English
ThewordsofthecoldandmoistvegetablePrincewerenotverycomforting,andashespokethemheturnedawayandlefttheenclosure.
Thechildren,feelingsadanddespondent,wereabouttofollowhimwhentheWizardtouchedDorothysoftlyonhershoulder.
“Wait!”hewhispered.
“Whatfor?”askedthegirl.
“SupposewepicktheRoyalPrincess,”saidtheWizard.
“I’mquitesureshe’sripe,andassoonasshecomestolifeshewillbetheRuler,andmaytreatusbetterthanthatheartlessPrinceintendsto.”
“Allright!”exclaimedDorothy,eagerly.“Let’spickherwhilewehavethechance,beforethemanwiththestarcomesback.”
SotogethertheyleanedoverthegreatbushandeachofthemseizedonehandofthelovelyPrincess.
“Pull!”criedDorothy,andastheydidsotheroyalladyleanedtowardthemandthestemssnappedandseparatedfromherfeet.
Shewasnotatallheavy,sotheWizardandDorothymanagedtolifthergentlytotheground.
Thebeautifulcreaturepassedherhandsoverhereyesaninstant,tuckedinastraylockofhairthathadbecomedisarranged,andafteralookaroundthegardenmadethosepresentagraciousbowandsaid,inasweetbuteventonedvoice:
“Ithankyouverymuch.”
“WesaluteyourRoyalHighness!”criedtheWizard,kneelingandkissingherhand.
JustthenthevoiceofthePrincewasheardcallinguponthemtohasten,andamomentlaterhereturnedtotheenclosure,followedbyanumberofhispeople.
InstantlythePrincessturnedandfacedhim,andwhenhesawthatshewaspickedthePrincestoodstillandbegantotremble.
“Sir,”saidtheRoyalLady,withmuchdignity,“youhavewrongedmegreatly,andwouldhavewrongedmestillmorehadnotthesestrangerscometomyrescue.
Ihavebeenreadyforpickingallthepastweek,butbecauseyouwereselfishanddesiredtocontinueyourunlawfulrule,youleftmetostandsilentuponmybush.”
“Ididnotknowthatyouwereripe,”answeredthePrince,inalowvoice.
“GivemetheStarofRoyalty!”shecommanded.
SlowlyhetooktheshiningstarfromhisownbrowandplacedituponthatofthePrincess.
Thenallthepeoplebowedlowtoher,andthePrinceturnedandwalkedawayalone.
Whatbecameofhimafterwardourfriendsneverknew.
ThepeopleofMangaboonowformedthemselvesintoaprocessionandmarchedtowardtheglasscitytoescorttheirnewrulertoherpalaceandtoperformthoseceremoniespropertotheoccasion.
ButwhilethepeopleintheprocessionwalkeduponthegroundthePrincesswalkedintheairjustabovetheirheads,toshowthatshewasasuperiorbeingandmoreexaltedthanhersubjects.
Noonenowseemedtopayanyattentiontothestrangers,soDorothyandZebandtheWizardletthetrainpassonandthenwanderedbythemselvesintothevegetablegardens.
Theydidnotbothertocrossthebridgesoverthebrooks,butwhentheycametoastreamtheysteppedhighandwalkedintheairtotheotherside.
Thiswasaveryinterestingexperiencetothem,andDorothysaid:
“Iwonderwhyitisthatwecanwalksoeasilyintheair.”
“Perhaps,”answeredtheWizard,“itisbecauseweareclosetothecenteroftheearth,wheretheattractionofgravitationisveryslight.
ButI’venoticedthatmanyqueerthingshappeninfairycountries.”
“Isthisafairycountry?”askedtheboy.
“Ofcourseitis,”returnedDorothypromptly.“Onlyafairycountrycouldhaveveg’tablepeople;andonlyinafairycountrycouldEurekaandJimtalkaswedo.”
“That’strue,”saidZeb,thoughtfully.
Inthevegetablegardenstheyfoundthestrawberriesandmelons,andseveralotherbutdeliciousfruits,ofwhichtheyateheartily.
Butthekittenbotheredthemconstantlybydemandingmilkormeat,andcalledtheWizardnamesbecausehecouldnotbringheradishofmilkbymeansofhismagicalarts.
AstheysatuponthegrasswatchingJim,whowasstillbusilyeating,Eurekasaid:
“Idon’tbelieveyouareaWizardatall!”
“No,”answeredthelittleman,“youarequiteright.InthestrictsenseofthewordIamnotaWizard,butonlyahumbug.”
“TheWizardofOzhasalwaysbeenahumbug,”agreedDorothy.“I’veknownhimforalongtime.”
“Ifthatisso,”saidtheboy,“howcouldhedothatwonderfultrickwiththeninetinypiglets?”
“Don’tknow,”saidDorothy,“butitmusthavebeenhumbug.”
“Verytrue,”declaredtheWizard,noddingather.
“ItwasnecessarytodeceivethatuglySorcererandthePrince,aswellastheirstupidpeople;butIdon’tmindtellingyou,whoaremyfriends,thatthethingwasonlyatrick.”
“ButIsawthelittlepigswithmyowneyes!”exclaimedZeb.
“SodidI,”purredthekitten.
“Tobesure,”answeredtheWizard.“Yousawthembecausetheywerethere.Theyareinmyinsidepocketnow.
Butthepullingofthemapartandpushingthemtogetheragainwasonlyasleight-of-handtrick.”
“Let’sseethepigs,”saidEureka,eagerly.
Thelittlemanfeltcarefullyinhispocketandpulledoutthetinypiglets,settingthemuponthegrassonebyone,wheretheyranaroundandnibbledthetenderblades.
“They’rehungry,too,”hesaid.
“Oh,whatcunningthings!”criedDorothy,catchinguponeandpettingit.
“Becareful!”saidthepiglet,withasqueal,“you’resqueezingme!”
“Dearme!”murmuredtheWizard,lookingathispetsinastonishment.“Theycanactuallytalk!”
“MayIeatoneofthem?”askedthekitten,inapleadingvoice.“I’mawfullyhungry.”
“Why,Eureka,”saidDorothy,reproachfully,“whatacruelquestion!Itwouldbedreadfultoeatthesedearlittlethings.”
“Ishouldsayso!”gruntedanotherofthepiglets,lookinguneasilyatthekitten;“catsarecruelthings.”
“I’mnotcruel,”repliedthekitten,yawning.“I’mjusthungry.”
“Youcannoteatmypiglets,evenifyouarestarving,”declaredthelittleman,inasternvoice.“TheyaretheonlythingsIhavetoproveI’mawizard.”
“Howdidtheyhappentobesolittle?”askedDorothy.“Ineversawsuchsmallpigsbefore.”
“TheyarefromtheIslandofTeenty-Weent,”saidtheWizard,“whereeverythingissmallbecauseit’sasmallisland.
AsailorbroughtthemtoLosAngelesandIgavehimnineticketstothecircusforthem.”
“ButwhatamIgoingtoeat?”wailedthekitten,sittinginfrontofDorothyandlookingpleadinglyintoherface.
“Therearenocowsheretogivemilk;oranymice,orevengrasshoppers.
AndifIcan’teatthepigletsyoumayaswellplantmeatonceandraisecatsup.”
“Ihaveanidea,”saidtheWizard,“thattherearefishesinthesebrooks.Doyoulikefish?”
“Fish!”criedthekitten.“DoIlikefish?Why,they’rebetterthanpiglets—orevenmilk!”
“ThenI’lltrytocatchyousome,”saidhe.
“Butwon’ttheybeveg’table,likeeverythingelsehere?”askedthekitten.
“Ithinknot.Fishesarenotanimals,andtheyareascoldandmoistasthevegetablesthemselves.Thereisnoreason,thatIcansee,whytheymaynotexistinthewatersofthisstrangecountry.”
ThentheWizardbentapinforahookandtookalongpieceofstringfromhispocketforafish-line.
Theonlybaithecouldfindwasabrightredblossomfromaflower;butheknewfishesareeasytofoolifanythingbrightattractstheirattention,sohedecidedtotrytheblossom.
Havingthrowntheendofhislineinthewaterofanearbybrookhesoonfeltasharptugthattoldhimafishhadbittenandwascaughtonthebentpin;sothelittlemandrewinthestringand,sureenough,thefishcamewithitandwaslandedsafelyontheshore,whereitbegantofloparoundingreatexcitement.
Thefishwasfatandround,anditsscalesglistenedlikebeautifullycutjewelssetclosetogether;buttherewasnotimetoexamineitclosely,forEurekamadeajumpandcaughtitbetweenherclaws,andinafewmomentsithadentirelydisappeared.
“Oh,Eureka!”criedDorothy,“didyoueatthebones?”
“Ifithadanybones,Iatethem,”repliedthekitten,composedly,asitwasheditsfaceafterthemeal.“ButIdon’tthinkthatfishhadanybones,becauseIdidn’tfeelthemscratchmythroat.”
“Youwereverygreedy,”saidthegirl.
“Iwasveryhungry,”repliedthekitten.
Thelittlepigshadstoodhuddledinagroup,watchingthisscenewithfrightenedeyes.
“Catsaredreadfulcreatures!”saidoneofthem.
“I’mgladwearenotfishes!”saidanother.
“Don’tworry,”Dorothymurmured,soothingly,“I’llnotletthekittenhurtyou.”
Thenshehappenedtorememberthatinacornerofhersuitcasewereoneortwocrackersthatwereleftoverfromherluncheononthetrain,andshewenttothebuggyandbroughtthem.
Eurekastuckuphernoseatsuchfood,butthetinypigletssquealeddelightedlyatthesightofthecrackersandatethemupinajiffy.
“Nowletusgobacktothecity,”suggestedtheWizard.“Thatis,ifJimhashadenoughofthepinkgrass.”
Thecab-horse,whowasbrowsingnear,liftedhisheadwithasigh.
“I’vetriedtoeatalotwhileIhadthechance,”saidhe,“forit’slikelytobealongwhilebetweenmealsinthisstrangecountry.ButI’mreadytogo,now,atanytimeyouwish.”
So,aftertheWizardhadputthepigletsbackintohisinsidepocket,wheretheycuddledupandwenttosleep,thethreeclimbedintothebuggyandJimstartedbacktothetown.
“Whereshallwestay?”askedthegirl.
“IthinkIshalltakepossessionoftheHouseoftheSorcerer,”repliedtheWizard;“forthePrincesaidinthepresenceofhispeoplethathewouldkeepmeuntiltheypickedanotherSorcerer,andthenewPrincesswon’tknowbutthatwebelongthere.”
Theyagreedtothisplan,andwhentheyreachedthegreatsquareJimdrewthebuggyintothebigdoorofthedomedhall.
“Itdoesn’tlookveryhomelike,”saidDorothy,gazingaroundatthebareroom.“Butit’saplacetostay,anyhow.”
“Whatarethoseholesupthere?”enquiredtheboy,pointingtosomeopeningsthatappearednearthetopofthedome.
“Theylooklikedoorways,”saidDorothy;“onlytherearenostairstogettothem.”
“Youforgetthatstairsareunnecessary,”observedtheWizard.“Letuswalkup,andseewherethedoorsleadto.”
Withthishebeganwalkingintheairtowardthehighopenings,andDorothyandZebfollowedhim.
Itwasthesamesortofclimboneexperienceswhenwalkingupahill,andtheywerenearlyoutofbreathwhentheycametotherowofopenings,whichtheyperceivedtobedoorwaysleadingintohallsintheupperpartofthehouse.
Followingthesehallstheydiscoveredmanysmallroomsopeningfromthem,andsomewerefurnishedwithglassbenches,tablesandchairs.Buttherewerenobedsatall.
“Iwonderifthesepeopleneversleep,”saidthegirl.
“Why,thereseemstobenonightatallinthiscountry,”Zebreplied.“Thosecoloredsunsareexactlyinthesameplacetheywerewhenwecame,andifthereisnosunsettherecanbenonight.”
“Verytrue,”agreedtheWizard.“ButitisalongtimesinceIhavehadanysleep,andI’mtired.SoIthinkIshallliedownupononeofthesehardglassbenchesandtakeanap.”
“Iwill,too,”saidDorothy,andchosealittleroomattheendofthehall.
ZebwalkeddownagaintounharnessJim,who,whenhefoundhimselffree,rolledoverafewtimesandthensettleddowntosleep,withEurekanestlingcomfortablybesidehisbig,boneybody.
Thentheboyreturnedtooneoftheupperrooms,andinspiteofthehardnessoftheglassbenchwassoondeepinslumberland.
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