Ozma of Oz
CHAPTER 25
"It's funny," said Toto, standing before his friend the Lion and wagginghis tail, "but I've found my growl at last! I am positive, now, that itwas the cruel magician who stole it."
"Let's hear your growl," requested the Lion.
"Gr-r-r-r-r-r!" said Toto.
"That is fine," declared the big beast. "It isn't as loud or as deep asthe growl of the big Lavender Bear, but it is a very respectable growlfor a small dog. Where did you find it, Toto?"
"I was smelling in the corner, yonder," said Toto, "when suddenly amouse ran out--and I growled!"
The others were all busy congratulating Ozma, who was very happy atbeing released from the confinement of the golden peach-pit, where themagician had placed her with the notion that she never could be found orliberated.
"And only to think," cried Dorothy, "that Button-Bright has beencarrying you in his pocket all this time, and we never knew it!"
"The little Pink Bear told you," said the Bear King, "but you wouldn'tbelieve him."
"Never mind, my dears," said Ozma graciously; "all is well that endswell, and you couldn't be expected to know I was inside the peach-pit.Indeed, I feared I would remain a captive much longer than I did, forUgu is a bold and clever magician and he had hidden me very securely."
"You were in a fine peach," said Button-Bright; "the best I ever ate."
"The magician was foolish to make the peach so tempting," remarked theWizard; "but Ozma would lend beauty to any transformation."
"How did you manage to conquer Ugu the Shoemaker?" inquired the girlRuler of Oz.
Dorothy started to tell the story and Trot helped her, and Button-Brightwanted to relate it in his own way, and the Wizard tried to make itclear to Ozma, and Betsy had to remind them of important things theyleft out, and all together there was such a chatter that it was a wonderthat Ozma understood any of it. But she listened patiently, with a smileon her lovely face at their eagerness, and presently had gleaned all thedetails of their adventures.
Ozma thanked the Frogman very earnestly for his assistance and sheadvised Cayke the Cookie Cook to dry her weeping eyes, for she promisedto take her to the Emerald City and see that her cherished dishpan wasrestored to her. Then the beautiful Ruler took a chain of emeralds fromaround her own neck and placed it around the neck of the little PinkBear.
"Your wise answers to the questions of my friends," said she, "helpedthem to rescue me. Therefore I am deeply grateful to you and to yournoble King."
The bead eyes of the little Pink Bear stared unresponsive to this praiseuntil the Big Lavender Bear turned the crank in its side, when it saidin its squeaky voice:
"I thank Your Majesty."
"For my part," returned the Bear King, "I realize that you were wellworth saving, Miss Ozma, and so I am much pleased that we could be ofservice to you. By means of my Magic Wand I have been creating exactimages of your Emerald City and your Royal Palace, and I must confessthat they are more attractive than any places I have ever seen--notexcepting Bear Center."
"I would like to entertain you in my palace," returned Ozma, sweetly,"and you are welcome to return with me and to make me a long visit, ifyour bear subjects can spare you from your own kingdom."
"As for that," answered the King, "my kingdom causes me little worry,and I often find it somewhat tame and uninteresting. Therefore I am inno hurry to return to it and will be glad to accept your kindinvitation. Corporal Waddle may be trusted to care for my bears in myabsence."
"And you'll bring the little Pink Bear?" asked Dorothy eagerly.
"Of course, my dear; I would not willingly part with him."
They remained in the wicker castle for three days, carefully packing allthe magical things that had been stolen by Ugu and also taking whateverin the way of magic the shoemaker had inherited from his ancestors.
"For," said Ozma, "I have forbidden any of my subjects except Glinda theGood and the Wizard of Oz to practice magical arts, because they cannotbe trusted to do good and not harm. Therefore Ugu must never again bepermitted to work magic of any sort."
"Well," remarked Dorothy cheerfully, "a dove can't do much in the way ofmagic, anyhow, and I'm going to keep Ugu in the form of a dove until hereforms and becomes a good and honest shoemaker."
When everything was packed and loaded on the backs of the animals, theyset out for the river, taking a more direct route than that by whichCayke and the Frogman had come. In this way they avoided the Cities ofThi and Herku and Bear Center and after a pleasant journey reached theWinkie River and found a jolly ferryman who had a fine big boat and waswilling to carry the entire party by water to a place quite near to theEmerald City.
The river had many windings and many branches, and the journey did notend in a day, but finally the boat floated into a pretty lake which wasbut a short distance from Ozma's home. Here the jolly ferryman wasrewarded for his labors and then the entire party set out in a grandprocession to march to the Emerald City.
News that the Royal Ozma had been found spread quickly throughout theneighborhood and both sides of the road soon became lined with loyalsubjects of the beautiful and beloved Ruler. Therefore Ozma's ears heardlittle but cheers and her eyes beheld little else than wavinghandkerchiefs and banners during all the triumphal march from the laketo the city's gates.
And there she met a still greater concourse, for all the inhabitants ofthe Emerald City turned out to welcome her return and several bandsplayed gay music and all the houses were decorated with flags andbunting and never before were the people so joyous and happy as at thismoment when they welcomed home their girl Ruler. For she had been lostand was now found again, and surely that was cause for rejoicing.
Glinda was at the royal palace to meet the returning party and the goodSorceress was indeed glad to have her Great Book of Records returned toher, as well as all the precious collection of magic instruments andelixirs and chemicals that had been stolen from her castle. Cap'n Billand the Wizard at once hung the Magic Picture upon the wall of Ozma'sboudoir and the Wizard was so light-hearted that he did several trickswith the tools in his black bag to amuse his companions and prove thatonce again he was a powerful wizard.
For a whole week there was feasting and merriment and all sorts ofjoyous festivities at the palace, in honor of Ozma's safe return. TheLavender Bear and the little Pink Bear received much attention and werehonored by all, much to the Bear King's satisfaction. The Frogmanspeedily became a favorite at the Emerald City and the Shaggy Man andTik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead, who had now returned from their search,were very polite to the big frog and made him feel quite at home. Eventhe Cookie Cook, because she was a stranger and Ozma's guest, was shownas much deference as if she had been a queen.
"All the same, Your Majesty," said Cayke to Ozma, day after day, withtiresome repetition, "I hope you will soon find my jeweled dishpan, fornever can I be quite happy without it."
The Lost Princess of Oz Page 26