L. Frank Baum - Oz 26

by The Purple Prince Of Oz

  “I do now command you to reappear, most Royal Rulers and Imperial Family of Pumperdink. Reappear, do you hear!” Taking off his lid, Jinnicky stared intently at the golden chairs. But to his furious consternation, to Randy’s and Kabumpo’s deep disappointment, nothing happened at all. After staring at the chairs so hard that their eyes began to water, the three friends looked anxiously at one another.

  “Great Grump! Is your powder wet? Have you forgotten your magic, or what?” choked Kabumpo, almost ready to cry with vexation.

  “Neither!” Jinnicky flopped disconsolately down on the King’s footstool. “They have not vanished, after all They have been transformed.”

  “Transformed?” exploded Kabumpo wrathfully. “Well, untransform them!”

  “But first we must discover to what they have been changed,” said Jinnicky, a bit stiffly. “Say, where’s that other rascal? Fetch in that false King. Where’s Kettywig?” Running to the kitchen door, Jinnicky banged it open so violently that the cook and four footmen who were taking turns at the keyhole fell headlong into the room.

  “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” mumbled the servants,

  bouncing up like balls and disappearing in four different directions. But when Kettywig was brought from the tower he could tell them nothing. In piteous tones he explained how he had been half starved and locked up by the wicked old fairy. Faleero had planned everything and he knew nothing at all about magic or transformations, and heartily wished himself back in his quiet village.

  “Humph I” sniffed Jinnicky contemptuously. “A fine looking ruler you are, with all those bumps and scratches. Take away this hand-decorated King, and when we settle more important matters we’ll deal with him as he deserves.” Randy felt a little sorry for the forlorn and hungry looking fellow. He felt that Kettywig had already been punished enough, but thinking it best not to interfere, he said nothing. There were, as Jinnicky had said, so many more important matters to be cleared up. He sighed as he thought of Johnwan tramping on and on through deserts and over mountains. Even now his handsome soldier might be crumpled up at the bottom of some gorge or ravine or stuck in the mud of some deep mountain lake. Johnwan was to have belonged to him some day and he hated to have him broken or destroyed. So he sighed again as he looked inquiringly at Kabumpo and Jinnicky.

  The Jinn had taken down both wicker baskets and was rummaging first in one and then in the other. He had just brought out a tube-like red bottle when the castle bell pealed noisily. Randy, rushing after the footman who opened the door, saw six people standing on the step. A dark-haired Princess wearing a tall, emerald-studded crown, a little girl, a fellow with a pumpkin head, a funny, bald-headed old gentleman, a scarecrow and General Quakes.

  “Why, it’s Ozma!” gulped Kabumpo, who was right in back of Randy, “and the Wizard of Oz! Dorothy, my dear, how are you? And the Scarecrow, as I live! Now everything will be fine! Jinnicky, Jinnicky! Here’s the Wizard!” While Kabumpo in flowery phrases and with wide gestures continued to welcome the celebrities, Randy dashed back to the Red Jinn. He found Jinnicky sitting glumly on the King’s footstool.

  “Now everything’s ruined,” he groaned, rolling his glass eyes tragically at the boy. “Why does that meddling Wizard have to come fooling around just as I’m beginning to get my magic working? Now he’ll take all the credit and I might just as well have stayed at home.” Randy could not help sympathizing with him. He, too, would have liked to see

  Jinnicky restore Pumperdink’s sovereigns without any help. Suddenly a splendid idea popped into his head.

  “Come on!” he whispered mysteriously. “Come on, before they see us.” Taking a wicker basket in each hand he ran out into the kitchen, through the kitchen door and on into the castle garden, the little Jinn pattering inquiringly behind him.

  CHAPTER 19

  More Mysteries

  GENERAL QUAKES, as you have probably guessed, had finally reached Glinda’s palace in the Quadling country. Pouring out the story of Pumperdink’s misfortune he begged Ozma to return with him and save his unhappy country from Faleero. This Ozma had immediately agreed to do, bringing Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow, and Jack Pumpkinhead along. They had come on one of the Wizard’s wishing pills, and being wished a place is much, much simpler than traveling by the usual methods. Indeed, five minutes after General Quakes had arrived at Glinda’s, Ozma and her councilors were standing on the steps of Pompus’ purple

  palace.

  Dorothy, a little mortal girl from Kansas who lives with Ozma in the Emerald City and who has been in several adventures with Kabumpo, begged him to lead them at once to the scene of the disappearance. The Scarecrow, that amiable, straw-stuffed gentleman, knew him too, and while Kabumpo had a sly habit of snatching wisps of straw from his person, he was, notwithstanding, quite fond of the elegant old pachyderm. As they all hurried along the corridor, Kabumpo told them of his journey to the Red Jinn’s castle and of the soothsayer’s prediction that only the Red Jinn could help restore the vanished ones. Then he explained how Johnwan had carried off Faleero and all that had happened after their arrival in Pumperdink. “Then we’re too late,” exclaimed the little Wizard, looking terribly annoyed. “If this Red Jinn is as powerful as you say, he has probably solved the whole mystery by this time.” Wagging his head sadly Kabumpo described the failure of Jinnicky’s yellow incense, at which the Wizard cheered up immediately. If he succeeded where the Red Jinn had failed, it would be a real feather in his cap. Feeling that his reputation as Wizard of Oz was at stake,

  he almost trod on Kabumpo’s heels in his anxiety to reach the scene of action. Transformations were right in his line and he felt sure that in his famous black bag there was magic enough to undo all of Faleero’s spells and enchantments. Ozma was a fairy, herself, so quite confidently they entered the dining hall of the castle to restore King Pompus to his throne. Kabumpo was surprised not to find Randy and the Red Jinn, and apologetically explained that they must have stepped out for a minute. Dorothy and Ozma were eager to meet the famous little wizard of Ev for Jack Pumpkinhead had given them glowing descriptions of the Red Jinn’s red glass palace, and his magic dinner bell was now one of the important treasures of Oz. But the Wizard of Oz was secretly delighted. In the absence of Jinnicky he hoped to restore the royal family himself. Opening his black bag he began carefully laying out his magic powders, bottles and instruments.

  Meanwhile, Jinnicky and Randy had reached the end of the garden and leaning breathlessly against the hedge, Randy disclosed his plan.

  “All you have to do is to put on your looking glasses and ask them to take us to the King,” whispered the boy.

  “Whatever made us forget?”

  “My mercy me! The very thing!

  The very thing!” Kabumpo had returned Jinnicky’s specs soon after

  Faleero had been carried off by Johnwan. Taking

  them from his sleeve the Red Jinn put them on and

  started to run as fast as his little legs would carry

  him through Pompus’ private park. Randy, seeing a

  small donkey tied to a tree and thinking the glasses

  might take them a long way, untied the small creature

  and ran after Jinnicky.

  Fortunately the donkey

  was strong and gentle and helping the little

  Jinn to his back, Randy mounted up behind. With

  a resigned sigh Jinnicky transferred his glasses to

  the donkey’s nose and away went the little animal

  at break-neck speed straight into Follensby Forest.

  With his arms clasped around the donkey’s neck, expecting

  to fly over its ears any minute, Jinnicky

  blinked, groaned and shuddered while Randy,

  weighed down by the wicker baskets, had all he

  could do to keep his seat.

  Both had imagined the

  victims of Faleero’s magic would be quite near the

  castle and noted with growing alarm th
at the donkey

  was carrying them deeper and deeper into Follensby

  Forest.

  When, after an hour or so, he pushed his way through a cluster of vines and bushes, galloped across a small clearing and straight into Faleero’s shabby hut, Randy gave a scream of surprise. Trotting over

  to the fireplace, the donkey lifted his head, brayed six times and came to a complete standstill. Then closing his eyes and dropping one hip he seemed to lose all interest in the affair. The fireplace was simply enormous, taking up the whole side of the cabin and making the little room look smaller even than it was. Recovering his specs, Jinnicky slid to the floor and poked his head inquiringly up the chimney.

  “Do you suppose they are up there?” he puffed, as Randy jumped down and set the wicker baskets on a chair. The windows were so small and dirty that it was quite dim and dark inside the hut. It smelled musty and damp, and shivering a little, Randy began to look around.

  Jinnicky was tapping the bricks about the fireplace, examining the clock and broken vases on the mantel, picking up the fire tongs, shovel and hearth broom-for any of these objects might easily be the King and his family.

  “If I just had a bit more light,” he murmured discontentedly, “I might be able to see what I am about. Are there any lamps or candles around, my boy?” Randy, with the same idea in mind, had searched both rooms on the first floor and now, feeling his way up the rickety steps, he looked carefully in the two rooms above. But there was not a candle, match or lamp to be found.

  “How about lighting a fire?” he proposed, coming back to the hearth where Jinnicky was squinting earnestly at the iron fender. “Only we have no matches,” he added ruefully.

  “Pooh, I can easily start a fire with my red incense. Fetch the red bottle, Randy, and be quick, be quick, or the Wizard of Oz will be stealing a march on us and working his magic before I have a chance to try mine.” The fire was all ready to start and pushing the donkey out of the way, Randy, following Jinnicky’s instructions, sprinkled the red incense over the kindling and logs and snapped his fingers four times. The paper and kindling caught at once and as Randy seized the poker to adjust the logs better, an ear-piercing scream went up the chimney. Dropping the poker, Randy fell against Jinnicky, and small wonder! The end of the first log to catch fire was changing to a face, the frightened face of Pumper, the King’s Prime Minister! As Randy and the Jinn looked on in horror, the King’s head crackled merrily from the end of the second log, and his royal feet, ensconced in purple boots, beat a wild tattoo on the log underneath.

  “Oh! Oh! Oh!” shrieked Randy, hopping from one foot to the other. “They’ll be burned up. Jinnicky,

  Jinnicky! What’ll we do? Where’s some water? Wait, I’ll go for some water!” But Jinnicky, seizing Randy by both wrists held him fast.

  “They’re not burning,” spluttered the Red Jinn breathlessly. “Be still! Stay here! If you put out that fire they’ll have to stay part logs and part people forever. The only way to restore people who have been turned to wood is to burn the wood.”

  “But this is awful!” choked the Gilliken boy, trying his best to pull away. And awful indeed it was to see the half logs and half people crackling and blazing away in Faleero’s grate. Pumper had stopped screaming and the others, making no sound at all, stared with solemn eyes through the flames at the two figures on the hearth.

  “How long will it take?” gasped Randy.

  “Oh, Jinnicky, can’t you hurry it up a little? I can’t bear it!” Jinnicky did not answer but dropped Randy’s wrists and opening his eyes, which for the moment he had shut tight, Randy saw King Pompus gravely helping the Queen over the fender; Prince Pompadore and Peg Amy with the baby princess in her arms came next, and last of all, Pumper, looking terribly frightened and ill at ease. They were still smoking but seemed perfectly comfortable.

  “How can I ever thank you?” wheezed the King,

  seizing the Red Jinn by both shoulders and embracing him heartily.

  “Thank him!” cried Jinnicky, waving his arm at Randy. “He started the fire, so he is really responsible for your disenchantment.”

  “Why, it’s the little grape eater!” exclaimed Pompus, turning to Randy in honest surprise.

  “Well, well, and well! Give me your hand, young one.”

  “Oh, do tell us what happened!” begged the Queen. “I remember nothing since picking the fire rose, but I am sure some great misfortune has befallen.”

  “I told you not to pick those flowers,” muttered Prince Pompadore, shaking the ashes out of his pockets. “I’ll wager that traveling magician was at the bottom of the whole business.”

  “Where’s Kabumpo? I want to hear the rest of the story about the pink goat,” wailed Pajonia, blinking sleepily over her mother’s shoulder.

  “There’s more than one story to be told, my child,” sniffed Jinnicky, rolling his red glass eyes solemnly from one to the other. “And if your Highnesses will be seated, I will endeavor to tell you all, or a small part of all that has happened.”

  So, regardless of dust and grime, the royal family of Pumperdink sat down on the wooden benches beside the still smoldering fire and Jinnicky proceeded

  to tell them of Faleero’s wickedness and Kettywig’s treachery.

  “And you came all the way from Ev to help us,” mused Peg Amy, smiling at the rosy little Jinn. “What ever can we do to repay you? Why, you and Randy and Kabumpo have saved the whole kingdom.”

  “Don’t forget Johnwan,” piped up Randy.

  “Oh say, Jinnicky, I’ve just thought of something. Lend me your looking glasses, quick!” Without waiting for Jinnicky to say yes, Randy pulled the specs from the Red Jinn’s nose and ran hurriedly out of the cabin. “My mercy me! Stop him! Stop him!” cried Jinnicky, running round in a frenzied circle. “The boy’s gone after that great wooden soldier and will be lost destroyed or stolen. Oh! Oh! Oh! He’s the best and only boy friend I have ever had.” But by the time they reached the door Randy had disappeared.

  Pretending to search for him further, Pumper, who was heartily ashamed of himself and anxious to escape before the King got round to his case, slipped into the forest running as fast and as far as he could. Where he went, I have no idea. I only know he was never heard of or seen in Pumperdink again, and as Kabumpo often remarked to Pompus, a grumpy good thing it was, too!

  Without noticing the disappearance of the Prime Pumper, the King and his family and the Red Jinn

  decided to return to the palace. Placing Queen Pozy, Princess Peg Amy and Pajonia on the donkey, the King and Prince Pompadore and Jinnicky set out on foot through the forest. The King led the donkey; Prince Pompadore and Jinnicky walked together, Pompa carrying the heavy wicker baskets, and so happy were they all to be released from the wicked enchantments that they scarcely noticed the inconveniences of walking. But it took a long, long time and it was almost night when they finally reached the castle. Lights blazed from every window and while the Wizard feverishly tried one spell after another, the servants were preparing a great feast to celebrate their Majesties’ return. Kabumpo had assured them that the Wizard of Oz would produce the royal family in time for dinner, and when the chief footman saw them wearily mounting the castle steps he gave a loud cheer for the Wizard and forgetting his dignity -also his decorum-hugged the Kings kissed the donkey and dashed into the palace to break the wonderful news to the others. So, as the little procession moved toward the throne room, Ozma and her councilors rushed out of the dining hall, and followed by the courtiers and servants, completely surrounded the little party.

  “Three cheers for the Wizard of Oz!” they shouted hysterically. “Three cheers for the Wizard!”

  “Wizard!” cried Jinnicky indignantly.

  “The Wizard had nothing to do with it. ‘Twas Randy, this honest mountain lad, who turned the trick and released their Royal Highnesses!”

  “Ah, but you all have helped us,” put in Queen Pozy, tactfully sliding off the donkey and holding both han
ds out to the Sovereign of all Oz.

  “We never, never, never can thank you enough! And if it had not been for Kabumpo, where would we have been by now?” The Elegant Elephant looked pleased but self-conscious and after the whole family had shaken his trunk and the little princess had blown him three kisses, he suddenly missed Randy.

  “Where’s the boy?” he asked, and picking Jinnicky up in his trunk he stared anxiously into his eyes. “Speak up!

  Speak up, can’t you?”

  “How am I to speak any other way?” grinned the little Jinn, making swimming motions in the air. “Put me down, El, there’s a good fellow.”

  “But what happened?” asked Dorothy.

  “Yes, how did a young lad, unpracticed in magic, succeed where all our art failed?” demanded the Wizard of Oz in a peppery voice.

  “Chance! Pure chance,” murmured Jinnicky,

  winking a red glass eye at the Wizard. “Your magic is not very swift, my dear Wiz, not so swift as I was led to suppose.”

  “Now! Now!” put in the Scarecrow, wagging his crooked finger at the Jinn. “Green magic may not be as swift as red magic, but it’s far prettier!”

  “Where’s Randy?” roared Kabumpo, giving Jinnicky an impatient shake.

  “Gone off with my magic glasses to find the wooden soldier,” announced Jinnicky ruefully. “My mercy me, Eli, we’ll have to go after him at once! If your Highnesses will excuse us-” Jinnicky took off his lid and bowed as well as he could in his precarious position. The King, not to be outdone, took off his crown and while Kabumpo, still holding Jinnicky in his trunk, simply dashed out of the throne room, Prince Pompadore explained to his curious listeners all that had happened in Faleero’s hut.