The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Page 22
Chapter XXII.
The Country of the Quadlings
"_The Head shot forward and struck the Scarecrow._"]
The four travellers passed through the rest of the forest in safety,and when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill,covered from top to bottom with great pieces of rock.
"That will be a hard climb," said the Scarecrow, "but we must getover the hill, nevertheless."
So he led the way and the others followed. They had nearly reachedthe first rock when they heard a rough voice cry out,
"Keep back!"
"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow. Then a head showed itself overthe rock and the same voice said,
"This hill belongs to us, and we don't allow anyone to cross it."
"But we must cross it," said the Scarecrow. "We're going to thecountry of the Quadlings."
"But you shall not!" replied the voice, and there stepped from behindthe rock the strangest man the travellers had ever seen.
He was quite short and stout and had a big head, which was flat at thetop and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles. But he had no armsat all, and, seeing this, the Scarecrow did not fear that so helpless acreature could prevent them from climbing the hill. So he said,
"I'm sorry not to do as you wish, but we must pass over your hillwhether you like it or not," and he walked boldly forward.
As quick as lightning the man's head shot forward and his neckstretched out until the top of the head, where it was flat, struckthe Scarecrow in the middle and sent him tumbling, over and over,down the hill. Almost as quickly as it came the head went back to thebody, and the man laughed harshly as he said,
"It isn't as easy as you think!"
A chorus of boisterous laughter came from the other rocks, andDorothy saw hundreds of the armless Hammer-Heads upon the hillside,one behind every rock.
The Lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by the Scarecrow'smishap, and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder he dashed upthe hill.
Again a head shot swiftly out, and the great Lion went rolling downthe hill as if he had been struck by a cannon ball.
Dorothy ran down and helped the Scarecrow to his feet, and the Lioncame up to her, feeling rather bruised and sore, and said,
"It is useless to fight people with shooting heads; no one canwithstand them."
"What can we do, then?" she asked.
"Call the Winged Monkeys," suggested the Tin Woodman; "you have stillthe right to command them once more."
"Very well," she answered, and putting on the Golden Cap she utteredthe magic words. The Monkeys were as prompt as ever, and in a fewmoments the entire band stood before her.
"What are your commands?" enquired the King of the Monkeys, bowing low.
"Carry us over the hill to the country of the Quadlings," answeredthe girl.
"It shall be done," said the King, and at once the Winged Monkeyscaught the four travellers and Toto up in their arms and flew awaywith them. As they passed over the hill the Hammer-Heads yelled withvexation, and shot their heads high in the air; but they could notreach the Winged Monkeys, which carried Dorothy and her comradessafely over the hill and set them down in the beautiful country ofthe Quadlings.
"This is the last time you can summon us," said the leader toDorothy; "so good-bye and good luck to you."
"Good-bye, and thank you very much," returned the girl; and theMonkeys rose into the air and were out of sight in a twinkling.
The country of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There was fieldupon field of ripening grain, with well-paved roads running between,and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them. The fencesand houses and bridges were all painted bright red, just as they hadbeen painted yellow in the country of the Winkies and blue in thecountry of the Munchkins. The Quadlings themselves, who were short andfat and looked chubby and good natured, were dressed all in red, whichshowed bright against the green grass and the yellowing grain.
The Monkeys had set them down near a farm house, and the fourtravellers walked up to it and knocked at the door. It was opened bythe farmer's wife, and when Dorothy asked for something to eat thewoman gave them all a good dinner, with three kinds of cake and fourkinds of cookies, and a bowl of milk for Toto.
"How far is it to the Castle of Glinda?" asked the child.
"It is not a great way," answered the farmer's wife. "Take the roadto the South and you will soon reach it."
Thanking the good woman, they started afresh and walked by the fieldsand across the pretty bridges until they saw before them a verybeautiful Castle. Before the gates were three young girls, dressedin handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold braid; and as Dorothyapproached one of them said to her,
"Why have you come to the South Country?"
"To see the Good Witch who rules here," she answered. "Will you takeme to her?"
"Let me have your name and I will ask Glinda if she will receiveyou." They told who they were, and the girl soldier went into theCastle. After a few moments she came back to say that Dorothy and theothers were to be admitted at once.