English
ThenewGeneraloftheNomeKing’sarmyknewperfectlywellthattofailinhisplansmeantdeathforhim.
Yethewasnotatallanxiousorworried.
Hehatedeveryonewhowasgoodandlongedtomakeallwhowerehappyunhappy.
ThereforehehadacceptedthisdangerouspositionasGeneralquitewillingly,feelingsureinhisevilmindthathewouldbeabletodoalotofmischiefandfinallyconquertheLandofOz.
YetGuphdeterminedtobecareful,andtolayhisplanswell,soasnottofail.Hearguedthatonlycarelesspeoplefailinwhattheyattempttodo.
ThemountainsunderneathwhichtheNomeKing’sextensivecavernswerelocatedlaygroupedjustnorthoftheLandofEv,whichlaydirectlyacrossthedeadlydeserttotheeastoftheLandofOz.
AsthemountainswerealsoontheedgeofthedeserttheNomeKingfoundthathehadonlytotunnelunderneaththedeserttoreachOzma’sdominions.
HedidnotwishhisarmiestoappearabovegroundintheCountryoftheWinkies,whichwasthepartoftheLandofOznearesttoKingRoquat’sowncountry,asthenthepeoplewouldgivethealarmandenableOzmatofortifytheEmeraldCityandassembleanarmy.
HewantedtotakealltheOzpeoplebysurprise;sohedecidedtorunthetunnelclearthroughtotheEmeraldCity,whereheandhishostscouldbreakthroughthegroundwithoutwarningandconquerthepeoplebeforetheyhadtimetodefendthemselves.
RoquattheRedbeganworkatonceuponhistunnel,settingathousandminersatthetaskandbuildingithighandbroadenoughforhisarmiestomarchthroughitwithease.
TheNomeswereusedtomakingtunnels,asallthekingdominwhichtheylivedwasunderground;sotheymaderapidprogress.
WhilethisworkwasgoingonGeneralGuphstartedoutalonetovisittheChiefoftheWhimsies.
TheseWhimsieswerecuriouspeoplewholivedinaretiredcountryoftheirown.
Theyhadlarge,strongbodies,butheadssosmallthattheywerenobiggerthandoor-knobs.
Ofcourse,suchtinyheadscouldnotcontainanygreatamountofbrains,andtheWhimsiesweresoashamedoftheirpersonalappearanceandlackofcommonsensethattheyworebigheadsmadeofpasteboard,whichtheyfastenedovertheirownlittleheads.
Onthesepasteboardheadstheysewedsheep’swoolforhair,andthewoolwascoloredmanytints—pink,greenandlavenderbeingthefavoritecolors.
Thefacesofthesefalseheadswerepaintedinmanyridiculousways,accordingtothewhimsoftheowners,andthesebig,burlycreatureslookedsowhimsicalandabsurdintheirstrangemasksthattheywerecalled“Whimsies.”
Theyfoolishlyimaginedthatnoonewouldsuspectthelittleheadsthatwereinsidetheimitationones,notknowingthatitisfollytotrytoappearotherwisethanasnaturehasmadeus.
TheChiefoftheWhimsieshadaslittlewisdomastheothers,andhadbeenchosenchiefmerelybecausenoneamongthemwasanywiserormorecapableofruling.
TheWhimsieswereevilspiritsandcouldnotbekilled.
Theywerehatedandfearedbyeveryoneandwereknownasterriblefightersbecausetheyweresostrongandmuscularandhadnotsenseenoughtoknowwhentheyweredefeated.
GeneralGuphthoughttheWhimsieswouldbeagreathelptotheNomesintheconquestofOz,forunderhisleadershiptheycouldbeinducedtofightaslongsotheycouldstandup.
SohetraveledtotheircountryandaskedtoseetheChief,wholivedinahousethathadapictureofhisgrotesquefalseheadpaintedoverthedoorway.
TheChief’sfalseheadhadbluehair,aturned-upnose,andamouththatstretchedhalfacrosstheface.
Biggreeneyeshadbeenpainteduponit,butinthecenterofthechinweretwosmallholesmadeinthepasteboard,sothattheChiefcouldseethroughthemwithhisowntinyeyes;forwhenthebigheadwasfasteneduponhisshoulderstheeyesinhisownnaturalheadwereonalevelwiththefalsechin.
SaidGeneralGuphtotheChiefoftheWhimsies:
“WeNomesaregoingtoconquertheLandofOzandcaptureourKing’sMagicBelt,whichtheOzpeoplestolefromhim.
Thenwearegoingtoplunderanddestroythewholecountry.AndwewanttheWhimsiestohelpus.”
“Willtherebeanyfighting?”askedtheChief.
“Plenty,”repliedGuph.
ThatmusthavepleasedtheChief,forhegotupanddancedaroundtheroomthreetimes.Thenheseatedhimselfagain,adjustedhisfalsehead,andsaid:
“WehavenoquarrelwithOzmaofOz.”
“ButyouWhimsieslovetofight,andhereisasplendidchancetodoso,”urgedGuph.
“WaittillIsingasong,”saidtheChief.
ThenhelaybackinhischairandsangafoolishsongthatdidnotseemtotheGeneraltomeananything,althoughhelistenedcarefully.
Whenhehadfinished,theChiefWhimsielookedathimthroughtheholesinhischinandasked:
“Whatrewardwillyougiveusifwehelpyou?”
TheGeneralwaspreparedforthisquestion,forhehadbeenthinkingthematteroveronhisjourney.
Peopleoftendoagooddeedwithouthopeofreward,butforanevildeedtheyalwaysdemandpayment.
“WhenwegetourMagicBelt,”hemadereply,“ourKing,RoquattheRed,willuseitspowertogiveeveryWhimsieanaturalheadasbigandfineasthefalseheadhenowwears.
Thenyouwillnolongerbeashamedbecauseyourbigstrongbodieshavesuchteenty-weentyheads.”
“Oh!Willyoudothat?”askedtheChief,eagerly.
“Wesurelywill,”promisedtheGeneral.
“I’lltalktomypeople,”saidtheChief.
SohecalledameetingofalltheWhimsiesandtoldthemoftheoffermadebytheNomes.
Thecreaturesweredelightedwiththebargain,andatonceagreedtofightfortheNomeKingandhelphimtoconquerOz.
OneWhimsiealoneseemedtohaveaglimmerofsense,forheasked:
“SupposewefailtocapturetheMagicBelt?Whatwillhappenthen,andwhatgoodwillallourfightingdo?”
Buttheythrewhimintotheriverforaskingfoolishquestions,andlaughedwhenthewaterruinedhispasteboardheadbeforehecouldswimoutagain.
SothecompactwasmadeandGeneralGuphwasdelightedwithhissuccessingainingsuchpowerfulallies.
Buttherewereotherpeople,too,justasimportantastheWhimsies,whomthecleveroldNomehaddeterminedtowintohisside.
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