"And what kind of flowers are they again?" Ozma asked her Royal Gardener.

"They're Hyrystalian Widdstils, rare flowers that have only grown in Hyrystalia, a small kingdom in the Quadling Country, until today," answered the Gardener.

"Well, they're very beautiful," observed Ozma. "I'm glad we could get some for the Emerald City."

Suddenly, a change occurred in this new flower-bed. A young man, dressed in fine but dirty purple clothes, an elephant wearing a purple robe, a dark-skinned man in a red hard hat, a large brown monkey with wings, and a giant Balance with some one-gram weights on its platforms, appeared right in the middle of the garden. The Royal Gardener, angered by this appearance, rushed toward the strange new arrivals.

"What do you mean by appearing in the middle of the only bed of Hyrystalian Widdstils outside of Hyrystalia?" demanded the enraged man.

"We didn't know we were going to appear right here," replied Prince Pompadore.

"Just get out right now! I just hope I'll be able to restore this bed to its original splendor!"

"Don't move!" commanded Ozma. "I'll get my Magic Belt, so I can wish you out. That way, no more damage will be done."

The Queen ran into her palace, and returned in a few minutes with a jewelled belt around her waist. She touched this belt and made a quiet command, and the adventurers were quickly transported from the flower-bed to a wide garden walk.

"Why, it's Kabumpo and Prince Pompadore!" exclaimed Ozma. "How did you get here? And who are these others?"

"It's a long story, Your Highness," said Kabumpo.

"Two long stories, actually," corrected Pompa.

"And maybe even more than that," added Oogab.

"I'd love to hear your stories," stated Ozma, "and I'm sure many other people will, too. Gardener, where is the Town Crier?"

"He's in his cottage eating dinner," answered the Gardener. "Something with a lot of onions, probably."

"Well, tell him that when he's finished eating, he should tell the inhabitants of the City to meet in the Public Square, so that they can hear some new stories."

An hour later, the Town Crier had, amid frequent sobs, made the announcement, and over two hundred Ozites, including a great many celebrities, and, of course, the adventurers, had gathered in the Public Square near Ozma's Royal Palace. It was after ten-thirty now, and the Sun had long since set.

First of all, Kabumpo told how he had been abducted by the Nomes, and of all of his adventures, up until the point that he had reached Bleach Beach. Then, Oogab and A. Miner told how they had come to be transformed by Ruggedo.

"But why were you un-transformed when you were touched?" asked Princess Dorothy.

"Maybe it was something he said," suggested Billina the Yellow Hen. "Did you happen to say 'Ev' when you touched the ornaments?"

"As a matter of fact, we did," replied Kabumpo, who had an excellent memory. "But why would that do anything?"

"I once freed the Queen of Ev and her children from transformation into ornaments by saying 'Ev' as I touched them. I suppose the same spell that enabled me to disenchant the Evians worked for Kabumpo."

"But this could mean that more transformed people are still in the Nome King's Palace," said Ozma worriedly.

"Don't worry about it right now," advised the Wizard of Oz. "I'm taking notes, and, as soon as all of the stories have been told, we'll tie up loose ends."

Prince Pompadore told the story of his adventures in Itchville, Ditchville, Pitchville, and Cyclonia. Dorothy was fascinated to learn that Cyclonius had played a part in bringing her to Oz for the first time.

"All right," said the Wizard, as soon as all of the stories had been told. "Now we can tie up loose ends. First of all, we must find out why and how the Nomes took Kabumpo to their Kingdom."

Just after the Wizard's statement, a cloud of red smoke appeared in the Public Square. When the smoke cleared, it revealed a Nome, Potaroo to be exact. He explained to Ozma how he had accidentally transported Kabumpo to the Nome Kingdom.

"Well, if it was an accident-" began Ozma.

"Wait a minute," interrupted Pigasus, the Flying Pig. "How do we know if he's telling the truth?"

"I swear by the Nome River that it's the truth!" replied the Nome Wizard.

"What good is a Nome oath?"

While Potaroo and Pigasus were talking, the Wizard of Oz was casting a spell. When he had finished, he asked Potaroo, "Is what you just told us true?"

"Yes," answered the Nome, "every word of it."

"He's telling the truth. I just used my truth spell on him."

Potaroo began the spell that would return him to the Nome Kingdom, but the Wizard commanded him to stop and listen.

"What is it?" inquired Potaroo.

"There may be some ornaments in your King's Palace that are really living creatures under enchantment. Will you disenchant all of them, and return them to their homes?"

The Nome Wizard agreed that he would, and, as he was still under the affects of the truth spell, his agreement was entirely honest. So Potaroo returned to Kaliko's Kingdom, and the Ozites turned their attention to other matters.

"One more thing must be done," stated the Wizard of Oz. "Itchville must be disenchanted. Come with me, Number Nine, and we'll see what we can do."

The Wizard and Number Nine, who was the Chief Magician's assistant, travelled to a tower of the Royal Palace, where the Wizard kept much of his magical equipment. After a great deal of experimentation, the two magic-workers were able, through the use of the Ozmic Ray, some Wishing Pills, and numerous incantations, to remove all of the people and creatures from the cursed village. He then transported them to the Emerald City, where Herby, the Court Physician, managed to end all of the people's itching. Although the Wizard could not break the curse on the village entirely, he managed to force the gates to remain open, so that anyone who accidentally entered the town could get out again. He then used various powders and magic words to change the arms of the former Itchvillians back to normal.

All of the guests stayed in the Emerald City for a week. Ozma then used the Magic Belt to send Pompadore and Kabumpo back to Pumperdink, where their stories were met with just as much surprise and enthusiasm as they had been received with in the capital. Oogab was returned to the tribe of Winged Monkeys, although he often left the tribe to visit his old friends. A. Miner came back to his former home and job in the Red Jinn's Dominions. The Balance and the Weights were sent to Jinnicky's Castle. There, the Balance resigned his job as Bridge-Keeper, and became the Jinn's Royal Balance. Jinnicky magically reinforced his bridge so that it would support a much greater weight.

As for Pilgoft and his subjects, they decided to build another town. Ozma gave them a nice piece of land, just west of Pumperdink, and promised to watch over the new village.

And last, but, if you ask the Gardener, not least, the Wizard managed to restore the bed of Hyrystalian Widdstils to the way that it had been before the travellers appeared in it.

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