Chapter 14
They now entered the house, and as an interested group,watched Jinjur, at Ozma's command, build a fire and puta kettle of water over to boil. The Ruler of Oz stoodbefore the fire silent and grave, while the others,realizing that an important ceremony of magic was aboutto be performed, stood quietly in the background so asnot to interrupt Ozma's proceedings. Only Polychromekept going in and coming out, humming softly to herselfas she danced, for the Rainbow's Daughter could notkeep still for long, and the four walls of a roomalways made her nervous and ill at ease. She moved sonoiselessly, however, that her movements were like theshifting of sunbeams and did not annoy anyone.
When the water in the kettle bubbled, Ozma drew fromher bosom two tiny packets containing powders. Thesepowders she threw into the kettle and after brisklystirring the contents with a branch from a macaroonbush, Ozma poured the mystic broth upon a broad platterwhich Jinjur had placed upon the table. As the brothcooled it became as silver, reflecting all objects fromits smooth surface like a mirror.
While her companions gathered around the table,eagerly attentive -- and Dorothy even held little Totoin her arms that he might see -- Ozma waved her wandover the mirror-like surface. At once it reflected theinterior of Yoop Castle, and in the big hall sat Mrs.Yoop, in her best embroidered silken robes, engaged inweaving a new lace apron to replace the one she hadlost.
The Giantess seemed rather uneasy, as if she had afaint idea that someone was spying upon her, for shekept looking behind her and this way and that, asthough expecting danger from an unknown source. Perhapssome yookoohoo instinct warned her. Woot saw that shehad escaped from her room by some of the magical meansat her disposal, after her prisoners had escaped her.She was now occupying the big hall of her castle as sheused to do. Also Woot thought, from the cruelexpression on the face of the Giantess, that she wasplanning revenge on them, as soon as her new magicapron was finished
But Ozma was now making passes over the platter withher silver Wand, and presently the form of the Giantessbegan to shrink in size and to change its shape. Andnow, in her place sat the form of Woot the Wanderer,and as if suddenly realizing her transformation Mrs.Yoop threw down her work and rushed to a looking-glassthat stood against the wall of her room. When she sawthe boy's form reflected as her own, she grew violentlyangry and dashed her head against the mirror, smashingit to atoms.
Just then Ozma was busy with her magic Wand, makingstrange figures, and she had also placed her left handfirmly upon the shoulder of the Green Monkey. So now,as all eyes were turned upon the platter, the form ofMrs. Yoop gradually changed again. She was slowlytransformed into the Green Monkey, and at the same timeWoot slowly regained his natural form.
It was quite a surprise to them all when they raisedtheir eyes from the platter and saw Woot the Wandererstanding beside Ozma. And, when they glanced at theplatter again, it reflected nothing more than the wallsof the room in Jinjur's house in which they stood. Themagic ceremonial was ended, and Ozma of Oz hadtriumphed over the wicked Giantess.
"What will become of her, I wonder?" said Dorothy, asshe drew a long breath.
"She will always remain a Green Monkey," repliedOzma, "and in that form she will be unable to performany magical arts whatsoever. She need not be unhappy,however, and as she lives all alone in her castle sheprobably won't mind the transformation very much aftershe gets used to it."
"Anyhow, it serves her right," declared Dorothy, andall agreed with her.
"But," said the kind hearted Tin Woodman, "I'm afraidthe Green Monkey will starve, for Mrs. Yoop used to gether food by magic, and now that the magic is taken awayfrom her, what can she eat?"
"Why, she'll eat what other monkeys do," returned theScarecrow. "Even in the form of a Green Monkey, she's avery clever person, and I'm sure her wits will show herhow to get plenty to eat."
"Don't worry about her," advised Dorothy. "She didn'tworry about you, and her condition is no worse than thecondition she imposed on poor Woot. She can't starve todeath in the Land of Oz, that's certain, and if shegets hungry at times it's no more than the wicked thingdeserves. Let's forget Mrs. Yoop; for, in spite of herbeing a yookoohoo, our fairy friends have broken all ofher transformations."