The Road to Oz Read online

  The Rainbow's Daughter

  Toto, now allowed to run about as he pleased, was glad to be free againand able to bark at the birds and chase the butterflies. The countryaround them was charming, yet in the pretty fields of wild-flowers andgroves of leafy trees were no houses whatever, or sign of anyinhabitants. Birds flew through the air and cunning white rabbits dartedamongst the tall grasses and green bushes; Dorothy noticed even the antstoiling busily along the roadway, bearing gigantic loads of clover seed;but of people there were none at all.

  They walked briskly on for an hour or two, for even little Button-Brightwas a good walker and did not tire easily. At length as they turned acurve in the road they beheld just before them a curious sight.

  A little girl, radiant and beautiful, shapely as a fairy and exquisitelydressed, was dancing gracefully in the middle of the lonely road,whirling slowly this way and that, her dainty feet twinkling insprightly fashion. She was clad in flowing, fluffy robes of softmaterial that reminded Dorothy of woven cobwebs, only it was colored insoft tintings of violet, rose, topaz, olive, azure, and white, mingledtogether most harmoniously in stripes which melted one into the otherwith soft blendings. Her hair was like spun gold and floated around herin a cloud, no strand being fastened or confined by either pin orornament or ribbon.

  Filled with wonder and admiration our friends approached and stoodwatching this fascinating dance. The girl was no taller than Dorothy,although more slender; nor did she seem any older than our littleheroine.

  Suddenly she paused and abandoned the dance, as if for the first timeobserving the presence of strangers. As she faced them, shy as afrightened fawn, poised upon one foot as if to fly the next instant,Dorothy was astonished to see tears flowing from her violet eyes andtrickling down her lovely rose-hued cheeks. That the dainty maidenshould dance and weep at the same time was indeed surprising; so Dorothyasked in a soft, sympathetic voice:

  POLYCHROME--THE RAINBOW'S DAUGHTER]

  "Are you unhappy, little girl?"

  "Very!" was the reply; "I am lost."

  "Why, so are we," said Dorothy, smiling; "but we don't cry about it."

  "Don't you? Why not?"

  "'Cause I've been lost before, and always got found again," answeredDorothy, simply.

  "But I've never been lost before," murmured the dainty maiden, "and I'mworried and afraid."

  "You were dancing," remarked Dorothy, in a puzzled tone of voice.

  "Oh, that was just to keep warm," explained the maiden, quickly. "It wasnot because I felt happy or gay, I assure you."

  Dorothy looked at her closely. Her gauzy flowing robes might not be verywarm, yet the weather wasn't at all chilly, but rather mild and balmy,like a spring day.

  "Who are you, dear?" she asked, gently.

  "I'm Polychrome," was the reply.

  "Polly whom?"

  "Polychrome. I'm the Daughter of the Rainbow."

  "Oh!" said Dorothy, with a gasp; "I didn't know the Rainbow hadchildren. But I _might_ have known it, before you spoke. You couldn'treally be anything else."

  "Why not?" inquired Polychrome, as if surprised.

  "Because you're so lovely and sweet."

  The little maiden smiled through her tears, came up to Dorothy, andplaced her slender fingers in the Kansas girl's chubby hand.

  "You'll be my friend--won't you?" she said, pleadingly.

  "Of course."

  "And what is your name?"

  "I'm Dorothy; and this is my friend Shaggy Man, who owns the LoveMagnet; and this is Button-Bright--only you don't see him as he reallyis because the Fox-King carelessly changed his head into a fox head. Butthe real Button-Bright is good to look at, and I hope to get him changedback to himself, some time."

  The Rainbow's Daughter nodded cheerfully, no longer afraid of her newcompanions.

  "But who is this?" she asked, pointing to Toto, who was sitting beforeher wagging his tail in the most friendly manner and admiring the prettymaid with his bright eyes. "Is this, also, some enchanted person?"

  "Oh no, Polly--I may call you Polly, mayn't I? Your whole name's awfulhard to say."

  "Call me Polly if you wish, Dorothy."

  "Well, Polly, Toto's just a dog; but he has more sense thanButton-Bright, to tell the truth; and I'm very fond of him."

  "So am I," said Polychrome, bending gracefully to pat Toto's head.

  "But how did the Rainbow's Daughter ever get on this lonely road, andbecome lost?" asked the shaggy man, who had listened wonderingly to allthis.

  "Why, my father stretched his rainbow over here this morning, so thatone end of it touched this road," was the reply; "and I was dancing uponthe pretty rays, as I love to do, and never noticed I was getting toofar over the bend in the circle. Suddenly I began to slide, and I wentfaster and faster until at last I bumped on the ground, at the very end.Just then father lifted the rainbow again, without noticing me at all,and though I tried to seize the end of it and hold fast, it melted awayentirely and I was left alone and helpless on the cold, hard earth!"

  "It doesn't seem cold to me, Polly," said Dorothy; "but perhaps you'renot warmly dressed."

  "I'm so used to living nearer the sun," replied the Rainbow's Daughter,"that at first I feared I would freeze down here. But my dance haswarmed me some, and now I wonder how I am ever to get home again."

  "Won't your father miss you, and look for you, and let down anotherrainbow for you?"

  "Perhaps so; but he's busy just now because it rains in so many parts ofthe world at this season, and he has to set his rainbow in a lot ofdifferent places. What would you advise me to do, Dorothy?"

  "Come with us," was the answer. "I'm going to try to find my way to theEmerald City, which is in the fairy Land of Oz. The Emerald City isruled by a friend of mine, the Princess Ozma, and if we can manage toget there I'm sure she will know a way to send you home to your fatheragain."

  "Do you really think so?" asked Polychrome, anxiously.

  "I'm pretty sure."

  "Then I'll go with you," said the little maid; "for travel will helpkeep me warm, and father can find me in one part of the world as well asanother--if he gets time to look for me."

  "Come along, then," said the shaggy man, cheerfully; and they started ononce more. Polly walked beside Dorothy a while, holding her new friend'shand as if she feared to let it go; but her nature seemed as light andbuoyant as her fleecy robes, for suddenly she darted ahead and whirledround in a giddy dance. Then she tripped back to them with sparklingeyes and smiling cheeks, having regained her usual happy mood andforgotten all her worry about being lost.

  They found her a charming companion, and her dancing and laughter--forshe laughed at times like the tinkling of a silver bell--did much toenliven their journey and keep them contented.