The Magic of Oz

Won't that make a queer combination?" inquired Kiki.

The queerer the better," declared Ruggedo.

All right," said Kiki. "You stay here, and I'll fly away to another tree

and transform us both, and then we'll climb down our trees and meet in the

forest."

No," said the Nome, "we mustn't separate. You must transform us

while we are together."

I won't do that," asserted Kiki, firmly. "You're trying to get my secret,

and I won't let you."

The eyes of the other eagle flashed angrily, but Ruggedo did not dare

insist. If he offended this boy, he might have to remain an eagle always

and he wouldn't like that. Some day he hoped to be able to learn the secret

word of the magical transformations, but just now he must let Kiki have

his own way.

All right," he said gruffly; "do as you please."

So Kiki flew to a tree that was far enough distant so that Ruggedo

could not overhear him and said: "I want Ruggedo, the Nome, and myself

to 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 ends of them instead of

bunches of hair--Pyrzqxgl!"

He pronounced the magic word in the proper manner and at once his

form changed to the one he had described. He spread his eagle's wings and

finding they were strong enough to support his monkey body and lion

head he flew swiftly to the tree where he had left Ruggedo. The Nome was

also transformed and was climbing down the tree because the branches all

around him were so thickly entwined that there was no room between

them to fly.

Kiki quickly joined his comrade and it did not take them long to reach

the ground.