4. The Vegetable Kingdom

           AftertheWizardhadwipedthedampnessfromhisswordandtakenitapartandputthepiecesintotheirleatherncaseagain,themanwiththestarorderedsomeofhispeopletocarrythetwohalvesoftheSorcerertothepublicgardens.

           Jimprickeduphisearswhenheheardtheyweregoingtothegardens,andwantedtojointheparty,thinkinghemightfindsomethingpropertoeat;soZebputdownthetopofthebuggyandinvitedtheWizardtoridewiththem.Theseatwasamplywideenoughforthelittlemanandthetwochildren,andwhenJimstartedtoleavethehallthekittenjumpeduponhisbackandsattherequitecontentedly.

           Sotheprocessionmovedthroughthestreets,thebearersoftheSorcererfirst,thePrincenext,thenJimdrawingthebuggywiththestrangersinsideofit,andlastthecrowdofvegetablepeoplewhohadnoheartsandcouldneithersmilenorfrown.

           Theglasscityhadseveralfinestreets,foragoodmanypeoplelivedthere;butwhentheprocessionhadpassedthroughtheseitcameuponabroadplaincoveredwithgardensandwateredbymanyprettybrooksthatflowedthroughit.Therewerepathsthroughthesegardens,andoversomeofthebrookswereornamentalglassbridges.

           DorothyandZebnowgotoutofthebuggyandwalkedbesidethePrince,sothattheymightseeandexaminetheflowersandplantsbetter.

           "Whobuilttheselovelybridges?"askedthelittlegirl.

           "Noonebuiltthem,"answeredthemanwiththestar."Theygrow."

           "That’squeer,"saidshe."Didtheglasshousesinyourcitygrow,too?"

           "Ofcourse,"hereplied.