L. Frank Baum_Oz 14 (7 page)

"That's pretty bad," said Dorothy, shaking her head gravely. "I see
you've a lot to do here, Ozma, in this forsaken corner of the Land of
Oz. First place, you've got to take the magic away from Queen
Coo-ee-oh, and from that awful Su-dic, too. My idea is that neither of
them is fit to rule anybody, 'cause they're cruel and hateful. So
you'll have to give the Skeezers and Flatheads new rulers and teach all
their people that they're part of the Land of Oz and must obey, above
all, the lawful Ruler, Ozma of Oz. Then, when you've done that, we can
go back home again."

Ozma smiled at her little friend's earnest counsel, but Lady Aurex said
in an anxious tone:

"I am surprised that you suggest these reforms while you are yet
prisoners on this island and in Coo-ee-oh's power. That these things
should be done, there is no doubt, but just now a dreadful war is
likely to break out, and frightful things may happen to us all. Our
Queen has such conceit that she thinks she can overcome the Su-dic and
his people, but it is said Su-dic's magic is very powerful, although
not as great as that possessed by his wife Rora, before Coo-ee-oh
transformed her into a Golden Pig."

"I don't blame her very much for doing that," remarked Dorothy, "for
the Flatheads were wicked to try to catch your beautiful fish and the
Witch Rora wanted to poison all the fishes in the lake."

"Do you know the reason?" asked the Lady Aurex.

"I don't s'pose there was any reason, 'cept just wickedness," replied
Dorothy.

"Tell us the reason," said Ozma earnestly.

"Well, your Majesty, once—a long time ago—the Flatheads and the
Skeezers were friendly. They visited our island and we visited their
mountain, and everything was pleasant between the two peoples. At that
time the Flatheads were ruled by three Adepts in Sorcery, beautiful
girls who were not Flatheads, but had wandered to the Flat Mountain and
made their home there. These three Adepts used their magic only for
good, and the mountain people gladly made them their rulers. They
taught the Flatheads how to use their canned brains and how to work
metals into clothing that would never wear out, and many other things
that added to their happiness and content.

"Coo-ee-oh was our Queen then, as now, but she knew no magic and so had
nothing to be proud of. But the three Adepts were very kind to
Coo-ee-oh. They built for us this wonderful dome of glass and our
houses of marble and taught us to make beautiful clothing and many
other things. Coo-ee-oh pretended to be very grateful for these favors,
but it seems that all the time she was jealous of the three Adepts and
secretly tried to discover their arts of magic. In this she was more
clever than anyone suspected. She invited the three Adepts to a banquet
one day, and while they were feasting Coo-ee-oh stole their charms and
magical instruments and transformed them into three fishes—a gold
fish, a silver fish and a bronze fish. While the poor fishes were
gasping and flopping helplessly on the floor of the banquet room one of
them said reproachfully: 'You will be punished for this, Coo-ee-oh, for
if one of us dies or is destroyed, you will become shrivelled and
helpless, and all your stolen magic will depart from you.' Frightened
by this threat, Coo-ee-oh at once caught up the three fish and ran with
them to the shore of the lake, where she cast them into the water. This
revived the three Adepts and they swam away and disappeared.

"I, myself, witnessed this shocking scene," continued Lady Aurex, "and
so did many other Skeezers. The news was carried to the Flatheads, who
then turned from friends to enemies. The Su-dic and his wife Rora were
the only ones on the mountain who were glad the three Adepts had been
lost to them, and they at once became Rulers of the Flatheads and stole
their canned brains from others to make themselves the more powerful.
Some of the Adepts' magic tools had been left on the mountain, and
these Rora seized and by the use of them she became a witch.

"The result of Coo-ee-oh's treachery was to make both the Skeezers and
the Flatheads miserable instead of happy. Not only were the Su-dic and
his wife cruel to their people, but our Queen at once became proud and
arrogant and treated us very unkindly. All the Skeezers knew she had
stolen her magic powers and so she hated us and made us humble
ourselves before her and obey her slightest word. If we disobeyed, or
did not please her, or if we talked about her when we were in our own
homes she would have us dragged to the whipping post in her palace and
lashed with knotted cords. That is why we fear her so greatly."

This story filled Ozma's heart with sorrow and Dorothy's heart with
indignation.

"I now understand," said Ozma, "why the fishes in the lake have brought
about war between the Skeezers and the Flatheads."

"Yes," Lady Aurex answered, "now that you know the story it is easy to
understand. The Su-dic and his wife came to our lake hoping to catch
the silver fish, or gold fish, or bronze fish—any one of them would
do—and by destroying it deprive Coo-ee-oh of her magic. Then they
could easily conquer her. Also they had another reason for wanting to
catch the fish—they feared that in some way the three Adepts might
regain their proper forms and then they would be sure to return to the
mountain and punish Rora and the Su-dic. That was why Rora finally
tried to poison all the fishes in the lake, at the time Coo-ee-oh
transformed her into a Golden Pig. Of course this attempt to destroy
the fishes frightened the Queen, for her safety lies in keeping the
three fishes alive."

"I s'pose Coo-ee-oh will fight the Flatheads with all her might,"
observed Dorothy.

"And with all her magic," added Ozma, thoughtfully.

"I do not see how the Flatheads can get to this island to hurt us,"
said Lady Aurex.

"They have bows and arrows, and I guess they mean to shoot the arrows
at your big dome, and break all the glass in it," suggested Dorothy.

But Lady Aurex shook her head with a smile.

"They cannot do that," she replied.

"Why not?"

"I dare not tell you why, but if the Flatheads come to-morrow morning
you will yourselves see the reason."

"I do not think they will attempt to harm the island," Ozma declared.
"I believe they will first attempt to destroy the fishes, by poison or
some other means. If they succeed in that, the conquest of the island
will not be difficult."

"They have no boats," said Lady Aurex, "and Coo-ee-oh, who has long
expected this war, has been preparing for it in many astonishing ways.
I almost wish the Flatheads would conquer us, for then we would be free
from our dreadful Queen; but I do not wish to see the three transformed
fishes destroyed, for in them lies our only hope of future happiness."

"Ozma will take care of you, whatever happens," Dorothy assured her.
But the Lady Aurex, not knowing the extent of Ozma's power—which was,
in fact, not so great as Dorothy imagined—could not take much comfort
in this promise.

It was evident there would be exciting times on the morrow, if the
Flatheads really attacked the Skeezers of the Magic Isle.

When night fell all the interior of the Great Dome, streets and houses,
became lighted with brilliant incandescent lamps, which rendered it
bright as day. Dorothy thought the island must look beautiful by night
from the outer shore of the lake. There was revelry and feasting in the
Queen's palace, and the music of the royal band could be plainly heard
in Lady Aurex's house, where Ozma and Dorothy remained with their
hostess and keeper. They were prisoners, but treated with much
consideration.

Lady Aurex gave them a nice supper and when they wished to retire
showed them to a pretty room with comfortable beds and wished them a
good night and pleasant dreams.

"What do you think of all this, Ozma?" Dorothy anxiously inquired when
they were alone.

"I am glad we came," was the reply, "for although there may be mischief
done to-morrow, it was necessary I should know about these people,
whose leaders are wild and lawless and oppress their subjects with
injustice and cruelties. My task, therefore, is to liberate the
Skeezers and the Flatheads and secure for them freedom and happiness. I
have no doubt I can accomplish this in time."

"Just now, though, we're in a bad fix," asserted Dorothy. "If Queen
Coo-ee-oh conquers to-morrow, she won't be nice to us, and if the
Su-dic conquers, he'll be worse."

"Do not worry, dear," said Ozma, "I do not think we are in danger,
whatever happens, and the result of our adventure is sure to be good."

Dorothy was not worrying, especially. She had confidence in her friend,
the fairy Princess of Oz, and she enjoyed the excitement of the events
in which she was taking part. So she crept into bed and fell asleep as
easily as if she had been in her own cosy room in Ozma's palace.

A sort of grating, grinding sound awakened her. The whole island seemed
to tremble and sway, as it might do in an earthquake. Dorothy sat up in
bed, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out of them, and then found it
was daybreak.

Ozma was hurriedly dressing herself.

"What is it?" asked Dorothy, jumping out of bed.

"I'm not sure," answered Ozma "but it feels as if the island is
sinking."

As soon as possible they finished dressing, while the creaking and
swaying continued. Then they rushed into the living room of the house
and found Lady Aurex, fully dressed, awaiting them.

"Do not be alarmed," said their hostess. "Coo-ee-oh has decided to
submerge the island, that is all. But it proves the Flatheads are
coming to attack us."

"What do you mean by sub-sub-merging the island?" asked Dorothy.

"Come here and see," was the reply.

Lady Aurex led them to a window which faced the side of the great dome
which covered all the village, and they could see that the island was
indeed sinking, for the water of the lake was already half way up the
side of the dome. Through the glass could be seen swimming fishes, and
tall stalks of swaying seaweeds, for the water was clear as crystal and
through it they could distinguish even the farther shore of the lake.

"The Flatheads are not here yet," said Lady Aurex. "They will come
soon, but not until all of this dome is under the surface of the water."

"Won't the dome leak?" Dorothy inquired anxiously.

"No, indeed."

"Was the island ever sub-sub-sunk before?"

"Oh, yes; on several occasions. But Coo-ee-oh doesn't care to do that
often, for it requires a lot of hard work to operate the machinery. The
dome was built so that the island could disappear. I think," she
continued, "that our Queen fears the Flatheads will attack the island
and try to break the glass of the dome."

"Well, if we're under water, they can't fight us, and we can't fight
them," asserted Dorothy.

"They could kill the fishes, however," said Ozma gravely.

"We have ways to fight, also, even though our island is under water,"
claimed Lady Aurex. "I cannot tell you all our secrets, but this island
is full of surprises. Also our Queen's magic is astonishing."

"Did she steal it all from the three Adepts in Sorcery that are now
fishes?"

"She stole the knowledge and the magic tools, but she has used them as
the three Adepts never would have done."

By this time the top of the dome was quite under water and suddenly the
island stopped sinking and became stationary.

"See!" cried Lady Aurex, pointing to the shore. "The Flatheads have
come."

On the bank, which was now far above their heads, a crowd of dark
figures could be seen.

"Now let us see what Coo-ee-oh will do to oppose them," continued Lady
Aurex, in a voice that betrayed her excitement.

The Flatheads, pushing their way through the line of palm trees, had
reached the shore of the lake just as the top of the island's dome
disappeared beneath the surface. The water now flowed from shore to
shore, but through the clear water the dome was still visible and the
houses of the Skeezers could be dimly seen through the panes of glass.

"Good!" exclaimed the Su-dic, who had armed all his followers and had
brought with him two copper vessels, which he carefully set down upon
the ground beside him. "If Coo-ee-oh wants to hide instead of fighting
our job will be easy, for in one of these copper vessels I have enough
poison to kill every fish in the lake."

"Kill them, then, while we have time, and then we can go home again,"
advised one of the chief officers.

"Not yet," objected the Su-dic. "The Queen of the Skeezers has defied
me, and I want to get her into my power, as well as to destroy her
magic. She transformed my poor wife into a Golden Pig, and I must have
revenge for that, whatever else we do."

"Look out!" suddenly exclaimed the officers, pointing into the lake;
"something's going to happen."

From the submerged dome a door opened and something black shot swiftly
out into the water. The door instantly closed behind it and the dark
object cleaved its way through the water, without rising to the
surface, directly toward the place where the Flatheads were standing.

"What is that?" Dorothy asked the Lady Aurex.

"That is one of the Queen's submarines," was the reply. "It is all
enclosed, and can move under water. Coo-ee-oh has several of these
boats which are kept in little rooms in the basement under our village.
When the island is submerged, the Queen uses these boats to reach the
shore, and I believe she now intends to fight the Flatheads with them."

The Su-dic and his people knew nothing of Coo-ee-oh's submarines, so
they watched with surprise as the under-water boat approached them.
When it was quite near the shore it rose to the surface and the top
parted and fell back, disclosing a boat full of armed Skeezers. At the
head was the Queen, standing up in the bow and holding in one hand a
coil of magic rope that gleamed like silver.