3. How Ozma Granted Dorothy's Request

           IsupposeyouhavereadsomuchaboutthemagnificentEmeraldCitythatthereislittleneedformetodescribeithere.ItistheCapitalCityoftheLandofOz,whichisjustlyconsideredthemostattractiveanddelightfulfairylandinalltheworld.

           TheEmeraldCityisbuiltallofbeautifulmarblesinwhicharesetaprofusionofemeralds,everyoneexquisitelycutandofverygreatsize.Thereareotherjewelsusedinthedecorationsinsidethehousesandpalaces,suchasrubies,diamonds,sapphires,amethystsandturquoises.Butinthestreetsandupontheoutsideofthebuildingsonlyemeraldsappear,fromwhichcircumstancetheplaceisnamedtheEmeraldCityofOz.Ithasninethousand,sixhundredandfifty-fourbuildings,inwhichlivedfifty-seventhousandthreehundredandeighteenpeople,uptothetimemystoryopens.

           Allthesurroundingcountry,extendingtothebordersofthedesertwhichenclosedituponeveryside,wasfullofprettyandcomfortablefarmhouses,inwhichresidedthoseinhabitantsofOzwhopreferredcountrytocitylife.

           AltogetherthereweremorethanhalfamillionpeopleintheLandofOz--althoughsomeofthem,asyouwillsoonlearn,werenotmadeoffleshandbloodasweare--andeveryinhabitantofthatfavoredcountrywashappyandprosperous.

           NodiseaseofanysortwaseverknownamongtheOzites,andsonooneeverdiedunlesshemetwithanaccidentthatpreventedhimfromliving.Thishappenedveryseldom,indeed.TherewerenopoorpeopleintheLandofOz,becausetherewasnosuchthingasmoney,andallpropertyofeverysortbelongedtotheRuler.