Soldier with the Green Whiskers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Captain-General Omby Amby, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers |
|
|---|---|
| Oz character | |
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers
art by W.W. Denslow |
|
| First appearance | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
| Created by | L. Frank Baum |
| Information | |
| Aliases | Wantowin Battles |
| Species | human |
| Gender | male |
| Occupation | Body Guard to Princess Ozma and Police Force of the Emerald City |
| Title | Captain-General |
| Family | a Munchkin family named Battles (questionable) |
| Spouse(s) | unnamed wife with terrible temper Tollydiggle (possibly a mistake) |
| Children | none |
| Nationality | Munchkin (questionable) |
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers is a fun character from the magical Land of Oz. He appears in the famous Oz books written by L. Frank Baum and other authors. You first meet him in the very first book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900. His real name is Omby Amby, but for a while, he was also known as Wantowin Battles.
Contents
The Soldier's First Adventures in Oz
In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers is the main guard of the Royal Army of Oz. His job is to keep the Emerald City and its people safe.
Meeting Dorothy and Friends
When Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion first arrive in the Emerald City, the Soldier is happy to show them around. He leads them to the palace of the Wizard of Oz. Before they go inside, he makes sure they clean their feet on a soft green rug. When he blows his green whistle, a kind maid named Jellia Jamb appears. She then takes the four friends to their rooms in the palace.
A Tall Figure in the City
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers is known for being very tall. He has a long, thick green beard that almost reaches the ground. After the Wizard leaves Oz, the Scarecrow becomes the ruler of the city. The Soldier is the one who tells the Scarecrow that Glinda the Good Witch might know how Dorothy can return home to Kansas. Taking his advice, Dorothy and her friends travel to the land of the southern Quadlings to find Glinda.
Challenges in The Marvelous Land of Oz
In the second Oz book, The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904), we learn that the Soldier's brave look is mostly for show. When General Jinjur's all-female Army of Revolt attacks, he admits his gun is not loaded. He usually keeps flowers in it, not bullets, to avoid accidents. He even tells the attackers to wait while he looks for his misplaced gun powder.
After his weak attempts to defend the Emerald City, the Scarecrow scolds him. The Soldier then promises to shave his beard to hide himself. However, he lets it grow back once Princess Ozma becomes the true ruler of Oz.
Omby Amby: A New Role
In Ozma of Oz, we meet the Royal Army of Oz, which has twenty-six officers and only one private soldier. This private, Omby Amby, turns out to be the only truly brave soldier in the group.
Promotion and Bodyguard Duty
Because of his bravery, Princess Ozma promotes Omby Amby to Captain-General. She also makes him her personal Body Guard. He has a strong mustache and is gentle but capable. Unlike the other officers, who are often scared and make excuses not to fight, Omby Amby is brave. For example, when facing the Giant with the Hammer, the officers show their fear, but Omby Amby is the only one who acts.
Reunion with the Wizard
When the Wizard returns to Oz, he recognizes Omby Amby. Omby Amby greets him along with Jellia Jamb. The Wizard asks what happened to his "green whiskers." Omby Amby explains that he shaved them off.
Later Appearances
As Omby Amby, he makes brief appearances in The Road to Oz. He also acts as a tour guide for Aunt Em and Uncle Henry in The Emerald City of Oz. He tells them about special places in Oz like Rigmarole Town and Flutterbudget Center. These are places where people who talk too much or worry too much are sent.
The Soldier in Later Books
In The Patchwork Girl of Oz, he is again called the Soldier with the Green Whiskers. He is the only soldier left in the Army, and his beard has grown back. It is said that his beard makes him look taller than he really is. He is also known as the Emerald City Police Force.
Family Life and Confusion
Some later writers, like Jack Snow, thought that Oz's jailer, Tollydiggle, was his wife. This idea came from a scene in The Magical Mimics in Oz. In that book, Betsy Bobbin gives Omby Amby flowers and asks him to give them to his wife, Tollydiggle. However, in L. Frank Baum's original books, there is no clear sign of this relationship. Baum did mention that the Soldier has a wife with a "terrible temper," which doesn't seem to fit Tollydiggle.
A Red Beard?
His next big appearance is in The Wishing Horse of Oz. In this story, his beard turning red is the first sign of magic from Skamperoo, who tries to take over the Emerald City. At first, people think it's the red magic of Jinnicky. But Gloma, the Witch of the Black Forest, tells Dorothy that it's actually green magic at work. Omby Amby, along with Ozma and many of her helpers, gets trapped at the bottom of Lake Lightning.
Wantowin Battles
In Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz, author Ruth Plumly Thompson created a detailed family history for him under the name Wantowin Battles. In this book, Wantowin is shown as a bit of a show-off and a coward with bad aim. He also really loves to eat pickles.
Portrayals in Movies and Musicals
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers has appeared in many movies and stage shows. Sometimes, he doesn't have green whiskers in these versions.
Here are some films where he appeared:
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) - Frank Bristol played him.
- The Land of Oz, a Sequel to the 'Wizard of Oz' (1932) - Caryl Roberts played him.
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Frank Morgan played "The Guard" who lets Dorothy and her friends into the Wizard's castle.
- Journey Back to Oz (1974) - Dallas McKennon voiced Omby Amby.
- The Marvelous Land of Oz (1981) - Oliver Osterberg played the Soldier of Oz.
- Mago de Oz Cuento de Frank Baum (1985) - Jorge Rosette played the Guard.
The Guard also had a small role in the musical Wicked. He first appears in the Emerald City to tell Glinda and Elphaba that the Wizard will see them. He is also seen later at Glinda and Fiyero's engagement party.
Images for kids
-
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers
