First entered a band of Ryls from the Happy Valley, all merry littlesprites like fairy elves. A dozen crooked Knooks followed from thegreat Forest of Burzee. They had long whiskers and pointed caps andcurling toes, yet were no taller than Button-Bright's shoulder. Withthis group came a man so easy to recognize and so important and dearlybeloved throughout the known world, that all present rose to their feetand bowed their heads in respectful homage, even before the HighChamberlain knelt to announce his name.

"The most Mighty and Loyal Friend of Children, His SupremeHighness--Santa Claus!" said the Chamberlain, in an awed voice.

"Well, well, well! Glad to see you--glad to meet you all!" criedSanta Claus, briskly, as he trotted up the long room.

He was round as an apple, with a fresh rosy face, laughing eyes, anda bushy beard as white as snow. A red cloak trimmed with beautifulermine hung from his shoulders and upon his back was a basket filledwith pretty presents for the Princess Ozma.

"Hello, Dorothy; still having adventures?" he asked in his jolly way,as he took the girl's hand in both his own.

"How did you know my name, Santa?" she replied, feeling more shy inthe presence of this immortal saint than she ever had before in heryoung life.

"Why, don't I see you every Christmas Eve, when you're asleep?"he rejoined, pinching her blushing cheek.

"Oh, do you?"

"And here's Button-Bright, I declare!" cried Santa Claus, holding upthe boy to kiss him. "What a long way from home you are; dear me!"

"Do you know Button-Bright, too?" questioned Dorothy, eagerly.

"Indeed I do. I've visited his home several Christmas Eves."

"And do you know his father?" asked the girl.

"Certainly, my dear. Who else do you suppose brings him his Christmasneckties and stockings?" with a sly wink at the Wizard.

"Then where does he live? We're just crazy to know, 'causeButton-Bright's lost," she said.

Santa laughed and laid his finger aside of his nose as if thinkingwhat to reply. He leaned over and whispered something in the Wizard'sear, at which the Wizard smiled and nodded as if he understood.

Now Santa Claus spied Polychrome, and trotted over to where she stood.

"Seems to me the Rainbow's Daughter is farther from home than any of you,"he observed, looking at the pretty maiden admiringly. "I'll haveto tell your father where you are, Polly, and send him to get you."

"Please do, dear Santa Claus," implored the little maid, beseechingly.

"But just now we must all have a jolly good time at Ozma's party,"said the old gentleman, turning to put his presents on the table withthe others already there. "It isn't often I find time to leave mycastle, as you know; but Ozma invited me and I just couldn't helpcoming to celebrate the happy occasion."

"I'm so glad!" exclaimed Dorothy.

"These are my Ryls," pointing to the little sprites squatting aroundhim. "Their business is to paint the colors of the flowers when theybud and bloom; but I brought the merry fellows along to see Oz, andthey've left their paint-pots behind them. Also I brought thesecrooked Knooks, whom I love. My dears, the Knooks are much nicer thanthey look, for their duty is to water and care for the young trees ofthe forest, and they do their work faithfully and well. It's hardwork, though, and it makes my Knooks crooked and gnarled, like thetrees themselves; but their hearts are big and kind, as are thehearts of all who do good in our beautiful world."

"I've read of the Ryls and Knooks," said Dorothy, looking upon theselittle workers with interest.

Santa Claus turned to talk with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, andhe also said a kind word to the shaggy man, and afterward went away toride the Saw-Horse around the Emerald City. "For," said he, "I mustsee all the grand sights while I am here and have the chance, and Ozmahas promised to let me ride the Saw-Horse because I'm getting fat andshort of breath."

"Where are your reindeer?" asked Polychrome.

"I left them at home, for it is too warm for them in this sunny country,"he answered. "They're used to winter weather when they travel."

In a flash he was gone, and the Ryls and Knooks with him; but theycould all hear the golden hoofs of the Saw-Horse ringing on the marblepavement outside, as he pranced away with his noble rider.

Presently the band played again, and the High Chamberlain announced:

"Her Gracious Majesty, the Queen of Merryland."

They looked earnestly to discover whom this queen might be, and sawadvancing up the room an exquisite wax doll dressed in dainty fluffsand ruffles and spangled gown. She was almost as big asButton-Bright, and her cheeks and mouth and eyebrow were prettilypainted in delicate colors. Her blue eyes stared a bit, being ofglass, yet the expression upon her Majesty's face was quite pleasantand decidedly winning. With the Queen of Merryland were four woodensoldiers, two stalking ahead of her with much dignity and twofollowing behind, like a royal bodyguard. The soldiers were painted inbright colors and carried wooden guns, and after them came a fatlittle man who attracted attention at once, although he seemed modestand retiring. For he was made of candy, and carried a tin sugar-sifterfilled with powdered sugar, with which he dusted himself frequently sothat he wouldn't stick to things if he touched them. The HighChamberlain had called him "The Candy Man of Merryland," and Dorothysaw that one of his thumbs looked as if it had been bitten off bysome one who was fond of candy and couldn't resist the temptation.

The wax doll Queen spoke prettily to Dorothy and the others, and senther loving greetings to Ozma before she retired to the rooms preparedfor her. She had brought a birthday present wrapped in tissue paperand tied with pink and blue ribbons, and one of the wooden soldiersplaced it on the table with the other gifts. But the Candy Man didnot go to his room, because he said he preferred to stay and talk withthe Scarecrow and Tik-tok and the Wizard and Tin Woodman, whom hedeclared the queerest people he had ever met. Button-Bright was gladthe Candy Man stayed in the Throne Room, because the boy thought thisguest smelled deliciously of wintergreen and maple sugar.

The Braided Man now entered the room, having been fortunate enough toreceive an invitation to the Princess Ozma's party. He was from acave halfway between the Invisible Valley and the Country of theGargoyles, and his hair and whiskers were so long that he was obligedto plait them into many braids that hung to his feet, and every braidwas tied with a bow of colored ribbon.

"I've brought Princess Ozma a box of flutters for her birthday," saidthe Braided Man, earnestly; "and I hope she will like them, for theyare the finest quality I have ever made."

"I'm sure she will be greatly pleased," said Dorothy, who rememberedthe Braided Man well; and the Wizard introduced the guest to the restof the company and made him sit down in a chair and keep quiet, for, ifallowed, he would talk continually about his flutters.

The band then played a welcome to another set of guests, and into theThrone-Room swept the handsome and stately Queen of Ev. Beside herwas young King Evardo, and following them came the entire royal familyof five Princesses and four Princes of Ev. The Kingdom of Ev lay justacross the Deadly Desert to the North of Oz, and once Ozma and herpeople had rescued the Queen of Ev and her ten children from the NomeKing, who had enslaved them. Dorothy had been present on thisadventure, so she greeted the royal family cordially; and all thevisitors were delighted to meet the little Kansas girl again. Theyknew Tik-tok and Billina, too, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman,as well as the Lion and Tiger; so there was a joyful reunion, as youmay imagine, and it was fully an hour before the Queen and her trainretired to their rooms. Perhaps they would not have gone then had notthe band begun to play to announce new arrivals; but before they leftthe great Throne-Room King Evardo added to Ozma's birthday presents adiadem of diamonds set in radium.

The next comer proved to be King Renard of Foxville; or King Dox, ashe preferred to be called. He was magnificently dressed in a newfeather costume and wore white kid mittens over his paws and a flowerin his button-hole and had his hair parted in the middle.

King Dox thanked Dorothy fervently for getting him the invitation tocome to Oz, which he all his life longed to visit. He strutted aroundrather absurdly as he was introduced to all the famous peopleassembled in the Throne-Room, and when he learned that Dorothy was aPrincess of Oz the Fox King insisted on kneeling at her feet andafterward retired backward--a dangerous thing to do, as he might havestubbed his paw and tumbled over.

No sooner was he gone than the blasts of bugles and clatter of drums andcymbals announced important visitors, and the High Chamberlain assumedhis most dignified tone as he threw open the door and said proudly:

"Her Sublime and Resplendent Majesty, Queen Zixi of Ix! HisSerene and Tremendous Majesty, King Bud of Noland. Her RoyalHighness, the Princess Fluff."

That three such high and mighty royal personages should arrive at oncewas enough to make Dorothy and her companions grow solemn and assumetheir best company manners; but when the exquisite beauty of QueenZixi met their eyes they thought they had never beheld anything socharming. Dorothy decided that Zixi must be about sixteen years old,but the Wizard whispered to her that this wonderful queen had livedthousands of years, but knew the secret of remaining always freshand beautiful.

King Bud of Noland and his dainty fair-haired sister, the PrincessFluff, were friends of Zixi, as their kingdoms were adjoining, so theyhad traveled together from their far-off domains to do honor to Ozmaof Oz on the occasion of her birthday. They brought many splendidgifts; so the table was now fairly loaded down with presents.

Dorothy and Polly loved the Princess Fluff the moment they saw her,and little King Bud was so frank and boyish that Button-Brightaccepted him as a chum at once and did not want him to go away. Butit was after noon now, and the royal guests must prepare their toiletsfor the grand banquet at which they were to assemble that evening tomeet the reigning Princess of this Fairyland; so Queen Zixi was shownto her room by a troop of maidens led by Jellia Jamb, and Bud andFluff presently withdrew to their own apartments.

"My! what a big party Ozma is going to have," exclaimed Dorothy."I guess the palace will be chock full, Button-Bright; don't youthink so?"

"Don't know," said the boy.

"But we must go to our rooms, pretty soon, to dress for the banquet,"continued the girl.

"I don't have to dress," said the Candy Man from Merryland. "All Ineed do is to dust myself with fresh sugar."

"Tik-tok always wears the same suits of clothes," said the TinWoodman; "and so does our friend the Scarecrow."

"My feathers are good enough for any occasion," cried Billina,from her corner.

"Then I shall leave you four to welcome any new guests that come,"said Dorothy; "for Button-Bright and I must look our very best atOzma's banquet."

"Who is still to come?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Well, there's King Kik-a-bray of Dunkiton, and Johnny Dooit, and theGood Witch of the North. But Johnny Dooit may not get here untillate, he's so very busy."

"We will receive them and give them a proper welcome," promised theScarecrow. "So run along, little Dorothy, and get yourself dressed."