按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Glinda of Oz
by L。 Frank Baum
In which are related the Exciting Experiences of Princess
Ozma of Oz； and Dorothy； in their hazardous journey
to the home of the Flatheads； and to the Magic
Isle of the Skeezers； and how they were
rescued from dire peril by the
sorcery of Glinda the
Good
by L。 FRANK BAUM
〃Royal Historian of Oz〃
This Book
is Dedicated to
My Son
Robert Stanton Baum
LIST OF CHAPTERS
1 The Call of Duty
2 Ozma and Dorothy
3 The Mist Maidens
4 The Magic Tent
5 The Magic Stairway
6 Flathead Mountain
7 The Magic Isle
8 Queen Coo…ee…oh
9 Lady Aurex
10 Under Water
11 The Conquest of the Skeezers
12 The Diamond Swan
13 The Alarm Bell
14 Ozma's Counsellors
15 The Great Sorceress
16 The Enchanted Fishes
17 Under the Great Dome
18 The Cleverness of Ervic
19 Red Reera； the Yookoohoo。。
20 A Puzzling Problem
21 The Three Adepts
22 The Sunken Island
23 The Magic Words
24 Glinda's Triumph
Chapter One
The Call to Duty
Glinda； the good Sorceress of Oz； sat in the grand
court of her palace； surrounded by her maids of honor
a hundred of the most beautiful girls of the
Fairyland of Oz。 The palace court was built of rare
marbles； exquisitely polished。 Fountains tinkled
musically here and there； the vast colonnade； open to
the south； allowed the maidens； as they raised their
heads from their embroideries； to gaze upon a vista of
rose…hued fields and groves of trees bearing fruits or
laden with sweet…scented flowers。 At times one of the
girls would start a song； the others joining in the
chorus； or one would rise and dance； gracefully swaying
to the music of a harp played by a companion。 And then
Glinda smiled； glad to see her maids mixing play with
work。
Presently among the fields an object was seen moving；
threading the broad path that led to the castle gate。
Some of the girls looked upon this object enviously；
the Sorceress merely gave it a glance and nodded her
stately head as if pleased； for it meant the coming of
her friend and mistress the only one in all the land
that Glinda bowed to。
Then up the path trotted a wooden animal attached to
a red wagon； and as the quaint steed halted at the gate
there descended from the wagon two young girls； Ozma；
Ruler of Oz； and her companion； Princess Dorothy。 Both
were dressed in simple white muslin gowns； and as they
ran up the marble steps of the palace they laughed and
chatted as gaily as if they were not the most important
persons in the world's loveliest fairyland。
The maids of honor had risen and stood with bowed
heads to greet the royal Ozma； while Glinda came
forward with outstretched arms to greet her guests。
〃We've just come on a visit； you know；〃 said Ozma。
〃Both Dorothy and I were wondering how we should pass
the day when we happened to think we'd not been to your
Quadling Country for weeks； so we took the Sawhorse and
rode straight here。〃
〃And we came so fast；〃 added Dorothy； 〃that our hair
is blown all fuzzy； for the Sawhorse makes a wind of
his own。 Usually it's a day's journey from the Em'rald
City； but I don't s'pose we were two hours on the way。〃
〃You are most welcome；〃 said Glinda the Sorceress；
and led them through the court to her magnificent
reception hall。 Ozma took the arm of her hostess； but
Dorothy lagged behind； kissing some of the maids she
knew best； talking with others； and making them all
feel that she was their friend。 When at last she joined
Glinda and Ozma in the reception hall； she found them
talking earnestly about the condition of the people；
and how to make them more happy and contented
although they were already the happiest and most
contented folks in all the world。
This interested Ozma； of course； but it didn't
interest Dorothy very much； so the little girl ran over
to a big table on which was lying open Glinda's Great
Book of Records。
This Book is one of the greatest treasures in Oz； and
the Sorceress prizes it more highly than any of her
magical possessions。 That is the reason it is firmly
attached to the big marble table by means of golden
chains； and whenever Glinda leaves home she locks the
Great Book together with five jeweled padlocks； and
carries the keys safely hidden in her bosom。
I do not suppose there is any magical thing in any
fairyland to compare with the Record Book； on the pages
of which are constantly being printed a record of every
event that happens in any part of the world； at exactly
the moment it happens。 And the records are always
truthful； although sometimes they do not give as many
details as one could wish。 But then； lots of things
happen； and so the records have to be brief or even
Glinda's Great Book could not hold them all。
Glinda looked at the records several times each day；
and Dorothy； whenever she visited the Sorceress； loved
to look in the Book and see what was happening
everywhere。 Not much was recorded about the Land of Oz；
which is usually peaceful and uneventful； but today
Dorothy found something which interested her。 Indeed；
the printed letters were appearing on the page even
while she looked。
〃This is funny！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Did you know；
Ozma； that there were people in your Land of Oz
called Skeezers？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Ozma； coming to her side； 〃I know that
on Professor Wogglebug's Map of the Land of Oz there is
a place marked 'Skeezer；' but what the Skeezers are
like I do not know。 No one I know has ever seen them or
heard of them。 The Skeezer Country is 'way at the upper
edge of the Gillikin Country； with the sandy；
impassable desert on one side and the mountains of
Oogaboo on another side。 That is a part of the Land of
Oz of which I know very little。〃
〃I guess no one else knows much about it either；
unless it's the Skeezers themselves；〃 remarked Dorothy。
〃But the Book says： 'The Skeezers of Oz have declared
war on the Flatheads of Oz； and there is likely to be
fighting and much trouble as the result。'〃
〃Is that all the Book says？〃 asked Ozma。
〃Every word；〃 said Dorothy； and Ozma and Glinda both
looked at the Record and seemed surprised and
perplexed。
〃Tell me； Glinda；〃 said Ozma； 〃who are the
Flatheads？〃
〃I cannot； your Majesty；〃 confessed the Sorceress。
〃Until now I never have heard of them； nor have I ever
heard the Skeezers mentioned。 In the faraway corners of
Oz are hidden many curious tribes of people； and those
who never leave their own countries and never are
visited by those from our favored part of Oz； naturally
are unknown to me。 However； if you so desire； I can
learn through my arts of sorcery something of the
Skeezers and the Flatheads。〃
〃I wish you would；〃 answered Ozma seriously。 〃You
see； Glinda； if these are Oz people they are my
subjects and I cannot allow any wars or troubles in the
Land I rule； if I can possibly help it。〃
〃Very well； your Majesty；〃 said the Sorceress； 〃I
will try to get some information to guide you。 Please
excuse me for a time； while I retire to my Room of
Magic and Sorcery。〃
〃May I go with you？〃 asked Dorothy； eagerly。
〃No； Princess；〃 was the reply。 〃It would spoil the
charm to have anyone present。〃
So Glinda locked herself in her own Room of Magic and
Dorothy and Ozma waited patiently for her to come out
again。
In about an hour Glinda appeared； looking grave and
thoughtful。
〃Your Majesty；〃 she said to Ozma； 〃the Skeezers live
on a Magic Isle in a great lake。 For that reason
because the Skeezers deal in magic I can learn
little about them。〃
〃Why； I didn't know there was a lake in that part of
Oz；〃 exclaimed Ozma。 〃The map shows a river running
through the Skeezer Country； but no lake。〃
〃That is because the person who made the map never
had visited that part of the country；〃 explained the
Sorceress。 〃The lake surely is there； and in the lake
is an island a Magic Isle and on that island live
the people called the Skeezers。〃
〃What are they like？〃 inquired the Ruler of Oz。
〃My magic cannot tell me that；〃 confessed Glinda；
〃for the magic of the Skeezers prevents anyone outside
of their domain knowing anything about them。〃
〃The Flatheads must know； if they're going to fight
the Skeezers；〃 suggested Dorothy
〃Perhaps so；〃 Glinda replied； 〃but I can get little
information concerning the Flatheads； either。 They are
people who inhabit a mountain just south of the Lake of
the Skeezers。 The mountain has steep sides and a broad；
hollow top； like a basin； and in this basin the
Flatheads have their dwellings。 They also are magic…
workers and usually keep to themselves and allow no one