“He won’t need to destroy me, for if I don’t get something to eat pretty soon I shall starve to death, and so save him the trouble.”

“If he planted you, he might grow some cat-tails,” suggested the Wizard.

“Oh, Eureka! perhaps we can find you some milk-weeds to eat,” said the boy.

“Phoo!” snarled the kitten; “I wouldn’t touch the nasty things!”

“You don’t need milk, Eureka,” remarked Dorothy; “you are big enough now to eat any kind of food.”

“If I can get it,” added Eureka.

“I’m hungry myself,” said Zeb.  “But I noticed some strawberries growing in one of the gardens, and some melons in another place.  These people don’t eat such things, so perhaps on our way back they will let us get them.”

“Never mind your hunger,” interrupted the Prince.  “I shall order you destroyed in a few minutes, so you will have no need to ruin our pretty melon vines and berry bushes.  Follow me, please, to meet your doom.”

5.  Dorothy Picks the Princess

The words of the cold and moist vegetable Prince were not very comforting, and as he spoke them he turned away and left the enclosure.  The children, feeling sad and despondent, were about to follow him when the Wizard touched Dorothy softly on her shoulder.

“Wait!” he whispered.

“What for?” asked the girl.

“Suppose we pick the Royal Princess,” said the Wizard.  “I’m quite sure she’s ripe, and as soon as she comes to life she will be the Ruler, and may treat us better than that heartless Prince intends to.”

“All right!” exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly.  “Let’s pick her while we have the chance, before the man with the star comes back.”

So together they leaned over the great bush and each of them seized one hand of the lovely Princess.

“Pull!” cried Dorothy, and as they did so the royal lady leaned toward them and the stems snapped and separated from her feet.  She was not at all heavy, so the Wizard and Dorothy managed to lift her gently to the ground.

The beautiful creature passed her hands over her eyes an instant, tucked in a stray lock of hair that had become disarranged, and after a look around the garden made those present a gracious bow and said, in a sweet but even toned voice: 

“I thank you very much.”

“We salute your Royal Highness!” cried the Wizard, kneeling and kissing her hand.

Just then the voice of the Prince was heard calling upon them to hasten, and a moment later he returned to the enclosure, followed by a number of his people.

Instantly the Princess turned and faced him, and when he saw that she was picked the Prince stood still and began to tremble.

“Sir,” said the Royal Lady, with much dignity, “you have wronged me greatly, and would have wronged me still more had not these strangers come to my rescue.  I have been ready for picking all the past week, but because you were selfish and desired to continue your unlawful rule, you left me to stand silent upon my bush.”