Eureka (Oz)
Encyclopedia
Eureka is a white kitten found by Dorothy Gale
's Uncle Henry
, that he gives to her telling her that the name means "I have found it!" She is introduced in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
.
Dorothy carries Eureka in a small cage on a train with her to San Francisco to visit her relatives on Hugson farm. While riding with Bill Hugson's nephew Zeb, an earthquake
opens a large chasm in the ground, and Eureka falls with Dorothy, Zeb, and Jim the Cab-Horse into the land of the Mangaboos, people made of vegetable. The strange lights in the Magaboos' cavern create all sorts of odd colors, and Eureka looks pink there. Afterward — perhaps in part due to the chapter's title, "The Pink Kitten" — Eureka is often referred to as a "pink kitten," or sometimes, as in Glinda of Oz
, as a "purple kitten." Explanations of Eureka's color are common in fan fiction
.
Eureka is somewhat of a stereotype of a cat. The last third of Dorothy and the Wizard presents her as very dishonest, and she is placed on trial for having eaten one of the Nine Tiny Piglets — the smallest one that was given to Princess Ozma
as a pet. She has said throughout the novel that "it was always his fault," but she stubbornly refused to explain what she meant by "it." Eureka is threatened with execution until the piglet is found. Indeed, Eureka tells them where the piglet is, but is amused at being tried for something it is in her nature to attempt. Throughout, John R. Neill
portrays her in ridiculous clothing, including a tailed coat and feather cap, though these are not mentioned in the text.
Eureka later lives in Oz
, but how she got back there is another unexplained mystery. The fact that she lives in Oz, and the first statement that she is pink, comes from a statement by the Shaggy Man
in The Patchwork Girl of Oz
.
Eureka plays a significant supporting role in Dick Martin's
1986 novel The Ozmapolitan of Oz
. And she is the heroine of Chris Dulabone's The Colorful Kitten of Oz (1990), which, among other things, addresses the inconsistency of Eureka's color.
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
's Uncle Henry
Uncle Henry (Oz)
Uncle Henry is a fictional character from The Oz Books by L. Frank Baum. He is the uncle of orphan Dorothy Gale and husband of Aunt Em, and lived with them on a farm in Kansas.-Oz Books:...
, that he gives to her telling her that the name means "I have found it!" She is introduced in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz: A Faithful Record of Their Amazing Adventures in an Underground World; and How with the Aid of Their Friends Zeb Hugson, Eureka the Kitten, and Jim the Cab-Horse, They Finally Reached the Wonderful Land of Oz is the fourth book set in the Land of Oz written by L....
.
Dorothy carries Eureka in a small cage on a train with her to San Francisco to visit her relatives on Hugson farm. While riding with Bill Hugson's nephew Zeb, an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
opens a large chasm in the ground, and Eureka falls with Dorothy, Zeb, and Jim the Cab-Horse into the land of the Mangaboos, people made of vegetable. The strange lights in the Magaboos' cavern create all sorts of odd colors, and Eureka looks pink there. Afterward — perhaps in part due to the chapter's title, "The Pink Kitten" — Eureka is often referred to as a "pink kitten," or sometimes, as in Glinda of Oz
Glinda of Oz
Glinda of Oz: In Which Are Related the Exciting Experiences of Princess Ozma of Oz, and Dorothy, in Their Hazardous Journey to the Home of the Flatheads, and to the Magic Isle of the Skeezers, and How They Were Rescued from Dire Peril by the Sorcery of Glinda the Good is the fourteenth Land of Oz...
, as a "purple kitten." Explanations of Eureka's color are common in fan fiction
Fan fiction
Fan fiction is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator...
.
Eureka is somewhat of a stereotype of a cat. The last third of Dorothy and the Wizard presents her as very dishonest, and she is placed on trial for having eaten one of the Nine Tiny Piglets — the smallest one that was given to 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...
as a pet. She has said throughout the novel that "it was always his fault," but she stubbornly refused to explain what she meant by "it." Eureka is threatened with execution until the piglet is found. Indeed, Eureka tells them where the piglet is, but is amused at being tried for something it is in her nature to attempt. Throughout, John R. Neill
John R. Neill
John Rea Neill was a magazine and children's book illustrator primarily known for illustrating more than forty stories set in the Land of Oz, including L. Frank Baum's, Ruth Plumly Thompson's, and three of his own. His pen-and-ink drawings have become identified almost exclusively with the Oz series...
portrays her in ridiculous clothing, including a tailed coat and feather cap, though these are not mentioned in the text.
Eureka later lives in Oz
Land of Oz
Oz is a fantasy region containing four lands under the rule of one monarch.It was first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of many fantasy countries that he created for his books. It achieved a popularity that none of his other works attained, and after four years, he...
, but how she got back there is another unexplained mystery. The fact that she lives in Oz, and the first statement that she is pink, comes from a statement by the Shaggy Man
Shaggy Man
The Shaggy Man is a character in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. He first appeared in the book The Road to Oz in 1909.He is a kindly old wanderer, dressed in rags, whose philosophy of life centers on love and an aversion to material possessions. His one possession of value is the Love Magnet...
in The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum, is a children's novel, the seventh set in the Land of Oz. Characters include the Woozy, Ojo "the Unlucky", Unc Nunkie, Dr. Pipt, Scraps , and others. The book was first published on July 1, 1913, with illustrations by John R. Neill...
.
Eureka plays a significant supporting role in Dick Martin's
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...
1986 novel The Ozmapolitan of Oz
The Ozmapolitan of Oz
The Ozmapolitan of Oz is a 1986 novel written and illustrated by Dick Martin. As its title indicates, the book is an entrant in the long-running series of stories on the Land of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and various successors.-Authorship:...
. And she is the heroine of Chris Dulabone's The Colorful Kitten of Oz (1990), which, among other things, addresses the inconsistency of Eureka's color.