Latest / Adventure Books Library / 07 - The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus - L Frank Baum
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- Adulthood, Chapter six, The Wickedness of the Oguas. I must now tell you something about the Ogas, that terrible race of creatures which caused our good claws so much trouble, and nearly succeeded in robbing the children of the world of their earliest and best friend. I do not like to mention the Ogas, but they are a part of this history and cannot be ignored. They were neither mortals nor immortals, but stood midway between those classes of beings. The Oguas were invisible to ordinary people, but not to immortals. They could pass swiftly through the air from one part of the world to another, and had the power of influencing the minds of human beings to do their wicked will. They were of gigantic stature and had coarse, scowling countenances, which showed plainly their hatred of all mankind. They possessed no conc chiances whatever, and delighted only in evil deeds. Their homes were in rocky, mountainous places, from whence they sallied forth to accomplish their wicked purposes. The one of their number that could think of the most horrible deed for them to do was always elected the king Ogua, and all the race obeyed his orders. Sometimes these creatures lived to become a hundred years old, but usually they fought so fiercely among themselves that many were destroyed in combat, and when they died, that was the end of them. Mortals were powerless to harm them, and the immortals shuddered when the Oguas were mentioned and always avoided them. So they flourished for many years unopposed and accomplished much evil. I am glad to assure you that these vile creatures have long since perished and passed from the earth. But in the days when Claws was making his first toys, they were a numerous and powerful tribe. One of the principal sports of the Aguas was to inspire angry passions in the hearts of little children, so that they quarreled and fought with one another. They would tempt boys to eat of unripe fruit and then delight in the pain they suffered. They urged little girls to disobey their parents, and then would laugh when the children were punished. I do not know what causes a child to be naughty in these days, but when the Oguas were on earth, naughty children were usually under their influence. Now, when Claws began to make children happy, he kept them out of the power of the Oguas. For children possessing such lovely playthings as he gave them had no wish to obey the evil thoughts the Aguas tried to thrust into their minds. Therefore, one year, when the wicked tribe was to elect a new king, they chose in Agua, who proposed to destroy clar and take him away from the children. There are, as you know, fewer naughty children in the world since Claws came to the Laughing Valley and began to make his toys, said the new king, as he squatted upon a rock and looked around at the scowling faces of his people. Why Bessie Blithesome has not stamped her foot once this month, nor has Mary's brother slapped his sister's face or thrown the puppy into the rain barrel. Little Weekham took his bath last night without screaming or struggling, because his mother had promised he should take his toy cat to bed with him. Such a condition of affairs is awful for any agua to think of. And the only way we can direct the naughty actions of children is to take this person, Claws away from them. Good good, cried the big oguas in a chorus, and they clapped their hands to applaud the speech of the king. But what shall we do with him, asked one of the creatures. I have a plan, replied the wicked king. And what his plan was you will soon discover. That night, Claws went to bed feeling very happy, for he had completed no less than four pretty toys during the day, and they were sure he thought to make four little children happy. But while he slept, the band of invisible aguas surrounded his bed, bound him with stout cords, and then flew away with him to the middle of a dark forest in far off ethop, where they had laid him down and left him. When morning came, Claws found himself thousands of miles from any human being, a prisoner in the wild jungle of an unknown land. From the limb of a tree above his head swayed a huge python, one of those reptiles that are able to crush a man's bones in their coils. A few yards away, crouched a savage panther, its glaring red eyes fixed full on the helpless claws. One of those monstrous spotted spiders whose sting is death, crept stealthily toward him over the matted leaves, which shriveled and turned black at its very touch. But Claws had been reared in Burzee and was not afraid. Come to me, ye nooks of the forest, he cried, and gave the low, peculiar whistle that the knooks snow. The panther, which was about to spring upon its victim, turned and slunk away. The python swung itself into the tree and disappeared among the leaves. The spider stopped short in its advance and hid beneath a rotting log. Claws had no time to notice them, for he was surrounded by a band of harsh, featured nooks, more crooked and deformed in appearance than any he had ever seen. Who are you that call on us, demanded one in a gruff voice. The friend of your brothers in Burzie, answered Claws. I have been brought here by my enemies, the oguas, and left to perish miserably. Yet now I implore your help to release me and to send me home again, Have you the sign asked another, Yes, said Claws. They cut his bonds, and with his free arms he made the secret sign of the knooks. Instantly they assisted him to stand upon his feet, and they brought him food and drink to strengthen him. Our brothers of Berzi make queer friends, grumbled an ancient knook, whose flowing beard was pure white. But he who knows our secret sign and signal is entitled to our help, whoever he may be. Close your eyes, stranger, and we will conduct you to your home. Where shall we seek? It tis in the laughing valley, answered Claws, shutting his eyes. There is but one laughing valley in the known world, so we cannot go astray, remarked the knook. As he spoke, the sound of his voice seemed to die away, so Claws opened his eyes to see what caused the change. To his astonishment, he found himself seated on the bench by his own door, with the laughing valley spread out before him. That day he visited the wood Nymphs and related his adventure to queens Erline and Nesille. The Aguas have become your enemies, said the lovely Queen thoughtfully, so we must do all we can to protect you from their power. It was cowardly to bind him while he slept, remarked Necile with indignation. The evil ones are ever cowardly, answered Zerline. But our friend's slumber shall not be disturbed again. The Queen herself came to the dwelling of Claws that evening and placed her seal on every door and window to keep out the Oguas. And under the seal of Queen Zerline was placed the seal of the Fairies, and the seal of the Rylls, and the seals of the knooks. That the charm might become more powerful. And Claws carried his toys to the children again, and made many more of the little ones happy. You may guess how angry the King Ogua and his fierce band were when it was known to them that Claws had escaped from the forest of Athop. They raged madly for a whole week, and then held another meeting among the rocks. It is useless to carry him where the knooks rain, said the king, for he has their protection. So let us cast him into a cave of our own mountains, where he will surely perish. This was promptly agreed to, and the wicked band set out that night to seize Claws. But they found his dwelling guarded by the seals of the immortals, and were obliged to go away, baffled and disappointed. Never mind, said the king, he does not sleep always. Next day, as Claws traveled to the village across the plain, where he intended to present a new toy squirrel to a lame boy, he was suddenly set upon by the oguas, who seized him and carried him away to the mountains. There they thrust him within a deep cavern and rolled many huge rocks against the entrance to prevent his escape. Deprived thus of light and food, and with little air to breathe, our Claws was indeed in a pitiable plight. But he spoke the mystic words of the fairies, which all always command their friendly aid, and they came to his rescue and transported him to the Laughing Valley in the twinkling of an eye. Thus the oguas discovered they might not destroy one who had earned the friendship of the immortals. So the evil band sought other means of keeping Claws from bringing happiness to children and so making them obedient. Whenever Claw set out to carry his toys to the little ones, an ogua, who had been set to watch his movements, sprang upon him and snatched the toys from his grasp, And the children were no more disappointed than was Claws when he was obliged to return home. Disconsolate, still, he persevered and made many toys for his little friends, and started with them for the villages. And always the oguas robbed him as soon as he had left the valley. They threw the stolen playthings into one of their lonely caverns, and quite a heap of toys accumulated before Claws became discouraged and gave up all attempts to leave the valley. Then children began coming to him, since they found he did not go to them, but the wicked oguas flew around them and caused their steps to stray and the path to become crooked, so never a little one could find a way into the laughing valley. Lonely days now fell upon Claws, for he was denied the pleasure of bringing happiness to the children whom he had learned to love. Yet he bore up bravely, for he thought surely the time would come when the Oguas would abandon their evil designs to injure him. He devoted all his hours to toy making, and when one plaything had been completed, he stood it on a shelf he had built for that purpose. When the shelf became filled with rows of toys, he made another one and filled that also, so that in time he had many shelves filled with gay and beautiful toys representing horses, dogs, cats, elephants, lambs, rabbits, and deer, as well as pretty dolls of all sizes, and balls and marbles of baked clay painted in gay colors. Often, as he glanced at this array of childish treasures, the heart of good old Claws became sad, so greatly did he long to carry the toys to his children. And at last, because he could bear it no longer, he ventured to go to the great Ak, to whom he told the story of his persecution by the Aguas, and begged the master Woodsman to assist him. End of chapter six, Chapter seven, the Great Battle between Good and Evil. Ak listened gravely to the recital of Claws stroking his beard the while with the slow, graceful motion that betokened deep thought. He nodded approvingly when Claws told how the knooks and fairies had saved him from death, and frowned when he heard how the og was had stolen the children's toys. At last, he said, from the beginning, I have approved the work you are doing among the children of men, and it annoys me that your good deeds should be thwarted by the ogas. We immortals have no connection whatever with the evil creatures who have attacked you. Always have we avoided them, and they in turn have hitherto taken care not to cross our pathway. But in this matter I find they have interfered with one of our friends, and I will ask them to abandon their persecutions, as you are under our protection. Claws thanked the master woodsmen most gratefully and returned to his valley. While Akh, who never delayed carrying out his promises, at once traveled to the mountains of the Aguas. There, standing on the bare rocks, he called on the king and his people to appear. Instantly, the place was filled with throngs of the scowling Aguas, and their king, perching himself on a point of a rock, demanded fiercely, who dares call on us? It is I, the master woodsmen of the world, responded, AC. Here are no forests for you to claim, cried the king angrily. We owe no allegiance to you, nor to any immortal, That is true, replied Ac calmly. Yet you have ventured to interfere with the actions of Claws, who dwells in the Laughing Valley and is under our protection. Many of the Aguas began muttering at this speech, and their king turned threateningly on the master woodsmen. You are set to rule the forests, but the plains and the valleys are ours, he shouted. Keep to your own, dark woods. We will do as we please with Claws. You shall not harm our friend in any way, replied AC, shall we not, asked the king impudently. You will see our powers are vastly superior to those of mortals, and fully as great as those of immortals. It is your conceit that misleads you, said Ac sternly, You are a transient race, passing from life into nothingness. We who live forever pity, But despise you. On earth, you are scorned by all, and in heaven you have no place. Even the mortals, after their earth life enter another existence for all time, and so are your superiors. How, then, dare you, who are neither mortal nor immortal, refuse to obey my wish. The Agua sprang to their feet with menacing gestures, but their king motioned them back. Never before, he cried to Ak, while his voice trembled with rage, has an immortal declared himself, the Master of the Oguas, never shall an immortal venture to interfere with our actions again, For we will avenge your scornful words by killing your friend Claus within three days. Nor you nor all the immortals can save him from our wrath. We defy your powers. Begone, master, woodsmen of the world. In the country of the Aguas, you have no place. It is war, declared Ac with flashing eyes. It is war, returned the king savagely. In three days, your friend will be dead. The Master turned away and came to his forest of Burzi, where he called a meeting of the immortals and told them of the defiance of the Oguas and their purpose to kill claws within three days. The little folk listened to him quietly. What shall we do, asked Ak. These creatures are of no benefit to the world, said the Prince of the Knooks. We must destroy them. Their lives are devoted only to evil deeds, said the Prince of the Rials. We must destroy them. They have no conscience and endeavor to make all mortals as bad as themselves. Said the Queen of the Fairies. We must destroy them. They have defied the great Act and threatened the life of our adopted son, said beautiful Queen Zurl, we must destroy them. The master woodsman smiled. You speak well, said he. These Oguas we know to be a powerful race, and they will fight desperately. Yet the outcome is certain, for we who live can never die, even though conquered by our enemies. While every Agua who is struck down is one foe, the less to oppose us. Prepare then for battle, and let us resolve to show no mercy to the wicked. Thus arose that terrible war between the immortals and the spirits of evil, which is sung of in Fairyland to this very day. The King Agua and his band determined to carry out the threat to destroy Claws. They now hated him for two reasons. He made children happy and was a friend of the Master Woodsman. But since Act's visit, they had reason to fear the opposition of the immortals, and they dreaded defeat. So the king sent swift messengers to all parts of the world to summon every evil creature to his aid. And on the third day after the declaration of war, a mighty army was at the command of the King Ogua. There were three hundred asiatic dragons, breathing fire that consumed everything it touched. These hated mankind and all good spirits. And there were the three eyed giants of Tattery, a host in themselves who liked nothing better than to fight. And next came the black demons from Patalonia, with great spreading wings like those of a bat, which swept terror and misery through the world as they beat upon the air. And joined to these were the gooselgoblins, with long talons as sharp as swords, with which they clawed the flesh from their foes. Finally, everye mountain agua in the world had come to participate in the great battle with the immortals. The King Agua looked around upon this vast army, and his heart beat high with wicked pride, for he believed he would surely triumph over his gentle enemies, who had never before been known to fight. But the master Woodmen had not been idle. None of his people was used to warfare. Yet now that they were called upon to face the hosts of evil, they willingly prepared for the fray. Ac had commanded them to assemble in the Laughing Valley, where Claws, ignorant of the terrible battle that was to be waged on his account, was quietly making toys. Soon the entire valley from hill to hill was filled with the little immortals. The master Woodsmen stood first, bearing a gleaming axe that shone like burnished silver. Next came the rills, with sharp thorns from bramble bushes, Then the nooks, bearing the spears they used when they were forced to prod their savage beasts into submission. The fairies, dressed in white gauze with rainbow hued wings, bore golden wands, and the wood nymphs, in their uniforms of oak leaf green, carried switches from ash trees as weapons. Loud, laughed the Agua king when he beheld the size and the arms of his floes. To be sure, the mighty axe of the woodsmen was to be dreaded. But the sweet faced nymphs and pretty fairies, the gentle rills and crooked knooks, were such harmless folk that he almost felt shame at having called such a terrible host to oppose them. Since these fools dare fight, he said to the leader of the Tattery giants, I will overwhelm them with our evil powers. To begin the battle, he poised a great stone in his left hand and cast it full against the sturdy form of the master Woodsmen, who turned it aside with his axe. Then rushed the three eyed giants of Tattery upon the knooks, and the gooselgoblins upon the rills, and the fire breathing dragons upon the sweet fairies. Because the nymphs were Ax's own people, the band of Agua sought them out, seeking to overcount them with ease. But it is the law that while evil unopposed may accomplish terrible deeds, the powers of good can never be overthrown when opposed to evil. Well, had it been for the king Agua, had he known the law, his ignorance cost him his existence. For one flash of the axe, borne by the master woodsmen of the world, cleft the wicked king in twain and rid the earth of the vilest creature it contained. Greatly marveled the tattery giants when the spears of the little nooks pierced their thick walls of flesh and sent them reeling to the ground with howls of agony. Woe came upon the sharp taloned goblins when the thorns of the rills reached their savage hearts and let their life blood sprinkle all the plane, and afterward from every drop a thistle grew. The dragons paused, astonished before the fairy winds, from whence rushed a power that caused their fiery breaths to flow back on themselves, so that they shriveled away and died. As for the oguas, they had scant time to realize how they were destroyed, for the ash switches of the nymphs bore a charm unknown to any Ogua, and turned their foes into clods of earth at the slightest touch. When ac leaned upon his gleaming axe, and turned to look over the field of battle. He saw the few giants who were able to run disappearing over the distant hills on their return to Tattery. The goblins had perished every one, as had the terrible dragons, while all that remained of the wicked Oguas was a great number of earthen hillocks dotting the plain. And now the immortals melted from the valley like dew at sunrise to resume their duties in the forest. While Ak walked slowly and thoughtfully to the house of Claws and entered. You have many toys ready for the children, said the woodsmen, and now you may carry them across the plain to the dwellings and the villages without fear. Will not the Oguas harm me, asked Claws eagerly. The Oguas said, ac have perished. Now I will gladly have done with wicked spirits and with fighting and bloodshed. It was not from choice that I told you of the Aguas and their allies, and of their great battle with the immortals. They were part of this history and could not be avoided. End of Chapter seven