He led the way to a small chamber in the rear of the Throne Room, and
they all followed him. He pointed to one corner, in which lay the great
Head, made out of many thicknesses of paper, and with a carefully
painted face.
This I hung from the ceiling by a wire, said Oz. I stood behind the
screen and pulled a thread, to make the eyes move and the mouth open.
But how about the voice? she inquired.
Oh, I am a ventriloquist, said the little man. I can throw the sound
of my voice wherever I wish, so that you thought it was coming out of
the Head. Here are the other things I used to deceive you. He showed
the Scarecrow the dress and the mask he had worn when he seemed to be
the lovely Lady. And the Tin Woodman saw that his terrible Beast was
nothing but a lot of skins, sewn together, with slats to keep their
sides out. As for the Ball of Fire, the false Wizard had hung that also
from the ceiling. It was really a ball of cotton, but when oil was
poured upon it the ball burned fiercely.
Really, said the Scarecrow, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for
being such a humbug.
I am I certainly am, answered the little man sorrowfully; but it was
the only thing I could do. Sit down, please, there are plenty of
chairs; and I will tell you my story.
So they sat down and listened while he told the following tale.
I was born in Omaha
Why, that isn t very far from Kansas! cried Dorothy.
No, but it s farther from here, he said, shaking his head at her
sadly. When I grew up I became a ventriloquist, and at that I was very
well trained by a great master. I can imitate any kind of a bird or
beast. Here he mewed so like a kitten that Toto pricked up his ears
and looked everywhere to see where she was. After a time, continued
Oz, I tired of that, and became a balloonist.
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