L. Frank Baum - Oz 40

by Merry Go Round In Oz

  Robin’s eyes gradually widened. He thrust his hand into his pocket, felt around a moment, then said uncertainly, “I do have a little ring. But it’s not gold, it’s only brass.”

  He extracted his hand from his pocket and held out the brass ring from the merry-go-round. The Prince leaped to his feet, seized it, looked inside, then threw up both arms and gave a shout

  of joy.

  At the same instant, there was a blinding flash, and a puff of opalescent smoke filled the throne room. As it drifted away, the startled company saw the loveliest little fairy princess in all Oz standing before them, smiling.

  “So-you have found the last Circlet, Prince Gules,” she said. “May I congratulate you?”

  Chapter 21

  Ozma!” chorused Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion. Both dashed forward to greet her, Dorothy with a hug and the Lion with a flurry of tail-lashing and lion-sized purrs. “Wherever did you come from?” Dorothy added in astonishment. “From the Emerald City, of course,” Ozma said with a mischievous laugh. “You didn’t think I could bear to miss all the excitement, did you? Oh, please, introduce me to your new friends.”

  King Herald and Queen Farthingale were already hurrying forward to welcome their distinguished guest, and for a few minutes even the Circlets were forgotten, while the Ruler of all Oz met everybody in the throne room, including Flitter.

  “And Fred! Where is Fred, and that delightful Unicorn?” Ozma demanded. “I haven’t seen her in ever so long!”

  “Do you know the Unicorn?” Dorothy exclaimed.

  “Well, I knew her a long time ago,” Ozma said calmly. “We were both with the Fairy Lurline then. I wonder if she’d remember me?”

  “I’ll go fetch her,” gasped Fess, closing his mouth, which had fallen open in astonishment at the idea that anyone as fresh and beautiful as Ozma could be even a day older than he was himself.

  Robin and Merry, standing unobtrusively in a corner, too shy and awed to move, could scarcely believe Ozma was real. Neither of them had ever seen a fairy before, much less a fairy princess wearing a crown carved of one great clear emerald, a gown that looked as if it were made of spun emeralds (which it was), and a curious broad belt flashing with jewels-a fairy princess with two scarlet poppies twined in her flowing, shining black hair to frame her vivid little face-with sparkling, great dark eyes, and a bewitching smile. She was simply overwhelming.

  “I don’t suppose she is real, really,” Robin whispered in a

  daze.

  And Merry, thinking of Real Horses and Real Other Creatures, and of what Robin had said about her being real too, but not a real horse-and then looking again at Ozma, who was perhaps real but not really real-shook her wooden mane and gave it up. “I just don’t understand about ‘real’,” she said simply.

  “I don’t understand how she knew where we were,” Robin said, “but I suppose fairies know everything.”

  Dorothy, who overheard him, turned with a laugh. “No, they don’t-but Ozma has some pretty good magic to help her. I’m pretty sure I know how she knew where we were-she looked in the Magic Picture.”

  “She did? What’s that?” Robin asked.

  “Well, it’s just an ordinary-looking little picture that hangs in her bedroom at the palace, but whenever you stand in front of it and make a wish to see somebody, or some special place, the Picture changes and shows it to you. It’s come in mighty handy lots of times.”

  “I should think it would have,” said Robin dazedly. “But then-that puff of smoke-did the Picture bring her here, too?”

  “No, the Magic Belt, probably-that belt she’s wearing. Don’t worry, we’ll get her to explain everything, after Fess comes

  back.”

  Fess brought Fred and the Unicorn right into the throne

  room. The Steed was so impressed and excited at being presented to the Ruler of all Oz that he scarcely knew what he was doing, and managed to knock over two footstools, and then stand for some moments with his tail in a bowl of flowers and one hoof solidly on Queen Farthingale’s train, until Fess moved him and released her. As for the Unicorn, she was as dainty and calm as ever, but her golden eyes shone with pleasure at seeing Ozma again.

  “I remember you perfectly, of course!” she said in her gentle voice. “You made the best daisy-chains of any fairy in Lurline’s band-and made them for me oftener, too. So kind! You don’t look a day older, my dear.”

  “Neither do you,” Ozma assured her.

  And then, because it was growing late and there was still much to be explained and settled, the little fairy seated herself in the worn but still splendid chair of the First King Herald of Halidom, which the present King Herald had hastily ordered dusted and brought down out of the castle attic for her. The others settled themselves around her, eager to hear why she had come and what she had to say.

  “Well,” said Ozma, smiling at Dorothy. “Late this afternoon I began to think that it was high time you and the Cowardly Lion were getting home for the party. Do you realize Easter is tomorrow?”

  “My goodness! Dorothy exclaimed. “Well, the truth is, we’ve been so busy hunting for the Circlets-”

  “Besides, we got lost,” the Cowardly Lion rumbled defensively.

  “I rather thought you might have.” Ozma gave him a mischievous glance. “I also suspected you might be having numerous adventures and quite a good time, so I just took a peep into my Magic Picture to see. And there you were, marching into Pax-on-Argent with my old friend the Unicorn and all sorts of other interesting-looking companions, with crowds cheering you and children throwing flowers! Well-I’d intended to transport you home when I found you, but I really couldn’t bear to spoil all that, so I just kept watching you instead-and I got the Wizard to bring his magic radio so that I could hear you, too.”

  Ever since, she went on to explain, she had been following events in Pax-on-Argent; she had seen the travelers’ joyful welcome at the castle, had heard the story of their adventures as they talked to King Herald and Queen Farthingale, and had listened not only to Sir Greves’s confession but also to the discussion about him later.

  “And then, when you found the last Circlet-in Robin’s pocket, of all places! -I simply couldn’t stay away any longer,” Ozma declared. “Besides,” she added with a warm smile at Prince Gules, “I decided it was time I took a hand. You’ve done enough -and done it bravely and well, without needing or wanting my help.” The Prince colored a bit at this, and started to say something, but Ozma shook her head. “No, I don’t blame you a bit.

  You had every right to go on your own Quest, and recover your own country’s treasure. But now you can relax.” “But the Roundheads-”

  “Leave them to me. I am Ruler of Oz, and they are my responsibility.”

  “All right,” Prince Gules said with relief. He added wryly, “I wish Sir Greves were your responsibility. I don’t know what to do with him. I’ll be glad to make you a present of him!”

  “I accept!” Ozma said promptly. She laughed at his expression, then confessed she was hoping he would say just that. “Because I know exactly what to do with him. I’ll send him to be king of Roundabout.”

  “What?” chorused everybody.

  With another laugh, Ozma explained. Listening through the magic radio to Sir Greves’s confession, she, like the others, had felt sorry for him, and realized he would be of even less use on the Sandbar Sinister than he had been in Halidom, as well as more unhappy.

  “So I began wondering where and how he could be useful. Then Robin said what he did about the Roundheads, and suddenly I knew. You were quite right about the Roundheads,” Ozma told Robin with a decisive little nod. “They need something new to sell. Well, I think they should sell Pi!”

  “Of course!” Robin shouted, forgetting his shyness in his enthusiasm. “Why, it’s just the thing! They can turn all those factories into bakeries, and they’ll never run out of customers

  for Pi, or have a hard time selling it!”

  “And Si
r Greves, who is a true chef at heart, and good at organizing, will be perfectly content and useful in Roundabout,” Ozma finished.

  The others were as delighted as Robin with the plan, which seemed to them all a perfect solution to both problems.

  “Why didn’t we think of it ourselves?” Prince Gules exclaimed.

  “You almost did,” Ozma admitted. “Just a few more minutes, and you would have, I’m quite sure of it. That’s why I hurried!” she added solemnly, causing the Cowardly Lion to chuckle.

  “So you could get your fingers in the Pi?” he rumbled.

  After the groans and giggles had subsided, Ozma said that she meant to transport Roundelay to the Emerald City the day after Easter, and scold him severely for the mischief he had caused, after which she thought he could be trusted to be a good Sphere-Seer and a real help to the new King Greves in organizing the baking industry. As for the National Magic Possession he wanted so badly, she would advise him to place the recipe for Pi in the Tower for the Machine to guard.

  “After all, a possession that can switch a whole nation from peddling to prosperity overnight is magic enough for anybody!” she declared.

  “That’s true,” Prince Gules observed thoughtfully. “Halidom’s Golden Circlets can’t do more than that.”

  “And what d’you know, Merry!” Robin said with a laugh. “That silly prophecy has been fulfilled!” The others had not heard Roundabout’s prophecy, so he repeated it for them.” ‘The ring will bring the king’-that’s Sir Greves, you see, not me at all; and the ‘ring’ isn’t my brass ring, but the stolen Circlet. ‘The king will bring the Thing’-that’s the new baking industry, not Merry! ‘Everything round, the treasure’s found…’” Robin paused and blinked. “Why, they were even saying that wrong -no wonder they didn’t understand it! It never did mean that everything was round! It means ‘everything will be found around the treasure’-and the treasure is that recipe! Don’t you bet that’s

  it?”

  It certainly did seem that every sign pointed toward Sir Greves as Roundabout’s rightful king. Prince Gules sent for the little knight at once, and told him the surprising fate in store for him. Sir Greves was overjoyed, immediately burst into fresh tears-of gratitude, this time-and sobbed earnestly that he would do anything, everything, anybody wished him to.

  “Then go at once to Sir Gauntlet and make peace forever between your two families,” Ozma said with some severity. “Feuds are stupid and silly, and this one should have ended long ago. In a few days, I will transport you to Roundabout-with all your skillets and spices-to take up your new life.”

  Weeping his joyful thanks, Sir Greves hurried away; at the same moment, Barry hurried in to inform Queen Farthingale that supper was almost ready. Beaming with satisfaction at the

  fine way everything was turning out, the Queen begged her visitors to stay and sample roast Halidom goose and flaunch-pasties, mulberry tartlet and Argent cream.

  Everyone accepted with pleasure, and while they waited for Barry to scurry back to the banquet hall and lay the extra places, King Herald cleared his throat, rose to his feet, and announced that he wished to perform two acts of great importance, and now was as good a time as any.

  “The first is to release young Fess here from his-er-page hood,” said the King. “He has proved himself over and over during this Quest, and taken mighty good care of Gulie, too. I’m supposed to promote you to be a squire next, Fess my boy, but the fact is, you’ve been Gulie’s squire all through this journey. whether anybody called you that or not. So I’m just going to free you from my service altogether, eh? Time you went home to your own country and became a Knight of Troth. Yes. Hrrrrmph! And before you go-here, just step a little closer,

  eh?”

  As Fess, coloring to the ears with pleasure and surprise, did so, King Herald drew his sword and dubbed him Sir Fess, Knight of Halidom, on the spot. Then, hospitably inviting him to come back often to Pax-on-Argent for a weekend or a joust, now that he knew the way, he kissed the new knight on both cheeks, slapped him on the back, and sat down, beaming. After the others had crowded around Fess to offer their own congratulations, the

  King arose and cleared his throat again.

  “The second thing I want to do,” he announced, “is abdicate, in favor of my son. You’ve proved yourself, too, Gulie. You’re ready to be king.” He thought deeply a moment, then added, “Matter of fact, you already are king, I think. I’ve scarcely done a lick of ruling all afternoon. Felt good, too. Relaxing, eh? Never was quite smart enough to be a king, anyway. Circlet gone, you know. Not too brainy even now that it’s back, come to think of it. Anyhow, I’m quite ready to hand my shoes over to you and let you step into my crown. Er-that is-yes. Well. So there you are, Gulie. Marry your pretty little Lady Annelet and get on with being Herald the 65th, eh? We’ll have the wedding and coronation tomorrow, but you can start being king right now, if you don’t mind.”

  “Whatever you say, Papa,” Prince Gules said, squaring his shoulders and trying-unsuccessfully restrain a flush of pride.

  “Speech! Speech!” roared the Cowardly Lion.

  “I have no speech to make, except to thank everybody who helped me in my Quest,” the Prince said, smiling. “You all deserve medals. But I think Flitter would rather have his silver collar-and the Unicorn a daisy chain. I’ll make one for her myself tomorrow. Fess has already been rewarded. As for Fred, he should be promoted, and my first act as king will be to see to that, right now. Let me borrow your sword a minute, Papa.”

  Striding over to the startled Steed, Prince Gules touched him three times on the shoulder with the flat of the sword. “I hereby

  dub you Charger,” he announced. Then he paused, gazed for a moment with silent affection and real gratitude into his old friend’s excited eyes, and said, “No, wait a minute-I’ve changed my mind.” Down came the sword again on the shiny black shoulder. “I bestow upon you the rank of Destrier!” cried the Prince in a ringing voice. ‘And the official name of Frederick

  the Great!”

  There was a gasp of delight from everyone in the room, followed by a rousing cheer, and Fess, almost overcome with the joy of Fred’s new grandeur on top of his own, flung his arms around the Destrier’s neck.

  Frederick the Great alone was speechless. For a moment Fess wondered if he were unconscious-possibly from the shock. He simply stood, staring with glazed eyes at the Prince, apparently not noticing that Fess was hanging on his neck.

  “Sheer merit, valor and character,” he whispered after a moment. “Sheer merit-valor-and character. A Destrier. Frederick the Great. Oh, if my grandfather could see me now!”

  “You deserve it, Fred, but you’d better say thank you, hadn’t you?” Fess murmured.

  “Thank you,” Fred said, swallowing. He seemed to come to himself, and slowly arched his neck. “Thank you,” he said in a voice that sounded hollow and impressive, like an echo. “Thank you, Your Highne-Your Majesty. I will endeavor to be worthy of my-your trust.”

  Head high, ears strained to needle points, tail flowing in an almost impossibly strenuous curve, he floated out of the room and back to the stables to his waiting oats, with his eyes fixed on glory and not one hoof touching the common ground.

  Then the Unicorn-who, being Unique, could be elevated no higher-bade Ozma and Dorothy a fond farewell, and retired to her garden, and the others went in to supper.

  It was not only the first real banquet Robin had ever attended in a real castle, it was also the jolliest party he had ever attended anywhere. It was, in fact, only the second party he had ever been invited to in all his life-the first having been a Christmas party long ago at the Cherryburg Community Center, where he had sat solemnly on a wooden chair listening to a lady in an extraordinary hat sing Christmas carols, then stood solemnly in a long line to receive one orange and one candy cane, and afterwards gone solemnly back to the orphanage in a bus. It wasn’t at all like this.

  “Oh, my!” he whispered to Merry, who stood
close beside his chair watching the fun, “don’t you wish we could always be with Dorothy and the Prince and the Cowardly Lion and Flitter and Fess and everybody? I hate to think it’s almost over.”

  “Is it almost over?” Merry asked wistfully.

  “Oh, yes. Ozma and Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion have to go home to the Emerald City, you know, and Fess has to go home to Troth, and the Halidom people are home, so we’ll have to leave, too.

  “But where’ll we go?” Merry said.

  “Well, I don’t know, but we can’t just stay around being extra. It’s not polite. Maybe Dorothy’ll remember to ask Princess Ozma to send us back to Oregon. That’s our home-I guess.”

  “I don’t have a home. All I ever had was a merry-go round.”

  Robin sighed, reflecting that he’d never had a home either, unless you counted the orphanage and places like the McGudgeys’ house, which he felt sure wasn’t the same thing at all. “Well, everybody can’t have one, Merry,” he explained. “Anyhow, Oregon’s where we live, so . . Oh, let’s think about it later! Look! They’re bringing another kind of cake!”

  It was Queen Farthingale’s famous rose-applesauce cake, and it was so good that everybody-except Merry-had two slices, with another glass of pear-and-teazle punch. But finally not even the Lion could hold another bite of anything, and since the moon was already halfway up the sky, Ozma rose at last and announced regretfully that she and Dorothy and the Lion must say goodbye, if they were to be in the Emerald City in time for the Easter Egg Hunt next day. At the mention of Easter, Dorothy remembered him. the Bunny’s present, and ran to fetch the Great Egg. Ozma was delighted with it, and assured the Prince that the Wizard could easily repair the damage to the sugar flowers, and replace the Circlet with an ordinary gold band.