ce for many years, until I
grew old and longed to see my native city once again. So when Dorothy
was first blown to this place by a cyclone I arranged to go away with
her in a balloon; but the balloon escaped too soon and carried me back
alone. After many adventures I reached Omaha, only to find that all my
old friends were dead or had moved away. So, having nothing else to do,
I joined a circus again, and made my balloon ascensions until the
earthquake caught me."

"That is quite a history," said Ozma; "but there is a little more
history about the Land of Oz that you do not seem to understand--perhaps
for the reason that no one ever told it you. Many years before you came
here this Land was united under one Ruler, as it is now, and the Ruler's
name was always 'Oz', which means in our language 'Great and Good'; or,
if the Ruler happened to be a woman, her name was always 'Ozma.' But
once upon a time four Witches leagued together to depose the king and
rule the four parts of the kingdom themselves; so when the Ruler, my
grandfather, was hunting one day, one Wicked Witch named Mombi stole him
and carried him away, keeping him a close prisoner. Then the Witches
divided up the kingdom, and ruled the four parts of it until you came
here. That was why the people were so glad to see you, and why they
thought from your initials that you were their rightful ruler."

"But, at that time," said the Wizard, thoughtfully, "there were two Good
Witches and two Wicked Witches ruling in the land."

"Yes," replied Ozma, "because a good Witch had conquered Mombi in the
North and Glinda the Good had conquered the evil Witch in the South. But
Mombi was still my grandfather's jailor, and afterward my father's
jailor. When I was born she transformed me into a boy, hoping that no
one would ever recognize me and know that I was the rightful Princess of
the Land of Oz. But I escaped from her and am now the Ruler of my
people."

"I am very glad of that," said the Wizard, "and hope you will consider
me one of your most faithful and devoted subjects."

"We owe a great deal to the Wonderful Wizard," continued the Princess,
"for it was you who built this splendid Emerald City."

"Your people built it," he answered. "I only bossed the job, as we say
in Omaha."

"But you ruled it wisely and well for many years," said she, "and made
the people proud of your magical art. So, as you are now too old to
wander abroad and work in a circus, I offer you