The Magic of Oz

what you are saying."

After supper they took a walk together, and the former Nome King

said:

Do you know the Shaggy Man, and the Scarecrow, and the Tin

Woodman, and Dorothy, and Ozma and all the other Oz people?"

No," replied the boy, "I have never been away from Mount Munch

until I flew over the Deadly Desert the other day in the shape of a hawk."

Then you've never seen the Emerald City of Oz?"

Never."

Well," said the Nome, "I knew all the Oz people, and you can guess I

do not love them. All during my wanderings I have brooded on how I can

be revenged on them. Now that I've met you I can see a way to conquer

the Land of Oz and be King there myself, which is better than being King

of the Nomes."

How can you do that?" inquired Kiki Aru, wonderingly.

Never mind how. In the first place, I'll make a bargain with you. Tell

me the secret of how to perform transformations and I will give you a

pocketful of jewels, the biggest and finest that I possess."

No," said Kiki, who realized that to share his power with another

would be dangerous to himself.

I'll give you TWO pocketsful of jewels," said the Nome.

No," answered Kiki.

I'll give you every jewel I possess."

No, no, no!" said Kiki, who was beginning to be frightened.

Then," said the Nome, with a wicked look at the boy, "I'll tell the inn-

keeper that you stole that gold piece and he will have you put in prison."

Kiki laughed at the threat.

Before he can do that," said he, "I will transform myself into a lion

and tear him to pieces, or into a bear and eat him up, or into a fly and fly

away where he could not find me."

Can you really do such wonderful transformations?" asked the old

Nome, looking at him curiously.

Of course," declared Kiki. I can transform you into a stick of wood, in