The Magic of Oz

nothing more to fear from them."

It is impossible to kill anyone in the Land of Oz," declared Kiki.

It isn't necessary to kill the Oz people," rejoined Ruggedo.

I'm afraid I don't understand you," objected the boy. "What will

happen to the Oz people, and what sort of an army could we get together,

except of people?"

I'll tell you. The forests of Oz are full of beasts. Some of them, in the

far-away places, are savage and cruel, and would gladly follow a leader as

savage as themselves. They have never troubled the Oz people much,

because they had no leader to urge them on, but we will tell them to help

us conquer Oz and as a reward we will transform all the beasts into men

and women, and let them live in the houses and enjoy all the good things;

and we will transform all the people of Oz into beasts of various sorts, and

send them to live in the forests and the jungles. That is a splendid idea,

you must admit, and it's so easy that we won't have any trouble at all to

carry it through to success."

"Will the beasts consent, do you think?" asked the boy.

To be sure they will. We can get every beast in Oz on our side--except

a few who live in Ozma's palace, and they won't count."