That country south of the Emerald City, in the Land ofOz, is known as the Quadling Country, and in the verysouthernmost part of it stands a splendid palace in whichlives Glinda the Good.

Glinda is the Royal Sorceress of Oz. She has wonderfulmagical powers and uses them only to benefit the subjectsof Ozma's kingdom. Even the famous Wizard of Oz paystribute to her, for Glinda taught him all the real magiche knows, and she is his superior in all sorts of sorceryEveryone loves Glinda, from the dainty and exquisiteRuler, Ozma, down to the humblest inhabitant of Oz, forshe is always kindly and helpful and willing to listen totheir troubles, however busy she may be. No one knows herage, but all can see how beautiful and stately she is.Her hair is like red gold and finer than the finestsilken strands. Her eyes are blue as the sky and alwaysfrank and smiling. Her cheeks are the envy of peach-blowsand her mouth is enticing as a rosebud. Glinda is talland wears splendid gowns that trail behind her as shewalks. She wears no jewels, for her beauty would shamethem.

For attendants Glinda has half a hundred of theloveliest girls in Oz. They are gathered from all overOz, from among the Winkies, the Munchkins, the Gillikinsand the Quadlings, as well as from Ozma's magnificentEmerald City, and it is considered a great favor to beallowed to serve the Royal Sorceress.

Among the many wonderful things in Glinda's palace isthe Great Book of Records. In this book is inscribedeverything that takes place in all the world, just theinstant it happens; so that by referring to its pagesGlinda knows what is taking place far and near, in everycountry that exists. In this way she learns when andwhere she can help any in distress or danger, andalthough her duties are confined to assisting those whoinhabit the Land of Oz, she is always interested in whattakes place in the unprotected outside world.

So it was that on a certain evening Glinda sat in herlibrary, surrounded by a bevy of her maids, who wereengaged in spinning, weaving and embroidery, when anattendant announced the arrival at the palace of theScarecrow.

This personage was one of the most famous and popularin all the Land of Oz. His body was merely a suit ofMunchkin clothes stuffed with straw, but his head was around sack filled with bran, with which the Wizard of Ozhad mixed some magic brains of a very superior sort. Theeyes, nose and mouth of the Scarecrow were painted uponthe front of the sack, as were his ears, and since thisquaint being had been endowed with life, the expressionof his face was very interesting, if somewhat comical.

The Scarecrow was good all through, even to his brains,and while he was naturally awkward in his movements andlacked the neat symmetry of other people, his dispositionwas so kind and considerate and he was so obliging andhonest, that all who knew him loved him, and there werefew people in Oz who had not met our Scarecrow and madehis acquaintance. He lived part of the time in Ozma'spalace at the Emerald City, part of the time in his owncorncob castle in the Winkie Country, and part of thetime he traveled over all Oz, visiting with the peopleand playing with the children, whom he dearly loved.

It was on one of his wandering journeys that theScarecrow had arrived at Glinda's palace, and theSorceress at once made him welcome. As he sat beside her,talking of his adventures, he asked:

"What's new in the way of news?"

Glinda opened her Great Book of Records and read someof the last pages.

"Here is an item quite curious and interesting," sheannounced, an accent of surprise in her voice. "Threepeople from the big Outside World have arrived inJinxland."

"Where is Jinxland?" inquired the Scarecrow.

"Very near here, a little to the east of us," she said."In fact, Jinxland is a little slice taken off theQuadling Country, but separated from it by a range ofhigh mountains, at the foot of which lies a wide, deepgulf that is supposed to be impassable."

"Then Jinxland is really a part of the Land of Oz,"said he.

"Yes," returned Glinda, "but Oz people know nothing ofit, except what is recorded here in my book."

"What does the Book say about it?" asked the Scarecrow.

"It is ruled by a wicked man called King Krewl,although he has no right to the title. Most of the peopleare good, but they are very timid and live in constantfear of their fierce ruler. There are also several WickedWitches who keep the inhabitants of Jinxland in a stateof terror."

"Do those witches have any magical powers?" inquiredthe Scarecrow.

"Yes, they seem to understand witchcraft in its mostevil form, for one of them has just transformed arespectable and honest old sailor -- one of the strangerswho arrived there -- into a grasshopper. This same witch,Blinkie by name, is also planning to freeze the heart ofa beautiful Jinxland girl named Princess Gloria."

"Why, that's a dreadful thing to do!" exclaimed theScarecrow.

Glinda's face was very grave. She read in her book howTrot and Button-Bright were turned out of the King'scastle, and how they found refuge in the hut of Pon, thegardener's boy

"I'm afraid those helpless earth people will enduremuch suffering in Jinxland, even if the wicked King andthe witches permit them to live," said the goodSorceress, thoughtfully. "I wish I might help them."

"Can I do anything?" asked the Scarecrow, anxiously."If so, tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

For a few moments Glinda did not reply, but sat musingover the records. Then she said: "I am going to send youto Jinxland, to protect Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'nBill."

"All right," answered the Scarecrow in a cheerfulvoice. "I know Button-Bright already, for he has been inthe Land of Oz before. You remember he went away from theLand of Oz in one of our Wizard's big bubbles."

"Yes," said Glinda, "I remember that." Then shecarefully instructed the Scarecrow what to do and gavehim certain magical things which he placed in the pocketsof his ragged Munchkin coat.

"As you have no need to sleep," said she, "you may aswell start at once."

"The night is the same as day to me," he replied,"except that I cannot see my way so well in the dark."

"I will furnish a light to guide you," promised theSorceress.

So the Scarecrow bade her good-bye and at once startedon his journey. By morning he had reached the mountainsthat separated the Quadling Country from Jinxland. Thesides of these mountains were too steep to climb, but theScarecrow took a small rope from his pocket and tossedone end upward, into the air. The rope unwound itself forhundreds of feet, until it caught upon a peak of rock atthe very top of a mountain, for it was a magic ropefurnished him by Glinda. The Scarecrow climbed the ropeand, after pulling it up, let it down on the other sideof the mountain range. When he descended the rope on thisside he found himself in Jinxland, but at his feet yawnedthe Great Gulf, which must be crossed before he couldproceed any farther.

The Scarecrow knelt down and examined the groundcarefully, and in a moment he discovered a fuzzy brownspider that had rolled itself into a ball. So he took twotiny pills from his pocket and laid them beside thespider, which unrolled itself and quickly ate up thepills. Then the Scarecrow said in a voice of command:

"Spin!" and the spider obeyed instantly.

In a few moments the little creature had spun twoslender but strong strands that reached way across thegulf, one being five or six feet above the other. Whenthese were completed the Scarecrow started across thetiny bridge, walking upon one strand as a person walksupon a rope, and holding to the upper strand with hishands to prevent him from losing his balance and topplingover into the gulf. The tiny threads held him safely,thanks to the strength given them by the magic pills.

Presently he was safe across and standing on the plainsof Jinxland. Far away he could see the towers of theKing's castle and toward this he at once began to walk.