7. The Forest of Gugu

           InthecentralwesternpartoftheGillikinCountryisagreattangleoftreescalledGuguForest.ItisthebiggestforestinallOzandstretchesmilesandmilesineverydirection—north,south,eastandwest.Adjoiningitontheeastsideisarangeofruggedmountainscoveredwithunderbrushandsmalltwistedtrees.YoucanfindthisplacebylookingattheMapoftheLandofOz.

           GuguForestisthehomeofmostofthewildbeaststhatinhabitOz.TheseareseldomdisturbedintheirleafyhauntsbecausethereisnoreasonwhyOzpeopleshouldgothere,exceptonrareoccasions,andmostpartsoftheforesthaveneverbeenseenbyanyeyesbuttheeyesofthebeastswhomaketheirhomethere.Thebiggestbeastsinhabitthegreatforest,whilethesmalleroneslivemostlyinthemountainunderbrushattheeast.

           Now,youmustknowthattherearelawsintheforests,aswellasineveryotherplace,andtheselawsaremadebythebeaststhemselves,andarenecessarytokeepthemfromfightingandtearingoneanothertopieces.InGuguForestthereisaKing—anenormousyellowleopardcalled"Gugu"—afterwhomtheforestisnamed.AndthisKinghasthreeotherbeaststoadvisehiminkeepingthelawsandmaintainingorder—BrutheBear,LootheUnicornandRangotheGrayApe—whoareknownastheKing’sCounselors.Allthesearefierceandferociousbeasts,andholdtheirhighofficesbecausetheyaremoreintelligentandmorefearedthentheirfellows.

           SinceOzbecameafairyland,noman,womanorchildeverdiesinthatlandnorisanyoneeversick.