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A STORY WHOSE TIME HAS COME [1]

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Date: 2023-10-23  

Fans of L. Frank Baum’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” know that Dorothy had silver, not ruby slippers. (Apparently, ruby slippers were better on film.) We know nobody tried to take Toto, and Munchkins are normal sized, though fond of blue.

We know her adventures in Oz were not “just a dream”. Because we read the sequels, and we know that Dorothy went back there, more than once.

She does not appear in the first sequel, “The Land of Oz”, though the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are there.

“The Land of Oz” chronicles the adventures of a boy named Tip, who escapes from yet another of Oz’s wicked witches, this one named Maumbi, and, with the help of his friends Jack Pumpkinhead, an animated Jack o lantern, the Gump, a flying sofa with a moose’s head and Professor H.M. Wogglebug T.E., a giant insect, who delights in puns.

Tip travels to the Emerald City, meets a centipede with corns in all of his feet. He accompanies Jelliga Jam and her army of young women, who plan to take over the Emerald City, and take the jewels there, with darning needles.

Then, at the end, Tip gets a surprise. He learns that Maumbi put him under a spell when he was small, and he is really Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of Oz.

Thanks to Glinda’s magic, Tip is turned back into his original form, a girl. (He is somewhat reluctant, but his friends assure him he’ll get used to being female, and he does. Ozma is a wise and gracious ruler.)

The book was published more than a century ago. It’s still in print, because Baum has some devoted fans. (A few of them are still writing Oz books.)

I am surprised that Ron DeSanits hasn’t tried to ban it.

I am surprised that Moms For Liberty aren’t incinerating copies.

Actually, I’m not, because I’m pretty sure none of those people are great readers.

Their knowledge of Oz, if any, begins and ends with Judy Garland and MGM.

So, if you did want to donate a copy to your local library, or put copies in peoples’ mini libraries, maybe give copies to impressionable children, I doubt anyone would say anything.

I didn’t think there was anything strange about it when my mother read me the book. The character that made the greatest impression on me, was the Wogglebug, who taught me the joys of wordplay.

Perhaps now is the time for someone to turn the sequel into a motion picture. I’m sure Disney could do a decent job.

It would give Ron DeSantis a coronary. If that isn’t a good reason to make a movie, I don’t know what is.

I would love to see Professor H.M. Wogglebug T.E. on the big screen.

I would also love to hear the howls of indignation from the MAGA crowd, when a movie about a boy who becomes a princess premieres.

“The Land Of Oz’ is a book whose time has come.

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