The Magic of Oz

or cannot be injured. Even Ozma is not sure about this, and so the guests

of Ozma from other lands are always carefully protected from any danger,

so as to be on the safe side.

In spite of the laws of the forests there are often fights among the

beasts; some of them have lost an eye or an ear or even had a leg torn off.

The King and the King's Counselors always punish those who start a fight,

but so fierce is the nature of some beasts that they will at times fight in

spite of laws and punishment.

Over this vast, wild Forest of Gugu flew two eagles, one morning, and

near the center of the jungle the eagles alighted on a branch of a tall tree.

Here is the place for us to begin our work," said one, who was

Ruggedo, the Nome.

"Do many beasts live here?" asked Kiki Aru, the other eagle.

The forest is full of them," said the Nome. "There are enough beasts

right here to enable us to conquer the people of Oz, if we can get them to

consent to join us. To do that, we must go among them and tell them our

plans, so we must now decide on what shapes we had better assume while

in the forest."

I suppose we must take the shapes of beasts?" said Kiki.

Of course. But that requires some thought. All kinds of beasts live

here, and a yellow leopard is King. If we become leopards, the King will

be jealous of us. If we take the forms of some of the other beasts, we shall

not command proper respect."

I wonder if the beasts will attack us?" asked Kiki.

I'm a Nome, and immortal, so nothing can hurt me," replied Ruggedo.

I was born in the Land of Oz, so nothing can hurt me," said Kiki.

But, in order to carry out our plans, we must win the favor of all the

animals of the forest."

Then what shall we do?" asked Kiki.

Let us mix the shapes of several beasts, so we will not look like any

one of them," proposed the wily old Nome. "Let us have the heads of lions,

the bodies of monkeys, the wings of eagles and the tails of wild asses, with

knobs of gold on the end of them instead of bunches of hair."