noticing a tawny blossom with gay purple spots, dorothy placed her ear close to it. this was a harlequin flower and it said, "pick me, child, and i'll tell you a wonder tale about merryland and its valley of clowns, where dwell the happy, fun-loving clowns who delight in making children laugh." dorothy remembered reading in a story book about merryland and the valley of clowns.