The Royal Book of Oz : $b In which the Scarecrow goes to search for his family tree and discovers that he is the long lost Emperor of the Silver IslandThompson, Ruth Plumly
Science
The Royal Book of Oz : $b In which the Scarecrow goes to search for his family tree and discovers that he is the long lost Emperor of the Silver Island
Thompson, Ruth Plumly
Cowardly Lion (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction; Fantasy literature; Gale, Dorothy (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction; Kings and rulers -- Juvenile fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction; Scarecrow (Fictitious character from Baum) -- Juvenile fiction
Trot and Betsy Bobbin were swinging in one of the royal hammocks, and
when Dorothy invited them to go along, they explained that they were
going on a picnic with the Tin Woodman. So without waiting to ask
anyone else or even whistling for Toto, her little dog, Dorothy
skipped out of the garden.
The Cowardly Lion, half asleep under a rose bush, caught a glimpse of
her blue dress flashing by, and bounding to his feet thudded after
her.
"Where are you going?" he asked, stifling a giant yawn.
"To visit the Scarecrow," explained Dorothy. "He looked so unhappy
last night. I am afraid he is worrying about his family tree, and I
thought p'raps I could cheer him up."
The Cowardly Lion stretched luxuriously. "I'll go too," he rumbled,
giving himself a shake. "But it's the first time I ever heard of the
Scarecrow worrying."
"But you see," Dorothy said gently, "Professor Wogglebug told him he
had no family."
"Family! Family fiddlesticks! Hasn't he got us?" The Cowardly Lion
stopped and waved his tail indignantly.
"Why, you dear old thing!" Dorothy threw her arms around his neck.
"You've given me a lovely idea!" The Cowardly Lion tried not to look
pleased.
"Well, as long as I've given it to you, you might tell me what it
is," he suggested mildly.
"Why," said Dorothy, skipping along happily, "we'll let him adopt us
and be his really relations. I'll be his sister, and you'll be--"
"His cousin--that is, if you think he wouldn't mind having a great
coward like me for a cousin," finished the Cowardly Lion in an
anxious voice.
"Do you still feel as cowardly as ever?" asked Dorothy
sympathetically.
"More so!" sighed the great beast, glancing apprehensively over his
shoulder. This made Dorothy laugh, for although the lion trembled
like a cup custard at the approach of danger, he always managed to
fight with great valor, and the little girl felt safer with him than
with the whole army of Oz, who never were frightened but who always
ran away.
Now anyone who is at all familiar with his geozify knows that the
Fairyland of Oz is divided into four parts, exactly like a parchesi
board, with the Emerald City in the very center, the purple Gillikin
Country to the north, the red Quadling Country to the south, the blue
Munchkin Country to the east, and the yellow Country of the Winkies
to the west. It was toward the west that Dorothy and the Cowardly
Lion turned their steps, for it was in the Winkie Country that the
Scarecrow had built his gorgeous golden tower in exactly the shape of
a huge ear of corn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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