AbdulHannanMujawar/ch_development · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 83
"Now I begin to understand," said the Princess, smiling.

"At that time," continued the Wizard, busily eating his soup while
talking, "there were four separate countries in this Land, each one of
the four being ruled by a Witch. But the people thought my power was
greater than that of the Witches; and perhaps the Witches thought so
too, for they never dared oppose me. I ordered the Emerald City to be
built just where the four countries cornered together, and when it was
completed I announced myself the Ruler of the Land of Oz, which included
all the four countries of the Munchkins, the Gillikins, the Winkies and
the Quadlings. Over this Land I ruled in peace for many years, until I
grew old and longed to see my native city once again. So when Dorothy
was first blown to this place by a cyclone I arranged to go away with
her in a balloon; but the balloon escaped too soon and carried me back
alone. After many adventures I reached Omaha, only to find that all my
old friends were dead or had moved away. So, having nothing else to do,
I joined a circus again, and made my balloon ascensions until the
earthquake caught me."

"That is quite a history," said Ozma; "but there is a little more
history about the Land of Oz that you do not seem to understand--perhaps
for the reason that no one ever told it you. Many years before you came
here this Land was united under one Ruler, as it is now, and the Ruler's
name was always 'Oz', which means in our language 'Great and Good'; or,
if the Ruler happened to be a woman, her name was always 'Ozma.' But
once upon a time four Witches leagued together to depose the king and
rule the four parts of the kingdom themselves; so when the Ruler, my
grandfather, was hunting one day, one Wicked Witch named Mombi stole him
and carried him away, keeping him a close prisoner. Then the Witches
divided up the kingdom, and ruled the four parts of it until you came
here. That was why the people were so glad to see you, and why they
thought from your initials that you were their rightful ruler."

"But, at that time," said the Wizard, thoughtfully, "there were two Good
Witches and two Wicked Witches ruling in the land."

"Yes," replied Ozma, "because a good Witch had conquered Mombi in the
North and Glinda the Good had conquered the evil Witch in the South. But
Mombi was still my grandfather's jailor, and afterward my father's
jailor. When I was born she transformed me into a boy, hoping that no
one would ever recognize me and know that I was the rightful Princess of
the Land of Oz. But I escaped from her and am now the Ruler of my
people."

"I am very glad of that," said the Wizard, "and hope you will consider
me one of your most faithful and devoted subjects."

"We owe a great deal to the Wonderful Wizard," continued the Princess,
"for it was you who built this splendid Emerald City."

"Your people built it," he answered. "I only bossed the job, as we say
in Omaha."

"But you ruled it wisely and well for many years," said she, "and made
the people proud of your magical art. So, as you are now too old to
wander abroad and work in a circus, I offer you a home here as long as
you live. You shall be the Official Wizard of my kingdom, and be treated
with every respect and consideration."

"I accept your kind offer with gratitude, gracious Princess," the little
man said, in a soft voice, and they could all see that tear-drops were
standing in his keen old eyes. It meant a good deal to him to secure a
home like this.

"He's only a humbug Wizard, though," said Dorothy, smiling at him.

"And that is the safest kind of a Wizard to have," replied Ozma,
promptly.

"Oz can do some good tricks, humbug or no humbug," announced Zeb, who
was now feeling more at ease.

"He shall amuse us with his tricks tomorrow," said the Princess. "I have
sent messengers to summon all of Dorothy's old friends to meet her and
give her welcome, and they ought to arrive very soon, now."

Indeed, the dinner was no sooner finished than in rushed the Scarecrow,
to hug Dorothy in his padded arms and tell her how glad he was to see
her again. The Wizard was also most heartily welcomed by the straw man,
who was an important personage in the Land of Oz.

"How are your brains?" enquired the little humbug, as he grasped the
soft, stuffed hands of his old friend.

"Working finely," answered the Scarecrow. "I'm very certain, Oz, that
you gave me the best brains in the world, for I can think with them day
and night, when all other brains are fast asleep."

[Illustration: DOROTHY AND OZMA.]

"How long did you rule the Emerald City, after I left here?" was the
next question.

"Quite awhile, until I was conquered by a girl named General Jinjur. But
Ozma soon conquered her, with the help of Glinda the Good, and after
that I went to live with Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman."

Just then a loud cackling was heard outside; and, when a servant threw
open the door with a low bow, a yellow hen strutted in. Dorothy sprang
forward and caught the fluffy fowl in her arms, uttering at the same

"Now I begin to understand," said the Princess, smiling.

"At that time," continued the Wizard, busily eating his soup while

talking, "there were four separate countries in this Land, each one of

the four being ruled by a Witch. But the people thought my power was

greater than that of the Witches; and perhaps the Witches thought so

too, for they never dared oppose me. I ordered the Emerald City to be

built just where the four countries cornered together, and when it was

completed I announced myself the Ruler of the Land of Oz, which included

all the four countries of the Munchkins, the Gillikins, the Winkies and

the Quadlings. Over this Land I ruled in peace for many years, until I

grew old and longed to see my native city once again. So when Dorothy

was first blown to this place by a cyclone I arranged to go away with

her in a balloon; but the balloon escaped too soon and carried me back

alone. After many adventures I reached Omaha, only to find that all my

old friends were dead or had moved away. So, having nothing else to do,

I joined a circus again, and made my balloon ascensions until the

earthquake caught me."

"That is quite a history," said Ozma; "but there is a little more

history about the Land of Oz that you do not seem to understand--perhaps

for the reason that no one ever told it you. Many years before you came

here this Land was united under one Ruler, as it is now, and the Ruler's

name was always 'Oz', which means in our language 'Great and Good'; or,

if the Ruler happened to be a woman, her name was always 'Ozma.' But

once upon a time four Witches leagued together to depose the king and

rule the four parts of the kingdom themselves; so when the Ruler, my

grandfather, was hunting one day, one Wicked Witch named Mombi stole him

and carried him away, keeping him a close prisoner. Then the Witches

divided up the kingdom, and ruled the four parts of it until you came

here. That was why the people were so glad to see you, and why they

thought from your initials that you were their rightful ruler."

"But, at that time," said the Wizard, thoughtfully, "there were two Good

Witches and two Wicked Witches ruling in the land."

"Yes," replied Ozma, "because a good Witch had conquered Mombi in the

North and Glinda the Good had conquered the evil Witch in the South. But

Mombi was still my grandfather's jailor, and afterward my father's

jailor. When I was born she transformed me into a boy, hoping that no

one would ever recognize me and know that I was the rightful Princess of

the Land of Oz. But I escaped from her and am now the Ruler of my

people."

"I am very glad of that," said the Wizard, "and hope you will consider

me one of your most faithful and devoted subjects."

"We owe a great deal to the Wonderful Wizard," continued the Princess,

"for it was you who built this splendid Emerald City."

"Your people built it," he answered. "I only bossed the job, as we say

in Omaha."

"But you ruled it wisely and well for many years," said she, "and made

the people proud of your magical art. So, as you are now too old to

wander abroad and work in a circus, I offer you a home here as long as

you live. You shall be the Official Wizard of my kingdom, and be treated

with every respect and consideration."

"I accept your kind offer with gratitude, gracious Princess," the little

man said, in a soft voice, and they could all see that tear-drops were

standing in his keen old eyes. It meant a good deal to him to secure a

home like this.

"He's only a humbug Wizard, though," said Dorothy, smiling at him.

"And that is the safest kind of a Wizard to have," replied Ozma,

promptly.

"Oz can do some good tricks, humbug or no humbug," announced Zeb, who

was now feeling more at ease.

"He shall amuse us with his tricks tomorrow," said the Princess. "I have

sent messengers to summon all of Dorothy's old friends to meet her and

give her welcome, and they ought to arrive very soon, now."

Indeed, the dinner was no sooner finished than in rushed the Scarecrow,

to hug Dorothy in his padded arms and tell her how glad he was to see

her again. The Wizard was also most heartily welcomed by the straw man,

who was an important personage in the Land of Oz.

"How are your brains?" enquired the little humbug, as he grasped the

soft, stuffed hands of his old friend.

"Working finely," answered the Scarecrow. "I'm very certain, Oz, that

you gave me the best brains in the world, for I can think with them day

and night, when all other brains are fast asleep."

[Illustration: DOROTHY AND OZMA.]

"How long did you rule the Emerald City, after I left here?" was the

next question.

"Quite awhile, until I was conquered by a girl named General Jinjur. But

Ozma soon conquered her, with the help of Glinda the Good, and after

that I went to live with Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman."

Just then a loud cackling was heard outside; and, when a servant threw

open the door with a low bow, a yellow hen strutted in. Dorothy sprang

forward and caught the fluffy fowl in her arms, uttering at the same