Magical substance in The Oz Series
Powder of Life
Also known as one of the precious powders, the pepper-box which contained the “Powder of Life”, the magic Powder of Life, the magical powder contained in an old pepper-box, the precious Powder of Life, my Powder of Life, some magical stuff, his magical powder, the magic charm.
A magic powder obtained from the crooked wizard, kept in an old pepper-box labeled 'Powder of Life'; sprinkled over an inanimate figure and activated with the words Weaugh-Teaugh-Peaugh, it brings the thing to life.
Appears in 9 chapters, first in chapter 26, last in chapter 85.
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 the story establishes
| Appearance | A powder kept in an old pepper-box, sprinkled out like pepper. (as of ch. 26) |
| Charm uses remaining | Enough for two or three doses, one now spent to animate Jack. |
| Effect on target | Sprinkled over an inanimate figure and activated by ritual words, it brings the object to life so it moves, speaks, and thinks. |
| Enchantments | Brings inanimate objects to life when sprinkled on them and activated with the magic words. |
| Object type | Artifact |
| Properties | Sprinkled over an inanimate object and then activated by ritual words and hand gestures, it animates the object; the box holds enough for two or three doses. (as of ch. 26) |
| Substance form | A powder kept in an old pepper-box and sprinkled out like pepper, with only enough for a few doses. |
Relationships
- steals ← Tip (ended) ch. 27Rifling Mombi's basket for food before running away, Tip finds the pepper-box holding the Powder of Life and takes it, reasoning she would only use it for more mischief.
- uses ← Tip (ended) ch. 41Tip uses the last of the Powder of Life from the pepper-box to animate the flying machine, carefully sprinkling most of it on the wings and the remainder on the Gump's head.
- possesses ← Mombi (ended) ch. 26–27Mombi carries the Powder of Life home in her basket in an old pepper-box, with enough left for two or three doses after animating Jack.
- possesses ← Tip (ended) ch. 27–41Having taken the pepper-box of Powder of Life from Mombi's basket, Tip now carries it in his pocket as he flees.
- uses ← Tip (ended) ch. 28Tip uses his stolen Powder of Life for the first time himself, sprinkling it from the pepper-box onto the saw-horse to animate it; one dose is spent as the powder vanishes into the horse's body.
- uses ← Mombi (ended) ch. 26Mombi tests the Powder of Life by sprinkling it over the pumpkin head of Tip's man Jack, as one would pepper a potato.
- creates ← crooked wizard (ended) ch. 42The Powder of Life is Nikidik's making: Tip recalls Mombi saying she got the Powder of Life from this same Nikidik (the crooked wizard).
From the text
an old pepper-box, upon the faded label of which the wizard had written with a lead-pencil: “Powder of Life.”Chapter 26
So he began by sprinkling some of the magic Powder of Life from the pepper-box upon the body of the saw-horse.Chapter 28
See Powder of Life chapter by chapter in the interactive codex →