The gray dove which had once been Ugu the Shoemaker sat on its tree inthe far Quadling Country and moped, chirping dismally and broodingover its misfortunes. After a time, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodmancame along and sat beneath the tree, paying no heed to the mutteringsof the gray dove. The Tin Woodman took a small oilcan from his tinpocket and carefully oiled his tin joints with it.

While he was thus engaged, the Scarecrow remarked, "I feel much better,dear comrade, since we found that heap of nice, clean straw and you stuffed me anew with it."

"And I feel much better now that my joints are oiled," returned theTin Woodman with a sigh of pleasure. "You and I, friend Scarecrow,are much more easily cared for than those clumsy meat people, whospend half their time dressing in fine clothes and who must live insplendid dwellings in order to be contented and happy. You and I donot eat, and so we are spared the dreadful bother of getting threemeals a day. Nor do we waste half our lives in sleep, a conditionthat causes the meat people to lose all consciousness and become asthoughtless and helpless as logs of wood."

"You speak truly," responded the Scarecrow, tucking some wisps ofstraw into his breast with his padded fingers. "I often feel sorryfor the meat people, many of whom are my friends. Even the beasts arehappier than they, for they require less to make them content. Andthe birds are the luckiest creatures of all, for they can fly swiftlywhere they will and find a home at any place they care to perch.Their food consists of seeds and grains they gather from the fields,and their drink is a sip of water from some running brook. If I couldnot be a Scarecrow or a Tin Woodman, my next choice would be to liveas a bird does."

The gray dove had listened carefully to this speech and seemed to findcomfort in it, for it hushed its moaning. And just then the TinWoodman discovered Cayke's dishpan, which was on the ground quite nearto him. "Here is a rather pretty utensil," he said, taking it in histin hand to examine it, "but I would not care to own it. Whoeverfashioned it of gold and covered it with diamonds did not add to itsusefulness, nor do I consider it as beautiful as the bright dishpansof tin one usually sees. No yellow color is ever so handsome as thesilver sheen of tin," and he turned to look at his tin legs and bodywith approval.

"I cannot quite agree with you there," replied the Scarecrow. "Mystraw stuffing has a light yellow color, and it is not only pretty tolook at, but it crunkles most delightfully when I move."

"Let us admit that all colors are good in their proper places," saidthe Tin Woodman, who was too kind-hearted to quarrel, "but you mustagree with me that a dishpan that is yellow is unnatural. What shallwe do with this one, which we have just found?"

"Let us carry it back to the Emerald City," suggested the Scarecrow."Some of our friends might like to have it for a foot-bath, and inusing it that way, its golden color and sparkling ornaments would notinjure its usefulness."

So they went away and took the jeweled dishpan with them. And afterwandering through the country for a day or so longer, they learned thenews that Ozma had been found. Therefore they straightway returned tothe Emerald City and presented the dishpan to Princess Ozma as a tokenof their joy that she had been restored to them. Ozma promptly gavethe diamond-studded gold dishpan to Cayke the Cookie Cook, who wasdelighted at regaining her lost treasure that she danced up and downin glee and then threw her skinny arms around Ozma's neck and kissedher gratefully. Cayke's mission was now successfully accomplished,but she was having such a good time at the Emerald City that sheseemed in no hurry to go back to the Country of the Yips.

It was several weeks after the dishpan had been restored to the CookieCook when one day, as Dorothy was seated in the royal gardens withTrot and Betsy beside her, a gray dove came flying down and alightedat the girl's feet.

"I am Ugu the Shoemaker," said the dove in asoft, mourning voice, "and I have come to ask you to forgive me forthe great wrong I did in stealing Ozma and the magic that belonged toher and to others."

"Are you sorry, then?" asked Dorothy, looking hard at the bird.

"I am VERY sorry," declared Ugu. "I've been thinking over my misdeedsfor a long time, for doves have little else to do but think, and I'msurprised that I was such a wicked man and had so little regard forthe rights of others. I am now convinced that even had I succeeded inmaking myself ruler of all Oz, I should not have been happy, for manydays of quiet thought have shown me that only those things oneacquires honestly are able to render one content."

"I guess that's so," said Trot.

"Anyhow," said Betsy, "the bad man seems truly sorry, and if he hasnow become a good and honest man, we ought to forgive him."

"I fear I cannot become a good MAN again," said Ugu, "for thetransformation I am under will always keep me in the form of a dove.But with the kind forgiveness of my former enemies, I hope to become avery good dove and highly respected."

"Wait here till I run for my Magic Belt," said Dorothy, "and I'lltransform you back to your reg'lar shape in a jiffy."

"No, don't do that!" pleaded the dove, fluttering its wings in anexcited way. "I only want your forgiveness. I don't want to be a managain. As Ugu the Shoemaker I was skinny and old and unlovely. As adove I am quite pretty to look at. As a man I was ambitious andcruel, while as a dove I can be content with my lot and happy in mysimple life. I have learned to love the free and independent life ofa bird, and I'd rather not change back."

"Just as you like, Ugu," said Dorothy, resuming her seat. "Perhapsyou are right, for you're certainly a better dove than you were a man,and if you should ever backslide an' feel wicked again, you couldn'tdo much harm as a gray dove."

"Then you forgive me for all the trouble I caused you?" he askedearnestly.

"Of course. Anyone who's sorry just has to be forgiven."

"Thank you," said the gray dove, and flew away again.

THE END

The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum

The Wizard of OzThe Land of OzOzma of OzDorothy and the Wizard in OzThe Road to OzThe Emerald City of OzThe Patchwork Girl of OzTik-Tok of OzThe Scarecrow of OzRinkitink in OzThe Lost Princess of OzThe Tin Woodman of OzThe Magic of OzGlinda of Oz

End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Lost Princess of Oz, by Baum