Glinda of Oz

Glinda, the good Sorceress of Oz, sat in the grand court of her palace, surrounded by hermaids of honor-a hundred of the most beautiful girls of the Fairyland of Oz.

The palace courtwas built of rare marbles, exquisitely polished.

Fountains tinkled musically here and there; thevast colonnade, open to the south, allowed the maidens, as they raised their heads from theirembroideries, to gaze upon a vista of rose-hued fields and groves of trees bearing fruits or ladenwith sweet-scented flowers.

At times one of the girls would start a song, the others joining in thechorus, or one would rise and dance, gracefully swaying to the music of a harp played by acompanion. And then Glinda smiled, glad to see her maids mixing play with work.