little　Dorothy；　from　Kansas。　　I　remember　you　very　well。〃
  〃Who　did　you　say　it　was？〃　whispered　Zeb　to　the　girl。
  〃It's　the　wonderful　Wizard　of　Oz。　　Haven't　you　heard　of　him？〃
  Just　then　the　man　with　the　star　came　and　stood　before　the　Wizard。
  〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃why　are　you　here；　in　the　Land　of　the　Mangaboos？〃
  〃Didn't　know　what　land　it　was；　my　son；〃　returned　the　other；　with　a
  pleasant　smile；　〃and；　to　be　honest；　I　didn't　mean　to　visit　you　when　I
  started　out。　　I　live　on　top　of　the　earth；　your　honor；　which　is　far
  better　than　living　inside　it；　but　yesterday　I　went　up　in　a　balloon；
  and　when　I　came　down　I　fell　into　a　big　crack　in　the　earth；　caused　by
  an　earthquake。　　I　had　let　so　much　gas　out　of　my　balloon　that　I　could
  not　rise　again；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　earth　closed　over　my　head。
  So　I　continued　to　descend　until　I　reached　this　place；　and　if　you　will
  show　me　a　way　to　get　out　of　it；　I'll　go　with　pleasure。　　Sorry　to　have
  troubled　you；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped。〃
  The　Prince　had　listened　with　attention。　　Said　he：
  〃This　child；　who　is　from　the　crust　of　the　earth；　like　yourself；　called
  you　a　Wizard。　　Is　not　a　Wizard　something　like　a　Sorcerer？〃
  〃It's　better；〃　replied　Oz；　promptly。　　〃One　Wizard　is　worth
  three　Sorcerers。〃
  〃Ah；　you　shall　prove　that；〃　said　the　Prince。　　〃We　Mangaboos　have；　at
  the　present　time；　one　of　the　most　wonderful　Sorcerers　that　ever　was
  picked　from　a　bush；　but　he　sometimes　makes　mistakes。　　Do　you　ever
  make　mistakes？〃
  〃Never！〃　declared　the　Wizard；　boldly。
  〃Oh；　Oz！〃　said　Dorothy；　〃you　made　a　lot　of　mistakes　when　you　were　in
  the　marvelous　Land　of　Oz。〃
  〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　little　man；　turning　redalthough　just　then　a　ray
  of　violet　sunlight　was　on　his　round　face。
  〃Come　with　me；〃　said　the　Prince　to　him。　　〃I　wish　to　meet　our　Sorcerer。〃
  The　Wizard　did　not　like　this　invitation；　but　he　could　not　refuse　to
  accept　it。　　So　he　followed　the　Prince　into　the　great　domed　hall；
  and　Dorothy　and　Zeb　came　after　them；　while　the　throng　of　people
  trooped　in　also。
  There　sat　the　thorny　Sorcerer　in　his　chair　of　state；　and　when　the
  Wizard　saw　him　he　began　to　laugh；　uttering　comical　little　chuckles。
  〃What　an　absurd　creature！〃　he　exclaimed。
  〃He　may　look　absurd；〃　said　the　Prince；　in　his　quiet　voice；　〃but　he　is
  an　excellent　Sorcerer。　　The　only　fault　I　find　with　him　is　that　he　is
  so　often　wrong。〃
  〃I　am　never　wrong；〃　answered　the　Sorcerer。
  〃Only　a　short　time　ago　you　told　me　there　would　be　no　more　Rain　of
  Stones　or　of　People；〃　said　the　Prince。
  〃Well；　what　then？〃
  〃Here　is　another　person　descended　from　the　air　to　prove　you　were　wrong。〃
  〃One　person　cannot　be　called　'people；'〃　said　the　Sorcerer。　　〃If　two
  should　come　out　of　the　sky　you　might　with　justice　say　I　was　wrong；　but
  unless　more　than　this　one　appears　I　will　hold　that　I　was　right。〃
  〃Very　clever；〃　said　the　Wizard；　nodding　his　head　as　if　pleased。　　〃I　am
  delighted　to　find　humbugs　inside　the　earth；　just　the　same　as　on　top　of
  it。　　Were　you　ever　with　a　circus；　brother？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　Sorcerer。
  〃You　ought　to　join　one；〃　declared　the　little　man　seriously。　　〃I　belong
  to　Bailum　&　Barney's　Great　Consolidated　Showsthree　rings　in　one　tent
  and　a　menagerie　on　the　side。　　It's　a　fine　aggregation；　I　assure　you。〃
  〃What　do　you　do？〃　asked　the　Sorcerer。
  〃I　go　up　in　a　balloon；　usually；　to　draw　the　crowds　to　the　circus。　　But
  I've　just　had　the　bad　luck　to　come　out　of　the　sky；　skip　the　solid
  earth；　and　land　lower　down　than　I　intended。　　But　never　mind。　　It　isn't
  everybody　who　gets　a　chance　to　see　your　Land　of　the　Gabazoos。〃
  〃Mangaboos；〃　said　the　Sorcerer；　correcting　him。　　〃If　you　are　a　Wizard
  you　ought　to　be　able　to　call　people　by　their　right　names。〃
  〃Oh；　I'm　a　Wizard；　you　may　be　sure　of　that。　　Just　as　good　a　Wizard　as
  you　are　a　Sorcerer。〃
  〃That　remains　to　be　seen；〃　said　the　other。
  〃If　you　are　able　to　prove　that　you　are　better；〃　said　the　Prince　to　the
  little　man；　〃I　will　make　you　the　Chief　Wizard　of　this　domain。
  Otherwise〃
  〃What　will　happen　otherwise？〃　asked　the　Wizard。
  〃I　will　stop　you　from　living　and　forbid　you　to　be　planted；〃　returned
  the　Prince。
  〃That　does　not　sound　especially　pleasant；〃　said　the　little　man；　looking
  at　the　one　with　the　star　uneasily。　　〃But　never　mind。　　I'll　beat　Old
  Prickly；　all　right。〃
  〃My　name　is　Gwig；〃　said　the　Sorcerer；　turning　his　heartless；　cruel　eyes
  upon　his　rival。　　〃Let　me　see　you　equal　the　sorcery　I　am　about　to　perform。〃
  He　waved　a　thorny　hand　and　at　once　the　tinkling　of　bells　was　heard；
  playing　sweet　music。　　Yet；　look　where　she　would；　Dorothy　could
  discover　no　bells　at　all　in　the　great　glass　hall。
  The　Mangaboo　people　listened；　but　showed　no　great　interest。　　It　was
  one　of　the　things　Gwig　usually　did　to　prove　he　was　a　sorcerer。
  Now　was　the　Wizard's　turn；　so　he　smiled　upon　the　assemblage　and　asked：
  〃Will　somebody　kindly　loan　me　a　hat？〃
  No　one　did；　because　the　Mangaboos　did　not　wear　hats；　and　Zeb　had　lost
  his；　somehow；　in　his　flight　through　the　air。
  〃Ahem！〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃will　somebody　please　loan　me　a　handkerchief？〃
  But　they　had　no　handkerchiefs；　either。
  〃Very　good；〃　remarked　the　Wizard。　　〃I'll　use　my　own　hat；　if　you
  please。　　Now；　good　people；　observe　me　carefully。　　You　see；　there　is
  nothing　up　my　sleeve　and　nothing　concealed　about　my　person。　　Also；　my
  hat　is　quite　empty。〃　　He　took　off　his　hat　and　held　it　upside　down；
  shaking　it　briskly。
  〃Let　me　see　it；〃　said　the　Sorcerer。
  He　took　the　hat　and　examined　it　carefully；　returning　it　afterward　to
  the　Wizard。
  〃Now；〃　said　the　little　man；　〃I　will　create　something　out　of　nothing。〃
  He　placed　the　hat　upon　the　glass　floor；　made　a　pass　with　his　hand；　and
  then　removed　the　hat；　displaying　a　little　white　piglet　no　bigger　than
  a　mouse；　which　began　to　run　around　here　and　there　and　to　grunt　and
  squeal　in　a　tiny；　shrill　voice。
  The　people　watched　it　intently；　for　they　had　never　seen　a　pig　before；
  big　or　little。　　The　Wizard　reached　out；　caught　the　wee　creature　in　his
  hand；　and　holding　its　head　between　one　thumb　and　finger　and　its　tail
  between　the　other　thumb　and　finger　he　pulled　it　apart；　each　of　the　two
  parts　becoming　a　whole　and　separate　piglet　in　an　instant。
  He　placed　one　upon　the　floor；　so　that　it　could　run　around；　and　pulled
  apart　the　other；　making　three　piglets　in　all；　and　then　one　of　these
  was　pulled　apart；　making　four　piglets。　　The　Wizard　continued　this
  surprising　performance　until　nine　tiny　piglets　were　running　about　at
  his　feet；　all　squealing　and　grunting　in　a　very　comical　way。
  〃Now；〃　said　the　Wizard　of　Oz；　〃having　created　something　from　nothing；
  I　will　make　something　nothing　again。〃
  With　this　he　caught　up　two　of　the　piglets　and　pushed　them　together；
  so　that　the　two　were　one。　　Then　he　caught　up　another　piglet　and
  pushed　it　into　the　first；　where　it　disappeared。　　And　so；　one　by　one；
  the　nine　tiny　piglets　were　pushed　together　until　but　a　single　one　of
  the　creatures　remained。　　This　the　Wizard　placed　underneath　his　hat　and
  made　a　mystic　sign　above　it。　　When　he　removed　his　hat　the　last　piglet
  had　disappeared　entirely。
  The　little　man　gave　a　bow　to　the　silent　throng　that　had　watched　him；
  and　then　the　Prince　said；　in　his　cold；　calm　voice：
  〃You　are　indeed　a　wonderful　Wizard；　and　your　powers　are　greater　than
  those　of　my　Sorcerer。〃
  〃He　will　not　be　a　wonderful　Wizard　long；〃　remarked　Gwig。
  〃Why　not？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。
  〃Because　I　am　going　to　stop　your　breath；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃I　perceive
  that　you　are　curiously　constructed；　and　that　if　you　cannot　breathe　you
  cannot　keep　alive。〃
  The　little　man　looked　troubled。
  〃How　long　will　it　take　you　to　stop　my　breath？〃　he　asked。
  〃About　five　minutes。　　I'm　going　to　begin　now。　　Watch　me　carefully。〃
  He　began　making　queer　signs　and　passes　toward　the　Wizard；　but　the
  little　man　did　not　watch　him　long。　　Instead；　he　drew　a　leathern　case
  from　his　pocket　and　took　from　it　several　sharp　knives；　which　he　joined
  together；　one　after　another；　until　they　made　a　long　sword。　　By　the
  time　he　had　attached　a　handle　to　this　sword　he　was　having　much　trouble
  to　breathe；　as　the　charm　of　the　Sorcerer　was　beginning　to　take　effect。
  So　the　Wizard　lost　no　more　time；　but　leaping　forward　he　raised　the
  sharp　sword；　whirled　it　once　or　twice　around　his　head；　and　then　gave　a
  mighty　stroke　that　cut　the　body　of　the　Sorcerer　exactly　in　two。
  Dorothy　screamed　and　expected　to　see　a　terrible　sight；　but　as　the　two
  halves　of　the　Sorcerer　fell　apart　on　the　floor　she　saw　that　he　had　no
  bones　or　blood　inside　of　him　at　all；　and　that　the　place　where　he　was
  cut　looked　much　like　a　sliced　turnip　or　potato。
  〃Why；　he's　vegetable！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　astonished。
  〃Of　course；〃　said　the　Prince。　　〃We　are　all　vegetable；　in　this　country。
  Are　you　not　vegetable；　also？〃
  〃No；〃　answered　the　Wizard。　　〃People　on　top　of　the　earth　are　all　me