The Royal Book of Oz Page 11

  CHAPTER 11

  SIR HOKUS OVERCOMETH THE GIANT

  "I don't believe we'll ever find the way out of this forest."

  Dorothy stopped with a discouraged little sigh and leaned against atree. They had followed the road for several hours. First it had beenfine and wide, but it had gradually dwindled to a crooked little paththat wound crazily in and out through the trees. Although it wasalmost noonday, not a ray of sun penetrated through the dim greendepths.

  "Methinks," said Sir Hokus, peering into the gloom ahead, "that agreat adventure is at hand."

  The Cowardly Lion put back his ears. "What makes you methink so?" herumbled anxiously.

  "Hark thee!" said Sir Hokus, holding up his finger warningly. From agreat way off sounded a curious thumping. It was coming nearer andnearer.

  "Good gracious!" cried Dorothy, catching hold of the Cowardly Lion'smane.

  "This is worse than Pokes!"

  "Perchance it is a dragon," exulted the Knight, drawing his shortsword. "Ah, how it would refresh me to slay a dragon!"

  "I don't relish dragons myself. Scorched my tongue on one once," saidthe Cowardly Lion huskily. "But I'll fight with you, brother Hokus.Stand back, Dorothy dear."

  As the thuds grew louder, the Knight fairly danced up and down withexcitement. "Approach, villain!" he roared lustily.

  "Approach till I impale thee on my lance. Ah, had I but a horse!"

  "I'd let you ride on my back if it weren't for that hard tin suit,"said the Cowardly Lion. "But cheer up, my dear Hokus, your voice is alittle hoarse." Dorothy giggled nervously, then seized hold of asmall tree, for the whole forest was rocking.

  "How now!" gasped the Knight. There was a terrific quake that threwSir Hokus on his face and sent every hair in the lion's mane on end,and then a great foot came crashing down through the treetops notthree paces from the little party. Before they could even swallow, agiant hand flashed down-ward, jerked up a handful of trees by theroots, and disappeared, while a voice from somewhere way aboveshouted:

  What are little humans for? To feed the giant Bangladore. Broiled or toasted, baked or roasted, I smell three or maybe four!

  "You hear that?" quavered the Cowardly Lion. Sir Hokus did notanswer. His helmet had been jammed down by his fall, and he wastugging it upward with both hands. Frightened though Dorothy was, sheran to the Knight's assistance.

  "Have at you!" cried Sir Hokus as soon as the opening in his helmetwas opposite his eyes. "Forward!"

  "My heart is beating a retreat," gulped the Cowardly Lion, but hebounded boldly after Sir Hokus.

  "Varlet!" hissed the Knight, and raising his sword gave a mightyslash at the giant's ankle, which was broad as three tree trunks,while the Cowardly Lion gave a great spring and sank his teeth in thegiant's huge leg.

  "Ouch!" roared the giant in a voice that shook every leaf in theforest. "You stop, or I'll tell my father!" With that, he gave a hopthat sent Sir Hokus flying into the treetops, stumbled over a hugerock, and came crashing to the earth, smashing trees like grassblades. At the giant's first scream, Dorothy shut her eyes and,putting her hands over her ears, had run as far and as fast as shecould. At the awful crash, she stopped short, opened her eyes, andstared 'round giddily.

  The giant was flat on his back, but as he was stretched as far asfour city blocks, only half of him was visible. The Cowardly Lionstill clung to his leg, and he was gurgling and struggling in a wayDorothy could not understand.

  She looked around in a panic for the Knight. Just then, Sir Hokusdropped from the branch of a tree.

  "Uds daggers!" he puffed, looking ruefully at his sword, which hadsnapped off at the handle, "'Tis a pretty rogue!"

  "Don't you think we'd better run?" shiver Dorothy, thinking of thegiant's song.

  "Not while I wear these colors!" exclaimed Sir Hokus, proudlytouching Dorothy's hair ribbon, which still adorned his arm. "Come,my good Lion, let us dispatch this braggart and saucy monster."

  "Father!" screamed the giant, making no attempt to move.

  "He seems to be frightened, himself," whispered Dorothy to theKnight. "But whatever is the matter with the Cowardly Lion?"

  At that minute, the Cowardly Lion gave a great jerk and began backingwith his four feet braced. The piece of giant leg that he had hold ofstretched and stretched, and while Sir Hokus and Dorothy stared inamazement, it snapped off and the Cowardly Lion rolled head overpaws.

  "Taffy!" roared the Cowardly Lion, sitting up and trying to open hisjaws, which were firmly stuck together.

  "Taffy!" At this, Sir Hokus sprang nimbly on the giant's leg, ran uphis chest, and perched bravely on his peppermint collar.

  "Surrender, Knave!" he demanded threateningly. Dorothy, seeing shecould do nothing to help the Cowardly Lion, followed. On her way up,she broke off a tiny piece of his coat and found it most deliciouschocolate.

  "Why, he's all made of candy!" she cried excitedly.

  "Oh, hush!" sobbed the giant, rolling his great sourball eyes. "I'dbe eaten in a minute if it were known."

  "You were mighty anxious to eat us a while ago," said Dorothy,looking longingly at the giant's coat buttons. They seemed to belarge marshmallows.

  "Go away!" screamed the giant, shaking so that Dorothy slid into hisvest pocket. "No one under forty feet is allowed in this forest!"

  Dorothy climbed crossly out of the giant's pocket. "We didn't comebecause we wanted to," she assured him, wiping the chocolate off hernose.

  "Odds bodikins! I cannot fight a great baby like this," sighed SirHokus, dodging just in time a great, sugary tear that had rolled downthe giant's nose. "He's got to apologize for that song, though."

  "Wait!" cried Dorothy suddenly. "I have an idea. If you set us downon the edge of the forest and give us all your vest buttons forlunch, we won't tell anyone you're made of candy. We'll let you go,"she called loudly, for the giant had begun to sob again.

  "Won't you? Will you?" sniffed the foolish giant.

  "Never sing that song again!" commanded the Knight sternly.

  "No, Sir," answered the giant meekly. "Did your dog chew much of myleg, Sir?" Then, before Dorothy or Sir Hokus had time to way a word,they were snatched up in sticky fingers and next minute were droppedwith a thump in a large field of daisies.

  "Oh!" spluttered Dorothy as the giant made off on his taffy legs."Oh, we've forgotten the Cowardly Lion!" But at that minute, thegiant reappeared, and the lion was dropped beside them.

  "What's this? What's this?" growled the Cowardly Lion, looking aroundwildly.

  "We got him to lift us out of the forest," explained Dorothy. "Haveyou swallowed the taffy?" The lion was still dizzy from his ride andonly shook his head feebly.

  Sir Hokus sighed and sat heavily down on a large rock. "There is nosort of honor, methinks, in overcoming a candy giant," he observed,looking wistfully at the plume still pinned to Dorothy's dress. "Ah,had it but been a proper fight!"

  "You didn't know he was candy. I think you were just splendid."Jumping up, Dorothy fastened the plume in the Knight's helmet. "Andyou're talking just beautifully, more like a Knight every minute,"she added with conviction. Sir Hokus tried not to look pleased.

  "Give me a meat enemy! My teeth ache yet! First singing, thencandy-leg pulling! Gr-ugh! What next?" growled the Cowardly Lion.

  "Why, lunch, if you feel like eating," said Dorothy, beginning togive out the vest buttons which the giant had obediently ripped offand left for them. They _were_ marshmallows, the size of pie plates,and Dorothy and Sir Hokus found them quite delicious. The CowardlyLion, however, after a doubtful sniff and sneeze from the powderedsugar, declined and went off to find something more to his taste.

  "We had better take some of these along," said Dorothy when she andSir Hokus had eaten several. "We may need them later."

  "Everything is yellow, so we must be in the Winkie Country,"announced the Cowardly Lion, who had just returned from his lunch."There's a road, too."

  "Mayhap it will take us to the jeweled
city of your gracious Queen."Sir Hokus shaded his eyes and stared curiously at the long lanestretching invitingly ahead of them.

  "Well, anyway, we're out of the forest and Pokes, and maybe we'llmeet someone who will tell us about the Scarecrow. Come on!" criedDorothy gaily. "I think we're on the right track this time."