The Tale of Tattypoo
"Twenty-five years ago," began the Queen, tossing back her golden hair,
"I was a Princess of the North. To the mountain castle of my father,
King Gil of Gilkenny, came Cheeriobed, Prince of the Ozure Isles, to
ask for my hand in marriage. His father was King of the Munchkins, a
monarch of great wealth and power. As my father made no objection to
the match and as I myself was quite willing--" Here Orin paused and
smiled prettily at Cheeriobed--"preparations were made at once for the
wedding.
"At that time, as you all know, Mombi was ruler of the North. Passing
Gilkenny one late afternoon and seeing the footmen hanging lanterns
in the garden, she stopped to inquire the reason for the festivities.
Cheeriobed, who was helping with the decorations, quickly explained
that they were for our wedding, and Mombi, in spite of her extreme age
and ugliness, fell instantly and deeply in love with the Prince. As I
watched uneasily from a hidden arbor, I saw the old witch transform
herself into a charming young maiden. Following Cheeriobed about, she
explained that she was no longer an old and ugly witch, but a powerful
Princess, that if he would marry her they would have not only the
Gilliken Country, but the Munchkin Country as well for their Kingdom."
Cheeriobed pursed up his lips and shook his head sadly at this part of
the story, for he well remembered Mombi's wicked proposals and her plan
to destroy his father, the King of the Munchkins.
"Of course," proceeded Orin demurely, "Cheeriobed refused and Mombi
resuming her own shape rushed off in a fury, promising to make us all
suffer. That very night word came by messenger that Cheeriobed's father
had disappeared. And," continued the Queen somberly, "he has never
been heard of since. Distressed and unhappy though we were, Cheeriobed
and I were married at once and returned to the Ozure Isles, where he
assumed the title of King and where we hoped to escape Mombi and her
mischievous magic. For three years we were safe and happy and thought
she had forgotten all about us. But one day, when Philador was about
two years old, Mombi suddenly appeared on the beach, where we were
sitting together. She was riding on a huge black eagle and, bidding the
eagle seize me in its talons, carried me off before I had time to cry
out for help, and that," sighed Orin, "was the last I saw of the Ozure
Isles until to-night."
"But what happened?" gasped Dorothy, leaning so far forward she nearly
tumbled from her chair. "Where did she take you?"
"To her hut in the mountains," answered the Queen sadly. "There,
shutting me up in a huge closet, she began an incantation to change me
into a witch, old and ugly as she herself."
"I know what happened! I know what happened!" cried the little Wizard,
springing entirely out of his chair and spinning 'round three times.
"You were too sweet and beautiful to turn into a bad witch and the
worst she could do only changed you into a good one." Orin blushed at
the Wizard's little speech.
"I don't know about that," she went on modestly, "but I do know that I
became a witch, forgetting entirely my former life in Gilkenny and on
the Ozure Isles, and living for several months in the forest without
home or shelter. Coming one morning on Mombi, at one of her wicked
enchantments, I raised my staff and bade her stop. To my astonishment,
I found I was a better witch than she. Magic phrases and spells came
easily to my lips, and without difficulty or trouble I drove her out of
the forest and took possession of her hut. Then, at the earnest request
of the Gillikens, I stayed in the North and ruled over that great
country as Tattypoo."
"Ruled wisely and well," added Ozma, giving Orin an affectionate pat on
the shoulder.
"But did you know then that Mombi had changed you to a witch?" demanded
Trot, looking up at the Queen with round eyes, "and how did you change
back to yourself?" Orin, with a rueful little laugh, shook her head at
Trot.
"I didn't realize, then, that Mombi had changed me to a witch," she
admitted frankly and went on to relate how Agnes, the amiable dragon,
had persuaded her to look in the witch's window. Her first glance
through the blue window pane had showed her Cheeriobed and Philador,
just as they were when she had left the Ozure Isles. Remembering at
once who she really was, Tattypoo had recklessly and joyfully jumped
out the window, thus breaking the witch's spell and becoming her own
true self again.
"What became of the dragon?" asked Sir Hokus, rattling his sword
hopefully.
"Why, Agnes turned out to be my maid-in-waiting, who had been bewitched
by Mombi too, and when she jumped after me she also was restored to her
own shape and immediately set off for my father's castle, to tell him
the good news. I, myself, started at once for the Ozure Isles."
"I wish you had met us," whinnied High Boy, who had taken a great fancy
to the Queen. "Did you have to walk or swim, Ma'm?"
"A basket bird carried me nearly all the way," explained Orin. "The
rest of the distance I walked and when I reached the shores of Orizon
an old fisherman agreed to row me across."
"He shall be well rewarded!" puffed Cheeriobed. "Did the fellow know
nothing of Quiberon?"
"I guess not," sighed the Queen, "neither did I, for that matter, but
here I am, and now tell me how you, dear Ozma, and all of these brave
people happened to be here just in time to save me?"
"It was Akbad," the King informed her joyfully. "Our brave Soothsayer
picked the golden pear, carried Philador to the Emerald City and begged
Ozma to come to our assistance. Where is the fellow anyway? Akbad!
Akbad! Fetch the Soothsayer, some of you!"
"Akbad," murmured Ozma half aloud and looking from one to the other in
amazement. "Why, I never heard of Akbad!"
"Akbad didn't carry me to the capital!" cried Philador, jumping up
indignantly. "The Grand Mogul took me to the good witch's hut and the
rest of the way I went with Herby and Trot and Benny and High Boy."
Cheeriobed was so stunned by this strange news he sank back on his
throne in perfect astonishment and, at Orin's earnest solicitation,
Phil and Trot told their stories.
"Akbad shall be punished well for this," promised Cheeriobed. He was
shocked at the dreadful dangers Philador and Trot had encountered, and
the deceitfulness of his trusted Soothsayer. While a dozen guards ran
to fetch Akbad, the Queen put her hand gently on Cheeriobed's arm.
"Remember that he snatched me from the very jaws of Quiberon," she
reminded him softly. "Perhaps he can explain." But the King kept
muttering under his breath and when the Guards returned, dragging Akbad
by the wings, his feelings overcame him and rushing forward he began to
shake the old Islander violently to and fro.
"Let Akbad speak, if he has anything to say," suggested Ozma, as
Cheeriobed paused for breath. At once Akbad flung himself on his knees
and begged the good King's forgiveness.
"These heavy wings are punishment enough," groaned the Soothsayer.
"Stolen wings are never of use to the thief," said Ozma, leaning
forward gravely, "but since you have saved Queen Orin and suffered a
little yourself, I hope Cheeriobed will pardon you."
As Trot and the Queen added their pleas to Ozma's, the King finally
consented to pardon Akbad, dismissing him from the court and giving
him a small cottage at the end of the island to live in.
"And must I wear these wings forever?" asked Akbad, turning sorrowfully
toward the door.
"I believe I could remove them," whispered the Wizard, and after a
short conference the two sovereigns agreed to let the Wizard remove the
golden wings. It took about ten minutes and ten powders to accomplish
this feat, but as they finally crumpled into gold dust, Akbad sprang
joyfully from the court room, so glad to be rid of the heavy pinions
that he did not even mind his banishment.
"There!" sighed Ozma, "that settles everything and now we can all be
happy again."
"I can't be happy till I eat," moaned High Boy in a weak voice, the
effects of Herby's pills having worn off long ago. "Is there no food in
this castle?" Laughing heartily, Cheeriobed sent Toddledy to waken the
cook and, though it was long past midnight, the whole company presently
sat down to such a feast as had not been held in that Kingdom for many
a long year. High Boy had his yummy jummy, and though the Patch Work
Girl, Benny, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow were not constructed to
partake of refreshments, they enjoyed the party quite as much as the
others.
And when at last the feast was over, and Cheeriobed led his visitors to
splendid apartments, these four celebrities sat talking in the throne
room for the rest of the night, spending the hours most pleasantly
while High Boy snored comfortably on a great bearskin rug before the
door.
And not till the silver bells in the castle tower tolled ten did anyone
above stairs stir from his silken couch.