The Forbidden Fountain of Oz
Encyclopedia
The Forbidden Fountain of Oz is a 1980 children's novel written by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and her daughter Lauren Lynn Mcgraw (or McGraw Wagner), and illustrated by Dick Martin
. As its title indicates, the book is one entry in the long-running series of Oz books written by L. Frank Baum
and his many successors.
, prepares a concoction of limeade to celebrate the annual Clover Fair — but she naively uses water from the Forbidden Fountain. She only has one customer before she drops and breaks her pitcher; but that customer is Princess Ozma
, who drinks the drink and loses her memory. Wandering off and losing her crown, Ozma falls in with a series of new acquaintances, including the Monarch of the Butterflies (who names her "Poppy" after the flowers in her hair) and a talking hedgebird who advises her.
Outfitted in boy's clothes and hat, Ozma/Poppy meets a lamb named Lambert, who is ostracized from his Gillikin flock for his unnatural white color. The two stumble into Camouflage Creek, and undergo a bewildering string of transformations into bugs and beasts. Back in their own forms, they are confronted by an inept would-be highwayman named Tobias Bridlecull Jr., who quickly becomes the third member of their rambling trio. He carries a Suggestion Box that volunteers suggestions instead of receiving them — as in "Suggest lunch" and "Suggest oil for Suggestion Box."
Returning home to Pumperdink from the Clover Fair, Kabumpo
the Elegant Elephant falls into adventures of his own; he is waylaid by the animated toys of Wyndup Town. The elephant literally dumps into "Poppy" and company among the bubblegum and mucilage geysers (or "gozzers") of Gozzerland National Park. The four travelers combine, for further adventures in Cleanitupia and Pristinia. It is only when Kabumpo sees "Poppy" with her long hair unconfined that he recognizes Ozma; then he needs to win the trust of the suspicious amnesiac and bring her home to the Emerald City. (He fails completely at the winning of trust, and hauls her back bodily.) Eventually, Ozma uses the Magic Belt to restore her memory and return to normal.
, Baum specifically states that there is "no such thing as money..." in Oz. (As the Tin Woodman
says in the fifteenth chapter of The Road to Oz
, "Money in Oz!...What a queer idea!") Baum, however, was not wholly consistent in this detail (as in others), and the early books in the series do feature Oz currency.
Animals talk in the book; even insects do. Yet animals also eat each other: while transformed into talking dragonflies, "Poppy" and Lambert eat their fill of "what-gnats." Later, a Purple Wolf wants to eat Lambert. This raises the vexing question of death in Oz.
Some of the book's action is set in a border region between the Gillikin Country
and the Winkie Country
, which allows a blending of the two regions' characteristic colors, purple and yellow. Lauren McGraw provided the book with a map that situates the Winkie Country in the western quadrant of Oz, as in Baum's original scheme.
— an enchanted fountain that purges the memories of all who drink its Water of Oblivion. In that book, the fountain provides the resolution of the plot conflict, through which the invading hordes of a barbarian army are defeated without violence. The fountain appears in later Oz books by Baum and his followers; it is significant in Baum's The Magic of Oz
, Rachel Cosgrove Payes
's The Wicked Witch of Oz
, and Edward Einhorn
's Paradox in Oz
.
A rich imaginative heritage lies behind Baum's fountain. There is a "forbidden fountain" in Welsh mythology
, though instead of effecting drinkers' memories it expels them from fairyland, where it is located. The idea of forbidden drink is closely related to that of forbidden food, which occurs most famously in the "forbidden fruit
" of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
in the Book of Genesis, but in other contexts too.
The idea of water that purges the drinker's memory is also ancient. In Greek mythology
it occurs as the river Lethe
: the souls of the dead lose their memories of their earthly lives by drinking its water. The same idea can also be found in Eastern and other literatures, as in the "Well of the Waters of Forgetfulness" and other guises. "The 'Drink of Forgetfulness' is found in Greek, Hindu, Norse, and other mythologies." The concept received an eighteenth-century expression in James Ridley
's Tales of the Genii (1764), and from there made its way into drama and even to the visual arts, in John Martin's
Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion
(1812).
Baum, however, made a noteworthy innovation in giving his Water of Oblivion a moral dimension. In his fantasy universe, those who drink from the Forbidden Fountain not only lose their recollections but become benign, "as innocent as babes." (Though this is irrelevant to Princess Ozma, who was benign to begin with.)
Dick Martin (artist)
Dickinson P. Martin was an artist from Chicago who illustrated a number of books related to The Oz books series, most notably, Merry Go Round in Oz , the 40th and final title in the regular series, as well as many other children's books. He wrote and illustrated The Ozmapolitan of Oz, published...
. As its title indicates, the book is one entry in the long-running series of Oz books written by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
and his many successors.
The authors
The McGraws, mother and daughter, wrote an earlier Oz book, Merry Go Round in Oz, published in 1963. In their collaboration, the elder McGraw, a veteran children's book author, did the actual writing; she credited her daughter Lauren with story contributions. In Forbidden Fountain, the text is prefaced with an address to "Dear Fans of Oz, Young, Old, and In-Between," which calls Lauren Lynn McGraw "Assistant Inventor and Head Trouble-Shooter," while Eloise Jarvis McGraw signs herself as "Chief of Bureau of Extraordinary Communications."The plot
A child named Emeralda Ozgood, a native of the Emerald CityEmerald City
The Emerald City is the fictional capital city of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, prepares a concoction of limeade to celebrate the annual Clover Fair — but she naively uses water from the Forbidden Fountain. She only has one customer before she drops and breaks her pitcher; but that customer is Princess Ozma
Princess Ozma
Princess Ozma is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by L. Frank Baum. She appears in every book of the series except the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz .She is the rightful ruler of Oz, and L...
, who drinks the drink and loses her memory. Wandering off and losing her crown, Ozma falls in with a series of new acquaintances, including the Monarch of the Butterflies (who names her "Poppy" after the flowers in her hair) and a talking hedgebird who advises her.
Outfitted in boy's clothes and hat, Ozma/Poppy meets a lamb named Lambert, who is ostracized from his Gillikin flock for his unnatural white color. The two stumble into Camouflage Creek, and undergo a bewildering string of transformations into bugs and beasts. Back in their own forms, they are confronted by an inept would-be highwayman named Tobias Bridlecull Jr., who quickly becomes the third member of their rambling trio. He carries a Suggestion Box that volunteers suggestions instead of receiving them — as in "Suggest lunch" and "Suggest oil for Suggestion Box."
Returning home to Pumperdink from the Clover Fair, Kabumpo
Kabumpo
Kabumpo, the Elegant Elephant of Pumperdink, is a fictional character in the Oz books of Ruth Plumly Thompson.Kabumpo first appears in Kabumpo in Oz, Thompson's second Oz book. He was originally a christening gift to the king of Pumperdink, Pompus. He reappears to play major roles in The Lost King...
the Elegant Elephant falls into adventures of his own; he is waylaid by the animated toys of Wyndup Town. The elephant literally dumps into "Poppy" and company among the bubblegum and mucilage geysers (or "gozzers") of Gozzerland National Park. The four travelers combine, for further adventures in Cleanitupia and Pristinia. It is only when Kabumpo sees "Poppy" with her long hair unconfined that he recognizes Ozma; then he needs to win the trust of the suspicious amnesiac and bring her home to the Emerald City. (He fails completely at the winning of trust, and hauls her back bodily.) Eventually, Ozma uses the Magic Belt to restore her memory and return to normal.
Details
The McGraws, like other Oz authors, have to make choices among the vast and sometimes contradictory details of life in Oz. They choose to give Oz a currency (of "ozzos" and "piozters"); but in the third chapter of The Emerald City of OzThe Emerald City of Oz
The Emerald City of Oz is the sixth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books. It was also adapted into a Canadian animated film in 1987. Originally published on July 20, 1910, it is the story of Dorothy Gale and her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em coming to live in Oz permanently...
, Baum specifically states that there is "no such thing as money..." in Oz. (As the Tin Woodman
Tin Woodman
The Tin Woodman, sometimes referred to as the Tin Man or the Tin Woodsman , is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum...
says in the fifteenth chapter of The Road to Oz
The Road to Oz
The Road to Oz: In Which Is Related How Dorothy Gale of Kansas, The Shaggy Man, Button Bright, and Polychrome the Rainbow's Daughter Met on an Enchanted Road and Followed it All the Way to the Marvelous Land of Oz. is the fifth of L. Frank Baum's Land of Oz books...
, "Money in Oz!...What a queer idea!") Baum, however, was not wholly consistent in this detail (as in others), and the early books in the series do feature Oz currency.
Animals talk in the book; even insects do. Yet animals also eat each other: while transformed into talking dragonflies, "Poppy" and Lambert eat their fill of "what-gnats." Later, a Purple Wolf wants to eat Lambert. This raises the vexing question of death in Oz.
Some of the book's action is set in a border region between the Gillikin Country
Gillikin Country
The Gillikin Country is the northern division of L. Frank Baum's land of Oz. It is distinguished by the color purple worn by most of the local inhabitants as well as the color of their surroundings.-Elements in Gillikin Country:...
and the Winkie Country
Winkie Country
The Winkie Country is a division of the fictional Land of Oz. It is distinguished by the color yellow; this color is worn by most of the local inhabitants and predominates in the surroundings....
, which allows a blending of the two regions' characteristic colors, purple and yellow. Lauren McGraw provided the book with a map that situates the Winkie Country in the western quadrant of Oz, as in Baum's original scheme.
Forbidden fountain
The forbidden fountain of the title is the same created by Baum in his sixth Oz book, The Emerald City of OzThe Emerald City of Oz
The Emerald City of Oz is the sixth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books. It was also adapted into a Canadian animated film in 1987. Originally published on July 20, 1910, it is the story of Dorothy Gale and her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em coming to live in Oz permanently...
— an enchanted fountain that purges the memories of all who drink its Water of Oblivion. In that book, the fountain provides the resolution of the plot conflict, through which the invading hordes of a barbarian army are defeated without violence. The fountain appears in later Oz books by Baum and his followers; it is significant in Baum's The Magic of Oz
The Magic of Oz
The Magic of Oz: A Faithful Record of the Remarkable Adventures of Dorothy and Trot and the Wizard of Oz, Together with the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger and Cap'n Bill, in Their Successful Search for a Magical and Beautiful Birthday Present for Princess Ozma of Oz is the thirteenth Land of Oz...
, Rachel Cosgrove Payes
Rachel Cosgrove Payes
Rachel R. Cosgrove Payes, also known as E.L. Arch and Joanne Kaye was an American genre novelist, and author of books on the Land of Oz...
's The Wicked Witch of Oz
The Wicked Witch of Oz
The Wicked Witch of Oz is a novel by Rachel Cosgrove Payes. Written in the early 1950s but not published until four decades later, the book is a volume in the series of Oz books by L. Frank Baum and his successors....
, and Edward Einhorn
Edward Einhorn
Edward Einhorn is an American playwright, theater director, and novelist, noted for the comic absurdism of his drama and the imaginative richness of his literary works....
's Paradox in Oz
Paradox in Oz
Paradox in Oz is a 1999 novel written by Edward Einhorn. As its title indicates, the book is an entry in the series of books about the Land of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and a host of successors.-The book:...
.
A rich imaginative heritage lies behind Baum's fountain. There is a "forbidden fountain" in Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
, though instead of effecting drinkers' memories it expels them from fairyland, where it is located. The idea of forbidden drink is closely related to that of forbidden food, which occurs most famously in the "forbidden fruit
Forbidden fruit
Forbidden fruit is any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of knowledge that cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but is forbidden to have....
" of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
In the Book of Genesis, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or the tree of knowledge was a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. . God directly forbade Adam to eat the fruit of this tree...
in the Book of Genesis, but in other contexts too.
The idea of water that purges the drinker's memory is also ancient. In Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
it occurs as the river Lethe
Lethe
In Greek mythology, Lethe was one of the five rivers of Hades. Also known as the Ameles potamos , the Lethe flowed around the cave of Hypnos and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness...
: the souls of the dead lose their memories of their earthly lives by drinking its water. The same idea can also be found in Eastern and other literatures, as in the "Well of the Waters of Forgetfulness" and other guises. "The 'Drink of Forgetfulness' is found in Greek, Hindu, Norse, and other mythologies." The concept received an eighteenth-century expression in James Ridley
James Ridley
James Kenneth Ridley was an English author, who was educated at University College, Oxford. He served as a chaplain with the British Army...
's Tales of the Genii (1764), and from there made its way into drama and even to the visual arts, in John Martin's
John Martin (painter)
John Martin was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator.-Biography:Martin was born in July 1789, in a one-room family cottage, at Haydon Bridge, near Hexham in Northumberland, the 4th son of Fenwick Martin, a one time fencing master...
Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion
Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion
Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion is an 1812 oil painting by John Martin. It has been called "The most famous of the British romantic works...;" it was the first of Martin's characteristically dramatic, grand, grandiose large pictures, and anchored the development of the style for which...
(1812).
Baum, however, made a noteworthy innovation in giving his Water of Oblivion a moral dimension. In his fantasy universe, those who drink from the Forbidden Fountain not only lose their recollections but become benign, "as innocent as babes." (Though this is irrelevant to Princess Ozma, who was benign to begin with.)