Mombi had no sooner arrived at the royal palace than she discovered, by
means of her secret magic, that the adventurers were starting upon their
Journey to the Emerald City; so she retired to a small room high up in a
tower and locked herself in while she practised such arts as she could
command to prevent the return of the Scarecrow and his companions.
That was why the Tin Woodman presently stopped and said:
"Something very curious has happened. I ought to know by heart and every
step of this Journey, yet I fear we have already lost our way."
"That is quite impossible!" protested the Scarecrow. "Why do you think, my
dear friend, that we have gone astray?"
"Why, here before us is a great field of sunflowers -- and I never saw this
field before in all my life."
At these words they all looked around, only to find that they were indeed
surrounded by a field of tall stalks, every stalk bearing at its top a
gigantic sunflower. And not only were these flowers almost
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blinding in their vivid hues of red and gold, but each one whirled around
upon its stalk like a miniature wind-mill, completely dazzling the vision of
the beholders and so mystifying them that they knew not which way to turn.
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