- "Hello there, my name is Tippetarius, but you can call me Tip for short if you'd like. "
- ―The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
- "Mombi's curious magic often frightened her neighbors, and they treated her shyly, yet respectfully, because of her weird powers. But Tip frankly hated her and took no pains to hide his feelings. Indeed, he sometimes showed less respect for the old woman than he should have done, considering she was his guardian. "
- ―
The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
Tippetarius (called Tip for short) is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz legacy. His first appearance is in Baum's second Oz book titled The Marvelous Land of Oz, published in 1904. Tip is introduced as a young, ragga-muffin adolescent orphan who was thought to be just the peasant slave boy living in the magical Land of Oz. He belonged to the old Gillikin Witch of the Northern quadrant named Mombi.
Oz History[]
For as long as he could remember, Tip had lived with the old witch Mombi on a farm in the Gillikin Country of the magical Land of Oz. She was his guardian, but she treated the boy as a slave, always ordering him around and talking down to him. And for this cruel treatment, Tip hated Mombi.
Tip asleep with Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse in the Gillikin Country of Oz. 1904
One day while Mombi was away, Tip carved a face in one of her pumpkins. Then he made a body for it out of wood, dressed him in some old clothes, and named him Jack Pumpkinhead. Tip set Jack up in the roadway to scare Mombi, but instead of being frightened she used the creation to test the Powder of Life. As punishment for trying to scare her, Mombi began brewing a potion that would turn Tip into a marble statue. That night, Tip stole the Powder of Life and ran away, taking Jack with him.
The Marvelous Land of Oz 1904.
On their way, Tip used the Powder of Life to animate a Sawhorse for them to ride upon, making the journey easier. The Sawhorse soon ran away with Jack, leaving Tip behind. The boy encountered an army of girls led by General Jinjur and followed them to the Emerald City where he was reunited with Jack and the Sawhorse.
Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead meet King Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.
There he met the Scarecrow King of the Emerald City. When General Jinjur conquered the city and overthrew the Scarecrow, Tip, Jack, and the Scarecrow escaped aboard the Sawhorse and went to the Winkie Country where they sought the help of the Tin Woodman. (The Marvelous Land of Oz)
Characteristics[]
Tip
Because of all the work and labor he did for Mombi as her servant, Tip was a strong and rugged boy. Between chores Tip took time to enjoy himself, so he knew how to work hard and how to have fun. Tip is portrayed as a sympathetic character, one who doesn't feel sorry for himself, which makes him all that more likable.
As noted in The Marvelous Land of Oz, Chapter 23, Tip has brown colored skin.
Spoilers[]
Tip was later revealed to be the enchanted form of the long-lost daughter of the late King of Oz, long before the Wizard arrived and took over. The King was only known simply as Pastoria. Ozma is the last surviving heir to the imperial Throne of Fairy Queen Lurline. She now resides in the Royal Palace of Oz which is in the Emerald City. And she is the child Queen of Oz and its rightful ruler.
Princess Ozma and Tip are basically the same person.
Media Appearances[]
Tip appears in mostly adaptions of the second book including:
- Matt Flynn in The Land of Oz (1932)
- Shirley Temple in Shirley Temple's Storybook (1961)
- Channy Mahon in The Wonderful Land of Oz (1969)
- Steven Bednarski in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (anime) (1986)
- Jordan Loughran in Emerald City (2017)
- Matt Phillips in The Chronicles of Oz (2018)
Upcoming:
- Jake Getty in The Land of Oz (2020)
Trivia[]
- Prince Marvel is another case of temporary female-to-male transformation in Baum's The Enchanted Island of Yew which was released one year before Tip and Ozma's debut.
- A short Baum story, "The Witchcraft of Mary-Marie," also deals with magical transgenderism.