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Synopsis:
Don't
be fooled by the title. This isn't really a story about the
Scarecrow; it is a tale that combines the adventures of new
visitors to Oz who get mixed up in a royal love story.
The
newcomers to Oz are Trot and Cap't Bill. First introduced
by Baum in The Sea Fairies and Sky Island, their first trip
to Oz is by way of a whirlpool that deposits them in a cavern
deep under the sea, and a strange flying creature called the
Ork, that carries them to Jinxland, one of the remote outer
regions of Oz. Along the way they have several amusing adventures
and are joined by Button-Bright, a little boy from Philadelphia
whose most predictable trait is to get lost.
In
Jinxland they engage in a dangerous and deadly encounter with
a powerful witch who is aiding the king in his cruel plan
to marry his daughter to someone she does not love. The daughter
(Princess Gloria) is really in love with the gardener's boy,
Pon. Learning of the desperate situation in Jinxland, Glinda
the Good dispatches the Scarecrow on a rescue mission. But
the Scarecrow is no match for the powerful witch and finds
himself in his ultimate nightmare, being burned at the stake.
How
does the Scarecrow get out of this fix? And does Pon win Gloria's
hand? What fate befalls the cruel king and evil witch? And
does Button-Bright make it home to Philadelphia? These are
surprises best left for the reader to discover. You're sure
to enjoy this magical tale of adventure and love in the Land
of Oz.
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