracefully to the music

•    Calling on Jack Pumpkinhead

•    Dorothy threw her arms around the Lion’s neck

•    The Hungry Tiger
•    “O Jellia Jamb! I’m so glad to see you!”
•    The Shaggy Man admires his new clothes
•    In the royal palace of Oz

•    King Dough, the Head Booleywag, and Para Bruin

•    Merry Ryls and Crooked Knooks

•    Her Majesty, Queen Zixi of Ix

•    Drinking the health of Princess Ozma of Oz

•    The Wizard blew a bubble around Santa Claus

•    “Good-bye, Ozma! Good-bye, Dorothy!”

•   •   •   •   •

The Truth Pond

They now made a more careful examination of the country around them. All was fresh and beautiful after the sultriness of the desert, and the sunshine and sweet, crisp air were delightful to the wanderers. Little mounds of yellowish green were away at the right, while on the left waved a group of tall leafy trees bearing yellow blossoms that looked like tassels and pompoms. Among the grasses carpeting the ground were pretty buttercups and cowslips and marigolds. After looking at these a moment Dorothy said reflectively:

“We must be in the Country of the Winkies, for the color of that country is yellow, and you will notice that ’most everything here is yellow that has any color at all.”

“But I thought this was the Land of Oz,” replied the shaggy man, as if greatly disappointed.

“So it is,” she declared; “but there are four parts to the Land of Oz. The North Country is purple, and it’s the Country of the Gillikins. The East country is blue, and that’s the Country of the Munchkins. Down at the South is the red Country of the Quadlings, and here, in the West, the yellow Country of the Winkies. This is the part that is ruled by the Tin Woodman, you know.”

“Who’s he?” asked Button-Bright.

“Why, he’s the tin man I told you about. His name is Nick Chopper, and he has a lovely heart given him by the wonderful Wizard.”

“Where does he live?” asked the boy.

“The Wizard? Oh, he lives in the Emerald City, which is just in the middle of Oz, where the corners of the four countries meet.”

“Oh,” said Button-Bright, puzzled by this explanation.

“We must be some distance from the Emerald City,” remarked the shaggy man.

“That’s true,” she replied; “so we’d better start on and see if we can find any of the Winkies. They’re nice people,” she continued, as the little party began walking toward the group of trees, “and I came here once with my friends the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, to fight a wicked witch who had made all the Winkies her slaves.”

“Did you conquer her?” asked Polly.

“Why, I melted her with a bucket of water, and that was the end of her,” replied Dorothy. “After that the people were free, you know, and they made Nick Chopper—that’s the Tin Woodman—their Emp’ror.”

“What’s that?” asked Button-Bright.

“Emp’ror? Oh, it’s something like an alderman, I guess.”

“Oh,” said the boy.

“But I thought Princess Ozma ruled Oz,” said the shaggy man.

“So she does; she rules the Emerald City and all the four countries of Oz; but each country has another little ruler, not so big as Ozma. It’s like the officers of an army, you see; the little rulers are all captains, and Ozma’s the general.”

By this time they had reached the trees, which stood in a perfect circle and just far enough apart so that their thick branches touched—or “shook hands,” as Button-Bright remarked. Under the shade of the trees they found, in the center of the circle, a crystal pool, its water as still as glass. It must have been deep, too, for when Polychrome bent over it she gave a little sigh of pleasure.

“Why, it’s a mirror!” she cried; for she could see all her pretty face and fluffy, rainbow-tinted gown reflected in the pool, as natural as life.

Dorothy bent over, too, and began to arrange her hair, blown by the desert wind into straggling tangles. Button-Bright leaned over the edge next, and then began to cry, for the sight of his fox head frightened the poor little fellow.

“I guess I won’t look,” remarked the shaggy man, sadly, for he didn’t like his donkey head, either. While Polly and Dorothy tried to comfort Button-Bright, the shaggy man sat down near the edge of the pool, where his image could not be reflected, and stared at the water thoughtfully. As he did this he noticed a silver plate fastened to a rock just under the surface of the water, and on the silver plate was engraved these words:

THE TRUTH POND

“Ah!” cried the shaggy man, springing to his feet with eager joy; “we’ve found it at last.”

“Found what?” asked Dorothy, running to him.

“The Truth Pond. Now, at last, I may get rid of this frightful head; for we were told, you remember, that only the Truth Pond could restore to me my proper face.”

“Me, too!” shouted Button-Bright, trotting up to them.

“Of course,” said Dorothy. “It will cure you both of your bad heads, I guess. Isn’t it lucky we found it?”

“It is, indeed,” replied the shaggy man. “I hated dreadfully to go to Princess Ozma looking like this; and she’s to have a birthday celebration, too.”

Just then a splash startled them, for Button-Bright, in his anxiety to see the pool that would “cure” him, had stepped too near the edge and tumbled heels over head into the water. Down he went, out of sight entirely, so that only his sailor hat floated on the top of the Truth Pond.

He soon bobbed up, and the shaggy man seized him by his sailor collar and dragged him to the shore, dripping and gasping for breath. They all looked upon the boy wonderingly, for the fox head with its sharp nose and pointed ears was gone, and in its place appeared the chubby round face and blue eyes and pretty curls that had belonged to Button-Bright before King Dox of Foxville transformed him.

“Oh, what a darling!” cried Polly, and would have hugged the little one had he not been so wet.

Their joyful exclamations made the child rub the water out of his eyes and look at his friends questioningly.

“You’re all right now, dear,” said Dorothy. “Come and look at yourself.” She led him to the pool, and although there were still a few ripples on the surface of the water he could see his reflection plainly.

“It’s me!” he said, in a pleased yet awed whisper.

“’Course it is,” replied the girl; “and we’re all as glad as you are, Button-Bright.”

“Well,” announced the shaggy man, “it’s my turn next.” He took off his shaggy coat and laid it on the grass and dived head first into the Truth Pond.

When he came up the donkey head had disappeared, and the shaggy man’s own shaggy head was in its place, with the water dripping in little streams from his shaggy whiskers. He scrambled ashore and shook himself to get off some of the wet, and then leaned over the pool to look admiringly at his reflected face.

“I may not be strictly beautiful, even now,” he said to his companions, who watched him with smiling faces; “but I’m so much handsomer than any donkey that I feel as proud as I can be.”

“You’re all right, Shaggy Man,” declared Dorothy. “And Button-Bright is all right, too. So let’s thank the Truth Pond for being so nice, and start on our journey to the Emerald City.”

“I hate to leave it,” murmured the shaggy man, with a sigh. “A truth pond wouldn’t be a bad thing to carry around with us.” But he put on his coat and started with the others in search of someone to direct them on their way.

Tik-Tok and Billina

They had not walked far across the flower-strewn meadows when they came upon a fine road leading toward the northwest and winding gracefully among the pretty yellow hills.

“That way,” said Dorothy, “must be the direction of the Emerald City. We’d better follow the road until we meet someone or come to a house.”

The sun soon dried Button-Bright’s sailor suit and the shaggy man’s shaggy clothes, and so pleased were they at regaining their own heads that they did not mind at all the brief discomfort of getting wet.

“It’s good to be able to whistle again,” remarked the shaggy man, “for those donkey lips were so thick I could not whistle a note with them.” He warbled a tune as merrily as any bird.

“You’ll look more natural at the birthday celebration, too,” said Dorothy, happy in seeing her friends so happy.

Polychrome was dancing ahead in her usual sprightly manner, whirling gaily along the smooth, level road, until she passed from sight around the curve of one of the mounds. Suddenly they heard her exclaim “Oh!” and she appeared again, running toward them at full speed.

“What’s the matter, Polly?” asked Dorothy, perplexed.

There was no need for the Rainbow’s Daughter to answer, for turning the bend in the road there came advancing slowly toward them a funny round man made of burnished copper, gleaming brightly in the sun. Perched on the copper man’s shoulder sat a yellow hen, with fluffy feathers and a pearl necklace around her throat.

“Oh, Tik-Tok!” cried Dorothy, running forward. When she came to him the copper man lifted the little girl in his copper arms and kissed her cheek with his copper lips.

“Oh, Billina!” cried Dorothy, in a glad voice, and the yellow hen flew to her arms, to be hugged and petted by turns.

The others were curiously crowding around the group, and the girl said to them:

“It’s Tik-Tok and Billina; and oh! I’m so glad to see them again.”

“Wel-come to Oz,” said the copper man, in a monotonous voice.

Dorothy sat right down in the road, the yellow hen in her arms, and began to stroke Billina’s back. Said the hen:

“Dorothy, dear, I’ve some wonderful news to tell you.”

“Tell it quick, Billina!” said the girl.

Just then Toto, who had been growling to himself in a cross way gave a sharp bark and flew at the yellow hen, who ruffled her feathers and let out such an angry screech that Dorothy was startled.

“Stop, Toto! Stop that this minute!” she commanded. “Can’t you see that Billina is my friend?” In spite of this warning had she not grabbed Toto quickly by the neck the little dog would have done the yellow hen a mischief, and even now he struggled madly to escape Dorothy’s grasp. She slapped his cars once or twice and told him to behave, and the yellow hen flew to Tik-Tok’s shoulder again, where she was safe.

“What a brute!” croaked Billina, glaring down at the little dog.

“Toto isn’t a brute,” replied Dorothy; “but at home Uncle Henry has to whip him sometimes for chasing the chickens. Now, look here, Toto,” she added, holding up her finger and speaking sternly to him, “you’ve got to understand that Billina is one of my dearest friends, and mustn’t be hurt—now or ever.”

Toto wagged his tail as if he understood.

“The miserable thing can’t talk,” said Billina, with a sneer.

“Yes, he can,” replied Dorothy; “he talks with his tail, and I know everything he says. If you could wag your tail, Billina, you wouldn’t need words to talk with.”

“Nonsense!” said Billina.

“It isn’t nonsense at all. Just now Toto says he’s sorry, and that he’ll try to love you for my sake. Don’t you, Toto?”

“Bow-wow!” said Toto, wagging his tail again.

“But I’ve such wonderful news for you; Dorothy,” cried the yellow hen; “I’ve—”

“Wait a minute, dear,” interrupted the little girl; “I’ve got to introduce you all, first. That’s manners, Billina. This,” turning to her traveling companions, “is Mr. Tik-Tok, who works by machinery, ’cause his thoughts wind up, and his talk winds up, and his action winds up—like a clock.”

“Do they all wind up together?” asked the shaggy man.

“No; each one separate. But he works just lovely, and Tik-Tok was a good friend to me once, and saved my life—and Billina’s life, too.”

“Is he alive?” asked Button-Bright, looking hard at the copper man.

“Oh, no, but his machinery makes him just as good as alive.” She turned to the copper man and said politely: “Mr. Tik-Tok, these are my new friends: the shaggy man, and Polly the Rainbow’s Daughter, and Button-Bright, and Toto. Only Toto isn’t a new friend, ’cause he’s been to Oz before.”

The copper man bowed low, removing his copper hat as he did so.

“I’m ve-ry pleased to meet Dor-o-thy’s fr-r-r-r-r—”

Here he stopped short.

“Oh, I guess his speech needs winding!” said the little girl, running behind the copper man to get the key off a hook at his back. She wound him up at a place under his right arm and he went on to say:

“Par-don me for run-ning down. I was a-bout to say I am pleased to meet Dor-o-thy’s friends, who must be my friends.” The words were somewhat jerky, but plain to understand.

“And this is Billina,” continued Dorothy, introducing the yellow hen, and they all bowed to her in turn.

“I’ve such wonderful news,” said the hen, turning her head so that one bright eye looked full at Dorothy.

“What is it, dear?” asked the girl.

“I’ve hatched out ten of the loveliest chicks you ever saw.”

“Oh, how nice! And where are they, Billina?”

“I left them at home. But they’re beauties, I assure you, and all wonderfully clever. I’ve named them Dorothy.”

“Which one?” asked the girl.

“All of them,” replied Billina.

“That’s funny. Why did you name them all with the same name?”

“It was so hard to tell them apart,” explained the hen. “Now, when I call ‘Dorothy,’ they all come running to me in a bunch; it’s much easier, after all, than having a separate name for each.”

“I’m just dying to see ’em, Billina,” said Dorothy, eagerly. “But tell me, my friends, how did you happen to be here, in the Country of the Winkies, the first of all to meet us?”

“I’ll tell you,” answered Tik-Tok, in his monotonous voice, all the sounds of his words being on one level—“Prin-cess Oz-ma saw you in her mag-ic pic-ture, and knew you were com-ing here; so she sent Bil-lin-a and me to wel-come you, as she could not come her-self; so that—fiz-i-dig-le cum-so-lut-ing hy-ber-gobble in-tu-zib-ick—”

“Good gracious! Whatever’s the matter now?” cried Dorothy, as the copper man continued to babble these unmeaning words, which no one could understand at all because they had no sense.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright, who was half scared. Polly whirled away to a distance and turned to look at the copper man in a fright.

“His thoughts have run down, this time,” remarked Billina composedly, as she sat on Tik-Tok’s shoulder and pruned her sleek feathers. “When he can’t think he can’t talk properly, any more than you can. You’ll have to wind up his thoughts, Dorothy, or else I’ll have to finish his story myself.”

Dorothy ran around and got the key again and wound up Tik-Tok under his left arm, after which he could speak plainly again.

“Par-don me,” he said, “but when my thoughts run down my speech has no mean-ing, for words are formed on-ly by thought. I was a-bout to say that Oz-ma sent us to wel-come you and in-vite you to come straight to the Em-er-ald Ci-ty. She was too bus-y to come her-self, for she is pre-par-ing for her birth-day cel-e-bra-tion, which is to be a grand af-fair.”

“I’ve heard of it,” said Dorothy, “and I’m glad we’ve come in time to attend. Is it far from here to the Emerald City?”

“Not ve-ry far,” answered Tik-Tok, “and we have plen-ty of time. Tonight we will stop at the pal-ace of the Tin Wood-man, and to-mor-row night we will ar-rive at the Em-er-ald Ci-ty.”

“Goody!” cried Dorothy. “I’d like to see dear Nick Chopper again. How’s his heart?”

“It’s fine,” said Billina; “the Tin Woodman says it gets softer and kindlier every day. He’s waiting at his castle to welcome you, Dorothy; but he couldn’t come with us because he is getting polished as bright as possible for Ozma’s party.”

“Well, then,” said Dorothy, “let’s start on, and we can talk more as we go.”

They proceeded on their journey in a friendly group, for Polychrome had discovered that the copper man was harmless and was no longer afraid of him. Button-Bright was also reassured, and took quite a fancy to Tik-Tok. He wanted the clockwork man to open himself, so that he might see the wheels go round; but that was a thing Tik-Tok could not do. Button-Bright then wanted to wind up the copper man, and Dorothy promised he should do so as soon as any part of the machinery ran down. This pleased Button-Bright, who held fast to one of Tik-Tok’s copper hands as he trudged along the road, while Dorothy walked on the other side of her old friend and Billina perched by turns upon his shoulder or his copper hat. Polly once more joyously danced ahead and Toto ran after her, barking with glee. The shaggy man was left to walk behind; but he didn’t seem to mind that a bit, and whistled merrily or looked curiously upon the pretty scenes they passed.

At last they came to a hilltop from which the tin castle of Nick Chopper could plainly be seen, its towers glistening magnificently under the rays of the declining sun.

“How pretty!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I’ve never seen the Emp’ror’s new house before.”

“He built it because the old castle was damp, and likely to rust his tin body,” said Billina. “All those towers and steeples and domes and gables took a lot of tin, as you can see.”

“Is it a toy?” asked Button-Bright, softly.

“No, dear,” answered Dorothy; “it’s better than that. It’s the fairy dwelling of a fairy prince.”

The Emperor’s Tin Castle

The grounds around Nick Chopper’s new house were laid out in pretty flower-beds, with fountains of crystal water and statues of tin representing the Emperor’s personal friends. Dorothy was astonished and delighted to find a tin statue of herself standing on a tin pedestal at a bend in the avenue leading up to the entrance. It was life-size and showed her in her sunbonnet with her basket on her arm, just as she had first appeared in the Land of Oz.

“Oh, Toto—you’re there too!” she exclaimed; and sure enough there was the tin figure of Toto lying at the tin Dorothy’s feet.

Also Dorothy saw figures of the Scarecrow, and the Wizard, and Ozma, and of many others, including Tik-Tok. They reached the grand tin entrance to the tin castle, and the Tin Woodman himself came running out of the door to embrace little Dorothy and give her a glad welcome. He welcomed her friends as well, and the Rainbow’s Daughter he declared to be the loveliest vision his tin eyes had ever beheld. He patted Button-Bright’s curly head tenderly, for he was fond of children, and turned to the shaggy man and shook both his hands at the same time.

Nick Chopper, the Emperor of the Winkies, who was also known throughout the Land of Oz as the Tin Woodman, was certainly a remarkable person. He was neatly made, all of tin, nicely soldered at the joints, and his various limbs were cleverly hinged to his body so that he could use them nearly as well as if they had been common flesh. Once, he told the shaggy man, he had been made all of flesh and bones, as others people are, and then he chopped wood in the forests to earn his living. But the axe slipped so often and cut off parts of him—which he had replaced with tin—that finally there was no flesh left, nothing but tin; so he became a real tin woodman. The wonderful Wizard of Oz had given him an excellent heart to replace his old one, and he didn’t at all mind being tin. Everyone loved him, he loved everyone; and he was therefore as happy as the day was long.

The Emperor was proud of his new tin castle, and showed his visitors through all the rooms. Every bit of the furniture was made of brightly polished tin—the tables, chairs, beds, and all—even the floors and walls were of tin.

“I suppose,” said he, “that there are no cleverer tinsmiths in all the world than the Winkies. It would be hard to match this castle in Kansas; wouldn’t it, little Dorothy?”

“Very hard,” replied the child, gravely.

“It must have cost a lot of money,” remarked the shaggy man.

“Money! Money in Oz!” cried the Tin Woodman. “What a queer idea! Did you suppose we are so vulgar as to use money here?”

“Why not?” asked the shaggy man.

“If we used money to buy things with, instead of love and kindness and the desire to please one another, then we should be no better than the rest of the world,” declared the Tin Woodman. “Fortunately money is not known in the Land of Oz at all. We have no rich, and no poor; for what one wishes the others all try to give him, in order to make him happy, and no one in all Oz cares to have more than he can use.”

“Good!” cried the shaggy man, greatly pleased to hear this. “I also despise money—a man in Butterfield owes me fifteen cents, and I will not take it from him. The Land of Oz is surely the most favored land in all the world, and its people the happiest. I should like to live here always.”

The Tin Woodman listened with respectful attention. Already he loved the shaggy man, although he did not yet know of the Love Magnet. So he said:

“If you can prove to the Princess Ozma that you are honest and true and worthy of our friendship, you may indeed live here all your days, and be as happy as we are.”

“I’ll try to prove that,” said the shaggy man, earnestly.

“And now,” continued the Emperor, “you must all go to your rooms and prepare for dinner, which will presently be served in the grand tin dining-hall. I am sorry, Shaggy Man, that I can not offer you a change of clothing; but I dress only in tin, myself, and I suppose that would not suit you.”

“I care little about dress,” said the shaggy man, indifferently.

“So I should imagine,” replied the Emperor, with true politeness.

They were shown to their rooms and permitted to make such toilets as they could, and soon they assembled again in the grand tin dining-hall, even Toto being present. For the Emperor was fond of Dorothy’s little dog, and the girl explained to her friends that in Oz all animals were treated with as much consideration as the people—“if they behave themselves,” she added.

Toto behaved himself, and sat in a tin high-chair beside Dorothy and ate his dinner from a tin platter.

Indeed, they all ate from tin dishes, but these were of pretty shapes and brightly polished; Dorothy thought they were just as good as silver.

Button-Bright looked curiously at the man who had “no appetite inside him,” for the Tin Woodman, although he had prepared so fine a feast for his guests, ate not a mouthful himself, sitting patiently in his place to see that all built so they could eat were well and plentifully served.

What pleased Button-Bright most about the dinner was the tin orchestra that played sweet music while the company ate. The players were not tin, being just ordinary Winkies; but the instruments they played upon were all tin—tin trumpets, tin fiddles, tin drums and cymbals and flutes and horns and all. They played so nicely the “Shining Emperor Waltz,” composed expressly in honor of the Tin Woodman by Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E., that Polly could not resist dancing to it. After she had tasted a few dewdrops, freshly gathered for her, she danced gracefully to the music while the others finished their repast; and when she whirled until her fleecy draperies of rainbow hues enveloped her like a cloud, the Tin Woodman was so delighted that he clapped his tin hands until the noise of them drowned the sound of the cymbals.

Altogether it was a merry meal, although Polychrome ate little and the host nothing at all.

“I’m sorry the Rainbow’s Daughter missed her mist-cakes,” said the Tin Woodman to Dorothy; “but by a mistake Miss Polly’s mist-cakes were mislaid and not missed until now. I’ll try to have some for her breakfast.”

They spent the evening telling stories, and the next morning left the splendid tin castle and set out upon the road to the Emerald City. The Tin Woodman went with them, of course, having by this time been so brightly polished that he sparkled like silver. His axe, which he always carried with him, had a steel blade that was tin plated and a handle covered with tin plate beautifully engraved and set with diamonds.

The Winkies assembled before the castle gates and cheered their Emperor as he marched away, and it was easy to see that they all loved him dearly.

Visiting the Pumpkin-Field

Dorothy let Button-Bright wind up the clock-work in the copper man this morning—his thinking machine first, then his speech, and finally his action; so he would doubtless run perfectly until they had reached the Emerald City. The copper man and the tin man were good friends, and not so much alike as you might think. For one was alive and the other moved by means of machinery; one was tall and angular and the other short and round. You could love the Tin Woodman because he had a fine nature, kindly and simple; but the machine man you could only admire without loving, since to love such a thing as he was as impossible as to love a sewing-machine or an automobile. Yet Tik-Tok was popular with the people of Oz because he was so trustworthy, reliable and true; he was sure to do exactly what he was wound up to do, at all times and in all circumstances. Perhaps it is better to be a machine that does its duty than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is better than a live falsehood.

About noon the travelers reached a large field of pumpkins—a vegetable quite appropriate to the yellow country of the Winkies—and some of the pumpkins which grew there were of remarkable size. Just before they entered upon this field they saw three little mounds that looked like graves, with a pretty headstone to each one of them.

“What is this?” asked Dorothy, in wonder.

“It’s Jack Pumpkinhead’s private graveyard,” replied the Tin Woodman.

“But I thought nobody ever died in Oz,” she said.

“Nor do they; although if one is bad, he may be condemned and killed by the good citizens,” he answered.

Dorothy ran over to the little graves and read the words engraved upon the tombstones. The first one said:

Here Lies the Mortal Part of
JACK PUMPKINHEAD
Which Spoiled April 9th.

She then went to the next stone, which read:

Here Lies the Mortal Part of
JACK PUMPKINHEAD
Which Spoiled October 2nd.

On the third stone were carved these words:

Here Lies the Mortal Part of
JACK PUMPKINHEAD
Which Spoiled January 24th.

“Poor Jack!” sighed Dorothy. “I’m sorry he had to die in three parts, for I hoped to see him again.”

“So you shall,” declared the Tin Woodman, “since he is still alive. Come with me to his house, for Jack is now a farmer and lives in this very pumpkin field.”

They walked over to a monstrous big, hollow pumpkin which had a door and windows cut through the rind. There was a stovepipe running through the stem, and six steps had been built leading up to the front door.

They walked up to this door and looked in. Seated on a bench was a man clothed in a spotted shirt, a red vest, and faded blue trousers, whose body was merely sticks of wood, jointed clumsily together. On his neck was set a round, yellow pumpkin, with a face carved on it such as a boy often carves on a jack-lantern.

This queer man was engaged in snapping slippery pumpkin-seeds with his wooden fingers, trying to hit a target on the other side of the room with them. He did not know he had visitors until Dorothy exclaimed:

“Why, it’s Jack Pumpkinhead himself!”

He turned and saw them, and at once came forward to greet the little Kansas girl and Nick Chopper, and to be introduced to their new friends.

Button-Bright was at first rather shy with the quaint Pumpkinhead, but Jack’s face was so jolly and smiling—being carved that way—that the boy soon grew to like him.

“I thought, a while ago, that you were buried in three parts,” said Dorothy; “but now I see you’re just the same as ever.”

“Not quite the same, my dear, for my mouth is a little more one-sided than it used to be; but pretty nearly the same. I’ve a new head, and this is the fourth one I’ve owned since Ozma first made me and brought me to life by sprinkling me with the Magic Powder.”

“What became of the other heads, Jack?”

“They spoiled and I buried them, for they were not even fit for pies. Each time Ozma has carved me a new head just like the old one, and as my body is by far the largest part of me I am still Jack Pumpkinhead, no matter how often I change my upper end. Once we had a dreadful time to find another pumpkin, as they were out of season, and so I was obliged to wear my old head a little longer than was strictly healthy. But after this sad experience I resolved to raise pumpkins myself, so as never to be caught again without one handy; and now I have this fine field that you see before you. Some grow pretty big—too big to be used for heads—so I dug out this one and use it for a house.”

“Isn’t it damp?” asked Dorothy.

“Not very. There isn’t much left but the shell, you see, and it will last a long time yet.”

“I think you are brighter than you used to be, Jack,” said the Tin Woodman. “Your last head was a stupid one.”

“The seeds in this one are better,” was the reply.

“Are you going to Ozma’s party?” asked Dorothy.

“Yes,” said he; “I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Ozma’s my parent, you know, because she built my body and carved my pumpkin head. I’ll follow you to the Emerald City tomorrow, where we shall meet again. I can’t go today, because I have to plant fresh pumpkin-seeds and water the young vines. But give my love to Ozma, and tell her I’ll be there in time for the jubilation.”

“We will,” she promised; and then they all left him and resumed their journey.

The Royal Chariot Arrives

The neat yellow houses of the Winkies were now to be seen standing here and there along the roadway, giving the country a more cheerful and civilized look. They were farm-houses, though, and set far apart; for in the Land of Oz there were no towns or villages except the magnificent Emerald City in its center.

Hedges of evergreen or of yellow roses bordered the broad highway and the farms showed the care of their industrious inhabitants. The nearer the travelers came to the great city the more prosperous the country became, and they crossed many bridges over the sparkling streams and rivulets that watered the lands.

As they walked leisurely along the shaggy man said to the Tin Woodman:

“What sort of a Magic Powder was it, that made your friend the Pumpkinhead live?”

“It was called the Powder of Life,” was the answer; “and it was invented by a crooked Sorcerer who lived in the mountains of the North Country. A Witch named Mombi got some of this powder from the crooked Sorcerer and took it home with her. Ozma lived with the Witch then, for it was before she became our Princess, while Mombi had transformed her into the shape of a boy. Well, while Mombi was gone to the crooked Sorcerer’s, the boy made this pumpkin-headed man to amuse himself, and also with the hope of frightening the Witch with it when she returned. But Mombi was not scared, and she sprinkled the Pumpkinhead with her Magic Powder of Life, to see if the Powder would work. Ozma was watching, and saw the Pumpkinhead come to life; so that night she took the pepper-box containing the Powder and ran away with it and with Jack, in search of adventures.”

“Next day they found a wooden Saw-Horse standing by the roadside, and sprinkled it with the Powder. It came to life at once, and Jack Pumpkinhead rode the Saw-Horse to the Emerald City.”

“What became of the Saw-Horse, afterward?” asked the shaggy man, much interested in this story.

“Oh, it’s alive yet, and you will probably meet it presently in the Emerald City. Afterward Ozma used the last of the Powder to bring the Flying Gump to life; but as soon as it had carried her away from her enemies the Gump was taken apart, so it doesn’t exist any more.”

“It’s too bad the Powder of Life was all used up,” remarked the shaggy man; “it would be a handy thing to have around.”

“I am not so sure of that, sir,” answered the Tin Woodman. “A while ago the crooked Sorcerer who invented the magic Powder fell down a precipice and was killed. All his possessions went to a relative—an old woman named Dyna, who lives in the Emerald City. She went to the mountains where the Sorcerer had lived and brought away everything she thought of value. Among them was a small bottle of the Powder of Life; but of course Dyna didn’t know it was a magic Powder, at all. It happened she had once had a big blue bear for a pet; but the bear choked to death on a fishbone one day, and she loved it so dearly that Dyna made a rug of its skin, leaving the head and four paws on the hide. She kept the rug on the floor of her front parlor.”

“I’ve seen rugs like that,” said the shaggy man, nodding, “but never one made from a blue bear.”

“Well,” continued the Tin Woodman, “the old woman had an idea that the Powder in the bottle must be moth-powder, because it smelled something like moth-powder; so one day she sprinkled it on her bear rug to keep the moths out of it. She said, looking lovingly at the skin: ‘I wish my dear bear were alive again!’ To her horror the bear rug at once came to life, having been sprinkled with the Magic Powder; and now this live bear rug is a great trial to her, and makes her a lot of trouble.”

“Why?” asked the shaggy man.

“Well, it stands up on its four feet and walks all around, and gets in the way; and that spoils it for a rug. It can’t speak, although it is alive; for, while its head might say words, it has no breath in a solid body to push the words out of its mouth. It’s a very slimpsy affair altogether, that bear rug, and the old woman is sorry it came to life. Every day she has to scold it, and make it lie down flat on the parlor floor to be walked upon; but sometimes when she goes to market the rug will hump up its back skin, and stand on its four feet, and trot along after her.”

“I should think Dyna would like that,” said Dorothy.

“Well, she doesn’t; because everyone knows it isn’t a real bear, but just a hollow skin, and so of no actual use in the world except for a rug,” answered the Tin Woodman. “Therefore I believe it is a good thing that all the magic Powder of Life is now used up, as it cannot cause any more trouble.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” said the shaggy man, thoughtfully.

At noon they stopped at a farm-house, where it delighted the farmer and his wife to be able to give them a good luncheon. The farm people knew Dorothy, having seen her when she was in the country before, and they treated the little girl with as much respect as they did the Emperor, because she was a friend of the powerful Princess Ozma.

They had not proceeded far after leaving this farm-house before coming to a high bridge over a broad river. This river, the Tin Woodman informed them, was the boundary between the Country of the Winkies and the territory of the Emerald City. The city itself was still a long way off, but all around it was a green meadow, as pretty as a well-kept lawn, and in this were neither houses nor farms to spoil the beauty of the scene.

From the top of the high bridge they could see far away the magnificent spires and splendid domes of the superb city, sparkling like brilliant jewels as they towered above the emerald walls. The shaggy man drew a deep breath of awe and amazement, for never had he dreamed that such a grand and beautiful place could exist—even in the fairyland of Oz.

Polly was so pleased that her violet eyes sparkled like amethysts, and she danced away from her companions across the bridge and into a group of feathery trees lining both the roadsides. These trees she stopped to look at with pleasure and surprise, for their leaves were shaped like ostrich plumes, their feather edges beautifully curled; and all the plumes were tinted in the same dainty rainbow hues that appeared in Polychrome’s own pretty gauze gown.

“Father ought to see these trees,” she murmured; “they are almost as lovely as his own rainbows.”

Then she gave a start of terror, for beneath the trees came stalking two great beasts, either one big enough to crush the little Daughter of the Rainbow with one blow of his paws, or to eat her up with one snap of his enormous jaws. One was a tawny lion, as tall as a horse, nearly; the other a striped tiger almost the same size.

Polly was too frightened to scream or to stir; she stood still with a wildly beating heart until Dorothy rushed past her and with a glad cry threw her arms around the huge lion’s neck, hugging and kissing the beast with evident joy.

“Oh, I’m so glad to see you again!” cried the little Kansas girl. “And the Hungry Tiger, too! How fine you’re both looking. Are you well and happy?”

“We certainly are, Dorothy,” answered the Lion, in a deep voice that sounded pleasant and kind; “and we are greatly pleased that you have come to Ozma’s party. It’s going to be a grand affair, I promise you.”

“There will be lots of fat babies at the celebration, I hear,” remarked the Hungry Tiger, yawning so that his mouth opened dreadfully wide and showed all his big, sharp teeth; “but of course I can’t eat any of ’em.”

“Is your Conscience still in good order?” asked Dorothy, anxiously.

“Yes; it rules me like a tyrant,” answered the Tiger, sorrowfully. “I can imagine nothing more unpleasant than to own a Conscience,” and he winked slyly at his friend the Lion.

“You’re fooling me!” said Dorothy, with a laugh. “I don’t b’lieve you’d eat a baby if you lost your Conscience. Come here, Polly,” she called, “and be introduced to my friends.”

Polly advanced rather shyly.

“You have some queer friends, Dorothy,” she said.

“The queerness doesn’t matter, so long as they’re friends,” was the answer. “This is the Cowardly Lion, who isn’t a coward at all, but just thinks he is. The Wizard gave him some courage once, and he has part of it left.”

The Lion bowed with great dignity to Polly.

“You are very lovely, my dear,” said he. “I hope we shall be friends when we are better acquainted.”

“And this is the Hungry Tiger,” continued Dorothy. “He says he longs to eat fat babies; but the truth is he is never hungry at all, ’cause he gets plenty to eat; and I don’t s’pose he’d hurt anybody even if he was hungry.”

“Hush, Dorothy,” whispered the Tiger; “you’ll ruin my reputation if you are not more discreet. It isn’t what we are, but what folks think we are, that counts in this world. And come to think of it, Miss Polly would make a fine variegated breakfast, I’m sure.”

The Emerald City

The others now came up, and the Tin Woodman greeted the Lion and the Tiger cordially. Button-Bright yelled with fear when Dorothy first took his hand and led him toward the great beasts; but the girl insisted they were kind and good, and so the boy mustered up courage enough to pat their heads; after they had spoken to him gently and he had looked into their intelligent eyes his fear vanished entirely and he was so delighted with the animals that he wanted to keep close to them and stroke their soft fur every minute.

As for the shaggy man, he might have been afraid if he had met the beasts alone, or in any other country; but so many were the marvels in the Land of Oz that he was no longer easily surprised, and Dorothy’s friendship for the Lion and Tiger was enough to assure him they were safe companions. Toto barked at the Cowardly Lion in joyous greeting, for he knew the beast of old and loved him, and it was funny to see how gently the Lion raised his huge paw to pat Toto’s head.

The little dog smelled of the Tiger’s nose and the Tiger politely shook paws with him; so they were quite likely to become firm friends.

Tik-Tok and Billina knew the beasts well, so merely bade them good day and asked after their healths and inquired about the Princess Ozma.

Now it was seen that the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger were drawing behind them a splendid golden chariot, to which they were harnessed by golden cords. The body of the chariot was decorated on the outside with designs in clusters of sparkling emeralds, while inside it was lined with a green and gold satin, and the cushions of the seats were of green plush embroidered in gold with a crown, underneath which was a monogram.

“Why, it’s Ozma’s own royal chariot!” exclaimed Dorothy.

“Yes,” said the Cowardly Lion; “Ozma sent us to meet you here, for she feared you would be weary with your long walk and she wished you to enter the City in a style becoming your exalted rank.”

“What!” cried Polly, looking at Dorothy curiously. “Do you belong to the nobility?”

“Just in Oz I do,” said the child, “’cause Ozma made me a Princess, you know. But when I’m home in Kansas I’m only a country girl, and have to help with the churning and wipe the dishes while Aunt Em washes ’em. Do you have to help wash dishes on the rainbow, Polly?”

“No, dear,” answered Polychrome, smiling.

“Well, I don’t have to work any in Oz, either,” said Dorothy. “It’s kind of fun to be a Princess once in a while; don’t you think so?”

“Dorothy and Polychrome and Button-Bright are all to ride in the chariot,” said the Lion. “So get in, my dears, and be careful not to mar the gold or put your dusty feet on the embroidery.”

Button-Bright was delighted to ride behind such a superb team, and he told Dorothy it made him feel like an actor in a circus. As the strides of the animals brought them nearer to the Emerald City, everyone bowed respectfully to the children, as well as to the Tin Woodman, Tik-Tok, and the shaggy man, who were following behind.

The Yellow Hen had perched upon the back of the chariot, where she could tell Dorothy more about her wonderful chickens as they rode. And so the grand chariot came finally to the high wall surrounding the City, and paused before the magnificent jewel-studded gates.

These were opened by a cheerful looking little man who wore green spectacles over his eyes. Dorothy introduced him to her friends as the Guardian of the Gates, and they noticed a big bunch of keys suspended on the golden chain that hung around his neck. The chariot passed through the outer gates into a fine arched chamber built in the thick wall, and through the inner gates into the streets of the Emerald City.

Polychrome exclaimed in rapture at the wondrous beauty that met her eyes on every side as they rode through this stately and imposing City, the equal of which has never been discovered, even in Fairyland. Button-Bright could only say “My!” so amazing was the sight; but his eyes were wide open and he tried to look in every direction at the same time, so as not to miss anything.

The shaggy man was fairly astounded at what he saw, for the graceful and handsome buildings were covered with plates of gold and set with emeralds so splendid and valuable that in any other part of the world any one of them would have been worth a fortune to its owner. The sidewalks were superb marble slabs polished as smooth as glass, and the curbs that separated the walks from the broad street were also set thick with clustered emeralds. There were many people on these walks—men, women, and children—all dressed in handsome garments of silk or satin or velvet, with beautiful jewels. Better even than this: all seemed happy and contented, for their faces were smiling and free from care, and music and laughter might be heard on every side.

“Don’t they work, at all?” asked the shaggy man.

“To be sure they work,” replied the Tin Woodman; “this fair city could not be built or cared for without labor, nor could the fruit and vegetables and other food be provided for the inhabitants to eat. But no one works more than half his time, and the people of Oz enjoy their labors as much as they do their play.”

“It’s wonderful!” declared the shaggy man. “I do hope Ozma will let me live here.”

The chariot, winding through many charming streets, paused before a building so vast and noble and elegant that even Button-Bright guessed at once that it was the Royal Palace. Its gardens and ample grounds were surrounded by a separate wall, not so high or thick as the wall around the City, but more daintily designed and built all of green marble. The gates flew open as the chariot appeared before them, and the Cowardly Lion and Hungry Tiger trotted up a jeweled driveway to the front door of the palace and stopped short.

“Here we are!” said Dorothy, gaily, and helped Button-Bright from the chariot. Polychrome leaped out lightly after them, and they were greeted by a crowd of gorgeously dressed servants who bowed low as the visitors mounted the marble steps. At their head was a pretty little maid with dark hair and eyes, dressed all in green embroidered with silver. Dorothy ran up to her with evident pleasure, and exclaimed:

“Oh Jellia Jamb! I’m so glad to see you again. Where’s Ozma?”

“In her room, your Highness,” replied the little maid demurely, for this was Ozma’s favorite attendant. “She wishes you to come to her as soon as you have rested and changed your dress, Princess Dorothy. And you and your friends are to dine with her this evening.”

“When is her birthday, Jellia?” asked the girl.

“Day after tomorrow, your Highness.”

“And where’s the Scarecrow?”

“He’s gone into the Munchkin country to get some fresh straw to stuff himself with, in honor of Ozma’s celebration,” replied the maid. “He returns to the Emerald City tomorrow, he said.”

By this time Tik-Tok, the Tin Woodman, and the shaggy man had arrived and the chariot had gone around to the back of the palace, Billina going with the Lion and Tiger to see her chickens after her absence from them. But Toto stayed close beside Dorothy.

“Come in, please,” said Jellia Jamb; “it shall be our pleasant duty to escort all of you to the rooms prepared for your use.”

The shaggy man hesitated. Dorothy had never known him to be ashamed of his shaggy looks before, but now that he was surrounded by so much magnificence and splendor the shaggy man felt sadly out of place.

Dorothy assured him that all her friends were welcome at Ozma’s palace, so he carefully dusted his shaggy shoes with his shaggy handkerchief and entered the grand hall after the others.

Tik-Tok lived at the Royal Palace and the Tin Woodman always had the same room whenever he visited Ozma, so these two went at once to remove the dust of the journey from their shining bodies. Dorothy also had a pretty suite of rooms which she always occupied when in the Emerald City; but several servants walked ahead politely to show the way, although she was quite sure she could find the rooms herself. She took Button-Bright with her, because he seemed too small to be left alone in such a big palace; but Jellia Jamb herself ushered the beautiful Daughter of the Rainbow to her apartments, because it was easy to see that Polychrome was used to splendid palaces and was therefore entitled to especial attention.

The Shaggy Man’s Welcome

The shaggy man stood in the great hall, his shaggy hat in his hands, wondering what would become of him. He had never been a guest in a fine palace before; perhaps he had never been a guest anywhere. In the big, cold, outside world people did not invite shaggy men to their homes, and this shaggy man of ours had slept more in hay-lofts and stables than in comfortable rooms. When the others left the great hall he eyed the splendidly dressed servants of the Princess Ozma as if he expected to be ordered out; but one of them bowed before him as respectfully as if he had been a prince, and said:

“Permit me, sir, to conduct you to your apartments.”

The shaggy man drew a long breath and took courage.

“Very well,” he answered; “I’m ready.”

Through the big hall they went, up the grand staircase carpeted thick with velvet, and so along a wide corridor to a carved doorway. Here the servant paused, and opening the door said with polite deference:

“Be good enough to enter, sir, and make yourself at home in the rooms our Royal Ozma has ordered prepared for you. Whatever you see is for you to use and enjoy, as if your own. The Princess dines at seven, and I shall be here in time to lead you to the drawing-room, where you will be privileged to meet the lovely Ruler of Oz. Is there any command, in the meantime, with which you desire to honor me?”

“No,” said the shaggy man; “but I’m much obliged.”

He entered the room and shut the door, and for a time stood in bewilderment, admiring the grandeur before him.

He had been given one of the handsomest apartments in the most magnificent palace in the world, and you can not wonder that his good fortune astonished and awed him until he grew used to his surroundings.

The furniture was upholstered in cloth of gold, with the royal crown embroidered upon it in scarlet. The rug upon the marble floor was so thick and soft that he could not hear the sound of his own footsteps, and upon the walls were splendid tapestries woven with scenes from the Land of Oz. Books and ornaments were scattered about in profusion, and the shaggy man thought he had never seen so many pretty things in one place before. In one corner played a tinkling fountain of perfumed water, and in another was a table bearing a golden tray loaded with freshly gathered fruit, including several of the red-cheeked apples that the shaggy man loved.

At the farther end of this charming room was an open doorway, and he crossed over to find himself in a bedroom containing more comforts than the shaggy man had ever before imagined. The bedstead was of gold and set with many brilliant diamonds, and the coverlet had designs of pearls and rubies sewed upon it. At one side of the bedroom was a dainty dressing-room, with closets containing a large assortment of fresh clothing; and beyond this was the bath—a large room having a marble pool big enough to swim in, with white marble steps leading down to the water. Around the edge of the pool were set rows of fine emeralds as large as door-knobs, while the water of the bath was clear as crystal.

For a time the shaggy man gazed upon all this luxury with silent amazement. Then he decided, being wise in his way, to take advantage of his good fortune. He removed his shaggy boots and his shaggy clothing, and bathed in the pool with rare enjoyment. After he had dried himself with the soft towels he went into the dressing-room and took fresh linen from the drawers and put it on, finding that everything fitted him exactly. He examined the contents of the closets and selected an elegant suit of clothing. Strangely enough, everything about it was shaggy, although so new and beautiful, and he sighed with contentment to realize that he could now be finely dressed and still be the Shaggy Man. His coat was of rose-colored velvet, trimmed with shags and bobtails, with buttons of blood-red rubies and golden shags around the edges. His vest was a shaggy satin of a delicate cream color, and his knee-breeches of rose velvet trimmed like the coat. Shaggy creamy stockings of silk, and shaggy slippers of rose leather with ruby buckles, completed his costume, and when he was thus attired the shaggy man looked at himself in a long mirror with great admiration.

On a table he found a mother-of-pearl chest decorated with delicate silver vines and flowers of clustered rubies, and on the cover was a silver plate engraved with these words:

THE SHAGGY MAN:
HIS BOX OF ORNAMENTS

The chest was not locked, so he opened it and was almost dazzled by the brilliance of the rich jewels it contained. After admiring the pretty things, he took out a fine golden watch with a big chain, several handsome finger-rings, and an ornament of rubies to pin upon the breast of his shaggy shirt-bosom. Having carefully brushed his hair and whiskers all the wrong way, to make them look as shaggy as possible, the shaggy man breathed a deep sigh of joy and decided he was ready to meet the Royal Princess as soon as she sent for him. While he waited he returned to the beautiful sitting room and ate several of the red-cheeked apples to pass away the time.

Meanwhile Dorothy had dressed herself in a pretty gown of soft gray embroidered with silver, and put a blue-and-gold suit of satin upon little Button-Bright, who looked as sweet as a cherub in it. Followed by the boy and Toto—the dog with a new green ribbon around his neck—she hastened down to the splendid drawing-room of the palace, where, seated upon an exquisite throne of carved malachite and nestled amongst its green satin cushions was the lovely Princess Ozma, waiting eagerly to welcome her friend.

Princess Ozma of Oz

The royal historians of Oz, who are fine writers and know any number of big words, have often tried to describe the rare beauty of Ozma and failed because the words were not good enough. So of course I can not hope to tell you how great was the charm of this little Princess, or how her loveliness put to shame all the sparkling jewels and magnificent luxury that surrounded her in this her royal palace. Whatever else was beautiful or dainty or delightful of itself faded to dullness when contrasted with Ozma’s bewitching face, and it has often been said by those who know that no other ruler in all the world can ever hope to equal the gracious charm of her manner.

Everything about Ozma attracted one, and she inspired love and the sweetest affection rather than awe or ordinary admiration. Dorothy threw her arms around her little friend and hugged and kissed her rapturously, and Toto barked joyfully and Button-Bright smiled a happy smile and consented to sit on the soft cushions close beside the Princess.

“Why didn’t you send me word you were going to have a birthday party?” asked the little Kansas girl, when the first greetings were over.

“Didn’t I?” asked Ozma, her pretty eyes dancing with merriment.

“Did you?” replied Dorothy, trying to think.

“Who do you imagine, dear, mixed up those roads, so as to start you wandering in the direction of Oz?” inquired the Princess.

“Oh! I never ’spected you of that,” cried Dorothy.

“I’ve watched you in my Magic Picture all the way here,” declared Ozma, “and twice I thought I should have to use the Magic Belt to save you and transport you to the Emerald City. Once was when the Scoodlers caught you, and again when you reached the Deadly Desert. But the shaggy man was able to help you out both times, so I did not interfere.”

“Do you know who Button-Bright is?” asked Dorothy.

“No; I never saw him until you found him in the road, and then only in my Magic Picture.”

“And did you send Polly to us?”

“No, dear; the Rainbow’s Daughter slid from her father’s pretty arch just in time to meet you.”

“Well,” said Dorothy, “I’ve promised King Dox of Foxville and King Kik-a-bray of Dunkiton that I’d ask you to invite them to your party.”

“I have already done that,” returned Ozma, “because I thought it would please you to favor them.”

“Did you ’vite the Musicker?” asked Button-Bright.

“No; because he would be too noisy, and might interfere with the comfort of others. When music is not very good, and is indulged in all the time, it is better that the performer should be alone,” said the Princess.

“I like the Musicker’s music,” declared the boy, gravely.

“But I don’t,” said Dorothy.

“Well, there will be plenty of music at my celebration,” promised Ozma; “so I’ve an idea Button-Bright won’t miss the Musicker at all.”

Just then Polychrome danced in, and Ozma rose to greet the Rainbow’s Daughter in her sweetest and most cordial manner.

Dorothy thought she had never seen two prettier creatures together than these lovely maidens; but Polly knew at once her own dainty beauty could not match that of Ozma, yet was not a bit jealous because this was so.

The Wizard of Oz was announced, and a dried-up, little, old man, clothed all in black, entered the drawing-room. His face was cheery and his eyes twinkling with humor, so Polly and Button-Bright were not at all afraid of the wonderful personage whose fame as a humbug magician had spread throughout the world. After greeting Dorothy with much affection, he stood modestly behind Ozma’s throne and listened to the lively prattle of the young people.

Now the shaggy man appeared, and so startling was his appearance, all clad in shaggy new raiment, that Dorothy cried “Oh!” and clasped her hands impulsively as she examined her friend with pleased eyes.

“He’s still shaggy, all right,” remarked Button-Bright; and Ozma nodded brightly because she had meant the shaggy man to remain shaggy when she provided his new clothes for him.

Dorothy led him toward the throne, as he was shy in such fine company, and presented him gracefully to the Princess, saying:

“This, your Highness, is my friend, the shaggy man, who owns the Love Magnet.”

“You are welcome to Oz,” said the girl Ruler, in gracious accents. “But tell me, sir, where did you get the Love Magnet which you say you own?”

The shaggy man grew red and looked downcast, as he answered in a low voice:

“I stole it, your Majesty.”

“Oh, Shaggy Man!” cried Dorothy. “How dreadful! And you told me the Eskimo gave you the Love Magnet.”

He shuffled first on one foot and then on the other, much embarrassed.

“I told you a falsehood, Dorothy,” he said; “but now, having bathed in the Truth Pond, I must tell nothing but the truth.”

“Why did you steal it?” asked Ozma, gently.

“Because no one loved me, or cared for me,” said the shaggy man, “and I wanted to be loved a great deal. It was owned by a girl in Butterfield who was loved too much, so that the young men quarreled over her, which made her unhappy. After I had stolen the Magnet from her, only one young man continued to love the girl, and she married him and regained her happiness.”

“Are you sorry you stole it?” asked the Princess.

“No, your Highness; I’m glad,” he answered; “for it has pleased me to be loved, and if Dorothy had not cared for me I could not have accompanied her to this beautiful Land of Oz, or met its kind-hearted Ruler. Now that I’m here, I hope to remain, and to become one of your Majesty’s most faithful subjects.”

“But in Oz we are loved for ourselves alone, and for our kindness to one another, and for our good deeds,” she said.

“I’ll give up the Love Magnet,” said the shaggy man, eagerly; “Dorothy shall have it.”

“But everyone loves Dorothy already,” declared the Wizard.

“Then Button-Bright shall have it.”

“Don’t want it,” said the boy, promptly.

“Then I’ll give it to the Wizard, for I’m sure the lovely Princess Ozma does not need it.”

“All my people love the Wizard, too,” announced the Princess, laughing; “so we will hang the Love Magnet over the gates of the Emerald City, that whoever shall enter or leave the gates may be loved and loving.”

“That is a good idea,” said the shaggy man; “I agree to it most willingly.”

Those assembled now went in to dinner, which you may imagine was a grand affair; and afterward Ozma asked the Wizard to give them an exhibition of his magic.

The Wizard took eight tiny white piglets from an inside pocket and set them on the table. One was dressed like a clown, and performed funny antics, and the others leaped over the spoons and dishes and ran around the table like racehorses, and turned hand-springs and were so sprightly and amusing that they kept the company in one roar of merry laughter. The Wizard had trained these pets to do many curious things, and they were so little and so cunning and soft that Polychrome loved to pick them up as they passed near her place and fondle them as if they were kittens.

It was late when the entertainment ended, and they separated to go to their rooms.

“Tomorrow,” said Ozma, “my invited guests will arrive, and you will find among them some interesting and curious people, I promise you. The next day will be my birthday, and the festivities will be held on the broad green just outside the gates of the City, where all my people can assemble without being crowded.”

“I hope the Scarecrow won’t be late,” said Dorothy, anxiously.

“Oh, he is sure to return tomorrow,” answered Ozma. “He wanted new straw to stuff himself with, so he went to the Munchkin Country, where straw is plentiful.”

With this the Princess bade her guests good night and went to her own room.

Dorothy Receives the Guests

Next morning Dorothy’s breakfast was served in her own pretty sitting room, and she sent to invite Polly and the shaggy man to join her and Button-Bright at the meal. They came gladly, and Toto also had breakfast with them, so that the little party that had traveled together to Oz was once more reunited.

No sooner had they finished eating than they heard the distant blast of many trumpets, and the sound of a brass band playing martial music; so they all went out upon the balcony. This was at the front of the palace and overlooked the streets of the City, being higher than the wall that shut in the palace grounds. They saw approaching down the street a band of musicians, playing as hard and loud as they could, while the people of the Emerald City crowded the sidewalks and cheered so lustily that they almost drowned the noise of the drums and horns.

Dorothy looked to see what they were cheering at, and discovered that behind the band was the famous Scarecrow, riding proudly upon the back of a wooden Saw-Horse which pranced along the street almost as gracefully as if it had been made of flesh. Its hoofs, or rather the ends of its wooden legs, were shod with plates of solid gold, and the saddle strapped to the wooden body was richly embroidered and glittered with jewels.

As he reached the palace the Scarecrow looked up and saw Dorothy, and at once waved his peaked hat at her in greeting. He rode up to the front door and dismounted, and the band stopped playing and went away and the crowds of people returned to their dwellings.

By the time Dorothy and her friends had re-entered her room the Scarecrow was there, and he gave the girl a hearty embrace and shook the hands of the others with his own squashy hands, which were white gloves filled with straw.

The shaggy man, Button-Bright, and Polychrome stared hard at this celebrated person, who was acknowledged to be the most popular and most beloved man in all the Land of Oz.

“Why, your face has been newly painted!” exclaimed Dorothy, when the first greetings were over.

“I had it touched up a bit by the Munchkin farmer who first made me,” answered the Scarecrow, pleasantly. “My complexion had become a bit gray and faded, you know, and the paint had peeled off one end of my mouth, so I couldn’t talk quite straight. Now I feel like myself again, and I may say without immodesty that my body is stuffed with the loveliest oat-straw in all Oz.” He pushed against his chest. “Hear me crunkle?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Dorothy; “you sound fine.”

Button-Bright was wonderfully attracted by the straw man, and so was Polly. The shaggy man treated him with great respect, because he was so queerly made.

Jellia Jamb now came to say that Ozma wanted Princess Dorothy to receive the invited guests in the Throne-Room, as they arrived. The Ruler was herself busy ordering the preparations for the morrow’s festivities, so she wished her friend to act in her place.

Dorothy willingly agreed, being the only other Princess in the Emerald City; so she went to the great Throne-Room and sat in Ozma’s seat, placing Polly on one side of her and Button-Bright on the other. The Scarecrow stood at the left of the throne and the Tin Woodman at the right, while the Wonderful Wizard and the shaggy man stood behind.

The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger came in, with bright new bows of ribbon on their collars and tails. After greeting Dorothy affectionately the huge beasts lay down at the foot of the throne.

While they waited, the Scarecrow, who was near the little boy, asked:

“Why are you called Button-Bright?”

“Don’t know,” was the answer.

“Oh yes, you do, dear,” said Dorothy. “Tell the Scarecrow how you got your name.”

“Papa always said I was bright as a button, so mamma always called me Button-Bright,” announced the boy.

“Where is your mamma?” asked the Scarecrow.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright.

“Where is your home?” asked the Scarecrow.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright.

“Don’t you want to find your mamma again?” asked the Scarecrow.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright, calmly.

The Scarecrow looked thoughtful.

“Your papa may have been right,” he observed; “but there are many kinds of buttons, you see. There are silver and gold buttons, which are highly polished and glitter brightly. There are pearl and rubber buttons, and other kinds, with surfaces more or less bright. But there is still another sort of button which is covered with dull cloth, and that must be the sort your papa meant when he said you were bright as a button. Don’t you think so?”

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright.

Jack Pumpkinhead arrived, wearing a pair of new white kid gloves; and he brought a birthday present for Ozma consisting of a necklace of pumpkin-seeds. In each seed was set a sparkling carolite, which is considered the rarest and most beautiful gem that exists. The necklace was in a plush case and Jellia Jamb put it on a table with the Princess Ozma’s other presents.

Next came a tall, beautiful woman clothed in a splendid trailing gown, trimmed with exquisite lace as fine as cobweb. This was the important Sorceress known as Glinda the Good, who had been of great assistance to both Ozma and Dorothy. There was no humbug about her magic, you may be sure, and Glinda was as kind as she was powerful. She greeted Dorothy most lovingly, and kissed Button-Bright and Polly, and smiled upon the shaggy man, after which Jellia Jamb led the Sorceress to one of the most magnificent rooms of the royal palace and appointed fifty servants to wait upon her.

The next arrival was Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E.; the “H. M.” meaning Highly Magnified and the “T. E.” meaning Thoroughly Educated. The Woggle-Bug was head professor at the Royal College of Oz, and he had composed a fine Ode in honor of Ozma’s birthday. This he wanted to read to them; but the Scarecrow wouldn’t let him.

Soon they heard a clucking sound and a chorus of “cheep! cheep!” and a servant threw open the door to allow Billina and her ten fluffy chicks to enter the Throne-Room. As the Yellow Hen marched proudly at the head of her family, Dorothy cried, “Oh, you lovely things!” and ran down from her seat to pet the little yellow downy balls. Billina wore a pearl necklace, and around the neck of each chicken was a tiny gold chain holding a locket with the letter “D” engraved upon the outside.

“Open the lockets, Dorothy,” said Billina. The girl obeyed and found a picture of herself in each locket. “They were named after you, my dear,” continued the Yellow Hen, “so I wanted all my chickens to wear your picture. Cluck—cluck! come here, Dorothy—this minute!” she cried, for the chickens were scattered and wandering all around the big room.

They obeyed the call at once, and came running as fast as they could, fluttering their fluffy wings in a laughable way.

It was lucky that Billina gathered the little ones under her soft breast just then, for Tik-Tok came in and tramped up to the throne on his flat copper feet.

“I am all wound up and work-ing fine-ly,” said the clockwork man to Dorothy.

“I can hear him tick,” declared Button-Bright.

“You are quite the polished gentleman,” said the Tin Woodman. “Stand up here beside the shaggy man, Tik-Tok, and help receive the company.”

Dorothy placed soft cushions in a corner for Billina and her chicks, and had just returned to the Throne and seated herself when the playing of the royal band outside the palace announced the approach of distinguished guests.

And my, how they did stare when the High Chamberlain threw open the doors and the visitors entered the Throne-Room!

First walked a gingerbread man, neatly formed and baked to a lovely brown tint. He wore a silk hat and carried a candy cane prettily striped with red and yellow. His shirt-front and cuffs were white frosting, and the buttons on his coat were licorice drops.

Behind the gingerbread man came a child with flaxen hair and merry blue eyes, dressed in white pajamas, with sandals on the soles of its pretty bare feet. The child looked around smiling and thrust its hands into the pockets of the pajamas. Close after it came a big rubber bear, walking erect on its hind feet. The bear had twinkling black eyes and its body looked as if it had been pumped full of air.

Following these curious visitors were two tall, thin men and two short, fat men, all four dressed in gorgeous uniforms.

Ozma’s High Chamberlain now hurried forward to announce the names of the new arrivals, calling out in a loud voice:

“His Gracious and Most Edible Majesty, King Dough the First, Ruler of the Two Kingdoms of Hiland and Loland. Also the Head Booleywag of his Majesty, known as Chick the Cherub, and their faithful friend Para Bruin, the rubber bear.”

These great personages bowed low as their names were called, and Dorothy hastened to introduce them to the assembled company. They were the first foreign arrivals, and the friends of Princess Ozma were polite to them and tried to make them feel that they were welcome.

Chick the Cherub shook hands with everyone, including Billina, and was so joyous and frank and full of good spirits that John Dough’s Head Booleywag at once became a prime favorite.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” whispered Dorothy.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright.

“Goodness me! what a queer lot of people you are,” exclaimed the rubber bear, looking at the assembled company.

“So’re you,” said Button-Bright, gravely. “Is King Dough good to eat?”

“He’s too good to eat,” laughed Chick the Cherub.

“I hope none of you are fond of gingerbread,” said the King, rather anxiously.

“We should never think of eating our visitors, if we were,” declared the Scarecrow; “so please do not worry, for you will be perfectly safe while you remain in Oz.”

“Why do they call you Chick?” the Yellow Hen asked the child.

“Because I’m an Incubator Baby, and never had any parents,” replied the Head Booleywag.

“My chicks have a parent, and I’m it,” said Billina.

“I’m glad of that,” answered the Cherub, “because they’ll have more fun worrying you than if they were brought up in an Incubator. The Incubator never worries, you know.”

King John Dough had brought for Ozma’s birthday present a lovely gingerbread crown, with rows of small pearls around it and a fine big pearl in each of its five points. After this had been received by Dorothy with proper thanks and placed on the table with the other presents, the visitors from Hiland and Loland were escorted to their rooms by the High Chamberlain.

They had no sooner departed than the band before the palace began to play again, announcing more arrivals, and as these were doubtless from foreign parts the High Chamberlain hurried back to receive them in his most official manner.

Important Arrivals

First entered a band of Ryls from the Happy Valley, all merry little sprites like fairy elves. A dozen crooked Knooks followed from the great Forest of Burzee. They had long whiskers and pointed caps and curling toes, yet were no taller than Button-Bright’s shoulder. With this group came a man so easy to recognize and so important and dearly beloved throughout the known world, that all present rose to their feet and bowed their heads in respectful homage, even before the High Chamberlain knelt to announce his name.

“The most Mighty and Loyal Friend of Children, His Supreme Highness—Santa Claus!” said the Chamberlain, in an awed voice.

“Well, well, well! Glad to see you—glad to meet you all!” cried Santa Claus, briskly, as he trotted up the long room.

He was round as an apple, with a fresh rosy face, laughing eyes, and a bushy beard as white as snow. A red cloak trimmed with beautiful ermine hung from his shoulders and upon his back was a basket filled with pretty presents for the Princess Ozma.

“Hello, Dorothy; still having adventures?” he asked in his jolly way, as he took the girl’s hand in both his own.

“How did you know my name, Santa?” she replied, feeling more shy in the presence of this immortal saint than she ever had before in her young life.

“Why, don’t I see you every Christmas Eve, when you’re asleep?” he rejoined, pinching her blushing cheek.

“Oh; do you?”

“And here’s Button-Bright, I declare!” cried Santa Claus, holding up the boy to kiss him. “What a long way from home you are; dear me!”

“Do you know Button-Bright, too?” questioned Dorothy, eagerly.

“Indeed I do. I’ve visited his home several Christmas Eves.”

“And do you know his father?” asked the girl.

“Certainly, my dear. Who else do you suppose brings him his Christmas neckties and stockings?” with a sly wink at the Wizard.

“Then where does he live? We’re just crazy to know, ’cause Button-Bright’s lost,” she said.

Santa laughed and laid his finger aside of his nose as if thinking what to reply. He leaned over and whispered something in the Wizard’s ear, at which the Wizard smiled and nodded as if he understood.

Now Santa Claus spied Polychrome, and trotted over to where she stood.

“Seems to me the Rainbow’s Daughter is farther from home than any of you,” he observed, looking at the pretty maiden admiringly. “I’ll have to tell your father where you are, Polly, and send him to get you.”

“Please do, dear Santa Claus,” implored the little maid, beseechingly.

“But just now we must all have a jolly good time at Ozma’s party,” said the old gentlemen, turning to put his presents on the table with the others already there. “It isn’t often I find time to leave my castle, as you know; but Ozma invited me and I just couldn’t help coming to celebrate the happy occasion.”

“I’m so glad!” exclaimed Dorothy.

“These are my Ryls,” pointing to the little sprites squatting around him. “Their business is to paint the colors of the flowers when they bud and bloom; but I brought the merry fellows along to see Oz, and they’ve left their paint-pots behind them. Also I brought these crooked Knooks, whom I love. My dears, the Knooks are much nicer than they look, for their duty is to water and care for the young trees of the forest, and they do their work faithfully and well. It’s hard work, though, and it makes my Knooks crooked and gnarled, like the trees themselves; but their hearts are big and kind, as are the hearts of all who do good in our beautiful world.”

“I’ve read of the Ryls and Knooks,” said Dorothy, looking upon these little workers with interest.

Santa Claus turned to talk with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, and he also said a kind word to the shaggy man, and afterward went away to ride the Saw-horse around the Emerald City. “For,” said he, “I must see all the grand sights while I am here and have the chance, and Ozma has promised to let me ride the Saw-Horse because I’m getting fat and short of breath.”

“Where are your reindeer?” asked Polychrome.

“I left them at home, for it is too warm for them in this sunny country,” he answered. “They’re used to winter weather when they travel.”

In a flash he was gone, and the Ryls and Knooks with him; but they could all hear the golden hoofs of the Saw-Horse ringing on the marble pavement outside, as he pranced away with his noble rider.

Presently the band played again, and the High Chamberlain announced:

“Her Gracious Majesty, the Queen of Merryland.”

They looked earnestly to discover whom this queen might be, and saw advancing up the room an exquisite wax doll, dressed in dainty fluffs and ruffles and spangled gown. She was almost as big as Button-Bright, and her cheeks and mouth and eyebrow were prettily painted in delicate colors. Her blue eyes stared a bit, being of glass, yet the expression upon her Majesty’s face was quite pleasant and decidedly winning. With the Queen of Merryland were four wooden soldiers, two stalking ahead of her with much dignity and two following behind, like a royal bodyguard. The soldiers were painted in bright colors and carried wooden guns, and after them came a fat little man who attracted attention at once, although he seemed modest and retiring. For he was made of candy, and carried a tin sugar-sifter filled with powdered sugar, with which he dusted himself frequently so that he wouldn’t stick to things if he touched them. The High Chamberlain had called him “The Candy Man of Merryland,” and Dorothy saw that one of his thumbs looked as if it had been bitten off by some who was fond of candy and couldn’t resist the temptation.

The wax doll Queen spoke prettily to Dorothy and the others, and sent her loving greetings to Ozma before she retired to the rooms prepared for her. She had brought a birthday present wrapped in tissue paper and tied with pink and blue ribbons, and one of the wooden soldiers placed it on the table with the other gifts. But the Candy Man did not go to his room, because he said he preferred to stay and talk with the Scarecrow and Tik-Tok and the Wizard and Tin Woodman, whom he declared the queerest people he had ever met. Button-Bright was glad the Candy Man stayed in the Throne-room, because the boy thought this guest smelled deliciously of wintergreen and maple sugar.

The Braided Man now entered the room, having been fortunate enough to receive an invitation to the Princess Ozma’s party. He was from a cave halfway between the Invisible Valley and the Country of the Gargoyles, and his hair and whiskers were so long that he was obliged to plait them into many braids that hung to his feet, and every braid was tied with a bow of colored ribbon.

“I’ve brought Princess Ozma a box of flutters for her birthday,” said the Braided Man, earnestly; “and I hope she will like them, for they are the finest quality I have ever made.”

“I’m sure she will be greatly pleased,” said Dorothy, who remembered the Braided Man well; and the Wizard introduced the guest to the rest of the company and made him sit down in a chair and keep quiet, for, if allowed, he would talk continually about his flutters.

The band then played a welcome to another set of guests, and into the Throne-Room swept the handsome and stately Queen of Ev. Beside her was young King Evardo, and following them came the entire royal family of five Princesses and four Princes of Ev. The Kingdom of Ev lay just across the Deadly Desert to the North of Oz, and once Ozma and her people had rescued the Queen of Ev and her ten children from the Nome King, who had enslaved them. Dorothy had been present on this adventure, so she greeted the royal family cordially; and all the visitors were delighted to meet the little Kansas girl again. They knew Tik-Tok and Billina, too, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, as well as the Lion and Tiger; so there was a joyful reunion, as you may imagine, and it was fully an hour before the Queen and her train retired to their rooms. Perhaps they would not have gone then had not the band begun to play to announce new arrivals; but before they left the great Throne-Room King Evardo added to Ozma’s birthday presents a diadem of diamonds set in radium.

The next comer proved to be King Renard of Foxville; or King Dox, as he preferred to be called. He was magnificently dressed in a new feather costume and wore white kid mittens over his paws and a flower in his button-hole and had his hair parted in the middle.

King Dox thanked Dorothy fervently for getting him the invitation to come to Oz, which he had all his life longed to visit. He strutted around rather absurdly as he was introduced to all the famous people assembled in the Throne-Room, and when he learned that Dorothy was a Princess of Oz the Fox King insisted on kneeling at her feet and afterward retired backward—a dangerous thing to do, as he might have stubbed his paw and tumbled over.

No sooner was he gone than the blasts of bugles and clatter of drums and cymbals announced important visitors, and the High Chamberlain assumed his most dignified tone as he threw open the door and said proudly:

“Her Sublime and Resplendent Majesty, Queen Zixi of Ix! His Serene and Tremendous Majesty, King Bud of Noland. Her Royal Highness, the Princess Fluff.”

That three such high and mighty royal personages should arrive at once was enough to make Dorothy and her companions grow solemn and assume their best company manners; but when the exquisite beauty of Queen Zixi met their eyes they thought they had never beheld anything so charming. Dorothy decided that Zixi must be about sixteen years old, but the Wizard whispered to her that this wonderful queen had lived thousands of years, but knew the secret of remaining always fresh and beautiful.

King Bud of Noland and his dainty fair-haired sister, the Princess Fluff, were friends of Zixi, as their kingdoms were adjoining, so they had traveled together from their far-off domains to do honor to Ozma of Oz on the occasion of her birthday. They brought many splendid gifts; so the table was now fairly loaded down with presents.

Dorothy and Polly loved the Princess Fluff the moment they saw her, and little King Bud was so frank and boyish that Button-Bright accepted him as a chum at once and did not want him to go away. But it was after noon now, and the royal guests must prepare their toilets for the grand banquet at which they were to assemble that evening to meet the reigning Princess of this Fairyland; so Queen Zixi was shown to her room by a troop of maidens led by Jellia Jamb, and Bud and Fluff presently withdrew to their own apartments.

“My! what a big party Ozma is going to have,” exclaimed Dorothy. “I guess the palace will be chock full, Button-Bright; don’t you think so?”

“Don’t know,” said the boy.

“But we must go to our rooms, pretty soon, to dress for the banquet,” continued the girl.

“I don’t have to dress,” said the Candy Man from Merryland. “All I need do is to dust myself with fresh sugar.”

“Tik-Tok and I always wear the same suits of clothes,” said the Tin Woodman; “and so does our friend the Scarecrow.”

“My feathers are good enough for any occasion,” cried Billina, from her corner.

“Then I shall leave you four to welcome any new guests that come,” said Dorothy; “for Button-Bright and I must look our very best at Ozma’s banquet.”

“Who is still to come?” asked the Scarecrow.

“Well, there’s King Kika-bray of Dunkiton, and Johnny Dooit, and the Good Witch of the North. But Johnny Dooit may not get here until late, he’s so very busy.”

“We will receive them and give them a proper welcome,” promised the Scarecrow. “So run along, little Dorothy, and get yourself dressed.”

The Grand Banquet

I wish I could tell you how fine the company was that assembled that evening at Ozma’s royal banquet. A long table was spread in the center of the great dining-hall of the palace and the splendor of the decorations and the blaze of lights and jewels was acknowledged to be the most magnificent sight that any of the guests had ever seen.

The jolliest person present, as well as the most important, was of course, old Santa Claus; so he was given the seat of honor at one end of the table while at the other end sat Princess Ozma, the hostess.

John Dough, Queen Zixi, King Bud, the Queen of Ev and her son Evardo, and the Queen of Merryland had golden thrones to sit in, while the others were supplied with beautiful chairs.

At the upper end of the banquet room was a separate table provided for the animals. Toto sat at one end of this table, with a bib tied around his neck and a silver platter to eat from. At the other end was placed a small stand, with a low rail around the edge of it, for Billina and her chicks. The rail kept the ten little Dorothys from falling off the stand, while the Yellow Hen could easily reach over and take her food from her tray upon the table. At other places sat the Hungry Tiger, the Cowardly Lion, the Saw-Horse, the Rubber Bear, the Fox King and the Donkey King; they made quite a company of animals.

At the lower end of the great room was another table, at which sat the Ryls and Knooks who had come with Santa Claus, the wooden soldiers who had come with the Queen of Merryland, and the Hilanders and Lolanders who had come with John Dough. Here were also seated the officers of the royal palace and of Ozma’s army.

The splendid costumes of those at the three tables made a gorgeous and glittering display that no one present was ever likely to forget; perhaps there has never been in any part of the world at any time another assemblage of such wonderful people as that which gathered this evening to honor the birthday of the Ruler of Oz.

When all the members of the company were in their places an orchestra of five hundred pieces, in a balcony overlooking the banquet room, began to play sweet and delightful music. Then a door draped with royal green opened, and in came the fair and girlish Princess Ozma, who now greeted her guests in person for the first time.

As she stood by her throne at the head of the banquet table every eye was turned eagerly upon the lovely Princess, who was as dignified as she was bewitching, and who smiled upon all her old and new friends in a way that touched their hearts and brought an answering smile to every face.

Each guest had been served with a crystal goblet filled with lacasa, which is a sort of nectar famous in Oz and nicer to drink than soda-water or lemonade. Santa now made a pretty speech in verse, congratulating Ozma on having a birthday, and asking everyone present to drink to the health and happiness of their dearly beloved hostess. This was done with great enthusiasm by those who were made so they could drink at all, and those who could not drink politely touched the rims of their goblets to their lips. All seated themselves at the tables and the servants of the Princess began serving the feast.

I am quite sure that only in Fairyland could such a delicious repast be prepared. The dishes were of precious metals set with brilliant jewels and the good things to eat which were placed upon them were countless in number and of exquisite flavor. Several present, such as the Candy Man, the Rubber Bear, Tik-Tok, and the Scarecrow, were not made so they could eat, and the Queen of Merryland contented herself with a small dish of sawdust; but these enjoyed the pomp and glitter of the gorgeous scene as much as did those who feasted.

The Woggle-Bug read his “Ode to Ozma,” which was written in very good rhythm and was well received by the company. The Wizard added to the entertainment by making a big pie appear before Dorothy, and when the little girl cut the pie the nine tiny piglets leaped out of it and danced around the table, while the orchestra played a merry tune. This amused the company very much, but they were even more pleased when Polychrome, whose hunger had been easily satisfied, rose from the table and performed her graceful and bewildering Rainbow Dance for them. When it was ended the people clapped their hands and the animals clapped their paws, while Billina cackled and the Donkey King brayed approval.

Johnny Dooit was present, and of course he proved he could do wonders in the way of eating, as well as in everything else that he undertook to do; the Tin Woodman sang a love song, everyone joining in the chorus; and the wooden soldiers from Merryland gave an exhibition of a lightning drill with their wooden muskets; the Ryls and Knooks danced the Fairy Circle; and the Rubber Bear bounced himself all around the room. There was laughter and merriment on every side, and everybody was having a royal good time. Button-Bright was so excited and interested that he paid little attention to his fine dinner and a great deal of attention to his queer companions; and perhaps he was wise to do this, because he could eat at any other time.

The feasting and merrymaking continued until late in the evening, when they separated to meet again the next morning and take part in the birthday celebration, to which this royal banquet was merely the introduction.

The Birthday Celebration

A clear, perfect day, with a gentle breeze and a sunny sky, greeted Princess Ozma as she wakened next morning, the anniversary of her birth. While it was yet early all the city was astir and crowds of people came from all parts of the Land of Oz to witness the festivities in honor of their girl Ruler’s birthday.

The noted visitors from foreign countries, who had all been transported to the Emerald City by means of the Magic Belt, were as much a show to the Ozites as were their own familiar celebrities, and the streets leading from the royal palace to the jeweled gates were thronged with men, women, and children to see the procession as it passed out to the green fields where the ceremonies were to take place.

And what a great procession it was!

First came a thousand young girls—the prettiest in the land—dressed in white muslin, with green sashes and hair ribbons, bearing great baskets of red roses. As they walked they scattered these flowers upon the marble pavements, so that the way was carpeted thick with roses for the procession to walk upon.

Then came the Rulers of the four Kingdoms of Oz; the Emperor of the Winkies, the Monarch of the Munchkins, the King of the Quadlings and the Sovereign of the Gillikins, each wearing a long chain of emeralds around his neck to show that he was a vassal of the Ruler of the Emerald City.

Next marched the Emerald City Cornet Band, clothed in green-and-gold uniforms and playing the “Ozma Two-Step.” The Royal Army of Oz followed, consisting of twenty-seven officers, from the Captain-General down to the Lieutenants. There were no privates in Ozma’s Army because soldiers were not needed to fight battles, but only to look important, and an officer always looks more imposing than a private.

While the people cheered and waved their hats and handkerchiefs, there came walking the Royal Princess Ozma, looking so pretty and sweet that it is no wonder her people love her so dearly. She had decided she would not ride in her chariot that day, as she preferred to walk in the procession with her favored subjects and her guests. Just in front of her trotted the living Blue Bear Rug owned by old Dyna, which wobbled clumsily on its four feet because there was nothing but the skin to support them, with a stuffed head at one end and a stubby tail at the other. But whenever Ozma paused in her walk the Bear Rug would flop down flat upon the ground for the princess to stand upon until she resumed her progress.

Following the Princess stalked her two enormous beasts, the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and even if the Army had not been there these two would have been powerful enough to guard their mistress from any harm.

Next marched the invited guests, who were loudly cheered by the people of Oz along the road, and were therefore obliged to bow to right and left almost every step of the way. First was Santa Claus, who, because he was fat and not used to walking, rode the wonderful Saw-Horse. The merry old gentleman had a basket of small toys with him, and he tossed the toys one by one to the children as he passed by. His Ryls and Knooks marched close behind him.

Queen Zixi of Ix came after; then John Dough and the Cherub, with the rubber bear named Para Bruin strutting between them on its hind legs; then the Queen of Merryland, escorted by her wooden soldiers; then King Bud of Noland and his sister, the Princess Fluff; then the Queen of Ev and her ten royal children; then the Braided Man and the Candy Man, side by side; then King Dox of Foxville and King Kik-a-bray of Dunkiton, who by this time had become good friends; and finally Johnny Dooit, in his leather apron, smoking his long pipe.

These wonderful personages were not more heartily cheered by the people than were those who followed after them in the procession. Dorothy was a general favorite, and she walked arm in arm with the Scarecrow, who was beloved by all. Then came Polychrome and Button-Bright, and the people loved the Rainbow’s pretty Daughter and the beautiful blue-eyed boy as soon as they saw them. The shaggy man in his shaggy new suit attracted much attention because he was such a novelty. With regular steps tramped the machine-man Tik-Tok, and there was more cheering when the Wizard of Oz followed in the procession. The Woggle-Bug and Jack Pumpkinhead were next, and behind them Glinda the Sorceress and the Good Witch of the North. Finally came Billina, with her brood of chickens to whom she clucked anxiously to keep them together and to hasten them along so they would not delay the procession.

Another band followed, this time the Tin Band of the Emperor of the Winkies, playing a beautiful march called, “There’s No Plate like Tin.” Then came the servants of the Royal Palace, in a long line, and behind them all the people joined the procession and marched away through the emerald gates and out upon the broad green.

Here had been erected a splendid pavilion, with a grandstand big enough to seat all the royal party and those who had taken part in the procession. Over the pavilion, which was of green silk and cloth of gold, countless banners waved in the breeze. Just in front of this, and connected with it by a runway, had been built a broad platform, so that all the spectators could see plainly the entertainment provided for them.

The Wizard now became Master of Ceremonies, as Ozma had placed the conduct of the performance in his hands. After the people had all congregated about the platform and the royal party and the visitors were seated in the grandstand, the Wizard skillfully performed some feats of juggling glass balls and lighted candles. He tossed a dozen or so of them high in the air and caught them one by one as they came down, without missing any.

Then he introduced the Scarecrow, who did a sword-swallowing act that aroused much interest. After this the Tin Woodman gave an exhibition of Swinging the Axe, which he made to whirl around him so rapidly that the eye could scarcely follow the motion of the gleaming blade. Glinda the Sorceress then stepped upon the platform, and by her magic made a big tree grow in the middle of the space, made blossoms appear upon the tree, and made the blossoms become delicious fruit called tamornas; and so great was the quantity of fruit thus produced that when the servants climbed the tree and tossed it down to the crowd, there was enough to satisfy every person present.

Para Bruin, the rubber bear, climbed to a limb of the big tree, rolled himself into a ball, and dropped to the platform, whence he bounded up again to the limb. He repeated this bouncing act several times, to the great delight of all the children present. After he had finished, and bowed, and returned to his seat, Glinda waved her wand and the tree disappeared; but its fruit still remained to be eaten.

The Good Witch of the North amused the people by transforming ten stones into ten birds, the ten birds into ten lambs, and the ten lambs into ten little girls, who gave a pretty dance and were then transformed into ten stones again, just as they were in the beginning.

Johnny Dooit next came on the platform with his tool-chest, and in a few minutes built a great flying machine; then put his chest in the machine and the whole thing flew away together—Johnny and all—after he had bid good-bye to those present and thanked the Princess for her hospitality.

The Wizard then announced the last act of all, which was considered really wonderful. He had invented a machine to blow huge soap-bubbles, as big as balloons, and this machine was hidden under the platform so that only the rim of the big clay pipe to produce the bubbles showed above the flooring. The tank of soap-suds, and the air-pumps to inflate the bubbles, were out of sight beneath, so that when the bubbles began to grow upon the floor of the platform it really seemed like magic to the people of Oz, who knew nothing about even the common soap-bubbles that our children blow with a penny clay pipe and a basin of soap-and-water.

The Wizard had invented another thing. Usually soap-bubbles are frail and burst easily, lasting only a few moments as they float in the air; but the Wizard added a sort of glue to his soapsuds, which made his bubbles tough; and, as the glue dried rapidly when exposed to the air, the Wizard’s bubbles were strong enough to float for hours without breaking.

He began by blowing—by means of his machinery and air-pumps—several large bubbles which he allowed to float upward into the sky, where the sunshine fell upon them and gave them iridescent hues that were most beautiful. This aroused much wonder and delight, because it was a new amusement to everyone present—except perhaps Dorothy and Button-Bright, and even they had never seen such big, strong bubbles before.

The Wizard then blew a bunch of small bubbles and afterward blew a big bubble around them so they were left in the center of it; then he allowed the whole mass of pretty globes to float into the air and disappear in the far distant sky.

“That is really fine!” declared Santa Claus, who loved toys and pretty things. “I think, Mr. Wizard, I shall have you blow a bubble around me; then I can float away home and see the country spread out beneath me as I travel. There isn’t a spot on earth that I haven’t visited, but I usually go in the night-time, riding behind my swift reindeer. Here is a good chance to observe the country by daylight, while I am riding slowly and at my ease.”

“Do you think you will be able to guide the bubble?” asked the Wizard.

“Oh yes; I know enough magic to do that,” replied Santa Claus. “You blow the bubble, with me inside of it, and I’ll be sure to get home in safety.”

“Please send me home in a bubble, too!” begged the Queen of Merryland.

“Very well, madam; you shall try the journey first,” politely answered old Santa.

The pretty wax doll bade good-bye to the Princess Ozma and the others, and stood on the platform while the Wizard blew a big soap-bubble around her. When completed he allowed the bubble to float slowly upward, and there could be seen the little Queen of Merryland standing in the middle of it and blowing kisses from her fingers to those below. The bubble took a southerly direction, quickly floating out of sight.

“That’s a very nice way to travel,” said Princess Fluff. “I’d like to go home in a bubble, too.”

So the Wizard blew a big bubble around Princess Fluff, and another around King Bud, her brother, and a third one around Queen Zixi; and soon these three bubbles had mounted into the sky and were floating off in a group in the direction of the kingdom of Noland.

The success of these ventures induced the other guests from foreign lands to undertake bubble journeys, also; so the Wizard put them one by one inside his bubbles, and Santa Claus directed the way they should go, because he knew exactly where everybody lived.

Finally Button-Bright said:

“I want to go home, too.”

“Why, so you shall!” cried Santa; “for I’m sure your father and mother will be glad to see you again. Mr. Wizard, please blow a big, fine bubble for Button-Bright to ride in, and I’ll agree to send him home to his family as safe as safe can be.”

“I’m sorry,” said Dorothy with a sigh, for she was fond of her little comrade; “but p’raps it’s best for Button-Bright to get home; ’cause his folks must be worrying just dreadful.”

She kissed the boy, and Ozma kissed him, too, and all the others waved their hands and said good-bye and wished him a pleasant journey.

“Are you glad to leave us, dear?” asked Dorothy, a little wistfully.

“Don’t know,” said Button-Bright.

He sat down cross-legged on the platform, with his sailor hat tipped back on his head, and the Wizard blew a beautiful bubble all around him.

A minute later it had mounted into the sky, sailing toward the west, and the last they saw of Button-Bright he was still sitting in the middle of the shining globe and waving his sailor-hat at those below.

“Will you ride in a bubble, or shall I send you and Toto home by means of the Magic Belt?” the Princess asked Dorothy.

“Guess I’ll use the Belt,” replied the little girl. “I’m sort of ’fraid of those bubbles.”

“Bow-wow!” said Toto, approvingly. He loved to bark at the bubbles as they sailed away, but he didn’t care to ride in one.

Santa Claus decided to go next. He thanked Ozma for her hospitality and wished her many happy returns of the day. Then the Wizard blew a bubble around his chubby little body and smaller bubbles around each of his Ryls and Knooks.

As the kind and generous friend of children mounted into the air the people all cheered at the top of their voices, for they loved Santa Claus dearly; and the little man heard them through the walls of the bubble and waved his hands in return as he smiled down upon them. The band played bravely while everyone watched the bubble until it was completely out of sight.

“How ’bout you, Polly?” Dorothy asked her friend. “Are you ’fraid of bubbles, too?”

“No,” answered Polychrome, smiling; “but Santa Claus promised to speak to my father as he passed through the sky. So perhaps I shall get home an easier way.”

Indeed, the little maid had scarcely made this speech when a sudden radiance filled the air, and while the people looked on in wonder the end of a gorgeous rainbow slowly settled down upon the platform.

With a glad cry the Rainbow’s Daughter sprang from her seat and danced along the curve of the bow, mounting gradually upward, while the folds of her gauzy gown whirled and floated around her like a cloud and blended with the colors of the rainbow itself.

“Good-bye, Ozma! Good-bye, Dorothy!” cried a voice they knew belonged to Polychrome; but now the little maiden’s form had melted wholly into the rainbow, and their eyes could no longer see her.

Suddenly the end of the rainbow lifted and its colors slowly faded like mist before a breeze. Dorothy sighed deeply and turned to Ozma.

“I’m sorry to lose Polly,” she said; “but I guess she’s better off with her father; ’cause even the Land of Oz couldn’t be like home to a cloud fairy.”

“No, indeed,” replied the Princess; “but it has been delightful for us to know Polychrome for a little while, and—who knows?—perhaps we may meet the Rainbow’s daughter again, someday.”

The entertainment being now ended, all left the pavilion and formed their gay procession back to the Emerald City again. Of Dorothy’s recent traveling companions only Toto and the shaggy man remained, and Ozma had decided to allow the latter to live in Oz for a time, at least. If he proved honest and true she promised to let him live there always, and the shaggy man was anxious to earn this reward.

They had a nice quiet dinner together and passed a pleasant evening with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Tik-Tok, and the Yellow Hen for company.

When Dorothy bade them good-night she kissed them all good-bye at the same time. For Ozma had agreed that while Dorothy slept she and Toto should be transported by means of the Magic Belt to her own little bed in the Kansas farmhouse and the little girl laughed as she thought how astonished Uncle Henry and Aunt Em would be when she came down to breakfast with them next morning.

Quite content to have had so pleasant an adventure, and a little tired by all the day’s busy scenes, Dorothy clasped Toto in her arms and lay down upon the pretty white bed in her room in Ozma’s royal palace.

Presently she was sound asleep.