ken corner of the Land of
Oz. First place, you've got to take the magic away from Queen
Coo-ee-oh, and from that awful Su-dic, too. My idea is that neither of
them is fit to rule anybody, 'cause they're cruel and hateful. So
you'll have to give the Skeezers and Flatheads new rulers and teach all
their people that they're part of the Land of Oz and must obey, above
all, the lawful Ruler, Ozma of Oz. Then, when you've done that, we can
go back home again."

Ozma smiled at her little friend's earnest counsel, but Lady Aurex said
in an anxious tone:

"I am surprised that you suggest these reforms while you are yet
prisoners on this island and in Coo-ee-oh's power. That these things
should be done, there is no doubt, but just now a dreadful war is
likely to break out, and frightful things may happen to us all. Our
Queen has such conceit that she thinks she can overcome the Su-dic and
his people, but it is said Su-dic's magic is very powerful, although
not as great as that possessed by his wife Rora, before Coo-ee-oh
transformed her into a Golden Pig."

"I don't blame her very much for doing that," remarked Dorothy, "for
the Flatheads were wicked to try to catch your beautiful fish and the
Witch Rora wanted to poison all the fishes in the lake."

"Do you know the reason?" asked the Lady Aurex.

"I don't s'pose there was any reason, 'cept just wickedness," replied
Dorothy.

"Tell us the reason," said Ozma earnestly.

"Well, your Majesty, once--a long time ago--the Flatheads and the
Skeezers were friendly. They visited our island and we visited their
mountain, and everything was pleasant between the two peoples. At that
time the Flatheads were ruled by three Adepts in Sorcery, beautiful
girls who were not Flatheads, but had wandered to the Flat Mountain and
made their home there. These three Adepts used their magic only for
good, and the mountain people gladly made them their rulers. They
taught the Flatheads how to use their canned brains and how to work
metals into clothing that would never wear out, and many other things
that added to their happiness and content.

"Coo-ee-oh was our Queen then, as now, but she knew no magic and so had
nothing to be proud of. But the three Adepts were very kind to
Coo-ee-oh. They built for us this wonderful dome of glass and our
houses of marble and taught us to make beautiful clothing and many
other things. Coo-ee-oh pretended to be very grateful for these favors,
but it seems th