The Army of Glinda the Good
looked very grand and imposing
when it assembled at daybreak
before the palace gates. The
uniforms of the girl soldiers
were
pretty and of gay colors, and their silver-tipped spears were bright and
glistening, the long shafts being inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All the
officers wore sharp, gleaming swords, and shields edged with peacock-
feathers; and it really seemed that no foe could by any possibility defeat
such a brilliant army.
The Sorceress rode in a beautiful
palanquin which was like the
body of a coach, having doors
and windows with silken curtains;
but instead of wheels, which
a coach has, the palanquin rested
upon two long, horizontal bars,
which were borne upon the shoulders
of twelve servants.
The Scarecrow and his comrades
decided to ride in the Gump,
in order to keep up with the
swift march of the army; so,
as soon as Glinda had started
and her soldiers had marched
away to the inspiring strains
of music played by the royal
band, our friends climbed into
the sofas and followed. The Gump
flew along slowly at a point
directly over the palanquin in
which rode the Sorceress.
"Be careful," said the Tin
Woodman to the Scarecrow, who
was leaning far over the side
to look at the army below. "You
might fall."
"It wouldn't matter," remarked
the educated Woggle-Bug. "he
can't get broke so long as he
is stuffed with money."
"Didn't I ask you" began
Tip, in a reproachful
voice.
"You did!" said the Woggle-Bug,
promptly. "And I beg your pardon.
I will really try to restrain
myself."
"You'd better," declared the
boy. "That is, if you wish to
travel in our company."
"Ah! I couldn't bear to part
with you now," murmured the Insect,
feelingly; so Tip let the subject
drop.
The army moved steadily on,
but night had fallen before they
came to the walls of the Emerald
City. By the dim light of the
new moon, however, Glinda's forces
silently surrounded the city
and pitched their tents of scarlet
silk upon the greensward. The
tent of the Sorceress was larger
than the others, and was composed
of pure white silk, with scarlet
banners flying above it. A tent
was also pitched for the Scarecrow's
party; and when these preparations
had been made, with military
precision and quickness, the
army retired to rest.
Great was the amazement of
Queen Jinjur next morning when
her soldiers came running to
inform her of the vast army surrounding
them. She at once climbed to
a high tower of the royal palace
and saw banners waving in every
direction and the great white
tent of Glinda standing directly
before the gates.
"We are surely lost!" cried
Jinjur, in despair; "for how
can our knitting- needles avail
against the long spears and terrible
swords of our foes?"
"The best thing we can do," said
one of the girls, "is to surrender
as quickly as possible, before
we get hurt."
"Not so," returned Jinjur,
more bravely. "The enemy is still
outside the walls, so we must
try to gain time by engaging
them in parley. Go you with a
flag of truce to Glinda and ask
her why she has dared to invade
my dominions, and what are her
demands."
So
the girl passed
through the
gates, bearing
a white flag
to show she was on a mission
of peace, and came to Glinda's
tent. "Tell your Queen," said
the Sorceress to the girl, "that
she must deliver up to me old
Mombi, to be my prisoner. If
this is done I will not molest
her farther."
Now when this message was delivered
to the Queen it filled her with
dismay, for Mombi was her chief
counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly
afraid of the old hag. But she
sent for Mombi, and told her
what Glinda had said.
"I see trouble ahead for all
of us," muttered the old witch,
after glancing into a magic mirror
she carried in her pocket. "But
we may even yet escape by deceiving
this sorceress, clever as she
thinks herself."
"Don't you think it will be
safer for me to deliver you into
her hands?" asked Jinjur, nervously.
"If you do, it will cost you
the throne of the Emerald City!" answered
the witch, positively. "But if
you will let me have my own way,
I can save us both very easily."
"Then do as you please," replied
Jinjur, "for it is so aristocratic
to be a Queen that I do not wish
to be obliged to return home
again, to make beds and wash
dishes for my mother."
So Mombi called Jellia Jamb
to her, and performed a certain
magical rite with which she was
familiar. As a result of the
enchantment Jellia took on the
form and features of Mombi, while
the old witch grew to resemble
the girl so closely that it seemed
impossible anyone could guess
the deception.
"Now," said old Mombi to the
Queen, "let your soldiers deliver
up this girl to Glinda. She will
think she has the real Mombi
in her power, and so will return
immediately to her own country
in the South."
Therefore Jellia, hobbling
along like an aged woman, was
led from the city gates and taken
before Glinda.
"Here is the person you demanded," said
one of the guards, "and our Queen
now begs you will go away, as
you promised, and leave us in
peace."
"That I will surely do," replied
Glinda, much pleased; "if this
is really the person she seems
to be."
"It is certainly old Mombi," said
the guard, who believed she was
speaking the truth; and then
Jinjur's soldiers returned within
the city's gates.
The Sorceress quickly summoned
the Scarecrow and his friends
to her tent, and began to question
the supposed Mombi about the
lost girl Ozma. But Jellia knew
nothing at all of this affair,
and presently she grew so nervous
under the questioning that she
gave way and began to weep, to
Glinda's great astonishment.
"Here is some foolish trickery!" said
the Sorceress, her eyes flashing
with anger. "This is not Mombi
at all, but some other person
who has been made to resemble
her! Tell me," she demanded,
turning to the trembling girl, "what
is your name?"
This Jellia dared not tell,
having been threatened with death
by the witch if she confessed
the fraud. But Glinda, sweet
and fair though she was, understood
magic better than any other person
in the Land of Oz. So, by uttering
a few potent words and making
a peculiar gesture, she quickly
transformed the girl into her
proper shape, while at the same
time old Mombi, far away in Jinjur's
palace, suddenly resumed her
own crooked form and evil features.
"Why, it's Jellia Jamb!" cried
the Scarecrow, recognizing in
the girl one of his old friends.
"It's our interpreter!" said
the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.
Then Jellia was forced to tell
of the trick Mombi
had played and she also begged
Glinda's protection, which the
Sorceress readily granted. But
Glinda was now really angry,
and sent word to Jinjur that
the fraud was discovered and
she must deliver up the real
Mombi or suffer terrible consequences.
Jinjur was prepared for this
message, for the witch well understood,
when her natural form was thrust
upon her, that Glinda had discovered
her trickery. But the wicked
old creature had already thought
up a new deception, and had made
Jinjur promise to carry it out.
So the Queen said to Glinda's
messenger:
"Tell
your mistress
that I cannot
find Mombi
anywhere, but
that Glinda is welcome to enter
the city and search herself for
the old woman. She may also bring
her friends with her, if she
likes; but if she does not find
Mombi by sundown, the Sorceress
must promise to go away peaceably
and bother us no more."
Glinda agreed to these terms,
well knowing that Mombi was somewhere
within the city walls. So Jinjur
caused the gates to be thrown
open, and Glinda marched in at
the head of a company of soldiers,
followed by the Scarecrow and
the Tin Woodman, while Jack Pumpkinhead
rode astride the Saw-Horse, and
the Educated, Highly Magnified
Woggle-Bug sauntered behind in
a dignified manner. Tip walked
by the side of the Sorceress,
for Glinda had conceived a great
liking for the boy.
Of course old Mombi had no
intention of being found by Glinda;
so, while her enemies were marching
up the street, the witch transformed
herself into a red rose growing
upon a bush in the garden of
the palace. It was a clever idea,
and a trick Glinda did not suspect;
so several precious hours were
spent in a vain search for Mombi.
As sundown approached the Sorceress
realized she had been defeated
by the superior cunning of the
aged witch; so she gave the command
to her people to march out of
the city and back to their tents.
The Scarecrow and his comrades
happened to be searching in the
garden of the palace just then,
and they turned with disappointment
to obey Glinda's command. But
before they left the garden the
Tin Woodman, who was fond of
flowers, chanced to espy a big
red rose growing upon a bush;
so he plucked the flower and
fastened it securely in the tin
buttonhole of his tin bosom.
As he did this he fancied he
heard a low moan proceed from
the rose; but he paid no attention
to the sound, and Mombi was thus
carried out of the city and into
Glinda's camp without anyone
having a suspicion that they
had succeeded in their quest.
|