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THE MAGICAL MIMICS IN OZ
BY JACK SNOW, FOUNDED ON AND CONTINUING
THE FAMOUS OZ STORIES BY L. FRANK BAUM
ILLUSTRATED BY FRANK KRAMER
THE REILLY & LEE CO.
CHICAGO
* * * * *
THE MAGICAL MIMICS IN OZ
COPYRIGHT 1946
BY
THE REILLY & LEE CO.
PRINTED IN
THE
U. S. A.
[Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any
evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
* * * * *
TO THE CHILDREN
As long as I can remember, I have been reading Oz books, and now I am
very proud and happy to have been permitted to write a book about the
latest happenings in the Land of Oz.
Mr. Kramer has made many delightful illustrations for this book, and I
know you will enjoy the fun and life that he has so skillfully put into
his pictures.
As for the Magical Mimics, I think you will agree with me that these
surprising creatures made things pretty exciting for our Oz friends
while they were in the Emerald City. Nevertheless, now that the Mimics
are powerless, I am inclined to forgive them; since, had it not been
for them, Dorothy and the Wizard would not have discovered winsome
little Ozana and her Story Blossom Garden.
I hope this story pleases you and that you will write me many
letters--all of which I promise to answer as soon as possible. I am
sure that your suggestions and ideas will be of great help to me in
writing future Oz books, and I am looking forward with much pleasure to
receiving them.
JACK SNOW.
January 10, 1946.
* * * * *
_This Book Is Dedicated to_
_My Mother_
_Roselyn Hyde Snow_
"_... to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one's
heart and brings its own reward._"
--L. FRANK BAUM.
* * * * *
LIST OF CHAPTERS
1. Toto Carries a Message
2. Ozma and Glinda Go Away
3. Mount Illuso
4. The Mimics Mean Mischief
5. Prisoners of the Mimics
6. Dorothy and the Wizard Speak Strangely
7. In the Cavern of the Doomed
8. Toto Makes a Discovery
9. Mr. and Mrs. Hi-Lo
10. The Village of Pineville
11. Princess Ozana
12. Story Blossom Garden
13. The Three Swans
14. The Mimic Monarchs Lock Themselves In
15. In the Chamber of Magic
16. A Web Is Woven
17. The Mimics in the Emerald City
18. The Return of Ozma and Glinda
19. Ozana's Fairy Arts
20. In the Mirrored Ballroom
21. The Shattering of the Mirrors
22. What the Magic Picture Revealed
23. The Grand Banquet
CHAPTER 1
Toto Carries a Message
"Toto," called Princess Ozma of Oz, as a small black dog trotted down
the corridor past the open door of her study in the Royal Palace of the
Emerald City, "Toto, will you do me a favor?"
"Certainly," answered the little dog, his bright eyes regarding the
Princess questioningly. "What can I do for your Majesty?"
Ozma smiled. "I wonder if you would go to Dorothy's rooms and ask her
to join me here as soon as possible."
"That'll be easy, Ozma," said Toto, "I was just on my way to see
Dorothy. It's time for our morning romp in the garden."
"Well," laughed Ozma, "I shall keep Dorothy for only a few minutes,
then she can join you in the garden for your play."
"Thank you, Ozma," replied Toto as he turned and trotted down the
corridor leading to Dorothy's suite of rooms.
As the little dog disappeared, the smile slowly faded from Ozma's face,
and the lovely little ruler of the world's most beautiful fairyland
looked unusually serious.
The truth was that Ozma was thinking of events that had happened many
years before in the history of the Land of Oz. Not always had Oz been
a fairy realm. In those olden times Oz had been nothing more than a
remarkably beautiful country of rolling plains, wooded hills and rich
farm lands. Indeed, Oz had not been so much different from our own
United States, except that it was surrounded on all sides by a Deadly
Desert. It was this desert which prevented curious men from the great
outside world from finding their way to Oz. For the fumes and gasses
that rose from the shifting sands of the desert were deadly poison
to all living things, and for a human to have set foot on the desert
would have meant instant and terrible death. Consequently, all living
things avoided the Deadly Desert, and it is no wonder that Oz was so
entirely secluded and went unnoticed by the rest of the world for so
many long years.
Meanwhile, the Oz people were happy and contented, living their simple
carefree lives without worries or troubles. The soil of Oz was fertile
and the people naturally industrious, so there was always an abundance
of everything for everyone. Hence destructive and terrible wars were
unknown in Oz even in the olden days.
One fine day Queen Lurline, Ruler of all the fairies in the world,
chanced to be flying over the Land of Oz with her fairy band. She was
greatly impressed with the beauty of the hidden country. The Fairy
Queen paused, flying in wide circles over the peaceful land. Here was
a country so entirely beautiful and charming that it deserved to be a
fairy realm.
Queen Lurline sought out the King of this favored land and found him
to be an old man with no son or daughter to whom he could pass on his
crown. With great joy the old King accepted the tiny, baby fairy whom
Queen Lurline placed in his care. When the baby fairy attained her full
age of girlhood (no fairy ever appears to be older than a young girl of
fourteen or fifteen) she was to be crowned Princess Ozma of Oz.
From the time of Lurline's visit, Oz became a fairyland, abounding in
enchantments and strange happenings. Indeed, several of the inhabitants
of Oz fell to studying the magic arts and became witches and magicians,
very nearly preventing Ozma from becoming the rightful ruler of the
fairyland.
Ozma was fully aware that she was a member of Queen Lurline's fairy
band, and she was justly proud of her immortal heritage. She knew, too,
that she owed allegiance to the powerful Fairy Queen, and that was the
reason she appeared so thoughtful this morning as she awaited Princess
Dorothy.
Ozma's reverie was broken by a gentle rap on the open door. Looking up,
she saw Dorothy standing in the doorway.
"Come in, my dear," said Ozma, "there is something I must discuss with
you."