9. The Royal Family of Ev

           TheTinWoodmanwasthefirsttoaddressthemeeting.

           "Tobeginwith,"saidhe,"wordcametoournobleandillustriousRuler,OzmaofOz,thatthewifeandtenchildren--fiveboysandfivegirls--oftheformerKingofEv,bynameEvoldo,havebeenenslavedbytheNomeKingandareheldprisonersinhisundergroundpalace.AlsothattherewasnooneinEvpowerfulenoughtoreleasethem.NaturallyourOzmawishedtoundertaketheadventureofliberatingthepoorprisoners;butforalongtimeshecouldfindnowaytocrossthegreatdesertbetweenthetwocountries.FinallyshewenttoafriendlysorceressofourlandnamedGlindatheGood,whoheardthestoryandatoncepresentedOzmaamagiccarpet,whichwouldcontinuallyunrollbeneathourfeetandsomakeacomfortablepathforustocrossthedesert.AssoonasshehadreceivedthecarpetourgraciousRulerorderedmetoassembleourarmy,whichIdid.YoubeholdintheseboldwarriorsthepickofallthefinestsoldiersofOz;and,ifweareobligedtofighttheNomeKing,everyofficeraswellastheprivate,willbattlefiercelyuntodeath."

           ThenTiktokspoke.

           "WhyshouldyoufighttheNomeKing?"heasked."Hehasdonenowrong."

           "Nowrong!"criedDorothy."Isn’titwrongtoimprisonaqueenmotherandhertenchildren?"

           "TheyweresoldtotheNomeKingbyKingEv-ol-do,"repliedTiktok."ItwastheKingofEvwhodidwrong,andwhenhere-al-izedwhathehaddonehejumpedin-totheseaanddrownedhim-self."

           "Thisisnewstome,"saidOzma,thoughtfully."IhadsupposedtheNomeKingwasalltoblameinthematter.