The Magic of Oz

The Leopard's lip curled and showed his enormous teeth, sharp as

needles. He turned to the Gray Ape.

What do YOU think, Rango?" he asked.

Send these mixed beasts away, Your Majesty," replied the Gray Ape.

They are mischief-makers."

"Don't do that--don't do that!" cried the Unicorn, nervously. "The

stranger said he would tell us what to do. Let him tell us, then. Are we

fools, not to heed a warning?"

Gugu the King turned to Ruggedo.

Speak, Stranger," he commanded.

Well," said the Nome, "it's this way: The Land of Oz is a fine country.

The people of Oz have many good things--houses with soft beds, all sorts

of nice-tasting food, pretty clothes, lovely jewels, and many other things

that beasts know nothing of. Here in the dark forests the poor beasts have

hard work to get enough to eat and to find a bed to rest in. But the beasts

are better than the people, and why should they not have all the good

things the people have? So I propose that before the Oz people have the

time to make all those ropes to snare you with, that all we beasts get

together and march against the Oz people and capture them. Then the

beasts will become the masters and the people their slaves."

What good would that do us?" asked Bru the Bear.

It would save you from slavery, for one thing, and you could enjoy all

the fine things of Oz people have."

Beasts wouldn't know what to do with the things people use," said the

Gray Ape.

But this is only part of my plan," insisted the Nome. "Listen to the

rest of it. We two Li-Mon-Eags are powerful magicians. When you have

conquered the Oz people we will transform them all into beasts, and send

them to the forests to live, and we will transform all the beasts into people,

so they can enjoy all the wonderful delights of the Emerald City."

For a moment no beast spoke. Then the King said: "Prove it."

Prove what?" asked Ruggedo.

Prove that you can transform us. If you are a magician transform the