American library books ยป Fairy Tale ยป Glinda of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum (adult books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซGlinda of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum (adult books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Lyman Frank Baum



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 21
Go to page:
and rivulets whenever they came to them. But finally they reached a broad hillside closely covered with scrubby brush, through which the wagon could not pass.

โ€œIt will be difficult even for you and me to get through without tearing our dresses,โ€ said Ozma, โ€œso we must leave the Sawhorse and the Wagon here until our return.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s all right,โ€ Dorothy replied, โ€œIโ€™m tired riding, anyhow. Do you sโ€™pose, Ozma, weโ€™re anywhere near the Skeezer Country?โ€

โ€œI cannot tell, Dorothy dear, but I know weโ€™ve been going in the right direction, so we are sure to find it in time.โ€

The scrubby brush was almost like a grove of small trees, for it reached as high as the heads of the two girls, neither of whom was very tall. They were obliged to thread their way in and out, until Dorothy was afraid they would get lost, and finally they were halted by a curious thing that barred their further progress. It was a huge web โ€” as if woven by gigantic spiders โ€” and the delicate, lacy film was fastened stoutly to the branches of the bushes and continued to the right and left in the form of a half circle. The threads of this web were of a brilliant purple color and woven into numerous artistic patterns, but it reached from the ground to branches above the heads of the girls and formed a sort of fence that hedged them in.

โ€œIt doesnโ€™t look very strong, though,โ€ said Dorothy. โ€œI wonder if we couldnโ€™t break through.โ€ She tried but found the web stronger than it seemed. All her efforts could not break a single thread.

โ€œWe must go back, I think, and try to get around this peculiar web,โ€ Ozma decided.

So they turned to the right and, following the web found that it seemed to spread in a regular circle. On and on they went until finally Ozma said they had returned to the exact spot from which they had started. โ€œHere is a handkerchief you dropped when we were here before,โ€ she said to Dorothy.

โ€œIn that case, they must have built the web behind us, after we walked into the trap,โ€ exclaimed the little girl.

โ€œTrue,โ€ agreed Ozma, โ€œan enemy has tried to imprison us.โ€

โ€œAnd they did it, too,โ€ said Dorothy. โ€œI wonder who it was.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s a spider-web, Iโ€™m quite sure,โ€ returned Ozma, โ€œbut it must be the work of enormous spiders.โ€

โ€œQuite right!โ€ cried a voice behind them. Turning quickly around they beheld a huge purple spider sitting not two yards away and regarding them with its small bright eyes.

Then there crawled from the bushes a dozen more great purple spiders, which saluted the first one and said:

โ€œThe web is finished, O King, and the strangers are our prisoners.โ€

Dorothy did not like the looks of these spiders at all. They had big heads, sharp claws, small eyes and fuzzy hair all over their purple bodies.

โ€œThey look wicked,โ€ she whispered to Ozma. โ€œWhat shall we do?โ€

Ozma gazed upon the spiders with a serious face.

โ€œWhat is your object in making us prisoners?โ€ she inquired.

โ€œWe need someone to keep house for us,โ€ answered the Spider King. โ€œThere is sweeping and dusting to be done, and polishing and washing of dishes, and that is work my people dislike to do. So we decided that if any strangers came our way we would capture them and make them our servants.โ€

โ€œI am Princess Ozma, Ruler of all Oz,โ€ said the girl with dignity.

โ€œWell, I am King of all Spiders,โ€ was the reply, โ€œand that makes me your master. Come with me to my palace and I will instruct you in your work.โ€

โ€œI wonโ€™t,โ€ said Dorothy indignantly. โ€œWe wonโ€™t have anything to do with you.โ€

โ€œWeโ€™ll see about that,โ€ returned the Spider in a severe tone, and the next instant he made a dive straight at Dorothy, opening the claws in his legs as if to grab and pinch her with the sharp points. But the girl was wearing her Magic Belt and was not harmed. The Spider King could not even touch her. He turned swiftly and made a dash at Ozma, but she held her Magic Wand over his head and the monster recoiled as if it had been struck.

โ€œYouโ€™d better let us go,โ€ Dorothy advised him, โ€œfor you see you canโ€™t hurt us.โ€

โ€œSo I see,โ€ returned the Spider King angrily. โ€œYour magic is greater than mine. But Iโ€™ll not help you to escape. If you can break the magic web my people have woven you may go; if not you must stay here and starve.โ€ With that the Spider King uttered a peculiar whistle and all the spiders disappeared.

โ€œThere is more magic in my fairyland than I dreamed of,โ€ remarked the beautiful Ozma, with a sigh of regret. โ€œIt seems that my laws have not been obeyed, for even these monstrous spiders defy me by means of Magic.โ€

โ€œNever mind that now,โ€ said Dorothy; โ€œletโ€™s see what we can do to get out of this trap.โ€

They now examined the web with great care and were amazed at its strength. Although finer than the finest silken hairs, it resisted all their efforts to work through, even though both girls threw all their weight against it.

โ€œWe must find some instrument which will cut the threads of the web,โ€ said Ozma, finally. โ€œLet us look about for such a tool.โ€

So they wandered among the bushes and finally came to a shallow pool of water, formed by a small bubbling spring. Dorothy stooped to get a drink and discovered in the water a green crab, about as big as her hand. The crab had two big, sharp claws, and as soon as Dorothy saw them she had an idea that those claws could save them.

โ€œCome out of the water,โ€ she called to the crab; โ€œI want to talk to you.โ€

Rather lazily the crab rose to the surface and caught hold of a bit of rock. With his head above the water he said in a cross voice:

โ€œWhat do you want?โ€

โ€œWe want you to cut the web of the purple spiders with your claws, so we can get through it,โ€ answered Dorothy. โ€œYou can do that, canโ€™t you?โ€

โ€œI suppose so,โ€ replied the crab. โ€œBut if I do what will you give me?โ€

โ€œWhat do you wish?โ€ Ozma inquired.

โ€œI wish to be white, instead of green,โ€ said the crab. โ€œGreen crabs are very common, and white ones are rare; besides the purple spiders, which infest this hillside, are afraid of white crabs. Could you make me white if I should agree to cut the web for you?โ€

โ€œYes,โ€ said Ozma, โ€œI can do that easily. And, so you may know I am speaking the truth, I will change your color now.โ€

She waved her silver wand over the pool and the crab instantly became snow-white โ€” all except his eyes, which remained black. The creature saw his reflection in the water and was so delighted that he at once climbed out of the pool and began moving slowly toward the web, by backing away from the pool. He moved so very slowly that Dorothy cried out impatiently: โ€œDear me, this will never do!โ€ Caching the crab in her hands she ran with him to the web.

She had to hold him up even then, so he could reach with his claws strand after strand of the filmy purple web, which he was able to sever with one nip.

When enough of the web had been cut to allow them to pass, Dorothy ran back to the pool and placed the white crab in the water, after which she rejoined Ozma. They were just in time to escape through the web, for several of the purple spiders now appeared, having discovered that their web had been cut, and had the girls not rushed through the opening the spiders would have quickly repaired the cuts and again imprisoned them.

Ozma and Dorothy ran as fast as they could and although the angry spiders threw a number of strands of web after them, hoping to lasso them or entangle them in the coils, they managed to escape and clamber to the top of the hill.

Chapter Three The Mist Maidens

From the top of the hill Ozma and Dorothy looked down into the valley beyond and were surprised to find it filled with a floating mist that was as dense as smoke. Nothing in the valley was visible except these rolling waves of mist, but beyond, on the other side, rose a grassy hill that appeared quite beautiful.

โ€œWell,โ€ said Dorothy, โ€œwhat are we to do, Ozma? Walk down into that thick fog, anโ€™ probโ€™bly get lost in it, or wait till it clears away?โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not sure it will clear away, however long we wait,โ€ replied Ozma, doubtfully. โ€œIf we wish to get on, I think we must venture into the mist.โ€

โ€œBut we canโ€™t see where weโ€™re going, or what weโ€™re stepping on,โ€ protested Dorothy. โ€œThere may be dreadful things mixed up in that fog, anโ€™ Iโ€™m scared just to think of wading into it.โ€

Even Ozma seemed to hesitate. She was silent and thoughtful for a little while, looking at the rolling drifts that were so gray and forbidding. Finally she said:

โ€œI believe this is a Mist Valley, where these moist clouds always remain, for even the sunshine above does not drive them away. Therefore the Mist Maids must live here, and they are fairies and should answer my call.โ€

She placed her two hands before her mouth, forming a hollow with them, and uttered a clear, thrilling, bird-like cry. It floated far out over the mist waves and presently was answered by a similar sound, as of a far-off echo.

Dorothy was much impressed. She had seen many strange things since coming to this fairy country, but here was a new experience. At ordinary times Ozma was just like any little girl one might chance to meet โ€” simple, merry, lovable as could be โ€” yet with a certain reserve that lent her dignity in her most joyous moods. There were times, however, when seated on her throne and commanding her subjects, or when her fairy powers were called into use, when Dorothy and all others about her stood in awe of their lovely girl Ruler and realized her superiority.

Ozma waited. Presently out from the billows rose beautiful forms, clothed in fleecy, trailing garments of gray that could scarcely be distinguished from the mist. Their hair was mist-color, too; only their gleaming arms and sweet, pallid faces proved they were living, intelligent creatures answering the call of a sister fairy.

Like sea nymphs they rested on the bosom of the clouds, their eyes turned questioningly upon the two girls who stood upon the bank. One came quite near and to her Ozma said:

โ€œWill you please take us to the opposite hillside? We are afraid to venture into the mist. I am Princess Ozma of Oz, and this is my friend Dorothy, a Princess of Oz.โ€

The Mist Maids came nearer, holding out their arms. Without hesitation Ozma advanced and allowed them to embrace her and Dorothy plucked up courage to follow. Very gently the Mist Maids held them. Dorothy thought the arms were cold and misty โ€” they didnโ€™t seem real at all โ€” yet they supported the two girls above the surface of the billows and floated with them so swiftly to the green hillside opposite that the girls were astonished to find themselves set upon the grass before they realized they had fairly started.

โ€œThank you!โ€ said Ozma gratefully, and Dorothy also added her thanks for the service.

The Mist Maids made no answer, but they smiled and waved their hands in goodbye as again they floated out into the mist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 21
Go to page:

Free e-book: ยซGlinda of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum (adult books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป   -   read online now on website american library books (americanlibrarybooks.com)

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment