249
Great was the amazement of Queen Jinjur next morning when her soldiers came
running to inform her of the vast army surrounding them. She at once climbed
to a high tower of the royal palace and saw banners waving in every
direction and the great white tent of Glinda standing directly before the
gates.
"We are surely lost!" cried Jinjur, in despair; "for how can our knitting-
needles avail against the long spears and terrible swords of our foes?"
"The best thing we can do," said one of the girls, "is to surrender as
quickly as possible, before we get hurt."
"Not so," returned Jinjur, more bravely. "The enemy is still outside the
walls, so we must try to gain time by engaging them in parley. Go you with a
flag of truce to Glinda and ask her why she has dared to invade my
dominions, and what are her demands."
So the girl passed through the gates, bearing a white flag to show she was
on a mission of peace, and came to Glinda's tent. "Tell your Queen," said
the Sorceress to the girl, "that she must deliver up to me old Mombi, to be
my prisoner. If this is done I will not molest her farther."
Line-Art Drawing
250
Now when this message was delivered to the Queen it filled her with dismay,
for Mombi was her chief counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly afraid of the
old hag.
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