Kabanata Kabanata 24 · Glinda's Triumph

. Glinda's Triumph

Of course all those who had joined Glinda's expedition at once crossed

the bridge to the island, where they were warmly welcomed by the

Skeezers. Before all the concourse of people Princess Ozma made a

speech from a porch of the palace and demanded that they recognize her

as their lawful Ruler and promise to obey the laws of the Land of Oz.

In return she agreed to protect them from all future harm and declared

they would no longer be subjected to cruelty and abuse.

This pleased the Skeezers greatly, and when Ozma told them they might

elect a Queen to rule over them, who in turn would be subject to Ozma

of Oz, they voted for Lady Aurex, and that same day the ceremony of

crowning the new Queen was held and Aurex was installed as mistress of

the palace.

For her Prime Minister the Queen selected Ervic, for the three Adepts

had told of his good judgment, faithfulness and cleverness, and all the

Skeezers approved the appointment.

Glinda, the Wizard and the Adepts stood on the bridge and recited an

incantation that quite filled the lake with water again, and the

Scarecrow and the Patchwork Girl climbed to the top of the Great Dome

and replaced the pane of glass that had been removed to allow Glinda

and her followers to enter.

When evening came Ozma ordered a great feast prepared, to which every

Skeezer was invited. The village was beautifully decorated and

brilliantly lighted and there was music and dancing until a late hour

to celebrate the liberation of the people. For the Skeezers had been

freed, not only from the water of the lake but from the cruelty of

their former Queen.

As the people from the Emerald City prepared the next morning to depart

Queen Aurex said to Ozma:

"There is only one thing I now fear for my people, and that is the

enmity of the terrible Su-dic of the Flatheads. He is liable to come

here at any time and try to annoy us, and my Skeezers are peaceful

folks and unable to fight the wild and wilful Flatheads."

"Do not worry," returned Ozma, reassuringly. "We intend to stop on our

way at the Flatheads' Enchanted Mountain and punish the Su-dic for his

misdeeds."

That satisfied Aurex and when Ozma and her followers trooped over the

bridge to the shore, having taken leave of their friends, all the

Skeezers cheered them and waved their hats and handkerchiefs, and the

band played and the departure was indeed a ceremony long to be

remembered.

The three Adepts at Magic, who had formerly ruled the Flatheads wisely

and considerately, went with Princess Ozma and her people, for they had

promised Ozma to stay on the mountain and again see that the laws were

enforced.

Glinda had been told all about the curious Flatheads and she had

consulted with the Wizard and formed a plan to render them more

intelligent and agreeable.

When the party reached the mountain Ozma and Dorothy showed them how to

pass around the invisible wall--which had been built by the Flatheads

after the Adepts were transformed--and how to gain the up-and-down

stairway that led to the mountain top.

The Su-dic had watched the approach of the party from the edge of the

mountain and was frightened when he saw that the three Adepts had

recovered their natural forms and were coming back to their former

home. He realized that his power would soon be gone and yet he

determined to fight to the last. He called all the Flatheads together

and armed them, and told them to arrest all who came up the stairway

and hurl them over the edge of the mountain to the plain below. But

although they feared the Supreme Dictator, who had threatened to punish

them if they did not obey his commands, as soon as they saw the three

Adepts they threw down their arms and begged their former rulers to

protect them.

The three Adepts assured the excited Flatheads that they had nothing to

fear.

Seeing that his people had rebelled the Su-dic ran away and tried to

hide, but the Adepts found him and had him cast into a prison, all his

cans of brains being taken away from him.

After this easy conquest of the Su-dic, Glinda told the Adepts of her

plan, which had already been approved by Ozma of Oz, and they joyfully

agreed to it. So, during the next few days, the great Sorceress

transformed, in a way, every Flathead on the mountain.

Taking them one at a time, she had the can of brains that belonged to

each one opened and the contents spread on the flat head, after which,

by means of her arts of sorcery, she caused the head to grow over the

brains--in the manner most people wear them--and they were thus

rendered as intelligent and good looking as any of the other

inhabitants of the Land of Oz.

When all had been treated in this manner there were no more Flatheads

at all, and the Adepts decided to name their people Mountaineers. One

good result of Glinda's sorcery was that no one could now be deprived

of the brains that belonged to him and each person had exactly the

share he was entitled to.

Even the Su-dic was given his portion of brains and his flat head made

round, like the others, but he was deprived of all power to work

further mischief, and with the Adepts constantly watching him he would

be forced to become obedient and humble.

The Golden Pig, which ran grunting about the streets, with no brains at

all, was disenchanted by Glinda, and in her woman's form was given

brains and a round head. This wife of the Su-dic had once been even

more wicked than her evil husband, but she had now forgotten all her

wickedness and was likely to be a good woman thereafter.

These things being accomplished in a satisfactory manner, Princess Ozma

and her people bade farewell to the three Adepts and departed for the

Emerald City, well pleased with their interesting adventures.

They returned by the road over which Ozma and Dorothy had come,

stopping to get the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon where they had left them.

"I'm very glad I went to see these peoples," said Princess Ozma, "for I

not only prevented any further warfare between them, but they have been

freed from the rule of the Su-dic and Coo-ee-oh and are now happy and

loyal subjects of the Land of Oz. Which proves that it is always wise

to do one's duty, however unpleasant that duty may seem to be."

The Wonderful Oz Books

by L. Frank Baum:

The Wizard of Oz

The Land of Oz

Ozma of Oz

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

The Road to Oz

The Emerald city of Oz

The Patchwork Girl of Oz

Tik-Tok of Oz

The Scarecrow of Oz

Rinkitink in Oz

The Lost Princess of Oz

The Tin Woodman of Oz

The Magic of Oz

Glinda of Oz