But Glinda, sweet and fair though she was,
understood magic better than any other person in the Land of Oz. So, by
uttering a few potent words and making a peculiar gesture, she quickly
transformed the girl into her proper shape, while at the same time old
Mombi, far away in Jinjur's palace, suddenly resumed her own crooked form
and evil features.
"Why, it's Jellia Jamb!" cried the Scarecrow, recognizing in the girl one of
his old friends.
"It's our interpreter!" said the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.
Then Jellia was forced to tell of the trick Mombi
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had played and she also begged Glinda's protection, which the Sorceress
readily granted. But Glinda was now really angry, and sent word to Jinjur
that the fraud was discovered and she must deliver up the real Mombi or
suffer terrible consequences. Jinjur was prepared for this message, for the
witch well understood, when her natural form was thrust upon her, that
Glinda had discovered her trickery. But the wicked old creature had already
thought up a new deception, and had made Jinjur promise to carry it out. So
the Queen said to Glinda's messenger:
"Tell your mistress that I cannot find Mombi anywhere, but that Glinda is
welcome to enter the
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city and search herself for the old woman.
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