The Cowardly Lion's Quest
Quite unconscious of Mustafa's evil plans for his capture, the Cowardly
Lion of Oz paced to and fro on the wide veranda of the loveliest palace
in Oz. It was early morning in the Emerald City, and Ozma and her
court had not yet risen, but many of the palace pets were abroad and
talking sociably together in the garden. Ozma's Saw Horse was running
races with Hank, Betsy Bobbin's small mule, the Comfortable Camel and
Doubtful Dromedary were ambling down the paths in their wobbly-kneed
fashion, while Dorothy's little dog, Toto, and the Glass Cat were
arguing over the Patchwork Girl's last verses. They all seemed happy
and contented and the Cowardly Lion, noting this, sighed heavily.
"Not one of them is ever afraid," he murmured sorrowfully. "I, of all
creatures in Oz, am the only cowardly one."
"What say?" The Cowardly Lion jumped, as he always did at an unexpected
sound, then gave a little roar of relief as the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers stepped out from behind a pillar.
"What say?" repeated the Soldier, putting down his gun which was never
loaded, and regarding the Cowardly Lion inquiringly.
"I was saying that I am the only cowardly person in Oz."
"Well, you can fight, can't you?" The Soldier tugged his green whiskers
thoughtfully as he asked this question. "Now, I am a very brave man,
but I can never fight, so there you are." This was perfectly true. The
Soldier with the Green Whiskers, who was Ozma's entire army, never
was afraid, but he always ran at the first sign of danger. While the
Cowardly Lion trembled terribly as enemies approached, he always
fought until he overcame them.
"So what's the difference," said the Soldier with the Green Whiskers,
shouldering his gun and marching down the steps. "You feel cowardly and
act bravely. I feel brave and act cowardly."
"It makes a great difference to me," mumbled the Cowardly Lion. "I
want to feel brave. Oh, if only once I could feel brave!" Shaking his
mane mournfully, he padded down the steps after the Soldier with the
Green Whiskers, and soon came upon the Comfortable Camel and Doubtful
Dromedary, who were swaying idly under a tall breakfast tree.
"Morning," wheezed the Comfortable Camel, twitching his crooked nose.
"Handsome as ever, I see."
"I doubt that, Camy," said the Doubtful Dromedary, eying the Cowardly
Lion solemnly.
"He's always doubting things," smiled the Comfortable Camel, rolling
his large, limpid eyes. "Now, I never do."
"He's right this time. I'm not handsome at all; no coward could be
handsome," said the lion gruffly, flinging himself on the ground beside
the strange pair. "Ah, if I could only feel courageous!"
"You're nice as you are, you dear cowardly old thing," snorted the
camel, wagging his head affectionately. "Why, if you were brave, you
would be just like any other lion. It's being cowardly that makes you
so interesting."
"I'd rather be brave than interesting," rumbled the lion sadly. "You
know perfectly well that courage is the finest thing in the world."
"I doubt that," put in the dromedary, shifting a mouthful of grass from
one cheek to the other, "I doubt that very much."
"What's the matter?" cried the Patchwork Girl, bouncing out merrily
from the other side of the tree. "You all sound as solemn as Pokes!"
The Patchwork Girl is a great favorite in the Emerald City. She was
made long ago by a magician's wife and brought to life by the powder
of life. But Ojo, a little Munchkin boy, who happened to be present
while the magician was mixing Scrap's brains, put in a large portion
of cleverness and curiosity while the old wizard's back was turned, so
that instead of being a good and obedient servant as the wizard had
intended her to be, the Patchwork Girl was full of fun and mischief.
Indeed, she refused to be a servant at all, and ran off to the Emerald
City, where Ozma has allowed her to live ever since. The Emerald City
is the capital of Oz and located in the exact center of that great
and magic wonderland. Its palace of green marble and emeralds, its
flowering gardens and quaint green cottages make it the loveliest of
all fairy cities, and so many strange and delightful people live there
it is the most interesting place you could imagine.
First in interest is Ozma, the fairy ruler of Oz. No one could help
loving her. Then there is Dorothy, who has had more adventures than any
little girl you have ever heard of and who prefers to be a Princess
in Oz to returning to her old home in Kansas. There is Tik Tok, a
marvelous machine man who is bright as the copper that he is made of,
and who can think, walk and work when properly wound. And there's the
Scarecrow, as lively and accomplished a gentleman as ever advised a
Queen. Oh, think of a live Scarecrow! There's Jack Pumpkinhead, made
entirely of wood, excepting his pumpkin head, and there's Sir Hokus of
Pokes, a knight so many centuries old that only in Oz could he be alive
at all. There's the Tin Woodman, Emperor of the Winkies, who comes
often to the capital to visit his old friends.
There are hundreds of the gentle Oz folk, who live in the little green
cottages and bow politely when friends pass. There are the magnificent
courtiers and palace servants, ready at a moment's notice to pass round
lemonade, while the Scarecrow dishes out Oz-cream and cake. And last
but not least there are the amusing animals who have come to live in
the royal stables. No wonder everyone is anxious to visit the Emerald
City. If I could just find a magic umbrella or a handy cyclone I would
go myself. Why, it would be worth the journey just to hear the Cowardly
Lion and Comfortable Camel talking together like old cronies. The
Comfortable Camel and the Doubtful Dromedary were recently discovered
by Sir Hokus of Pokes and Dorothy, and are comparative new comers in
the Emerald City, but the Cowardly Lion was one of the very first of
the Oz creatures to arrive at the capital and is a prime favorite with
everyone from Princess Dorothy to the royal cook.
[Illustration: IN THE PALACE THE SCARECROW DISHES OUT THE OZ-CREAM
AND CAKE]
But all the time I've been telling you this, the conversation under the
breakfast tree has been growing more interesting.
"I thought the Wizard of Oz gave you a large dose of courage when
you first came here," drawled the camel, looking anxiously up at the
Patchwork Girl, who was swinging head down from the breakfast tree.
"He did," mourned the Cowardly Lion dreamily, "but it has worn off and,
though he has tried and tried, he can't seem to mix up any more."
"What is courage? Does it grow
Like potatoes in a row?
Don't ask me for I don't know!"
shouted Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, diving suddenly from the tree top
and bouncing upon the Doubtful Dromedary. Being stuffed with cotton
made Scraps very daring.
"I've a hunch," began the Comfortable Camel, very much relieved that
the Patchwork Girl had fallen on his friend.
"Where? On your back?" screamed Scraps, flinging her arms about his
neck.
"I've a hunch," continued the camel calmly, paying no attention at all
to the Patchwork Girl, "that courage isn't the way you feel, but the
way you act. As you always act bravely, why worry about the way you
feel?"
"But you never felt as frightened as I feel," objected the Cowardly
Lion.
"His knees do quake,
His teeth do chatter,
His big old heart goes pitter patter!
But what's the odds--
Though stiff with fright
He still can fight with mane and might!"
cried Scraps, sitting down with a thud. "The more mane the more might,"
she finished brilliantly.
"So rub some tonic on your brain
And just increase your might and mane!"
"I doubt that," mumbled the Doubtful Dromedary, looking at Scraps
reprovingly.
"There might be something in it," said the camel, chewing a wisp of
grass in his slow precise fashion.
"My mane _is_ a little thin," mused the Cowardly Lion, rubbing it
thoughtfully with his paw.
"If I were you," said the Patchwork Girl, rising unsteadily, "I should
find a very brave person and then eat him up. That ought to give you a
big dose of courage."
"I doubt that," said the Doubtful Dromedary sharply.
"Think how uncomfortable it would be for the poor brave person," sighed
the camel. "My dear, I am afraid you have no heart."
"Of course I have no heart," cried Scraps, starting to run down the
path, "but I have a marvelous head."
The Comfortable Camel sighed and glanced uneasily at the Cowardly
Lion. The Cowardly Lion had a far-away look in his eye, as if Scraps'
naughty suggestion had given him an idea, and it was not long before
he made some excuse to get away from the two gentle creatures. He
wanted to think. After all, why should he, the most famous lion in all
Oz, forever be called cowardly? He would tell no one, but he would go
off on a long journey and perhaps--even to himself the Cowardly Lion
did not say it, but the idea of swallowing a brave person did seem a
reasonable way to acquire courage. "I need never tell little Dorothy,"
muttered the great beast uncomfortably, "but how proud she will be when
I return full of courage!"
He slipped noiselessly out of the quiet, lovely garden and, avoiding
the yellow brick road, struck off through a deep forest toward the
Munchkin Country to the south. Many brave woodcutters live in the
Munchkin forests, and the Cowardly Lion was resolved darkly to swallow
the bravest of them, ax and all. "If only my cowardly heart does not
fail me at the last moment," he groaned nervously, as he went crackling
through the heavy underbrush. "I could swallow one whole, and that
oughtn't to hurt much." Already his kind, cowardly, comfortable old
heart was beginning to quake at the thought of swallowing a woodcutter.
But, arguing and rumbling to himself, he continued his race toward the
south. By the time the castle clocks chimed eight, he was miles and
miles away from the safe and delightful Emerald City of Oz.