The Magic of Oz

country, for Glinda would read in her book all that we do, and as her

magic is greater than mine, she would soon put a stop to our plans."

I said 'people,' didn't I?" retorted the Nome. "The book doesn't make a

record of what birds do, or beasts. It only tells the doings of people. So, if

we fly into the country as birds, Glinda won't know anything about it."

Two birds couldn't conquer the Land of Oz," asserted the boy,

scornfully.

No; that's true," admitted Ruggedo, and then he rubbed his forehead

and stroked his long pointed beard and thought some more.

Ah, now I have the idea!" he declared. "I suppose you can transform

us into beasts as well as birds?"

Of course."

And can you make a bird a beast, and a beast a bird again, without

taking a human form in between?"

"Certainly," said Kiki. "I can transform myself or others into anything

that can talk. There's a magic word that must be spoken in connection with

the transformations, and as beasts and birds and dragons and fishes can

talk in Oz, we may become any of these we desire to. However, if I

transformed myself into a tree, I would always remain a tree, because then

I could not utter the magic word to change the transformation."

I see; I see," said Ruggedo, nodding his bushy, white head until the

point of his hair waved back and forth like a pendulum. "That fits in with

my idea, exactly. Now, listen, and I'll explain to you my plan. We'll fly to

Oz as birds and settle in one of the thick forests in the Gillikin Country.

There you will transform us into powerful beasts, and as Glinda doesn't

keep any track of the doings of beasts we can act without being

discovered."

But how can two beasts raise an army to conquer the powerful people

of Oz?" inquired Kiki.

That's easy. But not an army of PEOPLE, mind you. That would be

quickly discovered. And while we are in Oz you and I will never resume

our human forms until we've conquered the country and destroyed Glinda,

and Ozma, and the Wizard, and Dorothy, and all the rest, and so have