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EXILE
My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far away, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the ever-hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It was to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought a house with a girl Ellie and a dog Totoshka from Kansas. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
In those days, in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City, lived the Great Wizard Goodwin. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a living straw dummy of the Scarecrow, a Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The Scarecrow wanted to get the brains into the straw head; The woodcutter sought loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow smart brains made from bran mixed with needles and pins. To the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, to the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and foamed in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored with living in Fairyland, and he left it for hot-air balloon. Flying away, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Miguns, who inhabited the Violet Country. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When were you fulfilled? cherished desires Ellie's three friends, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magical silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave.
The Scarecrow did not long enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City. Life-giving powder accidentally fell into the hands of the evil and treacherous carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, brought them to life and, with the help of this strong army, captured the Emerald City. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on top high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help. The Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was carried to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggy-Carr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time. Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, the one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a landship, and on this ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
The fight against Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends defeated 2.
Urfene was tried.
For all his crimes he deserved cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges.
– Friends, isn’t it better to just leave this person alone with himself?
And Ellie supported him:
- Right. This will be the best for him cruel punishment.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistling and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone handed him a wooden clown, his favorite, and an earphone, which he had animated, and Oorfene Deuce automatically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” the Guardian of the city gates, Faramant, who was seeing him off, told Urfin. - and try to become a good man. First of all, you yourself will benefit from this.
Deuce did not respond to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy eyebrows and quickly walked away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who praised me to the skies, everyone now praises little Ellie and the Giant from beyond the mountains... (That’s what Charlie Black was called in Fairyland.)”
But, looking back, Urfin realized that he was wrong. There was one faithful creature: the bear Topotun trudged in the distance behind his owner. No, Topotun will never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce gets into. After all, it was Oorfene, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, who revived his skin when it lay as a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude...
In a softened voice, Urfin called:
- Stomper, come to me!
The bear ran up to its owner at a joyful trot.
- I'm here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord…"
This word eased Urfin’s mental wound. Yes, he is still a master, if only for one humble servant and for an insignificant clown. What if?.. Vague hopes flashed through Urfin’s brain. Are his enemies celebrating their victory too early?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is free, and no one has taken away from him his indomitable will, the ability to take advantage of favorable circumstances, a cunning, resourceful mind, and skillful hands.
Urfin's hunched form straightened up, a faint smile lit up his dark face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin of his mouth.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Urfin shook his fist:
“You will regret, you unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free!”
“Yes, they will be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, to my homeland, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. “You and I have a house there.” I hope no one touched him. There we will find shelter for the first time.
“And we have a vegetable garden there, lord,” said Topotun, “and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits.” I don't need food, but I will catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, away from everyone, in peace and contentment.
These were not the thoughts of Urfin.
“The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me,” Deuce thought, “I will hide until they forget about me. And then... we’ll see there!..”
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of the Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but Kaggi-Karr ruined the matter. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was heading. Everyone who lived near the road paved with yellow brick was promptly notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Urfin.
Men and women, old people and children came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Urfin with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they had scolded him and thrown stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his native place resembled a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would have rushed at each of his enemies, grabbed him by the throat, heard his death rattle... But this was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We'll still laugh at them!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because none of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would provide him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from the trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the forest of Saber-Toothed Tigers, he almost wished that the meeting with the predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders took over, and Urfin quietly slipped through the dangerous place.
And finally, native home. The exile was relieved to see that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property was preserved intact. He took the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.
GIANT BIRD
BATTLE IN THE AIR
Seven years have passed since Oorfene Deuce lost power over the Emerald City. Much has changed in the world. Ellie Smith, who left the Magic Land forever, graduated from school and entered teacher training college in a neighboring town: she chose for herself the modest role of a folk teacher. Her younger sister Annie (she was born while Ellie was in the Underworld) went to first grade and began to study the secrets of the alphabet.
The one-legged sailor Charlie Black bought a ship and made several voyages to the Kuru-Kusu islands, the inhabitants of which greeted him with joy every time.
How were things going in the Magic Land? Winkers and Munchkins continued to live as before, but the life of the underground miners, whom Ellie visited on the third and last trip to the land of miracles.
There, in the colossal Cave, Ellie and her second cousin Fred Canning experienced many strange, wonderful adventures. They managed to restore the disappeared source of Soporific Water, and with this water they put to sleep seven underground kings, who in turn ruled the miners. The funniest and most curious thing was that the kings, having woken up, forgot about their royal dignity and turned into blacksmiths, farmers, and weavers. Along with their former subjects, they worked hard to earn food for themselves and their families.
Having ended the royal power, the inhabitants of the Cave moved to the upper world and occupied empty lands adjacent to the country of the Munchkins. There they sowed wheat and flax, planted gardens, fattened livestock, processed metals. It took them a long time to part with their dark glasses, because their eyes, accustomed to twilight, could not stand sunlight for a long time.
Only in the life of Oorfene Deuce there have been no changes over the years. long years loneliness. He dug up a garden and began cultivating vegetables, harvesting three crops a year.
How diligently the former king looked closely at the soil of his plot, wielding a shovel! How he wanted to find at least one single seed of that amazing plant, from which he received life-giving powder! Oh, if he had come across such a seed, he would not have made wooden soldiers again! No, he would make a monster studded with iron, invulnerable to arrows and fire, and again become the ruler of the Magic Land.
But his search was in vain and even pointless. After all, if just one sprout, one living piece of an extraordinary plant had survived destruction, it would again have filled the surrounding area.
Every evening, every morning, Oorfene looked at the sky in the hope that a storm would not break out, similar to the one that once brought him the seeds of extraordinary plants. But fierce hurricanes swept over the country, leaving nothing but destruction.
And Urfin, after he was a king and reveled in the consciousness of power over thousands of people, had to be content with the modest share of a gardener. Of course, about food under blessed sky Wonderland did not have to worry, especially since Stomper often brought a fat rabbit or hare to the owner. But this is not what the exile wanted: at night he dreamed of a royal robe on his shoulders, and he woke up disappointed, with a beating heart.
In the first months of his lonely life, Urfin sometimes met Munchkins while walking, especially if he went towards the village of Kogida, where he was born and raised. However, his fellow tribesmen ran away from him as if from the plague, trying not to meet his gaze, and even their backs seemed to radiate hatred.
But the weeks turned into months, months into years, and human enmity towards Urfin faded away. Memories of his crimes faded, overshadowed by new events, new everyday worries.
After a few years, the residents of Kogida began to greet the exile in a friendly manner, and if Urfin wanted to move to the village, no one would interfere with him. But Oorfene gloomily responded to greetings, did not enter into conversations and with all his appearance showed that the company of people was unpleasant for him... Shrugging their shoulders, the Munchkins walked away from the unsociable gardener. And Oorfene continued to indulge in dark dreams about how he would take revenge on people if only he could.
And fate met him halfway.
One day at noon, Oorfene was digging in the garden, when suddenly his attention was attracted by a sharp squawk coming from above. The exile raised his head. Three eagles fought high in the azure sky. The fight was fierce, two birds attacked one, trying to hit it with their beaks and blows of their wings. The victim of the attack desperately fought back, trying to escape from her enemies, but she failed. At first the eagles did not seem particularly large to Oorfene, but they began to descend, and Deuce became convinced that their size was enormous.
The terrible battle continued, the screech of monstrous eagles became more and more audible, as the birds approached the ground. The wounded bird weakened under the blows of its enemies, its movements became more and more erratic. And suddenly, folding her wings, she tumbled and flew down.
The eagle fell with a dull noise onto the lawn in front of Urfin's house. The gardener timidly approached him. A bird, even mortally wounded, could kill a person with an accidental blow of its wing.
Approaching the eagle, Urfin became convinced that it was of colossal size: its outstretched wings occupied the entire area from edge to edge, and there were thirty steps there. And then Oorfene saw with amazement that the bird was alive. Her body was trembling slightly, and her gaze was strangely mixed with pride and pleading. The other two eagles descended with the clear intention of finishing off the enemy.
“Protect,” the huge bird muttered hoarsely.
Deuce grabbed a huge stake that stood by the fence and raised it with a determined look. The attackers soared up, but continued to circle over Urfin's possession.
“They will finish me off,” said the wounded eagle. “Man, dig a hole next to me and pretend you’re going to bury me.” My enemies will leave this region only after they are convinced that I am buried. When it gets dark, I will hide in the bushes, and you will throw the earth into an empty hole.
At night the cunning invention was fulfilled, and in the morning the monstrous eagles, circling over the empty grave, flew away to the north.
My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far away, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the ever-hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It was to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought a house with a girl Ellie and a dog Totoshka from Kansas. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
In those days, in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City, lived the great wizard Goodwin. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a living straw dummy of the Scarecrow, a Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The Scarecrow wanted to get the brains into the straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow smart brains made of bran mixed with needles and pins, the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and foamed in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored with living in Magic Land and left it in a hot air balloon. Flying away, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Miguns, who inhabited the Violet Country. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When the cherished wishes of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magical silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave. 1
All these events are described in detail in the book “The Wizard of the Emerald City.”
The Scarecrow did not long enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City. Life-giving powder accidentally fell into the hands of the evil and treacherous carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, brought them to life and, with the help of this strong army, captured the Emerald City. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on the top of a high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help, the Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was carried to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggy-Carr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time.
Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, the one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions.
He made a landship, and on this ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
The fight with Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends won. 2
These events are described in the book “Oorfene Deuce and His Wooden Soldiers.”
Urfene was tried.
For all his crimes he deserved cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges:
– Friends, isn’t it better to just leave this person alone with himself?
And Ellie supported him:
- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistling and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone handed him a wooden clown, his favorite and an earphone, which he had brought to life, and Oorfene Deuce automatically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” the Guardian of the city gates, Faramant, who was seeing him off, told Urfin, “and try to become a good person.” First of all, you yourself will benefit from this.
Deuce did not respond to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy eyebrows and quickly walked away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who praised me to the skies, everyone now praises little Ellie and the Giant from beyond the mountains...” (That’s what they called Charlie Black in Fairyland.)
But, looking back, Urfin realized that he was wrong. There was one faithful creature: the bear Topotun trailed in the distance behind his owner. No, Topotun will never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce gets into. After all, it was Oorfene, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, who revived his skin when it lay as a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude...
- Stomper, come to me!
The bear ran up to its owner at a joyful trot:
- I'm here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord…"
This word eased Urfin’s mental wound. Yes, he is still a master, if only for one humble servant and for an insignificant clown. What if?. Vague hopes flashed through Urfin's brain. Are his enemies celebrating their victory too early?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is free, and no one has taken away from him his indomitable will, the ability to take advantage of favorable circumstances, a cunning, resourceful mind, and skillful hands.
Urfin's hunched form straightened up, a faint smile lit up his dark face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin of his mouth.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Urfin shook his fist:
“You will regret, you unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free!”
“Yes, they will be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, to my homeland, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. “You and I have a house there.” I hope no one touched him. There we will find shelter for the first time.
“And we have a vegetable garden there, lord,” said Topotun, “and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits.” I don't need food, but I will catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, away from everyone, in peace and contentment.
These were not the thoughts of Urfin.
“The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me,” Deuce thought, “I will hide until they forget about me. And then... we’ll see there!..”
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of the Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but Kaggi-Karr ruined the matter. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was heading. Everyone who lived near the road paved with yellow brick was promptly notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Urfin.
Men and women, old people and children came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Urfin with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they had scolded him and thrown stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his native place resembled a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would have rushed at each of his enemies, grabbed him by the throat, heard his death rattle... But this was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We'll still laugh at them!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because none of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would provide him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from the trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the forest of Saber-Toothed Tigers, he almost wished that the meeting with the predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders took over, and Urfin quietly slipped through the dangerous place.
And here, finally, is my home. The exile was relieved to see that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property was preserved intact. He took the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.
Giant bird
Battle in the air
Seven years have passed since Oorfene Deuce lost power over the Emerald City. Much has changed in the world. Ellie Smith, who left the Magic Land forever, graduated from school and entered a teacher training college in a neighboring city: she chose for herself the modest role of a folk teacher. Her younger sister Annie (she was born while Ellie was in the Underworld) went to first grade and began to study the secrets of the alphabet.
The one-legged sailor Charlie Black bought a ship and made several voyages to the Kuru-Kusu islands, the inhabitants of which greeted him with joy every time.
How were things going in the Magic Land? The Winks and Munchkins continued to live as before, but the life of the underground miners, whom Ellie visited on her third and final trip to the land of wonders, changed completely.
There, in the colossal Cave, Ellie and her second cousin Fred Canning experienced many strange, wonderful adventures. They managed to restore the disappeared source of Soporific Water, and with this water they put to sleep seven underground kings, who in turn ruled the miners. The funniest and most curious thing was that the kings, having woken up, forgot about their royal dignity and turned into blacksmiths, farmers, and weavers. Along with their former subjects, they worked hard to earn food for themselves and their families.
Having ended the royal power, the inhabitants of the Cave moved to the upper world and occupied empty lands adjacent to the country of the Munchkins. There they sowed wheat and flax, planted gardens, fattened livestock, and processed metals. It took them a long time to part with their dark glasses, because their eyes, accustomed to twilight, could not stand sunlight for a long time. 3
Ellie's third journey is described in the book "Seven Underground Kings."
Only in the life of Oorfene Deuce there were no changes during the many years of loneliness. He dug up a garden and began cultivating vegetables, harvesting three crops a year.
How diligently the former king looked closely at the soil of his plot, wielding a shovel! How he wanted to find at least one single seed of that amazing plant from which he received the life-giving powder! Oh, if he had come across such a seed, he would not have made wooden soldiers again! No, he would make a monster studded with iron, invulnerable to arrows and fire, and again become the ruler of the Magic Land.
But his search was in vain and even pointless. After all, if just one sprout, one living piece of an extraordinary plant had survived destruction, it would again have filled the surrounding area.
Every evening, every morning, Oorfene looked at the sky in the hope that a storm would break out, similar to the one that once brought him the seeds of extraordinary plants. But fierce hurricanes swept over the country, leaving nothing but destruction.
And Urfin, after he was king and reveled in the consciousness of power over thousands and thousands of people, had to be content with the modest share of a gardener. Of course, there was no need to worry about food under the fertile sky of Wonderland, especially since Stomper often brought a fat rabbit or hare to the owner. But this is not what the exile wanted: at night he dreamed of a royal robe on his shoulders, and he woke up disappointed, with a beating heart.
In the first months of his lonely life, Urfin sometimes met Munchkins while walking, especially if he went towards the village of Kogida, where he was born and raised. However, his fellow tribesmen ran away from him as if he were plagued, trying not to meet his gaze, and even their backs seemed to radiate hatred.
But the weeks turned into months, months into years, and human enmity towards Urfin faded away. Memories of his crimes faded, overshadowed by new events, new everyday worries.
After a few years, the residents of Kogida began to greet the exile in a friendly manner, and if Urfin wanted to move to the village, no one would interfere with him. But Oorfene gloomily responded to greetings, did not enter into conversations, and with all his appearance showed that the company of people was unpleasant to him. Shrugging their shoulders, the Munchkins walked away from the unsociable gardener. And Oorfene continued to indulge in dark dreams about how he would take revenge on people if only he could.
And fate met him halfway.
One day at noon, Oorfene was digging in the garden, when suddenly his attention was attracted by a sharp squawk coming from above. The exile raised his head. Three eagles fought high in the azure sky. The fight was fierce, two birds attacked one, trying to hit it with their beaks and blows of their wings. The victim of the attack desperately fought back, trying to escape from her enemies, but she failed. At first the eagles did not seem particularly large to Oorfene, but they began to descend, and Deuce became convinced that their size was enormous.
The terrible battle continued, the squeal of monstrous eagles became more and more audible, as the birds approached the ground. The wounded bird weakened under the blows of its enemies, its movements became more and more erratic. And suddenly, folding her wings, she tumbled and flew down.
The eagle fell with a dull noise onto the lawn in front of Urfin's house. The gardener timidly approached him. A bird, even mortally wounded, could kill a person with an accidental blow of its wing.
Approaching the eagle, Urfin became convinced that it was of colossal size: its outstretched wings occupied the entire area from edge to edge, and there were thirty steps there. And then Oorfene saw with amazement that the bird was alive. Her body was trembling slightly, and her gaze was strangely mixed with pride and pleading. The other two eagles descended with the clear intention of finishing off the enemy.
“Protect,” the huge bird muttered hoarsely.
Deuce grabbed a huge stake that stood by the fence and raised it with a determined look. The attackers soared up, but continued to circle over Urfin's possession.
“They will finish me off,” said the wounded eagle. “Man, dig a hole next to me and pretend you’re going to bury me.” My enemies will leave this region only after they are convinced that I am buried. When it gets dark, I will hide in the bushes, and you will throw the earth into an empty hole.
At night the cunning invention was fulfilled, and in the morning the monstrous eagles, circling over the empty grave, flew away to the north.
History of Carfax
Countless are the wonders of the Magic Land, and the whole human life It wouldn't be enough to know them all. As if it wasn’t so great, how diverse its nature was, how many human tribes, extraordinary animals and birds inhabited it!
In a secluded valley of the Circum-World Mountains, in their northern part, lived a tribe of giant eagles. Carfax, the unexpected guest of Oorfene Deuce, was from there.
This is what Carfax told the exile when he recovered from his wounds.
“Our tribe has been living in the Round the World Mountains for a very long time,” said the eagle, “its numbers are very small.” And the reason for this is this. Our food is aurochs and mountain goats that inhabit the mountain slopes and deep gorges. The goat tribe could multiply and live without worries, but we eagles interfere with this by hunting them.
With our vigilance, strength and speed of flight, we could destroy all the goats and aurochs, but we do not do this. The disappearance of animals would mean our end: we would die out of hunger. And therefore, since ancient times, the number of members of our tribe should not exceed one hundred.
- How do you manage to do this? - asked Urfin, interested.
“Our laws on this matter are very strict,” Carfax replied. – The eagle family has the right to breed a chick only if one of the adult members of the tribe dies of old age or dies from an accident, for example, by being hit by a rock during a careless attack on prey.
– But who gets the right to give a replacement to the deceased?
– This right is given on a strict priority basis to all families inhabiting Eagle Valley. The custom was religiously followed for centuries, but recently it was broken, and this brought great disasters to our people. “We live for a very long time,” Carfax continued, “one hundred and fifty to two hundred years, so a small one does not appear in our valley every year. You should have seen how the eagles take care of him, how they quarrel over who should feed the chick or warm him under their wing! Often they push their own mother away from the baby... What can you do,” Carfax sighed, “our women’s maternal feelings are strong, and each of them gets the happiness of raising a baby only once or twice during her long life.”
“For us people, this matter is simpler,” thought Urfin. “You can have as many guys as you like, although it’s quite a burden.”
Carfax continued:
“I’m eighty years old, this is the peak of strength and health for us giant eagles.” This year, for the first time, my friend Araminta and I got the turn to hatch a chick. How joyfully we waited for this have a good day when the wife will be allowed to lay an egg! What a cozy nest of thin branches and leaves was prepared in the recess of the rock!.. And everything collapsed. The vile leader Arrajes, violating the ancient law, announced that the chick would be bred in his family!
He needed an heir, since his only son had recently died while hunting for a tour... - Carfax trembled with indignation, talking about the leader’s dishonorable act, and the gardener thought with ridicule that he, Oorfene, would not have boiled over because of such a trifle.
“Tell me, man, was Arrajes worthy to remain our leader after such a dishonorable violation of fatherly customs?” I, at least, thought it would be a shame to obey him. I found supporters. We were preparing an uprising to overthrow Arrajes. Unfortunately, a low traitor snuck into our ranks, he told the leader everything, and revealed the names of the conspirators. Arrajes and his supporters suddenly attacked us. Each of my friends had to deal with two or three opponents. Araminta died in the first minutes of the battle. Arrajes and the eagle attacked me, revealing the conspiracy. Thinking of finding salvation in flight, I crossed the World Mountains and went deeper into the Magic Land. The enemies did not lag behind... You know the rest,” Carfax finished wearily.
There was a long silence. Then the eagle spoke:
- My life is in your hands. I can't go back to the mountains. Even if I settle in the most remote part of them, Arrajes and his spies will hunt me down and kill me. It is impossible for me to hunt in your forests.
You feed me animals that you call hares and rabbits. They are tasty, but how can I see them in the dense thicket, much less grab them with my claws...
After thinking, Urfin said:
“Topotun is catching game for you and will do so until you get better.” And then we’ll see, maybe I’ll figure out how to feed you.
And here in dark soul Urfin had the idea that this gigantic bird could serve his purposes. Here was the long-awaited means of breaking out of obscurity again and “grabbing fate by the horns,” as he liked to put it.
“But I need to be very careful,” thought Urfin. “This bird, with its strange concepts of justice, will not help me if it considers my actions even in the slightest degree dishonest... However, I will not rush, I will have enough time to think everything over.”
The plans of Oorfene Deuce
By asking discreet questions, Oorfene Deuce became convinced that in Eagle Valley they knew nothing about human affairs. Carfax knew neither about the rapid rise of Urfin, nor about his shameful fall. The exile forbade Stomper to even mention a word about the past and ordered the clown to ensure that the bird and the bear, who loved to chat, did not meet alone. He himself began to act more boldly. He had long conversations with the recovering eagle and, as if by accident, admitted that he had one desire on his mind - to bring good to people.
- Why, then, do you live in the forest far from the rest of the pack? – Carfax was surprised.
“You see, helping one village is too small for me,” Urfin cunned. - Now, if I managed to become the head of an entire people, then I would turn around and show myself.
-Who is stopping you from becoming a leader? – the simple-minded eagle was perplexed.
“My compatriots don’t understand me,” Deuce dodged. “They think that I strive for power out of ambition, but in reality I set much higher goals for myself.
Such conversations were repeated more than once, and finally the eagle believed in the nobility of Urfin. Carfax agreed to help his friend achieve high position among people, and then let him do as much good as he wishes.
This is exactly what Oorfene Deuce wanted. All that remained was to figure out how to regain their former power with the help of a giant bird.
“But not war...” Oorfene thought. “If I ask Carfax to kill even one person for the sake of my aggrandizement, he will immediately guess my intentions.” He can tear me to pieces for deceiving... - Oorfene imagined with horror a monstrous bird attacking him. - I must act wiser. It is necessary, with the help of the eagle, to become the ruler of some backward people. And when I take this people into my hands, I will have both an army and weapons... Then beware, Scarecrow and Woodman!”
Oorfene began to wonder in his thoughts in which part of the country he could most easily become a ruler. And then he remembered the Jumpers.
The warlike tribe of Jumpers lived in the mountains between the Big River and Stella's domain. No one has yet managed to cross the country of the Jumpers; they did not allow anyone to come to them.
Ellie Smith, during her first stay in Fairyland, was heading to the good fairy Stella with her friends Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Brave Lion. On their way, the region of the Jumpers, surrounded by mountains, became an insurmountable obstacle. The Scarecrow tried to climb the mountain, followed by the Lion, but they were knocked down by the mighty fists of the Jumpers. Ellie and her companions would never have reached Stella’s Pink Palace if Ellie had not at that time owned the Golden Cap, which gave her power over the Flying Monkeys. The girl called the Flying Monkeys, and they carried the travelers to Stella's palace by air. 4
This is described in the book “The Wizard of the Emerald City”.
Many centuries ago, the Marrans (as the Jumpers called themselves) lived in the Underground Country on the banks of a river that flowed into the Middle Lake. According to legend, they hid in a dungeon from strong enemies who pressed them from all sides. There, among the rocks, the Marranos built a city, the ruins of which were seen by Ellie Smith and Fred Canning when they completed a long and dangerous journey into the bowels of the earth.
Alexander Melentyevich Volkov
Fire god of the Marrans
Exile
My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far away, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the ever-hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It was to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought a house with a girl Ellie and a dog Totoshka from Kansas. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
In those days, in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City, lived the great wizard Goodwin. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a living straw dummy of the Scarecrow, a Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The Scarecrow wanted to get the brains into the straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow smart brains made of bran mixed with needles and pins, the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and foamed in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored with living in Magic Land and left it in a hot air balloon. Flying away, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Miguns, who inhabited the Violet Country. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When the cherished wishes of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magical silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave.
The Scarecrow did not long enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City. Life-giving powder accidentally fell into the hands of the evil and treacherous carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, brought them to life and, with the help of this strong army, captured the Emerald City. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on the top of a high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help, the Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was carried to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggy-Carr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time.
Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, the one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a landship, and on this ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
The fight with Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends won.
Urfene was tried.
For all his crimes he deserved cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges:
– Friends, isn’t it better to just leave this person alone with himself?
And Ellie supported him:
- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistling and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone handed him a wooden clown, his favorite and an earphone, which he had brought to life, and Oorfene Deuce automatically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” the Guardian of the city gates, Faramant, who was seeing him off, told Urfin, “and try to become a good person.” First of all, you yourself will benefit from this.
Deuce did not respond to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy eyebrows and quickly walked away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who praised me to the skies, everyone now praises little Ellie and the Giant from beyond the mountains...” (That’s what they called Charlie Black in Fairyland.)
But, looking back, Urfin realized that he was wrong. There was one faithful creature: the bear Topotun trailed in the distance behind his owner. No, Topotun will never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce gets into. After all, it was Oorfene, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, who revived his skin when it lay as a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude...
- Stomper, come to me!
The bear ran up to its owner at a joyful trot:
- I'm here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord…"
This word eased Urfin’s mental wound. Yes, he is still a master, if only for one humble servant and for an insignificant clown. What if?. Vague hopes flashed through Urfin's brain. Are his enemies celebrating their victory too early?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is free, and no one has taken away from him his indomitable will, the ability to take advantage of favorable circumstances, a cunning, resourceful mind, and skillful hands.
Urfin's hunched form straightened up, a faint smile lit up his dark face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin of his mouth.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Urfin shook his fist:
“You will regret, you unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free!”
“Yes, they will be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, to my homeland, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. “You and I have a house there.” I hope no one touched him. There we will find shelter for the first time.
“And we have a vegetable garden there, lord,” said Topotun, “and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits.” I don't need food, but I will catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, away from everyone, in peace and contentment.
These were not the thoughts of Urfin.
“The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me,” Deuce thought, “I will hide until they forget about me. And then... we’ll see there!..”
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of the Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but Kaggi-Karr ruined the matter. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was heading. Everyone who lived near the road paved with yellow brick was promptly notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Urfene.
Men and women, old people and children came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Urfin with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they had scolded him and thrown stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his native place resembled a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would have rushed at each of his enemies, grabbed him by the throat, heard his death rattle... But this was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We'll still laugh at them!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because none of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would provide him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from the trees. He was very thin and, approaching the forest of Sabertooth Tigers, almost wished that the meeting with predators would bring an end
My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far away, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the ever-hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It was to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought a house with a girl Ellie and a dog Totoshka from Kansas. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
In those days, in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City, lived the Great Wizard Goodwin. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a living straw dummy of the Scarecrow, a Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The Scarecrow wanted to get the brains into the straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow smart brains made from bran mixed with needles and pins. To the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, to the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and foamed in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored with living in Magic Land and left it in a hot air balloon. Flying away, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Miguns, who inhabited the Violet Country. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When the cherished wishes of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magical silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave.
The Scarecrow did not long enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City. Life-giving powder accidentally fell into the hands of the evil and treacherous carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, brought them to life and, with the help of this strong army, captured the Emerald City. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them at the top of a high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help, the Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was carried to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggy-Carr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time. Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, the one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a landship, and on this ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
The fight against Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends won.
Urfene was tried.
For all his crimes he deserved cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges.
Friends, isn’t it better to just leave this person alone with himself?
And Ellie supported him:
Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistling and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone handed him a wooden clown, his favorite, and an earphone, which he had animated, and Oorfene Deuce automatically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” the Guardian of the city gates, Faramant, who was seeing him off, told Urfin. - and try to become a good person. First of all, you yourself will benefit from this.
Deuce did not respond to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy eyebrows and quickly walked away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has abandoned me,” the former king of the Emerald City reflected bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who praised me to the skies, everyone now praises little Ellie and the Giant from beyond the mountains... (That's what they called Charlie Black in Fairyland.)"
But, looking back, Urfin realized that he was wrong. There was one faithful creature: the bear Topotun trudged in the distance behind his owner. No, Topotun will never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce gets into. After all, it was Oorfene, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, who revived his skin when it lay as a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude...
Stomper, come to me!
The bear ran up to its owner at a joyful trot.
I'm here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord..."
This word eased Urfin’s mental wound. Yes, he is still a master, if only for one humble servant and for an insignificant clown. What if?.. Vague hopes flashed through Urfin’s brain. Are his enemies celebrating their victory too early?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is free, and no one has taken away from him his indomitable will, the ability to take advantage of favorable circumstances, a cunning, resourceful mind, and skillful hands.
Urfin's hunched form straightened up, a faint smile lit up his dark face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin of his mouth.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Urfin shook his fist:
You will regret, you unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free!..
Yes, they will be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, to my homeland, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - You and I have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find shelter for the first time.
“And we have a vegetable garden there, lord,” said Topotun, “and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits.” I don't need food, but I will catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, away from everyone, in peace and contentment.
These were not the thoughts of Urfin.
“The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me,” Deuce thought, “I will hide until they forget about me. And then... we’ll see!..”
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of the Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but Kaggi-Karr ruined the matter. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was heading. Everyone who lived near the road paved with yellow brick was promptly notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Urfin.
Men and women, old people and children came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Urfin with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they had scolded him and thrown stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his native place resembled a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would have rushed at each of his enemies, grabbed him by the throat, heard his death rattle... But this was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage. oskazkah.ru - website
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We'll still laugh at them!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because none of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would provide him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from the trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the forest of Saber-Toothed Tigers, he almost wished that the meeting with the predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders took over, and Urfin quietly slipped through the dangerous place.
And here, finally, is my home. The exile was relieved to see that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property was preserved intact. He took the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.
Current page: 1 (book has 11 pages total) [available reading passage: 8 pages]
Alexander Melentyevich Volkov
Fire god of the Marrans
Exile
My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far away, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the ever-hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It was to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought a house with a girl Ellie and a dog Totoshka from Kansas. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
In those days, in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City, lived the great wizard Goodwin. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a living straw dummy of the Scarecrow, a Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The Scarecrow wanted to get the brains into the straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow smart brains made of bran mixed with needles and pins, the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and foamed in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored with living in Magic Land and left it in a hot air balloon. Flying away, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Miguns, who inhabited the Violet Country. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When the cherished wishes of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magical silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave. 1
All these events are described in detail in the book “The Wizard of the Emerald City.”
The Scarecrow did not long enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City. Life-giving powder accidentally fell into the hands of the evil and treacherous carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, brought them to life and, with the help of this strong army, captured the Emerald City. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on the top of a high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help, the Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was carried to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggy-Carr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time.
Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, the one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a landship, and on this ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
The fight with Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends won. 2
These events are described in the book “Oorfene Deuce and His Wooden Soldiers.”
Urfene was tried.
For all his crimes he deserved cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges:
– Friends, isn’t it better to just leave this person alone with himself?
And Ellie supported him:
- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistling and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone handed him a wooden clown, his favorite and an earphone, which he had brought to life, and Oorfene Deuce automatically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” the Guardian of the city gates, Faramant, who was seeing him off, told Urfin, “and try to become a good person.” First of all, you yourself will benefit from this.
Deuce did not respond to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy eyebrows and quickly walked away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who praised me to the skies, everyone now praises little Ellie and the Giant from beyond the mountains...” (That’s what they called Charlie Black in Fairyland.)
But, looking back, Urfin realized that he was wrong. There was one faithful creature: the bear Topotun trailed in the distance behind his owner. No, Topotun will never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce gets into. After all, it was Oorfene, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, who revived his skin when it lay as a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude...
- Stomper, come to me!
The bear ran up to its owner at a joyful trot:
- I'm here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord…"
This word eased Urfin’s mental wound. Yes, he is still a master, if only for one humble servant and for an insignificant clown. What if?. Vague hopes flashed through Urfin's brain. Are his enemies celebrating their victory too early?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is free, and no one has taken away from him his indomitable will, the ability to take advantage of favorable circumstances, a cunning, resourceful mind, and skillful hands.
Urfin's hunched form straightened up, a faint smile lit up his dark face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin of his mouth.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Urfin shook his fist:
“You will regret, you unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free!”
“Yes, they will be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, to my homeland, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. “You and I have a house there.” I hope no one touched him. There we will find shelter for the first time.
“And we have a vegetable garden there, lord,” said Topotun, “and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits.” I don't need food, but I will catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, away from everyone, in peace and contentment.
These were not the thoughts of Urfin.
“The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me,” Deuce thought, “I will hide until they forget about me. And then... we’ll see there!..”
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of the Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but Kaggi-Karr ruined the matter. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was heading. Everyone who lived near the road paved with yellow brick was promptly notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Urfin.
Men and women, old people and children came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Urfin with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they had scolded him and thrown stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his native place resembled a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would have rushed at each of his enemies, grabbed him by the throat, heard his death rattle... But this was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We'll still laugh at them!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because none of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would provide him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from the trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the forest of Saber-Toothed Tigers, he almost wished that the meeting with the predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders took over, and Urfin quietly slipped through the dangerous place.
And here, finally, is my home. The exile was relieved to see that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property was preserved intact. He took the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.
Giant bird
Battle in the air
Seven years have passed since Oorfene Deuce lost power over the Emerald City. Much has changed in the world. Ellie Smith, who left the Magic Land forever, graduated from school and entered a teacher training college in a neighboring city: she chose for herself the modest role of a folk teacher. Her younger sister Annie (she was born while Ellie was in the Underworld) went to first grade and began to study the secrets of the alphabet.
The one-legged sailor Charlie Black bought a ship and made several voyages to the Kuru-Kusu islands, the inhabitants of which greeted him with joy every time.
How were things going in the Magic Land? The Winks and Munchkins continued to live as before, but the life of the underground miners, whom Ellie visited on her third and final trip to the land of wonders, changed completely.
There, in the colossal Cave, Ellie and her second cousin Fred Canning experienced many strange, wonderful adventures. They managed to restore the disappeared source of Soporific Water, and with this water they put to sleep seven underground kings, who in turn ruled the miners. The funniest and most curious thing was that the kings, having woken up, forgot about their royal dignity and turned into blacksmiths, farmers, and weavers. Along with their former subjects, they worked hard to earn food for themselves and their families.
Having ended the royal power, the inhabitants of the Cave moved to the upper world and occupied empty lands adjacent to the country of the Munchkins. There they sowed wheat and flax, planted gardens, fattened livestock, and processed metals. It took them a long time to part with their dark glasses, because their eyes, accustomed to twilight, could not stand sunlight for a long time. 3
Ellie's third journey is described in the book "Seven Underground Kings."
Only in the life of Oorfene Deuce there were no changes during the many years of loneliness. He dug up a garden and began cultivating vegetables, harvesting three crops a year.
How diligently the former king looked closely at the soil of his plot, wielding a shovel! How he wanted to find at least one single seed of that amazing plant from which he received the life-giving powder! Oh, if he had come across such a seed, he would not have made wooden soldiers again! No, he would make a monster studded with iron, invulnerable to arrows and fire, and again become the ruler of the Magic Land.
But his search was in vain and even pointless. After all, if just one sprout, one living piece of an extraordinary plant had survived destruction, it would again have filled the surrounding area.
Every evening, every morning, Oorfene looked at the sky in the hope that a storm would break out, similar to the one that once brought him the seeds of extraordinary plants. But fierce hurricanes swept over the country, leaving nothing but destruction.
And Urfin, after he was king and reveled in the consciousness of power over thousands and thousands of people, had to be content with the modest share of a gardener. Of course, there was no need to worry about food under the fertile sky of Wonderland, especially since Stomper often brought a fat rabbit or hare to the owner. But this is not what the exile wanted: at night he dreamed of a royal robe on his shoulders, and he woke up disappointed, with a beating heart.
In the first months of his lonely life, Urfin sometimes met Munchkins while walking, especially if he went towards the village of Kogida, where he was born and raised. However, his fellow tribesmen ran away from him as if he were plagued, trying not to meet his gaze, and even their backs seemed to radiate hatred.
But the weeks turned into months, months into years, and human enmity towards Urfin faded away. Memories of his crimes faded, overshadowed by new events, new everyday worries.
After a few years, the residents of Kogida began to greet the exile in a friendly manner, and if Urfin wanted to move to the village, no one would interfere with him. But Oorfene gloomily responded to greetings, did not enter into conversations, and with all his appearance showed that the company of people was unpleasant to him. Shrugging their shoulders, the Munchkins walked away from the unsociable gardener. And Oorfene continued to indulge in dark dreams about how he would take revenge on people if only he could.
And fate met him halfway.
One day at noon, Oorfene was digging in the garden, when suddenly his attention was attracted by a sharp squawk coming from above. The exile raised his head. Three eagles fought high in the azure sky. The fight was fierce, two birds attacked one, trying to hit it with their beaks and blows of their wings. The victim of the attack desperately fought back, trying to escape from her enemies, but she failed. At first the eagles did not seem particularly large to Oorfene, but they began to descend, and Deuce became convinced that their size was enormous.
The terrible battle continued, the squeal of monstrous eagles became more and more audible, as the birds approached the ground. The wounded bird weakened under the blows of its enemies, its movements became more and more erratic. And suddenly, folding her wings, she tumbled and flew down.
The eagle fell with a dull noise onto the lawn in front of Urfin's house. The gardener timidly approached him. A bird, even mortally wounded, could kill a person with an accidental blow of its wing.
Approaching the eagle, Urfin became convinced that it was of colossal size: its outstretched wings occupied the entire area from edge to edge, and there were thirty steps there. And then Oorfene saw with amazement that the bird was alive. Her body was trembling slightly, and her gaze was strangely mixed with pride and pleading. The other two eagles descended with the clear intention of finishing off the enemy.
“Protect,” the huge bird muttered hoarsely.
Deuce grabbed a huge stake that stood by the fence and raised it with a determined look. The attackers soared up, but continued to circle over Urfin's possession.
“They will finish me off,” said the wounded eagle. “Man, dig a hole next to me and pretend you’re going to bury me.” My enemies will leave this region only after they are convinced that I am buried. When it gets dark, I will hide in the bushes, and you will throw the earth into an empty hole.
At night the cunning invention was fulfilled, and in the morning the monstrous eagles, circling over the empty grave, flew away to the north.
History of Carfax
The wonders of the Magic Land are countless, and a whole human life would not be enough to know them all. As if it wasn’t so great, how diverse its nature was, how many human tribes, extraordinary animals and birds inhabited it!
In a secluded valley of the Circum-World Mountains, in their northern part, lived a tribe of giant eagles. Carfax, the unexpected guest of Oorfene Deuce, was from there.
This is what Carfax told the exile when he recovered from his wounds.
“Our tribe has been living in the Round the World Mountains for a very long time,” said the eagle, “its numbers are very small.” And the reason for this is this. Our food is aurochs and mountain goats that inhabit mountain slopes and deep gorges. The goat tribe could multiply and live without worries, but we eagles interfere with this by hunting them.
With our vigilance, strength and speed of flight, we could destroy all the goats and aurochs, but we do not do this. The disappearance of animals would mean our end: we would die out of hunger. And therefore, since ancient times, the number of members of our tribe should not exceed one hundred.
- How do you manage to do this? - asked Urfin, interested.
“Our laws on this matter are very strict,” Carfax replied. – The eagle family has the right to breed a chick only if one of the adult members of the tribe dies of old age or dies from an accident, for example, by being hit by a rock during a careless attack on prey.
– But who gets the right to give a replacement to the deceased?
– This right is given on a strict priority basis to all families inhabiting Eagle Valley. The custom was religiously followed for centuries, but recently it was broken, and this brought great disasters to our people. “We live for a very long time,” Carfax continued, “one hundred and fifty to two hundred years, so a small one does not appear in our valley every year. You should have seen how the eagles take care of him, how they quarrel over who should feed the chick or warm him under their wing! Often they push their own mother away from the baby... What can you do,” Carfax sighed, “our women’s maternal feelings are strong, and each of them gets the happiness of raising a baby only once or twice during her long life.”
“For us people, this matter is simpler,” thought Urfin. “You can have as many guys as you like, although it’s quite a burden.”
Carfax continued:
“I’m eighty years old, this is the peak of strength and health for us giant eagles.” This year, for the first time, my friend Araminta and I got the turn to hatch a chick. How joyfully we waited for this happy day when my wife would be allowed to lay an egg! What a cozy nest of thin branches and leaves was prepared in the recess of the rock!.. And everything collapsed. The vile leader Arrajes, violating the ancient law, announced that the chick would be bred in his family!
He needed an heir, since his only son had recently died while hunting for a tour... - Carfax trembled with indignation, talking about the leader’s dishonorable act, and the gardener thought with ridicule that he, Oorfene, would not have boiled over because of such a trifle.
“Tell me, man, was Arrajes worthy to remain our leader after such a dishonorable violation of fatherly customs?” I, at least, thought it would be a shame to obey him. I found supporters. We were preparing an uprising to overthrow Arrajes. Unfortunately, a low traitor snuck into our ranks, he told the leader everything, and revealed the names of the conspirators. Arrajes and his supporters suddenly attacked us. Each of my friends had to deal with two or three opponents. Araminta died in the first minutes of the battle. Arrajes and the eagle attacked me, revealing the conspiracy. Thinking of finding salvation in flight, I crossed the World Mountains and went deeper into the Magic Land. The enemies did not lag behind... You know the rest,” Carfax finished wearily.
There was a long silence. Then the eagle spoke:
- My life is in your hands. I can't go back to the mountains. Even if I settle in the most remote part of them, Arrajes and his spies will hunt me down and kill me. It is impossible for me to hunt in your forests.
You feed me animals that you call hares and rabbits. They are tasty, but how can I see them in the dense thicket, much less grab them with my claws...
After thinking, Urfin said:
“Topotun is catching game for you and will do so until you get better.” And then we’ll see, maybe I’ll figure out how to feed you.
And then the thought arose in Urfin’s dark soul that this gigantic bird could serve his purposes. Here was the long-awaited means of breaking out of obscurity again and “grabbing fate by the horns,” as he liked to put it.
“But I need to be very careful,” thought Urfin. “This bird, with its strange concepts of justice, will not help me if it considers my actions even in the slightest degree dishonest... However, I will not rush, I will have enough time to think everything over.”
The plans of Oorfene Deuce
By asking discreet questions, Oorfene Deuce became convinced that in Eagle Valley they knew nothing about human affairs. Carfax knew neither about the rapid rise of Urfin, nor about his shameful fall. The exile forbade Stomper to even mention a word about the past and ordered the clown to ensure that the bird and the bear, who loved to chat, did not meet alone. He himself began to act more boldly. He had long conversations with the recovering eagle and, as if by accident, admitted that he had one desire on his mind - to bring good to people.
- Why, then, do you live in the forest far from the rest of the pack? – Carfax was surprised.
“You see, helping one village is too small for me,” Urfin cunned. - Now, if I managed to become the head of an entire people, then I would turn around and show myself.
-Who is stopping you from becoming a leader? – the simple-minded eagle was perplexed.
“My compatriots don’t understand me,” Deuce dodged. “They think that I strive for power out of ambition, but in reality I set much higher goals for myself.
Such conversations were repeated more than once, and finally the eagle believed in the nobility of Urfin. Carfax agreed to help his friend achieve a high position among people, and then let him do as much good as he wishes.
This is exactly what Oorfene Deuce wanted. All that remained was to figure out how to regain their former power with the help of a giant bird.
“But not war...” Oorfene thought. “If I ask Carfax to kill even one person for the sake of my aggrandizement, he will immediately guess my intentions.” He can tear me to pieces for deceiving... - Oorfene imagined with horror a monstrous bird attacking him. - I must act wiser. It is necessary, with the help of the eagle, to become the ruler of some backward people. And when I take this people into my hands, I will have both an army and weapons... Then beware, Scarecrow and Woodman!”
Oorfene began to wonder in his thoughts in which part of the country he could most easily become a ruler. And then he remembered the Jumpers.
The warlike tribe of Jumpers lived in the mountains between the Big River and Stella's domain. No one has yet managed to cross the country of the Jumpers; they did not allow anyone to come to them.
Ellie Smith, during her first stay in Fairyland, was heading to the good fairy Stella with her friends Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Brave Lion. On their way, the region of the Jumpers, surrounded by mountains, became an insurmountable obstacle. The Scarecrow tried to climb the mountain, followed by the Lion, but they were knocked down by the mighty fists of the Jumpers. Ellie and her companions would never have reached Stella’s Pink Palace if Ellie had not at that time owned the Golden Cap, which gave her power over the Flying Monkeys. The girl called the Flying Monkeys, and they carried the travelers to Stella's palace by air. 4
This is described in the book “The Wizard of the Emerald City”.
Many centuries ago, the Marrans (as the Jumpers called themselves) lived in the Underground Country on the banks of a river that flowed into the Middle Lake. According to legend, they took refuge in a dungeon from strong enemies who pressed them from all sides. There, among the rocks, the Marranos built a city, the ruins of which were seen by Ellie Smith and Fred Canning when they completed a long and dangerous journey into the bowels of the earth.
In that distant era, the Marranos knew how to make fire, made iron tools, fished and hunted the Six-Legged Animals, which were found in abundance in the surrounding area. But over time, there were too many Marranos, they did not have enough fish and animal meat, and it was impossible to engage in arable farming on the rocky soil.
The Marranos, led by Prince Gron, left their dark land. They tried to take part of their vast plain from the underground miners, but the warriors of the seven kings repelled the attack and drove the Jumpers up.
It was difficult for the Marranos in the upper world. Their eyes, accustomed to the eternal darkness of the Cave, for many months could not adapt to the bright daylight. The settlers moved only at night. Half-blind, they wandered around the Magic Land for a long time, died in battles with its indigenous population, suffered enormous damage from predatory animals, died of hunger, drowned while crossing rivers... Several years passed like this.
During their wanderings, the Marranos became wild, lost their weapons, and forgot how to use fire. Finally, Gron led a small group of fugitives to a secluded, unoccupied valley, which became their refuge for centuries. Here they multiplied again, but remained at a very low stage of development.
At first, the memories that their ancestors lived in some strange, gloomy world were passed on by the Marranos from fathers to children, then the memories turned into legends, and then the legends were forgotten. The Marranos lived alone for so long that people living in other parts of the Magic Land knew very little about them.
Oorfene Deuce also knew little about the Marranos. What are their homes like? What do they eat? Do they have any hobbies? How can you capture their imagination? Urfin could not answer all these questions. And coming to a strong, independent tribe without knowing what awaited you there was too dangerous.
“I must carry out a thorough reconnaissance,” thought Urfin. But who will do this reconnaissance? It is impossible to go on his own: he must suddenly appear before the Jumpers as a ruler. Send Stomper? The bear is heavy and clumsy, he does not have the ability to hide and act secretly, as befits a good intelligence officer. And then Oorfene’s gaze fell on the wooden clown, who was fidgeting in the corner of the room.
- That's who I need! – Deuce exclaimed joyfully.
He remembered how the clown helped him during the siege of the Emerald City. Several attacks by the wooden soldiers were repulsed, and Urfin was in great difficulty. And then Eot Ling visited the city on reconnaissance, learned that the rich man Ruf Bilan hated the Scarecrow, and the owl Guamoko persuaded Bilan to open the city gates.
- Eot Ling, come here! - Urfin ordered, and the clown, waddled, hobbled towards him.
- Do you need me, lord?
- Yes. I think I will entrust you with one very important matter.
Oorfene Deuce shared his plans with the clown and told him what Eot Ling should do. The clown listened to Oorfene Deuce and remarked:
– The Land of the Jumpers is very far away, lord. The journey there will be long and dangerous.
“The Carfax will make the journey in a few hours.” He will take you and you will look for everything you need.
Oorfene Deuce and his faithful servant Eot Ling were eagerly waiting for the eagle to recover. The huge bird ate the rabbits and hares, which were regularly delivered by Stomper, to the last bone. Carfax became attached to the good-natured bear, who, sparing no effort, scoured the forest in pursuit of game.
And then the time came when the eagle made its first, still uncertain flight for the first time after its fall. As he flew low over the forest, the flapping of his huge wings shook the branches of the trees, and the frightened squirrels rushed headlong down. Every day Carfax flew further and higher, his strength grew stronger, and finally the day came when he invited Oorfene Deuce to ride on his back.
Oorfene agreed with great apprehension: it’s still scary to find yourself high in the air, not feeling any other support under you than the moving back of an eagle. But if he doesn’t decide to fly, it means he won’t see the country of the Jumpers, won’t achieve power, won’t take revenge on his enemies. And Deuce overcame his fear.
The first step is always difficult. Soon Oorfene happily turned his face to the headwind and proudly looked at the fields and forests rushing by below.
- My! Soon it will all be mine again! - he muttered quietly so that Carfax would not hear.
Oorfene told the eagle about his intention to become the head of the Jumper tribe.
“These are dark, ignorant people,” said Deuce, “and their life is extremely difficult.” I want to bring them all the joys that are possible for a person under the sun of our country.
Carfax agreed to deliver Eoth Ling to the Jumpers. Oorfene sewed clothes for the clown from rabbit skins. Having put it on, Eoth Ling turned into a small, nimble animal. Now, if he catches the eye of any of the Jumpers, he will in no way suspect him of being a scout from foreign lands.
One morning Carfax rose from the lawn in front of Oorfene's house and flew east to the land of the Jumpers. A bunch of rabbits hung around the eagle’s neck—a supply of food. On the eagle's back, clutching its feathers, lay a clown.
The eagle returned in the evening next day. He said that at night, when the Jumpers were sleeping, he carried the scout over the mountain and dropped him in a secluded place. There Eoth Ling will be waiting for him in ten days.
How long these days seemed to Urfin!
But the moment finally came when Carfax returned from the second flight and brought the clown, unharmed and very pleased. The first thing Eot Ling did was to take off his tired suit of rabbit skins and look meaningfully at his owner. He realized that the conversation would be secret and took the clown into the house.
“Well, lord,” Eoth Ling exclaimed cheerfully when they were alone, “what simpletons these are!” Oh, what simpletons!.. But simpletons are dangerous, don’t put your finger in their mouth! – he added significantly.
- Tell me! – Deuce ordered impatiently.
And the clown began a story about what he saw and heard in the country of the Marranos during his ten-day stay there.