  Before Pompa had time to rise, a tall, richly clad old nobleman rushed into the room. “Peg!” cried the old gentleman, clasping the Princess in his arms. “You are back! At last the enchantment is broken!” For a moment the two forgot all about Pompa and the others. Then, gently disengaging herself, Peg seized the Prince’s hands and drew him to his feet. “Uncle,” she said breathlessly, holding to Pompa with one hand and waving with the other at Kabumpo and Wag, “here are the friends responsible for my release. This is my Uncle Tozzyfog,” she explained quickly, and impulsively Uncle Tozzyfog sprang to his feet and embraced each in turn—even Kabumpo. “Sit down,” begged the old nobleman, sinking into a golden chair and mopping his head with a flowered silk kerchief. Pompa, who could not take his eyes from this new and wonderful Peg Amy, dropped into another chair. Kabumpo leaned limply against a pillar and Wag sat where he was, his nose twitching faster than ever and his ears stuck out straight behind him. “You are probably wondering about the change in Peg,” began Uncle Tozzyfog, as the Princess perched on the arm of his chair, “so I’ll try to tell my part of the story. Three years ago an ugly old peddlar climbed the path to Sun Top Mountain. He said his name was Glegg and, forcing his way into the castle, he demanded the hand of my niece in marriage.” Peg shuddered and Uncle Tozzyfog blew his nose violently at the distressing memory. Then, speaking rapidly and pausing every few minutes to appeal to the Princess, he continued the story of Peg’s enchantment. Naturally the old peddlar had been refused and thrown out of the castle. That night as Uncle Tozzyfog prepared to carve the royal roast, there came an explosion, and when the Courtiers had picked themselves up Peg Amy was nowhere to be seen, and only a threatening scroll remained to explain the mystery. Glegg, who was really a powerful magician, infuriated by Uncle Tozzyfog’s treatment, had changed the little Princess into a tree. “Know ye,” began the scroll quite like the one that had spoiled Pompa’s birthday, “know ye that unless ye Princess of Sun Top Mountain consents to wed J. Glegg she shall remain a tree forever, or until two shall call and believe her to be a Princess. J. G.” The whole castle had been plunged into utmost gloom by this terrible happening, for Peg was the kindliest, best loved little Princess any Kingdom could wish for. Lord Tozzyfog and nearly all the Courtiers set out at once to search for the little tree and for two years they wandered over Oz, addressing every hopeful tree as Princess, but never happening on the right one. Finally they returned in despair and Sun Top Mountain, once the most cheerful Kingdom in all Oz, had become the gloomiest. There was no singing, nor dancing—no happiness of any kind. Even the flowers had drooped in the absence of their little Mistress. “Why didn’t you appeal to Ozma?” demanded Pompa at this point in the story. “Because in another scroll Glegg warned us that the day we told Ozma, Peg Amy would cease to even be a tree,” explained Uncle Tozzyfog hoarsely. “Then how did she become a doll? Tell me that, Uncle Fozzytog,” gulped Wag, raising one paw. “She’ll have to tell you that herself,” confessed Peg’s uncle, “for that’s all of the story I know.” So here Peg took up the story herself. The morning after her transformation into a tree Glegg had appeared and asked her again to marry him. “I was a little yellow tree, in the Winkie Country, not far from the Emerald City,” explained Peg, “and every day for two months Glegg appeared and gave me the power of speech long enough to answer his question. And each time he asked me to marry him but I always said ‘No!’” The Princess shook her yellow curls briskly. “Every day Glegg returned and asked me to marry him, but I always said ‘No’!” explained Peg “Every day Glegg returned and asked me to marry him, but I always said ‘No’!” explained Peg “One afternoon there came a one-legged sailor man and a little girl.” Even Kabumpo shuddered as Peg Amy told how Cap’n Bill had cut down the little tree, pared off all the branches and carved from the trunk a small wooden doll for Trot. “It didn’t hurt,” Princess Peg hastened to explain as she caught Pompa’s sorrowful expression, “and being a doll was a lot better than being a tree. I could not move or speak but I knew what was going on and life in Ozma’s palace was cheerful and interesting. Only, of course, I longed to tell Ozma or Trot of my enchantment. I missed dear Uncle Tozzyfog and all the people of Sun Top Mountain. Then, as you all know, I was stolen by the old gnome and after Ruggedo carried me underground I forgot all about being a Princess and remembered nothing of this.” Peg glanced lovingly around the room. “I only felt that I had been alive before. So you!” Peg jumped up and flung one arm around Wag, “and you,” she flung the other around Pompa, “saved me by calling me a Princess and really believing I was one. And you!” Peg hastened over to Kabumpo, who was rolling his eyes sadly. “You are the darlingest old elephant in Oz! See, I still have the necklace and bracelet!” And sure enough on Peg’s round arm and white neck gleamed the jewels the Elegant Elephant had generously given when he thought her only a funny Wooden Doll. “Oh!” groaned Kabumpo. “Why didn’t I let you look in the mirror before? No wonder you kept remembering things.” “But why did Glegg send the threatening scroll to Pumperdink three years after he’d enchanted Peg?” asked Wag, scratching his head. “Because!” shrilled a piercing voice, and in through the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man. It was Glegg himself! “In through the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man” “In through the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man” “Because!” screeched the wicked magician, advancing toward the little party with crooked finger, “when that meddling old sailor touched Peg with his knife I lost all power over her; because my Question Box told me that Pompadore of Pumperdink could bring about her disenchantment and he has. I made it interesting for you, didn’t I? There isn’t another magician in Oz can put scrolls up in cakes and roasts like I can nor mix magic like mine. Ha! Ha!” Glegg threw back his head and rocked with enjoyment. “You have had all the trouble and I shall have all the reward!” Everyone was so stunned by this terrible interruption that no one made a move as Glegg sprang toward Peg Amy. But before he had reached the Princess there was a queer sulphurous explosion and the magician disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. They rubbed their eyes and as the smoke cleared they saw Trot, the little girl who had played with Peg Amy when she was a Wooden Doll. “Ozma,” explained Trot breathlessly, for she had come on a fast wish. (unlabelled) After following the adventures of Pompa and Peg in the Magic Mirror, and as the magician had tried to snatch the Princess, Ozma had transported him by means of her Magic Belt to the Emerald City, and sent Trot to bring her best wishes to the whole party. “I’m sorry I didn’t make you a prettier dress when you were my doll,” said Trot, seizing Peg Amy’s hand impulsively, “but you see I didn’t know you were a Princess.” “But you guessed my name,” said Peg softly. There were so many explanations to be made and so many things to wonder over and exclaim about, that it seemed as if they could never stop talking. Uncle Tozzyfog rang all the bells in the castle tower and stepping out on a balcony told the people of Sun Top Mountain of the return of Princess Peg Amy. Then the servants were summoned and such a feast as only an Oz cook can prepare was started in the castle kitchen. The Courtiers came hurrying back, for during Peg’s absence Uncle Tozzyfog had lived alone in the castle. Yes, the Courtiers came back and the people of Sun Top Mountain poured into the castle in throngs and nearly overwhelmed the rescuers by the enthusiasm of their thanks. Kabumpo had never been so admired and complimented in his whole elegant life. As for Wag, his speech grew more mixed up every minute. At last, when the Courtiers and Uncle Tozzyfog had run off to dress for the grand banquet, and after Trot had been magically recalled by Ozma to the Emerald City, the four who had gone through so many adventures together were left alone. “Well, how about Pumperdink, my boy?” chuckled Kabumpo, with a wave of his trunk. “Are we going to let the old Kingdom disappear or not?” “It is my duty to save my country,” said Pompa loftily. Then, with a mischievous smile at Peg Amy, “Don’t you think so, Princess?” Peg Amy looked merrily at the Elegant Elephant and then took Pompa’s hand. “Yes, I do,” said the Princess of Sun Top Mountain. “Then, you will marry me?” asked Pompa, looking every inch a Prince in spite of his singed head and torn clothes. “We must save Pumperdink, you know,” sighed Peg softly. “Three cheers for the Princess of Pumperdink! May she be as happy as the day is short!” cried Wag in his impulsive way. Uncle Tozzyfog was as pleased as Wag when he heard the news, and Pompa, attired in a royal gold embroidered robe, was married to Peg Amy upon the spot, with much pomp and magnificence. Never before was there such rejoicing—a merrier company or a happier bride. Kabumpo, arrayed in two gold curtains borrowed for the happy occasion, had never appeared more elegant and Wag was everywhere at once and simply overwhelmed with attention. That same night a messenger was dispatched to Pumperdink to carry the good news and the next morning Pompa and Peg set out for the Emerald City, the Princess riding proudly on Wag and Pompadore on Kabumpo. Knowing the whole four as you now do, you will believe me when I say that their journey was the merriest and most delightful ever recorded in the merry Kingdom of Oz. After a short visit with Ozma and another to the King and Queen of Pumperdink they all returned to Sun Top Mountain, where they are living happily at this very minute. |
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