- see also Sir Hokus of Pokes (episode)
Sir Hokus of Pokes is a character in Oz books by Ruth Plumly Thompson. He is first introduced in The Royal Book of Oz.
Description[]
Sir Hokus is a valiant knight, always eager to fight dragons and giants. Yet he also possesses a softer side, indicated by his "kind, timid face and melancholy blue eyes." (The Royal Book of Oz)
History[]
Sir Hokus of Pokes[]
Sir Hokus is an elderly man upon his first appearance in the Oz story; he "dated back to king Arthur, in fact, and had been wished into the Land of Oz centuries before by an enemy sorcerer."
Sir Hokus was discovered by Dorothy Gale and the Cowardly Lion in the kingdom of Pokes, where he had been snoring for several centuries. Pokes is a small kingdom by the road in Winkie Country, by the Winkie River. The three managed to escape Pokes, which causes anyone in it to constantly fall back asleep.
After joining Dorothy on her adventure to save the Scarecrow, Sir Hokus returned with her to live at Ozma's palace in the Emerald City. (The Royal Book of Oz)
He was in the palace when it was accidentally stolen by a giant Ruggedo, and later when all the inhabitants were put to sleep by the Sand Man crashing into the palace. (Kabumpo in Oz)
The Yellow Knight[]
The Yellow Knight of Corumbia, riding Stampedro.
He went on a quest to find adventure. Dorothy and others hoped to come with him, but he needed to go himself, and so he left secretly in the night. After many adventures he met with Stampedro the horse, Speedy from America, Peter Pun, his friend the Comfortable Camel, and Marygolden. Together they discovered an ancient abandoned kingdom known as Corumbia whose people had all been transformed by dark magic. These people asked where the Yellow Knight was. Once the spell was broken, Sir Hokus transformed into his younger self, who was in fact the Yellow Knight of Corumbia. For a time he went into a daze, forgetting his Oz history and friends and only remembering his friends from Corumbia, like Stampedro, who had once been his steed. He promptly married Marygolden, who turned out to be the princess of Corabia, also enchanted for all these centuries. He then remembered his Oz friends and there was a great celebration, after which he settled down with Marygolden. (The Yellow Knight of Oz)
Although he no longer lived in the Emerald City, he would frequently come back and stay for extended periods. He resumed using the name Sir Hokus of Pokes while visiting. He befriended Evangeline, a Dragonette who he would chase through the Emerald City as part of his determination to defeat a dragon; she enjoyed these chases as much as he did. (The Wonder City of Oz)
He was present at the celebration at Glinda's palace when the Scalawagons were to be unveiled and ran off. He longed for a steed that could hold his weight so he could go after them, for the Sawhorse couldn't. Ultimately Jenny Jump brought them back, and everyone went for rides in them. (The Scalawagons of Oz)
Sir Hokus gets his armor from the kingdom of Troth in the Munchkin Country. (Merry Go Round in Oz)