![]() ![]() “Why, that’s for you to find out,” replied Eureka. “Prisoner, what have you to say for yourself? Are you guilty, or not guilty?” Then the Princess spoke in a stern voice: There was great applause when the speaker sat down. “And now, Fellow Citizens and Creatures of the Jury, I assert that so awful a crime deserves death, and in the case of the ferocious criminal before you-who is now washing her face-the death penalty should be inflicted nine times.” “Very likely,” acknowledged the Woggle-Bug. “I suppose, if the cat had been gone, instead of the piglet, your mind’s eye would see the piglet eating the cat,” suggested the Scarecrow. “Of course how else could I see it? And we know the thing is true, because since the time of that interview there is no piglet to be found anywhere.” “Are you still seeing with your mind’s eye?” enquired the Scarecrow. Then the murderer was alone with her helpless victim, the fat piglet, and I see her pounce upon the innocent creature and eat it up-” “I say I see the criminal, in my mind’s eye, creeping stealthily into the room of our Ozma and secreting herself, when no one was looking, until the Princess had gone away and the door was closed. “Very true,” returned the Woggle-Bug, bowing. “If you have, it is invisible,” said the Princess. “Your Highness,” cried the Woggle-Bug, appealing to Ozma, “have I a mind’s eye, or haven’t I?” “The mind has no eye,” declared the Scarecrow. And finally she made a wicked plan to satisfy her depraved appetite for pork. “The criminal who now sits before the court licking her paws,” resumed the Woggle-Bug, “has long desired to unlawfully eat the fat piglet, which was no bigger than a mouse. “Let the Public Accuser continue,” called Ozma from her throne, “and I pray you do not interrupt him.” “It’s a trial of one kitten,” replied the Scarecrow “but your manner is a trial to us all.” “Is this a trial of thoughts, or of kittens?” demanded the Woggle-Bug. “If your thoughts were any good they wouldn’t become confused,” remarked the Scarecrow, earnestly. “When I get my thoughts arranged in good order I do not like to have anything upset them or throw them into confusion.” “Don’t interrupt, little girl,” said the Woggle-Bug. “Do you mean my kitten must be put in a grave?” asked Dorothy. In either case a grave crime has been committed which deserves a grave punishment.” “Your Royal Highness and Fellow Citizens,” he began “the small cat you see a prisoner before you is accused of the crime of first murdering and then eating our esteemed Ruler’s fat piglet-or else first eating and then murdering it. His tone was pompous and he strutted up and down in an absurd attempt to appear dignified. The kitten had been placed in a large cage just before the throne, where she sat upon her haunches and gazed through the bars at the crowds around her, with seeming unconcern.Īnd now, at a signal from Ozma, the Woggle-Bug arose and addressed the jury. At her right sat the strangely assorted Jury-animals, animated dummies and people-all gravely prepared to listen to what was said. Behind her throne stood the twenty-eight officers of her army and many officials of the royal household. Princess Ozma, dressed in her most splendid robes of state, sat in the magnificent emerald throne, with her jeweled sceptre in her hand and her sparkling coronet upon her fair brow. You should visit Browse Happy and update your internet browser today!Īt three o’clock the Throne Room was crowded with citizens, men, women and children being eager to witness the great trial. ![]() The embedded audio player requires a modern internet browser. ![]()
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