Ugu the Shoemaker
CHAPTER 19
A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect, inthe least, that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great and hehoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz, that he might compeleveryone in that fairy country to obey him. His ambition blinded him tothe rights of others and he imagined anyone else would act just as hedid if anyone else happened to be as clever as himself.
When he inhabited his little shoemaking shop in the City of Herku he hadbeen discontented, for a shoemaker is not looked upon with high respectand Ugu knew that his ancestors had been famous magicians for manycenturies past and therefore his family was above the ordinary. Even hisfather practiced magic, when Ugu was a boy; but his father had wanderedaway from Herku and had never come back again. So, when Ugu grew up, hewas forced to make shoes for a living, knowing nothing of the magic ofhis forefathers. But one day, in searching through the attic of hishouse, he discovered all the books of magical recipes and many magicalinstruments which had formerly been in use in his family. From that dayhe stopped making shoes and began to study magic. Finally he aspired tobecome the greatest magician in Oz, and for days and weeks and months hethought on a plan to render all the other sorcerers and wizards, as wellas those with fairy powers, helpless to oppose him.
From the books of his ancestors he learned the following facts:
(1) That Ozma of Oz was the fairy ruler of the Emerald City and the Landof Oz, and that she could not be destroyed by any magic ever devised.Also, by means of her Magic Picture she would be able to discoveranyone who approached her royal palace with the idea of conquering it.
(2) That Glinda the Good was the most powerful Sorceress in Oz, amongher other magical possessions being the Great Book of Records, whichtold her all that happened anywhere in the world. This Book of Recordswas very dangerous to Ugu's plans and Glinda was in the service of Ozmaand would use her arts of sorcery to protect the girl Ruler.
(3) That the Wizard of Oz, who lived in Ozma's palace, had been taughtmuch powerful magic by Glinda and had a bag of magic tools with which hemight be able to conquer the Shoemaker.
(4) That there existed in Oz--in the Yip Country--a jeweled dishpan madeof gold, which dishpan possessed marvelous powers of magic. At a magicword, which Ugu learned from the book, the dishpan would grow largeenough for a man to sit inside it. Then, when he grasped both the goldenhandles, the dishpan would transport him in an instant to any place hewished to go within the borders of the Land of Oz.
No one now living, except Ugu, knew of the powers of this Magic Dishpan;so, after long study, the shoemaker decided that if he could manage tosecure the dishpan he could, by its means, rob Ozma and Glinda and theWizard of Oz of all their magic, thus becoming himself the most powerfulperson in all the land.
His first act was to go away from the City of Herku and build forhimself the Wicker Castle in the hills. Here he carried his books andinstruments of magic and here for a full year he diligently practicedall the magical arts learned from his ancestors. At the end of that timehe could do a good many wonderful things.
Then, when all his preparations were made, he set out for the YipCountry and climbing the steep mountain at night he entered the house ofCayke the Cookie Cook and stole her diamond-studded gold dishpan whileall the Yips were asleep. Taking his prize outside, he set the pan uponthe ground and uttered the required magic word. Instantly the dishpangrew as large as a big washtub and Ugu seated himself in it and graspedthe two handles. Then he wished himself in the great drawing-room ofGlinda the Good.
He was there in a flash. First he took the Great Book of Records and putit in the dishpan. Then he went to Glinda's laboratory and took all herrare chemical compounds and her instruments of sorcery, placing thesealso in the dishpan, which he caused to grow large enough to hold them.Next he seated himself amongst the treasures he had stolen and wishedhimself in the room in Ozma's palace which the Wizard occupied and wherehe kept his bag of magic tools. This bag Ugu added to his plunder andthen wished himself in the apartments of Ozma.
Here he first took the Magic Picture from the wall and then seized allthe other magical things which Ozma possessed. Having placed these inthe dishpan he was about to climb in himself when he looked up and sawOzma standing beside him. Her fairy instinct had warned her that dangerwas threatening her, so the beautiful girl Ruler rose from her couch andleaving her bedchamber at once confronted the thief.
Ugu had to think quickly, for he realized that if he permitted Ozma torouse the inmates of her palace all his plans and his present successeswere likely to come to naught. So he threw a scarf over the girl's head,so she could not scream, and pushed her into the dishpan and tied herfast, so she could not move. Then he climbed in beside her and wishedhimself in his own wicker castle. The Magic Dishpan was there in aninstant, with all its contents, and Ugu rubbed his hands together intriumphant joy as he realized that he now possessed all the importantmagic in the Land of Oz and could force all the inhabitants of thatfairyland to do as he willed.
So quickly had his journey been accomplished that before daylight therobber magician had locked Ozma in a room, making her a prisoner, andhad unpacked and arranged all his stolen goods. The next day he placedthe Book of Records on his table and hung the Magic Picture on his walland put away in his cupboards and drawers all the elixirs and magiccompounds he had stolen. The magical instruments he polished andarranged, and this was fascinating work and made him very happy. Theonly thing that bothered him was Ozma. By turns the imprisoned Rulerwept and scolded the Shoemaker, haughtily threatening him with direpunishment for the wicked deeds he had done. Ugu became somewhat afraidof his fairy prisoner, in spite of the fact that he believed he hadrobbed her of all her powers; so he performed an enchantment thatquickly disposed of her and placed her out of his sight and hearing.After that, being occupied with other things, he soon forgot her.
But now, when he looked into the Magic Picture and read the Great Bookof Records, the Shoemaker learned that his wickedness was not to gounchallenged. Two important expeditions had set out to find him andforce him to give up his stolen property. One was the party headed bythe Wizard and Dorothy, while the other consisted of Cayke and theFrogman. Others were also searching, but not in the right places. Thesetwo groups, however, were headed straight for the wicker castle and soUgu began to plan how best to meet them and to defeat their efforts toconquer him.
The Lost Princess of Oz Page 20
