The Giant Horse Of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

  "I've heard that the Emerald City is but a day's journey from Mombi's hut," he called over his shoulder, "and with this thinking cap to guide us we'll be there for dinner. Then Ozma can magically transport us to the Ozure Isles and save your father's Kingdom. I trust the Wizard of Oz will give me an audience," he added hopefully. "I'd like to show him my medicine chest and tell him my story."

  "But I wonder what did become of Tattypoo?" mused Philador, stopping to admire some especially lovely pansies. "Do you suppose we shall ever find out?"

  "Of course! Of course! With Ozma's famous picture and the Wizard's magic we shall discover everything." Waving his arms happily, Herby quickened his steps. As for Philador, the more he thought about the capital of Oz, the more impatient he became to reach his journey's end. Herby had taken off the thinking cap, and was marching along briskly, the boxes and bottles in his medicine chest rattling and tinkling and his wispy white hair snapping in the morning breeze. The trees were farther apart now, and presently they stepped out of the forest altogether. But only to find themselves on the brink of a rushing torrent.

  "Now what?" muttered the medicine man gloomily, and while Philador gazed anxiously up and down the bank, he hurriedly opened the chest.

  "What are you doing?" asked the boy curiously, as Herby poured several pills from a small bottle into his palm.

  "Keeping myself from getting cross," puffed the medicine man, quickly swallowing the pills. "Have some?"

  "But we want to get cross this river!" chuckled the little Prince laughing in spite of himself.

  "Well, I don't see how we are to do it, Phil." Mournfully the little man returned the pill bottle to his chest and slammed the doors."That's what was making me cross, and I never allow myself to feel cross," he finished placidly.

  "Surely there is some way over." Sitting down on a log, Philador stared thoughtfully at the ground. Both had forgotten the thinking cap which would doubtless have solved the problem in a second. As it was, they wasted nearly ten minutes wondering what to do and would probably have been sitting there yet, had not a sudden rattle from the witch's basket attracted their attention. Peeping in to see whether a squirrel had gotten into the sandwiches, Phil was surprised to see the jumping rope knocking its handles sharply together.

  "Hurrah!" shouted the medicine man. "Tattypoo is helping us. Take the rope Phil, and see what happens." Rather uncertainly Philador picked up the rope. Nothing happened at first, then Phil began to revolve it as he had seen the little girls on the Ozure Isles do. At the second skip he flew lightly over the raging river. Herby shouted and waved from the other side so he gaily skipped back.

  "It's a good thing I took those pills," cried Herby, shaking his finger at Phil, "otherwise I should have been very cross when you skipped across the river and left me." At Philador's suggestion they each took an end of the rope, then both skipping together jumped the river at one bound.

  "I'm glad we brought this, aren't you?" Beaming with satisfaction and pleasure, Philador rolled up the marvelous jumping rope and put it back in the basket. The medicine man, again bethinking himself of the witch's cap and to be sure they were still going in the right direction, put it gravely on his head.

  "The way lies over those mountains," he observed after a short pause. A quick walk through some fields brought them to the foot of the first mountain and, undaunted by its height and cragginess, they began to ascend, pulling themselves upward with the help of small saplings and bushes. The mountain side was covered with heather so that it was as purple as the witch's forest. Half way up, there was a small plateau and, weary from their stiff climb, the two adventurers stopped to rest.

  "Whew!" puffed the little Prince, taking off his crown and looking ruefully at a long rent in his blue cloak. "I hope there are not many more mountains like this one!"

  "There aren't!" The answer was so loud and emphatic Philador jumped nearly a foot, and Herby, after one astonished glance at the speaker, threw open his chest and began rummaging wildly among its contents.

  "What's he doing?" asked the stranger, as Herby clapped a dozen lozenges into his mouth.

  "Taking his medicine. It's just a habit he has," answered the little Prince, eyeing the newcomer apologetically.

  "I was taking a laugh lozenge, if you must know," announced the medicine man, slamming his chest.

  "A laugh lozenge!" roared the huge mountaineer, leaning over to get a better look at the little man. "Why, what for?"

  "To keep from laughing at you," explained Herby calmly.

  "Give me one! Give me two, give me a dozen before I die!" Rocking backward and forward, the great stranger howled so long and so heartily that Philador began to pound him on the back, but Herby, waiting his chance, popped six lozenges into his mouth. Instantly he stopped laughing. "That's funny!" he mused uneasily. "I still feel like laughing at you, but I can't."

  "Same here!" Slapping his medicine chest, Herby strutted up and down. "You've heard of cough drops to keep one from coughing. Well laugh lozenges keep you from laughing at the wrong time. Have another?" he invited generously.

  "No thanks!" The big man shook his head in a puzzled manner and turned to the little Prince.

  "How do you happen to be climbing my mountain?" he inquired politely.

  "Because it wouldn't climb itself," answered Philador boldly. His answer tickled the mountaineer so tremendously he burst into a loud roar.

  "Ho! Ho! So it can't!" he shouted, "and you've saved my laugh, boy! I was afraid I was cured for life."

  "Those laugh lozenges will only keep you from laughing at me," explained Herby hastily.

  "Oh!" wheezed the stranger with a relieved chuckle, "that's all right then. I can stand not laughing at you, but I must laugh with you. It's the only thing I really do well," and to prove it he began to laugh so merrily that Philador and Herby could not help from joining in. Every time Philador tried to stop, another look at the mountaineer would set him off again. To begin with the fellow was six feet tall and dressed in purple kilts like a Highlander. Then, his toes curled up almost to his knees, his nose curled up, so did his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth, while his hair grew straight on end and waved to and fro. Indeed, a more comical and curious countenance the little Prince had never gazed upon in his life.

  "Explain yourselves!" choked the mountaineer at last. "I'm on a vacation but what are you on?"

  "Vacation!" exclaimed Philador wiping his eyes and taking a long look at a huge ax the mountaineer carried over one shoulder, for he had quite evidently been chopping wood, you're joking!"

  "Joe King! Why, of course I'm Joe King, but how did you guess?" Regarding the little boy with twinkling eyes he continued, "I'm joking all the time. That's my name you see and that~" he waved up toward the mountain top, "that is my Kingdom. I am King of the Uplanders, but I was tired of kinging it so came down here to work and have a little fun."

  "Do you think work is fun?" asked Herby seriously.

  "Well, it is for a king," admitted the mountain monarch frankly. "Takes the kinks out of kinging. You look like a royal person your own self," he observed, eyeing Philador with sudden attention. "I see you are wearing a crown.

  "He's a Prince," confided Herby mysteriously, "and unless we reach the Emerald City tonight, his kingdom will be utterly destroyed by a monster."

  "Then he can have half of mine," offered Joe King promptly. Philador could not help smiling at this generous offer.

  "If you would just show us the quickest way over the mountains," he began eagerly, "it would help us a lot. You see, my father is back on the Ozure Isles, and he is more important than I am. Then there's my mother!"

  "Tell me all," commanded Joe, sitting down on a tree stump and drawing Phil to his side. So Philador related the whole of his strange story and even told how the medicine man had been released from Mombi's enchantment. When he had finished the King slapped his thigh and sprang briskly to his feet.

  "I'll help you!" he declared promptly, and began ho-ing and hah
-ing so sonorously that Phil-ador had to put both hands to his ears and Herby dodged behind a tree to keep out of the draught.

  "Ho! Ho! Where are you? Hi! Hi! Come back here you rascal. High Boy! Ho! Boy, I say High Boy!"

  "Whom are you calling?" faltered the little Prince, removing one hand from his ear.

  "My horse," panted the King, beginning to stamp, whistle and clap his hands. And presently there was a clash, clatter and scrape, and down the mountain slid the strangest steed Phil or the Medicine Man had ever beheld. It was, to be perfectly frank with you, a Giant Horse. And as you have doubtless never seen a giant horse I'd better describe him at once. He was, to begin with, twice as large as an ordinary horse and of a shiny purple. His eyes were red and roguish, his mane white and flowing, while his tail was an umbrella. Yes, it really was. But it was his legs that were most remarkable. High Boy had telescope legs, capable of stretching up or down. When he slid into view, the front two were short and the hind two were long, so that he had the appearance of a kangaroo. A thistle bush hung loosely from the corner of his mouth, and he seemed quite annoyed at being disturbed.

  "What's up?" he snorted, rolling his eyes from one to another. As they finally rested on the Medicine Man, he began to chew up the thistle bush with great rapidity. Then, throwing back his head, he began to laugh as only a high horse can.

  "Better give him a laugh lozenge," muttered His Majesty, winking at Philador, and Herby, who really did not like being laughed at, tip-toed forward and slipped several lozenges down High Boy's throat.

  "I cannot help looking funny," he explained with great dignity. "I'm made from a funny mixture!"

  "Haw! Haw!" sniffed the Giant Horse, opening one eye. "I should say you are! That open front chest! That cap! He! He! You're enough to make a horse laugh and a stone lion roar! Ho! Ho! Hah! Hah!"

  "There, there!" cautioned the King. "We all have our peculiarities. Herby's a medicine man and just full of harmless remedies. There, there now, that will do!"

  "It will have to do," coughed the Giant Horse "I can't hah another hah!"

  Herby and Phil exchanged a satisfied little nod at this, and the King, taking High Boy by the forelock, introduced him to the travelers.

  "High Boy, this is the Prince of the Ozure Isles! Prince, my horse!" The Giant Horse pulled himself up and politely thrust out his hoof, which Philador shook with some nervousness. Next Herby was presented and hastily munched a laugh lozenge, so he could keep a straight face during the proceedings.

  "High Boy will carry you quickly to the capital, won't you, old fellow?"

  High Boy nodded his head merrily and after several prances came over and stood beside the King. His legs were now all of the same length, and as Philador wondered how they should ever mount upon his back there came a series of clicks. The horse's legs grew shorter and shorter, till its body almost touched the ground.

  "Hop on," directed Joe and, seizing his lunch basket, Philador hastened to obey. Herby, holding his chest with both hands, climbed up after him and the King mounting last of all gave the signal to start. Then up went High Boy's legs to an unbelievable height, up snapped his umbrella tail shading the travelers most comfortably and next instant they were galloping over the purple mountain as fast as the West Wind and the South Wind, too.

  And riding a high horse has its advantages, let me tell you. When climbing a mountain it keeps its front legs short and its back legs long, so that its body is always on a level. This was quite fortunate, for Herby and Philador had trouble enough keeping their seats and the little Medicine Man was so jostled and bounced about he did nothing but groan.

  "My bottles will be smashed to bits," he chattered anxiously. "Do you hear them knocking about?" Philador certainly did, but was so excited and interested in this strange steed and his merry master he could not be properly sympathetic.

  "Look!" he cried breathlessly, "We're almost to the top and there's a purple city and a castle high up in the clouds."

  "That's Up Town!" cried Joe King, pridefully. "And a tip top place to be, isn't it, Highty, old boy?"

  "Take the high way up and the low way down, And when you are there, you may have the town!" he roared lustily.

  "And here we are on my mountain top! Where we have high times. Whoa! High Boy. Stop!"

  The Giant Horse, with a joyous neigh, did stop, for they were right at the city gates. No one came to admit them so High Boy raised himself up and looked over the wall.

  "Open in the name of the law!" he snorted impatiently. "The King and two strangers are without!"

  CHAPTER 10

  High Times Up Town

  AT HIGH BOY'S loud call, two Uplander Guards in purple kilts came running to open the gates. They were as tall and comical as their King and bowed deeply as they swung back the golden bars. High Boy was in such haste to enter he did not lower himself sufficiently, and the King's head was knocked severely on the top of the arch.

  "Look what you're doing!" spluttered his Majesty, returning the salute of the guards and waving for two small pages to approach.

  "Pray announce us to the Queen," he commanded grandly. "Here are the right brave and puissant Prince of the Ozure Isles and his friend and companion, the Medicine Man of Oz!"

  The pages immediately raised their golden trumpets and blew three shrill blasts, and while Philador secretly wondered what puissant might mean, called loudly: "His High and Mighty Majesty, the King! His Brave and Puissant Highness the Prince of the Ozure Isles and the Medicine Man of Oz!"

  "How about me?" whinnied High Boy, shaking his mane and prancing along so skittishly that Herby threw his arms 'round Philador to keep from falling off.

  "And the High Horse!" shouted the pages joyously, at which the irrepressible beast rose on his hind legs and bowed to the left and right. The Uplanders, who had run to doors and windows at the pages' loud cries, clapped and cheered, first for the King, next for the visitors and lastly for High Boy himself, till the noise and confusion was simply tremendous. Whenever High Boy saw one of his friends leaning from an upper window, he'd stretch up his telescope legs.

  "Hello Mary!" he would snort, nudging the little girl or whoever it chanced to be with his soft nose. "Hello Jim!" Then down he would drop to greet an old gentleman in a basement doorway, so that his three riders had an exceedingly up and down time of it.

  But even so Philador managed to see a lot of Up Town. The streets of this strange mountain city were narrow and steep, the houses tall and towered. There were glimpses of gardens at the back, gardens sweet with hyacinth and lilac, and in the open spaces between, grew the tallest grass Philador had ever imagined. A purple haze hung in the air and the castle, rising majestically from the top of the town, seemed to rest on an airy embankment of clouds. In almost no time, they were in the courtyard of the castle itself, the pages tooting away for dear life. A dozen of the King's retainers rushed out and Philador, gazing upward, saw a lovely lady in a lavender lace dress leaning over the balcony. She wore an amethyst crown and he guessed at once that she must be the Queen.

  "Hi! Hi! Hyacinth!" Lengthening his legs till his body was on a level with the balcony, High Boy rested his head affectionately on the Queen's shoulder. "Did you miss me?" he whinnied hoarsely.

  "Of course! Of course!" smiled Her Highness, nodding pleasantly to Herby and Phil.

  The King, with a great grunt, had immediately flung himself off High Boy's back, and the little Prince and Medicine Man made haste to follow him. On closer inspection Philador found Queen Hyacinth even lovelier than she had seemed from the courtyard. Although her nose and mouth tipped upward like the King's, she was so gay and pretty that the little prince almost wished she were his own Lady mother and did not mind at all when she kissed him on both cheeks. Herby blushed with pleasure as the Queen shook his hand and held himself stiffly to keep his pills from rattling.

  While two Uplander Footmen drew out high chairs for the visitors and fetched tall glasses of grape juice, Joe King told Her Majesty the strange story
of their adventures. When Hyacinth heard how Mombi had long ago stolen Philador's mother, she kissed him again, then hurrying into the castle ordered the royal cook to prepare a tremendous feast for the travelers. High Boy, resting his chin on the balcony rail, had listened with close attention to the whole recital. Now with a tremulous sigh he began to lower himself into the courtyard.