the lost princess of oz-第1节
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THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ
by L。 FRANK BAUM
This Book is Dedicated
To My Granddaughter
OZMA BAUM
To My Readers
Some of my youthful readers are developing wonderful
imaginations。 This pleases me。 Imagination has brought
mankind through the Dark Ages to its present state of
civilization。 Imagination led Columbus to discover
America。 Imagination led Franklin to discover
electricity。 Imagination has given us the steam engine；
the telephone； the talking…machine and the automobile；
for these things had to be dreamed of before they
became realities。 So I believe that dreams day
dreams； you know； with your eyes wide open and your
brain…machinery whizzing are likely to lead to the
betterment of the world。 The imaginative child will
become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create；
to invent； and therefore to foster civilization。 A
prominent educator tells me that fairy tales are of
untold value in developing imagination in the young。 I
believe it。
Among the letters I receive from children are many
containing suggestions of 〃what to write about in the
next Oz Book。〃 Some of the ideas advanced are mighty
interesting； while others are too extravagant to be
seriously considered even in a fairy tale。 Yet I
like them all； and I must admit that the main idea in
〃The Lost Princess of Oz〃 was suggested to me by a
sweet little girl of eleven who called to see me and to
talk about the Land of Oz。 Said she： 〃I s'pose if Ozma
ever got lost； or stolen； ev'rybody in Oz would be
dreadful sorry。〃
That was all； but quite enough foundation to build
this present story on。 If you happen to like the story；
give credit to my little friend's clever hint。
L。 Frank Baum
Royal Historian of Oz
1 A Terrible Loss
2 The Troubles of Glinda the Good
3 The Robbery of Cayke the Cookie Cook
4 Among the Winkies
5 Ozma's Friends Are Perplexed
6 The Search Party
7 The Merry…Go…Round Mountains
8 The Mysterious City
9 The High Coco…Lorum of Thi
10 Toto Loses Something
11 Button…Bright Loses Himself
12 The Czarover of Herku
13 The Truth Pond
14 The Unhappy Ferryman
15 The Big Lavender Bear
16 The Little Pink Bear
17 The Meeting
18 The Conference
19 Ugu the Shoemaker
20 More Surprises
21 Magic Against Magic
22 In the Wicker Castle
23 The Defiance of Ugu the Shoemaker
24 The Little Pink Bear Speaks Truly
25 Ozma of Oz
26 Dorothy Forgives
THE LOST PRINCESS of OZ
Chapter One
A Terrible Loss
There could be no doubt of the fact： Princess Ozma； the
lovely girl ruler of the Fairyland of Oz； was lost。 She
had completely disappeared。 Not one of her subjects
not even her closest friends knew what had become of her。
It was Dorothy who first discovered it。 Dorothy was a
little Kansas girl who had come to the Land of Oz to
live and had been given a delightful suite of rooms in
Ozma's royal palace； just because Ozma loved Dorothy
and wanted her to live as near her as possible； so the
two girls might be much together。
Dorothy was not the only girl from the outside world
who had been welcomed to Oz and lived in the royal
palace。 There was another named Betsy Bobbin； whose
adventures had led her to seek refuge with Ozma； and
still another named Trot； who had been invited；
together with her faithful companion； Cap'n Bill； to
make her home in this wonderful fairyland。 The three
girls all had rooms in the palace and were great chums；
but Dorothy was the dearest friend of their gracious
Ruler and only she at any hour dared to seek Ozma in
her royal apartments。 For Dorothy had lived in Oz much
longer than the other girls and had been made a
Princess of the realm。
Betsy was a year older than Dorothy and Trot was a
year younger； yet the three were near enough of an age
to become great playmates and to have nice times
together。 It was while the three were talking together
one morning in Dorothy's room that Betsy proposed they
make a journey into the Munchkin Country； which was one
of the four great countries of the Land of Oz ruled by
Ozma。
〃I've never been there yet；〃 said Betsy Bobbin； 〃but
the Scarecrow once told me it is the prettiest country
in all Oz。〃
〃I'd like to go； too；〃 added Trot。
〃All right；〃 said Dorothy； 〃I'll go and ask Ozma。
Perhaps she will let us take the Sawhorse and the Red
Wagon； which would be much nicer for us than having to
walk all the way。 This Land of Oz is a pretty big
place； when you get to all the edges of it。〃
So she jumped up and went along the balls of the
splendid palace until she came to the royal suite；
which filled all the front of the second floor。 In a
little waiting room sat Ozma's maid； Jellia Jamb； who
was busily sewing。
〃Is Ozma up yet？〃 inquired Dorothy。
〃I don't know； my dear；〃 replied Jellia。 〃I haven't
heard a word from her this morning。 She hasn't even
called for her bath or her breakfast； and it is far
past her usual time for them。〃
〃That's strange！〃 exclaimed the little girl。
〃Yes；〃 agreed the maid； 〃but of course no harm could
have happened to her。 No one can die or be killed in
the Land of Oz and Ozma is herself a powerful fairy；
and she has no enemies； so far as we know。 Therefore I
am not at all worried about her； though I must admit
her silence is unusual。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Dorothy； thoughtfully； 〃she has
overslept。 Or she may be reading； or working out some
new sort of magic to do good to her people。〃
〃Any of these things may be true；〃 replied Jellia
Jamb； 〃so I haven't dared disturb our royal mistress。
You； however； are a privileged character； Princess； and
I am sure that Ozma wouldn't mind at all if you went in
to see her。〃
〃Of course not；〃 said Dorothy； and opening the door
of the outer chamber she went in。 All was still here。
She walked into another room； which was Ozma's boudoir；
and then； pushing hack a heavy drapery richly broidered
with threads of pure gold； the girl entered the
sleeping…room of the fairy Ruler of Oz。 The bed of
ivory and gold was vacant； the room was vacant； not a
trace of Ozma was to be found。
Very much surprised； yet still with no fear that
anything had happened to her friend； Dorothy returned
through the boudoir to the other rooms of the suite。
She went into the music room； the library； the
laboratory； the bath； the wardrobe and even into the
great throne room； which adjoined the royal suite； but
in none of these places could she find Ozma。
So she returned to the anteroom where she had left
the maid； Jellia Jamb； and said：
〃She isn't in her rooms now； so she must have gone
out。〃
〃I don't understand how she could do that without my
seeing her；〃 replied Jellia； 〃unless she made herself
invisible。〃
〃She isn't there； anyhow；〃 declared Dorothy。
〃Then let us go find her；〃 suggested the maid； who
appeared to be a little uneasy。
So they went into the corridors and there Dorothy
almost stumbled over a queer girl who was dancing
lightly along the passage。
〃Stop a minute； Scraps！〃 she called。 〃Have you seen
Ozma this morning？〃
〃Not I！〃 replied the queer girl； dancing nearer。 〃I
lost both my eyes in a tussle with the Woozy； last
night； for the creature scraped 'em both off my face
with his square paws。 So I put the eyes in my pocket
and this morning Button…Bright led me to Aunt Em； who
sewed 'em on again。 So I've seen nothing at all today；
except during the last five minutes。 So of course I
haven't seen Ozma。〃
〃Very well； Scraps；〃 said Dorothy； looking curiously
at the eyes； which were merely two round black buttons
sewed upon the girl's face。
There were other things about Scraps that would have
seemed curious to one seeing her for the first time。
She was commonly called 'The Patchwork Girl；〃 because
her body and limbs were made from a gaycolored
patchwork quilt which had been cut into shape and
stuffed with cotton。 Her head was a round ba
