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7. The Shaggy Man's Transformation

They found the houses of the town all low and square and built of bricks,

neatly whitewashed inside and out. The houses were not set in rows, forming

regular streets, but placed here and there in a haphazard manner which made

it puzzling for a stranger to find his way.

Stupid people must have streets and numbered houses in their cities, to

guide them where to go," observed the grey donkey, as he walked before the

visitors on his hind legs, in an awkward but comical manner; "but clever

donkeys know their way about without such absurd marks. Moreover, a mixed

city is much prettier than one with straight streets."

Dorothy did not agree with this, but she said nothing to contradict it.

Presently she saw a sign on a house that read: "Madam de Fayke, Hoofist,"

and she asked their conductor:

What's a 'hoofist,' please?"

One who reads your fortune in your hoofs," replied the grey donkey.

Oh, I see," said the little girl. "You are quite civilized here."

Dunkiton," he replied, "is the center of the world's highest civilization."

They came to a house where two youthful donkeys were whitewashing the

wall, and Dorothy stopped a moment to watch them. They dipped the ends of

their tails, which were much like paint-brushes, into a pail of whitewash,

backed up against the house, and wagged their tails right and left until the

whitewash was rubbed on the wall, after which they dipped these funny

brushes in the pail again and repeated the performance.

That must be fun," said Button-Bright.

No, it's work," replied the old donkey; "but we make our youngsters do all the

whitewashing, to keep them out of mischief."

Don't they go to school?" asked Dorothy.

All donkeys are born wise," was the reply, "so the only school we need is the

school of experience. Books are only for those who know nothing, and so are

obliged to learn things from other people."

The Road to Oz