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CHAPTER 1 - PROFESSOR WOGGLEBUG'S GREAT IDEA

The very thing!" exclaimed Professor Wogglebug, bounding into the air and

upsetting his gold inkwell. "The very next idea!"

"Who--me?" A round-faced little Munchkin boy stuck his head in the door

and regarded Professor Wogglebug solemnly. He was working his way

through the Professor's Athletic college, and one of his duties was to wait

upon this eminent educator of Oz.

Certainly not!" snapped Professor Wogglebug. "You're a nobody or a

nothing. Stop gaping and fetch me my hat. I'm off to the Emerald City. And

mind the pupils take their history pills regularly while I'm gone," he added,

clapping his tall hat Zif held out to him on the back of his head.

"Yes, sir!" said the little Munchkin respectfully.

Don't hurry back, sir!" This last remark the Professor did not hear, for he

was already half way down the college steps.

Ozma will be delighted with the idea. How clever I am!" he murmured,

twirling his antennae and walking rapidly down the pleasant blue lane.

The Professor, whose College of Art and Athletic Perfection is in the

southwestern part of the Munchkin country, is the biggest bug in Oz, or in

anyplace else, for that matter. He has made education painless by

substituting school pills for books. His students take Latin, history and

spelling pills; they swallow knowledge of every kind with ease and pleasure

and spend the rest of their time in sport. No wonder he is so well thought of

in Oz! No wonder he thinks so well of himself!

Swinging his cane jauntily, the Professor hurried toward the yellow brick

road that leads to the Emerald City, and by nightfall had reached the lovely

capital of Oz.

Oz!--that marvelous country where no one grows old--where animals and

birds talk as sensibly as people, and adventures happen every day. Indeed,

of all fairylands in the world, Oz is the most delightful, and of all fairy cities,

the Emerald City is the most beautiful. A soft green light shone for miles

about, and the gemmed turrets and spires of the palace flashed more

brightly than the stars. But its loveliness was familiar to Professor

Wogglebug, and without a pause he proceeded to Ozma's palace and was at

once admitted to the great hall.

The Royal Book of Oz