Copyright (C) 2003 by Robert J. Evans.
Xlibris Publishing.
You may order this book from the special order desk at
your book store. ISBN No. 0-7388-2254-X(Hardcover).
or ISBN No. 0-7388-2255-8 (Softcover)
You can also order directly from the publisher.
Dorothy's Mystical
Adventures in Oz
By
Robert J. Evans
This book is dedicated
L. Frank baum, who was the
first mortal to discover
The marvelous land of Oz --
and to my son, Robert Jr.,
whose love of Oz inspired
this story.
Contents
1. Market Day
2. Dorothy Reminisces on Oz
3. Dorothy Returns to Oz
4. The Pinheads
5. A Visit From The Wicked Witch of The Deep South
6. The Dainty Land of China
7. The Girrephalumps
8. Lion Country
9. The Mission Begins
10. A Philosophical Discussion
11. Octapongland
12. The Fuzzy Yellow Wogglebugs
13. Princess Saari's Colorland
14. Tickleland
15. Elfland
16. Thoughtformland
17. Americanindianland
18. UFOland
19. Americanpresidentland
20. Captured
21. A Surprising Reversal
22. A Political Discussion
23. At last, The Emerald City
*
Chapter One:
Market Day
*
It was a warm summer morning. Dorothy was sitting out on the front
porch, gently rocking back and forth in Aunt Em's rocking chair. Toto,
her little dog, lay sleepily at her feet. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry were
hustling and bustling inside the house, getting ready to go to market.
"Oh, Dorothy ..." called Aunt Em.
No answer.
"Dorothy, do you hear me?"
Still no answer.
Aunt Em marched out on the porch. Toto, sensing trouble, scampered off,
while Dorothy -- hearing Aunt Em's heavy footsteps, turned to see what
the commotion was.
Needless to say, Aunt Em did not look too pleased. She stood in front of
Dorothy with her hands firmly planted on her hips.
"What is the matter with you, child? Didn't you hear me calling?"
"I'm sorry, Auntie Em."
"Were you sleeping?"
"Oh no, I wasn't asleep, Auntie. But ... well I was kind of thinking
about things, and ... well ..."
Just then, Uncle Henry appeared. He was struggling with his collar.
"Would you help me with this, Em?" he asked.
"Just a minute, Henry," his wife answered.
She spoke sharply to the girl. "I'm afraid I don't understand you these
days."
Dorothy looked up at her aunt with her big brown eyes. A hint of a tear
appeared.
"I've tried to explain to you, Auntie."
Aunt Em just shook her head. "Now, I don't want to hear any more of your
tall tales, Dorothy. Not right now."
"We're running late, Em," interrupted Uncle Henry.
"All right," answered his wife. She turned back her niece. "You'd better
hurry and get yourself ready, young lady. We'll talk about this later."
Dorothy started to leave, then hesitated for a moment. "Auntie Em, could
I stay home today?"
Aunt Em looked surprised, for Dorothy usually looked forward to market day.
"Are you feeling poorly?" she asked, putting her hand on the girl's
forehead.
"I'm just a little tired," Dorothy replied weakly. "I don't think I'm
quite up to walking around all day."
Aunt Em looked again at Uncle Henry who just shrugged his shoulders.
"Well ... all right," said Aunt Em. "But I want you to rest. Now, don't
leave the house. We'll be home around eight, I expect."
After Dorothy went inside, Aunt Em began to help Uncle Henry with his
collar. He could see by the expression on Aunt Em's face that she was
very much concerned.
"Aw, don't worry, Em," he said. "The girl's been through quite an
ordeal, with that twister an' all. She'll be fine bye an' bye. She just
needs plenty of rest."
"But she looks so pale," replied Aunt Em. "And what about the strange
stories?"
"You mean about Oz?" asked Uncle Henry.
"Yes, Oz." Aunt Em replied. "How did she ever think up such a name?"
"It does seem strange," agreed Uncle Henry.
"And what about all the funny characters she says live there?" continued
Aunt Em. "A talking scarecrow and lion, and a tin woodman of all things
-- not to mention a wicked witch! That must be where her mind is; it's
certainly not here in Kansas."
"Now, Em," said Uncle Henry, "don't fret so. Dr. Gabriel told us not to
worry, that she's temporarily confusing her dreams with reality --
something to do with that bump on the head, he said. She'll come out of
it; she'll be her old self in no time -- you'll see."
Meanwhile, Dorothy decided she'd best do as her aunt had said, so she
went into her room and lay down on the bed to rest. She was just
drifting off when she heard the sound of horse hooves outside. She
quickly got up and waved from her window as Aunt Em and Uncle Henry
drove by in the wagon.
"Now don't wait up for us, Dorothy," called Aunt Em. "And be sure to get
plenty of rest!"
"I will, Auntie," called Dorothy. "Have a good time!"
Just then, Toto jumped through the window into the girl's arms. She
fussed over him as she carried him back to her bed. The little dog
curled up at her feet and went to sleep.
*
Chapter Two:
Dorothy Reminisces on Oz
*
As Dorothy rested, she thought about Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and how
upset they were with her for daydreaming so much. But with the reality
of her Oz adventures so fresh in her mind she could not help but dwell
on them.
A smile came over her face as she recalled the first time she met the
Scarecrow, and how surprised she was when he first spoke to her. When he
said he did not have any brains she agreed to take him with her to the
Emerald City to ask the Great Oz to give him some. Of course, as it
turned out, the Scarecrow did have a brain after all. But, because he
did not believe that he did, the Great Oz had to go through the motions
of presenting him with one.
Then there was the Tin Woodman: Dorothy and the Scarecrow were greatly
surprised when they first came across him in the forest. He was standing
perfectly motionless with an uplifted ax in his hands. Apparently, he'd
been caught in a rainstorm and had rusted solid. After Dorothy had found
an oil-can and oiled his joints, he was just fine. She recalled how
anxious he was to accompany them when he found out their destination,
for he insisted that he did not have a heart, and was certain that the
Great Oz could provide him with one.
Just then, a slight breeze blew at the curtains, awakening the girl out
of her dream-like state. She sat up and looked at Toto. He was still
sound asleep. She lay back again as her mind drifted back to when the
brave little dog tried to defend her and her friends from the Cowardly
Lion. It had scared them all half to death when they heard the terrible
roar as the Lion bounded into the road in front of them. Of course, they
did not know he was cowardly at the time. That is, until Dorothy punched
him in the nose for attacking her little dog. Then he cried like a baby.
When he found out about their mission, he asked if he, too, could
accompany them in the hopes that he would be able to obtain courage from
the great magician. Needless to say, he was a welcome addition to the
little group.
The Lion actually proved himself to be quite brave during their journey;
but like the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, he thought he needed the
magical powers of Oz to give him what he felt he lacked.
Reliving her recent adventures in Oz caused Dorothy to feel quite
restless. She missed her friends terribly.
She got up again and walked over to the window. The room grew dark as
rainclouds gathered. A summer thunderstorm seemed imminent. She closed
the window and shivered as she recalled the Wicked Witch of the West.
She couldn't imagine her to be cowardly in the least. Perhaps people
like her were mean because no one loved them. If that were true, their
bitter attitude only made matters worse. Well, thank goodness the witch
was dead. It seemed wrong to wish someone dead, but the Land of Oz was
well rid of her for she had brought fear and misery to everyone who came
into contact with her. The little Munchkins were no longer afraid now
that she was gone, and could enjoy a peaceful life once more.
"Even outside of Oz," thought Dorothy, "there are certain leaders who
keep their people in fear." She wondered how they had behaved when they
were children.
She began to think of her friends again. She could not help but wonder
how they were and what they were doing right now.
She thought of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. How /could/ they disbelieve her
story? It made her sad to think that no one believed her. It couldn't
have all been a dream -- of that she was sure. Everything was so real and
vivid in Oz. All the events that occurred there couldn't have been her
imagination. Why, even the colors of the flowers were ten times more
intense than in Kansas. The flowers in her garden -- pretty as they were
-- couldn't compare. They seemed faded in comparison. In fact, Kansas
seemed faded in comparison.
A strange thought suddenly occurred to her: What if Oz was the real
world, and Kansas but a shadowy dream world? Oz her real home and Kansas
just a place she was somehow visiting in her dreams...? No, that
couldn't be. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and the others were all a very real
part of her life. But then, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Lion were all
a part of her life, too. And so were the Munchkins, the Good Witch of
the North, and Glinda -- even the Wicked Witch of the West. They were all
as real as anyone
in Kansas.
A feeling of utter confusion came over her. "Oh no, what if I can't
distinguish between the real and the unreal?"
*
Chapter Three:
Dorothy Returns to Oz
*
Dorothy's head began to throb. She wondered if the injury that she
suffered during the tornado had caused some permanent damage. A feeling
of extreme dizziness came over her. She walked over to her bed and lay
down again.
As she lay back, the room began to spin. Had she been standing she was
sure she would have fallen. She imagined she could hear a voice inside
her head telling her she must return to Oz. Suddenly it appeared that
the floor gave way as she felt herself falling ... falling ... twisting
and turning over and over as she fell. She began spinning around very
fast. Her body felt like it was being torn apart. "Oh, no!" she cried.
"What is happening to me? Please! Someone! Help me!"
The thought raced through her mind that she was being sucked into a huge
vortex by a great evil force. A tremendous fear filled her heart. She
visualized the leering faces of a hundred wicked witches swirling around
her. The faces were cackling with loud screams of hideous laughter. A
hundred pairs of ugly hands with long bony fingers clutched at her as
she fell.
"Now we've got you!" screamed the witches in unison. "You'll never get.
away from us this time, little Goody-Two-Shoes!"
"Help me, someone. Please help!" Dorothy cried.
As she called out for help, the witches' images began to fade; the
screaming to diminish. In their place a shining metallic substance
appeared. It spun around her so fast it seemed like a solid sheet of
metal. Whatever it was, it appeared to slow her fall.
Gradually, the spinning object slowed. As it did, her image was
reflected each time it passed in front of her. Suddenly she saw two
dangling arms and legs attached to the spinning form, and a shiny face
grinning at her.
"Nick Chopper!" she cried, recognizing the Tin Woodman and lunging
toward him with her arms outstretched.
CLUNK! There was a dull thud as the soft material of her body made
contact with the woodman's metal body. They both fell the last few feet
to the ground, laughing uproariously.
"You know," Dorothy said, when their laughter subsided, "before I
realized who you were, I kept seeing my face reflected as you spun by
me. It is reflected now on your chest, right where your heart is."
"Oh, Dorothy!" said the Tin Woodman, starting to cry. "I'm so happy to
see you."
"Now don't you cry," said Dorothy, wiping his eyes with her
handkerchief, "you'll rust up again."
"It's wonderful to have a heart," the Tin Woodman said, "and to have all
the feelings that a human has; but a heart can grow very heavy when
someone you love has to go away. Of course, it enables you to be filled
with joy when they return. That is why I am crying, because I am so happy."
"I know how you feel," replied Dorothy, her own eyes beginning to mist.
She held him tightly for a long time.
"Well," said the Tin Woodman at length, "how would you like a nice cup
of tea?"
"That would be lovely," answered the girl.
"Then let us adjourn to my castle," he replied.
As they walked, each brought the other up to date on the latest
developments in their lives.
"After you returned to Kansas, Dorothy, everyone settled down to their
usual routine. It was wonderful with the Wicked Witches of the East and
West gone. And with fear no longer a part of everyone's lives. Oz was
the happiest place in all creation."
"Was the happiest?" questioned the girl. "Isn't Oz a happy place now?"
The Tin Woodman was about to answer when they arrived at the castle.
"Let me put the kettle on and I'll continue with my story," he said.
While the tin man was in the kitchen, there was a knock at the door.
"Would you get that?" he called to Dorothy. "It's probably the Scarecrow."
Dorothy ran to the door excitedly. Sure enough, it was her old friend.
When he saw Dorothy, he threw his arms around her. "Oh, Dorothy," he
said. "How wonderful to see you!"
At that, the Tin Woodman entered the room with Dorothy's tea. The
Scarecrow stared at him with a questioning look. "Is Dorothy going to
help us again?" he asked. "Help you?" said Dorothy. "Why, what do you
mean? What has happened?"
"Let us sit down while you have your tea," motioned the Tin Woodman.
"I'll explain everything."
As Dorothy sipped her tea she wondered what terrible things could
possibly have occurred since she left.
The Tin Woodman looked at Dorothy rather seriously. "Do you remember
when you first arrived in Oz and your house fell on the Wicked Witch of
the East and killed her dead? And how angry the Wicked Witch of the West
was?"
Dorothy nodded. She remembered only too well ... especially when the
magical Silver Shoes were given to her by the Good Witch of the North.
The Wicked Witch of the West couldn't contain herself; she was
absolutely furious. First her sister killed, then the Silver Shoes
stolen from right under her nose!
"Well," continued the Tin Woodman, "there was a third sister; the Wicked
Witch of the Deep South. She heard about all this just before you left
Oz. Then, after you returned to Kansas, the news reached her that you'd
thrown water over her favorite sister -- the Wicked Witch of the West,
and liquidated her. Oh, was she angry! She was livid! And when she found
out you'd escaped from Oz she screamed so loudly that her false teeth
fell out and all the Munchkins fell down laughing. That really made her
mad. She screamed at the Munchkins and told them if you ever come back
to Oz you can kiss yourself goodbye, because you'll never see yourself
again."
"What a horrible thing to say!" exclaimed Dorothy. "What a terrible
person she must be."
"Oh, she is," said the Scarecrow. "She's worse than the Wicked Witches
of the East and West put together. It's a good thing you left Oz when
you did. Even the Silver Shoes would not have been strong enough to stop
her."
Dorothy was about to speak when a familiar figure walked through the
open door . It was Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. The girl ran to
her friend and hugged her.
"How wonderful to see you again," said Glinda, holding Dorothy tightly
to her. "We all missed you terribly when you returned to Kansas."
"I missed all of you, too," replied Dorothy. "More than I can say."
"But why have you returned so soon?" asked Glinda. "I know you longed to
be with your family again."
"I don't really know why I've returned," replied the girl. "It's true I
miss my friends, but it's more than that. Some strange pull has brought
me back. I even heard a voice asking me to return. Does that sound bizarre?"
"I think I understand," said Glinda. "You see, there is a Supreme
Intelligence in Oz. It is a highly creative force which is spiritual in
nature. This force knows all things, and wants only good to prevail.
This was the voice you heard."
Dorothy nodded as Glinda continued: "This force cannot of itself make
changes. It can only prod, and try to make contact with those that are
given to evil ways. When this contact is not possible, it becomes
necessary for mortal intervention. That is why you have been called. To
try to bring the Wicked Witch of the Deep South to a higher
understanding. I myself have tried and failed."
"But what can I do?" asked the girl. "If you, a very powerful witch,
cannot make her give up her evil ways, what hope have I?"
"You have a very special power," said Glinda. "Also, this Intelligence --
otherwise known as the Great Wizard -- is about to bestow the essence of
His wisdom on you. Actually, he is merely unlocking your own inner
wisdom. You will gradually become aware of this. The words you speak
during this particular excursion to Oz will reflect this wisdom. It is
hoped this will bring enlightenment to the witch, as well as others. Do
you feel guilty about killing her sisters?"
"No," replied Dorothy. "I do not. In both cases it was an accident. It
wasn't my fault that the cyclone picked up my house and dropped it on
the Wicked Witch of the East. And as far as the Wicked Witch of the West
was concerned, I was furious that she stole my shoe. That's why that I
threw a bucket of water over her. But how was I to know the water would
melt her down to a puddle? I was sorry I destroyed her at first, but
later quite relieved. I believe she would have killed us all."
After a moment's contemplation, the girl continued, "Of course, being
the cause of someone's death is nothing to be proud of. But since it
happened anyway, Oz is a lot happier place for it."
"Yes, and because of that," said Glinda, "the Munchkins think of you as
their Queen. Their wish is for you to stay in Oz forever and rule all of
Munchkin Country."
"Oh, I couldn't stay in Oz forever!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I mean, I'm
most honored that they want me to be their Queen; but much as I love
this beautiful Land of Oz and all my friends here, I love Kansas and
Aunt Em and everyone else too."
"Well, as it happens," said Glinda, "your life is in mortal danger. The
Wicked Witch of the Deep South is not playing games. Even as we speak
she is scheming up the most horrible things. She is in no mood to give
up her evil ways, I'm afraid."
"Well, I won't be pushed around by her," said Dorothy emphatically.
"Tomorrow we will find the Lion and make our plans."
Glinda nodded her head and put her hand on Dorothy's shoulder. "You're a
brave girl," she said. "I'm very proud of you. I'll be standing by to
help in any way I can."
Glinda departed.
"You go on to bed, Dorothy," said the Scarecrow. "We'll get things ready
for our journey." Dorothy yawned as she bid her friends goodnight. "I am
awfully tired," she said. "And we do have a long journey ahead of us."
The Scarecrow had previously made a most comfortable bed up for her. She
fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.
*
Chapter 4:
The Pinheads
*
The following morning, bright and early, Dorothy and her friends started
out for the forest where the Cowardly Lion lived. The Lion had stayed
there to help all the animals who lived in the forest to fight a fierce
monster, and was now King of the Beasts.
"Perhaps we should order a Pinhead river and raft to take us as far as
the Dainty China Country," said the Scarecrow.
"But I can't swim," replied the Tin Woodman. "What if I fall overboard?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," said the Scarecrow. "Pinhead rivers are
only a couple of feet deep. The worst that can happen to you if you fall
in the water is a rusty joint or two."
"Well, I'd better pack my oil-can then," replied the Tin Woodman seriously.
"The Pinheads," explained the Scarecrow, turning to Dorothy, "are almost
an extinct breed. You'll find them very interesting. The few that are
left live in a small village nearby."
Dorothy looked completely perplexed. "But order a river? You mean you
can order a river on demand? Just like that?"
"Just wait and see," replied the Scarecrow, with a knowing grin.
As they approached the Pinheads' village, a few Pinhead children ran out
to meet them. Dorothy could see why were called Pinheads. Their heads
really were the size of a pin, and when they spoke, their voices were
high and squeaky.
"Have you come for R and R?" squeaked one of the Pinhead children.
"R and R?" questioned Dorothy, "You mean rest and recreation?"
With that all the pinhead children burst into a fit of high squeaky
laughter.
"That's river and raft," explained the Scarecrow, trying to ease
Dorothy's obvious embarrassment. "The Pinheads make their living from
supplying rivers and building rafts." Then, turning to the Pinhead
child, he asked, "How much will it cost?" Just then some adult Pinheads
approached.
"That depends," said a Pinhead male who appeared to be their leader.
"Depends on what?" asked the Scarecrow.
"On whether or not you have a pin cushion," the leader replied. "If you
do, the R and R will be free."
"Well, I don't have one," said the Scarecrow.
"And neither do I," said the Tin Woodman.
"I have one!" exclaimed Dorothy, digging into her purse. "But what on
earth do you want a pin cushion for?"
"Well, as you can see," replied the Pinhead," our feet are pointed; and
since we sleep standing up, pin cushions make wonderful beds. We just
hold our feet tightly together and jump onto the pin cushion and sink
down to our heads. It is so cozy and warm, you wouldn't believe it."
"I don't understand how that can be," said Dorothy. "I know you are not
very big, but this pin cushion seems far too small for you to stand on,
let alone sink down to your head."
"Oh, that's not a problem for us," replied the Pinhead. "You see, we
have the ability to make little things big. How do you think we could
make a big raft for you giants? We just make the raft out of
match-sticks and thread, and when it's enlarged it looks like it's made
out of big logs and rope."
"But how do you do that?" exclaimed the girl.
"Oh, that's easy," replied the Pinhead. "You see, after the object is
made, we look at it under our big magnifying glass. This magnifying
glass is no ordinary magnifying glass, but has the ability to magnify
things permanently. It was given to our ancestors by a male witch who
had no further use for it."
"Why don't you look at each other's heads with it?" asked the Scarecrow
seriously. "Then you'd all have bigger heads."
"Oh, it won't work on living things," replied the Pinhead. "Besides, we
like the way we look. How would it be if everyone in Oz looked the same?
All skinny or all fat, all tall or all short, all white or all yellow,
all blue or all green, all --"
"All right, all right! You've made your point," said the Scarecrow. "My
brain is fairly new and it's just not used to thinking that much yet."
"I agree with you, Mr. Pinhead," said Dorothy. The world would be a very
dull place if everyone looked the same. Imagine what it would be like if
everyone looked exactly alike, thought exactly alike, and talked exactly
alike! There would be no point to existence."
"My sentiments entirely!" said the Pinhead.
"Getting back to the business at hand," said Dorothy. "I'm still
mystified as to how you create a river to order?"
"Well," answered the Pinhead. "It's quite simple, really. We have this
huge reservoir that was created by building a dam to capture the tears
of a giant that was a bit of a cry-baby, to say the least. The slightest
little hurt would set him off on a crying spell. We turned his excessive
crying into a cottage industry by utilizing the stored up tears for our
new company, /Rivers on Demand, Inc.,/ and since the tears have magical
qualities we can direct the river to and fro', uphill or downhill,
exactly as we wish to suit the customer's order. The river even knows to
avoid dwelling places and other inhabited areas, and to return
immediately to the reservoir when its passengers have disembarked."
"Remarkable!" replied Dorothy. "Just remarkable."
With that, they all went down to the newly created river to board the
raft that had just been completed for them. After stepping aboard they
barely had time to wave goodbye to their new friends as the river
quickly whisked them on their way.
*
Chapter Five:
A Visit from the Wicked Witch of the Deep South
*
"My, the river's flowing fast. I'm glad it's not that deep," said the
Tin Woodman, after they were underway. "If it were, and I fell
overboard, I could rust up solid for all eternity. Do you think the raft
will stay big? Oh dear, what if it gets little again? We'll all be
spilled into the water!"
"Don't worry so much," said Dorothy, smiling. "You'll worry yourself to
death."
"Can people really do that?" asked the Tin Woodman. "Worry themselves to
death?"
"Of course not," laughed the girl. "But I suppose a person could become
quite sick if he constantly worried over things."
"Never worry worry, 'til worry worries you," said the Scarecrow in a
matter-of-fact tone.
"What is that supposed to mean?" inquired the Tin Woodman.
"I think it means," answered the Scarecrow, "don't worry about something
until it actually happens."
"Oh! I see," said the Tin Woodman. "In other words, most of our worries
never materialize, so why fret constantly over something that in all
probability will never occur?"
"I think you've got it," said Dorothy.
"I think you've got it," echoed the Scarecrow.
Everyone laughed uproariously. Then the Tin Woodman broke into song....
"Oh ... never worry worry
'til worry worries you,
'cause if you worry worry
your worry'll worry you."
Dorothy and the Scarecrow joined in:
"Oh ... never worry worry
'til worry worries you,
'cause if you worry worry
your worry'll worry you."
Suddenly a dark shadow covered their raft, and a piercing scream filled
the air. They all looked up to see the Wicked Witch of the Deep South on
a huge broomstick sweeping down on them. She had the ugliest, meanest
face Dorothy had ever seen. As her eyes met Dorothy's, she pointed a
long bony green finger at her and screamed, "I'll get you, Deary! You
killed my sisters. You'll never leave Oz alive!" Then she screeched with
terrible laughter as she roared away.
Everyone except Dorothy was shaking with fright. Dorothy was shaking
too, inside, but she didn't show it.
"N-n-n-never w-w-worry w-worry 't-t-till worry w-worries y-you,"
stuttered the Tin Woodman.
"Now pull yourself together," ordered Dorothy. "She's gone.... I think I
see the Dainty Land of China. We should be there in a few minutes."
*
Chapter 6:
The Dainty Land of China
*
The Tin Woodman did very well steering the raft to the bank of the
river. As the Dainty China Country came into view he became quite
excited, but then a little confused. "I wonder what happened to the
wall," he said, half to himself. "But looks like there's a welcoming
party awaiting us."
Dorothy and the Scarecrow stood up at once, almost toppling the Tin
Woodman into the water. Sure enough, quite a large entourage was waiting
by the dockside. Several china soldiers ran down to the raft as the Tin
Woodman steered it into the dock.
As everyone disembarked from the raft they heard a big whoosh as the
river reversed course to return to its source. They were immediately
informed by the soldiers that the King and Queen wished to speak to
them. The soldiers took Dorothy and her friends by the arms and escorted
them to where the King and Queen were standing.
"You are most unwelcome!" snapped the King.
"Most Unwelcome!" echoed the Queen. "The last time strangers were here
they broke several of our people."
"And we had to pay the menders overtime," said the King.
"Not to mention the expense of the glue," said the Queen.
"And glue's not cheap, you know," said the King.
"Not cheap, you know," said the Queen.
"We're terribly sorry," said Dorothy. "We'll be extremely careful, won't
we everyone?" she said as she looked around at her friends.
"Oh, yes," they all chorused. "Extremely careful."
"I hope so," said the King.
"I hope so," said the Queen.
"It would take us several days to get to the Lion's forest if we had to
go around your country," said the Tin Woodman.
"Very well," said the King. "The sooner you get started the better. It
makes me very nervous to have you here. We had a high protective wall
around us until a wicked witch zapped it off to some other realm out of
spite. Now we are getting all kinds of riffraff wandering through our
lands stepping on people willy-nilly. My army will escort you to the
border to make sure you do not break anything, or anyone. If you do, my
soldiers will attack you, for that is what they are trained to do."
"You can rest assured," said Dorothy, "that we will take every precaution."
As Dorothy spoke, she stepped back slightly to curtsy, but the heel of
her shoe caught the Captain of the Guard's horse, causing it to rear up.
The Captain dropped his sword with a clatter on the ground, breaking it
into several pieces.
"My sword! My sword!" he cried, looking at it in dismay.
"Call the menders," ordered the King in a very loud voice.
"Call the menders," echoed the Queen in an equally loud voice.
The Captain of the Guard's face was red with anger and embarrassment.
"Attack!" he shouted to his men. "Attack! Before they break us all up!"
The soldiers rushed at the little group, poking at their feet and ankles
with their swords and lances. Of course, this didn't bother the Tin
Woodman. In fact, several more swords were broken as the soldiers jabbed
at him. However, they did hurt Dorothy. It felt like someone was
sticking needles in her feet and ankles.
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman attempted to defend Dorothy by waving
their hands in the faces of the soldiers.
"Run for it!" shouted the Tin Woodman.
The three ran as fast as their legs would allow and soon outdistanced
the soldiers. Fortunately, they had run across a flat area devoid of
houses and people. Otherwise they could have caused great damage.
As they ran, they noticed the ground getting steeper and more slippery.
Large china boulders were scattered everywhere. To make matters worse, a
mist suddenly descended, making it difficult to see more than a few feet
in front of them.
The terrain rose sharply as they felt their way around some large rocks.
The Tin Woodman slipped and fell several times, but, of course, didn't
hurt himself. However, the going was getting rough, and Dorothy was
getting tired.
The voices of the soldiers could now be heard in the distance, but
through the mist Dorothy caught a glimpse of a little path winding its
way up the mountain.
"Quick! Over this way," she said to her companions. The three managed to
make their way over to the path.
The mountain path was a bit slippery, but not too steep. It was
certainly a lot easier going.
When they finally reached the top of the mountain, the mist had cleared.
Apparently, the soldiers had decided against following them, for they
could be clearly seen setting up camp at the base, thereby ensuring that
Dorothy and her friends did not attempt to return the way they had come.
The view from the top of the mountain was quite beautiful. The china
homes and farms was spread out in a colorful panorama below. The only
barren part was the segment of land they had traversed to make their escape.
"It's a shame everything is so easily breakable here," said the Tin
Woodman. "I can't blame the china people for not wanting visitors."
"I don't know why the Captain of the Guard was so angry," said the
Scarecrow. "Dorothy didn't try to make him drop his sword."
"I think he was so embarrassed," said Dorothy, "that he was just trying
to save face in front of his men."
Dorothy was about to sit down to rest, but the light began to fade
rather quickly. "Perhaps we should be on our way," said the girl.
"No question about it," said the Tin Woodman.
"Absolutely!" said the Scarecrow.
As they started down the other side of the mountain, the path became
extremely slippery and steep. Suddenly the Tin Woodman started to slide
very fast. He called out to Dorothy: "Help! Dorothy! I can't stop!"
At that moment, the Scarecrow slipped and sat down with a thump. Then
Dorothy did the same. She and the Scarecrow sped down the mountain path
so fast they caught up with the Tin Woodman. The impact caused him to
fall backwards into Scarecrow's lap.
"Wheee..." They all yelled as they whizzed around the hairpin bends.
"What fun!" cried Dorothy.
As they neared the bottom, their descent slowed. They came to a stop in
front of a big sign:
*YOU ARE NOW LEAVING*
* DAINTY CHINA COUNTRY.*
* THANK YOU FOR VISITING*
* (But thank you more for leaving)*
* !!!PLEASE DON'T HURRY BACK!!!*
"What a funny sign," said Dorothy. "But it's plain to see that they get
very nervous when non-china people are in their midst. I suppose they'd
be quite happy to be left entirely alone."
"I can't say I blame them," said the Tin Woodman. "If I were a small
delicate person made of china, I wouldn't want big clumsy people around.
"Thank goodness you're a big clunk!" said the Scarecrow. Dorothy laughed
as the Tin Woodman chased the Scarecrow around the sign. As he did so,
Dorothy's eye caught what appeared to be another sign a little further
on. She walked up to it and read the following:
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE DOMAIN
OF THE GIRREPHALUMPS.
PLEASE KNOCK TWICE TO INDICATE
YOUR REQUEST FOR OUR SERVICES.
*
Chapter Seven:
The Girrephalumps
*
By this time, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow had joined Dorothy at
the Girrephalump sign.
"What do you make of it?" asked Dorothy.
"Well, there's only one way to find out what it means," said the Tin
Woodman. "And that's to knock twice and see what happens."
"Go ahead," said Dorothy. "With your metal fist, you should be able to
knock loud enough for the Girrephalumps, whoever they are, to hear."
BANG! BANG!
The Tin Woodman knocked so hard that he almost knocked the sign down.
Immediately there was a roar like thunder as a herd of animals descended
on the sign from seemingly nowhere.
And what strange looking animals they were: Each had a giraffe's head
and neck, but an elephant's body. Also, they were pink in color, with
large white and blue dots all over.
The leader of the Girrephalumps walked right up to Dorothy and said,
"You knocked, madam?"
Dorothy put her hand to her mouth to hide a smile. "Why, yes we did,"
she answered, glancing sideways at the Tin Woodman.
"Well," continued the Girrephalump, "where do you wish to go? We are the
official transportation of Oz.... Of course, we also clean upstairs
windows and replace the light bulbs in street lights. But I am sure that
at the moment it's transportation you want. Am I not correct?"
"Why ... yes, you are perfectly correct," replied the girl, not a little
bewildered.
"Well, where do you wish to be taken?" asked the Girrephalump. "And what
is the purpose of your journey?"
"We wish to travel to Lion Country," replied Dorothy. "To visit our
friend the Cowardly Lion, except that he's not cowardly any more."
"And your purpose, my dear?"
"We wish to join forces with the Lion because we have a very important
mission to perform."
"Hmmm," said the Girrephalump. "And what may that mission be, if I may
be so bold as to ask?"
"Well," answered Dorothy, "we're not totally certain. But we wish to
confront the Wicked Witch of the Deep South and speak with her."
"OH, NO!" called out the Girrephalumps in unison, as they drew back.
"We must have a conference," said the leader.
The Girrephalumps all huddled together for several minutes.
"We are afraid to take you to Lion Country," said the leader to Dorothy
as he returned. "We could very well be attacked by the Wicked Witch. You
will never get to Lion Country alone, for there are dangerous swamps,
and only we know the way. Besides, you would be very foolish to continue
with this mission. You are not only endangering your own life, but also
the lives of your companions. You must return at once!"
"But I cannot!" exclaimed Dorothy, almost in tears. "We have come so
far, and we must go on. This is very important to us -- to all of Oz."
"Hmmm," said the leader again. "We must have another conference."
Once again, the Girrephalumps went into a huddle. This time they took
much longer.
At length he returned, but looked very solemn. "Well," he said after
looking at Dorothy for a long time. "The majority vote has predominated.
But this is very unwise of you to insist on going on. If we are attacked
we will desert you and you will die in the swamps. Do you understand?"
Dorothy looked at the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, and swallowed.
"Yes," she said. "We do."
"Very well; so be it!" the leader replied. "The results will be on your
head."
The Scarecrow whispered to the Tin Woodman. "What did he say would be on
Dorothy's head?"
"The results of her decision," answered the Woodman.
"Oh," said the Scarecrow, as he thought the whole thing over.
"Well, let's be on our way then," the leader said, kneeling down for
Dorothy to mount him. Two others did the same for the Tin Woodman and
the Scarecrow.
Although the journey took almost two days, there were, fortunately, few
incidents. However, there was one particular situation that had left
everyone more than a little shaky: The first indication that trouble was
brewing was when a loud thumping sound could be heard in the distance.
It sounded at first as if a bunch of people were beating on drums. But
as the thumping got louder it became apparent that some sort of stampede
was in progress. The Girrephalumps seemed ready to make a run for it
when the deafening roar came to a sudden halt. Everyone looked at each
other in complete bewilderment. One moment they had been ready to run
for their lives; now there was only a deathly silence. The Girrephalumps
stood perfectly still for the longest time. Then their leader motioned
his head slowly towards a wooded area where he had detected some movement.
"G-G-Good gracious," stammered Dorothy, as about fifty grizzly bears
emerged. The strange thing is that they didn't exactly lumber towards
the little group as one might expect. They were bobbing up and down in
place as if they were all on trampolines. It then became apparent to
all, that these were not ordinary bears, but were kangaroos with bear
bodies, or, if you prefer, bears with kangaroo legs and tails. It was
the most incredible sight imaginable!
One bear, larger than all the others, approached (perhaps that is not
the word to use, hopped would be more like it). He hopped over to the
leader of the Girrephalumps and growled very loudly in Dorothy's face.
Unfortunately, he had very bad breath which caused Dorothy to quickly
turn away.
"Look at me when I speak to you," growled the bear. "You are in Krizzlie
Bear country now. You will show the utmost respect."
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Krizzlie ... Mr. Bear ... ER, Mr. Krizzlie
Bear. I didn't mean to be disrespectful, sir. But I, I thought I was
about to sneeze and didn't want to sneeze in your face."
"Hmmm, is that so?" mumbled the bear, looking a bit suspicious. "Well,
what are you people doing here in the first place? We don't like
visitors. Didn't anyone tell you that?"
"We didn't even know you existed," replied the Girrephalump leader. We
have traversed these lands many times, and know every swamp and bog. And
we have never come across another living creature. In fact, we thought
this whole area was devoid of life. It is so barren and inhospitable, we
didn't think anyone would want to live here."
The bear was becoming angrier by the minute. "Are you saying you think
our neighborhood is run down, and you don't think any decent person
would want to live here? Is that what you're saying? Is it? Is it?
'Cause if it is, we can take care of that right now. We'll just eat you
all up and that will end the argument immediately, if not sooner. Don't
you agree?"
"But I am not arguing with you, Sir Bear. Really," insisted the
Girrephalump.
"You are arguing right now. You are disagreeing with me. I'd call that
arguing, wouldn't you?" snorted the bear. "Wait! Did you say Sir Bear?
Is that what I heard you say? Sir Bear?"
"Indeed you did," replied the Girrephalump. "Sir Krizz, I believe the
queen will dub you when she hears how kind you were to us, and how you
let us pass safely through your vast estate. I have recommended several
knighthood's to her in the past and she has accepted every one without
question."
"Really!" said the bear. "Well, upon further reflection, perhaps I have
been a little harsh with you people. You say you will mention how kind
I've been?"
"Indeed," replied the Girrephalump. "I will tell her how exceedingly
kind you were. And I will recommend a knighthood in the strongest of
terms. Your title is guaranteed. You have my word as an officer and a
gentleman!"
"Very well. You are all free to go," said the bear. "As you know, I have
been joking all along. It was pretty funny, huh? If you just follow this
little path, it will take you safely into Lion Country. And goodbye and
good luck to all of you."
*
Chapter Eight:
Lion Country
*
As they approached the Lion's camp, they could see the warm glow of a
big fire. The Lion was laying by the fire, propped up on some cushions,
roasting marshmallows. When he saw them approaching, he jumped up and
bounded over to meet them.
"How wonderful to see you all!" he said as he embraced each in turn.
When he got to Dorothy, he gave her an extra big hug. "This is really a
pleasant surprise, Dorothy. I wasn't expecting to see you again. At
least, not for a long time."
"Being back in Oz is just as much of a surprise to me," replied Dorothy.
"It's true I had been thinking of you all an awful lot; and I did miss
you all terribly. Perhaps my longing to see you all again had something
to do with it; I'm sure it did. But it seems I have a definite mission,
and that is the real purpose for my being here."
"Well now," said the Lion. "How interesting. Let us sit by the fire and
I'll make you some hot chocolate and marshmallows and you can tell me
all about it."
After everyone had settled around the fire (everyone, that is, except
the Scarecrow, for fire made him very nervous), Dorothy told the story
of her return to Oz. The Lion listened intently without interruption.
When Dorothy was finished, he thought for a moment: "You know," he said
at length, "it's interesting to note that you have helped each of us
here; you have helped the Munchkins and in fact all of Oz by getting rid
of two very evil witches. And now you are ready to do battle again on
behalf of our wonderful land. We have much to be grateful for. It seems
you are playing a very important role in the history of Oz. You are
almost a savior."
"Please!" said Dorothy. "I am just an ordinary person trying to help
people. I don't want you to think of me as someone unusual. I am doing
no more than any good friend would. Besides, I have grown to love Oz and
all of you more than words can convey."
At that, Dorothy became quite pensive.
"Is anything the matter, Dorothy?" asked the Lion.
"Well, I am somewhat concerned," replied the girl. "The Wicked Witch of
the Deep South is a mean one. There's no telling what she might do to
everyone because of me."
"Now don't fret so, Dorothy," the Lion replied. "She's not going to
frighten us into deserting you. We'll stick by you through thick and thin."
"Thick and thin what?" said the Scarecrow, genuinely curious.
"It's just an expression," said the Tin Woodman, giving him a nudge.
"Oh!" responded the Scarecrow. "Oh, yes."
"We won't let that old witch get us down, Dorothy," said the Tin
Woodman, patting her on the back.
"No indeed!" echoed the Scarecrow. "Don't you worry your pretty little
head, Dorothy."
"Well, I know you're tired," said the Lion. "Let's turn in. Everything
will look a lot brighter in the morning. We'll discuss our plans right
after breakfast."
The Lion brought out some more cushions and blankets. He ordered six
leopards and six tigers to stand guard around the camp. The Tin Woodman
and the Scarecrow stood by Dorothy's bed (they always stood guard at
night because they don't need any sleep themselves).
*
Chapter Nine:
The Mission Begins
*
The next morning, as Dorothy awoke to feel the warm sun on her face, she
was surprised to find that the Lion and the others had prepared a
breakfast of exotic fruits for her. As she bit into one of the luscious
soft fruits the juice burst forth with a flavor that can only be
described as divine. Nothing, absolutely nothing she had ever tasted
before could compare.
"We let you sleep a little longer, Dorothy," said the Lion, as she ate.
"You needed a good rest. Isn't it a beautiful day?"
"Indeed it is!" answered the girl. "Between this wonderful fruit and the
beautiful surroundings, I feel I'm in paradise.
The dew was glistening on the grass and there were pretty little
wildflowers everywhere. Hundreds of birds of every variety were chirping
away happily as they searched for their breakfast. The sweet early
morning smell of the forest permeated the air, and running through the
camp was a bubbling brook of crystal clear water with little fish
happily darting about the little pools.
"You certainly have a lovely home here, Lion," said Dorothy.
"Thank you," the Lion replied. "It is beautiful, isn't it?"
"You must be very happy here," went on the girl.
"Oh, indeed I am. Yes, indeed," the Lion replied. "Only ... only ..."
"Only what?" interceded Dorothy.
"Well, it does get a little lonely at times."
"You mean there is no lady lion to keep you company?" said Dorothy with
a sly wink.
"That is true," answered the Lion. "I am the only one here."
"Well, I'm sure we're bound to run into another lion on our journey,"
said Dorothy encouragingly.
"Oh, very doubtful," replied the Lion. "I've never heard of another one."
"There are parts of Oz," said the Tin Woodman, who had been listening
intently, "that are unexplored. No one knows what's there."
"You see!" Dorothy exclaimed.
The Lion shrugged. "It would be nice," he said, "if we came across a
lady lion. Very nice indeed."
"Well, we'd better start some plans," said Dorothy. "Did anyone bring a
map with them?"
"Oh, yes, I did," said the Tin Woodman, opening a little door in his
side. "I kept it here to make sure it wouldn't get wet."
They unfolded the map and placed it on the ground.
"Now, let's see," said Dorothy. "We're here," pointing her finger at a
circle which said "Lion's Forest."
"We can't go due south," said the Scarecrow, "or we'll run into
swamplands. We'll have to head west through Octapongland, then southwest
through Colorland."
"Octapongland?" said Dorothy. "How strange! And Colorland?"
"These are newly discovered lands," said the Lion.
"Haven't you heard the song?" said the leader of the Girrephalumps.
"What song?" said Dorothy.
"The Octapong song, of course," said the Girrephalump, and in a deep
baritone voice he sang,
"In the country where I'm from,
there are lots of Octapong.
Octapong are people who,
have eight feet but only one shoe.
That one shoe goes clippity-clop,
while the other feet go hippity-hop.
With a hippity-hop and a bing-bang-boo,
those Octapong are after you.
If you see one, run, don't stop --
'cause if you do, your shoes he'll cop."
"Oh my," said Dorothy. "How terrible. Must we go through Octapongland?"
"I'm afraid we must," said the Lion. "There's no other way."
"And what about Colorland?" asked Dorothy. "What's that like?"
"No one lives in Colorland," said the Scarecrow. "It's just a place to
visit for therapy."
"Therapy?" said Dorothy, looking perplexed. "Yes," said the Tin Woodman.
"For example, if you're feeling sad, you spend a half-hour in the Yellow
Belt."
"Yellow Belt?" Dorothy said, looking puzzled again.
"Yes. You see," said the Lion, "Colorland is divided into seven Color
Belts; each is a half mile wide. There's the Red Belt, the Orange Belt,
the Yellow Belt, the Green Belt, the Blue Belt, the Indigo Belt, and the
Purple Belt."
The Lion could see that Dorothy was still very puzzled. "Let me
explain," he said. "You see, each of the seven colors affects you in a
different way. For example, the first color we will pass through will be
the Red Belt. Now you should never go into the Red Belt feeling angry."
"Why not?" asked Dorothy.
"Well," said the Lion, "you've heard the expression 'so and so makes me
see red'?"
Dorothy nodded. "Well, red is associated with anger," said the Lion. "So
if you walk through the Red Belt feeling angry or resentful, it will
just make you more angry or resentful."
"How does it make you feel if you're not angry or resentful?" said Dorothy.
"Then it will have a positive effect on you," said the Lion. "It will
give you lots of energy, and if you're cold, it will make you feel nice
and warm."
"How strange," said Dorothy. "It will certainly be very interesting.
We'd better look at the map again to see what comes after Colorland."