The Tin Woodman of Oz Page 14

  Chapter Fourteen

  The Green Monkey

  They now entered the house, and as an interested group, watched Jinjur,at Ozma's command, build a fire and put a kettle of water over to boil.The Ruler of Oz stood before the fire silent and grave, while theothers, realizing that an important ceremony of magic was about to beperformed, stood quietly in the background so as not to interruptOzma's proceedings. Only Polychrome kept going in and coming out,humming softly to herself as she danced, for the Rainbow's Daughtercould not keep still for long, and the four walls of a room always madeher nervous and ill at ease. She moved so noiselessly, however, thather movements were like the shifting of sunbeams and did not annoyanyone.

  When the water in the kettle bubbled, Ozma drew from her bosom two tinypackets containing powders. These powders she threw into the kettle andafter briskly stirring the contents with a branch from a macaroon bush,Ozma poured the mystic broth upon a broad platter which Jinjur hadplaced upon the table. As the broth cooled it became as silver,reflecting all objects from its smooth surface like a mirror.

  While her companions gathered around the table, eagerly attentive--andDorothy even held little Toto in her arms that he might see--Ozma wavedher wand over the mirror-like surface. At once it reflected theinterior of Yoop Castle, and in the big hall sat Mrs. Yoop, in her bestembroidered silken robes, engaged in weaving a new lace apron toreplace the one she had lost.

  The Giantess seemed rather uneasy, as if she had a faint idea thatsomeone was spying upon her, for she kept looking behind her and thisway and that, as though expecting danger from an unknown source.Perhaps some yookoohoo instinct warned her. Woot saw that she hadescaped from her room by some of the magical means at her disposal,after her prisoners had escaped her. She was now occupying the big hallof her castle as she used to do. Also Woot thought, from the cruelexpression on the face of the Giantess, that she was planning revengeon them, as soon as her new magic apron was finished.

  But Ozma was now making passes over the platter with her silver Wand,and presently the form of the Giantess began to shrink in size and tochange its shape. And now, in her place sat the form of Woot theWanderer, and as if suddenly realizing her transformation Mrs. Yoopthrew down her work and rushed to a looking-glass that stood againstthe wall of her room. When she saw the boy's form reflected as her own,she grew violently angry and dashed her head against the mirror,smashing it to atoms.

  Just then Ozma was busy with her magic Wand, making strange figures,and she had also placed her left hand firmly upon the shoulder of theGreen Monkey. So now, as all eyes were turned upon the platter, theform of Mrs. Yoop gradually changed again. She was slowly transformedinto the Green Monkey, and at the same time Woot slowly regained hisnatural form.

  It was quite a surprise to them all when they raised their eyes fromthe platter and saw Woot the Wanderer standing beside Ozma. And, whenthey glanced at the platter again, it reflected nothing more than thewalls of the room in Jinjur's house in which they stood. The magicceremonial was ended, and Ozma of Oz had triumphed over the wickedGiantess.

  "What will become of her, I wonder?" said Dorothy, as she drew a longbreath.

  "She will always remain a Green Monkey," replied Ozma, "and in thatform she will be unable to perform any magical arts whatsoever. Sheneed not be unhappy, however, and as she lives all alone in her castleshe probably won't mind the transformation very much after she getsused to it."

  "Anyhow, it serves her right," declared Dorothy, and all agreed withher.

  "But," said the kind hearted Tin Woodman, "I'm afraid the Green Monkeywill starve, for Mrs. Yoop used to get her food by magic, and now thatthe magic is taken away from her, what can she eat?"

  "Why, she'll eat what other monkeys do," returned the Scarecrow. "Evenin the form of a Green Monkey, she's a very clever person, and I'm sureher wits will show her how to get plenty to eat."

  "Don't worry about her," advised Dorothy. "She didn't worry about you,and her condition is no worse than the condition she imposed on poorWoot. She can't starve to death in the Land of Oz, that's certain, andif she gets hungry at times it's no more than the wicked thingdeserves. Let's forget Mrs. Yoop; for, in spite of her being ayookoohoo, our fairy friends have broken all of her transformations."