The Magic of Oz

When Ozma cuts the cake the monkeys will jump out on to the table and

do their tricks. The next day I will bring them back to the forest and make

them big as ever, and they'll have some exciting stories to tell their friends.

What do you say, Rango?"

I say no!" answered the Gray Ape. "I won't have my monkeys

enchanted and made to do tricks for the Oz people."

Very well," said the Wizard calmly; "then I'll go. Come, Dorothy," he

called to the little girl, "let's start on our journey."

Aren't you going to save those six monkeys who are giant soldiers?"

asked Rango, anxiously.

Why should I?" returned the Wizard. "If you will not do me the favor

I ask, you cannot expect me to favor you."

Wait a minute," said the Gray Ape. "I've changed my mind. If you

will treat the twelve monkeys nicely and bring them safely back to the

forest, I'll let you take them."

Thank you," replied the Wizard, cheerfully. "We'll go at once and

save those giant soldiers."

So all the party left the clearing and proceeded to the place where the

giants still stood among the trees. Hundreds of monkeys, apes, baboons

and orangoutangs had gathered round, and their wild chatter could be

heard a mile away. But the Gray Ape soon hushed the babel of sounds, and

the Wizard lost no time in breaking the enchantments. First one and then

another giant soldier disappeared and became an ordinary monkey again,

and the six were shortly returned to their friends in their proper forms.

This action made the Wizard very popular with the great army of

monkeys, and when the Gray Ape announced that the Wizard wanted to

borrow twelve monkeys to take to the Emerald City for a couple of weeks,

and asked for volunteers, nearly a hundred offered to go, so great was their

confidence in the little man who had saved their comrades.

The Wizard selected a dozen that seemed intelligent and good-

tempered, and then he opened his black bag and took out a queerly shaped

dish that was silver on the outside and gold on the inside. Into this dish he

poured a powder and set fire to it. It made a thick smoke that quite