Озма из страны Оз

           Heworenocrownofanysort,andhisonlyornamentwasabroad,jewel-studdedbeltthatencircledhisfatlittlebody.Asforhisfeatures,theyseemedkindlyandgoodhumored,andhiseyeswereturnedmerrilyuponhisvisitorsasOzmaandDorothystoodbeforehimwiththeirfollowersrangedincloseorderbehindthem.

           "Why,helooksjustlikeSantaClaus--onlyheisn’tthesamecolor!"whisperedDorothytoherfriend;buttheNomeKingheardthespeech,anditmadehimlaughaloud.

           "’Hehadaredfaceandaroundlittlebelly

           Thatshookwhenhelaughedlikeabowlfullofjelly!’"

           quoththemonarch,inapleasantvoice;andtheycouldallseethathereallydidshakelikejellywhenhelaughed.

           BothOzmaandDorothyweremuchrelievedtofindtheNomeKingsojolly,andaminutelaterhewavedhisrighthandandthegirlseachfoundacushionedstoolatherside.

           "Sitdown,mydears,"saidtheKing,"andtellmewhyyouhavecomeallthiswaytoseeme,andwhatIcandotomakeyouhappy."

           WhiletheyseatedthemselvestheNomeKingpickedupapipe,andtakingaglowingredcoaloutofhispocketheplaceditinthebowlofthepipeandbeganpuffingoutcloudsofsmokethatcurledinringsabovehishead.DorothythoughtthismadethelittlemonarchlookmorelikeSantaClausthanever;butOzmanowbeganspeaking,andeveryonelistenedintentlytoherwords.

           "YourMajesty,"saidshe,"IamtheruleroftheLandofOz,andIhavecomeheretoaskyoutoreleasethegoodQueenofEvandhertenchildren,whomyouhaveenchantedandholdasyourprisoners."

           "Oh,no;youaremistakenaboutthat,"repliedtheKing.