CHAPTER 7
THE SCARECROW IS HAILED AS EMPEROR!
Leaning forward on the great throne, the Scarecrow waited impatientlyfor the ancient gentleman to speak. The gray-skinned courtiers wereeyeing him expectantly, and just as the suspense became almostunendurable, the old man threw up his arms and cried sharply:
"The prophecy of the magic beanstalk has been fulfilled. In thisradiant and sublime Scarecrowcus, the spirit of Chang Wang Woe, themighty, has returned. And I, the Grand Chew Chew of the realm,prostrate myself before this wonderful Scarecrowcus, Emperor of theSilver Islands." So, likewise, did all the company present, and theScarecrow, taken unawares, flew up several feet and landed in a heapon the steps leading to the throne. He climbed back hurriedly,picking up the fan and parasol that he had plucked from thebeanstalk.
"I wish Professor Wogglebug could hear this," said the Scarecrow,settling himself complacently. "But I must watch out, and remember tohold on."
The Grand Chew Chew was the first to rise, and folding his arms, heasked solemnly:
"What are your commands, Ancient and Honorable Scarecrowcus?"
"If you'd just omit the Cus," begged the Scarecrow in an embarrassedvoice, "I believe I could think better. Am I in China, or where? Areyou Chinamen, or what?"
"We are Silvermen," said the Grand Chew Chew impressively, "and amuch older race than our Chinese cousins. They are people of the sun.We are people of the stars. Has your Highness so soon forgotten?"
"I am afraid," said the Scarecrow, rubbing his chin reflectively,"that I have." He gazed slowly around the great throne room. Ozma'spalace itself was not more dazzling. The floor of dull silver blockswas covered with rich blue rugs. Furniture, chairs, screens andeverything were made of silver inlaid with precious stones. Filigreedsilver lanterns hung from the high ceilings, and tall silver vasesfilled with pink and blue blossoms filled the rooms with theirperfume. Blue flags embroidered with silver stars fluttered from thewalls and the tips of the pikebearers' spears, and silver seemed tobe so plentiful that even shoes were fashioned of it. Faintly throughthe windows came the sweet tones of a hundred silver chimes, andaltogether the Scarecrow was quite dazed by his apparent goodfortune. Surely they had called him Emperor, but how could that be?He turned to address the Grand Chew Chew; then as he saw out of thecorner of his eye that the assemblage were making ready to fall upontheir faces, he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper:
"May I speak to you alone?" The Grand Chew Chew waved his handimperiously, and the courtiers with a great crackling of silverbrocade backed from the hall.
"Very kind of them to bow, but I wish they wouldn't," sighed theScarecrow, sinking back on the great throne. "It blows one about so.I declare, if another person falls at my feet, I'll have nervousprostration."
Again he took a long survey of the hall, then turned to the GrandChew Chew. "Would you mind," he asked simply, "telling me again who Iam and how?"
"Who and how? Who--You are, illustrious Sir, the Emperor Chang WangWoe, or to be more exact, his spirit!"
"I have always been a spirited person," observed the Scarecrowdubiously, "but never a spirit without a person. I must insist onbeing a person."
"How?" the Grand Chew Chew proceeded without noticing the Scarecrow'sremarks. "Fifty years ago--after your Extreme Highness had defeatedin battle the King of the Golden Islands--a magician entered therealm. This magician, in the employ of this wicked king, entered aroom in the palace where your Highness lay sleeping and by an act ofnecromancy changed you to a crocus!"
"Ouch!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, shuddering involuntarily.
"And had it not been for the Empress, your faithful wife, you wouldhave been lost forever to the Empire."
"Wife?" gasped the Scarecrow faintly. "Have I a wife?"
"If your Highness will permit me to finish," begged the Grand ChewChew with great dignity. The Scarecrow nodded. "Your wife, TsingTsing, the beautiful, took the crocus, which was fading rapidly, andplanted it in a silver bowl in the center of this very hall and forthree days kept it fresh with her tears. Waking on the third morning,the Empress was amazed to see in place of the crocus a giant beanpole that extended to the roof of the palace and disappeared amongthe clouds."
"Ah!" murmured the Scarecrow, looking up, "My family tree!"
"Beside the bean pole lay a crumpled parchment." The Grand Chew Chewfelt in the sleeve of his kimono and brought out a bit of crumpledsilver paper, and adjusting his horn spectacles, read slowly.
"Into the first being who touches this magic pole--on the other sideof the world--the spirit of Emperor Chang Wang Woe will enter. Andfifty years from this day, he will return--to save his people."
The Grand Chew Chew took off his specs and folded up the paper. "Theday has come! You have come down the bean pole, and are undoubtedlythat being who has gone from Emperor to crocus to Scarecrowcus. Ihave ruled the Islands these fifty years; have seen to the educationof your sons and grandsons. And now, gracious and exalted Master, asI am an old man I ask you to relieve me from the cares of state."
"Sons! Grandsons!" choked the Scarecrow, beginning to feel very muchalarmed indeed. "How old am I?"
"Your Highness," said the Grand Chew Chew with a deep salaam, "is asold as I. In other words, you are in the ripe and gloriouseighty-fifth year of your Majesty's illustrious and useful age."
"Eighty five!" gasped the Scarecrow, staring in dismay at the gray,wrinkled face of the old Silverman. "Now see here, Chew Chew, are yousure of that?"
"Quite sure, Immortal and Honored Master!"
The Scarecrow could not help but be convinced of the truth of theGrand Chew Chew's story. The pole in the Munchkin farmer's cornfieldwas none other than the magic beanstalk, and he, thrust on the poleby the farmer to scare away the crows, had received the spirit of theEmperor Chang Wang Woe. "Which accounts for my cleverness," hethought gloomily. Now, surely he should have been pleased, for he hadcome in search of a family, but the acquisition of an empire, sonsand grandsons, and old age, all in a trice, fairly took his breathaway.
"Does the prophecy say anything about restoring my imperial person?"he asked anxiously, for the thought of looking like Chew Chew was nota cheerful one.
"Alas, no!" sighed the Grand Chew Chew sorrowfully. "But we have veryclever wizards on the Island, and I shall set them at work on theproblem at once."
"Now don't be in such a rush," begged the Scarecrow, secretlydetermined to lock up the wizards at the first opportunity. "I'mrather fond of this shape. You see, it requires no food and nevergrows tired--or old!"
"The royal robes will in a measure conceal it," murmured the GrandChew Chew politely, and clapped his hands. A little servitor bouncedinto the hall.
"A royal robe, Quick Silver, for his Radiant Highness," snapped theGrand Chew Chew. In a moment Quick Silver had returned with amagnificent purple satin robe embroidered in silver threads and heavywith jewels, and a hat of silver cloth with upturned brim. TheScarecrow wrapped himself in the purple robe, took off his oldMunchkin hat, and substituted the Imperial headpiece.
"How do I look, Chew?" he asked anxiously.
"Quite like your old Imperial Self, except--" The old Prime Ministerran unsteadily out of the room. There was a muffled scream from thehall, and the next instant he returned with a long, shiny, silverqueue which he had evidently clipped from the head of one of theservants. Removing the Scarecrow's hat, he pinned the queue to theback, set it on the Scarecrow's head, and stood regarding him withgreat satisfaction. "Ah, if the Empress could only see you!" hemurmured rapturously.
"Where--where is she?" asked the Scarecrow, looking around nervously.His long, care-free life in Oz had somewhat unfitted him, hereflected, for family life.
"Alas!" sighed the Grand Chew Chew, wiping his eyes on the sleeve ofhis kimono, "She has returned to her silver ancestors."
"Then show me her picture," commanded the Scarecrow, visiblyaffected. The Grand Chew Chew stepped to a side wall, and pulling ona silken cord, disclosed the picture of a large, gray
lady withcuriously small eyes and a curiously large nose.
"Is she not beautiful?" asked the Grand Chew Chew, bowing his head.
"Beautiful--er--er, beautiful!" gulped the Scarecrow. He thought oflovely little Ozma and dear little Dorothy, and all at once feltterribly upset and homesick. He had no recollection of the SilverIsland or his life here whatever. Who was he, anyway--the Scarecrowof Oz or Emperor Chang Wang Woe? He couldn't be both.
"Ah!" whispered the Grand Chew Chew, seeing his agitation. "Youremember her?" The Scarecrow shook his head, with an inward shudder.
"Now show me myself, Chew," he asked curiously. Pulling the cord of aportrait beside the Empress, Chew Chew revealed the picture of ChangWang Woe as he had been fifty years ago. His face was bland andjolly, and to be perfectly truthful, quite like the Scarecrow's inshape and expression. "I am beside myself," murmured the Scarecrowdazedly--which in truth he was.
"You were--er--are a very royal and handsome person," stammered theGrand Chew Chew.
The Scarecrow, stepping off the throne to examine himself moreclosely, dropped the little fan and parasol. He had really not hadtime to examine them since they snapped off the beanstalk, and now,looking at them carefully, he found them extremely pretty.
"Dorothy will like these," thought the Scarecrow, slipping them intoa large inside pocket of his robe. Already, in the back of his head,was a queer notion that he would at some time or other return to Oz.He started to give the Grand Chew Chew a spirited description of thatwonderful country, but the ancient gentleman yawned and, waving hishands toward the door, interrupted him with:
"Would not your Supreme Highness care to inspect your presentdominions?"
"I suppose I may as well!" With a deep sigh, the Scarecrow took theGrand Chew Chew's arm and, holding up his royal kimono (which wasrather long) with the other hand, walked unsteadily down the greatsalon. They were about to pass into the garden when a little fatSilverman slid around the door, a huge silver drumstick upraised inhis right hand and a great drum hung about his neck.
The drummer beamed on the Scarecrow.
Chang Wang Woe, the Beautiful, The Beautiful has come! Sublime and silver Scarecrow, Let sound the royal drum!
chanted the little man in a high, thin voice, and started to bringthe drumstick down upon the huge head of his noisy instrument.
"No you don't!" cried the Scarecrow, leaping forward and catching hisarm.
"I positively forbid it!"
"Then I shall have no work!" screamed the drummer, falling on hisface. "Ah, Gracious Master, don't you remember me?"
"Yes," said the Scarecrow kindly, "who are you?"
"Oh, don't you remember little Happy Toko?" wheezed the little man,the tears rolling down his cheeks. "I was only a boy, but you used tobe fond of me."
"Why, of course, my dear Tappy," said the Scarecrow, not liking tohurt the little fellow's feelings. "But why do you beat the drum?"
"It is customary to sound the drum at the approach of your RoyalHighness," put in the Grand Chew Chew importantly.
"Was customary," said the Scarecrow firmly. "My dear Tappy Oko, neversound it in my presence again; it is too upsetting." Which was trueenough, for one blow of the drum sent the flimsy Scarecrow flyinginto the air.
"You're dismissed, Happy," snapped the Grand Chew Chew. At this, thelittle Silver Islander began weeping and roaring with distress.
"Stop! What else can you do besides beat a drum?" asked the Scarecrowkindly.
"I can sing, stand on my head, and tell jokes," sniffed Happy Toko,shuffling from one foot to the other.
"Very good," said the Scarecrow. "You are henceforth Imperial Punsterto my Person. Come along, we're going to look over the Island."
The Grand Chew Chew frowned so terribly that Happy Toko's knees shookwith terror.
"It is not fitting for a slave to accompany the Grand Chew Chew andthe Emperor," he hissed angrily.
The Scarecrow looked surprised, for the Kingdom of Oz is quitedemocratic, and no one is considered better than another. But seeingthis was not the time to argue, he winked broadly behind the GrandChew Chew's back.
"I'll see you again, Tappy my boy," he called genially, and passedout into the garden, where a magnificent silver palanquin, surroundedby pikemen and shieldbearers, awaited him.