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promise not to disturb him you may come into his
workshop and watch him prepare a wonderful charm。〃
〃Thank you；〃 replied the boy； much pleased。
〃I would like to do that。〃
She led the way to a great domed hall at the
back of the house； which was the Magician's
workshop。 There was a row of windows extending
nearly around the sides of the circular room；
which rendered the place very light； and there was
a back door in addition to the one leading to the
front part of the house。 Before the row of windows
a broad seat was built and there were some chairs
and benches in the room besides。 At one end stood
a great fireplace； in which a blue log was blazing
with a blue flame； and over the fire hung four
kettles in a row； all bubbling and steaming at a
great rate。 The Magician was stirring all four of
these kettles at the same time； two with his
hands and two with his feet； to the latter； wooden
ladles being strapped； for this man was so very
crooked that his legs were as handy as his arms。
Unc Nunkie came forward to greet his old
friend； but not being able to shake either his
hands or his feet； which were all occupied in
stirring； he patted the Magician's bald head and
asked： 〃What？〃
〃Ah； it's the Silent One；〃 remarked Dr。 Pipt；
without looking up； 〃and he wants to know
what I'm making。 Well； when it is quite finished
this compound will be the wonderful Powder
of Life； which no one knows how to make but
myself。 Whenever it is sprinkled on anything；
that thing will at once come to life； no matter
what it is。 It takes me several years to make this
magic Powder； but at this moment I am pleased
to say it is nearly done。 You see； I am making it
for my good wife Margolotte； who wants to use
some of it for a purpose of her own。 Sit down
and make yourself comfortable； Unc Nunkie；
and after I've finished my task I will talk to
you。
〃You must know；〃 said Margolottte； when they
were all seated together on the broad window…seat；
〃that my husband foolishly gave away all the
Powder of Life he first made to old Mombi the
Witch； who used to live in the Country of the
Gillikins； to the north of here。 Mombi gave to Dr。
Pipt a Powder of Perpetual Youth in exchange for
his Powder of Life； but she cheated him wickedly；
for the Powder of Youth was no good and could work
no magic at all。〃
〃Perhaps the Powder of Life couldn't either；〃
said Ojo。
〃Yes； it is perfection；〃 she declared。 〃The first
lot we tested on our Glass Cat； which not only
began to live but has lived ever since。 She's
somewhere around the house now。〃
〃A Glass Cat！〃 exclaimed Ojo； astonished。
〃Yes； she makes a very pleasant companion； but
admires herself a little more than is considered
modest； and she positively refuses to catch mice；〃
explained Margolotte。 〃My husband made the cat
some pink brains； but they proved to be too high…
bred and particular for a cat； so she thinks it is
undignified in her to catch mice。 Also she has a
pretty blood…red heart； but it is made of stonea
ruby； I thinkand so is rather hard and unfeeling。
I think the next Class Cat the Magician makes will
have neither brains nor heart； for then it will
not object to catching mice and may prove of some
use to us。〃
〃What did old Mombi the Witch do with the
Powder of Life your husband gave her？〃 asked
the boy。
〃She brought Jack Pumpkinhead to life； for
one thing；〃 was the reply。 〃I suppose you've
heard of jack Pumpkinhead。 He is now living
near the Emerald City and is a great favorite
with the Princess Ozma； who rules all the Land
of Oz。〃
〃No； I've never heard of him；〃 remarked
Ojo。 〃I'm afraid I don't know much about the
Land of Oz。 You see； I've lived all my life with
Unc Nunkie； the Silent One； and there was no
one to tell me anything。〃
〃That is one reason you are Ojo the Unlucky；〃
said the woman； in a sympathetic tone。 〃The more
one knows； the luckier he is； for knowledge is the
greatest gift in life。〃
〃But tell me； please； what you intend to do
With this new lot of the Powder of Life； which
Dr。 Pipt is making。 He said his wife wanted it
for some especial purpose。
〃So I do；〃 she answered。 〃I want it to bring
my Patchwork Girl to life。〃
〃Oh！ A Patchwork Girl？ What is that？〃 Ojo
asked； for this seemed even more strange and
unusual than a Glass Cat。
〃I think I must show you my Patchwork
Girl；〃 said Margolotte； laughing at the boy's
astonishment； 〃for she is rather difficult to
explain。 But first I will tell you that for many
years I have longed for a servant to help me with
the housework and to cook the meals and wash the
dishes。 No servant will come here because the
place is so lonely and out…of…the…way； so my
clever husband； the Crooked Magician； proposed
that I make a girl out of some sort of material
and he would make her live by sprinkling over her
the Powder of Life。 This seemed an excellent
suggestion and at once Dr。 Pipt set to work to
make a new batch of his magic powder。 He has been
at it a long； long while； and so I have had plenty
of time to make the girl。 Yet that task was not so
easy as you may suppose。 At first I couldn't think
what to make her of； but finally in searching
through a chest I came across an old patchwork
quilt； which my grandmother once made when she was
young。
〃What is a patchwork quilt？〃 asked Ojo。
〃A bed…quilt made of patches of different kinds
and colors of cloth； all neatly sewed together。
The patches are of all shapes and sizes； so a
patchwork quilt is a very pretty and gorgeous
thing to look at。 Sometimes it is called a
'crazyquilt；' because the patches and colors are
so mixed up。 We never have used my grand…mother's
manycolored patchwork quilt； hand…some as it is；
for we Munchkins do not care for any color other
than blue； so it has been packed away in the chest
for about a hundred years。 When I found it； I said
to myself that it would do nicely for my servant
girl； for when she was brought to life she would
not be proud nor haughty； as the Glass Cat is； for
such a dreadful mixture of colors would discourage
her from trying to； be as dignified as the blue
Munchkins are。
〃Is blue the only respectable color； then？〃
inquired Ojo。
〃Yes； for a Munchkin。 All our country is blue；
you know。 But in other parts of Oz the people
favor different colors。 At the Emerald City；
where our Princess Ozma lives； green is the
popular color。 But all Munchkins prefer blue
to anything else and when my housework girl
is brought to life she will find herself to be of
so many unpopular colors that she'll never dare
be rebellious or impudent； as servants are
sometimes liable to be when they are made the same
way their mistresses are。〃
Unc Nunkie nodded approval。
〃Good idea；〃 he said； and that was a long
speech for Unc Nunkie because it was two
words。
〃So I cut up the quilt；〃 continued Margolotte；
〃and made from it a very well…shaped girl；
which I stuffed with cotton…wadding。 I will
show you what a good job I did；〃 and she went
to a tall cupboard and threw open the doors。
Then back she came； lugging in her arms the
Patchwork