They now made a more careful examination of the country around them.
All was fresh and beautiful after the sultriness of the desert, and the
sunshine and sweet, crisp air were delightful to the wanderers. Little
mounds of yellowish green were away at the right, while on the left
waved a group of tall leafy trees bearing yellow blossoms that looked
like tassels and pompoms. Among the grasses carpeting the ground were
pretty buttercups and cowslips and marigolds. After looking at these a
moment Dorothy said reflectively:
"We must be in the Country of the Winkies, for the color of that
country is yellow, and you will notice that 'most everything here is
yellow that has any color at all."
"But I thought this was the Land of Oz," replied the shaggy man, as if
greatly disappointed.
"So it is," she declared; "but there are four parts to the Land of Oz.
The North Country is purple, and it's the Country of the Gillikins.
The East Country is blue, and that's the Country of the Munchkins.
Down at the South is the red Country of the Quadlings, and here, in the
West, the yellow Country of the Winkies. This is the part that is
ruled by the Tin Woodman, you know."
"Who's he?" asked Button-Bright.
"Why, he's the tin man I told you about. His name is Nick Chopper, and
he has a lovely heart given him by the wonderful Wizard."
"Where does HE live?" asked the boy.
"The Wizard? Oh, he lives in the Emerald City, which is just in the
middle of Oz, where the corners of the four countries meet."
"Oh," said Button-Bright, puzzled by this explanation.
"We must be some distance from the Emerald City," remarked the shaggy
man.
"That's true," she replied; "so we'd better start on and see if we can
find any of the Winkies. They're nice people," she continued, as the
little party began walking toward the group of trees, "and I came here
once with my friends the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, and the
Cowardly Lion, to fight a wicked witch who had made all the Winkies her
slaves."
"Did you conquer her?" asked Polly.
"Why, I melted her with a bucket of water, and that was the end of
her," replied Dorothy. "After that the people were free, you know, and
they made Nick Chopper--that's the Tin Woodman--their Emp'ror."
"What's that?" asked Button-Bright.
"Emp'ror? Oh, it's something like an alderman, I guess."
"Oh," said the boy.
"But I thought Princess Ozma ruled Oz," said the shaggy man.
"So she does; she rules the Emerald City and all the four countries of
Oz; but each country has another little ruler, not so big as Ozma.
It's like the officers of an army, you see; the little rulers are all
captains, and Ozma's the general."
By this time they had reached the trees, which stood in a perfect
circle and just far enough apart so that their thick branches
touched--or "shook hands," as Button-Bright remarked. Under the shade
of the trees they found, in the center of the circle, a crystal pool,
its water as still as glass. It must have been deep, too, for when
Polychrome bent over it she gave a little sigh of pleasure.
"Why, it's a mirror!" she cried; for she could see all her pretty face
and fluffy, rainbow-tinted gown reflected in the pool, as natural as
life.
Dorothy bent over, too, and began to arrange her hair, blown by the
desert wind into straggling tangles. Button-Bright leaned over the
edge next, and then began to cry, for the sight of his fox head
frightened the poor little fellow.
"I guess I won't look," remarked the shaggy man, sadly, for he didn't
like his donkey head, either. While Polly and Dorothy tried to comfort
Button-Bright, the shaggy man sat down near the edge of the pool, where
his image could not be reflected, and stared at the water thoughtfully.
As he did this he noticed a silver plate fastened to a rock just under
the surface of the water, and on the silver plate was engraved these
words: