"Not necessarily," said the Scarecrow. "he may, have had corns. Now, itseems to me his eating beans with a knife is more suspicious."
"Perhaps it is a polite custom in Omaha, from which great country the Wizardoriginally came," suggested the Tin Woodman.
"It may be," admitted the Scarecrow.
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"But why," asked Glinda, "did he make three secret visits to old Mombi?"
"Ah! Why, indeed!" echoed the Woggle-Bug, impressively.
"We know that the Wizard taught the old woman many of his tricks of magic,"continued Glinda; "and this he would not have done had she not assisted himin some way. So we may suspect with good reason that Mombi aided him to hidethe girl Ozma, who was the real heir to the throne of the Emerald City, anda constant danger to the usurper. For, if the people knew that she lived,they would quickly make her their Queen and restore her to her rightfulposition."
"An able argument!" cried the Scarecrow. "I have no doubt that Mombi wasmixed up in this wicked business. But how does that knowledge help us?"
"We must find Mombi," replied Glinda, "and force her to tell where the girlis hidden."
"Mombi is now with Queen Jinjur, in the Emerald, City" said Tip. "It was shewho threw so many obstacles in our pathway, and made Jinjur threaten todestroy my friends and give me back into the old witch's power."
"Then," decided Glinda, "I will march with my
245army to the Emerald City, and take Mombi prisoner. After that we can,perhaps, force her to tell the truth about Ozma."
"She is a terrible old woman!" remarked Tip, with a shudder at the thoughtof Mombi's black kettle; "and obstinate, too."
"I am quite obstinate myself," returned the Sorceress, with a sweet smile."so I do not fear Mombi in the least. Today I will make all necessarypreparations, and we will march upon the Emerald City at daybreak tomorrow."
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246 The Tin-Woodman Plucks a Rose
The Army of Glinda the Good looked very grand and imposing when it assembledat daybreak before the palace gates. The uniforms of the girl soldiers werepretty and of gay colors, and their silver-tipped spears were bright andglistening, the long shafts being inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All theofficers wore sharp, gleaming swords, and shields edged with peacock-feathers;and it really seemed that no foe could by any possibility defeatsuch a brilliant army.
The Sorceress rode in a beautiful palanquin which was like the body of acoach, having doors and
247windows with silken curtains; but instead of wheels, which a coach has, thepalanquin rested upon two long, horizontal bars, which were borne upon theshoulders of twelve servants.
The Scarecrow and his comrades decided to ride in the Gump, in order to keepup with the swift march of the army; so, as soon as Glinda had started andher soldiers had marched away to the inspiring strains of music played bythe royal band, our friends climbed into the sofas and followed. The Gumpflew along slowly at a point directly over the palanquin in which rode theSorceress.
"Be careful," said the
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248Tin Woodman to the Scarecrow, who was leaning far over the side to look atthe army below. "You might fall."
"It wouldn't matter," remarked the educated Woggle-Bug. "he can't get brokeso long as he is stuffed with money."
"Didn't I ask you" began Tip, in a reproachful voice.
"You did!" said the Woggle-Bug, promptly. "And I beg your pardon. I willreally try to restrain myself."
"You'd better," declared the boy. "That is, if you wish to travel in ourcompany."
"Ah! I couldn't bear to part with you now," murmured the Insect, feelingly;so Tip let the subject drop.
The army moved steadily on, but night had fallen before they came to thewalls of the Emerald City. By the dim light of the new moon, however,Glinda's forces silently surrounded the city and pitched their tents ofscarlet silk upon the greensward. The tent of the Sorceress was larger thanthe others, and was composed of pure white silk, with scarlet banners flyingabove it. A tent was also pitched for the Scarecrow's party; and when thesepreparations had been made, with military precision and quickness, the armyretired to rest.
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Great was the amazement of Queen Jinjur next morning when her soldiers camerunning to inform her of the vast army surrounding them. She at once climbedto a high tower of the royal palace and saw banners waving in everydirection and the great white tent of Glinda standing directly before thegates.
"We are surely lost!" cried Jinjur, in despair; "for how can ourknitting-needles avail against the long spears and terrible swords of our foes?"
"The best thing we can do," said one of the girls, "is to surrender asquickly as possible, before we get hurt."
"Not so," returned Jinjur, more bravely. "The enemy is still outside thewalls, so we must try to gain time by engaging them in parley. Go you with aflag of truce to Glinda and ask her why she has dared to invade mydominions, and what are her demands."
So the girl passed through the gates, bearing a white flag to show she wason a mission of peace, and came to Glinda's tent. "Tell your Queen," saidthe Sorceress to the girl, "that she must deliver up to me old Mombi, to bemy prisoner. If this is done I will not molest her farther."
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Now when this message was delivered to the Queen it filled her with dismay,for Mombi was her chief counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly afraid of theold hag. But she sent for Mombi, and told her what Glinda had said.
"I see trouble ahead for all of us," muttered the old witch, after glancinginto a magic mirror she carried in her pocket. "But we may even yet escapeby deceiving this sorceress, clever as she thinks herself."
"Don't you think it will be safer for me to deliver you into her hands?"asked Jinjur, nervously.
"If you do, it will cost you the throne of the Emerald City!" answered thewitch, positively. "But if you will let me have my own way, I can save usboth very easily."
"Then do as you please," replied Jinjur, "for it is so aristocratic to be aQueen that I do not wish to be obliged to return home again, to make bedsand wash dishes for my mother."
So Mombi called Jellia Jamb to her, and performed a certain magical ritewith which she was familiar. As a result of the enchantment Jellia took onthe form and features of Mombi, while the old witch grew to resemble thegirl so closely that it seemed impossible anyone could guess the deception.
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"Now," said old Mombi to the Queen, "let your soldiers deliver up this girlto Glinda. She will think she has the real Mombi in her power, and so willreturn immediately to her own country in the South."
Therefore Jellia, hobbling along like an aged
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woman, was led from the city gates and taken before Glinda.
"Here is the person you demanded," said one of the guards, "and our Queennow begs you will go away, as you promised, and leave us in peace."
"That I will surely do," replied Glinda, much pleased; "if this is reallythe person she seems to be."
"It is certainly old Mombi," said the guard, who believed she was speakingthe truth; and then Jinjur's soldiers returned within the city's gates.
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The Sorceress quickly summoned the Scarecrow and his friends to her tent,and began to question the supposed Mombi about the lost girl Ozma. ButJellia knew nothing at all of this affair, and presently she grew so nervousunder the questioning that she gave way and began to weep, to Glinda's greatastonishment.
"Here is some foolish trickery!" said the Sorceress, her eyes flashing withanger. "This is not Mombi at all, but some other person who has been made toresemble her! Tell me," she demanded, turning to the trembling girl, "whatis your name?"
This Jellia dared not tell, having been threatened with death by the witchif she confessed the fraud. But Glinda, sweet and fair though she was,understood magic better than any other person in the Land of Oz. So,
byuttering a few potent words and making a peculiar gesture, she quicklytransformed the girl into her proper shape, while at the same time oldMombi, far away in Jinjur's palace, suddenly resumed her own crooked formand evil features.
"Why, it's Jellia Jamb!" cried the Scarecrow, recognizing in the girl one ofhis old friends.
"It's our interpreter!" said the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.
Then Jellia was forced to tell of the trick Mombi
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had played and she also begged Glinda's protection, which the Sorceressreadily granted. But Glinda was now really angry, and sent word to Jinjurthat the fraud was discovered and she must deliver up the real Mombi orsuffer terrible consequences. Jinjur was prepared for this message, for thewitch well understood, when her natural form was thrust upon her, thatGlinda had discovered her trickery. But the wicked old creature had alreadythought up a new deception, and had made Jinjur promise to carry it out. Sothe Queen said to Glinda's messenger:
"Tell your mistress that I cannot find Mombi anywhere, but that Glinda iswelcome to enter the
254city and search herself for the old woman. She may also bring her friendswith her, if she likes; but if she does not find Mombi by sundown, theSorceress must promise to go away peaceably and bother us no more."
Glinda agreed to these terms, well knowing that Mombi was somewhere withinthe city walls. So Jinjur caused the gates to be thrown open, and Glindamarched in at the head of a company of soldiers, followed by the Scarecrowand the Tin Woodman, while Jack Pumpkinhead rode astride the Saw-Horse, andthe Educated, Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug sauntered behind in a dignifiedmanner. Tip walked by the side of the Sorceress, for Glinda had conceived agreat liking for the boy.
Of course old Mombi had no intention of being found by Glinda; so, while herenemies were marching up the street, the witch transformed herself into ared rose growing upon a bush in the garden of the palace. It was a cleveridea, and a trick Glinda did not suspect; so several precious hours werespent in a vain search for Mombi.
As sundown approached the Sorceress realized she had been defeated by thesuperior cunning of the aged witch; so she gave the command to her people tomarch out of the city and back to their tents.
The Scarecrow and his comrades happened to be
255searching in the garden of the palace just then, and they turned withdisappointment to obey Glinda's command. But before they left the garden theTin Woodman, who was fond of flowers, chanced to espy a big red rose growingupon a bush; so he plucked the flower and fastened it securely in the tinbuttonhole of his tin bosom.
As he did this he fancied he heard a low moan proceed from the rose; but hepaid no attention to the sound, and Mombi was thus carried out of the cityand into Glinda's camp without anyone having a suspicion that they hadsucceeded in their quest.
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256 The Transformation of Old Mombi
The Witch was at first frightened at finding herself captured by the enemy;but soon she decided that she was exactly as safe in the Tin Woodman'sbutton-hole as growing upon the bush. For no one knew the rose and Mombi tobe one, and now that she was without the gates of the City her chances ofescaping altogether from Glinda were much improved.
"But there is no hurry," thought Mombi. "I will wait awhile and enjoy thehumiliation of this Sorceress when she finds I have outwitted her." Sothroughout the night the rose lay quietly on the Woodman's bosom, and in themorning, when Glinda summoned our friends to a consultation, Nick Choppercarried his pretty flower with him to the white silk tent.
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"For some reason," said Glinda, "we have failed to find this cunning oldMombi; so I fear our expedition will prove a failure. And for that I amsorry, because without our assistance little Ozma will never be rescued andrestored to her rightful position as Queen of the Emerald City"
"Do not let us give up so easily," said the Pumpkinhead. "Let us dosomething else."
"Something else must really be done," replied Glinda, with a smile. "yet Icannot understand how I have been defeated so easily by an old Witch whoknows far less of magic than I do myself."
"While we are on the ground I believe it would be wise for us to conquer theEmerald City for Princess Ozma, and find the girl afterward," said theScarecrow." And while the girl remains hidden I will gladly rule in herplace, for I understand the business of ruling much better than Jinjurdoes."
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"But I have promised not to molest Jinjur," objected Glinda.
"Suppose you all return with me to my kingdom--or Empire, rather," saidthe Tin Woodman, politely including the entire party in a royal wave of hisarm. "It will give me great pleasure to entertain you in my castle, wherethere is room enough and to spare. And if any of you wish to be nickel-plated, my valet will do it free of all expense."
While the Woodman was speaking Glinda's eyes had been noting the rose in hisbutton-hole, and now she imagined she saw the big red leaves of the flowertremble slightly. This quickly aroused her suspicions, and in a moment morethe Sorceress had decided that the seeming rose was nothing else than atransformation of old Mombi. At the same instant Mombi knew she wasdiscovered and must quickly plan an escape, and as transformations were easyto her she immediately took the form of a Shadow and glided along the wallof the tent toward the entrance, thinking thus to disappear.
But Glinda had not only equal cunning, but far more experience than theWitch. So the Sorceress reached the opening of the tent before the Shadow,and with a wave of her hand closed the entrance so securely that Mombi couldnot find a crack big
259enough to creep through. The Scarecrow and his friends were greatlysurprised at Glinda's actions; for none of them had noted the Shadow. Butthe Sorceress said to them:
"Remain perfectly quiet, all of you! For the old Witch is even now with usin this tent, and I hope to capture her."
These words so alarmed Mombi that she quickly transformed herself from ashadow to a Black Ant, in which shape she crawled along the ground, seekinga crack or crevice in which to hide her tiny body.
Fortunately, the ground where the tent had been pitched, being Just beforethe city gates, was hard and smooth; and while the Ant still crawled about,Glinda discovered it and ran quickly forward to effect its capture But, Justas her hand was descending, the Witch, now fairly frantic with fear, madeher last transformation, and in the form of a huge Griffin sprang throughthe wall of the tent--tearing the silk asunder in her rush--and in amoment had darted away with the speed of a whirlwind.
Glinda did not hesitate to follow. She sprang upon the back of the Saw-Horseand cried:
"Now you shall prove that you have a right to be alive! Run--run--run!"
The Saw-Horse ran. Like a flash he followed the
260Griffin, his wooden legs moving so fast that they twinkled like the rays ofa star. Before our friends could recover from their surprise both theGriffin and the Saw-Horse had dashed out of sight.
"Come! Let us follow!" cried the Scarecrow.
They ran to the place where the Gump was lying and quickly tumbled aboard.
"Fly!" commanded Tip, eagerly.
"Where to?" asked the Gump, in its calm voice.
"I don't know," returned Tip, who was very nervous at the delay; "but if youwill mount into the air I think we can discover which way Glinda has gone."
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"Very well," returned the Gump, quietly; and it spread its great wings andmounted high into the air.
Far away, across the meadows, they could now see two tiny specks, speedingone after the other; and they knew these specks must be the Griffin and theSaw-Horse. So Tip called the Gump's attention to them and bade the creaturetry to overtake the Witch and the Sorceress. But, swift as was the Gump'sflight, the pursued and pursuer moved more swiftly yet, and within a fewmoments were blotted out against the dim horizon.
"Let us continue to follow the
m, nevertheless," said the Scarecrow. "for theLand of Oz is of small extent, and sooner or later they must both come to ahalt."
Old Mombi had thought herself very wise to choose the form of a Griffin, forits legs were exceedingly fleet and its strength more enduring than that ofother animals. But she had not reckoned on the untiring energy of theSaw-Horse, whose wooden limbs could run for days without slacking their speed.Therefore, after an hour's hard running, the Griffin's breath began to fail,and it panted and gasped painfully, and moved more slowly than before. Thenit reached the edge of the desert and began racing across the deep sands.But its tired feet sank far
262into the sand, and in a few minutes the Griffin fell forward, completelyexhausted, and lay still upon the desert waste.
Glinda came up a moment later, riding the still vigorous Saw-Horse; andhaving unwound a slender golden thread from her girdle the Sorceress threwit over the head of the panting and helpless Griffin, and so destroyed themagical power of Mombi's transformation.
For the animal, with one fierce shudder, disappeared from view, while in itsplace was discovered the form of the old Witch, glaring savagely at theserene and beautiful face of the Sorceress.
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The Marvelous Land of Oz Page 13