The story-tale "The Fiery God of the Marrans" continues the story of the events taking place in the Magic Land. The cunning Urfin Deuce, calling himself a "fiery god", decided to become the ruler of the country. Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Tim and Annie again come to the aid of its inhabitants.

Read the book Fiery God Marran online

Exile

It is to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought from Kansas a house with a girl named Ellie and a dog named Totoshka. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.

At that time, the Great Wizard Goodwin lived in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.

On the way, Ellie took with her a revived straw effigy of the Scarecrow, the Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The scarecrow wanted to get brains in a straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow clever brains mixed with needles and pins. To the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, to the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and froth in a golden dish.

Goodwin got bored of living in the Wonderland, and he left it in a balloon. Departing, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Winkies, who inhabited the Violet Land. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.

When the cherished desires of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magic silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave.

The Scarecrow did not enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City for long. In the hands of the evil and insidious carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins, the life-giving powder accidentally fell. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, revived them and, with the help of this powerful army, captured the Emerald City. The scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on top of a high tower, behind bars.

Asking for help. The Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was taken to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggi-Karr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time. Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a land ship, and on that ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.

The fight against Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends were victorious.

Oorfene was tried.

For all his crimes, he deserved a cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to fellow judges.

- Friends, wouldn't it be better to leave this person just by himself?

And Ellie supported him:

- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.

The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistle and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone thrust him a wooden clown, which he had revived, his favorite and an earpiece, and Oorfene Deuce mechanically squeezed it in his hand.

“Go wherever you want,” Faramant, the Guardian of the city gates, said to Oorfene. - and try to become a good person. First of all, you will benefit from it yourself.

Deuce said nothing to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy brows and walked quickly away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.

“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. - Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who exalted me to heaven, all now praise little Ellie and the Giant from behind the mountains ... (This is how Charlie Blok was called in the Fairyland.) "

But, looking back, Oorfene realized that he was wrong. One faithful creature was found: the bear Trample was trailing in the distance behind its owner. No, Stompotun would never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce got into. After all, it was Oorfene who, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, revived his skin when it lay on a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude ...

- Stompers, come to me!

The bear ran up to the owner at a joyful trot.

- I am here, lord! What do you want?

"Lord…"

This word eased Oorfene's mental wound. Yes, he is still the master of at least one humble servant and an insignificant clown. What if? .. Vague hopes flashed through Oorfene's mind. Is it not early to celebrate the victory of his enemies?

He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is at large, and no one has taken away his indomitable will, the ability to use the favorable circumstances of a cunning, resourceful mind, skillful hands.

Oorfene's hunched waist straightened, a faint grin illuminated a swarthy face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin.

Turning towards the Emerald City, Oorfene shook his fist.

- You will regret, unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free! ..

“Yes, they'll be sorry,” the clown squeaked.

Deuce sat down on the bear's back.

“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, home, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - We have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find a refuge for the first time.

- And we have a vegetable garden there, lord, - Stompotun picked up, - and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits. I don’t need food, but I’ll catch them for you.

The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, far from everyone, in peace and contentment.

Oorfene's thoughts were not like that.

The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me, Deuce mused. I will hide until they forget about me. And there ... we'll see! .. "

The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but the case was ruined by Kaggi-Karr. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was headed. All who lived near the road paved with yellow bricks were timely notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Oorfene.

Men and women, old men and children, came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Oorfene with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they scolded him, threw stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes ... All this was many times worse.

The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his homeland was like a protracted procession to execution.

With what pleasure Deuce would rush at each of the enemies, grab his throat, hear his death rattle ... But that was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.

And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:

- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We will laugh at them again!

Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because not one of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would have provided him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the Sabretooth Tiger Forest, almost wished that meeting with predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders prevailed, and Oorfene slipped unnoticed through a dangerous place.

And now, finally, home. The exile was relieved to be convinced that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property had been preserved intact. He took out the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.

EXILE

At that time, the Great Wizard Goodwin lived in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.

The Scarecrow did not enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City for long. In the hands of the evil and insidious carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins, the life-giving powder accidentally fell. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, revived them and, with the help of this powerful army, captured the Emerald City. Scarecrow and. The Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, was captured by Deuce. He put them on top of a high tower, behind bars.

Fighting Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers wasn't easy, but Ellie and her friends were victorious 2.

Oorfene was tried.

For all his crimes, he deserved a cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to fellow judges.

- Friends, wouldn't it be better to leave this person just by himself?

And Ellie supported him:

- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.

“Go wherever you want,” Faramant, the Guardian of the city gates, said to Oorfene. - and try to become a good person. First of all, you will benefit from it yourself.

Deuce said nothing to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy brows and walked quickly away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.

- Stompers, come to me!

The bear ran up to the owner at a joyful trot.

- I am here, lord! What do you want?

"Lord…"

He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is at large, and no one has taken away his indomitable will, the ability to use the favorable circumstances of a cunning, resourceful mind, skillful hands.

Oorfene's hunched waist straightened, a faint grin illuminated a swarthy face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin.

Turning towards the Emerald City, Oorfene shook his fist.

- You will regret, unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free! ..

“Yes, they'll be sorry,” the clown squeaked.

Deuce sat down on the bear's back.

“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, home, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - We have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find a refuge for the first time.

- And we have a vegetable garden there, lord, - Stompotun picked up, - and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits. I don’t need food, but I’ll catch them for you.

Alexander Volkov

The fiery god of the Marrans

EXILE

At that time, the Great Wizard Goodwin lived in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.

The Scarecrow did not enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City for long. In the hands of the evil and insidious carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins, the life-giving powder accidentally fell. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, revived them and, with the help of this powerful army, captured the Emerald City. Scarecrow and. The Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, was captured by Deuce. He put them on top of a high tower, behind bars.

Fighting Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers wasn't easy, but Ellie and her friends were victorious 2.

Oorfene was tried.

For all his crimes, he deserved a cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to fellow judges.

- Friends, wouldn't it be better to leave this person just by himself?

And Ellie supported him:

- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.

“Go wherever you want,” Faramant, the Guardian of the city gates, said to Oorfene. - and try to become a good person. First of all, you will benefit from it yourself.

Deuce said nothing to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy brows and walked quickly away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.

- Stompers, come to me!

The bear ran up to the owner at a joyful trot.

- I am here, lord! What do you want?

"Lord…"

He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is at large, and no one has taken away his indomitable will, the ability to use the favorable circumstances of a cunning, resourceful mind, skillful hands.

Oorfene's hunched waist straightened, a faint grin illuminated a swarthy face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin.

Turning towards the Emerald City, Oorfene shook his fist.

- You will regret, unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free! ..

“Yes, they'll be sorry,” the clown squeaked.

Deuce sat down on the bear's back.

“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, home, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - We have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find a refuge for the first time.

- And we have a vegetable garden there, lord, - Stompotun picked up, - and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits. I don’t need food, but I’ll catch them for you.

The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, far from everyone, in peace and contentment.

Oorfene's thoughts were not like that.

The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me, Deuce mused. I will hide until they forget about me. And there ... we'll see! .. "

Exile

It is in the country of Munchkins, a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema, brought from Kansas a house with a girl Ellie and a doggie Totoshka. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.

At that time, the great wizard Goodwin lived in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.

On the way, Ellie took with her a revived straw effigy of the Scarecrow, the Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The scarecrow wanted to get brains in a straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow clever brains mixed with needles and pins, the Tin Woodman a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, the Cowardly Lion courage that sizzled and froth in a golden platter.

Begging for help, the Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was taken to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggi-Karr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time.

Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a land ship, and on that ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.

The fight against Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers was not easy, but Ellie and her friends were victorious.

Oorfene was tried.

For all his crimes, he deserved a cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to his fellow judges:

- Friends, wouldn't it be better to leave this person just by himself?

And Ellie supported him:

- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.

The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistle and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone thrust him the wooden clown he had revived, his favorite and the earpiece, and Oorfene Deuce mechanically squeezed it in his hand.

“Go wherever you want,” Faramant, the Guardian of the city gates, said to Oorfene, “and try to become a good person. First of all, you will benefit from it yourself.

Deuce said nothing to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under shaggy eyebrows and walked quickly away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.

“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. “Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who exalted me to heaven, all now praise little Ellie and the Giant from behind the mountains ...” (This is what Charlie Black was called in the Magic Land.)

But, looking back, Oorfene realized that he was wrong. One faithful creature was found: the Stompers bear trailed in the distance behind its owner. No, Stompotun would never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce got into. After all, it was Oorfene who, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, revived his skin when it lay on a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude ...

- Stompers, come to me!

The bear ran up to the owner at a joyful trot:

- I am here, lord! What do you want?

"Lord…"

This word eased Oorfene's mental wound. Yes, he is still the master of at least one humble servant and an insignificant clown. What if?. Vague hopes flashed through Oorfene's mind. Is it not early to celebrate the victory of his enemies?

He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is at large, and no one has taken away his indomitable will, the ability to use the favorable circumstances of a cunning, resourceful mind, skillful hands.

Oorfene's hunched waist straightened, a faint grin illuminated a swarthy face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin.

Turning towards the Emerald City, Oorfene shook his fist.

- You will regret, unfortunate simpletons, that you released me into freedom !.

“Yes, they'll be sorry,” the clown squeaked.

Deuce sat down on the bear's back.

“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, home, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - We have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find a refuge for the first time.

- And we have a vegetable garden there, lord, - Stompotun picked up, - and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits. I don’t need food, but I’ll catch them for you.

The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, far from everyone, in peace and contentment.

Oorfene's thoughts were not like that.

The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me, Deuce mused. I will hide until they forget about me. And there ... we'll see! .. "

The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his homeland was like a protracted procession to execution.

And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:

- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We will laugh at them again!

And now, finally, home. The exile was relieved to be convinced that the Munchkins did not touch his possessions and that all his property was preserved intact. He took out the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.

Page 1 of 20

EXILE

My young friend, give me your hand and we will rush with you far, far, to the Magic Land, which is separated from the whole world by the Great Desert and a chain of huge mountains. There, under the eternally hot sun, live cute and funny little people - Munchkins, Winkers, Chatterboxes and many other different tribes.
It is to the country of Munchkins that a hurricane caused by the witch Gingema brought from Kansas a house with a girl named Ellie and a dog named Totoshka. Gingema died, and extraordinary adventures began for Ellie and Totoshka.
At that time, the Great Wizard Goodwin lived in the center of the country, in the beautiful Emerald City. It was Ellie who went to him, hoping that Goodwin would help her return to her homeland.
On the way, Ellie took with her a revived straw effigy of the Scarecrow, the Woodcutter made of iron, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them had their own dream. The scarecrow wanted to get brains in a straw head; The woodcutter sought a loving heart; Leo needed courage. And although Goodwin turned out to be a fake wizard, he fulfilled all their wishes. He gave the Scarecrow clever brains mixed with needles and pins. To the Tin Woodman - a kind silk heart filled with sawdust, to the Cowardly Lion - courage that hissed and froth in a golden dish.
Goodwin got bored of living in the Wonderland, and he left it in a balloon. Departing, Goodwin appointed the Scarecrow as his successor, and he became the ruler of the Emerald City. The woodcutter was elected ruler of the Winkies, who inhabited the Violet Land. And the Brave Lion became the king of beasts.
When the cherished desires of Ellie's three friends were fulfilled, she returned to her homeland, to her dad and mom. She and Toto were carried by Gingema's magic silver shoes, which the dog found in the witch's cave.
The Scarecrow did not enjoy his high position as ruler of the Emerald City for long. In the hands of the evil and insidious carpenter Oorfene Deuce, who lived in the country of Munchkins, the life-giving powder accidentally fell. The carpenter made wooden soldiers, revived them and, with the help of this powerful army, captured the Emerald City. The scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who came to his rescue, were captured by Deuce. He put them on top of a high tower, behind bars.
Asking for help. The Scarecrow and the Woodcutter wrote a letter to Ellie, and it was taken to Kansas by their good friend, the crow Kaggi-Karr. The girl did not leave her friends in trouble and went to the Magic Land for the second time. Ellie was accompanied by her uncle, one-legged sailor Charlie Black, a great master of all kinds of inventions. He made a land ship, and on that ship he and Ellie crossed the desert.
Fighting Oorfene Deuce and his mighty wooden soldiers wasn't easy, but Ellie and her friends were victorious 2.
Oorfene was tried.
For all his crimes, he deserved a cruel punishment, but the one-legged sailor Charlie Black turned to fellow judges.
- Friends, wouldn't it be better to leave this person just by himself?
And Ellie supported him:
- Right. This will be the most severe punishment for him.
The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Brave Lion agreed with the sailor and the girl, and the former king of the Emerald City was escorted out of the city gates to the whistle and hooting of the townspeople and farmers. On the way, for a laugh, someone thrust him a wooden clown, which he had revived, his favorite and an earpiece, and Oorfene Deuce mechanically squeezed it in his hand.
“Go wherever you want,” Faramant, the Guardian of the city gates, said to Oorfene. - and try to become a good person. First of all, you will benefit from it yourself.
Deuce said nothing to these kind words. He cast a sullen glance at Faramant from under his shaggy brows and walked quickly away from the city along the road paved with yellow brick.
“Everyone has left me,” the former king of the Emerald City thought bitterly. - Everyone who flattered me in the days of my power, who feasted at my table, who exalted me to heaven, all now praise little Ellie and the Giant from behind the mountains ... (This is what Charlie Black was called in the Fairyland.) "
But, looking back, Oorfene realized that he was wrong. One faithful creature was found: the bear Trample was trailing in the distance behind its owner. No, Stompotun would never leave him, no matter what trouble Oorfene Deuce got into. After all, it was Oorfene who, with the mysterious power of a wonderful powder, revived his skin when it lay on a pitiful dusty rug on the floor, and for this the bear owes him eternal gratitude ...
In a softening voice, Oorfene called:
- Stompers, come to me!
The bear ran up to the owner at a joyful trot.
- I am here, lord! What do you want?
"Lord…"
This word eased Oorfene's mental wound. Yes, he is still the master of at least one humble servant and an insignificant clown. What if? .. Vague hopes flashed through Oorfene's mind. Is it not early to celebrate the victory of his enemies?
He, Oorfene Deuce, is still young, he is at large, and no one has taken away his indomitable will, the ability to use the favorable circumstances of a cunning, resourceful mind, skillful hands.
Oorfene's hunched waist straightened, a faint grin illuminated a swarthy face with shaggy eyebrows and a predatory grin.
Turning towards the Emerald City, Oorfene shook his fist.
- You will regret, unfortunate simpletons, that you set me free! ..
“Yes, they'll be sorry,” the clown squeaked.
Deuce sat down on the bear's back.
“Carry me, my glorious Stomper, home, to the Munchkins,” he ordered. - We have a house there. I hope no one touched him. There we will find a refuge for the first time.
- And we have a vegetable garden there, lord, - Stompotun picked up, - and in the neighboring forest there are fat rabbits. I don’t need food, but I’ll catch them for you.
The bear's good-natured face shone with joy that he would again live with his adored owner, far from everyone, in peace and contentment.
Oorfene's thoughts were not like that.
The house will serve as a temporary refuge for me, Deuce mused. I will hide until they forget about me. And there ... we'll see! .. "
The path of Oorfene Deuce to the country of Munchkins was painful. He dreamed of returning unnoticed, but the case was ruined by Kaggi-Karr. With the help of numerous relatives, the crow tracked down where the exile was headed. All who lived near the road paved with yellow bricks were timely notified by the messengers of Kaggi-Karr about the approach of Oorfene.
Men and women, old men and children, came out of the houses, lined up along the road and silently followed Oorfene with contemptuous glances. It would have been easier for Deuce if they scolded him, threw stones and sticks at him. But this deathly silence, hatred written on all faces, icy eyes ... All this was many times worse.
The vengeful crow calculated correctly. Oorfene Deuce's journey to his homeland was like a protracted procession to execution.
With what pleasure Deuce would rush at each of the enemies, grab his throat, hear his death rattle ... But that was impossible. And he rode on a bear, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth with rage.
And the clown Eot Ling, sitting on his shoulder, whispered in his ear:
- Nothing, lord, nothing, everything will pass! We will laugh at them again!
Oorfene spent the night in the forest under the trees, because not one of the inhabitants of the Emerald or Blue Country would have provided him with their shelter for the night. The exile ate fruits plucked from trees. He was very emaciated and, approaching the Sabretooth Tiger Forest, almost wished that meeting with predators would bring an end to his torment. However, the thirst for life and the desire to take revenge on the offenders prevailed, and Oorfene slipped unnoticed through a dangerous place.
And now, finally, home. The exile was relieved to be convinced that the Munchkins had not touched his possessions and that all his property had been preserved intact. He took out the keys from a secret place, opened the locks and entered the rooms, gloomy and dusty during the long absence of the owner.

GIANT BIRD

BATTLE IN THE AIR

Seven years have passed since Oorfene Deuce lost power over the Emerald City. Much has changed in the world. Ellie Smith, who left the Fairyland forever, graduated from high school and entered the teacher training college in the neighboring city: she chose for herself a modest lot of folk teacher. Her younger sister Annie (she was born while Ellie was in the Underworld) went to first grade and began to learn the secrets of the alphabet.
One-legged sailor Charlie Black bought a ship and made several voyages to the Kuru-Kusu Islands, the inhabitants of which greeted him with joy every time.
How did things go in the Magic Land? The Winkers and Munchkins continued to live as before, but the life of the underground miners, with whom Ellie visited on the third and last journey to the land of miracles, completely changed.
There, in the colossal Cave, Ellie and her second cousin, Fred Canning, experienced many strange, amazing adventures. They managed to restore the disappeared source of the Sleeping Water, and with this water they euthanized seven underground kings, who ruled the miners in turn. The funniest and most curious thing was that the kings, waking up, forgot about their royal dignity and turned into blacksmiths, farmers, weavers. Along with their former subjects, they worked hard to find food for themselves and their families.
Having done away with the royal power, the inhabitants of the Cave moved to the upper world and occupied the empty lands in the vicinity of the country of the Munchkins. There they sowed wheat and flax, planted gardens, fed livestock, and processed metals. Very soon they parted with dark glasses, because their eyes, accustomed to semi-darkness, could not endure sunlight for a long time.
Only in the life of Oorfene Deuce there were no changes during the long years of loneliness. He dug up a vegetable garden and began to cultivate vegetables, collecting three crops a year.
How diligently the former king looked at the soil of his plot, wielding a shovel! How he wanted to find at least one single seed of that amazing plant from which he obtained life-giving powder! Oh, if he had such a seed, he would not have made wooden soldiers again! No, he would make an iron-studded monster, invulnerable to arrows and fire, and become the ruler of the Magic Land again.
But the search for him was in vain and even senseless. After all, if at least one sprout, one living piece of an extraordinary plant survived from destruction, it would again flood the surroundings.
Every evening, every morning, Oorfene looked up at the sky, hoping if a storm would break out like the one that once brought him the seeds of extraordinary plants. But ferocious hurricanes swept over the country, leaving nothing but destruction.
And Oorfene, after he was king and reveled in the consciousness of power over thousands of people, had to be content with a modest share of a gardener. Of course, there was no need to worry about food under the blessed sky of the Wonderland, especially since Stompotun often dragged the owner of a fat rabbit or hare. But this was not what the exile wanted: at night he dreamed of the royal robe on his shoulders, and he woke up disappointed, with a beating heart.
In the first months of his lonely life, Oorfene sometimes met Munchkins during walks, especially if he went towards the village of Kogida, where he was born and raised. However, his fellow tribesmen ran away from him, as if from a plague, trying not to meet his gaze, and even their backs seemed to radiate hatred.

But the weeks turned into months, months into years, and the human enmity towards Oorfene faded away. Memories of his crimes paled, obscured by new events, new everyday worries.
A few years later, the inhabitants of Kogida began to greet the exile amiably, and if Oorfene wanted to move to the village, no one would interfere with him. But Oorfene responded gloomily to the greetings, did not enter into conversations and showed with all his appearance that the company of people was unpleasant for him ... Shrugging his shoulders, the Munchkins walked away from the unsociable gardener. And Oorfene continued to indulge in dark dreams of how he would take revenge on people, if only he could.
And fate went to meet him.

One afternoon, Oorfene was digging in the garden, when suddenly his attention was attracted by a sharp scream coming from above. The exile raised his head. High in the azure sky, three eagles were fighting. The battle was fierce, two birds attacked one, trying to hit it with their beak and wing beats. The victim of the attack fought desperately, trying to escape from the enemies, but she did not succeed. At first, the eagles seemed to Oorfene not particularly large, but they began to decline, and Deuce became convinced that their size was enormous.

The terrible battle continued, the screeching of the monstrous eagles became more and more audible as the birds approached the ground. The wounded bird weakened under the blows of enemies, its movements became more and more disorderly. And suddenly, folding her wings, she tumbled downward.

The eagle fell with a dull noise on the lawn in front of Oorfene's house. The gardener approached him fearfully. A bird, even mortally wounded, by an accidental blow of a wing could hurt a person.
Approaching the eagle, Oorfene was convinced that it was colossal in size: his outstretched wings occupied the entire area from edge to edge, and there were thirty paces. And then Oorfene saw with amazement that the bird was alive. Her torso quivered slightly, her eyes strangely mixed with pride and supplication. The other two eagles descended with the clear intention of finishing off the enemy.
“Protect,” the huge bird muttered hoarsely.
Deuce grabbed the hefty stake from the hedge and lifted it with a determined expression. The attackers soared up, but continued to circle over Oorfene's possession.
“They’ll kill me,” said the wounded eagle. “Man, dig a hole next to me and pretend you're going to bury me.” My enemies will leave this land only after they are convinced that I am buried. When it gets dark, I will hide in the bushes, and you will throw the earth into an empty hole.
At night, the cunning invention was carried out, and in the morning the monstrous eagles, circling over the empty grave, flew north.