Fantasy fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
"Pajuka!" cried the tired tailor. Rushing joyously down the steps of
the throne, he threw both arms 'round a fat, jolly old gentleman. The
tired tailor, did I say? But no! He was the tired tailor no longer!
The rounded shoulders had straightened up under the velvet robe, the
tired eyes sparkled with pleasure and kindliness. Tora, the tailor, no
longer, but Pastoria, the King, stood embracing his prime minister, for
the same green formula that had restored his majesty had also released
Pajuka from his weary enchantment.
"I remember! I remember! I turned him to a tailor and flung him down a
well!" squealed Mombi, but in the excitement no one even heard her. The
suddenness of the King's restoration had taken even Snip by surprise,
but recovering quickly they all pressed forward.
Humpy was the first to reach the throne. "Glad you got the job,"
grinned the dummy cheerfully. "But let me be your double, old fellow.
I'll fall or die for you any time." Making his word good at once, Humpy
tripped over the King's foot and fell flat upon his nose.
"Why he _is_ your double," gasped Dorothy eagerly. "The very image of
you."
"King, King, double King, never get him back again!" screamed the Patch
Work Girl, and from then on the uproar was tremendous. The courtiers
and servants, back from the long day's search, came crowding into the
throne room, and when they heard the whole story from the Soldier with
the Green Whiskers they added their voices to the general clamor.
"Why the names should have told us," whispered Dorothy to Snip, whom
she had dragged into a corner for the confidence. "Tora the tailor and
Pastoria, the King. How did we ever miss it?"
Snip shook his head and looked over contentedly at his two best
friends. It seemed as if Ozma and her father would never stop hugging
one another but at last, with his little daughter on his right and
faithful Pajuka on his left, with Humpy standing importantly behind him
and Snip in his lap, the King sat down upon his throne and insisted
upon hearing all that had happened during his weary exile--for the
years he had been in Blankenburg had been blank indeed.
Taking turns, Dorothy, Trot and Ozma did their best to satisfy him.
Then Pastoria, himself, told how Lurline, Queen of the Fairy Band, had
come to his shop, tried to disenchant him and when she found Mombi's
magic too strong for her, had bestowed upon him his remarkable flying
ears.
"I'm going to miss those ears," sighed the King, touching his tight-on
ones regretfully, "but it's fine to be back just the same and to find
my own dear little girl again!"
"There are still two things I don't understand," mused Dorothy, as
Pastoria finished speaking. "Why did I change size in California, and
how was it you could not get away from Blankenburg till Snip helped
you?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account