Kabumpo in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson (best books to read for self improvement .TXT) đź“•
"Bombshells!" cried the King angrily.
"The cake disappeared before the party, your Majesty!" cried Eejabo.
Everyone jumped at the sudden interruption, and Eejabo, who had crept in unnoticed, stepped before the throne.
"Disappeared," continued Eejabo hoarsely, dripping blue water all over the royal rugs. "One minute there it was on the pantry table. Next minute- gone!" croaked Eejabo flinging up his hands and shrugging his shoulders.
"Then, before a fellow could turn around, it was back. 'Tweren't our fault if magic got mixed into it, and here we have been dipped for nothing!"
"Well, why didn't you say so before!" asked the King in exasperation.
"Fine chance I had to say anything!" sniffed Eejabo, wringing out his lace ruffles.
"eh-rr-you may have the day off, my good man," said Pompus, with an apologetic cough-- "
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“But I can’t move,” screamed the Country, tears streaming down its hill, “and I’ve got to have somebody to settle me.”
“Oh! Here’s Glinda,” shouted the Scarecrow, tossing up his hat. “Now we shall know what’s happened to Ruggedo.”
Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to welcome the good Sorceress of Oz. Glinda’s reports were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had walked straight back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning cavern, and immediately the palace had settled firmly upon its old foundations. Then had come a muffled explosion, and when Glinda and Dorothy ran through the secret passage, which had been discovered meanwhile by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, they saw Ruggedo, shrunken to his former size, sitting angrily on his sixth rock of history.
“I have locked him up in the palace,” finished Glinda, “and I strongly advise your Highness to punish him severely.”
Ozma sighed. “What would you do?” she asked, appealing to the Scarecrow. So many things had come up for her attention and advice in the last few hours that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy.
“Let’s all sit down in a circle and think,” proposed the Scarecrow cheerfully. This they all did except Kabumpo, who stood off glumly by himself. Peg was looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant Elephant had told her of Ozma’s refusal, and wondering sadly what she could do to help, when the Scarecrow bounced up impulsively.
“I have it,” chuckled the Straw Man. “Let’s send Ruggedo off on the Runaway Country. He deserves to be banished and, if Ozma makes the Country an Island, he can do no harm.”
Here Ozma had to stop and explain to Glinda about the Country that wanted to be an Island, and after a short consultation they decided to take the Scarecrow’s advice.
“Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I’ll put on my Magic Belt and wish him onto the Island,” declared Ozma. “And I think we’d better go right straight back,” she added thoughtfully, “for it’s growing darker every minute and Dorothy will be anxious to hear everything that’s happened.”
“Now you”-Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on the arm-“You must start at once for Sun Top Mountain. I’m going to ask the Question Box just where it is.
Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted the Question Box as to the location of Sun Top Mountain, it stated that this Kingdom was in the very centre of the North Winkie Country. “That’s fine,” said Ozma, clapping her hands. “I’ll have the Runaway Country carry you over the Deadly Desert, and as soon as you have married the Princess you must bring her to see me in the Emerald City.”
“What’s all this?” demanded Kabumpo, pricking up his ears.
“The Question Box says I must marry the Princess of Sun Top Mountain,” said Pompa, getting up wearily.
“Well, Great Grump, why couldn’t it have said so before?” asked Kabumpo shrilly.
“You never asked it,” snapped Wag, twitching his nose. “I told you Ozma wasn’t the Princess mentioned in the scroll!”
“Now don’t quarrel,” begged Peg Amy, jumping up hastily. “There’s still plenty of time to save Pumperdink. Come along, Pompa.”
“That’s right,” said Ozma, smiling approvingly at Peg. “And when Pompa finds his Princess you must come and live with me in the Emerald City, for as Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I want to take care of you always.”
Peg Amy dropped a curtsey and promised to come, but she didn’t feel very cheerful about it. Then as Ozma was anxious to get back to the Emerald City, they all hurried to Runaway Country.
“You are to take these travelers across the Deadly Desert,” said Ozma, addressing the Runaway Country quite sternly, “and you are to set them down in the Winkie Country. If you do this I will restore your moving power again and give you a little gnome for King. Then you may run off to the Nonestic Ocean as soon as ever you wish.”
“I want Peg,” pouted the Country, “but if that’s the best you can do I suppose I’ll have to stand it.” After a little more grumbling it agreed to Ozma’s terms. Wearily, Kabumpo, Wag, Peg and Pompa climbed aboard and then Ozma spun around six times in the opposite direction and immediately the Country found itself able to move again.
“Goodbye!” called Ozma, as she and the Scarecrow jumped into Glinda’s chariot. “Goodbye and good luck!”
“Goodbye!” called Peg, waving her old torn bonnet.
“Good riddance,” grumbled the Country gruffly and, turning sideways, began running toward the Deadly Desert.
Is the mirror safe, and have you still got the gold door knob?” asked Pompa, as the Country swung out onto the Deadly Desert. “The Question Box said I was to trust them, you know.”
“And by what right did Ozma take that box?” wheezed Kabumpo irritably, as he felt in his pocket to see whether the magic articles were still there. “That’s gratitude for you! We find Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic and rescue her, and off she goes with all our magic, leaving us to the tender mercies of a Runaway Country!”
“You find the box!” shrilled Wag. “Well, I like that!”
“Oh, what difference does it make?” groaned Pompa, stretching out upon the ground. They were all completely exhausted by the day’s adventures and as cross as three sticks-all except Peg Amy, who never was cross.
“I shall marry this Princess and save my country, but I’m going away as soon as the wedding is over and spend the rest of my life in travel,” announced Pompa gloomily.
“Don’t blame you,” rubbled the Elegant Elephant with a sniff.
“Ah, now!” laughed Peg. “That doesn’t sound like you, Pompa. Why, maybe this Princess will be so lovely you’ll want to carry her straight back to Pumperdink.”
“I think Princesses are a great bore,” said Wag with a terrific yawn. “I prefer plain folks like Peg and the Scarecrow.”
“You’re all hungry, that’s what’s the matter,” chuckled the Wooden Doll. “When you’ve had some supper you’ll be just as anxious to find the Princess of Sun Top Mountain as you were to find Ozma. Here’s the Winkie Country now, and there’s a star for good luck.”
Peg waved toward the green fields with one hand and toward the clouds with the other. It was dusk now and just one star twinkled cheerily in the sky.
“I’ll set you down, but I’m not going away, said the Runaway Country determinedly, “for if that little old gnome doesn’t turn up I’m going to catch you all again.”
“Ozma never forgets. She’ll keep her promise,” said Peg. “And you must do just as she told you to do for she has some powerful magic and can send you right back to where you came from.”
“Can she?” gulped the Country anxiously.
“You might wait a while, though,” suggested Pompa darkly. “After I’ve seen this new Princess a Runaway Country might be very good thing.”
“Well, you can’t expect her to marry you if you talk that way, said Peg warningly, as the Country came to a stop in a huge field of daisies.
“I’ll wait,” it said hopefully, as the four travelers swung themselves down.
“I wonder if we are in the North Central part,” murmured Peg Amy, looking around anxiously. Now it happened the Country had crossed the Deadly Desert slantwise and although none of the party knew it they were scarcely a mile from Sun Top Mountain.
“I see a garden!” cried Wag, twitching his nose hungrily. “Come on, Prince, let’s find some supper.” With head down and dragging his feet, Pompa followed Wag. Kabumpo began jerking snappishly at some tree tops and Peg Amy sat down to think.
“I wish,” thought the Wooden Doll, looking up at the bright star, “I wish I might have asked the box one little question.” Peg Amy looked so solemn that Kabumpo stopped eating and regarded her anxiously.
“What’s the matter?” asked the Elegant Elephant gruffly; for he quite counted on Peg’s cheerfulness.
“I was thinking about it again,” admitted Peg apologetically. “About being alive before. I’m sure I was alive before I was a doll, Kabumpo. I think I was a person, like Pompa,” she continued softly.
“You’re much better as you are,” said the Elegant Elephant uneasily, for it had just occurred to him that the Magic Mirror would tell Peg who she was as well as the Question Box. But should he let her look in it? That was the question. Poor, tired old Kabumpo shifted from one foot to the other as he tried to make up his mind. Two huge drops of perspiration ran down his trunk. What good would it do? he reasoned finally. Suppose it told something awful! It couldn’t change her and it might make her unhappy. No, he would not let Peg look in the mirror.
“How would you like to have this pearl bracelet?” he asked in an embarrassed voice.
“Why, Kabumpo, I’d just adore it!” cried Peg, springing up in a hurry. “And I’m not going to worry about being alive any more, for everyone is so lovely to me I ought to be the happiest person in Oz.”
“You are,” puffed Kabumpo, clumsily slipping the bracelet on Peg’s wooden arm, “and if we ever get back to Pumperdink you shall have as many silk dresses as you want and-” The rest of the sentence was smothered in a hug.
Peg Amy was growing fonder and fonder of pompous old Kabumpo and by the time he had recovered his breath Wag and the Prince came ambling back together. They had found an orchard and a kitchen garden and as they were no longer hungry, both were more cheerful.
“Let’s play scop hotch,” suggested Wag amiably. “I’m tired of hunting Princesses.” There was a smooth patch of sand under the trees and Wag hopped over and began marking out the squares with his paw.
“Scop hotch!” laughed Pompa, while Peg gave a skip of delight.
“Play if you want to,” wheezed Kabumpo, shaking himself wearily, “I feel about as playful as a stone lion. Besides, hop scotch isn’t an elephant game.
Peg, Wag and Pompa began to hop scotch for dear life. Peg often tumbled over, for it is hard to keep your balance on wooden legs, but it was Peg who won in the end and Wag crowned her with daisies. “I wish we could go on just as we are, gasped Pompa, mopping his face with his silk handkerchief. “We’re all good chums and, if it weren’t for Pumperdink’s disappearing, we might travel all over Oz and have no end of adventures together.”
“Speaking of disappearing,” said Kabumpo, opening one eye, for he had dozed off during the game, “I suppose we’d better be starting if we’re to save the Kingdom at all.”
“Goodbye to pleasure,” sighed Pompa, as Kabumpo lifted him to his back. “Goodbye to everything!”
“Oh, cheer up,” begged Peg, settling herself on Wag’s back.
“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” A large yellow bird rose suddenly from a near-by bush and flapped its wings over Pompa’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah!”
“Shoo! Get away!” grumbled Kabumpo crossly. “What are you cheering about?”
“She said to,” cawed the bird, darting over Peg Amy’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Let me teach you how to be cheerful in three chirps. First, think of what you might have been; next, think of what you are; then think of what you are going to be. Do you get it?” The bird put its head on one side and regarded them anxiously.
“He might have been King of Oz, instead of
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