"Twenty-five years ago," began the Queen, tossing back her golden hair, "I was a Princess of the North. To the mountain castle of my father, King Gil of Gilkenny, came Cheeriobed, Prince of the Ozure Isles, to ask for my hand in marriage. His father was King of the Munchkins, a monarch of great wealth and power. As my father made no objection to the match and as I myself was quite willing--" Here Orin paused and smiled prettily at Cheeriobed--"preparations were made at once for the wedding. "At that time, as you all know, Mombi was ruler of the North. Passing Gilkenny one late afternoon and seeing the footmen hanging lanterns in the garden, she stopped to inquire the reason for the festivities. Cheeriobed, who was helping with the decorations, quickly explained that they were for our wedding, and Mombi, in spite of her extreme age and ugliness, fell instantly and deeply in love with the Prince. As I watched uneasily from a hidden arbor, I saw the old witch transform herself into a charming young maiden. Following Cheeriobed about, she explained that she was no longer an old and ugly witch, but a powerful Princess, that if he would marry her they would have not only the Gilliken Country, but the Munchkin Country as well for their Kingdom." Cheeriobed pursed up his lips and shook his head sadly at this part of the story, for he well remembered Mombi's wicked proposals and her plan to destroy his father, the King of the Munchkins. "Of course," proceeded Orin demurely, "Cheeriobed refused and Mombi resuming her own shape rushed off in a fury, promising to make us all suffer. That very night word came by messenger that Cheeriobed's father had disappeared. And," continued the Queen somberly, "he has never been heard of since. Distressed and unhappy though we were, Cheeriobed and I were married at once and returned to the Ozure Isles, where he assumed the title of King and where we hoped to escape Mombi and her mischievous magic. For three years we were safe and happy and thought she had forgotten all about us. But one day, when Philador was about two years old, Mombi suddenly appeared on the beach, where we were sitting together. She was riding on a huge black eagle and, bidding the eagle seize me in its talons, carried me off before I had time to cry out for help, and that," sighed Orin, "was the last I saw of the Ozure Isles until to-night." "But what happened?" gasped Dorothy, leaning so far forward she nearly tumbled from her chair. "Where did she take you?" "To her hut in the mountains," answered the Queen sadly. "There, shutting me up in a huge closet, she began an incantation to change me into a witch, old and ugly as she herself." "I know what happened! I know what happened!" cried the little Wizard, springing entirely out of his chair and spinning 'round three times. "You were too sweet and beautiful to turn into a bad witch and the worst she could do only changed you into a good one." Orin blushed at the Wizard's little speech.