The Road to Oz

by L. Frank Baum

  The Birthday Celebration

  A clear, perfect day, with a gentle breeze and a sunny sky, greetedPrincess Ozma as she wakened next morning, the anniversary of her birth.While it was yet early all the city was astir and crowds of people camefrom all parts of the Land of Oz to witness the festivities in honor oftheir girl Ruler's birthday.

  The noted visitors from foreign countries, who had all been transportedto the Emerald City by means of the Magic Belt, were as much a show tothe Ozites as were their own familiar celebrities, and the streetsleading from the royal palace to the jeweled gates were thronged withmen, women, and children to see the procession as it passed out to thegreen fields where the ceremonies were to take place.

  And what a great procession it was!

  First came a thousand young girls--the prettiest in the land--dressed inwhite muslin, with green sashes and hair ribbons, bearing great basketsof red roses. As they walked they scattered these flowers upon themarble pavements, so that the way was carpeted thick with roses for theprocession to walk upon.

  Then came the Rulers of the four Kingdoms of Oz; the Emperor of theWinkies, the Monarch of the Munchkins, the King of the Quadlings and theSovereign of the Gillikins, each wearing a long chain of emeralds aroundhis neck to show that he was a vassal of the Ruler of the Emerald City.

  Next marched the Emerald City Cornet Band, clothed in green-and-golduniforms and playing the "Ozma Two-Step." The Royal Army of Oz followed,consisting of twenty-seven officers, from the Captain-General down tothe Lieutenants. There were no privates in Ozma's Army because soldierswere not needed to fight battles, but only to look important, and anofficer always looks more imposing than a private.

  While the people cheered and waved their hats and handkerchiefs, therecame walking the Royal Princess Ozma, looking so pretty and sweet thatit is no wonder her people love her so dearly. She had decided shewould not ride in her chariot that day, as she preferred to walk in theprocession with her favored subjects and her guests. Just in front ofher trotted the living Blue Bear Rug owned by old Dyna, which wobbledclumsily on its four feet because there was nothing but the skin tosupport them, with a stuffed head at one end and a stubby tail at theother. But whenever Ozma paused in her walk the Bear Rug would flop downflat upon the ground for the princess to stand upon until she resumedher progress.

  Following the Princess stalked her two enormous beasts, the CowardlyLion and the Hungry Tiger, and even if the Army had not been there thesetwo would have been powerful enough to guard their mistress from anyharm.

  Next marched the invited guests, who were loudly cheered by the peopleof Oz along the road, and were therefore obliged to bow to right andleft almost every step of the way. First was Santa Claus, who, becausehe was fat and not used to walking, rode the wonderful Saw-Horse. Themerry old gentleman had a basket of small toys with him, and he tossedthe toys one by one to the children as he passed by. His Ryls and Knooksmarched close behind him.

  Queen Zixi of Ix came after; then John Dough and the Cherub, with therubber bear named Para Bruin strutting between them on its hind legs;then the Queen of Merryland, escorted by her wooden soldiers; then KingBud of Noland and his sister, the Princess Fluff; then the Queen of Evand her ten royal children; then the Braided Man and the Candy Man, sideby side; then King Dox of Foxville and King Kik-a-bray of Dunkiton, whoby this time had become good friends; and finally Johnny Dooit, in hisleather apron, smoking his long pipe.

  ]

  These wonderful personages were not more heartily cheered by the peoplethan were those who followed after them in the procession. Dorothy was ageneral favorite, and she walked arm in arm with the Scarecrow, who wasbeloved by all. Then came Polychrome and Button-Bright, and the peopleloved the Rainbow's pretty Daughter and the beautiful blue-eyed boy assoon as they saw them. The shaggy man in his shaggy new suit attractedmuch attention because he was such a novelty. With regular steps trampedthe machine-man Tik-tok, and there was more cheering when the Wizard ofOz followed in the procession. The Woggle-Bug and Jack Pumpkinhead werenext, and behind them Glinda the Sorceress and the Good Witch of theNorth. Finally came Billina, with her brood of chickens to whom sheclucked anxiously to keep them together and to hasten them along so theywould not delay the procession.

  Another band followed, this time the Tin Band of the Emperor of theWinkies, playing a beautiful march called, "There's No Plate like Tin."Then came the servants of the Royal Palace, in a long line, and behindthem all the people joined the procession and marched away through theemerald gates and out upon the broad green.

  Here had been erected a splendid pavilion, with a grandstand big enoughto seat all the royal party and those who had taken part in theprocession. Over the pavilion, which was of green silk and cloth ofgold, countless banners waved in the breeze. Just in front of this, andconnected with it by a runway, had been built a broad platform, so thatall the spectators could see plainly the entertainment provided forthem.

  The Wizard now became Master of Ceremonies, as Ozma had placed theconduct of the performance in his hands. After the people had allcongregated about the platform and the royal party and the visitors wereseated in the grandstand, the Wizard skillfully performed some feats ofjuggling glass balls and lighted candles. He tossed a dozen or so ofthem high in the air and caught them one by one as they came down,without missing any.

  Then he introduced the Scarecrow, who did a sword-swallowing act thataroused much interest. After this the Tin Woodman gave an exhibition ofSwinging the Axe, which he made to whirl around him so rapidly that theeye could scarcely follow the motion of the gleaming blade. Glinda theSorceress then stepped upon the platform, and by her magic made a bigtree grow in the middle of the space, made blossoms appear upon thetree, and made the blossoms become delicious fruit called tamornas; andso great was the quantity of fruit thus produced that when the servantsclimbed the tree and tossed it down to the crowd, there was enough tosatisfy every person present.

  Para Bruin, the rubber bear, climbed to a limb of the big tree, rolledhimself into a ball, and dropped to the platform, whence he bounded upagain to the limb. He repeated this bouncing act several times, to thegreat delight of all the children present. After he had finished, andbowed, and returned to his seat, Glinda waved her wand and the treedisappeared; but its fruit still remained to be eaten.

  The Good Witch of the North amused the people by transforming ten stonesinto ten birds, the ten birds into ten lambs, and the ten lambs into tenlittle girls, who gave a pretty dance and were then transformed into tenstones again, just as they were in the beginning.

  Johnny Dooit next came on the platform with his tool-chest, and in a fewminutes built a great flying machine; then put his chest in the machineand the whole thing flew away together--Johnny and all--after he had bidgood-bye to those present and thanked the Princess for her hospitality.

  The Wizard then announced the last act of all, which was consideredreally wonderful. He had invented a machine to blow huge soap-bubbles,as big as balloons, and this machine was hidden under the platform sothat only the rim of the big clay pipe to produce the bubbles showedabove the flooring. The tank of soap-suds, and the air-pumps to inflatethe bubbles, were out of sight beneath, so that when the bubbles beganto grow upon the floor of the platform it really seemed like magic tothe people of Oz, who knew nothing about even the common soap-bubblesthat our children blow with a penny clay pipe and a basin ofsoap-and-water.

  The Wizard had invented another thing. Usually soap-bubbles are frailand burst easily, lasting only a few moments as they float in the air;but the Wizard added a sort of glue to his soapsuds, which made hisbubbles tough; and, as the glue dried rapidly when exposed to the air,the Wizard's bubbles were strong enough to float for hours withoutbreaking.

  He began by blowing--by means of his machinery and air-pumps--severallarge bubbles which he allowed to float upward into the sky, where thesunshine fell upon them and gave them iridescent hues that were mostbeautiful. This aroused much wonder and delight, because it was
a newamusement to every one present--except perhaps Dorothy andButton-Bright, and even they had never seen such big, strong bubblesbefore.

  THE WIZARD BLEW A BUBBLE AROUND SANTA CLAUS]

  The Wizard then blew a bunch of small bubbles and afterward blew a bigbubble around them so they were left in the center of it; then heallowed the whole mass of pretty globes to float into the air anddisappear in the far distant sky.

  "That is really fine!" declared Santa Claus, who loved toys and prettythings. "I think, Mr. Wizard, I shall have you blow a bubble around me;then I can float away home and see the country spread out beneath me asI travel. There isn't a spot on earth that I haven't visited, but Iusually go in the night-time, riding behind my swift reindeer. Here is agood chance to observe the country by daylight, while I am riding slowlyand at my ease."

  "Do you think you will be able to guide the bubble?" asked the Wizard.

  "Oh yes; I know enough magic to do that," replied Santa Claus. "You blowthe bubble, with me inside of it, and I'll be sure to get home insafety."

  "Please send me home in a bubble, too!" begged the Queen of Merryland.

  "Very well, madam; you shall try the journey first," politely answeredold Santa.

  The pretty wax doll bade good-bye to the Princess Ozma and the others,and stood on the platform while the Wizard blew a big soap-bubble aroundher. When completed he allowed the bubble to float slowly upward, andthere could be seen the little Queen of Merryland standing in themiddle of it and blowing kisses from her fingers to those below. Thebubble took a southerly direction, quickly floating out of sight.

  "That's a very nice way to travel," said Princess Fluff. "I'd like to gohome in a bubble, too."

  So the Wizard blew a big bubble around Princess Fluff, and anotheraround King Bud, her brother, and a third one around Queen Zixi; andsoon these three bubbles had mounted into the sky and were floating offin a group in the direction of the kingdom of Noland.

  The success of these ventures induced the other guests from foreignlands to undertake bubble journeys, also; so the Wizard put them one byone inside his bubbles, and Santa Claus directed the way they should go,because he knew exactly where everybody lived.

  Finally Button-Bright said:

  "I want to go home, too."

  "Why, so you shall!" cried Santa; "for I'm sure your father and motherwill be glad to see you again. Mr. Wizard, please blow a big, finebubble for Button-Bright to ride in, and I'll agree to send him home tohis family as safe as safe can be."

  "I'm sorry," said Dorothy with a sigh, for she was fond of her littlecomrade; "but p'raps it's best for Button-Bright to get home; 'causehis folks must be worrying just dreadful."

  She kissed the boy, and Ozma kissed him, too, and all the others wavedtheir hands and said good-bye and wished him a pleasant journey.

  "Are you glad to leave us, dear?" asked Dorothy, a little wistfully.

  "Don't know," said Button-Bright.

  He sat down cross-legged on the platform, with his sailor hat tippedback on his head, and the Wizard blew a beautiful bubble all around him.

  A minute later it had mounted into the sky, sailing toward the west, andthe last they saw of Button-Bright he was still sitting in the middle ofthe shining globe and waving his sailor-hat at those below.

  "Will you ride in a bubble, or shall I send you and Toto home by meansof the Magic Belt?" the Princess asked Dorothy.

  "Guess I'll use the Belt," replied the little girl. "I'm sort of 'fraidof those bubbles."

  "Bow-wow!" said Toto, approvingly. He loved to bark at the bubbles asthey sailed away, but he didn't care to ride in one.

  Santa Claus decided to go next. He thanked Ozma for her hospitality andwished her many happy returns of the day. Then the Wizard blew a bubblearound his chubby little body and smaller bubbles around each of hisRyls and Knooks.

  As the kind and generous friend of children mounted into the air thepeople all cheered at the top of their voices, for they loved SantaClaus dearly; and the little man heard them through the walls of thebubble and waved his hands in return as he smiled down upon them. Theband played bravely while every one watched the bubble until it wascompletely out of sight.

  "How 'bout you, Polly?" Dorothy asked her friend. "Are you 'fraid ofbubbles, too?"

  "No," answered Polychrome, smiling; "but Santa Claus promised to speakto my father as he passed through the sky. So perhaps I shall get homean easier way."

  Indeed, the little maid had scarcely made this speech when a suddenradiance filled the air, and while the people looked on in wonder theend of a gorgeous rainbow slowly settled down upon the platform.

  With a glad cry the Rainbow's Daughter sprang from her seat and dancedalong the curve of the bow, mounting gradually upward, while the foldsof her gauzy gown whirled and floated around her like a cloud andblended with the colors of the rainbow itself.

  "GOOD-BYE, OZMA! GOOD-BYE, DOROTHY!"]

  "Good-bye, Ozma! Good-bye, Dorothy!" cried a voice they knew belongedto Polychrome; but now the little maiden's form had melted wholly intothe rainbow, and their eyes could no longer see her.

  Suddenly the end of the rainbow lifted and its colors slowly faded likemist before a breeze. Dorothy sighed deeply and turned to Ozma.

  "I'm sorry to lose Polly," she said; "but I guess she's better off withher father; 'cause even the Land of Oz couldn't be like home to a cloudfairy."

  "No, indeed," replied the Princess; "but it has been delightful for usto know Polychrome for a little while, and--who knows?--perhaps we maymeet the Rainbow's daughter again, some day."

  The entertainment being now ended, all left the pavilion and formedtheir gay procession back to the Emerald City again. Of Dorothy's recenttraveling companions only Toto and the shaggy man remained, and Ozma haddecided to allow the latter to live in Oz for a time, at least. If heproved honest and true she promised to let him live there always, andthe shaggy man was anxious to earn this reward.

  They had a nice quiet dinner together and passed a pleasant evening withthe Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Tik-tok, and the Yellow Hen for company.

  When Dorothy bade them good-night she kissed them all good-bye at thesame time. For Ozma had agreed that while Dorothy slept she and Totoshould be transported by means of the Magic Belt to her own little bedin the Kansas farmhouse and the little girl laughed as she thought howastonished Uncle Henry and Aunt Em would be when she came down tobreakfast with them next morning.

  Quite content to have had so pleasant an adventure, and a little tiredby all the day's busy scenes, Dorothy clasped Toto in her arms and laydown upon the pretty white bed in her room in Ozma's royal palace.

  Presently she was sound asleep.

  THE END]

  THE TWINKLE TALES

  By Laura Bancroft

  _Each volume, 5 x 7 inches, with 16 full pages in colors, and otherillustrations by_ Maginel Wright Enright

  PRINCE MUD TURTLE

  In this story Twinkle, a little girl, captures a mud turtle who turnsout to be a fairy prince.

  MR. WOODCHUCK

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  BANDIT JIM CROW

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  SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN

  On entering a hole in the mountain Twinkle and Chubbins find themselvesin a land where all the people are made of candy.

  PRAIRIE DOG TOWN

  Twinkle and Chubbins are made small by a magician and are escortedthrough Prairie Dog Town by its Mayor.

  _Each volume with different cover design, cloth, stamped in colors, 50cents_

  POLICEMAN BLUEJAY

  By LAURA BANCROFT

  _With many beautiful pictures in color and line by_ Maginel WrightEnright />
  In this delightful fairy tale and nature story combined, Twinkle andChubbins, two children, after having been transformed into little birdswith human heads, become friends with a number of birds and learn manycurious and true things about them.

  _Size 9-3/4 x 7 inches. Eight full-page colored illustrations and dozensof headings, tail pieces and decorations. Cloth back, with decoratedpaper sides. Price $1.00._

  BOOKS BY L. FRANK BAUM

  ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN R. NEILL

  _UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME_

  _Each book, handsomely bound in artistic pictorial cover. $1.25 pervolume._

  THE LAND OF OZ

  An account of the adventures of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, JackPumpkinhead, the Animated Saw-Horse, the Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug,the Gump and many other delightful characters.

  Nearly 150 black-and-white illustrations and sixteen full-page picturesin colors.

  OZMA OF OZ

  The story tells "more about Dorothy," as well as those famouscharacters, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, andsomething of several new creations equally delightful, including Tik-tokthe machine man, the Yellow Hen, the Nome King and the Hungry Tiger.

  Forty-one full-page colored pictures; twenty-two half pages in color andfifty black-and-white text pictures; special end sheets, title page,copyright page, book plate, etc, etc.

  DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD OF OZ

  In this book Dorothy, with Zeb, a little boy friend, and Jim, the CabHorse, are swallowed up in an earthquake and reach a strange vegetableland, whence they escape to the Land of Oz, and meet all their oldfriends. Among the new characters are Eureka, Dorothy's pink kitten, andthe Nine Tiny Piglets.

  Gorgeously illustrated with sixteen full color pages and numerousblack-and-white pictures, besides head and tail pieces, ornaments, etc.

  JOHN DOUGH AND THE CHERUB

  A whimsical tale portraying the exciting adventures of the GingerbreadMan and his comrade Chick the Cherub in the "Palace of Romance," the"Land of the Mifkets," "Highland and Lowland," and other places.

  Forty full-page colored pictures; twenty colored pictorial chapterheadings; 100 black-and-white text pictures, special end sheets, titlepage, etc.

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