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Chapter 14 – The Green Monkey

L. Frank Baum2016年10月05日'Command+D' Bookmark this page

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They now entered the house, and as an interested group,
watched Jinjur, at Ozma’s command, build a fire and put
a kettle of water over to boil. The Ruler of Oz stood
before the fire silent and grave, while the others,
realizing that an important ceremony of magic was about
to be performed, stood quietly in the background so as
not to interrupt Ozma’s proceedings. Only Polychrome
kept going in and coming out, humming softly to herself
as she danced, for the Rainbow’s Daughter could not
keep still for long, and the four walls of a room
always made her nervous and ill at ease. She moved so
noiselessly, however, that her movements were like the
shifting of sunbeams and did not annoy anyone.

When the water in the kettle bubbled, Ozma drew from
her bosom two tiny packets containing powders. These
powders she threw into the kettle and after briskly
stirring the contents with a branch from a macaroon
bush, Ozma poured the mystic broth upon a broad platter
which Jinjur had placed upon the table. As the broth
cooled it became as silver, reflecting all objects from
its smooth surface like a mirror.

While her companions gathered around the table,
eagerly attentive — and Dorothy even held little Toto
in her arms that he might see — Ozma waved her wand
over the mirror-like surface. At once it reflected the
interior of Yoop Castle, and in the big hall sat Mrs.
Yoop, in her best embroidered silken robes, engaged in
weaving a new lace apron to replace the one she had
lost.

The Giantess seemed rather uneasy, as if she had a
faint idea that someone was spying upon her, for she
kept looking behind her and this way and that, as
though expecting danger from an unknown source. Perhaps
some yookoohoo instinct warned her. Woot saw that she
had escaped from her room by some of the magical means
at her disposal, after her prisoners had escaped her.
She was now occupying the big hall of her castle as she
used to do. Also Woot thought, from the cruel
expression on the face of the Giantess, that she was
planning revenge on them, as soon as her new magic
apron was finished

But Ozma was now making passes over the platter with
her silver Wand, and presently the form of the Giantess
began to shrink in size and to change its shape. And
now, in her place sat the form of Woot the Wanderer,
and as if suddenly realizing her transformation Mrs.
Yoop threw down her work and rushed to a looking-glass
that stood against the wall of her room. When she saw
the boy’s form reflected as her own, she grew violently
angry and dashed her head against the mirror, smashing
it to atoms.

Just then Ozma was busy with her magic Wand, making
strange figures, and she had also placed her left hand
firmly upon the shoulder of the Green Monkey. So now,
as all eyes were turned upon the platter, the form of
Mrs. Yoop gradually changed again. She was slowly
transformed into the Green Monkey, and at the same time
Woot slowly regained his natural form.

It was quite a surprise to them all when they raised
their eyes from the platter and saw Woot the Wanderer
standing beside Ozma. And, when they glanced at the
platter again, it reflected nothing more than the walls
of the room in Jinjur’s house in which they stood. The
magic ceremonial was ended, and Ozma of Oz had
triumphed over the wicked Giantess.

“What will become of her, I wonder?” said Dorothy, as
she drew a long breath.

“She will always remain a Green Monkey,” replied
Ozma, “and in that form she will be unable to perform
any magical arts whatsoever. She need not be unhappy,
however, and as she lives all alone in her castle she
probably won’t mind the transformation very much after
she gets used to it.”

“Anyhow, it serves her right,” declared Dorothy, and
all agreed with her.

“But,” said the kind hearted Tin Woodman, “I’m afraid
the Green Monkey will starve, for Mrs. Yoop used to get
her food by magic, and now that the magic is taken away
from her, what can she eat?”

“Why, she’ll eat what other monkeys do,” returned the
Scarecrow. “Even in the form of a Green Monkey, she’s a
very clever person, and I’m sure her wits will show her
how to get plenty to eat.”

“Don’t worry about her,” advised Dorothy. “She didn’t
worry about you, and her condition is no worse than the
condition she imposed on poor Woot. She can’t starve to
death in the Land of Oz, that’s certain, and if she
gets hungry at times it’s no more than the wicked thing
deserves. Let’s forget Mrs. Yoop; for, in spite of her
being a yookoohoo, our fairy friends have broken all of
her transformations.”

 

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