The Marvelous Land of Oz | Page 6

head of his man Jack.
She did this in the same way one would pepper a baked potato, and the powder sifted

down from Jack's head and scattered

19 Full page line-art drawing.
"OLD MOMBI DANCED AROUND HIM"

20 over the red shirt and pink waistcoat and purple trousers Tip had dressed him in, and a
portion even fell upon the patched and worn shoes.
Then, putting the pepper-box back into the basket, Mombi lifted her left hand, with its
little finger pointed upward, and said:
"Weaugh!"
Then she lifted her right hand, with the thumb pointed upward, and said:
"Teaugh!"
Then she lifted both hands, with all the fingers and thumbs spread out, and cried:
"Peaugh!"
Jack Pumpkinhead stepped back a pace, at this, and said in a reproachful voice:
"Don't yell like that! Do you think I'm deaf?"
Old Mombi danced around him, frantic with delight.
"He lives!" she screamed: "He lives! he lives!"
Then she threw her stick into the air and caught it as it came down; and she hugged
herself with both arms, and tried to do a step of a jig; and all the time she repeated,
rapturously:
"He lives! -- he lives! -- he lives!"
Now you may well suppose that Tip observed all this with amazement.

21
At first he was so frightened and horrified that he wanted to run away, but his legs
trembled and shook so badly that he couldn't. Then it struck him as a very funny thing for
Jack to come to life, especially as the expression on his pumpkin face was so droll and
comical it excited laughter on the instant. So, recovering from his first fear, Tip began to
laugh; and the merry peals reached old Mombi's ears and made her hobble quickly to the

hedge, where she seized Tip's collar and dragged him back to where she had left her
basket and the pumpkinheaded man.
"You naughty, sneaking, wicked boy!" she exclaimed, furiously:" I'll teach you to spy out
my secrets and to make fun of me!"
"I wasn't making fun of you," protested Tip. "I was laughing at old Pumpkinhead! Look
at him! Isn't he a picture, though?"
"I hope you are not reflecting on my personal appearance," said Jack; and it was so funny
to hear his grave voice, while his face continued to wear its jolly smile, that Tip again
burst into a peal of laughter.
Even Mombi was not without a curious interest in the man her magic had brought to life;
for, after staring at him intently, she presently asked:

22 Full page line-art drawing.
OLD MOMBI PUTS JACK IN THE STABLE

23
"What do you know?"
"Well, that is hard to tell," replied Jack. "For although I feel that I know a tremendous lot,
I am not yet aware how much there is in the world to find out about. It will take me a
little time to discover whether I am very wise or very foolish."
"To be sure," said Mombi, thoughtfully.
"But what are you going to do with him, now he is alive?" asked Tip, wondering.
"I must think it over," answered Mombi. "But we must get home at once, for it is growing
dark. Help the Pumpkinhead to walk."
"Never mind me," said Jack; "I can walk as well as you can. Haven't I got legs and feet,
and aren't they jointed?"
"Are they?" asked the woman, turning to Tip.
"Of course they are; I made 'em myself," returned the boy, with pride.
So they started for the house, but when they reached the farm yard old Mombi led the
pumpkin man to the cow stable and shut him up in an empty stall, fastening the door
securely on the outside.

"I've got to attend to you, first," she said, nodding her head at Tip.
Hearing this, the boy became uneasy; for he

24 knew Mombi had a bad and revengeful heart, and would not hesitate to do any evil
thing.
They entered the house. It was a round, domeshaped structure, as are nearly all the farm
houses in the Land of Oz.
Mombi bade the boy light a candle, while she put her basket in a cupboard and hung her
cloak on a peg. Tip obeyed quickly, for he was afraid of her.
After the candle had been lighted Mombi ordered him to build a fire in the hearth, and
while Tip was thus engaged the old woman ate her supper. When the flames began to
crackle the boy came to her and asked a share of the bread and cheese; but Mombi
refused him.
"I'm hungry!" said Tip, in a sulky tone.
"You won't be hungry long," replied Mombi, with a grim look.
The boy didn't like this speech, for