The Magic of Oz

Do you 'spose it's very heavy, Cap'n? And can we get it home without

breaking it?" asked Trot anxiously.

"Well, I've lifted many bigger things than that," he replied; "but let's

see what it weighs."

He tried to take a step forward, but could not lift his meat foot from

the ground. His wooden leg seemed free enough, but the other would not

budge.

I seem stuck, Trot," he said, with a perplexed look at his foot. "It ain't

mud, an' it ain't glue, but somethin's holdin' me down."

The girl attempted to lift her own feet, to go nearer to her friend, but

the ground held them as fast as it held Cap'n Bill's foot. She tried to slide

them, or to twist them around, but it was no use; she could not move either

foot a hair's breadth.

This is funny!" she exclaimed. "What do you 'spose has happened to

us, Cap'n Bill?"

I'm tryin' to make out," he answered. "Take off your shoes, Trot.

P'raps it's the leather soles that's stuck to the ground."

She leaned down and unlaced her shoes, but found she could not pull

her feet out of them. The Glass Cat, which was walking around as

naturally as ever, now said:

Your foot has got roots to it, Cap'n, and I can see the roots going into

the ground, where they spread out in all directions. It's the same way with

Trot. That's why you can't move. The roots hold you fast."

Cap'n Bill was rather fat and couldn't see his own feet very well, but

he squatted down and examined Trot's feet and decided that the Glass Cat

was right.

This is hard luck," he declared, in a voice that showed he was uneasy

at the discovery. "We're pris'ners, Trot, on this funny island, an' I'd like to

know how we're ever goin' to get loose, so's we can get home again."

Now I know why the Kalidah laughed at us," said the girl, "and why

he said none of the beasts ever came to this island. The horrid creature

knew we'd be caught, and wouldn't warn us."

In the meantime, the Kalidah, although pinned fast to the earth by