TheNomeKingwasinanangrymood,andatsuchtimeshewasverydisagreeable.Everyonekeptawayfromhim,evenhisChiefStewardKaliko. ThereforetheKingstormedandravedallbyhimself,walkingupanddowninhisjewel-studdedcavernandgettingangrierallthetime. Thenherememberedthatitwasnofunbeingangryunlesshehadsomeonetofrightenandmakemiserable,andherushedtohisbiggongandmadeitclatterasloudashecould. IncametheChiefSteward,tryingnottoshowtheNomeKinghowfrightenedhewas. “SendtheChiefCounselorhere!”shoutedtheangrymonarch. Kalikoranoutasfastashisspindlelegscouldcarryhisfat,roundbody,andsoontheChiefCounselorenteredthecavern.TheKingscowledandsaidtohim: “I’mingreattroubleoverthelossofmyMagicBelt. EverylittlewhileIwanttodosomethingmagical,andfindIcan’tbecausetheBeltisgone. Thatmakesmeangry,andwhenI’mangryIcan’thaveagoodtime.Now,whatdoyouadvise?” “Somepeople,”saidtheChiefCounselor,“enjoygettingangry.” “Butnotallthetime,”declaredtheKing. “Tobeangryonceinawhileisreallygoodfun,becauseitmakesotherssomiserable. Buttobeangrymorning,noonandnight,asIam,growsmonotonousandpreventsmygaininganyotherpleasureinlife.Nowwhatdoyouadvise?” “Why,ifyouareangrybecauseyouwanttodomagicalthingsandcan’t,andifyoudon’twanttogetangryatall,myadviceisnottowanttodomagicalthings.” Hearingthis,theKingglaredathisCounselorwithafuriousexpressionandtuggedathisownlongwhitewhiskersuntilhepulledthemsohardthatheyelledwithpain. “Youareafool!”heexclaimed. “IsharethathonorwithyourMajesty,”saidtheChiefCounselor. TheKingroaredwithrageandstampedhisfoot. “Ho,there,myguards!”hecried.“Ho”isaroyalwayofsaying,“Comehere.”So,whentheguardshadhoed,theKingsaidtothem: “TakethisChiefCounselorandthrowhimaway.” ThentheguardstooktheChiefCounselor,andboundhimwithchainstopreventhisstruggling,andthrewhimaway.AndtheKingpacedupanddownhiscavernmoreangrythanbefore. Finallyherushedtohisbiggongandmadeitclatterlikeafirealarm.Kalikoappearedagain,tremblingandwhitewithfear. “Fetchmypipe!”yelledtheKing. “Yourpipeisalreadyhere,yourMajesty,”repliedKaliko. “Thengetmytobacco!”roaredtheKing. “Thetobaccoisinyourpipe,yourMajesty,”returnedtheSteward. “Thenbringalivecoalfromthefurnace!”commandedtheKing. “Thetobaccoislighted,andyourMajestyisalreadysmokingyourpipe,”answeredtheSteward. “Why,soIam!”saidtheKing,whohadforgottenthisfact;“butyouareveryrudetoremindmeofit.” “Iamalowborn,miserablevillain,”declaredtheChiefSteward,humbly. TheNomeKingcouldthinkofnothingtosaynext,sohepuffedawayathispipeandpacedupanddowntheroom.Finally,herememberedhowangryhewas,andcriedout: “Whatdoyoumean,Kaliko,bybeingsocontentedwhenyourmonarchisunhappy?” “Whatmakesyouunhappy?”askedtheSteward. “I’velostmyMagicBelt.AlittlegirlnamedDorothy,whowasherewithOzmaofOz,stolemyBeltandcarrieditawaywithher,”saidtheKing,grindinghisteethwithrage. “Shecaptureditinafairfight,”Kalikoventuredtosay. “ButIwantit!Imusthaveit!HalfmypowerisgonewiththatBelt!”roaredtheKing. “YouwillhavetogototheLandofOztorecoverit,andyourMajestycan’tgettotheLandofOzinanypossibleway,”saidtheSteward,yawningbecausehehadbeenondutyninety-sixhours,andwassleepy. “Becausethereisadeadlydesertallaroundthatfairycountry,whichnooneisabletocross. YouknowthatfactaswellasIdo,yourMajesty.NevermindthelostBelt. Youhaveplentyofpowerleft,foryourulethisundergroundkingdomlikeatyrant,andthousandsofNomesobeyyourcommands. Iadviseyoutodrinkaglassofmeltedsilver,toquietyournerves,andthengotobed.” TheKinggrabbedabigrubyandthrewitatKaliko’shead.TheStewardduckedtoescapetheheavyjewel,whichcrashedagainstthedoorjustoverhisleftear. “Getoutofmysight!Vanish!Goaway—andsendGeneralBlughere,”screamedtheNomeKing. Kalikohastilywithdrew,andtheNomeKingstampedupanddownuntiltheGeneralofhisarmiesappeared. ThisNomewasknownfarandwideasaterriblefighterandacruel,desperatecommander. HehadfiftythousandNomesoldiers,allwelldrilled,whofearednothingbuttheirsternmaster. YetGeneralBlugwasatrifleuneasywhenhearrivedandsawhowangrytheNomeKingwas. “Ha!Soyou’rehere!”criedtheKing. “MarchyourarmyatoncetotheLandofOz,captureanddestroytheEmeraldCity,andbringbacktomemyMagicBelt!”roaredtheKing. “You’recrazy,”calmlyremarkedtheGeneral. “What’sthat?What’sthat?What’sthat?”AndtheNomeKingdancedaroundonhispointedtoes,hewassoenraged. “Youdon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout,”continuedtheGeneral,seatinghimselfuponalargecutdiamond. “Iadviseyoutostandinacornerandcountsixtybeforeyouspeakagain.Bythattimeyoumaybemoresensible.” TheKinglookedaroundforsomethingtothrowatGeneralBlug,butasnothingwashandyhebegantoconsiderthatperhapsthemanwasrightandhehadbeentalkingfoolishly. SohemerelythrewhimselfintohisglitteringthroneandtippedhiscrownoverhisearandcurledhisfeetupunderhimandglaredwickedlyatBlug. “Inthefirstplace,”saidtheGeneral,“wecannotmarchacrossthedeadlydeserttotheLandofOz. Andifwecould,theRulerofthatcountry,PrincessOzma,hascertainfairypowersthatwouldrendermyarmyhelpless. HadyounotlostyourMagicBeltwemighthavesomechanceofdefeatingOzma;buttheBeltisgone.” “Iwantit!”screamedtheKing.“Imusthaveit.” “Well,then,letustryinasensiblewaytogetit,”repliedtheGeneral.“TheBeltwascapturedbyalittlegirlnamedDorothy,wholivesinKansas,intheUnitedStatesofAmerica.” “ButsheleftitintheEmeraldCity,withOzma,”declaredtheKing. “Howdoyouknowthat?”askedtheGeneral. “Oneofmyspies,whoisaBlackbird,flewoverthedeserttotheLandofOz,andsawtheMagicBeltinOzma’spalace,”repliedtheKingwithagroan. “Nowthatgivesmeanidea,”saidGeneralBlug,thoughtfully.“TherearetwowaystogettotheLandofOzwithouttravelingacrossthesandydesert.” “Whatarethey?”demandedtheKing,eagerly. “OnewayisOVERthedesert,throughtheair;andtheotherwayisUNDERthedesert,throughtheearth.” HearingthistheNomeKingutteredayellofjoyandleapedfromhisthrone,toresumehiswildwalkupanddownthecavern. “That’sit,Blug!”heshouted.“That’stheidea,General! I’mKingoftheUnderWorld,andmysubjectsareallminers. I’llmakeasecrettunnelunderthedeserttotheLandofOz—yes! rightuptotheEmeraldCity—andyouwillmarchyourarmiesthereandcapturethewholecountry!” “Softly,softly,yourMajesty.Don’tgotoofast,”warnedtheGeneral.“MyNomesaregoodfighters,buttheyarenotstrongenoughtoconquertheEmeraldCity.” “Areyousure?”askedtheKing. “Absolutelycertain,yourMajesty.” “Giveuptheideaandmindyourownbusiness,”advisedtheGeneral.“Youhaveplentytodotryingtoruleyourundergroundkingdom.” “ButIwanttheMagicBelt—andI’mgoingtohaveit!”roaredtheNomeKing. “I’dliketoseeyougetit,”repliedtheGeneral,laughingmaliciously. TheKingwasbythistimesoexasperatedthathepickeduphisscepter,whichhadaheavyball,madefromasapphire,attheendofit,andthrewitwithallhisforceatGeneralBlug. ThesapphirehittheGeneraluponhisforeheadandknockedhimflatupontheground,wherehelaymotionless. ThentheKingranghisgongandtoldhisguardstodragouttheGeneralandthrowhimaway;whichtheydid. ThisNomeKingwasnamedRoquattheRed,andnoonelovedhim. Hewasabadmanandapowerfulmonarch,andhehadresolvedtodestroytheLandofOzanditsmagnificentEmeraldCity,toenslavePrincessOzmaandlittleDorothyandalltheOzpeople,andrecoverhisMagicBelt. ThissameBelthadonceenabledRoquattheRedtocarryoutmanywickedplans;butthatwasbeforeOzmaandherpeoplemarchedtotheundergroundcavernandcapturedit. TheNomeKingcouldnotforgiveDorothyorPrincessOzma,andhehaddeterminedtoberevengeduponthem. Butthey,fortheirpart,didnotknowtheyhadsodangerousanenemy. Indeed,OzmaandDorothyhadbothalmostforgottenthatsuchapersonastheNomeKingyetlivedunderthemountainsoftheLandofEv—whichlayjustacrossthedeadlydeserttothesouthoftheLandofOz. Anunsuspectedenemyisdoublydangerous. 
