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There are no foxes here," said the shaggy man.

I beg to differ with you. There's one, anyhow," replied the donkey, sitting

upright on its haunches and waving a hoof toward Button-Bright. "We saw

him coming and thought the whole army of foxes was marching to attack us."

Button-Bright isn't a fox," explained the shaggy man. "He's only wearing a

fox head for a time, until he can get his own head back."

Oh, I see," remarked the donkey, waving its left ear reflectively. "I'm sorry we

made such a mistake, and had all our work and worry for nothing."

The other donkeys by this time were sitting up and examining the strangers

with big, glassy eyes. They made a queer picture, indeed; for they wore wide,

white collars around their necks and the collars had many scallops and

points. The gentlemen-donkeys wore high pointed caps set between their

great ears, and the lady-donkeys wore sunbonnets with holes cut in the top

for the ears to stick through. But they had no other clothing except their

hairy skins, although many wore gold and silver bangles on their front wrists

and bands of different metals on their rear ankles. When they were kicking

they had braced themselves with their front legs, but now they all stood or sat

upright on their hind legs and used the front ones as arms. Having no fingers

or hands the beasts were rather clumsy, as you may guess; but Dorothy was

surprised to observe how many things they could do with their stiff, heavy

hoofs.

Some of the donkeys were white, some were brown, or gray, or black, or

spotted; but their hair was sleek and smooth and their broad collars and caps

gave them a neat, if whimsical, appearance.

This is a nice way to welcome visitors, I must say!" remarked the shaggy man,

in a reproachful tone.

Oh, we did not mean to be impolite," replied a grey donkey which had not

spoken before. "But you were not expected, nor did you send in your visiting

cards, as it is proper to do."

There is some truth in that," admitted the shaggy man; "but, now you are

informed that we are important and distinguished travelers, I trust you will

accord us proper consideration."

These big words delighted the donkeys, and made them bow to the shaggy

man with great respect. Said the grey one:

The Road to Oz