The next morning, after several hours of traveling, the friends saw a faint green glow on the horizon.
"This must be the Emerald City," Ellie said.
The glow grew brighter and brighter as they walked, but it was late in the afternoon when they came to the high brick city wall. In front of them was a large gate decorated with huge emeralds that glittered so brightly that they blinded even the painted eyes of the Scarecrow. At this gate ended the yellow-brick road that had led them faithfully for many days, and finally led them to their long-awaited destination.
There was a bell over the gate, and a smaller one over the gate. Nikita pulled the rope of the big bell three times, and it answered with a deep silvery chime. The gate opened, and they entered a vaulted chamber, on the walls of which glittered many emeralds.
They were met by a small man, dressed from head to toe in green, with a green bag slung at his side.
The green man was very surprised to see such a strange company, and asked:
— Who are you?"
— I'm a straw Scarecrow!" said the Scarecrow.
"And I'm Goode Curley, the Tin Woodman," said Goode.
"And I am a Cowardly Lion," said the Lion.
"And I'm Taffy, the Munchkin mouse," said the mouse.
"And I'm Kaggi-Carr," the crow croaked.
"And I am the Elemental Tiger," said the Tiger.
"And I'm Toto!" the dog yapped.
"My name is Ellie," the girl said.
"And I'm Nikita —" the young man finished.
— Why did you come to the Emerald City?"
— We want to see the Great Goodwin!" We hope that he will fulfill our cherished wishes: after all, except for the Wizard, no one can help us! Ellie said.
"No one has asked me for a pass to see Goodwin the Terrible in years," the little man said thoughtfully. — He is powerful and formidable, and if you have come with an empty and insidious purpose to distract the Wizard from his wise thoughts, he will destroy you in an instant.
"But we have come to the Great Goodwin on important business," said the Scarecrow impressively. "And we've heard that Goodwin is a good sage.
"That's right," said the green man. — He rules the Emerald City wisely. However, for those who come to the city out of empty curiosity, it is terrible. I'm the Faramant Gate Guard, and since you're here, I'll have to take you to Goodwin's, just put on your glasses.
"Glasses?" Taffy asked.
— Without glasses, you will be dazzled by the splendor of the Emerald City. Even all the residents of the city wear glasses day and night. This is the order of the Wise Goodwin. The glasses are locked so that no one can take them off.
Faramant opened the green bag, and there was a pile of green glasses of all sizes. All the travelers, not excepting the Lion, the Tiger, Toto, Taffy, and Kaggi-Carr, were wearing spectacles, which the Gatekeeper had fastened with tiny locks on the back of his head.
The gatekeeper put on his glasses, too, and led the silent travelers through the opposite door, and they found themselves in the street of the Emerald City.
The brilliance of the Emerald City dazzled the travelers, though their eyes were protected by glasses. The street was flanked by magnificent houses of green marble, the walls of which were decorated with emeralds. The pavement was made of green marble slabs, and emeralds were also embedded between them. The streets were crowded with people.
The inhabitants looked at the strange companions with curiosity, but none of them spoke to their friends: even here they were afraid of the Lion, the Tiger, and Toto. The inhabitants of the city were dressed in green clothes, and their skin was tinged with a dark greenish hue. Everything was green in the Emerald City, and even the sun shone with green rays.
Faramant led them through the green streets, and they found themselves in front of a large, beautiful building located in the center of the city. This was the palace of the Great Sage and Wizard Goodwin.
Ellie's heart fluttered with excitement and fear as she walked through the palace park, decorated with fountains and flower beds; now her fate would be decided, now she would find out whether Wizard Goodwin would send her and Nikita home or whether they had come here in vain, having overcome so many trials.
The palace of Goodwin was well protected from the enemy: it was surrounded by a high wall, and in front of it was a deep moat filled with water, and a bridge could be thrown over the moat if necessary.
When Faramant and the travelers reached the moat, the bridge was raised. A tall Soldier, dressed in a green uniform, stood on the wall. The Soldier's green beard fell below his knees. He was very proud of his beard, and no wonder: there was no other beard like it in Goodwin's country. The envious said that the Soldier had no virtues other than a beard, and only a beard put him in the high position that he occupied.
The Soldier was holding a mirror and a comb. He looked in the mirror and combed his magnificent beard with a comb, and this occupation so absorbed his attention that he did not see or hear anything.
"Din Gior!" The Gate Guard shouted to The Soldier. — I have brought strangers who want to see the Great Goodwin!"
No answer.
The Scarecrow shouted in his hoarse voice:
"Sir Soldier, let us in, famous travelers, winners of Saber-toothed Tigers and Kalidas, and brave river swimmers!"
No answer.
— Your friend seems to be absent-minded." Nikita asked his new friend.
"Yes, unfortunately, he does," Faramant replied.
"Most Reverend! Pay attention to us! The Woodcutter shouted. "No, he doesn't. Let's all sing together!..
They all got ready, and Good raised his brass funnel to his mouth as a megaphone. At a sign from the Scarecrow they all shouted at the top of their voices:
"Mis-ter Sol-dier!" Let us in!" Mis-ter Soldier! Let us in!
The Scarecrow and Nikita thumped the railing of the moat with their pole and sword, and Toto, Taffy, and Kaggi-Carr made a great noise. No impression at all. The soldier was still lovingly arranging a hair in his beard.
"We see that we will have to bark in the forest," said the Lion and the Tiger.
They braced themselves on their paws, raised their heads, and let out such a roar that the windows of the houses rang, the flowers shuddered, the water from the pools splashed out, and the curious, who had been watching the strange company from afar, ran in all directions, covering their ears. Putting the comb and mirror in his pocket, the Soldier leaned over the wall and looked at the newcomers with surprise. Recognizing the Gatekeeper among them, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is that you, Faramant?" "What is it?" he asked. — What's the matter?"
"The fact is, my friend Din Gior —" the Gatekeeper replied angrily to the Soldier, " we couldn't get to you for half an hour!"
"Oh, only half an hour?" The Soldier replied nonchalantly. "Well, that's nothing. Better tell me, who's with you?"
"These are strangers who want to see the Great Goodwin!"
"Well, let them come in," said Din Gior with a sigh. — I'll report them to the Great Goodwin…
He lowered the bridge, and they said good-bye to Faramant, crossed the bridge, and found themselves in Goodwin's palace. They were ushered into the waiting room. The green-bearded Soldier asked the travelers to wipe their feet on a green rug at the entrance and sat them down in green chairs.
— Stay here while I go to the door of the throne room and inform the Great Goodwin of your arrival."
A few minutes later, the Long-bearded Soldier returned, and Ellie asked him:
"Have you seen Goodwin?"
"Oh, no, I've never seen him!" "Yes," came the reply. "The Great Goodwin always speaks to me from the other side of the door: probably the sight of him is so terrible that the Great Wizard does not want to frighten peaceful and kind people for nothing. I've announced your arrival. At first, Goodwin was very angry and wouldn't even listen to me. Then all of a sudden he started asking about how you were dressed. And when he found out that you were wearing silver shoes, and that your friend had an Omnitrix and a magic sword, he was extremely interested in it and said that he would accept you all. But every day only one petitioner is allowed to see him — this is his custom. And since you will be staying here for a few days, he has ordered rooms to be set aside for you to rest from your long journey.
"Give our thanks to the Great Goodwin," Ellie said.
The girl decided that the Wizard is not as scary as they say, and that he will return her to her homeland.
Din Gior blew a green whistle, and a beautiful girl in a green silk dress appeared. She had beautiful smooth green skin, green eyes, and lush green hair. Flita (that was the girl's name) bowed low to Ellie and said:
"Follow me, and I'll take you to your room."
They passed through the opulent chambers, went up and down stairs many times, and finally Ellie found herself in the room assigned to her. It was the most delightful and cozy room in the world, with a small bed, and a fountain in the middle, from which a thin stream of water gushed out and fell into a beautiful pool. Of course, everything was green here, too.
"Make yourself at home," Flita said. "The Great Goodwin will see you tomorrow morning.
Leaving Ellie and Taffy with her, Flita led the other travelers to their rooms. The rooms were beautifully furnished and were in the best part of the palace.
However, the Scarecrow was not impressed by the surrounding luxury. When he found himself in his room, he stood by the door with the most indifferent air, and did not move from his place until morning. All night long he stared at the spider, which was spinning its web so carelessly, as if it were not in the most beautiful palace, but in a poor shoemaker's hut. Kaggi-Carr, who had gone with a friend, was sleeping peacefully on the headboard.
The Woodman, though he went to bed, did so more out of the habit of those days when he was still flesh and blood. But he also stayed up all night, constantly moving his head, arms, and legs to make sure they weren't rusty.
The Lion would have liked to lie down on a bed of straw in the back yard, but they wouldn't let him. He climbed onto the bed, curled up like a cat, and snored all over the palace. His loud snoring was echoed by the thin snoring of Toto, who this time decided to fit in with his mighty friend.
Tiger had also been given a room, but he was just sitting on the bed, thinking about the events of the past five days.
Nikita also got his own room. He simply took off his weapons, hung it on the headboard of the bed, lay down in it, and slept soundly until morning.