The Tunnel Under the Desert
The Shaggy Man leaped to his feet and stared at the beaver King.
"What!" he exclaimed. "You discovered the Nome King's tunnel under the
Deadly Desert?"
"Oh, yes," replied the beaver King. "We have known for some time of its
existence and location."
"But this is wonderful!" gasped the Shaggy Man. "Our troubles are all
over. All we have to do is walk through the tunnel to the Emerald
City!"
"No," said the King of the Fairy Beavers. "It isn't as easy as that.
You must remember we still have Glinda's Barrier of Invisibility to
contend with."
"Hmmmmm," said the Shaggy Man seating himself, "that is true. But there
might be some way we could get past that barrier. Tell me, how did you
happen to discover the Nome King's tunnel?"
"We stumbled onto it accidentally when one of our burrows led into it,"
explained the beaver King. "We followed it to the Kingdom of the Nomes
where the tunnel opens into one of the Nome King's mines. There was a
company of Nomes working there, and the ill-natured creatures hurled
diamonds at us. In fact the Nomes were so discourteous that we have
never since entered that section of the tunnel."
"But if you knew the tunnel led to Oz in the other direction, why
didn't you follow it?" asked Twiffle.
"Because we also know Ozma's wishes, and we respect them," replied the
beaver King quietly. "But certainly Ozma would not object to the Shaggy
Man and his friends using the tunnel. And since the Shaggy Man has so
kindly invited me to visit Oz, I feel perfectly free to accompany him."
"Then you know the story of the tunnel the Nome King built under the
Deadly Desert to the Emerald City?" asked the Shaggy Man.
"Our fairy powers keep us informed of important happenings not only in
Oz but in all other parts of the world," replied the beaver King.
Twink and Tom knew the story, too. They had read how the Nome King,
seeking revenge on Ozma and Dorothy because they had once conquered
him, set his Nomes to burrowing a tunnel from the Nome Kingdom to the
Emerald City. When it was finished, Roquat the Red (as the Nome King
was known then) and a horde of evil allies marched through the tunnel,
intent on conquering and laying waste all of Oz. Ozma refused to fight,
but instead gathered all her closest friends about her in the garden
near the Fountain of Oblivion, where the invaders were about to break
through from the tunnel. The famous Scarecrow of Oz had given Ozma the
idea that had saved her from the necessity of fighting. The tunnel was
hot and dry, and Ozma had used her magic powers to scatter dust through
the underground passage. As a result, when the Nome King and his allies
came bursting through the earth they were consumed with a terrible
thirst. The first thing they saw was the Fountain of Oblivion. Just
as the Scarecrow had planned, they all dashed to the fountain and
drank. The waters of this fountain cause anyone who drinks of it to
lose all memory of his former life. Consequently the Nome King and all
his allies became as harmless as little children, having forgotten
their former evil lives. Ozma had sent them back by means of the Magic
Belt to their own lands, and then closed the earth over the tunnel's
entrance into her garden. Soon after that Glinda had laid down the
Magic Barrier of Invisibility over the Deadly Desert, which Ozma hoped
would prevent any other invaders from attacking the Land of Oz.
"Trying to get through the tunnel really seems the only thing to do,"
said the Shaggy Man thoughtfully. "That will be far better than just
sitting and waiting for Ozma to return to the Emerald City--I have no
idea how long she plans to visit with Glinda. I suppose the only thing
we can do is try to deal with the Barrier of Invisibility when we come
to it. Perhaps your Majesty's magic could overcome it?"
The Beaver King was thoughtful. "Perhaps," he said. "But you must
remember Glinda's magic is very powerful. We may discover that the
desert is just as impassable underground as it is above ground. So
don't let us raise our hopes too high, my friends. At any rate," he
concluded, "we will undertake the journey in the morning, and then we
shall know."
The beaver King led his guests into his throne room where comfortable
seats were provided. Next a troop of beaver acrobats came running
into the throne room. They wore brightly colored tights and put on a
performance of such skill and daring that Twink and Tom were delighted.
The animals were amazingly agile and some of their tumbling tricks were
so droll that even Twiffle laughed aloud.
"I never saw anything to beat this at the circus," Tom confided to
Twink as the twins loudly applauded.
When the entertainment was over it was growing late, and, saying he
had some work to do in his magic workshop, in preparation for the
journey in the morning, the beaver King led his guests to a suite of
beautifully furnished sleeping rooms. Twink and Tom were not a bit
surprised that the beaver King should work while they slept. Indeed,
they wondered if anyone in this busy little kingdom ever took time off
to rest.
"As soon as you lie down on the beds," the beaver King told Twink and
Tom, "you will be lulled to sleep by the most beautiful music in the
world." With that he closed the door softly and left them.
Twink and Tom were in their beds in no time at all, eager to hear the
music the beaver King had promised them.
No sooner had their heads touched the pillows than they heard it. It
was like the sleepy murmuring of a thousand voices. There were no
words, only a soft whisper that seemed to come from a great distance
and yet was close by--was everywhere. Twink closed her eyes, and the
wordless music sang of green meadows under a golden sun, of mountain
rills that tripped from stone to stone down to beautiful valleys, of
great rivers that flowed through the hearts of vast lands--and finally
of the sea itself, singing eternally of endless wonders.
Just before Tom dropped off to sleep he said: "Twink, I know what
it is. The beaver King said it was the most beautiful music in the
world--and it is--"
"I know," said Twink sleepily. "It's the music of running water."