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that I even remember that group of three tall trees ahead of us; and, if I do,
we are not far from the home of my friend Jinjur."
"
"
"
"
Who is Jinjur?" asked Woot, the Green Monkey.
Haven't you heard of Jinjur?" exclaimed the Scarecrow, in surprise.
No," said Woot. "Is Jinjur a man, a woman, a beast or a bird?"
Jinjur is a girl," explained the Scarecrow Bear. "She's a fine girl, too,
although a bit restless and liable to get excited. Once, a long time ago, she
raised an army of girls and called herself 'General Jinjur.' With her army she
captured the Emerald City, and drove me out of it, because I insisted that
an army in Oz was highly improper. But Ozma punished the rash girl, and
afterward Jinjur and I became fast friends. Now Jinjur lives peacefully on a
farm, near here, and raises fields of cream-puffs, chocolate-caramels and
macaroons. They say she's a pretty good farmer, and in addition to that
she's an artist, and paints pictures so perfect that one can scarcely tell them
from nature. She often repaints my face for me, when it gets worn or mussy,
and the lovely expression I wore when the Giantess transformed me was
painted by Jinjur only a month or so ago."
"
"
It was certainly a pleasant expression," agreed Woot.
Jinjur can paint anything," continued the Scarecrow Bear, with
enthusiasm, as they walked along together. "Once, when I came to her
house, my straw was old and crumpled, so that my body sagged dreadfully. I
needed new straw to replace the old, but Jinjur had no straw on all her
ranch and I was really unable to travel farther until I had been restuffed.
When I explained this to Jinjur, the girl at once painted a straw-stack which
was so natural that I went to it and secured enough straw to fill all my body.
It was a good quality of straw, too, and lasted me a long time."
This seemed very wonderful to Woot, who knew that such a thing could
never happen in any place but a fairy country like Oz.
The Munchkin Country was much nicer than the Gillikin Country, and all
the fields were separated by blue fences, with grassy lanes and paths of blue
ground, and the land seemed well cultivated. They were on a little hill
looking down upon this favored country, but had not quite reached the
settled parts, when on turning a bend in the path they were halted by a form
that barred their way.
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