The Land of Mo is a magical country that lies near the Land of Oz. It is sometimes called The Beautiful Valley of Mo and is ruled by a King. No one ever dies in this Valley, and the people are always young and beautiful. The birds in Mo are educated to talk, as are many other animals. Pleasant as the Valley is, it has been afflicted in the past by such creatures as the Purple Dragon.
Description[]
The sun shines all the time in Mo; there is no night. Everything that is needed grows on trees, so there is no use for money. When it rains, it rains lemonade, with lightning like fireworks and thunder like Tannhäuser. It also snows delicious popcorn, nicely salted and buttered.
The winds and breezes in Mo are perfumed. The south breeze always has a violet odor. The north breeze has the fragrance of wild roses. The east breeze is perfumed with lilies-of-the-valley and the west wind with lilac blossoms. The people of Mo never need a weathervane to tell them which way the wind is blowing.
Geography[]
There is a dangerous River of Needles, but the pleasant Milk River and Rootbeer River flow through the land. The Crystal Lake is composed of sugar-syrup and when the surface hardens in the sun it is good for skating.
The eastern plain of the Valley of Mo is composed of loaf sugar, with great boulders made of rock candy. There are smooth footpaths made of taffy, and other paths more gravelly near the mountains which are made of jackson-balls and gumdrops. After a rainstorm, the paths are often spotted with puddles of jelly mud.
North of the Land of Mo is a kingdom that was once ruled by a wicked king named Scowleyow, and in another valley enjoining Mo lives a giant named Hartilaf and his wife. To the south is a country populated by civilized monkeys who dress in fine clothes, and who once captured Prince Zingle and made him an exhibit in their zoo.
History[]
When Santa Claus began putting toys in children's stockings, he also gave them candy from "the wonderful Valley of Phunnyland". (The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus)
Prince, a talking dog and the only canine in the Land, once saved the Valley of Mo by tripping a Cast-Iron Man sent by King Scowleyow to destroy the valley. The mechanical giant was turned around and sent back where he came from.
The Land of Mo was once threatened by the fearsome Gigaboo, but after suffering some misfortunes Prince Jollikin was able to destroy the creature. (The Magical Monarch of Mo)
The Wise Donkey of Mo visited the Land of Oz just before Glinda cast her spell of protection, and he is now unable to return home. (The Patchwork Girl of Oz)
Trot, Cap'n Bill, and Flipper the Ork traveled through the Land of Mo on their way to Oz and met the Bumpy Man there. (The Scarecrow of Oz)
Background[]
The Land of Mo was originally named Phunnyland and was described in a book titled A New Wonderland (1900). After the success of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the book was reissued in 1903 with the alliterative title The Magical Monarch of Mo and "Phunnyland" was renamed "the Beautiful Valley of Mo."