The Emerald City of Oz Page 8

  _How_ AUNT EM CONQUERED THE LION

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "These are your rooms," said Dorothy, opening a door.

  Aunt Em drew back at sight of the splendid furniture and draperies.

  "Ain't there any place to wipe my feet?" she asked.

  "You will soon change your slippers for new shoes," replied Dorothy."Don't be afraid, Aunt Em. Here is where you are to live, so walk rightin and make yourself at home."

  Aunt Em advanced hesitatingly.

  "It beats the Topeka Hotel!" she cried, admiringly. "But this place istoo grand for us, child. Can't we have some back room in the attic,that's more in our class?"

  "No," said Dorothy. "You've got to live here, 'cause Ozma says so. Andall the rooms in this palace are just as fine as these, and some arebetter. It won't do any good to fuss, Aunt Em. You've got to be swelland high-toned in the Land of Oz, whether you want to or not; so youmay as well make up your mind to it."

  "It's hard luck," replied her aunt, looking around with an awedexpression; "but folks can get used to anything, if they try. Eh,Henry?"

  "Why, as to that," said Uncle Henry, slowly, "I b'lieve in takin' what'spervided us, an' askin' no questions. I've traveled some, Em, in mytime, and you hain't; an' that makes a difference atween us."

  Then Dorothy showed them through the rooms. The first was a handsomesitting-room, with windows opening upon the rose gardens. Then cameseparate bedrooms for Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, with a fine bathroombetween them. Aunt Em had a pretty dressing room, besides, and Dorothyopened the closets and showed several exquisite costumes that had beenprovided for her aunt by the royal dressmakers, who had worked all nightto get them ready. Everything that Aunt Em could possibly need was inthe drawers and closets, and her dressing-table was covered withengraved gold toilet articles.

  Uncle Henry had nine suits of clothes, cut in the popular Munchkinfashion, with knee-breeches, silk stockings and low shoes with jeweledbuckles. The hats to match these costumes had pointed tops and widebrims with small gold bells around the edges. His shirts were of finelinen with frilled bosoms, and his vests were richly embroidered withcolored silks.

  Uncle Henry decided that he would first take a bath and then dresshimself in a blue satin suit that had caught his fancy. He accepted hisgood fortune with calm composure and refused to have a servant to assisthim. But Aunt Em was "all of a flutter," as she said, and it tookDorothy and Jellia Jamb, the housekeeper, and two maids a long time todress her and do up her hair and get her "rigged like a popinjay," asshe quaintly expressed it. She wanted to stop and admire everything thatcaught her eye, and she sighed continually and declared that such finerywas too good for an old country woman, and that she never thought shewould have to "put on airs" at her time of life.

  Finally she was dressed, and when they went into the sitting-room therewas Uncle Henry in his blue satin, walking gravely up and down the room.He had trimmed his beard and mustache and looked very dignified andrespectable.

  "Tell me, Dorothy," he said; "do all the men here wear duds like these?"

  "Yes," she replied; "all 'cept the Scarecrow and the Shaggy Man--and ofcourse the Tin Woodman and Tiktok, who are made of metal. You'll findall the men at Ozma's court dressed just as you are--only perhaps alittle finer."

  "Henry, you look like a play-actor," announced Aunt Em, looking at herhusband critically.

  "An' you, Em, look more highfalutin' than a peacock," he replied.

  "I guess you're right," she said, regretfully; "but we're helplessvictims of high-toned royalty."

  Dorothy was much amused.

  "Come with me," she said, "and I'll show you 'round the palace."

  She took them through the beautiful rooms and introduced them to all thepeople they chanced to meet. Also she showed them her own pretty rooms,which were not far from their own.

  "So it's all true," said Aunt Em, wide-eyed with amazement, "and whatDorothy told us of this fairy country was plain facts instead of dreams!But where are all the strange creatures you used to know here?"

  "Yes; where's the Scarecrow?" inquired Uncle Henry.

  "Why, he's just now away on a visit to the Tin Woodman, who is Emp'rorof the Winkie Country," answered the little girl. "You'll see him whenhe comes back, and you're sure to like him."

  "And where's the Wonderful Wizard?" asked Aunt Em.

  "You'll see him at Ozma's luncheon, for he lives in this palace," wasthe reply.

  "And Jack Pumpkinhead?"

  "Oh, he lives a little way out of town, in his own pumpkin field. We'llgo there some time and see him, and we'll call on Professor Wogglebug,too. The Shaggy Man will be at the luncheon, I guess, and Tiktok. Andnow I'll take you out to see Billina, who has a house of her own."

  So they went into the back yard, and after walking along winding pathssome distance through the beautiful gardens they came to an attractivelittle house where the Yellow Hen sat on the front porch sunningherself.

  "Good morning, my dear Mistress," called Billina, fluttering down tomeet them. "I was expecting you to call, for I heard you had come backand brought your uncle and aunt with you."

  "We're here for good and all, this time, Billina," cried Dorothy,joyfully. "Uncle Henry and Aunt Em belong in Oz now as much as I do!"

  "Then they are very lucky people," declared Billina; "for there couldn'tbe a nicer place to live. But come, my dear; I must show you all myDorothys. Nine are living and have grown up to be very respectable hens;but one took cold at Ozma's birthday party and died of the pip, and theother two turned out to be horrid roosters, so I had to change theirnames from Dorothy to Daniel. They all had the letter 'D' engraved upontheir gold lockets, you remember, with your picture inside, and 'D'stands for Daniel as well as for Dorothy."

  "Did you call both the roosters Daniel?" asked Uncle Henry.

  "Yes, indeed. I've nine Dorothys and two Daniels; and the nineDorothys have eighty-six sons and daughters and over three hundredgrandchildren," said Billina, proudly.

  "What names do you give 'em all, dear?" inquired the little girl.

  "Oh, they are all Dorothys and Daniels, some being Juniors and someDouble-Juniors. Dorothy and Daniel are two good names, and I see noobject in hunting for others," declared the Yellow Hen. "But just think,Dorothy, what a big chicken family we've grown to be, and our numbersincrease nearly every day! Ozma doesn't know what to do with all theeggs we lay, and we are never eaten or harmed in any way, as chickensare in your country. They give us everything to make us contented andhappy, and I, my dear, am the acknowledged Queen and Governor of everychicken in Oz, because I'm the eldest and started the whole colony."

  "You ought to be very proud, ma'am," said Uncle Henry, who wasastonished to hear a hen talk so sensibly.

  "Oh, I am," she replied. "I've the loveliest pearl necklace you eversaw. Come in the house and I'll show it to you. And I've nine legbracelets and a diamond pin for each wing. But I only wear them on stateoccasions."

  They followed the Yellow Hen into the house, which Aunt Em declared wasneat as a pin. They could not sit down, because all Billina's chairswere roosting-poles made of silver; so they had to stand while the henfussily showed them her treasures.

  Then they had to go into the back rooms occupied by Billina's nineDorothys and two Daniels, who were all plump yellow chickens and greetedthe visitors very politely. It was easy to see that they were well bredand that Billina had looked after their education.

  In the yards were all the children and grandchildren of these elevenelders and they were of all sizes, from well-grown hens to tiny chickensjust out of the shell. About fifty fluffy yellow youngsters were atschool, being taught good manners and good grammar by a young hen whowore spectacles. They sang in chorus a patriotic song of the Land of Oz,in honor of their visitors, and Aunt Em was much impressed by thesetalking chickens.

  Dorothy wanted to stay and play with the young chickens for awhile, butUncle Henry and Aunt Em had not seen the palace grounds and gardens yetand were eager to get better a
cquainted with the marvelous anddelightful land in which they were to live.

  "I'll stay here, and you can go for a walk," said Dorothy. "You'll beperfec'ly safe anywhere, and may do whatever you want to. When you gettired, go back to the palace and find your rooms, and I'll come to youbefore luncheon is ready."

  So Uncle Henry and Aunt Em started out alone to explore the grounds, andDorothy knew that they couldn't get lost, because all the palace groundswere enclosed by a high wall of green marble set with emeralds.

  It was a rare treat to these simple folk, who had lived in the countryall their lives and known little enjoyment of any sort, to wearbeautiful clothes and live in a palace and be treated with respect andconsideration by all around them. They were very happy indeed as theystrolled up the shady walks and looked upon the gorgeous flowers andshrubs, feeling that their new home was more beautiful than any tonguecould describe.

  Suddenly, as they turned a corner and walked through a gap in a highhedge, they came face to face with an enormous Lion, which crouched uponthe green lawn and seemed surprised by their appearance.

  They stopped short, Uncle Henry trembling with horror and Aunt Em tooterrified to scream. Next moment the poor woman clasped her husbandaround the neck and cried:

  "Save me, Henry, save me!"

  "Can't even save myself, Em," he returned, in a husky voice, "for theanimile looks as if it could eat both of us, an' lick its chops formore! If I only had a gun--"

  "Haven't you, Henry? Haven't you?" she asked anxiously.

  "Nary gun, Em. So let's die as brave an' graceful as we can. I knew ourluck couldn't last!"

  "I won't die. I won't be eaten by a lion!" wailed Aunt Em, glaring uponthe huge beast. Then a thought struck her, and she whispered: "Henry,I've heard as savage beastses can be conquered by the human eye. I'lleye that lion out o' countenance an' save our lives."

  "Try it, Em," he returned, also in a whisper. "Look at him as you do atme when I'm late to dinner."

  Aunt Em turned upon the Lion a determined countenance and a wilddilated eye. She glared at the immense beast steadily, and the Lion, whohad been quietly blinking at them, began to appear uneasy and disturbed.

  "Is anything the matter, ma'am?" he asked, in a mild voice.

  At this speech from the terrible beast Aunt Em and Uncle Henry both werestartled, and then Uncle Henry remembered that this must be the Lionthey had seen in Ozma's Throne Room.

  "Hold on, Em!" he exclaimed. "Quit the eagle eye conquest an' takecourage. I guess this is the same Cowardly Lion Dorothy has told usabout."

  "Oh, is it?" she asked, much relieved.

  "When he spoke, I got the idea; and when he looked so 'shamed like, Iwas sure of it," Uncle Henry continued.

  Aunt Em regarded the animal with new interest.

  "Are you the Cowardly Lion?" she inquired. "Are you Dorothy's friend?"

  "Yes'm," answered the Lion, meekly. "Dorothy and I are old chums and arevery fond of each other. I'm the King of Beasts, you know, and theHungry Tiger and I serve Princess Ozma as her body guards."

  "To be sure," said Aunt Em, nodding. "But the King of Beasts shouldn'tbe cowardly."

  "I've heard that said before," remarked the Lion, yawning till heshowed his two great rows of sharp white teeth; "but that does not keepme from being frightened whenever I go into battle."

  "What do you do, run?" asked Uncle Henry.

  "No; that would be foolish, for the enemy would run after me," declaredthe Lion. "So I tremble with fear and pitch in as hard as I can; and sofar I have always won my fight."

  "Ah, I begin to understand," said Uncle Henry.

  "Were you scared when I looked at you just now?" inquired Aunt Em.

  "Terribly scared, madam," answered the Lion, "for at first I thought youwere going to have a fit. Then I noticed you were trying to overcome meby the power of your eye, and your glance was so fierce and penetratingthat I shook with fear."

  This greatly pleased the lady, and she said quite cheerfully:

  "Well, I won't hurt you, so don't be scared any more. I just wanted tosee what the human eye was good for."

  "The human eye is a fearful weapon," remarked the Lion, scratching hisnose softly with his paw to hide a smile. "Had I not known you wereDorothy's friends I might have torn you both into shreds in order toescape your terrible gaze."

  Aunt Em shuddered at hearing this, and Uncle Henry said hastily:

  "I'm glad you knew us. Good morning, Mr. Lion; we'll hope to see youagain--by and by--some time in the future."

  "Good morning," replied the Lion, squatting down upon the lawn again."You are likely to see a good deal of me, if you live in the Land ofOz."