The Oz Series

Chapter 42

Part of the The Marvelous Land of Oz: Tip's Rebellion and the Return of Ozma arc.

This encyclopedia covers chapters 1 to 100 of the story and shows the world as it stands at chapter 100, so it contains spoilers up to that point. To read it spoiler free, one chapter at a time, open the interactive codex.

What happens

The newly animated Gump speaks in a squeaky voice, calling its existence the most novel experience it ever heard of. It recalls that its last distinct memory was walking through the forest and hearing a loud noise, after which something probably killed it; now it finds itself alive with four monstrous wings and an unattractive body, and wonders whether it is a Gump or a juggernaut. Tip explains that it is a Thing with a Gump's head, made and brought to life to carry the party through the air. The Gump, resigning itself to servitude, notes it lacks a true Gump's pride and does not expect to live long as a slave.

The Tin Woodman, moved by the sad speech, urges cheerfulness, and the Scarecrow promises kind masters. The Gump agrees to carry them, preferring to navigate the air so as to avoid the embarrassment of meeting its own species on the ground. The Gump observes that none of its masters is constructed much more artistically than itself. In response, the Woggle-Bug boasts of being Highly Magnified and Thoroughly Educated, the Scarecrow of his rare brains, the Tin Woodman of his warm heart, Jack of his permanent smile (the Woggle-Bug adding "Semper idem"), and the Saw-Horse of being remarkable only because it can't help it.

The Scarecrow proposes they go to Glinda the Good, the Queen of the South Country, for advice. Nick Chopper confirms he knows Glinda and expects her friendship. The party climbs aboard the sofas, and Tip instructs the Gump to fly southward but not too high, as heights make him dizzy. The Gump flops its wings and soars swiftly toward the South. The Woggle-Bug admires the scenery, but the Scarecrow warns everyone to hold tight because the Thing rocks badly.

As the sun sinks, Tip worries about flying at night. The Gump notes its legs feel asleep; Tip and the Scarecrow explain the legs were not brought to life and it is expected to fly, not walk. Jack worries that air travel might spoil pumpkins, prompting the Woggle-Bug's pun that his head would become a squash if dropped, which Tip rebukes.

The Scarecrow finds the discarded pepper-box on the cushions and, examining it, discovers it has a false bottom, the inside bottom being an inch from the outside. The Tin Woodman confirms the lower bottom unscrews, and Tip opens it, revealing three silver pills and a folded paper written in red ink. Tip reads it aloud: it advertises "DR. NIKIDIK'S CELEBRATED WISHING PILLS," with directions to swallow one pill, count seventeen by twos, then make a wish that will immediately be granted, and a caution to keep them dry and dark.

The Scarecrow calls it a valuable discovery. Tip recalls hearing Mombi say she got the Powder of Life from this same Nikidik, and the Tin Woodman deems Nikidik a powerful sorcerer worthy of confidence. However, the Scarecrow objects that seventeen is an odd number and cannot be counted by twos, rendering the pills seemingly useless. Jack laments he had intended to wish his head would never spoil.

Darkness falls under a cloudy, moonless sky, and the Gump's sofa-body rocks more dizzily each hour; the Woggle-Bug declares he is sea-sick and Tip grows pale. Tip worries they cannot judge the Gump's speed or know when they reach Glinda's palace, since they cannot see the earth, but the Scarecrow fears stopping might land them in a river or on a steeple. They let the Gump fly on until dawn.

At gray dawn they discover rolling plains dotted with villages whose houses have peaked, slanting roofs instead of the dome shapes of the Land of Oz, and odd animals moving about; the country is unfamiliar to both the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow, who know Glinda's domain. The Scarecrow concludes the Gump carried them out of the Land of Oz, over the sandy deserts, into the outside world Dorothy had described. Tip orders the Gump to turn around, but it fears upsetting and asks to alight first. Finding a table of rock between two cliffs, the Gump attempts to land, but misjudges its speed, misses the flat rock by half its body's width, breaks off both right wings against the sharp edge, and tumbles down the cliff. The party clings to the sofas until the Gump catches on a projecting rock and stops bottom-side up, dumping everyone out. They fall only a few feet into a monster Jackdaws' nest built in a hollow ledge; Jack's head lands on the Scarecrow's soft breast, Tip on leaves and papers, and none is injured. The Tin Woodman finds his nickel-plate unscratched.

Surveying their plight, they see a sheer precipice hundreds of feet deep below and a smooth cliff above, with the wrecked Gump hanging from a sofa end. The nest is half-filled with small articles the thieving Jackdaws stole over years from the homes of men, hidden where no human could reach them. The Woggle-Bug uncovers a diamond necklace, which he presents to the Tin Woodman, who hangs it proudly around his neck. Hearing the returning Jackdaws' jabbering and flopping wings, Tip warns they will be killed in the birds' anger; Jack and the Woggle-Bug fear for their lives, the latter noting Jackdaws are the greatest enemies of his race. To protect the vulnerable members, the Scarecrow orders Tip to remove Jack's head and lie down with it in the nest bottom, has the Woggle-Bug lie beside Tip, and directs Nick Chopper to take the Scarecrow to pieces (all but his head) and scatter his straw over Tip and the Woggle-Bug to cover them. The flock of Jackdaws reaches the nest and flies down upon them with screams of rage.

Who is in play

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