Tik-Tok of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

  CHAPTER 12

  The Lovely Lady of Light

  The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and was amass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When theyentered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens, evidently ofhigh degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a wand inher hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their costumes were alsoemblematic of the lights they represented. Erma introduced them to herguests and each made a graceful and courteous acknowledgment.

  First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the secondwas Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next cameStarlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. Thesethree were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white. The fourthwas Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners,who wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecyflame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a veryattractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful ofall, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylightregarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her.

  But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemedto regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they flutteredaround her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regaldrawing-room.

  This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery being ofmany tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves uponthe downy divans after their strenuous adventures of the day.

  The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight wasthe only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired to anotherpart of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms and did notintrude themselves at all.

  The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which isone of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs ofmankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry,they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in thecountry who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, aPrivate Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the nameof Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that he hadno heart. But instead of this he possessed a high degree of Reason andJustice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never punishedunjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terribleas he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing tofear from him.

  All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to Jinjin, foras they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey the onein authority over them.

  The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this fearfullyjust Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the faults committed.Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the first time she hadever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story was all new, and shewas greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer feared.

  Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed thatMoonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight.

  "But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's headembroidered on your gowns?"

  Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:

  "The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever made;therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. By goodfortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this landand supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. He is old asthe world and remembers everything that has happened since the world wascreated."

  "Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.

  "Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, notunderstanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in thiscountry. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom wehave great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the emblemof the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who alonehave the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost equalthe Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it."

  "I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her lovelyhead. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present interestedin observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way to Moonlight,so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, and with hercoming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the room. Polychrome,being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about the various Kingsand Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded place, and before Ermahad finished answering them a rosy glow filled the room and Firelighttook her place beside the Queen.

  Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing featuresmade the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. ThereuponErma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own.

  "Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is spread."

  "That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, I'mawful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food."

  The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside a heavydrapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before her asplendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen and crystaland silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma and besideher now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was placed on theQueen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers oflight now waited upon them, and each person was supplied with just thefood she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh andsparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served that she decided she hadnever in her life eaten a dinner half so good.

  "I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest ofall these girls."

  "Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.

  "'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edisondiscover it?"

  "Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. "Butelectricity was a part of the world from its creation, and therefore myElectra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally beneficent tomortals and fairies alike."

  Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at thesix messengers of light:

  "We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"

  Erma laughed softly. "_I_ couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I thinkmortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot takethe place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlightis of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires torest. If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim, andmy sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for theskies always lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss much ofour warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of housesencompass us. But always, when other lights forsake us, our gloriousElectra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I loveall my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true."

  "I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm _real_sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."

  "Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended.

  "A little," admitted the girl.

  So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, whitebed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a shimmerysilken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the light-maid bade hergood night and opened the door.

  When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six winks thelittle girl was fast asleep.