AbdulHannanMujawar/ch_development · Datasets at Hugging Face

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"I'm glad of that," said Jim; "for I, also, have a conscience, and it
tells me not to crush in your skull with a blow of my powerful hoof."

If he thought to frighten the striped beast by such language he was
mistaken. The Tiger seemed to smile, and winked one eye slowly.

"You have a good conscience, friend Horse," it said, "and if you attend
to its teachings it will do much to protect you from harm. Some day I
will let you try to crush in my skull, and afterward you will know more
about tigers than you do now."

"Any friend of Dorothy," remarked the Cowardly Lion, "must be our
friend, as well. So let us cease this talk of skull crushing and
converse upon more pleasant subjects. Have you breakfasted, Sir Horse?"

"Not yet," replied Jim. "But here is plenty of excellent clover, so if
you will excuse me I will eat now."

"He's a vegetarian," remarked the Tiger, as the horse began to munch the
clover. "If I could eat grass I would not need a conscience, for nothing
could then tempt me to devour babies and lambs."

Just then Dorothy, who had risen early and heard the voices of the
animals, ran out to greet her old friends. She hugged both the Lion and
the Tiger with eager delight, but seemed to love the King of Beasts a
little better than she did his hungry friend, having known him longer.

By the time they had indulged in a good talk and Dorothy had told them
all about the awful earthquake and her recent adventures, the breakfast
bell rang from the palace and the little girl went inside to join her
human comrades. As she entered the great hall a voice called out, in a
rather harsh tone:

"What! are _you_ here again?"

"Yes, I am," she answered, looking all around to see where the voice
came from.

"What brought you back?" was the next question, and Dorothy's eye rested
on an antlered head hanging on the wall just over the fireplace, and
caught its lips in the act of moving.

"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were stuffed."

"So I am," replied the head. "But once on a time I was part of the Gump,
which Ozma sprinkled with the Powder of Life. I was then for a time the
Head of the finest Flying Machine that was ever known to exist, and we
did many wonderful things. Afterward the Gump was taken apart and I was
put back on this wall; but I can still talk when I feel in the mood,
which is not often."

"It's very strange," said the girl. "What were you when you were first
alive?"

"That I have forgotten," replied the Gump's Head, "and I do not think it
is of much importance. But here comes Ozma; so I'd better hush up, for
the Princess doesn't like me to chatter since she changed her name from
Tip to Ozma."

Just then the girlish Ruler of Oz opened the door and greeted Dorothy
with a good-morning kiss. The little Princess seemed fresh and rosy and
in good spirits.

"Breakfast is served, dear," she said, "and I am hungry. So don't let us
keep it waiting a single minute."

[Illustration]

[Illustration: JIM STOOD TREMBLING LIKE A LEAF.]




CHAPTER 17.

THE NINE TINY PIGLETS


After breakfast Ozma announced that she had ordered a holiday to be
observed throughout the Emerald City, in honor of her visitors. The
people had learned that their old Wizard had returned to them and all
were anxious to see him again, for he had always been a rare favorite.
So first there was to be a grand procession through the streets, after
which the little old man was requested to perform some of his wizardries
in the great Throne Room of the palace. In the afternoon there were to
be games and races.

The procession was very imposing. First came the Imperial Cornet Band of
Oz, dressed in emerald velvet uniforms with slashes of pea-green satin
and buttons of immense cut emeralds. They played the National air
called "The Oz Spangled Banner," and behind them were the standard
bearers with the Royal flag. This flag was divided into four quarters,
one being colored sky-blue, another pink, a third lavender and a fourth
white. In the center was a large emerald-green star, and all over the
four quarters were sewn spangles that glittered beautifully in the
sunshine. The colors represented the four countries of Oz, and the green
star the Emerald City.

Just behind the royal standard-bearers came the Princess Ozma in her

"I'm glad of that," said Jim; "for I, also, have a conscience, and it

tells me not to crush in your skull with a blow of my powerful hoof."

If he thought to frighten the striped beast by such language he was

mistaken. The Tiger seemed to smile, and winked one eye slowly.

"You have a good conscience, friend Horse," it said, "and if you attend

to its teachings it will do much to protect you from harm. Some day I

will let you try to crush in my skull, and afterward you will know more

about tigers than you do now."

"Any friend of Dorothy," remarked the Cowardly Lion, "must be our

friend, as well. So let us cease this talk of skull crushing and

converse upon more pleasant subjects. Have you breakfasted, Sir Horse?"

"Not yet," replied Jim. "But here is plenty of excellent clover, so if

you will excuse me I will eat now."

"He's a vegetarian," remarked the Tiger, as the horse began to munch the

clover. "If I could eat grass I would not need a conscience, for nothing

could then tempt me to devour babies and lambs."

Just then Dorothy, who had risen early and heard the voices of the

animals, ran out to greet her old friends. She hugged both the Lion and

the Tiger with eager delight, but seemed to love the King of Beasts a

little better than she did his hungry friend, having known him longer.

By the time they had indulged in a good talk and Dorothy had told them

all about the awful earthquake and her recent adventures, the breakfast

bell rang from the palace and the little girl went inside to join her

human comrades. As she entered the great hall a voice called out, in a

rather harsh tone:

"What! are _you_ here again?"

"Yes, I am," she answered, looking all around to see where the voice

came from.

"What brought you back?" was the next question, and Dorothy's eye rested

on an antlered head hanging on the wall just over the fireplace, and

caught its lips in the act of moving.

"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were stuffed."

"So I am," replied the head. "But once on a time I was part of the Gump,

which Ozma sprinkled with the Powder of Life. I was then for a time the

Head of the finest Flying Machine that was ever known to exist, and we

did many wonderful things. Afterward the Gump was taken apart and I was

put back on this wall; but I can still talk when I feel in the mood,

which is not often."

"It's very strange," said the girl. "What were you when you were first

alive?"

"That I have forgotten," replied the Gump's Head, "and I do not think it

is of much importance. But here comes Ozma; so I'd better hush up, for

the Princess doesn't like me to chatter since she changed her name from

Tip to Ozma."

Just then the girlish Ruler of Oz opened the door and greeted Dorothy

with a good-morning kiss. The little Princess seemed fresh and rosy and

in good spirits.

"Breakfast is served, dear," she said, "and I am hungry. So don't let us

keep it waiting a single minute."

[Illustration]

[Illustration: JIM STOOD TREMBLING LIKE A LEAF.]

CHAPTER 17.

THE NINE TINY PIGLETS

After breakfast Ozma announced that she had ordered a holiday to be

observed throughout the Emerald City, in honor of her visitors. The

people had learned that their old Wizard had returned to them and all

were anxious to see him again, for he had always been a rare favorite.

So first there was to be a grand procession through the streets, after

which the little old man was requested to perform some of his wizardries

in the great Throne Room of the palace. In the afternoon there were to

be games and races.

The procession was very imposing. First came the Imperial Cornet Band of

Oz, dressed in emerald velvet uniforms with slashes of pea-green satin

and buttons of immense cut emeralds. They played the National air

called "The Oz Spangled Banner," and behind them were the standard

bearers with the Royal flag. This flag was divided into four quarters,

one being colored sky-blue, another pink, a third lavender and a fourth

white. In the center was a large emerald-green star, and all over the

four quarters were sewn spangles that glittered beautifully in the

sunshine. The colors represented the four countries of Oz, and the green

star the Emerald City.

Just behind the royal standard-bearers came the Princess Ozma in her