14. The Winged Monkeys
You will remember there was no road--not even a pathway--between thecastle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the fourtravelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming, and sosent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder tofind their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellowdaisies than it was being carried. They knew, of course, they must gostraight east, toward the rising sun; and they started off in the rightway. But at noon, when the sun was over their heads, they did not knowwhich was east and which was west, and that was the reason they werelost in the great fields. They kept on walking, however, and at nightthe moon came out and shone brightly. So they lay down among the sweetsmelling yellow flowers and slept soundly until morning--all but theScarecrow and the Tin Woodman.
The next morning the sun was behind a cloud, but they started on, as ifthey were quite sure which way they were going.
If we walk far enough, said Dorothy, I am sure we shall sometimecome to some place.
But day by day passed away, and they still saw nothing before them butthe scarlet fields. The Scarecrow began to grumble a bit.
We have surely lost our way, he said, and unless we find it again intime to reach the Emerald City, I shall never get my brains.
Nor I my heart, declared the Tin Woodman. It seems to me I canscarcely wait till I get to Oz, and you must admit this is a very longjourney.
You see, said the Cowardly Lion, with a whimper, I haven't thecourage to keep tramping forever, without getting anywhere at all.
Then Dorothy lost heart. She sat down on the grass and looked at hercompanions, and they sat down and looked at her, and Toto found thatfor the first time in his life he was too tired to chase a butterflythat flew past his head. So he put out his tongue and panted andlooked at Dorothy as if to ask what they should do next.
Suppose we call the field mice, she suggested. They could probablytell us the way to the Emerald City.
To be sure they could, cried the Scarecrow. Why didn't we think ofthat before?
Dorothy blew the little whistle she had always carried about her necksince the Queen of the Mice had given it to her. In a few minutes theyheard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice camerunning up to her. Among them was the Queen herself, who asked, in hersqueaky little voice:
What can I do for my friends?
We have lost our way, said Dorothy. Can you tell us where theEmerald City is?
Certainly, answered the Queen; but it is a great way off, for youhave had it at your backs all this time. Then she noticed Dorothy'sGolden Cap, and said, Why don't you use the charm of the Cap, and callthe Winged Monkeys to you? They will carry you to the City of Oz inless than an hour.
I didn't know there was a charm, answered Dorothy, in surprise.What is it?
It is written inside the Golden Cap, replied the Queen of the Mice.But if you are going to call the Winged Monkeys we must run away, forthey are full of mischief and think it great fun to plague us.
Won't they hurt me? asked the girl anxiously.
Oh, no. They must obey the wearer of the Cap. Good-bye! And shescampered out of sight, with all the mice hurrying after her.
Dorothy looked inside the Golden Cap and saw some words written uponthe lining. These, she thought, must be the charm, so she read thedirections carefully and put the Cap upon her head.
Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke! she said, standing on her left foot.
What did you say? asked the Scarecrow, who did not know what she wasdoing.
Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo! Dorothy went on, standing this time on herright foot.
Hello! replied the Tin Woodman calmly.
Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik! said Dorothy, who was now standing on both feet.This ended the saying of the charm, and they heard a great chatteringand flapping of wings, as the band of Winged Monkeys flew up to them.
The King bowed low before Dorothy, and asked, What is your command?
We wish to go to the Emerald City, said the child, and we have lostour way.
We will carry you, replied the King, and no sooner had he spoken thantwo of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her.Others took the Scarecrow and the Woodman and the Lion, and one littleMonkey seized Toto and flew after them, although the dog tried hard tobite him.
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were rather frightened at first, forthey remembered how badly the Winged Monkeys had treated them before;but they saw that no harm was intended, so they rode through the airquite cheerfully, and had a fine time looking at the pretty gardens andwoods far below them.
Dorothy found herself riding easily between two of the biggest Monkeys,one of them the King himself. They had made a chair of their hands andwere careful not to hurt her.
Why do you have to obey the charm of the Golden Cap? she asked.
That is a long story, answered the King, with a winged laugh; but aswe have a long journey before us, I will pass the time by telling youabout it, if you wish.
I shall be glad to hear it, she replied.
Once, began the leader, we were a free people, living happily in thegreat forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, anddoing just as we pleased without calling anybody master. Perhaps someof us were rather too full of mischief at times, flying down to pullthe tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds, and throwingnuts at the people who walked in the forest. But we were careless andhappy and full of fun, and enjoyed every minute of the day. This wasmany years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over thisland.
There lived here then, away at the North, a beautiful princess, whowas also a powerful sorceress. All her magic was used to help thepeople, and she was never known to hurt anyone who was good. Her namewas Gayelette, and she lived in a handsome palace built from greatblocks of ruby. Everyone loved her, but her greatest sorrow was thatshe could find no one to love in return, since all the men were muchtoo stupid and ugly to mate with one so beautiful and wise. At last,however, she found a boy who was handsome and manly and wise beyond hisyears. Gayelette made up her mind that when he grew to be a man shewould make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and usedall her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as anywoman could wish. When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called,was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manlybeauty was so great that Gayelette loved him dearly, and hastened tomake everything ready for the wedding.
My grandfather was at that time the King of the Winged Monkeys whichlived in the forest near Gayelette's palace, and the old fellow loved ajoke better than a good dinner. One day, just before the wedding, mygrandfather was flying out with his band when he saw Quelala walkingbeside the river. He was dressed in a rich costume of pink silk andpurple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see what he coulddo. At his word the band flew down and seized Quelala, carried him intheir arms until they were over the middle of the river, and thendropped him into the water.
'Swim out, my fine fellow,' cried my grandfather, 'and see if thewater has spotted your clothes.' Quelala was much too wise not toswim, and he was not in the least spoiled by all his good fortune. Helaughed, when he came to the top of the water, and swam in to shore.But when Gayelette came running out to him she found his silks andvelvet all ruined by the river.
The princess was angry, and she knew, of course, who did it. She hadall the Winged Monkeys brought before her, and she said at first thattheir wings should be tied and they should be treated as they hadtreated Quelala, and dropped in the river. But my grandfather pleadedhard, for he knew the Monkeys would drown in the river with their wingstied, and Quelala said a kind word for them also; so that Gayelettefinally spared them, on condition that the Winged Monkeys should everafter do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap. ThisCap had been made for a wedding present to Quelala, and it is said tohave cost the princess half her kingdom. Of course my grandfather andall the other Monkeys at once agreed to the condition, and that is howit happens that we are three times the slaves of the owner of theGolden Cap, whosoever he may be.
And what became of them? asked Dorothy, who had been greatlyinterested in the story.
Quelala being the first owner of the Golden Cap, replied the Monkey,he was the first to lay his wishes upon us. As his bride could notbear the sight of us, he called us all to him in the forest after hehad married her and ordered us always to keep where she could neveragain set eyes on a Winged Monkey, which we were glad to do, for wewere all afraid of her.
This was all we ever had to do until the Golden Cap fell into thehands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who made us enslave the Winkies,and afterward drive Oz himself out of the Land of the West. Now theGolden Cap is yours, and three times you have the right to lay yourwishes upon us.
As the Monkey King finished his story Dorothy looked down and saw thegreen, shining walls of the Emerald City before them. She wondered atthe rapid flight of the Monkeys, but was glad the journey was over.The strange creatures set the travelers down carefully before the gateof the City, the King bowed low to Dorothy, and then flew swiftly away,followed by all his band.
That was a good ride, said the little girl.
Yes, and a quick way out of our troubles, replied the Lion. Howlucky it was you brought away that wonderful Cap!