The　Enchanted　Island　of　Yew
  by　L。　Frank　Baum
  Contents
  1。　　Once　On　a　Time
  2。　　The　Enchanted　Isle
  3。　　The　Fairy　Bower
  4。　　Prince　Marvel
  5。　　The　King　of　Thieves
  6。　　The　Troubles　of　Nerle
  7。　　The　Gray　Men
  8。　　The　Fool…Killer
  9。　　The　Royal　Dragon　of　Spor
  10。　　Prince　Marvel　Wins　His　Fight
  11。　　The　Cunning　of　King　Terribus
  12。　　The　Gift　of　Beauty
  13。　　The　Hidden　Kingdom　of　Twi
  14。　　The　Ki　and　The　Ki…Ki
  15。　　The　High　Ki　of　Twi
  16。　　The　Rebellion　of　The　High　Ki
  17。　　The　Separation　of　The　High　Ki
  18。　　The　Rescue　of　The　High　Ki
  19。　　The　Reunion　of　The　High　Ki
  20。　　Kwytoffle；　the　Tyrant
  21。　　The　Wonderful　Book　of　Magic
  22。　　The　Queen　of　Plenta
  23。　　The　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna
  24。　　The　Enchanted　Mirrors
  25。　　The　Adventurers　Separate
  26。　　The　End　of　the　Year
  27。　　A　Hundred　Years　Afterward
  1。　　〃Once　on　a　Time〃
  I　am　going　to　tell　a　story；　one　of　those　tales　of　astonishing　adventures　that　happened　years　and　years　and　years　ago。　　Perhaps　you　wonder　why　it　is　that　so　many　stories　are　told　of　〃once　on　a　time〃；　and　so　few　of　these　days　in　which　we　live；　but　that　is　easily　explained。
  In　the　old　days；　when　the　world　was　young；　there　were　no　automobiles　nor　flying…machines　to　make　one　wonder；　nor　were　there　railway　trains；　nor　telephones；　nor　mechanical　inventions　of　any　sort　to　keep　people　keyed　up　to　a　high　pitch　of　excitement。　　Men　and　women　lived　simply　and　quietly。　　They　were　Nature's　children；　and　breathed　fresh　air　into　their　lungs　instead　of　smoke　and　coal　gas；　and　tramped　through　green　meadows　and　deep　forests　instead　of　riding　in　street　cars；　and　went　to　bed　when　it　grew　dark　and　rose　with　the　sunwhich　is　vastly　different　from　the　present　custom。　　Having　no　books　to　read　they　told　their　adventures　to　one　another　and　to　their　little　ones；　and　the　stories　were　handed　down　from　generation　to　generation　and　reverently　believed。
  Those　who　peopled　the　world　in　the　old　days；　having　nothing　but　their　hands　to　depend　on；　were　to　a　certain　extent　helpless；　and　so　the　fairies　were　sorry　for　them　and　ministered　to　their　wants　patiently　and　frankly；　often　showing　themselves　to　those　they　befriended。
  So　people　knew　fairies　in　those　days；　my　dear；　and　loved　them；　together　with　all　the　ryls　and　knooks　and　pixies　and　nymphs　and　other　beings　that　belong　to　the　hordes　of　immortals。　　And　a　fairy　tale　was　a　thing　to　be　wondered　at　and　spoken　of　in　awed　whispers；　for　no　one　thought　of　doubting　its　truth。
  To…day　the　fairies　are　shy；　for　so　many　curious　inventions　of　men　have　come　into　use　that　the　wonders　of　Fairyland　are　somewhat　tame　beside　them；　and　even　the　boys　and　girls　can　not　be　so　easily　interested　or　surprised　as　in　the　old　days。　　So　the　sweet　and　gentle　little　immortals　perform　their　tasks　unseen　and　unknown；　and　live　mostly　in　their　own　beautiful　realms；　where　they　are　almost　unthought　of　by　our　busy；　bustling　world。
  Yet　when　we　come　to　story…telling　the　marvels　of　our　own　age　shrink　into　insignificance　beside　the　brave　deeds　and　absorbing　experiences　of　the　days　when　fairies　were　better　known；　and　so　we　go　back　to　〃once　on　a　time〃　for　the　tales　that　we　most　loveand　that　children　have　ever　loved　since　mankind　knew　that　fairies　exist。
  2。　　The　Enchanted　Isle
  Once　there　was　an　enchanted　island　in　the　middle　of　the　sea。　　It　was　called　the　Isle　of　Yew。　　And　in　it　were　five　important　kingdoms　ruled　by　men；　and　many　woodland　dells　and　forest　glades　and　pleasant　meadows　and　grim　mountains　inhabited　by　fairies。
  From　the　fairies　some　of　the　men　had　learned　wonderful　secrets；　and　had　become　magicians　and　sorcerers；　with　powers　so　great　that　the　entire　island　was　reputed　to　be　one　of　enchantments。　　Who　these　men　were　the　common　people　did　not　always　know；　for　while　some　were　kings　and　rulers；　others　lived　quietly　hidden　away　in　forests　or　mountains；　and　seldom　or　never　showed　themselves。　　Indeed；　there　were　not　so　many　of　these　magicians　as　people　thought；　only　it　was　so　hard　to　tell　them　from　common　folk　that　every　stranger　was　regarded　with　a　certain　amount　of　curiosity　and　fear。
  The　island　was　roundlike　a　mince　pie。　　And　it　was　divided　into　four　quartersalso　like　a　pieexcept　that　there　was　a　big　place　in　the　center　where　the　fifth　kingdom；　called　Spor；　lay　in　the　midst　of　the　mountains。　　Spor　was　ruled　by　King　Terribus；　whom　no　one　but　his　own　subjects　had　ever　seenand　not　many　of　them。　　For　no　one　was　allowed　to　enter　the　Kingdom　of　Spor；　and　its　king　never　left　his　palace。　　But　the　people　of　Spor　had　a　bad　habit　of　rushing　down　from　their　mountains　and　stealing　the　goods　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　other　four　kingdoms；　and　carrying　them　home　with　them；　without　offering　any　apologies　whatever　for　such　horrid　conduct。　　Sometimes　those　they　robbed　tried　to　fight　them；　but　they　were　a　terrible　people；　consisting　of　giants　with　huge　clubs；　and　dwarfs　who　threw　flaming　darts；　and　the　stern　Gray　Men　of　Spor；　who　were　most　frightful　of　all。　So；　as　a　rule；　every　one　fled　before　them；　and　the　people　were　thankful　that　the　fierce　warriors　of　Spor　seldom　came　to　rob　them　oftener　than　once　a　year。
  It　was　on　this　account　that　all　who　could　afford　the　expense　built　castles　to　live　in；　with　stone　walls　so　thick　that　even　the　giants　of　Spor　could　not　batter　them　down。　　And　the　children　were　not　allowed　to　stray　far　from　home　for　fear　some　roving　band　of　robbers　might　steal　them　and　make　their　parents　pay　large　sums　for　their　safe　return。
  Yet　for　all　this　the　people　of　the　Enchanted　Isle　of　Yew　were　happy　and　prosperous。　　No　grass　was　greener；　no　forests　more　cool　and　delightful；　no　skies　more　sunny；　no　sea　more　blue　and　rippling　than　theirs。
  And　the　nations　of　the　world　envied　them；　but　dared　not　attempt　to　conquer　an　island　abounding　in　enchantments。
  3。　　The　Fairy　Bower
  That　part　of　the　Enchanted　Isle　which　was　kissed　by　the　rising　sun　was　called　Dawna；　the　kingdom　that　was　tinted　rose　and　purple　by　the　setting　sun　was　known　as　Auriel；　and　the　southland；　where　fruits　and　flowers　abounded；　was　the　kingdom　of　Plenta。　　Up　at　the　north　lay　Heg；　the　home　of　the　great　barons　who　feared　not　even　the　men　of　Spor；　and　in　the　Kingdom　of　Heg　our　story　opens。
  Upon　a　beautiful　plain　stood　the　castle　of　the　great　Baron　Merdrenowned　alike　in　war　and　peace；　and　second　in　importance　only　to　the　King　of　Heg。　　It　was　a　castle　of　vast　extent；　built　with　thick　walls　and　protected　by　strong　gates。　　In　front　of　it　sloped　a　pretty　stretch　of　land　with　the　sea　glistening　far　beyond；　and　back　of　it；　but　a　short　distance　away；　was　the　edge　of　the　Forest　of　Lurla。
  One　fair　summer　day　the　custodian　of　the　castle　gates　opened　a　wicket　and　let　down　a　draw…bridge；　when　out　trooped　three　pretty　girls　with　baskets　dangling　on　their　arms。　　One　of　the　maids　walked　in　front　of　her　companions；　as　became　the　only　daughter　of　the　mighty　Baron　Merd。　She　was　named　Seseley；　and　had　yellow　hair　and　red　cheeks　and　big；　blue　eyes。　　Behind　her；　merry　and　laughing；　yet　with　a　distinct　deference　to　the　high　station　of　their　young　lady；　walked　Berna　and　Heldadark　brunettes　with　mischievous　eyes　and　slender；　lithe　limbs。　Berna　was　the　daughter　of　the　chief　archer；　and　Helda　the　niece　of　the　captain　of　the　guard；　and　they　were　appointed　play…fellows　and　comrades　of　the　fair　Seseley。
  Up　the　hill　to　the　forest's　edge　ran　the　three；　and　then　without　hesitation　plunged　into　the　shade　of　the　ancient　trees。　　There　was　no　sunlight　now；　but　the　air　was　cool　and　fragrant　of　nuts　and　mosses；　and　the　children　skipped　along　the　paths　joyously　and　without　fear。
  To　be　sure；　the　Forest　of　Lurla　was　well　known　as　the　home　of　fairies；　but　Seseley　and　her　comrades　feared　nothing　from　such　gentle　creatures　and　only　longed　for　an　interview　with　the　powerful　immortals　whom　they　had　been　taught　to　love　as　the　tender　guardians　of　mankind。　　Nymphs　there　were　in　Lurla；　as　well；　and　crooked　knooks；　it　was　said；　yet　for　many　years　past　no　person　could　boast　the　favor　of　meeting　any　one　of　the　fairy　creatures　face　to　face。
  So；　gathering　a　few　nuts　here　and　a　sweet　forest　flower　there；　the　three　maidens　walked　farther　and　farther　into　the　forest　until　they　came　upon　a　clearingformed　like　a　circlewith　mosses　and　ferns　for　its　carpet　and　great　overhanging　branches　for　its　roof。
  〃How　pretty！〃　cried　Seseley；　gaily。　　〃Let　us　eat　our　luncheon　in　this　lovely　banquet…hall！〃
  So　Berna　and　Helda　spread　a　cloth　and　brought　from　their　baskets　some　golden　platters　and　a　store　of　food。　　Yet　there　was　little　ceremony　over　the　meal；　you　may　be　sure；　and　within　a　short　space　all　the　children　had　satisfied　their　appetites　and　were　laughing　and　chatting　as　merrily　as　if　they　were　at　home　in　the　great　castle。　　Indeed；　it　is　certain　they　were　happier　in　their　forest　glade　than　when　facing　grim　walls　of　stone；　and　the　three　were　in　such　gay　spirits　that　whatever　one　chanced　to　say　the　others　promptly　joined　in　laughing　over。
  Soon；　however；　they　were　startled　to　hear　a　silvery　peal　of　laughter　answering　their　own；　and　turning　to　see　whence　the　sound　proceeded；　they　found　seated　near　them　a　creature　so　beautiful　that　at　once　the　three　pairs　of　eyes　opened　to　their　widest　extent；　and　three　hearts　beat　much　faster　than　before。
  〃Well；　I　must　say　you　DO　stare！〃　exc