The Road to Oz Read online

  The Emerald City

  The others now came up, and the Tin Woodman greeted the Lion and theTiger cordially. Button-Bright yelled with fear when Dorothy first tookhis hand and led him toward the great beasts; but the girl insisted theywere kind and good, and so the boy mustered up courage enough to pattheir heads; after they had spoken to him gently and he had looked intotheir intelligent eyes his fear vanished entirely and he was sodelighted with the animals that he wanted to keep close to them andstroke their soft fur every minute.

  As for the shaggy man, he might have been afraid if he had met thebeasts alone, or in any other country; but so many were the marvels inthe Land of Oz that he was no longer easily surprised, and Dorothy'sfriendship for the Lion and Tiger was enough to assure him they weresafe companions. Toto barked at the Cowardly Lion in joyous greeting,for he knew the beast of old and loved him, and it was funny to see howgently the Lion raised his huge paw to pat Toto's head. The little dogsmelled of the Tiger's nose and the Tiger politely shook paws with him;so they were quite likely to become firm friends.

  Tik-tok and Billina knew the beasts well, so merely bade them good dayand asked after their healths and inquired about the Princess Ozma.

  Now it was seen that the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger were drawingbehind them a splendid golden chariot, to which they were harnessed bygolden cords. The body of the chariot was decorated on the outside withdesigns in clusters of sparkling emeralds, while inside it was linedwith a green and gold satin, and the cushions of the seats were of greenplush embroidered in gold with a crown, underneath which was a monogram.

  "Why, it's Ozma's own royal chariot!" exclaimed Dorothy.

  "Yes," said the Cowardly Lion; "Ozma sent us to meet you here, for shefeared you would be weary with your long walk and she wished you toenter the City in a style becoming your exalted rank."

  "What!" cried Polly, looking at Dorothy curiously. "Do you belong to thenobility?"

  "Just in Oz I do," said the child, "'cause Ozma made me a Princess, youknow. But when I'm home in Kansas I'm only a country girl, and have tohelp with the churning and wipe the dishes while Aunt Em washes 'em. Doyou have to help wash dishes on the rainbow, Polly?"

  "No, dear," answered Polychrome, smiling.

  "Well, I don't have to work any in Oz, either," said Dorothy. "It's kindof fun to be a Princess once in a while; don't you think so?"

  "Dorothy and Polychrome and Button-Bright are all to ride in thechariot," said the Lion. "So get in, my dears, and be careful not to marthe gold or put your dusty feet on the embroidery."

  Button-Bright was delighted to ride behind such a superb team, and hetold Dorothy it made him feel like an actor in a circus. As the stridesof the animals brought them nearer to the Emerald City every one bowedrespectfully to the children, as well as to the Tin Woodman, Tik-tok,and the shaggy man, who were following behind.

  The Yellow Hen had perched upon the back of the chariot, where she couldtell Dorothy more about her wonderful chickens as they rode. And so thegrand chariot came finally to the high wall surrounding the City, andpaused before the magnificent jewel-studded gates.

  These were opened by a cheerful looking little man who wore greenspectacles over his eyes. Dorothy introduced him to her friends as theGuardian of the Gates, and they noticed a big bunch of keys suspended onthe golden chain that hung around his neck. The chariot passed throughthe outer gates into a fine arched chamber built in the thick wall, andthrough the inner gates into the streets of the Emerald City.

  Polychrome exclaimed in rapture at the wondrous beauty that met her eyeson every side as they rode through this stately and imposing City, theequal of which has never been discovered, even in Fairyland.Button-Bright could only say "My!" so amazing was the sight; but hiseyes were wide open and he tried to look in every direction at the sametime, so as not to miss anything.

  The shaggy man was fairly astounded at what he saw, for the graceful andhandsome buildings were covered with plates of gold and set withemeralds so splendid and valuable that in any other part of the worldany one of them would have been worth a fortune to its owner. Thesidewalks were superb marble slabs polished as smooth as glass, and thecurbs that separated the walks from the broad street were also set thickwith clustered emeralds. There were many people on these walks--men,women, and children--all dressed in handsome garments of silk or satinor velvet, with beautiful jewels. Better even than this: all seemedhappy and contented, for their faces were smiling and free from care,and music and laughter might be heard on every side.

  "Don't they work, at all?" asked the shaggy man.

  "To be sure they work," replied the Tin Woodman; "this fair city couldnot be built or cared for without labor, nor could the fruit andvegetables and other food be provided for the inhabitants to eat. But noone works more than half his time, and the people of Oz enjoy theirlabors as much as they do their play."

  "It's wonderful!" declared the shaggy man. "I do hope Ozma will let melive here."

  The chariot, winding through many charming streets, paused before abuilding so vast and noble and elegant that even Button-Bright guessedat once that it was the Royal Palace. Its gardens and ample grounds weresurrounded by a separate wall, not so high or thick as the wall aroundthe City, but more daintily designed and built all of green marble. Thegates flew open as the chariot appeared before them, and the CowardlyLion and Hungry Tiger trotted up a jeweled driveway to the front door ofthe palace and stopped short.

  "Here we are!" said Dorothy, gaily, and helped Button-Bright from thechariot. Polychrome leaped out lightly after them, and they were greetedby a crowd of gorgeously dressed servants who bowed low as the visitorsmounted the marble steps. At their head was a pretty little maid withdark hair and eyes, dressed all in green embroidered with silver.Dorothy ran up to her with evident pleasure, and exclaimed:

  "O Jellia Jamb! I'm so glad to see you again. Where's Ozma?"

  "In her room, your Highness," replied the little maid demurely, for thiswas Ozma's favorite attendant. "She wishes you to come to her as soon asyou have rested and changed your dress, Princess Dorothy. And you andyour friends are to dine with her this evening."

  "When is her birthday, Jellia?" asked the girl.

  "Day after to-morrow, your Highness."

  "And where's the Scarecrow?"

  "He's gone into the Munchkin country to get some fresh straw to stuffhimself with, in honor of Ozma's celebration," replied the maid. "Hereturns to the Emerald City to-morrow, he said."

  By this time Tik-tok, the Tin Woodman, and the shaggy man had arrivedand the chariot had gone around to the back of the palace, Billina goingwith the Lion and Tiger to see her chickens after her absence from them.But Toto stayed close beside Dorothy.

  "O, JELLIA JAMB! I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU"]

  "Come in, please," said Jellia Jamb; "it shall be our pleasant duty toescort all of you to the rooms prepared for your use."

  The shaggy man hesitated. Dorothy had never known him to be ashamed ofhis shaggy looks before, but now that he was surrounded by so muchmagnificence and splendor the shaggy man felt sadly out of place.

  Dorothy assured him that all her friends were welcome at Ozma's palace,so he carefully dusted his shaggy shoes with his shaggy handkerchief andentered the grand hall after the others.

  Tik-tok lived at the Royal Palace and the Tin Woodman always had thesame room whenever he visited Ozma, so these two went at once to removethe dust of the journey from their shining bodies. Dorothy also had apretty suite of rooms which she always occupied when in the EmeraldCity; but several servants walked ahead politely to show the way,although she was quite sure she could find the rooms herself. She tookButton-Bright with her, because he seemed too small to be left alone insuch a big palace; but Jellia Jamb herself ushered the beautifulDaughter of the Rainbow to her apartments, because it was easy to seethat Polychrome was used to splendid palaces and was therefore entitledto especial attention.