Glinda of Oz | Page 6

said Ozma.
"Yes, the soldier with the green whiskers; but he's dreadful 'fraid of his
gun and never loads it. I'm sure he'd run rather than fight. And one
soldier, even if he were brave, couldn't do much against two hundred
and one Flatheads and Skeezers."
"What then, my friends, would you suggest?" inquired Ozma.
"I advise you to send the Wizard of Oz to them, and let him inform
them that it is against the laws of Oz to fight, and that you command
them to settle their differences and become friends," proposed Glinda.
"Let the Wizard tell them they will be punished if they refuse to obey
the commands of the Princess of all the Land of Oz."
Ozma shook her head, to indicate that the advice was not to her

satisfaction.
"If they refuse, what then?" she asked. "I should be obliged to carry out
my threat and punish them, and that would be an unpleasant and
difficult thing to do. I am sure it would be better for me to go
peacefully, without an army and armed only with my authority as Ruler,
and plead with them to obey me. Then, if they prove obstinate I could
resort to other means to win their obedience."
"It's a ticklish thing, anyhow you look at it," sighed Dorothy. "I'm sorry
now that I noticed the Record in the Great Book."
"But can't you realize, my dear, that I must do my duty, now that I am
aware of this trouble?" asked Ozma. "I am fully determined to go at
once to the Magic Isle of the Skeezers and to the enchanted mountain
of the Flatheads, and prevent war and strife between their inhabitants.
The only question to decide is whether it is better for me to go alone, or
to assemble a party of my friends and loyal supporters to accompany
me."
"If you go I want to go, too," declared Dorothy. "Whatever happens it's
going to be fun -- 'cause all excitement is fun -- and I wouldn't miss it
for the world!"
Neither Ozma nor Glinda paid any attention to this statement, for they
were gravely considering the serious aspect of this proposed adventure.
"There are plenty of friends who would like to go with you," said the
Sorceress, "but none of them would afford your Majesty any protection
in case you were in danger. You are yourself the most powerful fairy in
Oz, although both I and the Wizard have more varied arts of magic at
our command. However, you have one art that no other in all the world
can equal -- the art of winning hearts and making people love to bow to
your gracious presence. For that reason I believe you can accomplish
more good alone than with a large number of subjects in your train."
"I believe that also," agreed the Princess. "I shall be quite able to take
care of myself, you know, but might not be able to protect others so

well. I do not look for opposition, however. I shall speak to these
people in kindly words and settle their dispute -- whatever it may be --
in a just manner."
"Aren't you going to take me?" pleaded Dorothy. "You'll need some
companion, Ozma."
The Princess smiled upon her little friend.
"I see no reason why you should not accompany me," was her reply.
"Two girls are not very warlike and they will not suspect us of being on
any errand but a kindly and peaceful one. But, in order to prevent war
and strife between these angry peoples, we must go to them at once. Let
us return immediately to the Emerald City and prepare to start on our
journey early tomorrow morning."
Glinda was not quite satisfied with this plan, but could not think of any
better way to meet the problem. She knew that Ozma, with all her
gentleness and sweet disposition, was accustomed to abide by any
decision she had made and could not easily be turned from her purpose.
Moreover she could see no great danger to the fairy Ruler of Oz in the
undertaking, even though the unknown people she was to visit proved
obstinate. But Dorothy was not a fairy; she was a little girl who had
come from Kansas to live in the Land of Oz. Dorothy might encounter
dangers that to Ozma would be as nothing but to an "Earth child"
would be very serious.
The very fact that Dorothy lived in Oz, and had been made a Princess
by her friend Ozma, prevented her from being killed or suffering any
great bodily pain as long as she lived in that fairyland. She could not
grow big, either, and would always remain the same little girl who had
come to Oz,