English
PrincessOzmawasallunawarethattheArmyofOogaboo,ledbytheirambitiousQueen,wasdeterminedtoconquerherKingdom.
ThebeautifulgirlRulerofOzwasbusywiththewelfareofhersubjectsandhadnotimetothinkofAnnSoforthandherdisloyalplans.
ButtherewasonewhoconstantlyguardedthepeaceandhappinessoftheLandofOzandthiswastheOfficialSorceressoftheKingdom,GlindatheGood.
Inhermagnificentcastle,whichstandsfarnorthoftheEmeraldCitywhereOzmaholdshercourt,GlindaownsawonderfulmagicRecordBook,inwhichisprintedeveryeventthattakesplaceanywhere,justassoonasithappens.
Thesmallestthingsandthebiggestthingsareallrecordedinthisbook.Ifachildstampsitsfootinanger,Glindareadsaboutit;ifacityburnsdown,Glindafindsthefactnotedinherbook.
TheSorceressalwaysreadsherRecordBookeveryday,andsoitwassheknewthatAnnSoforth,QueenofOogaboo,hadfoolishlyassembledanarmyofsixteenofficersandoneprivatesoldier,withwhichsheintendedtoinvadeandconquertheLandofOz.
TherewasnodangerbutthatOzma,supportedbythemagicartsofGlindatheGoodandthepowerfulWizardofOz—bothherfirmfriends—couldeasilydefeatafarmoreimposingarmythanAnn’s;butitwouldbeashametohavethepeaceofOzinterruptedbyanysortofquarrelingorfighting.
SoGlindadidnotevenmentionthemattertoOzma,ortoanyoneelse.
Shemerelywentintoagreatchamberofhercastle,knownastheMagicRoom,wheresheperformedamagicalceremonywhichcausedthemountainpassthatledfromOogabootomakeseveralturnsandtwists.
TheresultwasthatwhenAnnandherarmycametotheendofthepasstheywerenotintheLandofOzatall,butinanadjoiningterritorythatwasquitedistinctfromOzma’sdomainandseparatedfromOzbyaninvisiblebarrier.
AstheOogaboopeopleemergedintothiscountry,thepasstheyhadtraverseddisappearedbehindthemanditwasnotlikelytheywouldeverfindtheirwaybackintothevalleyofOogaboo.
Theyweregreatlypuzzled,indeed,bytheirsurroundingsanddidnotknowwhichwaytogo.
NoneofthemhadevervisitedOz,soittookthemsometimetodiscovertheywerenotinOzatall,butinancountry.
“Nevermind,”saidAnn,tryingtoconcealherdisappointment;“wehavestartedouttoconquertheworld,andhereispartofit.
Intime,aswepursueourvictoriousjourney,wewilldoubtlesscometoOz;butuntilwegetthere,wemayaswellconquerwhateverlandwefindourselvesin.”
“Haveweconqueredthisplace,YourMajesty?”anxiouslyinquiredMajorCake.
“Mostcertainly,”saidAnn.“Wehavemetnopeople,asyet,butwhenwedo,wewillinformthemthattheyareourslaves.”
“Andafterwardwewillplunderthemofalltheirpossessions,”addedGeneralApple.
“Theymaynotpossessanything,”objectedPrivateFiles;“butIhopetheywillfightus,justthesame.Apeacefulconquestwouldn’tbeanyfunatall.”
“Don’tworry,”saidtheQueen.“Wecanfight,whetherourfoesdoornot;andperhapswewouldfinditmorecomfortabletohavetheenemysurrenderpromptly.”
Itwasabarrencountryandnotverypleasanttotravelin.
Moreover,therewaslittleforthemtoeat,andastheofficersbecamehungrytheybecamefretful.
Manywouldhavedesertedhadtheybeenabletofindtheirwayhome,butastheOogaboopeoplewerenowhopelesslylostinastrangecountrytheyconsidereditmoresafetokeeptogetherthantoseparate.
QueenAnn’stemper,neververyagreeable,becamesharpandirritableassheandherarmytrampedovertherockyroadswithoutencounteringeitherpeopleorplunder.
Shescoldedherofficersuntiltheybecamesurly,andafewofthemweredisloyalenoughtoaskhertoholdhertongue.
OthersbegantoreproachherforleadingthemintodifficultiesandinthespaceofthreeunhappydayseverymanwasmourningforhisorchardintheprettyvalleyofOogaboo.
Files,however,provedadifferentsort.
Themoredifficultiesheencounteredthemorecheerfulhebecame,andthesighsoftheofficerswereansweredbythemerrywhistleofthePrivate.
HispleasantdispositiondidmuchtoencourageQueenAnnandbeforelongsheconsultedthePrivateSoldiermoreoftenthanshedidhissuperiors.
Itwasonthethirddayoftheirpilgrimagethattheyencounteredtheirfirstadventure.TowardeveningtheskywassuddenlydarkenedandMajorNailsexclaimed:
“Afogiscomingtowardus.”
“Idonotthinkitisafog,”repliedFiles,lookingwithinterestattheapproachingcloud.“ItseemstomemorelikethebreathofaRak.”
“WhatisaRak?”askedAnn,lookingaboutfearfully.
“Aterriblebeastwithahorribleappetite,”answeredthesoldier,growingalittlepalerthanusual.
“IhaveneverseenaRak,tobesure,butIhavereadoftheminthestory-booksthatgrewinmyorchard,andifthisisindeedoneofthosefearfulmonsters,wearenotlikelytoconquertheworld.”
Hearingthis,theofficersbecamequiteworriedandgatheredcloserabouttheirsoldier.
“Whatisthethinglike?”askedone.
“TheonlypictureofaRakthatIeversawinabookwasratherblurred,”saidFiles,“becausethebookwasnotquiteripewhenitwaspicked.
Butthecreaturecanflyintheairandrunlikeadeerandswimlikeafish.
Insideitsbodyisaglowingfurnaceoffire,andtheRakbreathesinairandbreathesoutsmoke,whichdarkenstheskyformilesaround,whereveritgoes.
Itisbiggerthanahundredmenandfeedsonanylivingthing.”
Theofficersnowbegantogroanandtotremble,butFilestriedtocheerthem,saying:
“ItmaynotbeaRak,afterall,thatweseeapproachingus,andyoumustnotforgetthatwepeopleofOogaboo,whichispartofthefairylandofOz,cannotbekilled.”
“Nevertheless,”saidCaptainButtons,“iftheRakcatchesus,andchewsusupintosmallpieces,andswallowsus—whatwillhappenthen?”
“Theneachsmallpiecewillstillbealive,”declaredFiles.
“Icannotseehowthatwouldhelpus,”wailedColonelBanjo.“Ahamburgersteakisahamburgersteak,whetheritisaliveornot!”
“Itellyou,thismaynotbeaRak,”persistedFiles.
“Wewillknow,whenthecloudgetsnearer,whetheritisthebreathofaRakornot.
Ifithasnosmellatall,itisprobablyafog;butifithasanodorofsaltandpepper,itisaRakandwemustprepareforadesperatefight.”
Theyalleyedthedarkcloudfearfully.Beforelongitreachedthefrightenedgroupandbegantoenvelopthem.Everynosesniffedthecloud—andeveryonedetectedinittheodorofsaltandpepper.
“TheRak!”shoutedPrivateFiles,andwithahowlofdespairthesixteenofficersfelltotheground,writhingandmoaninginanguish.
QueenAnnsatdownuponarockandfacedthecloudmorebravely,althoughherheartwasbeatingfast.
AsforFiles,hecalmlyloadedhisgunandstoodreadytofightthefoe,asasoldiershould.
Theywerenowinabsolutedarkness,forthecloud,whichcoveredthesky,andthesettingsunwasblackasink.
Thenthroughthegloomappearedtworound,glowingballsofred,andFilesatoncedecidedthesemustbethemonster’seyes.
Heraisedhisgun,tookaimandfired.
Therewereseveralbulletsinthegun,allgatheredfromanexcellentbullet-treeinOogaboo,andtheywerebigandhard.
Theyflewtowardthemonsterandstruckit,andwithawild,weirdcrytheRakcameflutteringdownanditshugebodyfellplumpupontheformsofthesixteenofficers,whothereuponscreamedlouderthanbefore.
“Badnessme!”moanedtheRak.“Seewhat<you’vedonewiththatdangerousgunofyours!”
“Ican’tsee,”repliedFiles,“forthecloudformedbyyourbreathdarkensmysight!”
“Don’ttellmeitwasanaccident,”continuedtheRak,reproachfully,asitstillflappeditswingsinahelplessmanner.“Don’tclaimyoudidn’tknowthegunwasloaded,Ibegofyou!”
“Idon’tintendto,”repliedFiles.“Didthebulletshurtyouverybadly?”
“Onehasbrokenmyjaw,sothatIcan’topenmymouth.
Youwillnoticethatmyvoicesoundsratherharshandhusky,becauseIhavetotalkwithmyteethsetclosetogether.
Anotherbulletbrokemyleftwing,sothatIcan’tfly;andstillanotherbrokemyrightleg,sothatIcan’twalk.
ItwasthemostcarelessshotIeverheardof!”
“Can’tyoumanagetoliftyourbodyofffrommycommandingofficers?”inquiredFiles.“FromtheircriesI’mafraidyourgreatweightiscrushingthem.”
“Ihopeitis,”growledtheRak.“Iwanttocrushthem,ifpossible,forIhaveabaddisposition.IfonlyIcouldopenmymouth,I’deatallofyou,althoughmyappetiteispoorlythiswarmweather.”
WiththistheRakbegantorollitsimmensebodysidewise,soastocrushtheofficersmoreeasily;butindoingthisitrolledcompletelyofffromthemandtheentiresixteenscrambledtotheirfeetandmadeoffasfastastheycouldrun.
PrivateFilescouldnotseethemgobutheknewfromthesoundoftheirvoicesthattheyhadescaped,soheceasedtoworryaboutthem.
“PardonmeifInowbidyougood-bye,”hesaidtotheRak.
“Thepartingiscausedbyourdesiretocontinueourjourney.
Ifyoudie,donotblameme,forIwasobligedtoshootyouasamatterofself-protection.”
“Ishallnotdie,”answeredthemonster,“forIbearacharmedlife.ButIbegyounottoleaveme!”
“Whynot?”askedFiles.
“Becausemybrokenjawwillhealinaboutanhour,andthenIshallbeabletoeatyou.
Mywingwillhealinadayandmylegwillhealinaweek,whenIshallbeaswellasever.
Havingshotme,andsocausedmeallthisannoyance,itisonlyfairandjustthatyouremainhereandallowmetoeatyouassoonasIcanopenmyjaws.”
“Ibegtodifferwithyou,”returnedthesoldierfirmly.
“IhavemadeanengagementwithQueenAnnofOogabootohelpherconquertheworld,andIcannotbreakmywordforthesakeofbeingeatenbyaRak.”
“Oh;that’sdifferent,”saidthemonster.“Ifyou’veanengagement,don’tletmedetainyou.”
SoFilesfeltaroundinthedarkandgraspedthehandofthetremblingQueen,whomheledawayfromtheflapping,sighingRak.
Theystumbledoverthestonesforawaybutpresentlybegantoseedimlythepathaheadofthem,astheygotfartherandfartherawayfromthedreadfulspotwherethewoundedmonsterlay.
Byandbytheyreachedalittlehillandcouldseethelastraysofthesunfloodingaprettyvalleybeyond,fornowtheyhadpassedbeyondthecloudybreathoftheRak.
Herewerehuddledthesixteenofficers,stillfrightenedandpantingfromtheirrun.
Theyhadhaltedonlybecauseitwasimpossibleforthemtorunanyfarther.
QueenAnngavethemaseverescoldingfortheircowardice,atthesametimepraisingFilesforhiscourage.
“Wearewiserthanhe,however,”mutteredGeneralClock,“forbyrunningawaywearenowabletoassistYourMajestyinconqueringtheworld;whereas,hadFilesbeeneatenbytheRak,hewouldhavedesertedyourArmy.”
Afterabriefresttheydescendedintothevalley,andassoonastheywereoutofsightoftheRakthespiritsoftheentirepartyrosequickly.
Justatdusktheycametoabrook,onthebanksofwhichQueenAnncommandedthemtomakecampforthenight.
Eachofficercarriedinhispocketatinywhitetent.
This,whenplacedupontheground,quicklygrewinsizeuntilitwaslargeenoughtopermittheownertoenteritandsleepwithinitscanvaswalls.
Fileswasobligedtocarryaknapsack,inwhichwasnotonlyhisowntentbutanelaboratepavilionforQueenAnn,besidesabedandchairandamagictable.
Thistable,whensetuponthegroundinAnn’spavilion,becameoflargesize,andinadrawerofthetablewascontainedtheQueen’ssupplyofextraclothing,hermanicureandtoiletarticlesandothernecessarythings.
Theroyalbedwastheonlyoneinthecamp,theofficersandprivatesleepinginhammocksattachedtotheirtentpoles.
TherewasalsointheknapsackaflagbearingtheroyalemblemofOogaboo,andthisflagFilesflewuponitsstaffeverynight,toshowthatthecountrytheywereinhadbeenconqueredbytheQueenofOogaboo.
Sofar,noonebutthemselveshadseentheflag,butAnnwaspleasedtoseeitflutterinthebreezeandconsideredherselfalreadyafamousconqueror.
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