Quelala was the husband of Gayelette, the beautiful Princess and sorceress who lived in a ruby palace at the Gillikin Country (the northern quadrant of Oz). He was first introduced in L. Frank Baum's first Oz book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which also explained that he and his wife lived in the magical Land of Oz long before the Wizard or even Dorothy Gale came, and that he was the first original owner of the Golden Cap.
History[]
- "...a boy who was handsome and manly and wise beyond his years...When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called, was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manly beauty was so great..."
- ―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Even during his boyhood, Quelala was handsome, masculine, and wise beyond his years. Hence, he attracted the attention of Princess Gayelette, who had been longing to find a truly worthy husband. She took him to her ruby palace and, using all her magic powers (for she was also a powerful sorceress), made him "as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish". When he grew to manhood, he became "the best and wisest man in all the land", and he was so handsome that Gayelette loved him dearly, and quickly began preparations for their wedding.
Quelala 1900.
One day, just before the wedding, the mischievous Winged Monkeys (who lived in the forest near Gayelette's palace) played a prank on Quelala - they tossed him into a river, and while he was not in the least spoiled by all his good fortune, and actually laughed at the prank played on him, his rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet was still ruined. Gayelette was furious, and wanted to drown all the Monkeys as punishment, but upon the King of the Monkeys' desperate pleas and Quelala's speaking for them, she spared them conditionally: thereafter, the Monkeys had to be the slaves to the Golden Cap she had prepared as a wedding present for Quelala, and whoever that owner may be, and whatever said owner's bidding may be, they - the Monkeys - were bound to obey them three times unless that particular bidding was well and truly beyond their capabilities.
Aware of how Gayelette still could not bear the sight of the Monkeys, as well as how the Monkeys were also deathly afraid of her, Quelala - as the first original owner of the cap - summoned them to meet him in the forest after the wedding, and ordered them all to always keep out of her sight, which they were happy to do. (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
Powers and Abilities[]
- Supernatural Beauty: Even before he met Gayelette, as a boy, Quelala was handsome beyond his years, and later on, through Gayelette's magic, he became "as lovely as any woman could wish". As an adult, he was the most handsome man in the entire land - so handsome, in fact, that the fastidious Gayelette loved him dearly. Though it was never specifically stated or confirmed, given Gayelette's nature and the potency of her magic, it was still highly likely that Quelala's manly beauty was also constant, eternal, and never faded with time, just like hers.
- Supernatural Wisdom: Even before he met Gayelette, as a boy, Quelala was also wise beyond his years, and later on, through Gayelette's magic, he grew to be "the wisest man in all the land", possessing wisdom drastically beyond what was naturally possible.
- Supernatural Strength: Even before he met Gayelette, as a boy, Quelala was also manly beyond his years, and later on, through Gayelette's magic, he became "as strong as any woman could wish", possessing strength drastically beyond what was naturally possible.
Background[]
Non-Canon Appearances[]
- Gayelette and Quelala played important parts in March Laumer's The Frogman of Oz.
- Gayelette and Quelala later met Dorothy Gale and aided her when she sought them out in Roger S. Baum's Dorothy of Oz.
- In The Hidden History of Oz series, Quelala was Glinda's father, and though he loved her dearly, he was often caught in the middle between her and his wife, who seemed to view him as a trophy husband. He introduced Glinda to his friends, the Winged Monkeys, and later died to protect the Ruby Palace's secrets.