Merry Go Round In Oz by L Frank Baum

Author:L Frank Baum [Baum, L Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

At this point, Less decided his old friend was getting a bit too much the worst of it. “I think Fred was just startled, too,” he explained. “We were all pretty shaken up right that minute-we’d just fallen off a fire-escape.”

‘“And we’d just climbed out of a rabbit-hole,” the Cowardly Lion admitted gruffly. “Still, that’s no reason to go calling a fellow a lion sell, is it? I wish somebody’d tell me what it means.”

A good many explanations were in order, and several more apologies-including a remorseful one from Dorothy to the Flittermouse, who was still feeling quite crushed. He had to be coaxed for some time before he would consent to crawl out of Fess’s collar and sit for a moment on Dorothy’s hand, still hic-cupping a bit but smiling tentatively at her through his tears.

At last, after everybody was placated and the Cowardly Lion was made to understand that “lioncel” was merely the Halidom term for his species, the two parties got around to formal introductions. These aroused much interest and astonishment on both sides.

“Why, I’ve heard of Halidom,” Dorothy exclaimed. “And Troth too. I’ve a friend-Sir Hokus of Pokes-who always orders his armor from there.”

“And I’ve read about you two in the Oztory books!” Fess said diffidently. He felt very much impressed to be talking to such famous celebrities, and was delighted to find them so mod-est. “Why, they’re just like anybody’.” he thought.

As for Fred, he was so overcome by the magnitude of his faux pas in quarreling with such personages that he could only stare miserably into space and conclude that his career was wrecked.

The Prince remained imperturbable, courtly, and as imprac-tical as ever. “I am delighted to meet you both,” he announced with a winning smile. “I regret only that I cannot at this moment offer you the hospitality of my father’s palace, and arrange a tourney in your honor. However, I hope you will do me the honor of being my guests at luncheon.”

“But Your Highness, we haven’t any luncheon!” Fess whispered in a panic.

“When we locate some, that is,” Prince Gules added graciously.

“We’ll help you locate it,” Dorothy said at once. “I’m hungry too.

“I’m starved,” said the Cowardly Lion. “But no carrot tea, if you please! I want some lion food for a change.”

Flitter, hoping very much that “lion food” didn’t include Flittermice and things, made himself inconspicuous behind the popinjay feather on Fess’s cap, but Dorothy merely remarked that they’d be lucky to find people-food, and that what she wanted was a place to sit down comfortably and talk. ” ‘Cause I’m just plain curious about why you left Halidom, and where you’re going, and how you happened to be on that fire-escape-and you’re probably wondering what we were doing in a rabbit-hole-“

“And why a Royal Princess of Oz is wearing such a dirty dress,” the Cowardly Lion chuckled, trying with a few self-conscious swipes at his mane to improve his own appearance.

Fred, who had been musing bitterly on this very point, seized the chance to climb back into grace.

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