[Illustration]
After leaving the Whimsies, Guph continued on his journey and penetrated
far into the Northwest. He wanted to get to the Country of the
Growleywogs, and in order to do that he must cross the Ripple Land,
which was a hard thing to do. For the Ripple Land was a succession of
hills and valleys, all very steep and rocky, and they changed places
constantly by rippling. While Guph was climbing a hill it sank down
under him and became a valley, and while he was descending into a valley
it rose up and carried him to the top of a hill. This was very
perplexing to the traveler, and a stranger might have thought he could
never cross the Ripple Land at all. But Guph knew that if he kept
steadily on he would get to the end at last; so he paid no attention to
the changing hills and valleys and plodded along as calmly as if walking
upon the level ground.
The result of this wise persistence was that the General finally reached
firmer soil and, after penetrating a dense forest, came to the Dominion
of the Growleywogs.
No sooner had he crossed the border of this domain when two guards
seized him and carried him before the Grand Gallipoot of the
Growleywogs, who scowled upon him ferociously and asked him why he dared
intrude upon his territory.
"I'm the Lord High General of the Invincible Army of the Nomes, and my
name is Guph," was the reply. "All the world trembles when that name is
mentioned."
The Growleywogs gave a shout of jeering laughter at this, and one of
them caught the Nome in his strong arms and tossed him high into the
air. Guph was considerably shaken when he fell upon the hard ground, but
he appeared to take no notice of the impertinence and composed himself
to speak again to the Grand Gallipoot.
"My master, King Roquat the Red, has sent me here to confer with you. He
wishes your assistance to conquer the Land of Oz."
Here the General paused, and the Grand Gallipoot scowled upon him more
terribly than ever and said:
"Go on!"
The voice of the Grand Gallipoot was partly a roar and partly a growl.
He mumbled his words badly and Guph had to listen carefully in order to
understand him.
These Growleywogs were certainly remarkable creatures. They were of
gigantic size, yet were all bone and skin and muscle, there being no
meat or fat upon their bodies at all. Their powerful muscles lay just
underneath their skins, like bunches of tough rope, and the weakest
Growleywog was so strong that he could pick up an elephant and toss it
seven miles away.
It seems unfortunate that strong people are usually so disagreeable and
overbearing that no one cares for them. In fact, to be different from
your fellow creatures is always a misfortune. The Growleywogs knew
that they were disliked and avoided by every one, so they had become
surly and unsociable even among themselves. Guph knew that they hated
all people, including the Nomes; but he hoped to win them over,
nevertheless, and knew that if he succeeded they would afford him very
powerful assistance.
"The Land of Oz is ruled by a namby-pamby girl who is disgustingly kind
and good," he continued. "Her people are all happy and contented and
have no care or worries whatever."
"Go on!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.
[Illustration]
"Once the Nome King enslaved the Royal Family of Ev--another goody-goody
lot that we detest," said the General. "But Ozma interfered, although it
was none of her business, and marched her army against us. With her was
a Kansas girl named Dorothy, and a Yellow Hen, and they marched
directly into the Nome King's cavern. There they liberated our slaves
from Ev and stole King Roquat's Magic Belt, which they carried away with
them. So now our King is making a tunnel under the deadly desert, so we
can march through it to the Emerald City. When we get there we mean to
conquer and destroy all the land and recapture the Magic Belt."
Again he paused, and again the Grand Gallipoot growled:
"Go on!"
Guph tried to think what to say next, and a happy thought soon occurred
to him.
"We want you to help us in this conquest," he announced, "for we need
the mighty aid of the Growleywogs in order to make sure that we shall
not be defeated. You are the strongest people in all the world, and you
hate good and happy creatures as much as we Nomes do. I am sure it will
be a real pleasure to you to tear down the beautiful Emerald City, and
in return for your valuable assistance we will allow you to bring back
to your country ten thousand people of Oz, to be your slaves."
"Twenty thousand!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.
"All right, we promise you twenty thousand," agreed the General.
The Gallipoot made a signal and at once his attendants picked up General
Guph and carried him away to a prison, where the jailor amused himself
by sticking pins in the round fat body of the old Nome, to see him jump
and hear him yell.
But while this was going on the Grand Gallipoot was talking with his
counselors, who were the most important officials of the Growleywogs.
When he had stated to them the proposition of the Nome King he said:
"My advice is to offer to help them. Then, when we have conquered the
Land of Oz, we will take not only our twenty thousand prisoners but all
the gold and jewels we want."
"Let us take the Magic Belt, too," suggested one counselor.
"And rob the Nome King and make him our slave," said another.
"That is a good idea," declared the Grand Gallipoot. "I'd like King
Roquat for my own slave. He could black my boots and bring me my
porridge every morning while I am in bed."
"There is a famous Scarecrow in Oz. I'll take him for my slave," said a
counselor.
"I'll take Tiktok, the machine man," said another.
"Give me the Tin Woodman," said a third.
They went on for some time, dividing up the people and the treasure of
Oz in advance of the conquest. For they had no doubt at all that they
would be able to destroy Ozma's domain. Were they not the strongest
people in all the world?
"The deadly desert has kept us out of Oz before," remarked the Grand
Gallipoot, "but now that the Nome King is building a tunnel we shall get
into the Emerald City very easily. So let us send the little fat General
back to his King with our promise to assist him. We will not say that we
intend to conquer the Nomes after we have conquered Oz, but we will do
so, just the same."
This plan being agreed upon, they all went home to dinner, leaving
General Guph still in prison. The Nome had no idea that he had succeeded
in his mission, for finding himself in prison he feared the Growleywogs
intended to put him to death.
By this time the jailor had tired of sticking pins in the General, and
was amusing himself by carefully pulling the Nome's whiskers out by the
roots, one at a time. This enjoyment was interrupted by the Grand
Gallipoot sending for the prisoner.
"Wait a few hours," begged the jailor. "I haven't pulled out a quarter
of his whiskers yet."
"If you keep the Grand Gallipoot waiting he'll break your back,"
declared the messenger.
"Perhaps you're right," sighed the jailor. "Take the prisoner away, if
you will, but I advise you to kick him at every step he takes. It will
be good fun, for he is as soft as a ripe peach."
[Illustration]
So Guph was led away to the royal castle, where the Grand Gallipoot told
him that the Growleywogs had decided to assist the Nomes in conquering
the Land of Oz.
"Whenever you are ready," he added, "send me word and I will march with
eighteen thousand of my most powerful warriors to your aid."
Guph was so delighted that he forgot all the smarting caused by the pins
and the pulling of whiskers. He did not even complain of the treatment
he had received, but thanked the Grand Gallipoot and hurried away upon
his journey.
He had now secured the assistance of the Whimsies and the Growleywogs;
but his success made him long for still more allies. His own life
depended upon his conquering Oz, and he said to himself:
"I'll take no chances. I'll be certain of success. Then, when Oz is
destroyed, perhaps I shall be a greater man than old Roquat, and I can
throw him away and be King of the Nomes myself. Why not? The Whimsies
are stronger than the Nomes, and they are my friends. The Growleywogs
are stronger than the Whimsies, and they also are my friends. There are
some people still stronger than the Growleywogs, and if I can but induce
them to aid me I shall have nothing more to fear."
_How_ THE WOGGLEBUG TAUGHT ATHLETICS