daughters and over three hundred grandchildren,' said Billina, proudly.
'What names do you give 'em all, dear?' inquired the little girl.
'Oh, they are all Dorothys and Daniels, some being Juniors and some Double-Juniors. Dorothy and Daniel are two good names, and I see no object in hunting for others,' declared the Yellow Hen. 'But just think, Dorothy, what a big chicken family we've grown to be, and our numbers increase nearly every day! Ozma doesn't know what to do with all the eggs we lay, and we are never eaten or harmed in any way, as chickens are in your country. They give us everything to make us contented and happy, and I, my dear, am the acknowledged Queen and Governor of every chicken in Oz, because I'm the eldest and started the whole colony.'
'You ought to be very proud, ma'am,' said Uncle Henry, who was astonished to hear a hen talk so sensibly.
'Oh, I am,' she replied. 'I've the loveliest pearl necklace you ever saw. Come in the house and I'll show it to you. And I've nine leg bracelets and a diamond pin for each wing. But I only wear them on state occasions.'
They followed the Yellow Hen into the house, which Aunt Em declared was neat as a pin. They could not sit down, because all Billina's chairs were roosting-poles made of silver; so they had to stand while the hen fussily showed them her treasures.
Then they had to go into the back rooms occupied by Billina's nine Dorothys and two Daniels, who were all plump yellow chickens and greeted the visitors very politely. It was easy to see that they were well bred and that Billina had looked after their education.
In the yards were all the children and grandchildren of these eleven elders and they were of all sizes, from well-grown hens to tiny chickens just out of the shell. About fifty fluffy yellow youngsters were at school, being taught good manners and good grammar by a young hen who wore spectacles. They sang in chorus a patriotic song of the Land of Oz, in honor of their visitors, and Aunt Em was much impressed by these talking chickens.
Dorothy wanted to stay and play with the young chickens for awhile, but Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had not seen the palace grounds and gardens yet and were eager to get better acquainted with the marvelous and delightful land in which they were to live.
'I'll stay here, and you can go for a walk,' said Dorothy. 'You'll be perfec'ly safe anywhere, and may do whatever you want to. When you get tired, go back to the palace and find your rooms, and I'll come to you before luncheon is ready.'
So Uncle Henry and Aunt Em started out alone to explore the grounds, and Dorothy knew that they couldn't get lost, because all the palace grounds were enclosed by a high wall of green marble set with emeralds.
It was a rare treat to these simple folk, who had lived in the country all their lives and known little enjoyment of any sort, to wear beautiful clothes and live in a palace and be treated with respect and consideration by all around them. They were very happy indeed as they strolled up the shady walks and looked upon the gorgeous flowers and shrubs, feeling that their new home was more beautiful than any tongue could describe.
Suddenly, as they turned a corner and walked through a gap in a high hedge, they came face to face with an enormous Lion, which crouched upon the green lawn and seemed surprised by their appearance.
They stopped short, Uncle Henry trembling with horror and Aunt Em too terrified to scream. Next moment the poor woman clasped her husband around the neck and cried:
'Save me, Henry, save me!'
'Can't even save myself, Em,' he returned, in a husky voice, 'for the animile looks as if it could eat both of us an' lick its chops for more! If I only had a gun – '
'Haven't you, Henry? Haven't you?' she asked anxiously.
'Nary gun, Em. So let's die as brave an' graceful as we can. I knew our luck couldn't last!'
'I won't die. I won't be eaten by a lion!' wailed Aunt Em, glaring upon the huge beast. Then a thought struck her, and she whispered, 'Henry, I've heard as savage beastses can be conquered by the human eye. I'll eye that lion out o' countenance an' save our lives.'
'Try it, Em,' he returned, also in a whisper. 'Look at him as you do at me when I'm late to dinner.'
Aunt Em turned upon the Lion a determined countenance and a wild dilated eye. She glared at the immense beast steadily, and the Lion, who had been quietly blinking at them, began to appear uneasy and disturbed.
'Is anything the matter, ma'am?' he asked, in a mild voice.
At this speech from the terrible beast Aunt Em and Uncle Henry both were startled, and then Uncle Henry remembered that this must be the Lion they had seen in Ozma's Throne Room.
'Hold on, Em!' he exclaimed. 'Quit the eagle eye conquest an' take courage. I guess this is the same Cowardly Lion Dorothy has told us about.'
'Oh, is it?' she cried, much relieved.
'When he spoke, I got the idea; and when he looked so 'shamed like, I was sure of it,' Uncle Henry continued.
Aunt Em regarded the animal with new interest.
'Are you the Cowardly Lion?' she inquired. 'Are you Dorothy's friend?'
'Yes'm,' answered the Lion, meekly. 'Dorothy and I are old chums and are very fond of each other. I'm the King of Beasts, you know, and the Hungry Tiger and I serve Princess Ozma as her body guards.'
'To be sure,' said Aunt Em, nodding. 'But the King of Beasts shouldn't be cowardly.'
'I've heard that said before,' remarked the Lion, yawning till he showed two great rows of sharp white teeth; 'but that does not keep me from being frightened whenever I go into battle.'
'What do you do, run?' asked Uncle Henry.
'No; that would be foolish, for the enemy would run after me,' declared the Lion. 'So I tremble with fear and pitch in as hard as I can; and so far I have always won my fight.'
'Ah, I begin to understand,' said Uncle Henry.
'Were you scared when I looked at you just now?' inquired Aunt Em.
'Terribly scared, madam,' answered the Lion, 'for at first I thought you were going to have a fit. Then I noticed you were trying to overcome me by the power of your eye, and your glance was so fierce and penetrating that I shook with fear.'
This greatly pleased the lady, and she said quite cheerfully:
'Well, I won't hurt you, so don't be scared any more. I just wanted to see what the human eye was good for.'
'The human eye is a fearful weapon,' remarked the Lion, scratching his nose softly with his paw to hide a smile. 'Had I not known you were Dorothy's friends I might have torn you both into shreds in order to escape your terrible gaze.'
Aunt Em shuddered at hearing this, and Uncle Henry said hastily:
'I'm glad you knew us. Good morning, Mr. Lion; we'll hope to see you again – by and by – some time in the future.'
'Good morning,' replied the Lion, squatting down upon the lawn again. 'You are likely to see a good deal of me, if you live in the Land of Oz.'
8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes
After leaving the Whimsies, Guph continued on his journey and penetrated far into the Northwest. He wanted to get to the Country of the Growleywogs, and in order to do that he must cross the Ripple Land, which was a hard thing to do. For the Ripple Land was a succession of hills and valleys, all very steep and rocky, and they changed places constantly by rippling. While Guph was climbing a hill it sank down under him and became a valley, and while he was descending into a valley it rose up and carried him to the top of a hill. This was very perplexing to the traveler, and a stranger might have thought he could never cross the Ripple Land at all. But Guph knew that if he kept steadily on he would get to the end at last; so he paid no attention to the changing hills and valleys and plodded along as calmly as if walking upon the level ground.
The result of this wise persistence was that the General finally reached firmer soil and, after penetrating a dense forest, came to the Dominion of the Growleywogs.
