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astonishment； 〃for she is rather difficult to
explain。 But first I will tell you that for many
years I have longed for a servant to help me with
the housework and to cook the meals and wash the
dishes。 No servant will come here because the
place is so lonely and out…of…the…way； so my
clever husband； the Crooked Magician； proposed
that I make a girl out of some sort of material
and he would make her live by sprinkling over her
the Powder of Life。 This seemed an excellent
suggestion and at once Dr。 Pipt set to work to
make a new batch of his magic powder。 He has been
at it a long； long while； and so I have had plenty
of time to make the girl。 Yet that task was not so
easy as you may suppose。 At first I couldn't think
what to make her of； but finally in searching
through a chest I came across an old patchwork
quilt； which my grandmother once made when she was
young。
〃What is a patchwork quilt？〃 asked Ojo。
〃A bed…quilt made of patches of different kinds
and colors of cloth； all neatly sewed together。
The patches are of all shapes and sizes； so a
patchwork quilt is a very pretty and gorgeous
thing to look at。 Sometimes it is called a
'crazyquilt；' because the patches and colors are
so mixed up。 We never have used my grand…mother's
manycolored patchwork quilt； hand…some as it is；
for we Munchkins do not care for any color other
than blue； so it has been packed away in the chest
for about a hundred years。 When I found it； I said
to myself that it would do nicely for my servant
girl； for when she was brought to life she would
not be proud nor haughty； as the Glass Cat is； for
such a dreadful mixture of colors would discourage
her from trying to； be as dignified as the blue
Munchkins are。
〃Is blue the only respectable color； then？〃
inquired Ojo。
〃Yes； for a Munchkin。 All our country is blue；
you know。 But in other parts of Oz the people
favor different colors。 At the Emerald City；
where our Princess Ozma lives； green is the
popular color。 But all Munchkins prefer blue
to anything else and when my housework girl
is brought to life she will find herself to be of
so many unpopular colors that she'll never dare
be rebellious or impudent； as servants are
sometimes liable to be when they are made the same
way their mistresses are。〃
Unc Nunkie nodded approval。
〃Good idea；〃 he said； and that was a long
speech for Unc Nunkie because it was two
words。
〃So I cut up the quilt；〃 continued Margolotte；
〃and made from it a very well…shaped girl；
which I stuffed with cotton…wadding。 I will
show you what a good job I did；〃 and she went
to a tall cupboard and threw open the doors。
Then back she came； lugging in her arms the
Patchwork Girl； which she set upon the bench
and propped up so that the figure would not
tumble over。
Chapter Three
The Patchwork Girl
Ojo examined this curious contrivance with wonder。
The Patchwork Girl was taller than he； when she
stood upright； and her body was plump and rounded
because it had been so neatly stuffed with cotton。
Margolotte had first made the girl's form from the
patchwork quilt and then she had dressed it with a
patchwork skirt and an apron with pockets in it
using the same gay material throughout。 Upon the
feet she had sewn a pair of red leather shoes with
pointed toes。 All the fingers and thumbs of the
girl's hands had been carefully formed and stuffed
and stitched at the edges； with gold plates at the
ends to serve as finger…nails。
〃She will have to work； when she comes to
life；〃 said Marglotte。
The head of the Patchwork Girl was the most
curious part of her。 While she waited for her
husband to finish making his Powder of Life the
woman had found ample time to complete the head as
her fancy dictated； and she realized that a good
servant's head must be properly constructed。 The
hair was of brown yarn and hung down on her neck
in several neat braids。 Her eyes were two silver
suspender…buttons cut from a pair of the
Magician's old trousers； and they were sewed on
with black threads； which formed the pupils of the
eyes。 Margolotte had puzzled over the ears for
some time； for these were important if the servant
was to hear distinctly； but finally she had made
them out of thin plates of gold and attached them
in place by means of stitches through tiny holes
bored in the metal。 Gold is the most common metal
in the Land of Oz and is used for many purposes
because it is soft and pliable。
The woman had cut a slit for the Patchwork
Girl's mouth and sewn two rows of white pearls
in it for teeth； using a strip of scarlet plush for
a tongue。 This mouth Ojo considered very artistic
and lifelike； and Margolotte was pleased when the
boy praised it。 There were almost too many patches
on the face of the girl for her to be considered
strictly beautiful； for one cheek was yellow and
the other red； her chin blue； her forehead purple
and the center； where her nose had been formed and
padded； a bright yellow。
〃You ought to have had her face all pink；〃
suggested the boy。
〃I suppose so； but I had no pink cloth；〃 replied
the woman。 〃Still； I cannot see as it matters
much； for I wish my Patchwork Girl to be useful
rather than ornamental。 If I get tired looking at
her patched face I can whitewash it。〃
〃Has she any brains？〃 asked Ojo。
〃No； I forgot all about the brains！〃 exclaimed
the woman。 〃I am glad you reminded me of
them； for it is not too late to supply them； by
any means。 Until she is brought to life I can
do anything I please with this girl。 But I must
be careful not to give her too much brains； and
those she has must be such as are fitted to the
station she is to occupy in life。 In other words；
her brains mustn't be very good。〃
〃Wrong；〃 said Unc Nunkie。
〃No； I am sure I am right about that；〃 returned
the woman。
〃He means；〃 explained Ojo； 〃that unless your
servant has good brains she won't know how to obey
you properly； nor do the things you ask her to
do。〃
〃Well； that may be true；〃 agreed Margolotte；
〃but； on the contrary； a servant with too much
brains is sure to become independent and high…
and…mighty and feel above her work。 This is a
very delicate task； as I said； and I must