The Red Jinn

by Palmer, Mildred L. rtf

  “All right,” she called. “Maybe we can’t get away, but before you get us, I’m going to burn everything; I can find and I’m starting right now on these curtains!”

  “Start on the door,” advised the Lion. “It’s wood.”

  “No! No!” wailed the Low King. “We’ll let you go; don’t burn our castle.”

  “Do you mean to say that you call this little hole in the ground a castle?” sneered the Lion. “Let us out and be quick about it. We’re not used to living in such squalor.”

  “If you’ll just put out the light,” begged the King.

  “Put out the light…!” roared the Lion indignantly, “What do you take us for?”

  “We lowers can’t stand light,” So Low faltered. “It destroys us. I give you my word nothing will happen to you. You can’t get out until the door is opened, and we can’t open it until you pint out the light.“ Dorothy realized the truth of this statement, and agreed. “Wait ‘til we go back to the door,” she called. “I’ll put out the light, and you send someone in. Remember, I’ll be holding a match, and at the first sign of treachery, I’ll light it.”

  They returned to the door, and Dorothy blew out the torch. Soon they saw a pair of eyes moving toward them. “Is that you, Be Low?” asked Dorothy.

  “No, I’m Hel Low.” The lower floated past them. “Come; the door is open. I will take you to the end of Low.“ Through the dark tunnel they followed the strange creature. Hel Low did not speak, seeming to be very frightened. Finally he stopped. “This is the end of Low,” he said. “Goodbye, Uppers.”

  “Goodbye, Hel Low,” they responded. Dorothy gave the Lower time to get away before re-lighting her torch, and they continued their journey.

  After a long time the little girl stopped. “I can’t go any farther,“ she confessed. “Let’s eat and get some sleep.“ The Lion shook his head. “There is no water,” he objected. “Let’s keep going until we come to a spring. You can ride on my back.“ Dorothy sighed wearily as she obeyed. The excitement of the past few hours had left her very tired. “It won’t be much farther,” the Lion encouraged her. “There has been a spring every mile or so as far as we’ve come. We should come to the next one soon.”

  As the Lion proceeded, Dorothy’s head began to nod. Presently she fell into a deep slumber and did not awaken until the great beast stopped. She sat up drowsily.

  “Did you find a spring?”

  “No,” answered the Lion. “I must have walked five miles since you went to sleep, and I haven’t seen a sign of water.”

  “That’s queer,” remarked Dorothy, as she slid from his back. “And do you notice how hot and close it is down here?”

  “It’s been getting hotter the last mile or so,” answered the Lion. He seemed about to say more, but turned his head away. After a moment he spoke. ” We might as well have our supper now, and spend the night here.” Dorothy regarded him for a moment, puzzled; then she realized what was troubling him. She smiled fondly, and gently tweaked his ear.

  “You don’t have to be afraid to tell me; we’re under the Desert now, and we won’t find any water ‘til we get to the other side. Isn’t that right?“ The Lion looked relieved. “That’s right,” he admitted. “We’ll have to get along without it until we’ve passed the Desert.”

  “Well, we can’t die,” remarked Dorothy. “No one in Oz ever does. We’ll probably get pretty thirsty, but I guess we can stand it.” Cheerfully she opened the basket of lunch.

  They ate sparingly of the little that remained. Then the Lion stretched out on the rocky floor. Dorothy lay down beside him and pillowed her head on his great shaggy side.

  How long they slept, Dorothy had no way of knowing, but they awoke feeling much refreshed and ready to proceed. The Lion refused to eat, insisting that he could get along without food better than she. Dorothy ate a sandwich, and they started off.

  “It’s getting much hotter,” remarked Dorothy presently. “I didn’t think it would be this hot, even under the Desert.”

  “Listen!” said the Lion suddenly. Dorothy listened, but could hear nothing at first.

  Then, very faintly, she detected a rushing noise which gradually grew louder at every step.

  “It sounds like a waterfall!” she exclaimed.

  “I hope so,” panted the Lion. “I’m so thirsty, I could drink it dry.“ The tunnel twisted and turned. Full of hope, they hurried toward the ever-increasing sound. Suddenly rounding a sharp bend, they saw the cause of the noise. A great firefall, coming from high above their heads, and flowing across the tunnel, shut off all possible means of continuing.

  The Cowardly Lion sat down, breathing hard. “Well, that fixes us,” he commented. Dorothy slid from his back and approached the flaming torrent. The Lion came up behind her. “Do you see any way to cross?” he asked.

  Dorothy shook her head. “You couldn’t jump it, could you?“ The Lion measured the distance with his eyes. “Not without wings,” he grunted.

  “It must be thirty feet across.“ Dorothy sat down beside him. “There must be some way,” she insisted. “Do you suppose we could dig through the wall behind the firefall?”

  As the Lion considered this possibility, his gaze was caught by a gleam of light coming from the tunnel on the other side of the fiery river. “I didn’t notice that before, did you?” he asked.

  “Maybe it’s another firefall,” returned Dorothy. “Funny, it seems to be getting brighter.” Then she jumped to her feet with a gasp of fear.

  Around the curve came the head of an enormous serpent. Fully six feet across, the head and what they could see of its immense body shone with a pearly radiance, “as if it had swallowed a light bulb,” Dorothy said later.

  The Cowardly Lion, trembling in every limb, stepped in front of the little girl, although he knew he could so little to protect her from such a fearsome creature.

  “Maybe it can’t get across the fire,” Dorothy whispered hopefully. Hardly had she spoken, though, when the serpent reached the shores of the fire river and plunged unconcernedly in, splashing waves of fire in all directions. Drawing great loops of its body into the river, it splashed and wallowed with every evidence of enjoyment.

  Dorothy noticed that a great portion of its body still stretched down the tunnel.

  Indeed, its tail was still out of sight around the curve.

  The Lion nudged her. “Let’s get out of here,” he whispered huskily. Step-by-step they began to retreat down the tunnel from which they had come.

  “If only we can get around the corner, we’ll be safe,” breathed Dorothy.

  CHAPTER VII

  GLIM, THE GLOW WORM

  They had almost reached the curve in the tunnel when the monster lifted its head and saw them. With a lunge, it uncurled; the immense head shot out of the fire and moved deliberately down the tunnel toward them. Nearer and nearer it came as they stood frozen with terror.

  Directly before them it stopped and regarded them mildly. “As I live and glow,” it remarked, “…a mortal girl. A girl and an animal. Who are you, and what are you doing here?“ Too frightened to answer, Dorothy began to cry.

  “Don’t do that,” begged the serpent in great distress. Dorothy only cried harder. “I won’t hurt you,” pleaded the monster. “Please stop—you’re getting all wet.

  “If you stop, I’ll let you swim in my pool,” it offered, with a burst of sudden generosity.

  Dorothy stopped crying and looked up. It did seem friendly. “Where is your pool?” she asked, her thirst overcoming her fear.

  “Yes, where is it?” roared the Lion. “Lead us to it. I’d almost be willing to let you eat me if I could just have a drink first.”

  “Eat you…?” The monster seemed shocked. “Why should I eat you? You don’t look as if you’d taste very good,” it murmured, turning away.

  “Now you’ve hurt its feelings,” scolded Dorothy. “Don’t go— he was only joking. Please don’t be angry,” she called.

  The serpent turned b
ack. “Well, all right. If you say so,” it muttered sulkily. “But I’ve never been so insulted in all my life.”

  “I’m sorry,” answered the Lion contritely. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings— but where is your pool?”

  “Right here,” chortled the serpent. “Come on in and have a swim.”

  “Do you mean this river of fire?” exclaimed Dorothy.

  “Of course,” returned the creature. “It’s really lovely, and just as warm as toast. Come on, it’s not deep.”

  “Warm as toast is right,” chuckled the Lion. “We can’t go in there, Mr. Serpent. We’d be burned to a crisp.”

  “Oh, really?” murmured the monster. “I had no idea. But I’m not a serpent; I’m a Glow Worm. My name is Glimmer Glimmer, but you may call me Glim,” it added bashfully. Dorothy introduced herself and the Cowardly Lion. Glim was very much interested, as he had often heard of them from his friends, the Rock Fairies.

  Then the Lion, in a sudden burst of confidence, told him of the fate of Ozma, Glinda, and the Wizard. The Glow Worm was horrified. “We had hoped to cross the Desert in this tunnel, and ask the Red Jinn for help,” explained Dorothy. “But we can’t get across this fire river, so I suppose we’ll have to go back.

  “I’ll take you across,” offered Glim. “Jump on my head, and we’ll go right now.”

  “Make it fast,” cautioned the Lion. “We can’t stand fire, as you do.“ They climbed upon the creature’s head, and held on. He plunged into the fire and out again so quickly that they scarcely felt the heat.

  “Don’t get off,” suggested Glim, as they came to the far shore. “I’ll go with you part of the way. There’s another branch of the river farther up; you’ll need me to take you across.” They agreed, and thanked their new friend.

  Then, as they rode along, Dorothy had an opportunity to examine her strange steed. Glim was pure white, with scales like pearls; he glowed with a light that seemed to come from within him. His eyes were blue, she discovered by bending over to see, and altogether he was very beautiful. The rest of his body still stretched out ahead of them on the other side of the tunnel.

  “We’re almost up to my tail,” confided Glim presently. “I think you’ll like it; it’s quite pretty. I go back sometimes just to admire it.”

  “How long, are you?” asked Dorothy curiously.

  “I think I’m almost a mile long,” answered Glim. “I’m not really certain, as I have no way of measuring. I often wish I knew.”

  “When we get Ozma back, you can come to the Emerald City, and I’ll measure you,” offered Dorothy.

  “Would you really?“ Dorothy promised, and Glim gave a snort of delight.

  “Can you get out of the tunnel and up to the surface when you want to?” asked the Lion.

  “Oh, yes,” answered the Glow Worm. “There are many passages leading to the surface. I don’t go up very often any more because everyone I meet seems to be afraid of me, but if you really want me to come, I’ll be glad to.“ Dorothy assured him that she did. “I wonder what made all the other passages,“ she remarked presently.

  “The Gnomes dug the main tunnel,” explained Glim. “Then, after their attempt to conquer Oz failed and the tunnel was abandoned, many creatures moved in. You know, of course, that there are as many creatures living under the Earth as upon its surface. Many of these made their homes in the tunnel; and when I came, it was already crowded. Since then the tunnel has been greatly enlarged, and the side passages made for the benefit of those who wish to spend some of their time on the Earth’s surface.”

  “We haven’t seen anyone except you and the Lowers,” put in the Lion.

  “The Lowers!” snorted Glim disgustedly. “We don’t associ- ate with them. We make them stay in their own little kingdom. No one ever goes to Low. We built another road around it. You should have gone that way instead of passing through Low.”

  “I wish we had,” sighed Dorothy. “But we’were afraid to leave the main tunnel for fear of getting lost.”

  “Where are the rest of the tunnelers?” asked the Lion with great interest.

  “Tunnelers?” echoed Glim. “Oh, you mean the Underlings. Why, as I was about to explain, the tunnel was overcrowded, and each Underling excavated his own home, connected to the tunnel by a shaft. The tunnel itself is used only for traveling purposes now. I myself was fortunate enough to find a cavern not far from here. The fire river flows right through it, and keeps it warm and comfortable.”

  “Do—do all the Underlings like fire, as you do?” asked the Lion apprehensively.

  “Oh, no. Many of them can’t endure heat, and live in caverns far below carved in solid ice. It’s very uncomfortable down there. Then again, some live in water.”

  “Water!” choked Dorothy, remembering how thirsty she was.

  “Isn’t it ridiculous?” asked Glim. “There are some not far from here, down the next passage.”

  “Very ridiculous,” agreed the Lion huskily. “Will you take us to see them?”

  “Please do,” begged Dorothy. “I am so thirsty.”

  “Thirsty? What does that mean?”

  “It means we want a drink of water right now,” explained the Lion.

  “Water?” gasped the Glow Worm. “Surely you don’t drink water. It’s so cold and wet.” But after being assured that they did, he turned at the next passage which led down to an underground lake. He watched nervously while Dorothy drank her fill. Then he turned to the Lion, who with closed eyes, was still ecstatically lapping at the water.

  “Don’t you think that’s enough?” he asked anxiously. “I’m sure it’s not good for you to get so damp inside.”

  “It’s good for me!” gurgled the Lion, strangling with the effort of talking through a mouthful of water. But at last, to the Glow Worm’s great relief, the Lion lifted his head and turned from the water.

  “I feel better now,” he sighed. “What sort of creatures live here?”

  “The Delvers,” answered Glim, still eyeing him apprehensively. “Would you like to see them?” At Dorothy’s eager assent, he raised his head and gave a shrill whistle.

  From across the lake came an answering whistle and a series of splashes. Soon they could see gleaming figures approaching through the water.

  “They shine too!” exclaimed Dorothy.

  “Oh, yes,” nodded Glim. “All Underlings carry their own light with them.“ By now the Delvers had reached the shore and were climbing out of the water.

  They were rather small and had shining, golden fur. Their tails were broad, flat and hairless. One wore a crown upon his head. Dorothy Judged that he must be the King. The little creatures seemed to have no fear of them and clustered boldly around. Glim introduced his friends to the King, who welcomed them pleasantly.

  “You look rather like beavers,” commented the Lion.

  The King chuckled. “We are a branch of the beaver family,” he explained. “When we lived above the ground, we were called beavers.”

  “Why don’t you live above the ground now?” asked Dorothy.

  “It was too dangerous,” answered the King. “We do not like the sunlight, so we used to work at night. Our bright coats made it easy for other creatures to find us, so we were never safe from hungry animals. One day Glim told us of this underground tunnel and lake, and offered to take us to it. When we saw it, we decided to make our homes here. It is very pleasant, isn’t it?”

  Dorothy looked around the gloomy cavern with a slight shudder. It was not at all her idea of a pleasant place to live. She did not wish to offend the Delver King, however, so she agreed politely.

  “It’s too dark for me,” rumbled the Lion frankly.

  The Delver was not disturbed; he smoothed his coat complacently.

  “Our fur gives us our light,” he returned.

  There came a sudden flash of light from above, and something that seemed light a blazing comet shot closely past Dorothy’s nose. She gasped and jumped back. Glim laughed. “Some more of the inha
bitants of the cavern,” he explained.

  Dorothy looked up; she saw many more of the bright creatures flying over her head. One swooped down and alighted upon Glim’s head.

  “Hello, Blazer, how are you?” asked the Glow Worm affably.

  Blazer twittered a reply which Dorothy could not understand. He was a bat, and was very tiny, with flame-colored fur. With his wings folded, he looked like a large mouse. He regarded them with curiosity for a moment, then darted away.