Fantasy fiction; Gale, Dorothy (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
"Goose-tea and turnips! What if they don't!" Pigasus shook his head
impatiently. "There are other countries, aren't there? Take Ev, for
instance, or Rinkitink, or the Rose Kingdom. Why, there are lots of
places whose rulers will remember Ozma, my poor old friend Jinnicky and
the others. Come along, my girl, we've only just started.
"While people roar for the Emperor
We'll seek our rightful ruler
From coast to coast from door to door
Though foes grow cruel and crueller!
"What we need is some magic," finished Pigasus shrewdly. "Know a good
place to look for some?"
"The Gnome King has plenty of magic," reflected Dorothy, leaning
thoughtfully against a tree, "and Ozma and I really helped put him on
the throne, so surely he'll help us."
"Well, maybe, but I don't set great store by gnomes. They're tricky,
nevertheless we'll go to Ev and everywhere else till we restore this
country to its proper rulers." Pigasus looked so impressive with his
chest and cheeks puffed out with purpose, Dorothy gave him a quick hug.
"Down with the Emperor!" snorted Pigasus, though almost suffocated by
Dorothy's embrace. "And up with you, my patriotic young Princess."
"Now you make me feel like a real one. I'd almost forgotten I was a
Princess," smiled Dorothy, climbing obediently on his back. "I believe
everything will be better from now on."
"Well, it could be a lot worse," chuckled Pigasus, and flapping
his wings in a business-like manner, he rose gracefully into the
air and headed for the east. Rolling hills dotted with castles,
villages and towns, valleys, farm lands and forests flashed in an
ever-changing pleasant panorama below. At noon they came down beside
the Winkie River, finished up the rest of the sandwiches for lunch,
and then looked eagerly around for someone else to question. But the
yellow-bearded ferryman who presently came into sight poling his
old-fashioned raft across the turbulent river knew no more of Ozma and
the other rulers of Oz than the fisherman. But he told them many long
and boring stories of Skamperoo and his white horse Chalk. Dorothy
and Pigasus had to make such an effort to listen politely they were
relieved when he finally shoved off and began poling himself back to
the other side.
"Have you any idea how far we've come?" asked Pigasus, rolling over and
over in the cool grass as Dorothy made a face at the ferryman's back.
"Yes," said Dorothy, dropping full length beside him. "This river is in
about the center of the Winkie Kingdom, so we are easily half way. We
could reach the Deadly Desert by night, fly over tomorrow morning, and
either go North to Ev or stop at the underground castle of the Gnome
King. Even if Kalico won't lend us his army, he might lend us some
magic."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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