impulsively　toward　the　lovely　Princess；　who　smiled　most　graciously
  upon　her　guest。　　Then　the　Wizard　entered；　and　his　presence　relieved
  the　boy's　embarrassment。　　The　little　man　was　clothed　in　black　velvet；
  with　many　sparkling　emerald　ornaments　decorating　his　breast；
  but　his　bald　head　and　wrinkled　features　made　him　appear　more
  amusing　than　impressive。
  Ozma　had　been　quite　curious　to　meet　the　famous　man　who　had　built　the
  Emerald　City　and　united　the　Munchkins；　Gillikins；　Quadlings　and
  Winkies　into　one　people；　so　when　they　were　all　four　seated　at　the
  dinner　table　the　Princess　said：
  〃Please　tell　me；　Mr。　Wizard；　whether　you　called　yourself　Oz　after　this
  great　country；　or　whether　you　believe　my　country　is　called　Oz　after
  you。　　It　is　a　matter　that　I　have　long　wished　to　enquire　about；　because
  you　are　of　a　strange　race　and　my　own　name　is　Ozma。　　No；　one；　I　am
  sure；　is　better　able　to　explain　this　mystery　than　you。〃
  〃That　is　true；〃　answered　the　little　Wizard；　〃therefore　it　will　give　me
  pleasure　to　explain　my　connection　with　your　country。　　In　the　first
  place；　I　must　tell　you　that　I　was　born　in　Omaha；　and　my　father；　who
  was　a　politician；　named　me　Oscar　Zoroaster　Phadrig　Isaac　Norman　Henkle
  Emmannuel　Ambroise　Diggs；　Diggs　being　the　last　name　because　he　could
  think　of　no　more　to　go　before　it。　　Taken　altogether；　it　was　a
  dreadfully　long　name　to　weigh　down　a　poor　innocent　child；　and　one　of
  the　hardest　lessons　I　ever　learned　was　to　remember　my　own　name。　　When
  I　grew　up　I　just　called　myself　O。　Z。；　because　the　other　initials　were
  P…I…N…H…E…A…D；　and　that　spelled　'pinhead；'　which　was　a　reflection　on
  my　intelligence。〃
  〃Surely　no　one　could　blame　you　for　cutting　your　name　short；〃　said
  Ozma；　sympathetically。　　〃But　didn't　you　cut　it　almost　too　short？〃
  〃Perhaps　so；〃　replied　the　Wizard。　　〃When　a　young　man　I　ran　away　from
  home　and　joined　a　circus。　　I　used　to　call　myself　a　Wizard；　and　do
  tricks　of　ventriloquism。〃
  〃What　does　that　mean？〃　asked　the　Princess。
  〃Throwing　my　voice　into　any　object　I　pleased；　to　make　it　appear　that
  the　object　was　speaking　instead　of　me。　　Also　I　began　to　make　balloon
  ascensions。　　On　my　balloon　and　on　all　the　other　articles　I　used　in　the
  circus　I　painted　the　two　initials：　'O。　Z。'；　to　show　that　those　things
  belonged　to　me。
  〃One　day　my　balloon　ran　away　with　me　and　brought　me　across　the　deserts
  to　this　beautiful　country。　　When　the　people　saw　me　come　from　the　sky
  they　naturally　thought　me　some　superior　creature；　and　bowed　down
  before　me。　　I　told　them　I　was　a　Wizard；　and　showed　them　some　easy
  tricks　that　amazed　them；　and　when　they　saw　the　initials　painted　on　the
  balloon　they　called　me　Oz。〃
  〃Now　I　begin　to　understand；〃　said　the　Princess；　smiling。
  〃At　that　time；〃　continued　the　Wizard；　busily　eating　his　soup　while
  talking；　〃there　were　four　separate　countries　in　this　Land；　each　one　of
  the　four　being　ruled　by　a　Witch。　　But　the　people　thought　my　power　was
  greater　than　that　of　the　Witches；　and　perhaps　the　Witches　thought　so
  too；　for　they　never　dared　oppose　me。　　I　ordered　the　Emerald　City　to　be
  built　just　where　the　four　countries　cornered　together；　and　when　it　was
  completed　I　announced　myself　the　Ruler　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　which
  included　all　the　four　countries　of　the　Munchkins；　the　Gillikins；　the
  Winkies　and　the　Quadlings。　　Over　this　Land　I　ruled　in　peace　for　many
  years；　until　I　grew　old　and　longed　to　see　my　native　city　once　again。
  So　when　Dorothy　was　first　blown　to　this　place　by　a　cyclone　I　arranged
  to　go　away　with　her　in　a　balloon；　but　the　balloon　escaped　too　soon　and
  carried　me　back　alone。　　After　many　adventures　I　reached　Omaha；　only　to
  find　that　all　my　old　friends　were　dead　or　had　moved　away。　　So；　having
  nothing　else　to　do；　I　joined　a　circus　again；　and　made　my　balloon
  ascensions　until　the　earthquake　caught　me。〃
  〃That　is　quite　a　history；〃　said　Ozma；　〃but　there　is　a　little　more
  history　about　the　Land　of　Oz　that　you　do　not　seem　to
  understandperhaps　for　the　reason　that　no　one　ever　told　it　you。　　Many
  years　before　you　came　here　this　Land　was　united　under　one　Ruler；　as　it
  is　now；　and　the　Ruler's　name　was　always　'Oz；'　which　means　in　our
  language　'Great　and　Good'；　or；　if　the　Ruler　happened　to　be　a　woman；
  her　name　was　always　'Ozma。'　　But　once　upon　a　time　four　Witches　leagued
  together　to　depose　the　king　and　rule　the　four　parts　of　the　kingdom
  themselves；　so　when　the　Ruler；　my　grandfather；　was　hunting　one　day；　one
  Wicked　Witch　named　Mombi　stole　him　and　carried　him　away；　keeping　him　a
  close　prisoner。　　Then　the　Witches　divided　up　the　kingdom；　and　ruled
  the　four　parts　of　it　until　you　came　here。　　That　was　why　the　people
  were　so　glad　to　see　you；　and　why　they　thought　from　your　initials　that
  you　were　their　rightful　ruler。〃
  〃But；　at　that　time；〃　said　the　Wizard；　thoughtfully；　〃there　were　two
  Good　Witches　and　two　Wicked　Witches　ruling　in　the　land。〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　Ozma；　〃because　a　good　Witch　had　conquered　Mombi　in　the
  North　and　Glinda　the　Good　had　conquered　the　evil　Witch　in　the　South。
  But　Mombi　was　still　my　grandfather's　jailor；　and　afterward　my　father's
  jailor。　　When　I　was　born　she　transformed　me　into　a　boy；　hoping　that
  no　one　would　ever　recognize　me　and　know　that　I　was　the　rightful
  Princess　of　the　Land　of　Oz。　　But　I　escaped　from　her　and　am　now
  the　Ruler　of　my　people。〃
  〃I　am　very　glad　of　that；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　hope　you　will　consider
  me　one　of　your　most　faithful　and　devoted　subjects。〃
  〃We　owe　a　great　deal　to　the　Wonderful　Wizard；〃　continued　the　Princess；
  〃for　it　was　you　who　built　this　splendid　Emerald　City。〃
  〃Your　people　built　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　only　bossed　the　job；　as　we
  say　in　Omaha。〃
  〃But　you　ruled　it　wisely　and　well　for　many　years；〃　said　she；　〃and　made
  the　people　proud　of　your　magical　art。　　So；　as　you　are　now　too　old　to
  wander　abroad　and　work　in　a　circus；　I　offer　you　a　home　here　as　long
  as　you　live。　　You　shall　be　the　Official　Wizard　of　my　kingdom；　and　be
  treated　with　every　respect　and　consideration。〃
  〃I　accept　your　kind　offer　with　gratitude；　gracious　Princess；〃　the
  little　man　said；　in　a　soft　voice；　and　they　could　all　see　that
  tear…drops　were　standing　in　his　keen　old　eyes。　　It　meant　a　good　deal
  to　him　to　secure　a　home　like　this。
  〃He's　only　a　humbug　Wizard；　though；〃　said　Dorothy；　smiling　at　him。
  〃And　that　is　the　safest　kind　of　a　Wizard　to　have；〃　replied　Ozma；　promptly。
  〃Oz　can　do　some　good　tricks；　humbug　or　no　humbug；〃　announced　Zeb；　who
  was　now　feeling　more　at　ease。
  〃He　shall　amuse　us　with　his　tricks　tomorrow；〃　said　the　Princess。　　〃I
  have　sent　messengers　to　summon　all　of　Dorothy's　old　friends　to　meet
  her　and　give　her　welcome；　and　they　ought　to　arrive　very　soon；　now。〃
  Indeed；　the　dinner　was　no　sooner　finished　than　in　rushed　the
  Scarecrow；　to　hug　Dorothy　in　his　padded　arms　and　tell　her　how　glad　he
  was　to　see　her　again。　　The　Wizard　was　also　most　heartily　welcomed　by
  the　straw　man；　who　was　an　important　personage　in　the　Land　of　Oz。
  〃How　are　your　brains？〃　enquired　the　little　humbug；　as　he　grasped　the
  soft；　stuffed　hands　of　his　old　friend。
  〃Working　finely；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。　　〃I'm　very　certain；　Oz；　that
  you　gave　me　the　best　brains　in　the　world；　for　I　can　think　with　them
  day　and　night；　when　all　other　brains　are　fast　asleep。〃
  〃How　long　did　you　rule　the　Emerald　City；　after　I　left　here？〃　was　the
  next　question。
  〃Quite　awhile；　until　I　was　conquered　by　a　girl　named　General　Jinjur。
  But　Ozma　soon　conquered　her；　with　the　help　of　Glinda　the　Good；　and
  after　that　I　went　to　live　with　Nick　Chopper；　the　Tin　Woodman。〃
  Just　then　a　loud　cackling　was　heard　outside；　and；　when　a　servant　threw
  open　the　door　with　a　low　bow；　a　yellow　hen　strutted　in。　　Dorothy
  sprang　forward　and　caught　the　fluffy　fowl　in　her　arms；　uttering　at　the
  same　time　a　glad　cry。
  〃Oh；　Billina！〃　she　said；　〃how　fat　and　sleek　you've　grown。〃
  〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃　asked　the　hen；　in　a　sharp；　clear　voice。　　〃I　live　on
  the　fat　of　the　landdon't　I；　Ozma？〃
  〃You　have　everything　you　wish　for；〃　said　the　Princess。
  Around　Billina's　neck　was　a　string　of　beautiful　pearls；　and　on　her
  legs　were　bracelets　of　emeralds。　　She　nestled　herself　comfortably　in
  Dorothy's　lap　until　the　kitten　gave　a　snarl　of　jealous　anger　and
  leaped　up　with　a　sharp　claw　fiercely　bared　to　strike　Billina　a　blow。
  But　the　little　girl　gave　the　angry　kitten　such　a　severe　cuff　that　it
  jumped　down　again　without　daring　to　scratch。
  〃How　horrid　of　you；　Eureka！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃Is　that　the　way　to　treat
  my　friends？〃
  〃You　have　queer　friends；　seems　to　me；〃　replied　the　kitten；
  in　a　surly　tone。
  〃Seems　to　me　the　same　way；〃　said　Billina；　scornfully；　〃if　that　beastly
  cat　is　one　of　them。〃
  〃Look　here！〃　said　Dorothy；　sternly。　　〃I　won't　have　any　quarrelling　in
  the　Land　of　Oz；　I　can　tell　you！　　Everybody　lives　in　peace　here；　and
  loves　everybody　else；　and　unless　you　two；　Billina　and　Eureka；　make　up
  and　be　friends；　I'll　take　my　Magic　Belt　and