The Scarecrow was not a bit afraid of King Krewl. Indeed, he rather
enjoyed the prospect of conquering the evil King and putting Gloria on
the throne of Jinxland in his place. So he advanced boldly to the royal
castle and demanded admittance.
Seeing that he was a stranger, the soldiers allowed him to enter. He
made his way straight to the throne room, where at that time his
Majesty was settling the disputes among his subjects.
"Who are you?" demanded the King.
"I'm the Scarecrow of Oz, and I command you to surrender yourself my
prisoner."
"Why should I do that?" inquired the King, much astonished at the straw
man's audacity.
"Because I've decided you are too cruel a King to rule so beautiful a
country. You must remember that Jinxland is a part of Oz, and therefore
you owe allegiance to Ozma of Oz, whose friend and servant I am."
Now, when he heard this, King Krewl was much disturbed in mind, for he
knew the Scarecrow spoke the truth. But no one had ever before come to
Jinxland from the Land of Oz and the King did not intend to be put out
of his throne if he could help it. Therefore he gave a harsh, wicked
laugh of derision and said:
"I'm busy, now. Stand out of my way, Scarecrow, and I'll talk with you
by and by."
But the Scarecrow turned to the assembled courtiers and people and
called in a loud voice:
"I hereby declare, in the name of Ozma of Oz, that this man is no
longer ruler of Jinxland. From this moment Princess Gloria is your
rightful Queen, and I ask all of you to be loyal to her and to obey her
commands."
The people looked fearfully at the King, whom they all hated in their
hearts, but likewise feared. Krewl was now in a terrible rage and he
raised his golden sceptre and struck the Scarecrow so heavy a blow that
he fell to the floor.
But he was up again, in an instant, and with Pon's riding-whip he
switched the King so hard that the wicked monarch roared with pain as
much as with rage, calling on his soldiers to capture the Scarecrow.
They tried to do that, and thrust their lances and swords into the
straw body, but without doing any damage except to make holes in the
Scarecrow's clothes. However, they were many against one and finally
old Googly-Goo brought a rope which he wound around the Scarecrow,
binding his legs together and his arms to his sides, and after that the
fight was over.
The King stormed and danced around in a dreadful fury, for he had never
been so switched since he was a boy--and perhaps not then. He ordered
the Scarecrow thrust into the castle prison, which was no task at all
because one man could carry him easily, bound as he was.
Even after the prisoner was removed the King could not control his
anger. He tried to figure out some way to be revenged upon the straw
man, but could think of nothing that could hurt him. At last, when the
terrified people and the frightened courtiers had all slunk away, old
Googly-Goo approached the king with a malicious grin upon his face.
"I'll tell you what to do," said he. "Build a big bonfire and burn the
Scarecrow up, and that will be the end of him."
The King was so delighted with this suggestion that he hugged old
Googly-Goo in his joy.
"Of course!" he cried. "The very thing. Why did I not think of it
myself?"
So he summoned his soldiers and retainers and bade them prepare a great
bonfire in an open space in the castle park. Also he sent word to all
his people to assemble and witness the destruction of the Scarecrow who
had dared to defy his power. Before long a vast throng gathered in the
park and the servants had heaped up enough fuel to make a fire that
might be seen for miles away--even in the daytime.
When all was prepared, the King had his throne brought out for him to
sit upon and enjoy the spectacle, and then he sent his soldiers to
fetch the Scarecrow.
Now the one thing in all the world that the straw man really feared was
fire. He knew he would burn very easily and that his ashes wouldn't
amount to much afterward. It wouldn't hurt him to be destroyed in such
a manner, but he realized that many people in the Land of Oz, and
especially Dorothy and the Royal Ozma, would feel sad if they learned
that their old friend the Scarecrow was no longer in existence.
In spite of this, the straw man was brave and faced his fiery fate like
a hero. When they marched him out before the concourse of people he
turned to the King with great calmness and said:
"This wicked deed will cost you your throne, as well as much suffering,
for my friends will avenge my destruction."
"Your friends are not here, nor will they know what I have done to you,
when you are gone and can-not tell them," answered the King in a
scornful voice.
Then he ordered the Scarecrow bound to a stout stake that he had had
driven into the ground, and the materials for the fire were heaped all
around him. When this had been done, the King's brass band struck up a
lively tune and old Googly-Goo came forward with a lighted match and
set fire to the pile.
At once the flames shot up and crept closer and closer toward the
Scarecrow. The King and all his people were so intent upon this
terrible spectacle that none of them noticed how the sky grew suddenly
dark. Perhaps they thought that the loud buzzing sound--like the noise
of a dozen moving railway trains--came from the blazing fagots; that
the rush of wind was merely a breeze. But suddenly down swept a flock
of Orks, half a hundred of them at the least, and the powerful currents
of air caused by their revolving tails sent the bonfire scattering in
every direction, so that not one burning brand ever touched the
Scarecrow.
But that was not the only effect of this sudden tornado. King Krewl was
blown out of his throne and went tumbling heels over head until he
landed with a bump against the stone wall of his own castle, and before
he could rise a big Ork sat upon him and held him pressed flat to the
ground. Old Googly-Goo shot up into the air like a rocket and landed on
a tree, where he hung by the middle on a high limb, kicking the air
with his feet and clawing the air with his hands, and howling for mercy
like the coward he was.
The people pressed back until they were jammed close together, while
all the soldiers were knocked over and sent sprawling to the earth. The
excitement was great for a few minutes, and every frightened inhabitant
of Jinxland looked with awe and amazement at the great Orks whose
descent had served to rescue the Scarecrow and conquer King Krewl at
one and the same time.
The Ork, who was the leader of the band, soon had the Scarecrow free of
his bonds. Then he said: "Well, we were just in time to save you, which
is better than being a minute too late. You are now the master here,
and we are determined to see your orders obeyed."
With this the Ork picked up Krewl's golden crown, which had fallen off
his head, and placed it upon the head of the Scarecrow, who in his
awkward way then shuffled over to the throne and sat down in it.
Seeing this, a rousing cheer broke from the crowd of people, who tossed
their hats and waved their handkerchiefs and hailed the Scarecrow as
their King. The soldiers joined the people in the cheering, for now
they fully realized that their hated master was conquered and it would
be wise to show their good will to the conqueror. Some of them bound
Krewl with ropes and dragged him forward, dumping his body on the
ground before the Scarecrow's throne. Googly-Goo struggled until he
finally slid off the limb of the tree and came tumbling to the ground.
He then tried to sneak away and escape, but the soldiers seized and
bound him beside Krewl.
"The tables are turned," said the Scarecrow, swelling out his chest
until the straw within it crackled pleasantly, for he was highly
pleased; "but it was you and your people who did it, friend Ork, and
from this time you may count me your humble servant."