Toto, now allowed to run about
as he pleased, was glad to
be free again and able to bark
at the birds and chase the
butterflies. The country around
them was charming, yet in the
pretty fields of wild-flowers
and groves of leafy trees were
no houses whatever, or sign
of any inhabitants. Birds flew
through the air and cunning
white rabbits darted amongst
the tall grasses and green
bushes; Dorothy noticed even
the ants toiling busily along
the roadway, bearing gigantic
loads of clover seed; but of
people there were none at all.
They walked briskly on for
an hour or two, for even little
Button-Bright was a good walker
and did not tire easily. At
length as they turned a curve
in the road they beheld just
before them a curious sight.
A little girl, radiant and
beautiful, shapely as a fairy
and exquisitely dressed, was
dancing gracefully in the middle
of the lonely road, whirling
slowly this way and that, her
dainty feet twinkling in sprightly
fashion. She was clad in flowing,
fluffy robes of soft material
that reminded Dorothy of woven
cobwebs, only it was colored
in soft tintings of violet,
rose, topaz, olive, azure,
and white, mingled together
most harmoniously in stripes
which melted one into the other
with soft blendings. Her hair
was like spun gold and flowed
around her in a cloud, no strand
being fastened or confined
by either pin or ornament or
ribbon.
Filled with wonder and admiration
our friends approached and
stood watching this fascinating
dance. The girl was no taller
than Dorothy, although more
slender; nor did she seem any
older than our little heroine.
Suddenly she paused and abandoned
the dance, as if for the first
time observing the presence
of strangers. As she faced
them, shy as a frightened fawn,
poised upon one foot as if
to fly the next instant, Dorothy
was astonished to see tears
flowing from her violet eyes
and trickling down her lovely
rose-hued cheeks. That the
dainty maiden should dance
and weep at the same time was
indeed surprising; so Dorothy
asked in a soft, sympathetic
voice:
"Are
you unhappy,
little
girl?"
"Very!" was the reply; "I
am lost."
"Why, so are we," said Dorothy,
smiling; "but we don't cry
about it."
"Don't
you? Why
not?"
"'Cause I've been lost before,
and always got found again," answered
Dorothy simply.
"But I've never been lost
before," murmured the dainty
maiden, "and I'm worried and
afraid."
"You were dancing," remarked
Dorothy, in a puzzled tone
of voice.
"Oh, that was just to keep
warm," explained the maiden,
quickly. "It was not because
I felt happy or gay, I assure
you."
Dorothy looked at her closely.
Her gauzy flowing robes might
not be very warm, yet the weather
wasn't at all chilly, but rather
mild and balmy, like a spring
day.
"Who are you, dear?" she
asked, gently.
"I'm Polychrome," was
the reply.
"Polly
whom?"
"Polychrome.
I'm the
Daughter
of the Rainbow."
"Oh!" said Dorothy with a
gasp; "I didn't know the Rainbow
had children. But I MIGHT have
known it, before you spoke.
You couldn't really be anything
else."
"Why not?" inquired
Polychrome,
as if surprised.
"Because
you're
so lovely
and sweet."
The little maiden smiled
through her tears, came up
to Dorothy, and placed her
slender fingers in the Kansas
girl's chubby hand.
"You'll be my friend--won't
you?" she said, pleadingly.
"Of
course."
"And
what is
your name?"
"I'm
Dorothy;
and this
is my friend
Shaggy
Man, who
owns
the Love Magnet; and this is
Button-Bright--only you don't
see him as he really is because
the Fox-King carelessly changed
his head into a fox head. But
the real Button-Bright is good
to look at, and I hope to get
him changed back to himself,
some time."
The Rainbow's Daughter nodded
cheerfully, no longer afraid
of her new companions.
"But who is this?" she asked,
pointing to Toto, who was sitting
before her wagging his tail
in the most friendly manner
and admiring the pretty maid
with his bright eyes. "Is this,
also, some enchanted person?"
"Oh
no, Polly--I
may call
you Polly, mayn't I? Your whole
name's awful hard to say."
"Call
me Polly
if you
wish, Dorothy."
"Well,
Polly,
Toto's
just a
dog; but
he has
more sense
than Button-Bright, to tell
the truth; and I'm very fond
of him."
"So am I," said
Polychrome,
bending gracefully to pat Toto's
head.
"But how did the Rainbow's
Daughter ever get on this lonely
road, and become lost?" asked
the shaggy man, who had listened
wonderingly to all this.
"Why, my father stretched
his rainbow over here this
morning, so that one end of
it touched this road," was
the reply; "and I was dancing
upon the pretty rays, as I
love to do, and never noticed
I was getting too far over
the bend in the circle. Suddenly
I began to slide, and I went
faster and faster until at
last I bumped on the ground,
at the very end. Just then
father lifted the rainbow again,
without noticing me at all,
and though I tried to seize
the end of it and hold fast,
it melted away entirely and
I was left alone and helpless
on the cold, hard earth!"
"It doesn't seem cold to
me, Polly," said Dorothy; "but
perhaps you're not warmly dressed."
"I'm so used to living nearer
the sun," replied the Rainbow's
Daughter, "that at first I
feared I would freeze down
here. But my dance has warmed
me some, and now I wonder how
I am ever to get home again."
"Won't
your father
miss you,
and look for you, and let down
another rainbow for you?"
"Perhaps
so, but
he's busy
just now because it rains in
so many parts of the world
at this season, and he has
to set his rainbow in a lot
of different places. What would
you advise me to do, Dorothy?"
"Come with us," was the answer. "I'm
going to try to find my way
to the Emerald City, which
is in the fairy Land of Oz.
The Emerald City is ruled by
a friend of mine, the Princess
Ozma, and if we can manage
to get there I'm sure she will
know a way to send you home
to your father again."
"Do you really think so?" asked
Polychrome, anxiously.
"I'm
pretty
sure."
"Then I'll go with you," said
the little maid; "for travel
will help keep me warm, and
father can find me in one part
of the world as well as another--if
he gets time to look for me."
"Come along, then," said
the shaggy man, cheerfully;
and they started on once more.
Polly walked beside Dorothy
a while, holding her new friend's
hand as if she feared to let
it go; but her nature seemed
as light and buoyant as her
fleecy robes, for suddenly
she darted ahead and whirled
round in a giddy dance. Then
she tripped back to them with
sparkling eyes and smiling
cheeks, having regained her
usual happy mood and forgotten
all her worry about being lost.
They found her a charming
companion, and her dancing
and laughter-- for she laughed
at times like the tinkling
of a silver bell--did much
to enliven their journey and
keep them contented.
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