The Oz Series

Chapter 67

Part of the Ozma of Oz: The Land of Ev and the Nome King arc.

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What happens

The rock-colored Nomes on the mountainside are now silent and respectful, no longer taunting the adventurers with impudent laughter, having nothing to laugh at since their King's defeat. On the other side of the mountains the party finds Ozma's golden chariot where they had left it, and the Lion and Tiger are harnessed to it, providing room for Ozma, the Queen, and six of the royal children. Little Evring, having recovered from his shyness and grown fond of Dorothy who rescued him, chooses to ride with her on the long-backed Sawhorse, with Billina perched on the wooden steed's head; the Prince marvels that a hen can talk sensibly. Ozma's magic carpet carries them all safely over the gulf, and they pass singing birds and fragrant farms into warm sunshine that drives away the chill of the underground kingdom.

The Scarecrow laments to Tiktok that his contentment is broken by leaving the Tin Woodman behind, praising tin as an excellent, easily soldered material, while Tiktok wishes he were stuffed with straw rather than made of hard copper. As the towers of the palace of Ev come into view, the royal children cheer, and little Evring blows a shrill blast on a tin whistle shaped like a fat green pig, startling the Sawhorse. When Billina examines the whistle and asks where he got it, Evring explains he picked it up in the Nome King's palace while Dorothy was guessing and put it in his pocket. Billina realizes this is why no one could find the Tin Woodman: the transformed Tin Woodman was in the Prince's pocket the whole time. She touches the whistle with her claw and says 'Ev,' and with a swish the Tin Woodman is restored, bowing and remarking he must have been asleep for the first time since he was made of tin. Dorothy joyfully hugs him and explains he was enchanted. When the crying Prince demands his whistle, Billina soothes him with the promise of another at home. The Scarecrow, Tiktok, Ozma, and the cheering army all welcome the beloved Tin Woodman back.

The cavalcade arrives at the royal palace of Ev, where a great crowd throws flowers to welcome the Queen and her ten children. They find Princess Langwidere in her mirrored chamber admiring one of her handsome heads with chestnut hair and walnut eyes; glad to be relieved of her ruling duties, she is permitted by the Queen to keep her rooms and cabinet of heads for life. The Queen presents her eldest son to the subjects below as King Evardo Fifteenth, fifteen years old with fifteen silver buckles and the fifteenth Evardo to rule Ev; the people shout approval fifteen times, and the Wheelers present promise to obey the new King. The Queen crowns Evardo with a ruby-set gold crown and an ermine robe and proclaims him King, after which he goes off to look for cake in the royal pantry. Ozma and her people, along with Dorothy, Tiktok, and Billina, are splendidly entertained by the grateful Queen mother, and that evening the yellow hen is publicly presented with a necklace of pearls and sapphires as a token of esteem from the new King.

Who is in play

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