The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
When Ojo entered the room he
ran quickly to the statue of
Unc Nunkie and kissed the marble
face affectionately.
"I did my best, Unc," he said,
with a sob, "but it was no use!"
Then he drew back and looked
around the room, and the sight
of the assembled company quite
amazed him.
Aside from the marble statues
of Unc Nunkie and Margolotte,
the Glass Cat was there, curled
up on a rug; and the Woozy was
there, sitting on its square
hind legs and looking on the
scene with solemn interest; and
there was the Shaggy Man, in
a suit of shaggy pea-green satin,
and at a table sat the little
Wizard, looking quite important
and as if he knew much more than
he cared to tell.
Last of all, Dr. Pipt was there,
and the Crooked Magician sat
humped up in a chair, seeming
very dejected but keeping his
eyes fixed on the lifeless form
of his wife Margolotte, whom
he fondly loved but whom he now
feared was lost to him forever.
Ozma took a chair which Jellia
Jamb wheeled forward for the
Ruler, and back of her stood
the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman
and Dorothy, as well as the Cowardly
Lion and the Hungry Tiger. The
Wizard now arose and made a low
bow to Ozma and another less
deferent bow to the assembled
company.
"Ladies and gentlemen and beasts," he
said, "I beg to announce that
our Gracious Ruler has permitted
me to obey the commands of the
great Sorceress, Glinda the Good,
whose humble Assistant I am proud
to be. We have discovered that
the Crooked Magician has been
indulging in his magical arts
contrary to Law, and therefore,
by Royal Edict, I hereby deprive
him of all power to work magic
in the future. He is no longer
a crooked magician, but a simple
Munchkin; he is no longer even
crooked, but a man like other
men.
As he pronounced these words
the Wizard waved his hand toward
Dr. Pipt and instantly every
crooked limb straightened out
and became perfect. The former
magician, with a cry of joy,
sprang to his feet, looked at
himself in wonder, and then fell
back in his chair and watched
the Wizard with fascinated interest.
"The Glass Cat, which Dr. Pipt
lawlessly made," continued the
Wizard, "is a pretty cat, but
its pink brains made it so conceited
that it was a disagreeable companion
to everyone. So the other day
I took away the pink brains and
replaced them with transparent
ones, and now the Glass Cat is
so modest and well behaved that
Ozma has decided to keep her
in the palace as a pet."
"I thank you," said
the cat, in a soft voice.
"The Woozy has proved himself
a good Woozy and a faithful friend," the
Wizard went on, "so we will send
him to the Royal Menagerie, where
he will have good care and plenty
to eat all his life."
"Much obliged," said the Woozy. "That
beats being fenced up in a lonely
forest and starved."
"As for the Patchwork Girl," resumed
the Wizard, "she is so remarkable
in appearance, and so clever
and good tempered, that our Gracious
Ruler intends to preserve her
carefully, as one of the curiosities
of the curious Land of Oz. Scraps
may live in the palace, or wherever
she pleases, and be nobody's
servant but her own."
"That's all right," said
Scraps.
"We have all been interested
in Ojo," the little Wizard continued, "because
his love for his unfortunate
uncle has led him bravely to
face all sorts of dangers, in
order that he might rescue him.
The Munchkin boy has a loyal
and generous heart and has done
his best to restore Unc Nunkie
to life. He has failed, but there
are others more powerful than
the Crooked Magician, and there
are more ways than Dr. Pipt knew
of to destroy the charm of the
Liquid of Petrifaction. Glinda
the Good has told me of one way,
and you shall now learn how great
is the knowledge and power of
our peerless Sorceress."
As he said this the Wizard
advanced to the statue of Margolote
and made a magic pass, at the
same time muttering a magic word
that none could hear distinctly.
At once the woman moved, turned
her head wonderingly this way
and that, to note all who stood
before her, and seeing Dr. Pipt,
ran forward and threw herself
into her husband's outstretched
arms.
Then the Wizard
made the magic pass and spoke
the magic word
before the statue of Unc Nunkie.
The old Munchkin immediately
came to life and with a low bow
to the Wizard said: "Thanks."
But now Ojo rushed up and threw
his arms joyfully about his uncle,
and the old man hugged his little
nephew tenderly and stroked his
hair and wiped away the boy's
tears with a handkerchief, for
Ojo was crying from pure happiness.
Ozma came forward to congratulate
them.
"I have given to you, my dear
Ojo and Unc Nunkie, a nice house
just outside the walls of the
Emerald City," she said, "and
there you shall make your future
home and be under my protection."
"Didn't I say you were Ojo
the Lucky?" asked the Tin Woodman,
as everyone crowded around to
shake Ojo's hand.
"Yes; and it is true!" replied
Ojo, gratefully.
The Wonderful Oz Books by L.
Frank Baum
THE WIZARD OF OZ THE LAND OF
OZ OZMA OF OZ DOROTHY AND THE
WIZARD IN OZ THE ROAD TO OZ THE
EMERALD CITY OF OZ THE PATCHWORK
GIRL OF OZ TIK-TOK OF OZ THE
SCARECROW OF OZ RINKITINK IN
OZ THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ THE
TIN WOODMAN OF OZ THE MAGIC OF
OZ GLINDA OF OZ
End of Project Gutenberg's
Etext of The Patchwork Girl of
Oz by Baum
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