L. Frank Baum - Oz 28 Read online

  HAPTER 3

  Waddy Fools the Giant AT Loxo’s dreadful decision the King

  gave a bounce that dislodged his crown and a groan that loosened three of his favorite teeth. Indeed, the whole island groaned as one, and if you have never beard 769 Umbrellians, 46 cows, 37 sheep, 22 horses, 13 dogs, a herd of goats and a flock of Umbrella Birds groan as one, you can have no idea of the sorrowful sound that presently

  arose from the shuddering subjects of Sizzeroo. But I am sure you can understand it when I explain that the small figure indicated by the giant was the only child of this Island King. Even Loxo was startled by the ear-shattering cry and, with the hand he had ready to snatch the child still poised in air, he blinked uncomfortably downward.

  “Oh!” panted Sizzeroo. Taking advantage of the short delay, he turned first to Bamboula and then to Kachewka. “What would you suggest? What would you advise?”

  Bamboula had not strength to raise even a drum stick, but Kachewka, feeling that Waddy had been handling the giant with great cleverness until the unfortunate interruption of Pansy, again sneezed five times. So Waddy, giving the cord round his great waist a tremendous tug again stepped forward to see what could be done.

  “Your Greatness is right,” he shouted valiantly. “It was inexcusably careless for us to hit you in the head with our island and this boy”-Waddy’s voice trembled woefully as he pointed to the little figure beside Sizzerro - “this boy will make but small amends for such an injury. Therefore, I beg that Your Greatness will give us three months to prepare and train him for the task and honor that has come to him. Three months, 0 Loxo !”

  Now, Waddy’s voice, loud but coaxing, had a remarkable effect on the scowling giant. His hand dropped heavily to his side and with a solemn nod he regarded the Wizard. After all, three months is but an hour to an ogre and the request of Waddy seemed reasonable enough.

  “See that you teach him well, then,” he rumbled testily. “It breaks my back to lean over and lace my boots and I’ll break his if he does it wrong. I tolerate no knots, and if you do not have the boy ready in three months I will find you wherever you are, break the island off this umbrella and save it up for a rainy day. Mind that. Remember now, no knots!”

  “Not a knot,” promised Waddy in a hollow voice. So the giant, after a baleful glare at Sizzeroo, let go the handle of the umbrella and strode sulkily toward a mountain he sometimes used as a bench. Umbrella Island, released from his horrid grip, soared buoyantly aloft, then quickly righting itself and guided by the Wizard’s marvelous steering control, sailed smoothly and rhythmically toward the setting sun.

  The clouds and evening sky had never been more rosy, but without a glance or a thought for their beauty, the Umbrellians moved slowly toward their homes, picking up their scattered belongings as they trudged along, casting sorrowful and frightened glances over their shoulders at the little group on the terrace. In stunned silence, Sizzeroo had heard the Wizard’s promise and watched the giant depart. Turning to Waddy he pressed his hand convulsively.

  “How can I ever thank you,” wheezed the poor King in a choked whisper. “You have, by your quick thought and action, saved us from a horrible disaster.”

  “Only postponed it, I fear,” sighed Waddy, leaning heavily against the silver umbrella shaft.

  “But anything may happen in three months,” Barn-boula reminded them hopefully. “A war-a fortunate accident-”

  “Yes, at least you have gained us some time,” admitted Kachewka grudgingly. “But the whole thing

  is perfectly preposterous and impossible. In the first place”

  “I’m a girl,” announced the calm voice of the King’s only child, offspring, successor and descendant. “And how could I lace that fellow’s boots when I cannot even braid my own hair?” “Yes, and this is what comes of wearing it in one braid like a boy and dashing about without sense or ceremony,” complained Kachewka, whom grief always made cross and sarcastic. “Oh, why did you have to come running out at that particular minute? Why can you not stay quietly in the castle, embroidering birds on screens and fans or or reading. I suppose you were reading at the time we struck the

  giant?”

  “Oh yes,” sighed the Princess, holding up the huge volume she still had clutched under her arm. “Something did knock me out of my chair, but the story was so interesting I did not bother about that, but when all the pictures and ornaments began to fall down on my head, I thought I’d better come out and see what Father was doing.” Then remembering the terrible fright she had got when she first caught sight of Loxo, and at the awful thought of lacing his boots, the unfortunate child

  began to cry softly into her purple silk handkerchief.

  “No wonder she rushed out of the castle,” groaned Sizzeroo, tearing the bow off his beard and throwing it on the ground. “I might have killed you all, rushing into a great hulk of a giant, knocking everything east and west. It’s all my fault! All my fault. I’ll have myself beheaded at once. Meander! Meander! Call the executioner. I am a miserable, muddled, marble headed old monster!”

  “Yes, but even so, we are monstrously fond of you,” sighed Waddy, waving the messenger away and picking up the sobbing little Princess. “Come, the evening star is directly over your Majesty’s head. It is a good omen! Come, let us return quietly to the palace and there in solemn conference, take counsel and devise some plan to outwit this outrageous enemy.”

  “How about supper?” purred Pansy, blinking her eyes sleepily. “I, for one, cannot think on an empty stomach.”

  “You were thinking with your stomach when you made that verse, I suppose,” suggested Kachewka, staring bitterly at the King’s Watch Cat. “When I sneeze for silence, I expect silence. Waddy was progressing splendidly when you put in your miserable Purr. You did it on purpose and now that you have

  ruined everything, I hope you are satisfied.”

  “Ah, Pansy meant no harm,” Sizzeroo assured him hastily. “If I had listened to Pansy, we would never have run into the giant.”

  So, arguing and explaining and anxiously conversing, the King and his counselors entered the many-windowed palace. Here silken coated, soft slippered attendants were already engaged in restoring order, sweeping up broken glass, straightening pictures and hangings, removing all trace of the unfortunate accident that threatened to change the whole history of the happy little isle.

  CHAPTER 4

  The King’s Counselors Disagree

  IN the great blue council chamber there was not a sound except the snores of Meander, the King’s messenger, asleep on a bench beside the throne, and the occasional sneezes of Kachewka, who was poring earnestly over the Encyclopedia of Giants, from which he hoped to extract some helpful information about Loxo the Lucky. Sizzeroo had finally taken

  Pansy’s advice and the royal household had dined, though very sorrowfully.

  Then, Reeda, the little Princess, after being solemnly assured that she would never be turned over to the giant, had gone happily to bed with her favorite volume of Unfairy Tales. So fond of reading was the King’s small daughter that she had been jokingly nicknamed “Gureeda Book” by the merry old Wizard, and in spite of the annoyance of Kachewka, who was a stickler for dignity and order, the name had stuck. No wonder! This strange child was never without a huge story book and during all the amazing voyages of Umbrella Island and even during the visits of powerful kings and rulers, the Princess could not be coaxed to raise her eyes from the printed page. Like many another, Gureeda preferred reading about adventures, to having them. And now, snuggled down on her cozy canopied couch she was soon so engrossed in the history of a silver dragon that she completely forgot the ugly giant and his boot laces.

  But the King, Waddy, Kachewka and Bamboula and all the rest of the Umbrellians could think of nothing else. Even Pansy, coiled up on the window ledge above Sizzeroo’s head, even Pansy, usually so saucy and sociable, stared mournfully and silently

  out at the stars as Umbrella Island skimmed lightly an
d smoothly and soundlessly across the evening sky.

  As for Sizzeroo, his appearance eloquently expressed his feelings. His braided beard and whiskers were tied with old shoe strings; instead of his crown he had on a shabby black skull cap and wore also the grey carpet slippers and snuff colored robe he had so gloomily resolved upon when he ran into the giant. With his elbows resting on the carved table in front of him, he glanced anxiously from one to the other of his counselors. Waddy, his plump hands clasped on his huge stomach, was staring unhappily at the ceiling. Bamboula, his drum on the floor between his knees and a drum stick behind each ear, looked thoughtfully down at the carpet. Neither spoke, nor moved and after an hour of this utter and awful silence. Sizzeroo could contain himself no longer.

  “Merciful Mariners!” cried the King, bounding out of his seat and thumping frantically on the table. “Have you thought of nothing yet? Why can we not sail at full speed to the other side of the world and stay there?”

  “Because” Kachewka looked morosely up from the huge volume before him-“it says here that Loxo

  is possessed of a magic magnet with which he can draw to himself anything he desires. If, therefore, we fail to return of our own free will, he can force us to do so by using this powerful magnet.”

  “Ugh !” Falling into his seat, Sizzeroo clasped his head in both hands. “Then what are we to do? Destroy him by force of arms?”

  “Whose?” demanded Waddy practically. “Your Majesty must remember that our Parashooters would do small damage to a creature of that size and solidity. But be patient, I beg of you. Acres of hours stretch ahead of us and in due course we will find some way out of this dreadful dilemma.”

  “So that’s what you call it,” sniffed the King in a desperate voice, and seeing his Master was on the verge of tears, Bamboula beat a hasty measure on his drum.

  “I have something to suggest now,” announced Bamboula, as all eyes turned hopefully toward him. “I suggest that we rise and sing the National Anthem.”

  “Umbrella Island, Low or High

  Umbrella Island far or nigh

  where’er you rest, where’er you fly

  On land or sea, on sea or sky, My Island!”

  “You’re always suggesting simple things,” grumbled Kachewka, getting unwillingly to his feet, but Bamboula had already flung open the long windows and was bawling boisterous directions to the crowd in the Royal Courtyard. They had been patiently waiting for good news from the council chamber, but lustily and obediently raised their voices and umbrellas in an effort to cheer the unhappy King. I cannot tell you exactly how the tune of this anthem goes, but here are the words, as well as I can remember them.

  Umbrellians all now stand and cheer Our Island Highland home so dear, Give three huzzahs and loud applause, For your land and for my land!

  Give three cheers for our Suzerain King Sizzeroo! Three cheers again! Long live the King-King Sizzeroo Long live the wise old wizard who

  Has sent us wizzing here and yon And there and back and up and on!

  Now cheer our sage Kachewka Chew And three for Bam Barn Boula Boo.

  Now one for me and one for you And three more for our island!

  The vigorous rendering of the National Anthem had set every curtain in the council chamber aflutter and even awakened Meander, but Sizzeroo did not even raise his head.

  “There, there! Do you feel any better?” Bamboula patted the King sympathetically on the back.

  “Worse,” mumbled Sizzeroo, covering his face with his arms. “I do not deserve to live long. There’s such a lump in my throat I cannot even swallow.”

  “Meander, just fetch his Majesty a cough drop,” directed Kachewka and sinking into his chair, he again began his earnest perusal of the Encyclopedia of Giants. Then, quite suddenly, the King’s sage snatched off his specs and sprang into the air.

  “I have it! I have it!” he sputtered, snapping his fingers energetically and bursting into his usual spasm of sneezes.

  “The flu-a fit or an idea?” inquired Waddy indulgently.

  “The solution of our difficulties,” cried Kachewka,

  controlling himself with a great effort. “As you heard him say quite plainly, Loxo is a citizen of Oz and therefore subject to its laws and sovereign. Now then, do you for one minute suppose that Ozma, the amiable and charming young ruler of Oz a ruler whom we have heard praised on all sides for her gentleness and wisdom - do you suppose Ozma would permit one of her subjects to enslave one of ours for pernicious boot-lacing purposes? No, certainly not!” Kachewka answered himself to save time and argument. “Therefore, our procedure is clear. We have but to anchor over The Emerald City, Ozma’s capital, send a representative from this island to explain the matter to her and her advisers and let Ozrna herself handle this great rogue of a giant. At the court of Ozma, as you well know, is the famous Wizard of Oz. Should Loxo refuse to obey the ruler of his country and give up all claim to our King’s child, the Wizard can, by his magic, change him into a pigmy or goat and render him safe and harmless.”

  The King, as Kachewka explained his plan, brightened up considerably.

  “Splendid! Splendid!” he murmured in a relieved voice. “Run up on the terrace at once, Kachewka, and set our course for the Emerald City of Oz.”

  “One moment, your Highness!” Waddy heaved himself sternly out of his chair. “You will first accept my resignation as Wizard of this Island.” “W-W-hat?” gulped Sizzeroo, taking a hasty swallow from the glass of water Meander had brought with the cough drop. “Whatever-and-ever’s the matter with you?”

  “Well, if your Majesty has no confidence in ME, if you intend to call in strange wizards to settle our affairs, I cannot see that I am needed any longer-er-professionally.” Gathering his voluminous robe together and sweeping up his book of magic, Waddy strode heavily toward the door.

  “He’s jealous,” purred Pansy, waving her tail backward and forward. “These wizards are worse than the women.”

  “Waddy!” wailed Sizzeroo, putting out a pleading hand. “Don’t leave me this way. You know I would not even have my hair cut without your advice and approval. After all, Kachewka’s plan was merely a suggestion!”

  “And a thumping good one,” persisted Kachewka, jerking his braided beard impatiently.

  “I do not say it has not its points,” conceded Waddy, stopping pompously in his doorward march, “but have you considered the matter from Ozma’s

  Point of view? After all, we know very little of this Young and powerful girl ruler. She may be as kind as you say, on the other hand, the stories of her kindness may be greatly exaggerated. We did knock the giant on the face. Will she overlook that entirely? She will certainly exact some satisfaction for his injury. Why, she might even hold us for invasion and trespassing.”

  “But-but isn’t the air free?” quavered Sizzeroo, clasping and unclasping his hands unhappily.

  “Free to birds, but not to islands. Suppose,” Waddy went on gravely, “suppose we anchored over the Emerald City without warning to the inhabitants. Before we could send down a messenger, might not Ozma and this wonderful wizard take us for enemies, direct a destructive ray upon us or even transport our island to some distant and desolate ocean?”

  “Oh! Oh! You terrify me.” The King downed at one gulp the rest of the water in his glass.

  “Such is not my intention,” continued the Wizard calmly. “I merely wish to impress upon you the necessity for caution in dealing with strange sovereigns and wizards. Let us proceed slowly and not stick our necks in a noose.”

  “It might be well to consider this question further,” agreed Kachewka. Waddy’s dismal picture of their reception in Oz had somewhat dashed the old sage’s confidence.

  “I knew you would feel as I do about it,” sighed Waddy, clapping Kachewka heavily on the back.

  “We still have two months, thirty days, twelve hours and seven minutes. Let us sleep upon this problem, your Majesty. Let us sleep!”

  “Sleep!” groaned poo
r Sizzeroo. “I shall not close

  an eye.”

  “Well,” yawned Pansy, with a malicious wink at the Wizard, “we can at least shut our mouths.” Missing very cleverly the ink well Kachewka flung after her, the Watch Cat stalked sedately from the throne room.

  CHAPTER 5

  Speedy and the Dinosaur

  DON’T see any camp Uncle Billy.

  Are you sure we took the right turn after we

  left the springs?”

  “According to this map we did.” Easing himself forward in the saddle, the boy’s tall and bronzed companion squinted anxiously

  down the rocky trail. “It should be somewhere in this valley, Speedy.”

  “Well, Unc, I hope you’re right.” Shoving back his broad brimmed felt, Speedy peered rather dubiously into the bare and stony ravine below.

  “Say, do you think this archaeology stuff is going to be as keen as our trip through the Yellowstone?” Without answering, his uncle nodded emphatically, his eyes still fixed on the map he held in one hand while he competently but carelessly managed his horse With the other. The two travellers had been vacationing for a month in the great National Park -mountain climbing, riding, driving and fishing. The immense geysers in the upper and lower basins, the giant paint pots spurting up grotesque figures of pink and yellow mud, the glass cliffs, the thundering water falls and last of all, the flaming gorge of the Yellowstone River had filled them with astonishment and delight. As they stood on Point Lookout, gazing down into the Grand Canyon, Nature’s great silent city of rainbow-hued rock, ranging in color from palest yellow to clearest scarlet, Speedy had sharply drawn in his breath.