In the center of the room stood the terrible knife that gave the place its name — a name dreaded by every inhabitant of the Blue City. The knife was built into a huge framework, like a derrick, that reached to the ceiling, and it was so arranged that when the Boolooroo pulled a cord the great blade would drop down in its frame and neatly cut in two the person who stood under it. And, in order that the slicing would be accurate, there was another frame, to which the prisoner was tied so that he couldn’t wiggle either way. This frame was on rollers, so that it could be placed directly underneath the knife.
While Trot was observing this dreadful machine the door opened and in walked the Six Snubnosed Princesses, all in a row and with their chins up, as if they disdained everyone but themselves. They were magnificently dressed and their blue hair was carefully arranged in huge towers upon their heads, with blue plumes stuck into the tops. These plumes waved gracefully in the air with every mincing step the Princesses took. Rich jewels of blue stones glittered upon their persons and the royal ladies were fully as gorgeous as they were haughty and overbearing. They marched to their chairs and seated themselves to enjoy the cruel scene their father was about to enact, and Cap’n Bill bowed to them politely and said:
“Mornin’, girls; hope ye feel as well as ye look.”
“Papa,” exclaimed Turquoise, angrily, “can you not prevent this vile Earth Being from addressing us? It is an insult to be spoken to by one about to be patched.”
“Control yourselves, my dears,” replied the Boolooroo; “the worst punishment I know how to inflict on anyone, this prisoner is about to suffer. You’ll see a very pretty patching, my royal daughters.”
“When?” inquired Cobalt.
“When? As soon as the soldiers return with Tiggle,” said he.
But just then in came the soldiers to say that Tiggle could not be found anywhere in the City; he had disappeared as mysteriously as had Ghip-Ghisizzle. Immediately the Boolooroo flew into another towering rage.
“Villains!” he shouted, “go out and arrest the first living thing you meet, and whoever it proves to be will be instantly patched to Cap’n Bill.”
The Captain of the Guards hesitated to obey this order.
“Suppose it’s a friend?” he suggested.
“Friend!” roared the Boolooroo; “I haven’t a friend in the country. Tell me, sir, do you know of anyone who is my friend?”
The Captain shook his head.
“I can’t think of anyone just now, your Spry and Flighty High and Mighty Majesty,” he answered.
“Of course not,” said the Boolooroo. “Everyone hates me, and I don’t object to that because I hate everybody. But I’m the Ruler here, and I’ll do as I please. Go and capture the first living creature you see, and bring him here to be patched to Cap’n Bill.”
So the Captain took a file of soldiers and went away very sorrowful, for he did not know who would be the victim, and if the Boolooroo had no friends, the Captain had plenty, and did not wish to see them patched.
Meantime Trot, being invisible to all, was roaming around the room and behind a bench she found a small coil of rope, which she picked up. Then she seated herself in an out-of-the-way place and quietly waited.
Suddenly there was a noise in the corridor and evidence of scuffling and struggling. Then the door flew open and in came the soldiers dragging a great blue billygoat, which was desperately striving to get free.
“Villains!” howled the Boolooroo; “what does this mean?”
“Why, you said to fetch the first living creature we met, and that was this billygoat,” replied the Captain, panting hard as he held fast to one of the goat’s horns.
The Boolooroo stared a moment and then he fell back in his throne, laughing boisterously. The idea of patching Cap’n Bill to a goat was vastly amusing to him, and the more he thought of it the more he roared with laughter. Some of the soldiers laughed, too, being tickled with the absurd notion, and the Six Snubnosed Princesses all sat up straight and permitted themselves to smile contemptuously. This would indeed be a severe punishment; therefore the Princesses were pleased at the thought of Cap’n Bill’s becoming half a billygoat, and the billygoat’s being half Cap’n Bill.
“They look something alike, you know,” suggested the Captain of the Guards, looking from one to the other doubtfully; “and they’re nearly the same size if you stand the goat on his hind legs. They’ve both got the same style of whiskers and they’re both of ‘em obstinate and dangerous; so they ought to make a good patch.”
“Splendid! Fine! Glorious!” cried the Boolooroo, wiping the tears of merriment from his eyes. “We will proceed with the Ceremony of Patching at once.”
Cap’n Bill regarded the billygoat with distinct disfavor, and the billygoat glared evilly upon Cap’n Bill. Trot was horrified, and wrung her little hands in sore perplexity, for this was a most horrible fate that awaited her dear old friend.
“First, bind the Earth Man in the frame,” commanded the Boolooroo. “We’ll slice him in two before we do the same to the billygoat.”
So they seized Cap’n Bill and tied him into the frame so that he couldn’t move a jot in any direction. Then they rolled the frame underneath the Great Knife and handed the Boolooroo the cord that released the blade.
But while this was going on Trot had crept up and fastened one end of her rope to the frame in which Cap’n Bill was confined. Then she stood back and watched the Boolooroo, and just as he pulled the cord she pulled on her rope and dragged the frame on its rollers away, so that the Great Knife fell with a crash and sliced nothing but the air.
“Huh!” exclaimed the Boolooroo; “that’s queer. Roll him up again, soldiers.”
The soldiers again rolled the frame in position, having first pulled the Great Knife once more to the top of the derrick. The immense blade was so heavy that it took the strength of seven Blueskins to raise it.
When all was in readiness the King pulled the cord a second time and Trot at the same instant pulled upon her rope. The same thing happened as before. Cap’n Bill rolled away in his frame and the knife fell harmlessly.
Now, indeed, the Boolooroo was as angry as he was amazed. He jumped down from the platform and commanded the soldiers to raise the Great Knife into position. When this had been accomplished the Boolooroo leaned over to try to discover why the frame rolled away — seemingly of its own accord — and he was the more puzzled because it had never done such a thing before.
As he stood, bent nearly double, his back was toward the billygoat, which, in their interest and excitement, the soldiers were holding in a careless manner. At once the goat gave a leap, escaped from the soldiers and with bowed head rushed upon the Boolooroo. Before any could stop him he butted his Majesty so furiously that the King soared far into the air and tumbled in a heap among the benches, where he lay moaning and groaning.
The goat’s warlike spirit was roused by this successful attack. Finding himself free, he turned and assaulted the soldiers, butting them so fiercely that they tumbled down in bunches and as soon as they could rise again ran frantically from the room and along the corridors as if a fiend was after them. By this time the goat was so animated by the spirit of conquest that he rushed at the Six Snubnosed Princesses, who had all climbed upon their chairs and were screaming in a panic of fear. Six times the goat butted and each time he tipped over a chair and sent a haughty Princess groveling upon the floor, where the ladies got mixed up in their long blue trains and flounces and laces, and struggled wildly until they recovered their footing. Then they sped in great haste for the door, and the goat gave a final butt that sent the row of royal ladies all diving into the corridor in another tangle, whereupon they shrieked in a manner that terrified everyone within sound of their voices.
As the Room of the Great Knife was now cleared of all but Cap’n Bill — who was tied in his frame — and of Trot and the moaning Boolooroo, who lay hidden behind the benches, the goat gave a victorious bleat and stood in the doorway to face an
y enemy that might appear.
Trot had been as surprised as anyone at this sudden change of conditions, but she was quick to take advantage of the opportunities it afforded. First she ran with her rope to the goat and, as the animal could not see her, she easily succeeded in tying the rope around its horns and fastening the loose end to a pillar of the doorway. Next she hurried to Cap’n Bill and began to unbind him, and as she touched the sailor she became visible. He nodded cheerfully, then, and said:
“I had a notion it was you, mate, as saved me from the knife. But it were a pretty close call an’ I hope it won’t happen again. I couldn’t shiver much, bein’ bound so tight, but when I’m loose I mean to have jus’ one good shiver to relieve my feelin’s.”
“Shiver all you want to, Cap’n,” she said, as she removed the last bonds; “but first you’ve got to help me save us both.”
“As how?” he asked, stepping from the frame.
“Come and get the Boolooroo,” she said, going toward the benches.
The sailor followed and pulled out the Boolooroo, who, when he saw the terrible goat was captured and tied fast, quickly recovered his courage.
“Hi, there!” he cried; “where are my soldiers? What do you mean, prisoner, by daring to lay hands upon me? Let me go this minute or I’ll — I’ll have you patched twice!”
“Don’t mind him, Cap’n,” said Trot, “but fetch him along to the frame.”
The Boolooroo looked around to see where the voice came from and Cap’n Bill grinned joyfully and caught up the king in both his strong arms, dragging the struggling Monarch of the Blues to the frame.
“Stop it! How dare you?” roared the frightened Boolooroo. “I’ll have revenge! — I’ll — I’ll — ”
“You’ll take it easy, ‘cause you can’t help yourself,” said Cap’n Bill. “What next, Queen Trot?”
“Hold him steady in the frame and I’ll tie him up,” she replied. So Cap’n Bill held the Boolooroo, and the girl tied him fast in position, as Cap’n Bill had been tied, so that his Majesty couldn’t wiggle at all.
Then they rolled the frame in position underneath the Great Knife and Trot held in her hand the cord which would release it.
“All right, Cap’n,” she said in a satisfied tone, “I guess we can run this Blue Country ourselves, after this.”
The Boolooroo was terrified to find himself in danger of being sliced by the same knife he had so often wickedly employed to slice others. Like Cap’n Bill, he had no room to shiver, but he groaned very dismally and was so full of fear that his blue hair nearly stood on end.
The Ruler of Sky Island
THE girl now took off Rosalie’s ring and put it carefully away in her pocket.
“It won’t matter who sees me now,” she remarked, “an’ I want ‘em to know that you an’ me, Cap’n, are running this kingdom. I’m Queen o’ the Pinkies an’ Booloorooess o’ the Blues, an — — ”
“What’s that?” asked the sailor. “You’re — you’re what, Trot?”
“Booloorooess. Isn’t that right, Cap’n?”
“I dunno, mate. It sounds bigger ner you are, an’ I don’t like the word, anyhow. S’pose you jus’ call yourself the Boss? That fills the bill an’ don’t need pernouncin’.”
“All right,” she said; “Queen o’ the Pinkies an’ Boss o’ the Blues. Seems funny, don’t it, Cap’n Bill?”
Just then they heard a sound of footsteps in the corridor. The soldiers had partly recovered their courage and, fearful of the anger of their dreaded Boolooroo, whom the Princesses declared would punish them severely, had ventured to return to the room. They came rather haltingly, though, and the Captain of the Guards first put his head cautiously through the doorway to see if the coast was clear. The goat discovered him and tried to make a rush, but the rope held the animal back and when the Captain saw this he came forward more boldly.
“Halt!” cried Trot.
The Captain halted, his soldiers peering curiously over his shoulders and the Six Snubnosed Princesses looking on from behind, where they considered themselves safe.
“If anyone dares enter this room without my permission,” said Trot, “I’ll pull this cord and slice your master that once was the Boolooroo.”
“Don’t come in! Don’t come in!” yelled the Boolooroo in a terrified voice.
Then they saw that the sailor was free and the Boolooroo bound in his place. The soldiers were secretly glad to observe this, but the Princesses were highly indignant.
“Release his Majesty at once!” cried Indigo from the corridor. “You shall be severely punished for this rebellion.”
“Don’t worry,” replied Trot. “His Majesty isn’t his Majesty any longer; he’s jus’ a common Blueskin. Cap’n Bill and I perpose runnin’ this Island ourselves, after this. You’ve all got to obey me, for I’m the Booloorooess — no, I mean the Boss — o’ the Blues, and I’ve a notion to run things my own way.”
“You can’t,” said Turquoise, scornfully; “the Law says — — ”
“Bother the Law!” exclaimed Trot. “I’ll make the Laws myself, from now on, and I’ll unmake every Law you ever had before I conquered you.”
“Oh. Have you conquered us, then?” asked the Captain of the Guards, in a surprised tone.
“Of course,” said Trot. “Can’t you see?”
“It looks like it,” admitted the Captain.
“Cap’n Bill is goin’ to be my General o’ the Army an’ the Royal Manager o’ the Blue Country,” continued Trot; “so you’ll mind what he says.”
“Nonsense!” shouted Indigo. “March in and capture them, Captain! Never mind if they do slice the Boolooroo. I’m his daughter, and I’ll rule the kingdom.”
“You won’t!” screamed Cobalt. “I’ll rule it!”
“I’ll rule it myself!” cried Cerulia.
“No, no!” yelled Turquoise; “I’ll be the Ruler.”
“That shall be my privilege!” shouted Sapphire. Cobalt began to say:
“I’m the — — ”
“Be quiet!” said Trot, sternly. “Would you have your own father sliced, so that you could rule in his place?”
“Yes, yes; of course!” rejoined the six Princesses, without a second’s hesitation.
“Well, well! What d’ ye think o’ that, Mr. Boolooroo?” asked Cap’n Bill.
“They’re undutiful daughters; don’t pay any attention to them,” replied the frightened Boolooroo.
“We’re not goin’ to,” said Trot. “Now, you Blue Cap’n, who are you and your soldiers going to obey — me or the snubnosed ones?”
“You!” declared the Captain of the Guards, positively, for he hated the Princesses, as did all the Blueskins.
“Then escort those girls to their rooms, lock ‘em in, an’ put a guard before the door.”
At once the soldiers seized the Princesses and, notwithstanding their snarls and struggles, marched them to their rooms and locked them in. While they were gone on this errand the Boolooroo begged to be released, whining and wailing for fear the knife would fall upon him. But Trot did not think it safe to unbind him just then. When the soldiers returned she told their leader to put a strong guard before the palace and to admit no one unless either she or Cap’n Bill gave the order to do so.
The soldiers obeyed readily, and when Trot and Cap’n Bill were left alone they turned the goat loose in the Room of the Great Knife and then locked the animal in with the Boolooroo.
“The billygoat is the very best guard we could have, for ever’body’s ‘fraid o’ him,” remarked Cap’n Bill, as he put the key of the room in his pocket. “So now, Queen Trot, what’s next on the program?”
“Next,” said Trot, “we’re goin’ to hunt for that umbrel, Cap’n. I don’t mean to stay in this dismal Blue Country long, even if I am the Queen. Let’s find the umbrel and get home as soon as we can.”
“That suits me,” the sailor joyfully exclaimed, and then the two began a careful search through the palace.
&n
bsp; They went into every room and looked behind the furniture and underneath the beds and in every crack and corner, but no place could they spy the Magic Umbrella. Cap’n Bill even ventured to enter the rooms of the Six Snubnosed Princesses, who were by this time so thoroughly alarmed that they had become meek and mild as could be. But the umbrella wasn’t there, either.
Finally they returned to the great throne room of the palace, where they seated themselves on the throne and tried to think what could possibly have become of the precious umbrella. While they were sitting and talking together the Captain of the Guards entered and bowed respectfully.
“Beg pardon, your Small-Sized Majesty,” said he to Trot, “but it is my duty to report that the Pinkies are preparing to attack the City.”
“Oh; I’d forgotten the Pinkies!” exclaimed the girl. “Tell me, Captain, have you such a thing as a Brass Band in this City?”
“We have two fine bands, but they are not brass,” replied the Captain. “Their instruments are made of blue metal.”
“Well, order ‘em out,” commanded Trot. “And, say; get all the soldiers together and tell all the people there’s going to be a high time in the Blue City to-night. We’ll have music and dancing and eating and — — ”
“An’ neckties to drink, Trot; don’t forget the royal neckties,” urged Cap’n Bill.
“We’ll have all the fun there is going,” continued the girl, “for we are to entertain the Army of the Pinkies.”
“The Pinkies!” exclaimed the Captain of the Guards; “why, they’re our enemies, your Short Highness.”
“Not any more,” replied Trot. “I’m Queen of the Pinkies, an’ I’m also Queen of the Blues, so I won’t have my people quarreling. Tell the Blue people we are to throw open the gates and welcome the Pinkies to the City, where everybody will join in a grand celebration. And jus’ as soon as you’ve spread the news an’ got the bands tuned up and the soldiers ready to march, you let us know and we’ll head the procession.”
Complete Works of L. Frank Baum Page 324
