eralds, every one exquisitely cut and of very great
size. There are other jewels used in the decorations inside the houses
and palaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and
turquoises. But in the streets and upon the outside of the buildings
only emeralds appear, from which circumstance the place is named the
Emerald City of Oz. It has nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-four
buildings, in which lived fifty-seven thousand three hundred and
eighteen people, up to the time my story opens.

All the surrounding country, extending to the borders of the desert
which enclosed it upon every side, was full of pretty and comfortable
farmhouses, in which resided those inhabitants of Oz who preferred
country to city life.

Altogether there were more than half a million people in the Land of
Oz--although some of them, as you will soon learn, were not made of
flesh and blood as we are--and every inhabitant of that favored country
was happy and prosperous.

No disease of any sort was ever known among the Ozites, and so no one
ever died unless he met with an accident that prevented him from
living. This happened very seldom, indeed. There were no poor people
in the Land of Oz, because there was no such thing as money, and all
property of every sort belonged to the Ruler. The people were her
children, and she cared for them. Each person was given freely by his
neighbors whatever he required for his use, which is as much as any one
may reasonably desire. Some tilled the lands and raised great crops of
grain, which was divided equally among the entire population, so that
all had enough. There were many tailors and dressmakers and shoemakers
and the like, who made things that any who desired them might wear.
Likewise there were jewelers who made ornaments for the person, which
pleased and beautified the people, and these ornaments also were free
to those who asked for them. Each man and woman, no matter what he or
she produced for the good of the community, was supplied by the
neighbors with food and clothing and a house and furniture and
ornaments and games. If by chance the supply ever ran short, more was
taken from the great storehouses of the Ruler, which were afterward
filled up again when there was more of any article than the people
needed.

Every one worked half the time and played half the time, and the people
enjoyed the work as much as they did the play, because it is good to be
occupied and to hav