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22 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L Frank Baum · Adventure Books Collection

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  Chapter twenty two, The Country of the Quadlings. The four travelers passed through
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  the rest of the forest in safety, and when they came out of its
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  gloom, saw before them a steep hill covered from top to bottom with great
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  pieces of rock. That will be a hard climb, said the scarecrow,
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  But we must get over the hill nevertheless, so he led the way,
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  and the others followed. They had nearly reached the first rock when they heard
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  a rough voice cry out, keep back. Who are you, asked the
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  scarecrow. Then a head showed itself over the rock, and the same voice
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  said, this hill belongs to us, and we do not allow anyone to
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  cross it. But we must cross it, said the scarecrow. We are
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  going to the country of the Quadlings, but you shall not, replied the
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  voice, and there stepped from behind the rock the strangest man the travelers had
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  ever seen. He was quite short and stout, and had a big head,
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  which was flat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of
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  wrinkles. But he had no arms at all, And seeing this, the
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  scarecrow did not fear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbing the
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  hill. So he said, I am sorry not to do as you wish,
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  but we must pass over your hill, whether you like it or not,
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  and he walked boldly forward. As quick as lightning. The man's head
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  shot forward, and his neck stretched out unto the top of his head,
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  where it was flat struck the scarecrow in the middle, and sent him tumbling
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  over and over down the hill almost as quickly as it came. The head
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  went back to the body, and the man laughed harshly as he said,
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  it isn't as easy as you think. A chorus of boisterous laughter came from
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  the other rocks, and Dorothy saw hundreds of armless hammer heads upon the hillside,
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  one behind every rock. The lion became quite angry at the laughter caused
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  by the scarecrow's mishap, and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder,
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  he dashed up the hill again, a head shot swiftly out, and the
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  great lion went rolling down the hill as if he had been struck by a
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  cannon ball. Dorothy ran down and helped the scarecrow to his feet, and
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  the lion came up to her, feeling rather bruised and sore, and said
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  it is useless to fight people with shooting heads. No one can withstand them.
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  What can we do, then, she asked, call the winged monkeys,
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  suggested the tin woodman. You still have the right to command them once
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  more. Very well, she answered, and putting on the golden cap,
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  she uttered the magic words. The monkeys were as prompt as ever, and
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  in a few moments the entire band stood before her. What are your commands,
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  inquired the king of the monkeys, bowing low, Carry us over the
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  hill to the country of the quadlings, answered the girl. It shall be
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  done, said the king, and at once the wing monkeys caught the four
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  travelers and Toto up in their arms and flew away with them. As they
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  passed over the hill, the hammerheads yelled with vexation and shot their heads high
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  in the air, but they could not reach the wing monkeys, which carried
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  Dorothy and her comrades safely over the hill and set them down in the beautiful
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  country of the quadlings. This is the last time you can summon us,
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  said the leader to Dorothy, so goodbye and good luck to you. Goodbye,
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  and thank you very much, returned the girl, and the monkeys rose
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  into the air. And were out of sight in a twinkling. The country
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  of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There was field upon field of ripening
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  grain, with well paved roads running between, and pretty rippling brooks with strong
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  bridges across them. The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red,
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  just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the Winkies and
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  blue in the country of the Munchkins. The quadlings them themselves, who were
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  short and fat and looked chubby and good natured, were dressed all in red,
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  which showed bright against the green grass and the yellow grain. The monkeys
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  had set them down near a farmhouse, and the four travelers walked up to
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  it and knocked at the door. It was opened by the farmer's wife,
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  and when Dorothy asked for something to eat, the woman gave them all a
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  good dinner, with three kinds of cake and four kinds of cookies, and
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  a bowl of milk for Toto. How far is it to the Castle of
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  Glinda, asked the child. It is not a great way, answered the
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  farmer's wife. Take the road to the south and you will soon reach it.
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  Thanking the good woman, they started afresh and walked by the fields and
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  across the pretty bridges, until they saw before them a very beautiful castle.
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  Before the gates were three young girls dressed in handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold
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  braid, and as Dorothy approached, one of them said to her, why
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  have you come to the south country to see the good witch who rules here?
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  She answered, will you take me to her? Let me have your
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  name, and I will ask Glinda if she will receive you. They told
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  who they were, and the girl soldier went into the castle. After a
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  few moments, she came back to say that Dorothy and the others were to
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  be admitted at once. The end of chapter twenty two,