Forest of Burzee
Encyclopedia
The Forest of Burzee is a fictional fairy-tale land originated by L. Frank Baum
, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz
.
Baum first introduced the Forest of Burzee in his 1902 book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
, where the fictional setting receives its most extensive treatment and detailed description. The opening chapter of Baum's Queen Zixi of Ix
is also set in the Forest of Burzee. A small cluster of Baum short stories also employ the Forest of Burzee as a setting, or at least involved the Forest in some way; these include "A Kidnapped Santa Claus
," "The Runaway Shadows
," and "Nelebel's Fairyland
."
Baum pictures Burzee as a great forest, with "big tree-trunks, standing close together, with their roots intertwining below the earth and their branches intertwining above it;" a place of "queer, gnarled limbs" and "bushy foliage" where the rare sunbeams cast "weird and curious shadows over the mosses, the lichens and the drifts of dried leaves." Among the "giant oak and fir trees" are clearings where "the grass grew green and soft as velvet." The Forest is populated by fairies
, ruled by a queen (either Zurline or Lulea, depending upon the specific work), along with nymphs
, gnomes
, pixies
, and species of beings invented by Baum, ryls, knooks, and gigans.
Burzee is not an entirely benign place, however. It contains predators: Shiegra the lioness (Life and Adventures of Santa Claus) and Kahtah the tiger ("Runaway Shadows").
At first, Burzee had no direct connection with Oz. A link was forged in the fifth Oz book, The Road to Oz
, in which visitors from Burzee attend the grand celebration that closes that book. The map of Oz and its neighboring lands that appeared in Tik-Tok of Oz
included the Forest as one of those border regions. Eventually, Royal Historian Jack Snow
featured the Forest of Burzee in his first Oz book, The Magical Mimics in Oz
, in 1946. Later Oz authors occasionally mention Burzee; David Hardenbrook's The Unknown Witches of Oz
is one example.
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, famous as the creator of the Land of 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...
.
Baum first introduced the Forest of Burzee in his 1902 book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.-Infancy, Youth, Motivation:...
, where the fictional setting receives its most extensive treatment and detailed description. The opening chapter of Baum's Queen Zixi of Ix
Queen Zixi of Ix
Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak is a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Frederick Richardson. It was originally serialized in the early 20th century American children's magazine St. Nicholas from November 1904 to October 1905, and was published in book...
is also set in the Forest of Burzee. A small cluster of Baum short stories also employ the Forest of Burzee as a setting, or at least involved the Forest in some way; these include "A Kidnapped Santa Claus
A Kidnapped Santa Claus
A Kidnapped Santa Claus is a Christmas-themed short story written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz; it has been called "one of Baum's most beautiful stories" and constitutes an influential contribution to the mythology of Christmas."A Kidnapped Santa Claus" was first...
," "The Runaway Shadows
The Runaway Shadows
"The Runaway Shadows, or A Trick of Jack Frost" is a twentieth-century fairy tale, a fantasy short story written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz. The story is one of a small cluster of Baum narratives that involve his fantasy land the Forest of Burzee and its exotic denizens...
," and "Nelebel's Fairyland
Nelebel's Fairyland
Nelebel's Fairyland is a twentieth-century fairy tale, a fantasy short story written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz. The story was first printed in the June 1905 issue of The Russ, the student newspaper of Russ High School in San Diego, California...
."
Baum pictures Burzee as a great forest, with "big tree-trunks, standing close together, with their roots intertwining below the earth and their branches intertwining above it;" a place of "queer, gnarled limbs" and "bushy foliage" where the rare sunbeams cast "weird and curious shadows over the mosses, the lichens and the drifts of dried leaves." Among the "giant oak and fir trees" are clearings where "the grass grew green and soft as velvet." The Forest is populated by fairies
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
, ruled by a queen (either Zurline or Lulea, depending upon the specific work), along with nymphs
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
, gnomes
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
, pixies
Pixie
Pixies are mythical creatures of folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated in the areas around Devon and Cornwall, suggesting some Celtic origin for the belief and name.They are usually depicted with pointed ears, and often wearing a green outfit and pointed...
, and species of beings invented by Baum, ryls, knooks, and gigans.
Burzee is not an entirely benign place, however. It contains predators: Shiegra the lioness (Life and Adventures of Santa Claus) and Kahtah the tiger ("Runaway Shadows").
At first, Burzee had no direct connection with Oz. A link was forged in the fifth Oz book, 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...
, in which visitors from Burzee attend the grand celebration that closes that book. The map of Oz and its neighboring lands that appeared in Tik-Tok of Oz
Tik-Tok of Oz
Tik-Tok of Oz is the eighth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum, published on June 19, 1914. The book actually has little to do with Tik-Tok and is primarily the quest of the Shaggy Man to rescue his brother, and his resulting conflict with the Nome King.The endpapers of the first edition...
included the Forest as one of those border regions. Eventually, Royal Historian Jack Snow
Jack Snow (writer)
John Frederick "Jack" Snow was an American radio writer and scholar, primarily of the works of L. Frank Baum. When Baum died in 1919, the twelve-year-old Snow offered to be the next Royal Historian of Oz, but was politely turned down by a staffer at Baum's publisher, Reilly & Lee...
featured the Forest of Burzee in his first Oz book, The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz is the thirty-seventh in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the first written by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer.-A new "Royal Historian":...
, in 1946. Later Oz authors occasionally mention Burzee; David Hardenbrook's The Unknown Witches of Oz
The Unknown Witches of Oz
The Unknown Witches of Oz: Locasta and the Three Adepts is a 2000 novel written by Dave Hardenbrook, with illustrations by Kerry Rouleau. As its title indicates, the book is an entry in the long-running series of books about the Land of Oz, written by L...
is one example.