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"No," she replied, "I'm going to make a Monkey of you. I love monkeys--
they're so cute!--and I think a Green Monkey will be lots of fun and amuse
me when I am sad."
Woot shivered, for again the terrible magic finger pointed, and pointed
directly his way. He felt himself changing; not so very much, however, and it
didn't hurt him a bit. He looked down at his limbs and body and found that
his clothes were gone and his skin covered with a fine, silk-like green fur.
His hands and feet were now those of a monkey. He realized he really was a
monkey, and his first feeling was one of anger. He began to chatter as
monkeys do. He bounded to the seat of a giant chair, and then to its back
and with a wild leap sprang upon the laughing Giantess. His idea was to
seize her hair and pull it out by the roots, and so have revenge for her
wicked transformations. But she raised her hand and said:
"
Gently, my dear Monkey--gently! You're not angry; you're happy as can
be!"
Woot stopped short. No; he wasn't a bit angry now; he felt as good-humored
and gay as ever he did when a boy. Instead of pulling Mrs. Yoop's hair, he
perched on her shoulder and smoothed her soft cheek with his hairy paw. In
return, she smiled at the funny green animal and patted his head.
"
Very good," said the Giantess. "Let us all become friends and be happy
together. How is my Tin Owl feeling?"
"
Quite comfortable," said the Owl. "I don't like it, to be sure, but I'm not
going to allow my new form to make me unhappy. But, tell me, please: what
is a Tin Owl good for?"
"You are only good to make me laugh," replied the Giantess.
"
Will a stuffed Bear also make you laugh?" inquired the Scarecrow, sitting
back on his haunches to look up at her.
"
Of course," declared the Giantess; "and I have added a little magic to your
transformations to make you all contented with wearing your new forms. I'm
sorry I didn't think to do that when I transformed Polychrome into a Canary-
Bird. But perhaps, when she sees how cheerful you are, she will cease to be
silent and sullen and take to singing. I will go get the bird and let you see
her."
With this, Mrs. Yoop went into the next room and soon returned bearing a
golden cage in which sat upon a swinging perch a lovely yellow Canary.
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