2. The Enchanted Isle

The Enchanted Island of Yew

by L. Frank Baum

Once there was an enchanted island in the middle of the sea. It
was called the Isle of Yew. And in it were five important kingdoms
ruled by men, and many woodland dells and forest glades and pleasant
meadows and grim mountains inhabited by fairies.

From the fairies some of the men had learned wonderful secrets,
and had become magicians and sorcerers, with powers so great that the
entire island was reputed to be one of enchantments. Who these men
were the common people did not always know; for while some were kings
and rulers, others lived quietly hidden away in forests or mountains,
and seldom or never showed themselves. Indeed, there were not so
many of these magicians as people thought, only it was so hard to
tell them from common folk that every stranger was regarded with a
certain amount of curiosity and fear.

The island was round--like a mince pie. And it was divided into
four quarters--also like a pie--except that there was a big place in
the center where the fifth kingdom, called Spor, lay in the midst of
the mountains. Spor was ruled by King Terribus, whom no one but his
own subjects had ever seen--and not many of them. For no one was
allowed to enter the Kingdom of Spor, and its king never left his
palace. But the people of Spor had a bad habit of rushing down from
their mountains and stealing the goods of the inhabitants of the
other four kingdoms, and carrying them home with them, without
offering any apologies whatever for such horrid conduct. Sometimes
those they robbed tried to fight them; but they were a terrible
people, consisting of giants with huge clubs, and dwarfs who threw
flaming darts, and the stern Gray Men of Spor, who were most
frightful of all. So, as a rule, every one fled before them, and the
people were thankful that the fierce warriors of Spor seldom came to
rob them oftener than once a year.

It was on this account that all who could afford the expense
built castles to live in, with stone walls so thick that even the
giants of Spor could not batter them down. And the children were not
allowed to stray far from home for fear some roving band of robbers
might steal them and make their parents pay large sums for their safe
return.

Yet for all this the people of the Enchanted Isle of Yew were
happy and prosperous. No grass was greener, no forests more cool and
delightful, no skies more sunny, no sea more blue and rippling than
theirs.

And the nations of the world envied them, but dared not attempt
to conquer an island abounding in enchantments.