The others now came up, and
the Tin Woodman greeted the
Lion and the Tiger cordially.
Button-Bright yelled with fear
when Dorothy first
took his hand and led him toward the great beasts; but the girl
insisted they were kind and good, and so the boy mustered up courage
enough to pat their heads; after they had spoken to him gently and he
had looked into their intelligent eyes his fear vanished entirely
and he was so delighted with the animals that he wanted to keep close
to them and stroke their soft fur every minute.
As for the shaggy man, he
might have been afraid if he
had met the beasts alone, or
in any other country, but so
many were the marvels in; the
Land of Oz that he was no longer
easily surprised, and Dorothy's
friendship for the Lion and
Tiger was enough to assure
him they were safe companions.
Toto barked at the Cowardly
Lion in joyous greeting, for
he knew the beast of old and
loved him, and it was funny
to see how gently the Lion
raised his huge paw to pat
Toto's head. The little dog
smelled of the Tiger's nose,
and the Tiger politely shook
paws with him; so they were
quite likely to become firm
friends.
Tik-tok and Billina knew
the beasts well, so merely
bade them good day and asked
after their healths and inquired
about the Princess Ozma.
Now it was seen that the
Cowardly Lion and the Hungry
Tiger were drawing behind them
a splendid golden chariot,
to which they were harnessed
by golden cords. The body of
the chariot was decorated on
the outside with designs in
clusters of sparkling emeralds,
while inside it was lined with
a green and gold satin, and
the cushions of the seats were
of green plush embroidered
in gold with a crown, underneath
which was a monogram.
"Why, it's Ozma's own royal
chariot!" exclaimed Dorothy.
"Yes," said the Cowardly
Lion; "Ozma sent us to meet
you here, for she feared you
would be weary with your long
walk and she wished you to
enter the City in a style becoming
your exalted rank."
"What!" cried Polly, looking
at Dorothy curiously. "Do you
belong to the nobility?"
"Just in Oz I do," said the
child, "'cause Ozma made me
a Princess, you know. But when
I'm home in Kansas I'm only
a country girl, and have to
help with the churning and
wipe the dishes while Aunt
Em washes 'em. Do you have
to help wash dishes on the
rainbow, Polly?"
"No, dear," answered
Polychrome,
smiling.
"Well, I don't have to work
any in Oz, either," said Dorothy. "It's
kind of fun to be a Princess
once in a while; don't you
think so?"
"Dorothy and Polychrome and
Button-Bright are all to ride
in the chariot," said the Lion. "So
get in, my dears, and be careful
not to mar the gold or put
your dusty feet on the embroidery."
Button-Bright was delighted
to ride behind such a superb
team, and he told Dorothy it
made him feel like an actor
in a circus. As the strides
of the animals brought them
nearer to the Emerald City
every one bowed respectfully
to the children, as well as
to the Tin Woodman, Tik-tok,
and the shaggy man, who were
following behind.
The Yellow Hen had perched
upon the back of the chariot,
where she could tell Dorothy
more about her wonderful chickens
as they rode. And so the grand
chariot came finally to the
high wall surrounding the City,
and paused before the magnificent
jewel-studded gates.
These were opened by a cheerful-looking
little man who wore green spectacles
over his eyes. Dorothy introduced
him to her friends as the Guardian
of the Gates, and they noticed
a big bunch of keys suspended
on the golden chain that hung
around his neck. The chariot
passed through the outer gates
into a fine arched chamber
built in the thick wall, and
through the inner gates into
the streets of the Emerald
City.
Polychrome
exclaimed
in rapture
at the wondrous beauty that
met her eyes on every side
as they rode through this stately
and imposing City, the equal
of which has never been discovered,
even in Fairyland. Button-Bright
could only say "My!" so amazing
was the sight; but his eyes
were wide open and he tried
to look in every direction
at the same time, so as not
to miss anything.
The shaggy man was fairly
astounded at what he saw, for
the graceful and handsome buildings
were covered with plates of
gold and set with emeralds
so splendid and valuable that
in any other part of the world
any one of them would have
been worth a fortune to its
owner. The sidewalks were superb
marble slabs polished as smooth
as glass, and the curbs that
separated the walks from the
broad street were also set
thick with clustered emeralds.
There were many people on these
walks--men, women and children--all
dressed in handsome garments
of silk or satin or velvet,
with beautiful jewels. Better
even than this: all seemed
happy and contented, for their
faces were smiling and free
from care, and music and laughter
might be heard on every side.
"Don't they work at all?" asked
the shaggy man.
"To be sure they work," replied
the Tin Woodman; "this fair
city could not be built or
cared for without labor, nor
could the fruit and vegetables
and other food be provided
for the inhabitants to eat.
But no one works more than
half his time, and the people
of Oz enjoy their labors as
much as they do their play."
"It's wonderful!" declared
the shaggy man. "I do hope
Ozma will let me live here."
The chariot, winding through
many charming streets, paused
before a building so vast and
noble and elegant that even
Button-Bright guessed at once
that it was the Royal Palace.
Its gardens and ample grounds
were surrounded by a separate
wall, not so high or thick
as the wall around the City,
but more daintily designed
and built all of green marble.
The gates flew open as the
chariot appeared before them,
and the Cowardly Lion and Hungry
Tiger trotted up a jeweled
driveway to the front door
of the palace and stopped short.
"Here we are!" said
Dorothy,
gaily, and helped Button-Bright
from the chariot. Polychrome
leaped out lightly after them,
and they were greeted by a
crowd of gorgeously dressed
servants who bowed low as the
visitors mounted the marble
steps. At their head was a
pretty little maid with dark
hair and eyes, dressed all
in green embroidered with silver.
Dorothy ran up to her with
evident pleasure, and exclaimed:
"O,
Jellia
Jamb! I'm
so glad
to see you again. Where's Ozma?"
"In her room, your Highness," replied
the little maid demurely, for
this was Ozma's favorite attendant. "She
wishes you to come to her as
soon as you have rested and
changed your dress, Princess
Dorothy. And you and your friends
are to dine with her this evening."
"When is her birthday, Jellia?" asked
the girl.
"Day
after to-morrow,
your Highness."
"And
where's
the Scarecrow?"
"He's gone into the Munchkin
country to get some fresh straw
to stuff himself with, in honor
of Ozma's celebration," replied
the maid. "He returns to the
Emerald City to-morrow, he
said."
By this time, Tok-tok, the
Tin Woodman, and the shaggy
man had arrived and the chariot
had gone around to the back
of the palace, Billina going
with the Lion and Tiger to
see her chickens after her
absence from them. But Toto
stayed close beside Dorothy.
"Come in, please," said Jellia
Jamb; "it shall be our pleasant
duty to escort all of you to
the rooms prepared for your
use."
The shaggy man hesitated.
Dorothy had never known him
to be ashamed of his shaggy
looks before, but now that
he was surrounded by so much
magnificence and splendor the
shaggy man felt sadly out of
place.
Dorothy assured him that
all her friends were welcome
at Ozma's palace, so he carefully
dusted his shaggy shoes with
his shaggy handkerchief and
entered the grand hall after
the others.
Tik-tok lived at the Royal
Palace and the Tin Woodman
always had the same room whenever
he visited Ozma, so these two
went at once to remove the
dust of the journey from their
shining bodies. Dorothy also
had a pretty suite of rooms
which she always occupied when
in the Emerald City; but several
servants walked ahead politely
to show the way, although she
was quite sure she could find
the rooms herself. She took
Button-Bright with her, because
he seemed too small to be left
alone in such a big palace;
but Jellia Jamb herself ushered
the beautiful Daughter of the
Rainbow to her apartments,
because it was easy to see
that Polychrome was used to
splendid palaces and was therefore
entitled to especial attention.
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