L. FRANK BAUM AND HIS SHORT STORIES...wizardofbaum

Short Stories by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum wrote a number of children's short stories that were published in periodicals, in addition to his many books. This section provides an accounting of these short stories listed chronologically by publication date (or date it was written and published much later).

Note: Most of these short stories have been republished in The Baum Bugle. The issue year, volume, number and page number(s) are listed in the last column of the following table.

Title
Publication
Date
Remarks
Bugle Date

"Who Called ‘Perry’?"
Chicago Times Herald
19 Jan 1896
Baum entered this story into the newspaper’s short story contest.
75:19:2:2

"Yesterday at the Exposition"
Chicago Times Herald
2 Feb 1896
Baum entered this story into the newspaper’s short story contest. It won third prize.
76:20:2:16-17

"My Ruby Wedding Ring"
unknown
ca. 1905
Copyright 12 Oct 1896 by the Bacheller Syndicate. Sold to the American Press Association in 1903 for syndication.
65:9:1:11

"Man with the Red Shirt"
Baum Bugle
Spring 1973
Told by Baum in 1896-97 to his niece, Matilda J. Gage. She wrote the only version known to exist.
73:17:121

"The Extravagance of Dan"
The National Magazine
May 1897
Earliest known Baum short story published in a nationally distributed magazine.
74:18:1:12-14

"How Scruggs Won the Award"
unknown
unknown
Copyright 5 May 1897 by the Bacheller Syndicate.


"The Return of Dick Weemins"
The National Magazine
July 1897

78:22:2:15-16

"The Suicide of Kiaros"
The White Elephant
Sept. 1897
Reprinted (somewhat revised) in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Nov 1954.
88:32:1:3

"A Shadow Cast Before"
Philosopher
Dec 1897

72:16:1:14-15

"The Mating Day"
Short Stories
Sept 1898

91:35:3:11-13, 29

"Aunt Hulda's Good Time"
The Youth's Companion
26 Oct 1899
This was a very popular children’s magazine of the period.
69:13:2:18-19

"The Loveridge Burglary"
Short Stories
Jan 1900

89:33:3:12-15

"The Real 'Mr. Doolley' "
Home Magazine (article)
Jan 1900
Illustrated by Denslow and Ike Morgan.


"The Bad Man"
The Home Magazine (NY)
Feb 1901

68:12:2:12-13

"Strange Tale of Nursery Folk"
Chicago Times Herald
3 March 1901

63:7:2:13

"The King Who Changed His Mind"
unknown
ca.1901

63:7:1:12-13

"The Runaway Shadows"
unknown
ca. 1901
Also known as "A Trick of Jack Frost".
62:6:1:11

"An Easter Egg"
The Sunny South (Sunday Supplement for the Atlanta Constitution)
29 March 1902
Also known as "The Strange Adventures of an Easter Egg"). Was also published on Easter Sunday 1902 in various newspapers. However, the newpaper versions were shorter. Was re-published in Baum’s American Fairy Tales by Bobbs-Merrill in 1908.
67:11:1:11-13

"The Ryl of the Lilies"
unidentified newspaper
12 April 1903
Included in Baum’s American Fairy Tales (1908) as "The Ryl."
95:39:3:16-19

"A Kidnapped Santa Claus"
The Delineator
Dec 1904
Illustrated by Frederick Richardson. This magazine was one of the important women’s magazine of the period.
68:12:3:13-16

"Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz"
numerous newspapers
Aug 1904 thru Feb 1905
This was a series of 27 weekly cartoon strip stories published in a number of the major newspapers in the cities of the north-eastern US.


"Animal Fairy Tales"
The Delineator
Jan through Sept 1905
A series of nine stories. Illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull. (The International Wizard of Oz Club published the stories in book form with illustrations by Dick Martin in 1969.)


"Nelebel's Fairyland"
The Russ
June 1905
The Russ was the school paper of the San Diego (CA) High School.
62:6:3:10-11

"Fairy Tales on Stage"
Chicago Record-Herald (article)
18 June 1905



"Jack Burgitt's Honor"
Novelettes (No. 68)
1 Aug 1905
Probably written 1896. Syndicated by the American Press Association.
Part 1 93:37:2:16-17

Part 2 93:37:3:8-9

"The Yellow Ryl"
A Child's Garden for Cheerful and Happy Homes
August & September 1925
Written ca. 1905-1906
Part 1 64:8:1:10-11

Part 2 64:8:2:12-13

"The Witchcraft of Mary-Marie"
Baum’s American Fairy Tales
1908
This collection of short stories was re-published by Bobbs-Merrill in 1908 with three new stories.
94:38:2:12-15, 28

"Modern Fairy Tales"
Advance (article)
19 Aug 1909
An article in which Baum addresses fairy tales and their authors. This magazine was the journal of the Congregational Church.
65:9:3:4-5

"The Fairy Prince"
Entertaining
Dec 1909
Short play based on The Enchanted Island of Yew. Reprinted in Baum’s Juvenile Speaker (1910).
67:11:3:3-7, 24

"The Man Fairy"
The Ladies' World
Dec 1910

95:35:1:12-14

"Juggerjook"
St. Nicholas
Dec 1910
Reprinted in Famous Tales and Laughter Stories (1912), and Boys and Girls Bookshelf (1920).
Part 1 77:21:3:9-11

Part 2 78:22:1:32-34

"The Tramp and the Baby"
The Ladies' World
Oct 1911

71:15:1:12-14

"Bessie's Fairy Tale"
The Ladies' World
Dec 1911

61:52:4

"Aunt Phroney's Boy"
St. Nicholas
Dec 1912
This is a rewritten version of "Aunt Hulda's Good Time."


"Our Hollywood"
unknown
ca. 1915
An article, apparently published in a local Hollywood, CA newspaper. In the article Baum encourages readers to shop locally in Hollywood.


"Chrome Yellow"
unknown
unknown
Believed to be unpublished prior to being found in the Baum archives.


"The Diamondback"
unknown
unknown
Believed to be unpublished prior to being found in the Baum archives. The first page is missing. It was published in The Baum Bugle, Spring 1982
82:26:1:7-9

"The Littlest Giant"
unknown
unknown
Believed to be unpublished prior to being found in the Baum archives. The first page is missing. It was published in The The The The Baum Bugle, Spring 1975.
75:19:1:2-5

"Mr. Rumple’s Chill"
unknown