Read "The Giant Horse of Oz" by Ruth Plumly Thompson online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
"Twenty-five years ago," began the Queen, tossing back her golden hair, / "I was a Princess of the North. To the mountain castle of my father, / King Gil of Gilkenny, came Cheeriobed, Prince of the Ozure Isles, to / ask for my hand in marriage. His father was King of the Munchkins, a / monarch of great wealth and power. As my father made no objection to / the match and as I myself was quite willing -- " Here Orin paused and / smiled prettily at Cheeriobed -- "preparations were made at once for the / wedding.
"At that time, as you all know, Mombi was ruler of the North. Passing / Gilkenny one late afternoon and seeing the footmen hanging lanterns / in the garden, she stopped to inquire the reason for the festivities. / Cheeriobed, who was helping with the decorations, quickly explained / that they were for our wedding, and Mombi, in spite of her extreme age / and ugliness, fell instantly and deeply in love with the Prince. As I / watched uneasily from a hidden arbor, I saw the old witch transform / herself into a charming young maiden. Following Cheeriobed about, she / explained that she was no longer an old and ugly witch, but a powerful / Princess, that if he would marry her they would have not only the / Gilliken Country, but the Munchkin Country as well for their Kingdom."