Fantasy fiction; Gale, Dorothy (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
Peering mischievously out the side of his gaily painted jinrikisha was
the merry Red Jinn, himself, and no one could view the rotund little
Wizard of Ev without feeling happier. Jinnicky's body was a great
red jar. He wore the lid for a hat and when he grew bored or sleepy
he would simply retire into himself like a turtle. But now he did
not feel at all like retiring and was showering ginger cookies right
and left and simply beaming with interest and jollity. The King and
Queen of Ragbad rolled briskly along in their shabby but comfortable
open coach. With them were Prince Tatters, Urtha, his flowery little
Princess, and Grandpa, an old Soldier with a wooden leg, who had gone
through many wars and hardships for the sake of his country. But the
shout that greeted the Yellow Knight was loudest and longest of all.
The Prince of Corumbia had lived in the Emerald City for many years as
Sir Hokus of Pokes, before he was disenchanted and became the young and
charming husband of Princess Marygolden of Corabia. Sir Hokus rode
the Comfortable Camel, and Camy, who had also spent part of his life
in the capital, came in for his full share of the cheering. Princess
Marygolden was mounted on Stampedro, the Knight's great stamping war
horse, and Stampedro was a sight to make any little boy's heart beat
faster.
Ato, King of the Octagon Isles, and Samuel Salt, a reformed Pirate, now
Royal Discoverer and Explorer for the Crown, traveled together in Ato's
Octagon Chariot drawn by eight prancing black horses with eight footmen
in eight-sided hats on the high seat behind his merry little Majesty.
Roger, the Read Bird, perched proudly on the King's shoulder, reading
out the signs and street names as they bowled merrily over the gold
paving stones, and chuckling to himself in eight different languages.
Last, but by no means least, came the King and Queen of Seebania, the
King's uncle, better known in the Emerald City as Unc Nunkie, and the
King's son Ojo. The King and Queen were seated sedately in the Silver
Coach of Seebania, but Ojo and his pet bear Snufferbux were proudly
mounted on the back of Roganda, Queen of the Unicorns. This handsome
snow white beast, who had happened to be visiting Ojo at the time,
could not only send her horn darting out like a lance, but could
blow it as well. The sound of its clear, bell-like notes made many a
trumpeter in Ozma's band turn round with surprise and envy. Drawn up
to meet her impressive visitors was Ozma herself. The Royal Float of
Her Imperial Highness was formed like a sea shell. On an uncut emerald
in the center sat the little Ruler of all the Ozians dressed in a
shimmering white robe, wearing her flashing emerald crown and never in
all the thousand years of her young life had this lovely young fairy
looked more beautiful. Also in white were her attendants, Dorothy,
Bettsy, and Trot, each wearing an emerald circlet and carrying a long
wand draped with spring flowers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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