SIR HOKUS OVERCOMETH THE GIANT
"I don't believe we'll ever find the way out of this forest."
Dorothy stopped with a discouraged little sigh and leaned against a
tree. They had followed the road for several hours. First it had been
fine and wide, but it had gradually dwindled to a crooked little path
that wound crazily in and out through the trees. Although it was
almost noonday, not a ray of sun penetrated through the dim green
depths.
"Methinks," said Sir Hokus, peering into the gloom ahead, "that a
great adventure is at hand."
The Cowardly Lion put back his ears. "What makes you methink so?" he
rumbled anxiously.
"Hark thee!" said Sir Hokus, holding up his finger warningly. From a
great way off sounded a curious thumping. It was coming nearer and
nearer.
"Good gracious!" cried Dorothy, catching hold of the Cowardly Lion's
mane.
"This is worse than Pokes!"
"Perchance it is a dragon," exulted the Knight, drawing his short
sword. "Ah, how it would refresh me to slay a dragon!"
"I don't relish dragons myself. Scorched my tongue on one once," said
the Cowardly Lion huskily. "But I'll fight with you, brother Hokus.
Stand back, Dorothy dear."
As the thuds grew louder, the Knight fairly danced up and down with
excitement. "Approach, villain!" he roared lustily.
"Approach till I impale thee on my lance. Ah, had I but a horse!"
"I'd let you ride on my back if it weren't for that hard tin suit,"
said the Cowardly Lion. "But cheer up, my dear Hokus, your voice is a
little hoarse." Dorothy giggled nervously, then seized hold of a
small tree, for the whole forest was rocking.
"How now!" gasped the Knight. There was a terrific quake that threw
Sir Hokus on his face and sent every hair in the lion's mane on end,
and then a great foot came crashing down through the treetops not
three paces from the little party. Before they could even swallow, a
giant hand flashed down-ward, jerked up a handful of trees by the
roots, and disappeared, while a voice from somewhere way above
shouted:
What are little humans for?
To feed the giant Bangladore.
Broiled or toasted, baked or roasted,
I smell three or maybe four!
"You hear that?" quavered the Cowardly Lion. Sir Hokus did not
answer. His helmet had been jammed down by his fall, and he was
tugging it upward with both hands. Frightened though Dorothy was, she
ran to the Knight's assistance.
"Have at you!" cried Sir Hokus as soon as the opening in his helmet
was opposite his eyes. "Forward!"
"My heart is beating a retreat," gulped the Cowardly Lion, but he
bounded boldly after Sir Hokus.
"Varlet!" hissed the Knight, and raising his sword gave a mighty
slash at the giant's ankle, which was broad as three tree trunks,
while the Cowardly Lion gave a great spring and sank his teeth in the
giant's huge leg.
"Ouch!" roared the giant in a voice that shook every leaf in the
forest. "You stop, or I'll tell my father!" With that, he gave a hop
that sent Sir Hokus flying into the treetops, stumbled over a huge
rock, and came crashing to the earth, smashing trees like grass
blades. At the giant's first scream, Dorothy shut her eyes and,
putting her hands over her ears, had run as far and as fast as she
could. At the awful crash, she stopped short, opened her eyes, and
stared 'round giddily.
The giant was flat on his back, but as he was stretched as far as
four city blocks, only half of him was visible. The Cowardly Lion
still clung to his leg, and he was gurgling and struggling in a way
Dorothy could not understand.
She looked around in a panic for the Knight. Just then, Sir Hokus
dropped from the branch of a tree.
"Uds daggers!" he puffed, looking ruefully at his sword, which had
snapped off at the handle, "'Tis a pretty rogue!"
"Don't you think we'd better run?" shiver Dorothy, thinking of the
giant's song.
"Not while I wear these colors!" exclaimed Sir Hokus, proudly
touching Dorothy's hair ribbon, which still adorned his arm. "Come,
my good Lion, let us dispatch this braggart and saucy monster."
"Father!" screamed the giant, making no attempt to move.
"He seems to be frightened, himself," whispered Dorothy to the
Knight. "But whatever is the matter with the Cowardly Lion?"
At that minute, the Cowardly Lion gave a great jerk and began backing
with his four feet braced. The piece of giant leg that he had hold of
stretched and stretched, and while Sir Hokus and Dorothy stared in
amazement, it snapped off and the Cowardly Lion rolled head over
paws.
"Taffy!" roared the Cowardly Lion, sitting up and trying to open his
jaws, which were firmly stuck together.
"Taffy!" At this, Sir Hokus sprang nimbly on the giant's leg, ran up
his chest, and perched bravely on his peppermint collar.
"Surrender, Knave!" he demanded threateningly. Dorothy, seeing she
could do nothing to help the Cowardly Lion, followed. On her way up,
she broke off a tiny piece of his coat and found it most delicious
chocolate.
"Why, he's all made of candy!" she cried excitedly.
"Oh, hush!" sobbed the giant, rolling his great sourball eyes. "I'd
be eaten in a minute if it were known."
"You were mighty anxious to eat us a while ago," said Dorothy,
looking longingly at the giant's coat buttons. They seemed to be
large marshmallows.
"Go away!" screamed the giant, shaking so that Dorothy slid into his
vest pocket. "No one under forty feet is allowed in this forest!"
Dorothy climbed crossly out of the giant's pocket. "We didn't come
because we wanted to," she assured him, wiping the chocolate off her
nose.
"Odds bodikins! I cannot fight a great baby like this," sighed Sir
Hokus, dodging just in time a great, sugary tear that had rolled down
the giant's nose. "He's got to apologize for that song, though."
"Wait!" cried Dorothy suddenly. "I have an idea. If you set us down
on the edge of the forest and give us all your vest buttons for
lunch, we won't tell anyone you're made of candy. We'll let you go,"
she called loudly, for the giant had begun to sob again.
"Won't you? Will you?" sniffed the foolish giant.
"Never sing that song again!" commanded the Knight sternly.
"No, Sir," answered the giant meekly. "Did your dog chew much of my
leg, Sir?" Then, before Dorothy or Sir Hokus had time to way a word,
they were snatched up in sticky fingers and next minute were dropped
with a thump in a large field of daisies.
"Oh!" spluttered Dorothy as the giant made off on his taffy legs.
"Oh, we've forgotten the Cowardly Lion!" But at that minute, the
giant reappeared, and the lion was dropped beside them.
"What's this? What's this?" growled the Cowardly Lion, looking around
wildly.
"We got him to lift us out of the forest," explained Dorothy. "Have
you swallowed the taffy?" The lion was still dizzy from his ride and
only shook his head feebly.
Sir Hokus sighed and sat heavily down on a large rock. "There is no
sort of honor, methinks, in overcoming a candy giant," he observed,
looking wistfully at the plume still pinned to Dorothy's dress. "Ah,
had it but been a proper fight!"
"You didn't know he was candy. I think you were just splendid."
Jumping up, Dorothy fastened the plume in the Knight's helmet. "And
you're talking just beautifully, more like a Knight every minute,"
she added with conviction. Sir Hokus tried not to look pleased.
"Give me a meat enemy! My teeth ache yet! First singing, then
candy-leg pulling! Gr-ugh! What next?" growled the Cowardly Lion.
"Why, lunch, if you feel like eating," said Dorothy, beginning to
give out the vest buttons which the giant had obediently ripped off
and left for them. They _were_ marshmallows, the size of pie plates,
and Dorothy and Sir Hokus found them quite delicious. The Cowardly
Lion, however, after a doubtful sniff and sneeze from the powdered
sugar, declined and went off to find something more to his taste.
"We had better take some of these along," said Dorothy when she and
Sir Hokus had eaten several. "We may need them later."
"Everything is yellow, so we must be in the Winkie Country,"
announced the Cowardly Lion, who had just returned from his lunch.
"There's a road, too."
"Mayhap it will take us to the jeweled city of your gracious Queen."
Sir Hokus shaded his eyes and stared curiously at the long lane
stretching invitingly ahead of them.
"Well, anyway, we're out of the forest and Pokes, and maybe we'll
meet someone who will tell us about the Scarecrow. Come on!" cried
Dorothy gaily. "I think we're on the right track this time."