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The Emerald City of Oz

L >> L. Frank Baum >> The Emerald City of Oz




"Who accuses the little girl, anyway?" inquired a rolling-pin.
"What has she done?"

"I don't know," said the King. "What has she done, Captain Dipp?"

"That's the trouble, your Majesty. She hasn't done anything," replied
the Captain.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Dorothy.

This question seemed to puzzle them all. Finally, a chafingdish,
exclaimed irritably:

"If no one can throw any light on this subject you must excuse me
if I go out."

At this, a big kitchen fork pricked up its ears and said in a tiny voice:

"Let's hear from Judge Sifter."

"That's proper," returned the King.

So Judge Sifter turned around slowly several times and then said:

"We have nothing against the girl except the stove-hearth upon which
she sits. Therefore I order her instantly discharged."

"Discharged!" cried Dorothy. "Why, I never was discharged in my life,
and I don't intend to be. If it's all the same to you, I'll resign."

"It's all the same," declared the King. "You are free--you and your
companions--and may go wherever you like."

"Thank you," said the little girl. "But haven't you anything to eat
in your kingdom? I'm hungry."

"Go into the woods and pick blackberries," advised the King, lying
down upon his back again and preparing to go to sleep. "There isn't a
morsel to eat in all Utensia, that I know of."

So Dorothy jumped up and said:

"Come on, Toto and Billina. If we can't find the camp, we may find
some blackberries."

The utensils drew back and allowed them to pass without protest,
although Captain Dipp marched the Spoon Brigade in close order after
them until they had reached the edge of the clearing.

There the spoons halted; but Dorothy and her companions entered the
forest again and began searching diligently for a way back to the
camp, that they might rejoin their party.



17. How They Came to Bunbury


Wandering through the woods, without knowing where you are going or
what adventure you are about to meet next, is not as pleasant as one
might think. The woods are always beautiful and impressive, and if
you are not worried or hungry you may enjoy them immensely; but
Dorothy was worried and hungry that morning, so she paid little
attention to the beauties of the forest, and hurried along as fast as
she could go. She tried to keep in one direction and not circle
around, but she was not at all sure that the direction she had chosen
would lead her to the camp.

By and by, to her great joy, she came upon a path. It ran to the
right and to the left, being lost in the trees in both directions, and
just before her, upon a big oak, were fastened two signs, with arms
pointing both ways. One sign read:


TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNBURY


and the second sign read:


TAKE THE OTHER ROAD TO BUNNYBURY


"Well!" exclaimed Billina, eyeing the signs, "this looks as if we
were getting back to civilization again."

"I'm not sure about the civil'zation, dear," replied the little
girl; "but it looks as if we might get SOMEWHERE, and that's a
big relief, anyhow."

"Which path shall we take?" inquired the Yellow Hen.

Dorothy stared at the signs thoughtfully.

"Bunbury sounds like something to eat," she said. "Let's go there."

"It's all the same to me," replied Billina. She had picked up enough
bugs and insects from the moss as she went along to satisfy her own
hunger, but the hen knew Dorothy could not eat bugs; nor could Toto.

The path to Bunbury seemed little traveled, but it was distinct enough
and ran through the trees in a zigzag course until it finally led them
to an open space filled with the queerest houses Dorothy had ever seen.
They were all made of crackers laid out in tiny squares, and were of
many pretty and ornamental shapes, having balconies and porches with
posts of bread-sticks and roofs shingled with wafer-crackers.

There were walks of bread-crusts leading from house to house and
forming streets, and the place seemed to have many inhabitants.

When Dorothy, followed by Billina and Toto, entered the place, they
found people walking the streets or assembled in groups talking
together, or sitting upon the porches and balconies.

And what funny people they were!

Men, women and children were all made of buns and bread. Some were
thin and others fat; some were white, some light brown and some very
dark of complexion. A few of the buns, which seemed to form the more
important class of the people, were neatly frosted. Some had raisins
for eyes and currant buttons on their clothes; others had eyes of
cloves and legs of stick cinnamon, and many wore hats and bonnets
frosted pink and green.

There was something of a commotion in Bunbury when the strangers
suddenly appeared among them. Women caught up their children and
hurried into their houses, shutting the cracker doors carefully behind
them. Some men ran so hastily that they tumbled over one another, while
others, more brave, assembled in a group and faced the intruders defiantly.

Dorothy at once realized that she must act with caution in order
not to frighten these shy people, who were evidently unused to the
presence of strangers. There was a delightful fragrant odor of fresh
bread in the town, and this made the little girl more hungry than
ever. She told Toto and Billina to stay back while she slowly
advanced toward the group that stood silently awaiting her.

"You must 'scuse me for coming unexpected," she said, softly,
"but I really didn't know I was coming here until I arrived.
I was lost in the woods, you know, and I'm as hungry as anything."

"Hungry!" they murmured, in a horrified chorus.

"Yes; I haven't had anything to eat since last night's supper," she
exclaimed. "Are there any eatables in Bunbury?"

They looked at one another undecidedly, and then one portly bun man,
who seemed a person of consequence, stepped forward and said:

"Little girl, to be frank with you, we are all eatables. Everything
in Bunbury is eatable to ravenous human creatures like you. But it is
to escape being eaten and destroyed that we have secluded ourselves in
this out-of-the-way place, and there is neither right nor justice in
your coming here to feed upon us."

Dorothy looked at him longingly.

"You're bread, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes; bread and butter. The butter is inside me, so it won't melt and
run. I do the running myself."

At this joke all the others burst into a chorus of laughter, and Dorothy
thought they couldn't be much afraid if they could laugh like that.

"Couldn't I eat something besides people?" she asked. "Couldn't I eat
just one house, or a side-walk or something? I wouldn't mind much
what it was, you know."

"This is not a public bakery, child," replied the man, sternly.
"It's private property."

"I know Mr.--Mr.--"

"My name is C. Bunn, Esquire," said the man. "'C' stands for
Cinnamon, and this place is called after my family, which is the most
aristocratic in the town."

"Oh, I don't know about that," objected another of the queer people.
"The Grahams and the Browns and Whites are all excellent families, and
there is none better of their kind. I'm a Boston Brown, myself."

"I admit you are all desirable citizens," said Mr. Bunn rather
stiffly; "but the fact remains that our town is called Bunbury."

"'Scuse me," interrupted Dorothy; "but I'm getting hungrier every
minute. Now, if you're polite and kind, as I'm sure you ought to be,
you'll let me eat SOMETHING. There's so much to eat here that you
will never miss it."

Then a big, puffed-up man, of a delicate brown color, stepped forward
and said:

"I think it would be a shame to send this child away hungry,
especially as she agrees to eat whatever we can spare and not touch
our people."

"So do I, Pop," replied a Roll who stood near.

"What, then, do you suggest, Mr. Over?" inquired Mr. Bunn.

"Why, I'll let her eat my back fence, if she wants to. It's made of
waffles, and they're very crisp and nice."

"She may also eat my wheelbarrow," added a pleasant looking Muffin.
"It's made of nabiscos with a zuzu wheel."

"Very good; very good," remarked Mr. Bunn. "That is certainly very
kind of you. Go with Pop Over and Mr. Muffin, little girl, and they
will feed you."

"Thank you very much," said Dorothy, gratefully. "May I bring my dog
Toto, and the Yellow Hen? They're hungry, too."

"Will you make them behave?" asked the Muffin.

"Of course," promised Dorothy.

"Then come along," said Pop Over.

So Dorothy and Billina and Toto walked up the street and the people
seemed no longer to be at all afraid of them. Mr. Muffin's house
came first, and as his wheelbarrow stood in the front yard the little
girl ate that first. It didn't seem very fresh, but she was so hungry
that she was not particular. Toto ate some, too, while Billina picked
up the crumbs.

While the strangers were engaged in eating, many of the people came
and stood in the street curiously watching them. Dorothy noticed six
roguish looking brown children standing all in a row, and she asked:

"Who are you, little ones?"

"We're the Graham Gems," replied one; "and we're all twins."

"I wonder if your mother could spare one or two of you?" asked
Billina, who decided that they were fresh baked; but at this dangerous
question the six little gems ran away as fast as they could go.

"You musn't say such things, Billina," said Dorothy, reprovingly.
"Now let's go into Pop Over's back yard and get the waffles."

"I sort of hate to let that fence go," remarked Mr. Over, nervously,
as they walked toward his house. "The neighbors back of us are Soda
Biscuits, and I don't care to mix with them."

"But I'm hungry yet," declared the girl. "That wheelbarrow wasn't
very big."

"I've got a shortcake piano, but none of my family can play on it," he
said, reflectively. "Suppose you eat that."

"All right," said Dorothy; "I don't mind. Anything to be accommodating."

So Mr. Over led her into the house, where she ate the piano, which was
of an excellent flavor.

"Is there anything to drink here?" she asked.

"Yes; I've a milk pump and a water pump; which will you have?" he asked.

"I guess I'll try 'em both," said Dorothy.

So Mr. Over called to his wife, who brought into the yard a pail made
of some kind of baked dough, and Dorothy pumped the pail full of cool,
sweet milk and drank it eagerly.

The wife of Pop Over was several shades darker than her husband.

"Aren't you overdone?" the little girl asked her.

"No indeed," answered the woman. "I'm neither overdone nor done over;
I'm just Mrs. Over, and I'm the President of the Bunbury Breakfast Band."

Dorothy thanked them for their hospitality and went away. At the
gate Mr. Cinnamon Bunn met her and said he would show her around the
town. "We have some very interesting inhabitants," he remarked,
walking stiffly beside her on his stick-cinnamon legs; "and all of us
who are in good health are well bred. If you are no longer hungry we
will call upon a few of the most important citizens."

Toto and Billina followed behind them, behaving very well, and a
little way down the street they came to a handsome residence where
Aunt Sally Lunn lived. The old lady was glad to meet the little girl
and gave her a slice of white bread and butter which had been used as
a door-mat. It was almost fresh and tasted better than anything
Dorothy had eaten in the town.

"Where do you get the butter?" she inquired.

"We dig it out of the ground, which, as you may have observed, is all
flour and meal," replied Mr. Bunn. "There is a butter mine just at
the opposite side of the village. The trees which you see here are
all doughleanders and doughderas, and in the season we get quite a
crop of dough-nuts off them."

"I should think the flour would blow around and get into your eyes,"
said Dorothy.

"No," said he; "we are bothered with cracker dust sometimes, but
never with flour."

Then he took her to see Johnny Cake, a cheerful old gentleman who
lived near by.

"I suppose you've heard of me," said old Johnny, with an air of pride.
"I'm a great favorite all over the world."

"Aren't you rather yellow?" asked Dorothy, looking at him critically.

"Maybe, child. But don't think I'm bilious, for I was never in better
health in my life," replied the old gentleman. "If anything ailed me,
I'd willingly acknowledge the corn."

"Johnny's a trifle stale," said Mr. Bunn, as they went away; "but he's
a good mixer and never gets cross-grained. I will now take you to
call upon some of my own relatives." They visited the Sugar Bunns,
the Currant Bunns and the Spanish Bunns, the latter having a decidedly
foreign appearance. Then they saw the French Rolls, who were very
polite to them, and made a brief call upon the Parker H. Rolls, who
seemed a bit proud and overbearing.

"But they're not as stuck up as the Frosted Jumbles," declared Mr.
Bunn, "who are people I really can't abide. I don't like to be
suspicious or talk scandal, but sometimes I think the Jumbles have too
much baking powder in them."

Just then a dreadful scream was heard, and Dorothy turned hastily
around to find a scene of great excitement a little way down the
street. The people were crowding around Toto and throwing at him
everything they could find at hand. They pelted the little dog with
hard-tack, crackers, and even articles of furniture which were hard
baked and heavy enough for missiles.

Toto howeled a little as the assortment of bake stuff struck him; but
he stood still, with head bowed and tail between his legs, until
Dorothy ran up and inquired what the matter was.

"Matter!" cried a rye loafer, indignantly, "why the horrid beast
has eaten three of our dear Crumpets, and is now devouring a
Salt-rising Biscuit!"

"Oh, Toto! How could you?" exclaimed Dorothy, much distressed.

Toto's mouth was full of his salt-rising victim; so he only whined and
wagged his tail. But Billina, who had flown to the top of a cracker
house to be in a safe place, called out:

"Don't blame him, Dorothy; the Crumpets dared him to do it."

"Yes, and you pecked out the eyes of a Raisin Bunn--one of our best
citizens!" shouted a bread pudding, shaking its fist at the Yellow Hen.

"What's that! What's that?" wailed Mr. Cinnamon Bunn, who had now
joined them. "Oh, what a misfortune--what a terrible misfortune!"

"See here," said Dorothy, determined to defend her pets, "I think
we've treated you all pretty well, seeing you're eatables an' reg'lar
food for us. I've been kind to you and eaten your old wheelbarrows
and pianos and rubbish, an' not said a word. But Toto and Billina
can't be 'spected to go hungry when the town's full of good things
they like to eat, 'cause they can't understand your stingy ways as
I do."

"You must leave here at once!" said Mr. Bunn, sternly.

"Suppose we won't go?" said Dorothy, who was now much provoked.

"Then," said he, "we will put you into the great ovens where we are
made, and bake you."

Dorothy gazed around and saw threatening looks upon the faces of all.
She had not noticed any ovens in the town, but they might be there,
nevertheless, for some of the inhabitants seemed very fresh. So she
decided to go, and calling to Toto and Billina to follow her she
marched up the street with as much dignity as possible, considering
that she was followed by the hoots and cries of the buns and biscuits
and other bake stuff.



18. How Ozma Looked into the Magic Picture


Princess Ozma was a very busy little ruler, for she looked carefully
after the comfort and welfare of her people and tried to make them
happy. If any quarrels arose she decided them justly; if any one
needed counsel or advice she was ready and willing to listen to them.

For a day or two after Dorothy and her companions had started on their
trip, Ozma was occupied with the affairs of her kingdom. Then she
began to think of some manner of occupation for Uncle Henry and Aunt
Em that would be light and easy and yet give the old people something
to do.

She soon decided to make Uncle Henry the Keeper of the Jewels, for
some one really was needed to count and look after the bins and barrels
of emeralds, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones that were in
the Royal Storehouses. That would keep Uncle Henry busy enough, but
it was harder to find something for Aunt Em to do. The palace was
full of servants, so there was no detail of housework that Aunt Em
could look after.

While Ozma sat in her pretty room engaged in thought she happened
to glance at her Magic Picture.

This was one of the most important treasures in all the Land of Oz.
It was a large picture, set in a beautiful gold frame, and it hung
in a prominent place upon a wall of Ozma's private room.

Usually this picture seemed merely a country scene, but whenever
Ozma looked at it and wished to know what any of her friends or
acquaintances were doing, the magic of this wonderful picture was
straightway disclosed. For the country scene would gradually fade
away and in its place would appear the likeness of the person or
persons Ozma might wish to see, surrounded by the actual scenes in
which they were then placed. In this way the Princess could view any
part of the world she wished, and watch the actions of any one in whom
she was interested.

Ozma had often seen Dorothy in her Kansas home by this means, and now,
having a little leisure, she expressed a desire to see her little
friend again. It was while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig, and
Ozma laughed merrily as she watched in the picture her friends trying
to match the pieces of Grandmother Gnit.

"They seem happy and are doubtless having a good time," the girl
Ruler said to herself; and then she began to think of the many
adventures she herself had encountered with Dorothy.

The image of her friends now faded from the Magic Picture and the old
landscape slowly reappeared.

Ozma was thinking of the time when with Dorothy and her army she
marched to the Nome King's underground cavern, beyond the Land of Ev,
and forced the old monarch to liberate his captives, who belonged to
the Royal Family of Ev. That was the time when the Scarecrow nearly
frightened the Nome King into fits by throwing one of Billina's eggs
at him, and Dorothy had captured King Roquat's Magic Belt and brought
it away with her to the Land of Oz.

The pretty Princess smiled at the recollection of this adventure, and
then she wondered what had become of the Nome King since then. Merely
because she was curious and had nothing better to do, Ozma glanced at
the Magic Picture and wished to see in it the King of the Nomes.

Roquat the Red went every day into his tunnel to see how the work was
getting along and to hurry his workmen as much as possible. He was
there now, and Ozma saw him plainly in the Magic Picture.

She saw the underground tunnel, reaching far underneath the Deadly
Desert which separated the Land of Oz from the mountains beneath which
the Nome King had his extensive caverns. She saw that the tunnel was
being made in the direction of the Emerald City, and knew at once it
was being dug so that the army of Nomes could march through it and
attack her own beautiful and peaceful country.

"I suppose King Roquat is planning revenge against us," she said,
musingly, "and thinks he can surprise us and make us his captives and
slaves. How sad it is that any one can have such wicked thoughts!
But I must not blame King Roquat too severely, for he is a Nome,
and his nature is not so gentle as my own."

Then she dismissed from her mind further thought of the tunnel, for
that time, and began to wonder if Aunt Em would not be happy as Royal
Mender of the Stockings of the Ruler of Oz. Ozma wore few holes in
her stockings; still, they sometimes needed mending. Aunt Em ought to
be able to do that very nicely.

Next day, the Princess watched the tunnel again in her Magic Picture,
and every day afterward she devoted a few minutes to inspecting the work.
It was not especially interesting, but she felt that it was her duty.

Slowly but surely the big, arched hole crept through the rocks
underneath the deadly desert, and day by day it drew nearer and
nearer to the Emerald City.



19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers


Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when they
were in the forest again she said to Billina:

"I never thought that things good to eat could be so dis'gree'ble."

"Often I've eaten things that tasted good but were disagreeable
afterward," returned the Yellow Hen. "I think, Dorothy, if eatables
are going to act badly, it's better before than after you eat them."

"P'raps you're right," said the little girl, with a sigh. "But what
shall we do now?"

"Let us follow the path back to the signpost," suggested Billina.
"That will be better than getting lost again."

"Why, we're lost anyhow," declared Dorothy; "but I guess you're right
about going back to that signpost, Billina."

They returned along the path to the place where they had first found
it, and at once took "the other road" to Bunnybury. This road was a
mere narrow strip, worn hard and smooth but not wide enough for
Dorothy's feet to tread. Still, it was a guide, and the walking
through the forest was not at all difficult.

Before long they reached a high wall of solid white marble, and the
path came to an end at this wall.

At first Dorothy thought there was no opening at all in the marble,
but on looking closely she discovered a small square door about on a
level with her head, and underneath this closed door was a bell-push.
Near the bell-push a sign was painted in neat letters upon the marble,
and the sign read:


NO ADMITTANCE

EXCEPT ON BUSINESS


This did not discourage Dorothy, however, and she rang the bell.

Pretty soon a bolt was cautiously withdrawn and the marble door swung
slowly open. Then she saw it was not really a door, but a window, for
several brass bars were placed across it, being set fast in the marble
and so close together that the little girl's fingers might barely go
between them. Back of the bars appeared the face of a white rabbit--a
very sober and sedate face--with an eye-glass held in his left eye and
attached to a cord in his button-hole.

"Well! what is it?" asked the rabbit, sharply.

"I'm Dorothy," said the girl, "and I'm lost, and--"

"State your business, please," interrupted the rabbit.

"My business," she replied, "is to find out where I am, and to--"

"No one is allowed in Bunnybury without an order or a letter of
introduction from either Ozma of Oz or Glinda the Good," announced
the rabbit; "so that settles the matter," and he started to close
the window.

"Wait a minute!" cried Dorothy. "I've got a letter from Ozma."

"From the Ruler of Oz?" asked the rabbit, doubtingly.

"Of course. Ozma's my best friend, you know; and I'm a Princess
myself," she announced, earnestly.

"Hum--ha! Let me see your letter," returned the rabbit, as if he
still doubted her.

So she hunted in her pocket and found the letter Ozma had given her.
Then she handed it through the bars to the rabbit, who took it in his
paws and opened it. He read it aloud in a pompous voice, as if to let
Dorothy and Billina see that he was educated and could read writing.
The letter was as follows:


"It will please me to have my subjects greet Princess Dorothy, the
bearer of this royal missive, with the same courtesy and consideration
they would extend to me."


"Ha--hum! It is signed 'Ozma of Oz,'" continued the rabbit, "and is
sealed with the Great Seal of the Emerald City. Well, well, well!
How strange! How remarkable!"

"What are you going to do about it?" inquired Dorothy, impatiently.

"We must obey the royal mandate," replied the rabbit. "We are
subjects of Ozma of Oz, and we live in her country. Also we are
under the protection of the great Sorceress Glinda the Good, who
made us promise to respect Ozma's commands."

"Then may I come in?" she asked.

"I'll open the door," said the rabbit. He shut the window and
disappeared, but a moment afterward a big door in the wall opened and
admitted Dorothy to a small room, which seemed to be a part of the wall
and built into it.

Here stood the rabbit she had been talking with, and now that she
could see all of him, she gazed at the creature in surprise. He was a
good sized white rabbit with pink eyes, much like all other white
rabbits. But the astonishing thing about him was the manner in which
he was dressed. He wore a white satin jacket embroidered with gold,
and having diamond buttons. His vest was rose-colored satin, with
tourmaline buttons. His trousers were white, to correspond with the
jacket, and they were baggy at the knees--like those of a zouave--being
tied with knots of rose ribbons. His shoes were of white plush with
diamond buckles, and his stockings were rose silk.

The richness and even magnificence of the rabbit's clothing made
Dorothy stare at the little creature wonderingly. Toto and Billina
had followed her into the room and when he saw them the rabbit ran
to a table and sprang upon it nimbly. Then he looked at the three
through his monocle and said:

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