The Magic of Oz

On the east edge of the Land of Oz, in the Munchkin Country, is a big, tall hill called MountMunch.

One one side, the bottom of this hill just touches the Deadly Sandy Desert that separatesthe Fairyland of Oz from all the rest of the world, but on the other side, the hill touches thebeautiful, fertile Country of the Munchkins.The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know verylittle about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if anypeople live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, theMunchkins are not aware of the fact.But people DO live there, just the same.

The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer,broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks arefed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

There are houses scattered here and there,each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

The Hyups seldom go down themountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.