_How_ OZMA GRANTED DOROTHY'S REQUEST
CHAPTER THREE
I suppose you have read so much about the magnificent Emerald City thatthere is little need for me to describe it here. It is the Capital Cityof the Land of Oz, which is justly considered the most attractive anddelightful fairyland in all the world.
The Emerald City is built all of beautiful marbles in which are set aprofusion of emeralds, every one exquisitely cut and of very great size.There are other jewels used in the decorations inside the houses andpalaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and turquoises.But in the streets and upon the outside of the buildings only emeraldsappear, from which circumstance the place is named the Emerald City ofOz. It has nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-four buildings, in whichlived fifty-seven thousand three hundred and eighteen people, up to thetime my story opens.
All the surrounding country, extending to the borders of the desertwhich enclosed it upon every side, was full of pretty and comfortablefarmhouses, in which resided those inhabitants of Oz who preferredcountry to city life.
Altogether there were more than half a million people in the Land ofOz--although some of them, as you will soon learn, were not made offlesh and blood as we are--and every inhabitant of that favored countrywas happy and prosperous.
No disease of any sort was ever known among the Ozites, and so no oneever died unless he met with an accident that prevented him from living.This happened very seldom, indeed. There were no poor people in the Landof Oz, because there was no such thing as money, and all property ofevery sort belonged to the Ruler. The people were her children, and shecared for them. Each person was given freely by his neighbors whateverhe required for his use, which is as much as any one may reasonablydesire. Some tilled the lands and raised great crops of grain, which wasdivided equally among the entire population, so that all had enough.There were many tailors and dressmakers and shoemakers and the like, whomade things that any who desired them might wear. Likewise there werejewelers who made ornaments for the person, which pleased and beautifiedthe people, and these ornaments also were free to those who asked forthem. Each man and woman, no matter what he or she produced for thegood of the community, was supplied by the neighbors with food andclothing and a house and furniture and ornaments and games. If by chancethe supply ever ran short, more was taken from the great storehouses ofthe Ruler, which were afterward filled up again when there was more ofany article than the people needed.
Every one worked half the time and played half the time, and the peopleenjoyed the work as much as they did the play, because it is good to beoccupied and to have something to do. There were no cruel overseers setto watch them, and no one to rebuke them or to find fault with them. Soeach one was proud to do all he could for his friends and neighbors, andwas glad when they would accept the things he produced.
You will know, by what I have here told you, that the Land of Oz was aremarkable country. I do not suppose such an arrangement would bepractical with us, but Dorothy assures me that it works finely with theOz people.
Oz being a fairy country, the people were, of course, fairy people; butthat does not mean that all of them were very unlike the people of ourown world. There were all sorts of queer characters among them, but nota single one who was evil, or who possessed a selfish or violent nature.They were peaceful, kind-hearted, loving and merry, and everyinhabitant adored the beautiful girl who ruled them, and delighted toobey her every command.
In spite of all I have said in a general way, there were some parts ofthe Land of Oz not quite so pleasant as the farming country and theEmerald City which was its center. Far away in the South Country therelived in the mountains a band of strange people called Hammer-Heads,because they had no arms and used their flat heads to pound any one whocame near them. Their necks were like rubber, so that they could shootout their heads to quite a distance, and afterward draw them back againto their shoulders. The Hammer-Heads were called the "Wild People," butnever harmed any but those who disturbed them in the mountains wherethey lived.
In some of the dense forests there lived great beasts of every sort; yetthese were for the most part harmless and even sociable, and conversedagreeably with those who visited their haunts. The Kalidahs--beasts withbodies like bears and heads like tigers--had once been fierce andbloodthirsty, but even they were now nearly all tamed, although at timesone or another of them would get cross and disagreeable.
Not so tame were the Fighting Trees, which had a forest of their own. Ifany one approached them these curious trees would bend down theirbranches, twine them around the intruders, and hurl them away.
But these unpleasant things existed only in a few remote parts of theLand of Oz. I suppose every country has some drawbacks, so even thisalmost perfect fairyland could not be quite perfect. Once there had beenwicked witches in the land, too; but now these had all been destroyed;so, as I said, only peace and happiness reigned in Oz.
For some time Ozma has ruled over this fair country, and never was Rulermore popular or beloved. She is said to be the most beautiful girl theworld has ever known, and her heart and mind are as lovely as herperson.
Dorothy Gale had several times visited the Emerald City and experiencedadventures in the Land of Oz, so that she and Ozma had now become firmfriends. The girl Ruler had even made Dorothy a Princess of Oz, and hadoften implored her to come to Ozma's stately palace and live therealways; but Dorothy had been loyal to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, whohad cared for her since she was a baby, and she had refused to leavethem because she knew they would be lonely without her.
However, Dorothy now realized that things were going to be differentwith her uncle and aunt from this time forth, so after giving the matterdeep thought she decided to ask Ozma to grant her a very great favor.
A few seconds after she had made the secret signal in her littlebedchamber, the Kansas girl was seated in a lovely room in Ozma'spalace in the Emerald City of Oz. When the first loving kisses andembraces had been exchanged, the fair Ruler inquired:
"What is the matter, dear? I know something unpleasant has happened toyou, for your face was very sober when I saw it in my Magic Picture. Andwhenever you signal me to transport you to this safe place, where youare always welcome, I know you are in danger or in trouble."
Dorothy sighed.
"This time, Ozma, it isn't I," she replied. "But it's worse, I guess,for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are in a heap of trouble, and there seems noway for them to get out of it--anyhow, not while they live in Kansas."
"Tell me about it, Dorothy," said Ozma, with ready sympathy.
"Why, you see Uncle Henry is poor; for the farm in Kansas doesn't 'mountto much, as farms go. So one day Uncle Henry borrowed some money, andwrote a letter saying that if he didn't pay the money back they couldtake his farm for pay. Course he 'spected to pay by making money fromthe farm; but he just couldn't. An' so they're going to take the farm,and Uncle Henry and Aunt Em won't have any place to live. They're prettyold to do much hard work, Ozma; so I'll have to work for them,unless--"
Ozma had been thoughtful during the story, but now she smiled andpressed her little friend's hand.
"Unless what, dear?" she asked.
Dorothy hesitated, because her request meant so much to them all.
"Well," said she, "I'd like to live here in the Land of Oz, where you'veoften 'vited me to live. But I can't, you know, unless Uncle Henry andAunt Em could live here too."
"Of course not," exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, laughing gaily. "So, inorder to get you, little friend, we must invite your Uncle and Aunt tolive in Oz, also."
"Oh, will you, Ozma?" cried Dorothy, clasping her chubby little handseagerly. "Will you bring them here with the Magic Belt, and give them anice little farm in the Munchkin Country, or the Winkie Country--or someother place?"
"To be sure," answered Ozma, full of joy at the chance to please herlittle friend. "I have long been thinking of this very thing, Dorothydear, and often I have had it in my mind to propose it to yo
u. I am sureyour uncle and aunt must be good and worthy people, or you would notlove them so much; and for _your_ friends, Princess, there is alwaysroom in the Land of Oz."
Dorothy was delighted, yet not altogether surprised, for she had clungto the hope that Ozma would be kind enough to grant her request. When,indeed, had her powerful and faithful friend refused her anything?
"But you must not call me 'Princess,'" she said; "for after this I shalllive on the little farm with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and princessesought not to live on farms."
"Princess Dorothy will not," replied Ozma, with her sweet smile. "Youare going to live in your own rooms in this palace, and be my constantcompanion."
"But Uncle Henry--" began Dorothy.
"Oh, he is old, and has worked enough in his lifetime," interrupted thegirl Ruler; "so we must find a place for your uncle and aunt where theywill be comfortable and happy and need not work more than they care to.When shall we transport them here, Dorothy?"
"I promised to go and see them again before they were turned out of thefarmhouse," answered Dorothy; "so--perhaps next Saturday--"
"But why wait so long?" asked Ozma. "And why make the journey back toKansas again? Let us surprise them, and bring them here without anywarning."
"I'm not sure that they believe in the Land of Oz," said Dorothy,"though I've told 'em 'bout it lots of times."
"They'll believe when they see it," declared Ozma; "and if they are toldthey are to make a magical journey to our fairyland, it may make themnervous. I think the best way will be to use the Magic Belt withoutwarning them, and when they have arrived you can explain to themwhatever they do not understand."
"Perhaps that's best," decided Dorothy. "There isn't much use in theirstaying at the farm until they are put out, 'cause it's much nicerhere."
"Then to-morrow morning they shall come here," said Princess Ozma. "Iwill order Jellia Jamb, who is the palace housekeeper, to have rooms allprepared for them, and after breakfast we will get the Magic Belt and byits aid transport your uncle and aunt to the Emerald City."
"Thank you, Ozma!" cried Dorothy, kissing her friend gratefully.
"And now," Ozma proposed, "let us take a walk in the gardens before wedress for dinner. Come, Dorothy dear!"
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