Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

When Ojo entered the room he ran quickly to

the statue of Unc Nunkie and kissed the marble

face affectionately.

“I did my best, Unc,” he said, with a sob, “but

it was no use!”

Then he drew back and looked around the room,

and the sight of the assembled company quite

amazed him.

Aside from the marble statues of Unc Nunkie and

Margolotte, the Glass Cat was there, curled up on

a rug; and the Woozy was there, sitting on its

square hind legs and looking on the scene with

solemn interest; and there was the Shaggy Man, in

a suit of shaggy peagreen satin, and at a table

sat the little Wizard, looking quite important and

as if he knew much more than he cared to tell.

Last of all, Dr. Pipt was there, and the

Crooked Magician sat humped up in a chair,

seeming very dejected but keeping his eyes fixed

on the lifeless form of his wife Margolotte,

whom he fondly loved but whom he now feared

was lost to him forever.

Ozma took a chair which Jellia Jamb wheeled

forward for the Ruler, and back of her stood the

Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Dorothy, as

well as the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry

Tiger. The Wizard now arose and made a low

bow to Ozma and another less deferent bow to

the assembled company.

“Ladies and gentlemen and beasts,” he said,

“I beg to announce that our Gracious Ruler has

permitted me to obey the commands of the great

Sorceress, Glinda the Good, whose humble Assistant

I am proud to be. We have discovered that the

Crooked Magician has been indulging in his magical

arts contrary to Law, and therefore, by Royal

Edict, I hereby deprive him of all power to work

magic in the future. He is no longer a crooked

magician, but a simple Munchkin; he is no longer

even crooked, but a man like other men.

As he pronounced these words the Wizard

waved his hand toward Dr. Pipt and instantly

every crooked limb straightened out and became

perfect. The former magician, with a cry of joy,

sprang to his feet, looked at himself in wonder,

and then fell back in his chair and watched the

Wizard with fascinated interest.

“The Glass Cat, which Dr. Pipt lawlessly

made,” continued the Wizard, “is a pretty cat,

but its pink brains made it so conceited that it

was a disagreeable companion to everyone. So

the other day I took away the pink brains and

replaced them with transparent ones, and now

the Glass Cat is so modest and well behaved

that Ozma has decided to keep her in the palace

as a pet.”

“I thank you,” said the cat, in a soft voice.

“The Woozy has proved himself a good Woozy and a

faithful friend,” the Wizard went on, “so we will

send him to the Royal Menagerie, where he will

have good care and plenty to eat all his life.”

“Much obliged,” said the Woozy. “That beats

being fenced up in a lonely forest and starved.”

“As for the Patchwork Girl,” resumed the Wizard,

“she is so remarkable in appearance, and so clever

and good tempered, that our Gracious Ruler intends

to preserve her carefully, as one of the

curiosities of the curious Land of Oz. Scraps may

live in the palace, or wherever she pleases, and

be nobody’s servant but her own.”

“That’s all right,” said Scraps.

“We have all been interested in Ojo,” the little

Wizard continued, “because his love for his

unfortunate uncle has led him bravely to face all

sorts of dangers, in order that he might rescue

him. The Munchkin boy has a loyal and generous

heart and has done his best to restore Unc Nunkie

to life. He has failed, but there are others more

powerful than the Crooked Magician, and there are

more ways than Dr. Pipt knew of to destroy the

charm of the Liquid of Petrifaction. Glinda the

Good has told me of one way, and you shall now

learn how great is the knowledge and power of our

peerless Sorceress.”

As he said this the Wizard advanced to the

statue of Margolote and made a magic pass, at

the same time muttering a magic word that

none could hear distinctly. At once the woman

moved, turned her head wonderingly this way

and that, to note all who stood before her, and

seeing Dr. Pipt, ran forward and threw herself

into her husband’s outstretched arms.

Then the Wizard made the magic pass and

spoke the magic word before the statue of Unc

Nunkie. The old Munchkin immediately came

to life and with a low bow to the Wizard said:

“Thanks.”

But now Ojo rushed up and threw his arms

joyfully about his uncle, and the old man

hugged his little nephew tenderly and stroked

his hair and wiped away the boy’s tears with a

handkerchief, for Ojo was crying from pure

happiness.

Ozma came forward to congratulate them.

“I have given to you, my dear Ojo and Unc

Nunkie, a nice house just outside the walls of

the Emerald City,” she said, “and there you

shall make your future home and be under my

protection.”

“Didn’t I say you were Ojo the Lucky?”

asked the Tin Woodman, as everyone crowded

around to shake Ojo’s hand.

“Yes; and it is true!” replied Ojo, gratefully.

The Wonderful Oz Books by L.

Frank Baum

THE WIZARD OF OZ

THE LAND OF OZ

OZMA OF OZ

DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ

THE ROAD TO OZ

THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ

THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ

TIK-TOK OF OZ

THE SCARECROW OF OZ

RINKITINK IN OZ

THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ

THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ

THE MAGIC OF OZ

GLINDA OF OZ

End of The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Baum