Kabumpo in Oz

1922, 1985 Del Rey edition
Ruth Plumly Thompson
Illustrated by John R. Neill
Kabumpo in Oz
Bought newish for $5.95
Paperback with binding starting to loosen
B-


The first thing to address about this book is spelling.  Thompson spells "gnome" with a G, which is more traditional.  (Baum worried children wouldn't know how to pronounce it.)  She does, however, misspell the northern country as "Gilliken," even though it's obvious that it should end in "kin," like "Munchkin."


The story begins in the North, in the tiny kingdom of Pumperdink.  The prince receives a message that he must marry the "proper princess" or Pumperdink will disappear.  So he and the title character, an Elegant Elephant, set out for the Emerald City so Prince Pompadore (yes, that's how she spells that) can propose to Ozma.  If Ozma refuses, Kabumpo plans to kidnap her, yes, charming.  He's also very rude later to Peg Amy, a wooden doll that's come to life, but he does redeem himself somewhat as the story goes on.


The places are more interesting than last time, including a sea of soup and a town populated by numbers.  One place has creatures called the Twigs, and so this is the oldest book I own where people are called "faggots."  In fact, there's a "faggoty old fairy," a 1000-year-old woman who collects sticks.  She lives in the Follensby Forest, which is odd to read so soon after Babbitt's friends mock his middle name of Follonsbee.


The Gnome King, who got the Waters of Oblivion treatment again at the end of Magic of Oz, has his memory and wickedness back.  This time, he gets exiled to an island, the Runaway Country, which has a "long wiggly peninsula."  Why can't I read Thompson without thinking inappropriate thoughts?  (Wait till we get to the "queer dicks" in Ojo in Oz!)


The other villain, J. Glegg, gets a more brutal punishment, held down by fourteen people and forced to drink Triple Trick Tea until he explodes.  His scheme to marry Princess Peg Amy once she's disenchanted fails, partly thanks to Trot ex machina.  Peg gets a happy ending with Prince Pompa, even though they've only known each other for about 100 pages and neither of them seems old enough to get married.  In the illustrations he does not look like he's celebrating his 18th birthday for the tenth time.


Nonetheless, Neill does some good work here, particularly with the Royal Family of Pumperdink, Kabumpo included.  He does draw a cat-like creature as a rabbit, perhaps mixing up the Curious Cottabus with Wag the rabbit.  Wag in turn should not be confused with Wiggs or Woggs of Once on a Time.  As for the weird Del Rey cover art this time, it's not too bad, except that Pompa should have lost some of his hair instead of sporting the Prince Valiant look, and the restored Peg Amy definitely doesn't look old enough to get married.  (Neill shows her only in doll form.)