The Magic of Oz

CHAPTER 16. The Glass Cat Finds

the Black Bag

When the six monkeys were transformed by Kiki Aru into six giant

soldiers fifty feet tall, their heads came above the top of the trees, which in

this part of the forest were not so high as in some other parts; and,

although the trees were somewhat scattered, the bodies of the giant

soldiers were so big that they quite filled the spaces in which they stood

and the branches pressed them on every side.

Of course, Kiki was foolish to have made his soldiers so big, for now

they could not get out of the forest. Indeed, they could not stir a step, but

were imprisoned by the trees. Even had they been in the little clearing they

could not have made their way out of it, but they were a little beyond the

clearing. At first, the other monkeys who had not been enchanted were

afraid of the soldiers, and hastily quitted the place; but soon finding that

the great men stood stock still, although grunting indignantly at their

transformation, the band of monkeys returned to the spot and looked at

them curiously, not guessing that they were really monkeys and their own

friends.

The soldiers couldn't see them, their heads being above the trees; they

could not even raise their arms or draw their sharp swords, so closely were

they held by the leafy branches. So the monkeys, finding the giants

helpless, began climbing up their bodies, and presently all the band were

perched on the shoulders of the giants and peering into their faces.

I'm Ebu, your father," cried one soldier to a monkey who had perched

upon his left ear, "but some cruel person has enchanted me."

I'm your Uncle Peeker," said another soldier to another monkey.

So, very soon all the monkeys knew the truth and were sorry for their

friends and relations and angry at the person--whoever it was--who had

transformed them. There was a great chattering among the tree-tops, and

the noise attracted other monkeys, so that the clearing and all the trees