OZOPLANING WITH
THE WIZARD OF OZ
_By_
RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON
Founded on and continuing the Famous Oz Stories
_By_
L. FRANK BAUM
"Royal Historian of Oz"
_Illustrated by_
JOHN R. NEILL
OZOPLANING WITH THE WIZARD OF OZ
Copyright 1939
By
REILLY & LEE
Printed in the U. S. A.
* * * * *
_Dear Boys and Girls:_
I often have wondered about the Strat, have not you? Bet a bushel of
peanuts you have! Well, while we've been wondering the Wizard of Oz
has been inventing an Ozoplane to go Strato-sphering! Oh, there's some
pretty high sky-riding in this adventure, I can tell you! And with Dot,
Jellia Jam, the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodman along, you can
imagine the thrills and excitement. And the Soldier with Green Whiskers
hopes you'll give him credit for the part _he_ played in the affair!
You know--it's grand to get together over a book once a year and have a
good laugh, isn't it? I'd like to know what makes you laugh loudest and
longest.... I think I laughed most at the Cowardly Lion!
Yours for fun--now, and OZ always!
RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON
254 S. Farragut Terrace,
West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* * * * *
This book is dedicated to
JOHN R. NEILL
Whose drawings have added much to
the merriment and gaiety of all my
IMAGI-NATIONS!
So--
From the "Royal Historian of Oz,"
To its "Imperial Illustrator--"
Bows, cheers and heartfelt appreciation!
RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON
* * * * *
CHAPTERS
1 At Home with the Wizard of Oz
2 The Wizard's Spy Glass
3 Latest Invention of the Wizard of Oz
4 First Flight of the Oztober
5 The Spikers
6 Strut of the Strat
7 A Most Reluctant Starina
8 Strut of the Strat Sets Off for Oz
9 Jellia in a Frightful Jam
10 The Wizard in Stratovania!
11 King, King-Double King!
12 The Flight to Oz
13 The King of the Kudgers
14 Azarine the Red
15 In the Red Castle
16 Escape from Red Top
17 The Wizard Gets to Work
18 Strut of the Strat Arrives in Oz!
19 The Travellers Return!
20 Azarine Is Restored to Red Top
[Illustration: Map of Oz]
CHAPTER 1
At Home with the Wizard of Oz
In his big brightly lighted laboratory back of the throne room, the
Wizard of Oz paced impatiently forth and back, his hands clasped
tightly behind him. Every minute or two he would glance at the clock or
dart over to peer out to the already darkening garden.
"Are you sure you told them all, Jellia? Are you sure you told them
tonight?" he asked, turning to the pretty little serving maid who was
setting a table near the fire, for the fall evening was quite cool and
frosty.
"Four--five--six--seven--." Jellia, counting places, nodded her head
firmly to answer the Wizard's question, then stepped back to regard her
handiwork with complete satisfaction. "Oh, doesn't that tiny house in
the center look too cute and cunningish? Real smoke coming out of the
chimney, too. How ever did you manage it, Wiz? And having those silver
slippers at each place for nuts and candies is just, plain beautiful."
"Do you really think so?" The little Wizard positively blushed with
pleasure. "Well, ye see, Jellia, this party is to celebrate Dorothy's
first trip to the Emerald City. That is an exact model of the house
in which she blew from Kansas to Oz in a cyclone, the house that fell
on the wicked witch of the West and destroyed her--all but her silver
slippers. Remember?"
"Ho, everybody remembers that," said Jellia with a toss of her head
that set all her green cap ribbons fluttering. "If I live to be a
million, I'll never forget the day she came to this castle with the
Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. Not if I live to be
a million! Will I light the candles now, Wiz dear, or wait until they
arrive?"
"Oh, wait till they arrive, by all means. But see here," the Wizard
taking a last look at the party table was plainly distressed. "You've
only seven places, Jellia, and there are eight of us. My idea was to
have everyone immediately associated with Dorothy's first visit, and
that would be, one--Dorothy herself; two--myself; three--yourself;
four--the Cowardly Lion; five--the Scarecrow; six--the Tin Woodman;
seven--the Soldier with Green Whiskers, and eight--the Guardian of the
Gate. Quick, my dear! Another plate for the Guardian of the Gate."
"He's not coming," announced Jellia primly. "He says he has not
deserted his post for forty years and does not intend to desert it now.
But if you'll send his refreshments to the Guard House, he'll take it
very kindly. I've already fixed him a basket," said Jellia, smoothing
her apron.
"Good old Guardy!" The Wizard absently brushed back the hair he no
longer had, then, hearing voices and steps in the corridor, bounced
over to open the door while Jellia tripped joyously about, lighting
the candles set everywhere in the big work shop. Candle and fire
light are much cozier for parties, and it all looked so cheery and
gay that Dorothy, who was first, stopped short in the doorway with an
exclamation of delight.
"Oh, Wizard! How beautiful! Oh, how I do wish Ozma could see it all!"
"Tut tut!" chuckled the Wizard, leading her into the room. "Ozma is
having a fine time in Glinda's palace, by now. To tell the truth,
Dorothy, this party is just for YOU and to remind us all of the old Oz
days when--"
"--You were nothing but a humbug," snorted the Scarecrow, laughing so
hard he had to lean against the door jam.
"Don't forget he gave you your famous brains, friend." The Tin Woodman
spoke reprovingly, for Nick Chopper did not like anyone's feelings to
be hurt, even in fun. "And don't forget he gave me my splendid heart!"
"And me, my grade A, double distilled, instant acting courage," purred
the Cowardly Lion. Moving over to the fire, the big beast stretched
himself luxuriously on the hearth rug.
"And don't forget our little Wiz was once Supreme Ruler of Oz!" boomed
the Soldier with Green Whiskers. Marching three times round the party
table the thin, immensely tall soldier brought up with a smart salute
before their embarrassed little host.
"Three cheers for the Wizard of Oz!" cried Jellia Jam. Seizing a
silver bell with an emerald clapper, she rang it so hard the Cowardly
Lion's mane blew straight back and even the candles flickered.
"Thank you! Thank you very much!" The Wizard bowed and rubbed his ear
which still tingled from the cheers and bell ringing. "But where is
Toto, Dorothy? I thought of course you'd bring your little dog."
"Oh, Toto's with Ozma," explained Dorothy, drawn in spite of herself
to the brightly decorated party table. "You know how he dotes on
travelling, so Ozma took him along for company."
"Then of course he cannot be here?" sighed the Wizard regretfully. "Now
Jellia, off with that cap and apron. Tonight you are my guest and not a
maid in waiting to Ozma or anyone else. Besides, I've asked Fredjon to
serve the supper. Dorothy, suppose you sit at the head. I'll sit at the
foot and the others may find their own places."
"My place will always be next to little Dorothy," rumbled the Cowardly
Lion, hoisting himself sleepily to the chair beside the little girl.
"Mine will be next to the pickles. MM-mmmm! I LOVE pickles," said the
soldier, slipping into the seat next to the lion, while Jellia, with a
purposeful bounce, settled near a plate of green cookies. There was no
doubt where the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow would sit, for at one plate
the Wizard had put a silver box of metal polish and an emerald bottle
containing purest oil. Then, instead of a chair, he had provided a bale
of freshly packed straw for the Scarecrow.
"Well, well, here we all are!" Rubbing his hands briskly the Wizard
beamed on his guests as Fredjon, wearing his best suit of green and
silver, bustled in with the first course.
"And isn't it fun to be here?" Dorothy took a long, satisfying sip of
her Ozade. "I'm awfully glad I came back to live in the Land of Oz.
Aren't you, Wizard?"
"A country where a body grows no older, where animals talk as easily
as men and where the practice of magic is not only possible but
practical--a country like that has many advantages," admitted the
Wizard, winking at the Cowardly Lion who was drinking his fruit juice
in a refined way from a huge, green aquarium. "I, myself, never have
regretted the years spent in this marvelous fairy land. Sometimes I
hardly can believe I ever did live in Omaha, or travel through the West
with a circus."
"I know," agreed Dorothy, nodding her head slowly. "Kansas, when I
think of it, seems very far away--as much like a dream, I suppose, as
Oz seems like a dream to boys and girls in Kansas who read Oz history."
"Oh, why think of Kansas?" Jellia spoke scornfully. "In Kansas you were
only an ordinary little girl, while here you are a Princess and second
in importance to our Ruler, Ozma herself."
"And in Kansas," observed the Scarecrow, as Dorothy rather
self-consciously straightened her crown, "I'll bet you never had as
much fun nor as many adventures as we have here." The Scarecrow, being
well stuffed with straw, never indulged in any refreshments. In fact,
he just came to parties for the conversation, and to be sure of a good
time he tried to do all the talking himself.
"That's right," said Dorothy thoughtfully, "That cyclone was about the
only thing that ever happened in Kansas."
"A great blow to you, my dear, but a fortunate thing for Nick and me."
The Scarecrow patted the Tin Woodman affectionately on the funnel he
wore for a hat. "If you had not blown to Oz, I'd probably still be
hanging on a pole in that cornfield and Nick would be rusting away his
life in the greenwood."
"And in some ways," mused Dorothy, looking dreamily at the model of
her small Kansas house, "in some ways that first adventure always will
seem best. Just imagine how surprised I was to blow all those miles
and find myself in a strange, wonderful country like Oz. The Munchkins
thought I was a sorceress because my house had killed the wicked witch
of the East. Then, the Good Witch of the North told me to put on her
silver shoes and go to the Emerald City to ask the great OZ to send
me home. And on the way I discovered you, and do you remember how
astonished I was when I lifted you down from your pole and found you
really were alive and could talk?"
The Scarecrow nodded cheerfully.
"And remember how we travelled on together till we found the Tin
Woodman?" went on Dorothy. "And Nick told us about the witch who had
enchanted his axe so that it chopped off a leg here, and an arm there,
and finally his head and body, too. And after each accident he'd go to
a tinsmith who made him new tin arms and legs and finally even a body
and a head. You didn't mind being Tin at all, did you, Nick? Except
that day you went out to chop wood and left your oil can at home. Then
that storm came up, your joints rusted and you couldn't move, and there
you had been--rusting and helpless for months!"
"But we hustled back to your hut, fetched the oil can and fixed you up
in fine shape, didn't we, old fellow?" The Scarecrow flung his flimsy
arm around Nick Chopper's shoulder and the Tin Woodman, at the mere
mention of rust, uncorked the emerald bottle and let three drops of oil
slide down his neck.
"I never shall forget your kindness," he told them earnestly, turning
his head first to look at Dorothy and then at the Scarecrow.
"And after that, you came along so the Wizard could give you a new
heart," Dorothy reminded him gaily. "And right afterwards, we met the
Cowardly Lion."
"And he was more afraid of us than we were of him," teased the
Scarecrow, leaning across the table to give the lion a poke.
"Yes, I was just a big coward in those days," admitted the lion,
blinking approvingly at the rare roast Fredjon had brought him instead
of the chicken he was serving the others. "Just a great, big coward! Ho
hum!"
"But not too cowardly to fight for us," said Dorothy, taking quick
little bites of her biscuit, "and to come with us to the Emerald City."
"Oh, that was because I wanted the Wizard to give me some courage,"
roared the lion. "And weren't we surprised when we did reach the
Emerald City to find it all built of green marble, studded with real
emeralds! And remember how the Guardian of the Gate gave us all green
specs, even me, and then led us up to the palace?"
"You looked awfully funny in those specs!" laughed Dorothy. "I'll never
forget how funny!"
"But remember, it was I who carried your messages to Oz," put in the
Soldier with Green Whiskers.
"Of course it was," said Dorothy nodding her head quickly. "You gave
us some splendid advice, Soldier, and Jellia showed us to the grandest
rooms in the castle and loaned me the loveliest dresses to wear."
"I liked you from the very first!" declared Jellia, choking a bit on
her seventh cooky.
"But Old Man Wizzy wouldn't give us a thing!" said the Scarecrow,
waving his napkin toward the head of the table. "He told us we'd have
to kill the Witch of the West before he'd send Dorothy home or grant
any of our requests."
"But, you see--I didn't know any real magic then." The Wizard looked
quite unhappy for he did not like to remember the time before he was a
real Wizard. "And besides, I needed more time."
"Ho ho! You were doing very well for yourself!" chuckled the Scarecrow,
"living in a splendid castle and having the whole country eating out
of your hand. As it happened, we did kill the witch of the West, or at
least Dorothy melted her with a bucket of water and the Winkies were
so tickled they gave us all presents and made Nick their Emperor. So
when we got back at last, you did give me some brand new brains, and
Nick a red plush heart--"
"And me some real red, true-blue courage," grinned the Cowardly Lion,
wiping his mouth delicately with the tip of his tail.
"And you made me Ruler of OZ! Ah!--My Majesty the Scarecrow, Hah--those
were the days!" The Scarecrow thumped his pudgy chest and fairly
glowed, at the memory.
"You would have taken me back to Kansas, too, only your balloon flew
away too fast, didn't it?" Dorothy leaned all the way across the table
to pat the Wizard's arm.
"But don't forget it was I, who told you to go to the palace of Glinda,
the Good Sorceress of the South," interrupted the Soldier with Green
Whiskers again.
"So we all went to Glinda's," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, half closing
his eyes. "And Glinda told Dorothy the Witch's silver shoes would carry
her home and--they did!" There was a little silence following the
lion's last sentence, as if all of Dorothy's friends were recalling
their sorrow at that first parting from their cheerful little comrade.
"But you soon came back," declared the Scarecrow, balancing a fork on
the edge of his tumbler. "And so did our little Wizard."
"Well, to tell the truth, Omaha seemed rather dull after the Emerald
City," admitted the Wizard, motioning for Fredjon to bring on the
dessert. This caused many admiring "Oh's" and "Ah's" when it arrived,
for it was ice cream moulded into small Tin Woodmen, Scarecrows, Lions
and all the other guests. Then, out of a huge, frosted cake the footman
set down before Dorothy, flew four little witches riding green broom
sticks, straight into the fire.
"I tell you it takes a real Wizard to perform a trick like that." Nick
Chopper wagged his head solemnly. "You certainly have made progress
since Ozma made you Chief Magician of the Realm."
"Well--" drawled the Wizard, pushing the pickle dish away from the
Soldier with Green Whiskers who already had eaten twenty-seven and
was looking rather dill. "Magic is like any other science--it takes
practice. Of course, if you are a born fairy like Ozma and the former
rulers of Oz, working spells and charms just comes natural--like
playing the piano by ear. But if you are not a Fairy, you must study
witchcraft and sorcery as I have done with Glinda the Good. It only
has been by continuous study and research that I have managed to
perfect myself in the arts of wizardry."
"Well, how is wizness lately?" inquired the Scarecrow, wrinkling his
cotton forehead at all the big words.
"Fine, just fine!" The Wizard assured him brightly. Marching over
to his desk, he returned with a long, tube-like object resembling a
seaman's spy glass. "This is one of my latest inventions," he confessed
modestly. "Here, take a look." Beaming with anticipation, he pressed
the spy glass into Dorothy's hands.