Chapter19: Dr. Nikidik's Famous Wishing Pills

Although they managed to keep the crows off through the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow's outstanding effort to guard them, the Scarecrow got in serious trouble! All his stuffing was gone. 

His friends found a lot of dollar bills in the nest and stuffed them into the Scarecrow's body instead. Picture the Scarecrow, who is pure, innocent, and non-calculating, with his body full of dollar bills. It's odd, isn't it?

There was a statement that fifty-dollar, one hundred-dollar, and one-thousand dollar bills are stuffed in the Scarecrow's body. Have you ever seen a one thousand dollar bill? I've never even heard of them. I checked on Wikipedia and got the answer immediately.

There were five-hundred, one-thousand, five-thousand, and even ten-thousand dollar bills at one time. They were mainly used for settlements between banks. In 1945, those high-value bills stopped being printed. Following the emergence of the electronic settlement system, the high-value bills lost their necessity, and stopped circulating in 1969.

So, at the time of this book, "The Marvelous Land of Oz," they were a reality! I was really surprised that there were 10,000 dollar bills! But, yes, as there was no online system at that time, banks needed those bills. Imagine how scary it would be if a gust of wind blew away your 10,000 dollar bill. Whoosh!

The "count seventeen by twos" matter was solved by the Saw Horse, not the Scarecrow or the Woggle-bug. A novice happened to look into the problem and solved it easily even though the experts couldn't. That happens in real life too, doesn't it? The Scarecrow said, "You make me quite ashamed of myself," and bowed low to the Saw Horse. I guess he was a little disappointed  but he concealed his feeling and acted politely. How humble he was. Well, could it be the Scarecrow really said it from the heart? If so, it makes me admire him more.

However, I'm always confused when I read this. This solution doesn't make sense. One of my friends gave me an excellent solution. Why didn't they start from 1? 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, right? If you start from 0.5 and count by twos, your next number will be 2.5 then 4.5 and so on.

The Woggle-bug is actually a good guy. He swallowed the wishing pill without hesitation, saying " For I seem to be the only one able and willing to make a wish. Let me have one of the pills," after seeing how much pain Tip was in.It's just that his language is sometimes harsh. He always says more than he needs to. I know he doesn't mean to be mean, but it always makes the situation worse. ;( Yet, I know he isn't a bad person.

Chapter18: In the Jackdaws' Nest

I didn't know what Jackdaw was. It's a kind of crow. They don't live in Japan, or even in the USA. ;D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackdaw

The Gump flew to Europe? Since it took him one night to fly from Oz, Oz must be near Europe, or could the Gump fly that fast?

When I was a child, I thought anything would be happy if it was brought to life. (I wonder if it was the influence of Pinocchio?)　However, the Gump wasn't happy at all. Anyone might feel that way when they find out that their body is not the same as before...rather, he was a complete ragbag. I understand that he would never want to see his original tribe. He must have been a very imposing, respected Gump at that time.

Woggle-bug, not reading the situation here again, is annoying as usual. It may not have been a long time since he was magnified, but he is often sarcastic, to everyone's annoyance. It's a thankless role. He's completely different from Jack.

The whole party fell into a Jackdaw's nest. Since the Gump's wings were broken, he couldn't fly again. If the Jackdaws came back, Jack's pumpkin head would be picked with their beaks, and the Woggle-bug would be a good dessert for the crows.

In such a fearful situation, they found that the bottle of the Powder of Life had a false bottom! And, Dr. Nikidik's wishing pills were in it. How lucky! However, they found that they would have to count seventeen by twos in order to make their wish come true. How can you count seventeen by twos? Up and down. What are they going to do? This scene is a page-turner.

Then, the Jackdaws came back to the nest. They noticed the invaders in their nest and started to attack them!

Chapter17: The Astonishing Flight of the Gump

Well, well, well. Your wait is over. Here's our Gump!

They almost forget to sprinkle the Powder of Life onto Gump's head. Fortunately the Scarecrow pointed out that to bring life to Gump, it had to be sprinkled on his head rather than feet. If they didn't give the head life, it would have been just been a vehicle. Thanks to the Scarecrow's observation, we can meet a new ozzy fellow. :D ( I'm not sure if it was good for the Gump, though.)

The Tin Woodman's work is practical again like his work in the first book "The Wizard of Oz." Ask him to make anything. You can't go wrong. ;D

About the broom which Tip found in the room and insisted to use as a tail, the Tin Woodman said, "I do not see the use of a tail. We are not trying to copy a beast, or a fish, or a bird. All we ask of the Thing is to carry us through the air." This is a very practical artisan's way of thinking, isn't it? When I was a child, I felt the Tin Woodman was mean to Tip. However, now, as a grown-up, I like this practical decision quite well.

Eventually, the broom was used as a tail since there it could act as a rudder.

The Tin Woodman is cool and mature. When he unknowingly committed the greatest crime in the Emerald City, chopping leaves from the royal palm-tree, he wasn't panicked or upset. He calmly said, "It cannot be helped now. But it may be one more reason why it is necessary for us to escape."

The Gump flew away once but came back when Tip commanded. Does it mean the person who brought it to life is its master? Hum, I have to say the Saw Horse is usually stubborn against Tip, and do you remember? The person who brought Jack Pumpkinhead was Mombi! Jack always calls Tip "Father", but if the person who made it is its father, the Gump's father is the Tin Woodman.

Chapter16: The Scarecrow Takes Time to Think

The Scarecrow rationally ruminates about JinJur's words. Who is the proper ruler, the Scarecrow or Jinjur? Thinking deeper, I've realized it's difficult to choose one. But I admire that the Scarecrow can think that way. Even if you are always complaining, it is usual to want to cling to the throne when you have to give it to someone else, isn't it?

He worries that the crown might be too heavy for Jinjur. nevertheless being attacked by Jinjur, he is kind to her.Such kindness will have made Jinjur's mind open to him later, I think.

On the other hand, he is quite cold to Woggle-Bug. When he heard Woggle-Bug was worried about Jinjur's threat, that she'll make a stew of Woggle-Bug, he remarked "I think it was a brilliant idea." Isn't he very mean?

Meanwhile, Woggle-Bug mentioned that he could live for some time on Jack. That's chilly too. Under such a tough situation, people's true personalities show up, don't they?

By the way, why did Woggle-Bug imagine the goats ate small pieces of the Tin Woodman? Metal as food for goats? It must make their stomachs upset.

Well, now I've realized it was important that one dose of the Power of Life remained. The Scarecrow's "smart" brain works brilliantly this time. (Actually, it barely works well ;P)

Jack is pleased to be given his new leg. He is so cute :D

Chapter15: The Prisoners of the Queen

Jinjur's army handled the people of the Emerald City quite well.

In one scene during Jinjur's rule, the men are exhausted by household chores and childcare. The Scarecrow mumbles to himself, wondering how women could do all the chores so easily, while the men were struggling with them. 

While reading that scene several years ago, I was a housewife who was struggling with the chores everyday and thought enthusiastically, "Yes! Household chores and childcare are quite a hard job!" 

Now that I have more experience, I've realized something. Whether you are a man or a woman, it doesn't matter. Regardless of sex, when you try to do a new thing, which you've never done before, you don't understand how to do it and make errors again and again...anyway, you must be entirely weary. If men kept doing household chores and childcare for many years. eventually they would do them very easily.

Gen. Jinjur eats caramels comfortably on the throne. She wasn't upset at all when she saw the Scarecrow's party. Then, as the Army of Revolt had planned, the whole party was captured instantly.

Jinjur declared all members of the party would be destroyed, except Tip. She had promised that she would give Tip back to Mombi. You see, it appears that Mombi cares for Tip. If she doesn't have any affection for Tip, she could just tell Jinjur to kill him. It would be the perfect excuse. She could say to anyone, "It was not my fault." But she didn't allow Jinjur to kill Tip.

Why do you think she didn't kill Tip? Only to use him as a slave?

At the very moment when the Scarecrow's party is about to die, the mice which the Scarecrow has in his clothes save them.They are precious mice of the Queen. I'm relieved that the Army of Revolt was scared by them and ran away. I worried they might smash or squish the mice with brooms or their feet or something.

Jinjur also ran for her life. Though she always spoke boldly with a strong attitude, she is a girl, after all.

Chapter14: Old Mombi indulges in Witchcraft

Ms. Takako Sato's translations are really great. She even translated Woggle-Bug's word play well. In this chapter, Woggle-Bug said to the Saw Horse, who had broken his leg, "Horses are useless if they aren't broken with'breaking bones." (In Japanese, "break bones" means "with great effort.") The original line reads, "For a horse is never much use until he has been broken." 
 However, I can't understand why everyone reacted like that to the Woggle-Bug's next joke, the "horse-and-buggy" thing. Was he being annoying? Or lame? Why? 


 In the next scene, they speak "adult English," don't they? They are very indirect. The Scarecrow doesn't usually talk like this, does he? The Tin Woodman hardly ever threatens anyone with his ax. How out of line was Woggle-Bug? (I'm sad that I can't understand just how badly was acting.) 


 Was the sliver whistle the Tin Woodman uses to call the Queen of the Mice the same one that the Wicked Witch of the West used to call the wolves and ravens? Since the author wrote "a silver whistle," not "the sliver whistle," we can't be sure ...but...personally, I think this is the whistle! The Tin Woodman must have found it in the witch's castle! Don't you think so? 


 Since the Queen talks to the mice in the mouse language, none of the Scarecrow's party can understand what she says. I was surprised that mice had their own language, because I thought there was only one language in Oz. People in Oz can talk with any kind of animals and creatures... except mice? 


 Mombi tried her hardest to stop them from returning to the Emerald City. The part where the 40 roads spin around reminded me of the first scene of the fifth Oz book, "The Road to Oz", which Dorothy was lost between the five roads created by Ozma's witchcraft. Maybe she learn the spell by watching Mombi? 


 Mombi's fire spell scared everyone except the Tin Woodman. In this scene, again, they forget the rule of "Nobody dies in Oz." I wonder when the rule will start. 


 Woggle-Bug was totally surprised by the magic. Didn't Professor Nowitall taught anything about magic? Did he only teach the rules of nature? That's strange for someone who lives in Oz. Perhaps, he's from the outer world (our world). :D 


 Here is a quote from the Scarecrow. "All magic is unnatural, and for that reason is to be feared and avoided." It's true. I've never thought why magic scares us. I guess that makes sense. 


 The Queen of the Mice leads them to the Emerald City safely.

New translation is being released.

There had been only one complete translation of Baum's 14 books into Japanese. It was published by Hayakawa Publishing. Sadly, that version has been out of print for a long time.

At the site Fukkan.com, many people have asked that the whole series be reprinted.
http://www.fukkan.com/fk/ItemComment?i_no=68319797

But Hayakawa didn't react at all (at least, as far as I can see). They didn't even do anything in 2000, which was the 100th anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz". I had almost given up hope that they would re-print the Oz books someday.

However, a miracle happened! Fukkan.com decided to reprint the Oz books. No, actually, they are not reprinting. Instead, they are making new translations of the books with new illustrations.

Honestly, I didn't want to buy them because they are much more expensive than the old version. The old ones were small paperbacks, but the new ones are high quality hardcovers. Since I have been used to the old translations and illustrations, which were great, I didn't think I would need the new versions.

Another miracle happened! I accidentally found the twitter account of one of the translators of the new version. I followed her and she followed me back. It aroused my interest in the new version.

I ordered "the Emerald City of Oz", the 6th book, through Amazon.co.jp. Now I have that one.





Since it is very difficult to get the Hayakawa version, though I still love it very much, I hope this new translation becomes our new standard.

Also, in the new version, "Little Wizard Stories of Oz" are being translated for the first time in Japanese. This is great news too!