The Magic of Oz Page 10

  The Li-Mon-Eags Make Trouble

  CHAPTER 8

  There had been trouble in the Forest of Gugu that morning. Chipo theWild Boar had bitten the tail off Arx the Giraffe while the latter hadhis head among the leaves of a tree, eating his breakfast. Arx kickedwith his heels and struck Tirrip, the great Kangaroo, who had a new babyin her pouch. Tirrip knew it was the Wild Boar's fault, so she knockedhim over with one powerful blow and then ran away to escape Chipo'ssharp tusks. In the chase that followed a giant porcupine stuck fiftysharp quills into the Boar and a chimpanzee in a tree threw a cocoanutat the porcupine that jammed its head into its body.

  All this was against the Laws of the Forest, and when the excitement wasover, Gugu the Leopard King called his royal Counselors together todecide how best to punish the offenders.

  The four lords of the forest were holding solemn council in a smallclearing when they saw two strange beasts approaching them--beasts thelike of which they had never seen before.

  Not one of the four, however, relaxed his dignity or showed by amovement that he was startled. The great Leopard crouched at full lengthupon a fallen tree-trunk. Bru the Bear sat on his haunches before theKing; Rango the Gray Ape stood with his muscular arms folded, and Loothe Unicorn reclined, much as a horse does, between hisfellow-councillors. With one consent they remained silent, eyeing withsteadfast looks the intruders, who were making their way into theirforest domain.

  "Well met, Brothers!" said one of the strange beasts, coming to a haltbeside the group, while his comrade with hesitation lagged behind.

  "We are not brothers," returned the Gray Ape, sternly. "Who are you, andhow came you in the forest of Gugu?"

 

  "We are two Li-Mon-Eags," said Ruggedo, inventing the name. "Our home isin Sky Island, and we have come to earth to warn the forest beasts thatthe people of Oz are about to make war upon them and enslave them, sothat they will become beasts of burden forever after and obey only thewill of their two-legged masters."

  A low roar of anger arose from the Council of Beasts.

  "_Who's_ going to do that?" asked Loo the Unicorn, in a high, squeakyvoice, at the same time rising to his feet.

  "The people of Oz," said Ruggedo.

  "But what will _we_ be doing?" inquired the Unicorn.

  "That's what I've come to talk to you about."

  "You needn't talk! We'll fight the Oz people!" screamed the Unicorn."We'll smash 'em; we'll trample 'em; we'll gore 'em; we'll--"

  "Silence!" growled Gugu the King, and Loo obeyed, although stilltrembling with wrath. The cold, steady gaze of the Leopard wandered overthe two strange beasts. "The people of Oz," said he, "have not been ourfriends; they have not been our enemies. They have let us alone, and wehave let them alone. There is no reason for war between us. They have noslaves. They could not use us as slaves if they should conquer us. Ithink you are telling us lies, you strange Li-Mon-Eag--you mixed-upbeast who are neither one thing nor another."

  "Oh, on my word, it's the truth!" protested the Nome in the beast'sshape. "I wouldn't lie for the world; I--"

  "Silence!" again growled Gugu the King; and, somehow, even Ruggedo wasabashed and obeyed the edict.

  "What do you say, Bru?" asked the king, turning to the great Bear, whohad until now said nothing.

  "How does the Mixed Beast know that what he says is true?" asked theBear.

  "Why, I can fly, you know, having the wings of an Eagle," explained theNome. "I and my comrade yonder," turning to Kiki, "flew to a grove inOz, and there we heard the people telling how they will make many ropesto snare you beasts, and then they will surround this forest, and allother forests, and make you prisoners. So we came here to warn you, forbeing beasts ourselves, although we live in the sky, we are yourfriends."

  The Leopard's lip curled and showed his enormous teeth, sharp asneedles. He turned to the Gray Ape.

  "What do _you_ think, Rango?" he asked.

  "Send these mixed beasts away, your Majesty," replied the Gray Ape."They are mischief-makers."

  "Don't do that--don't do that!" cried the Unicorn, nervously. "Thestranger said he would tell us what to do. Let him tell us, then. Are wefools, not to heed a warning?"

  Gugu the King turned to Ruggedo.

  "Speak, Stranger," he commanded.

  "Well," said the Nome, "it's this way: The Land of Oz is a fine country.The people of Oz have many good things--houses with soft beds, all sortsof nice-tasting food, pretty clothes, lovely jewels, and many otherthings that beasts know nothing of. Here in the dark forests the poorbeasts have hard work to get enough to eat and to find a bed to rest in.But the beasts are better than the people, and why should they not haveall the good things the people have? So I propose that before the Ozpeople have the time to make all those ropes to snare you with, that allwe beasts get together and march against the Oz people and capture them.Then the beasts will become the masters and the people their slaves."

  "What good would that do us?" asked Bru the Bear.

  "It would save you from slavery, for one thing, and you could enjoy allthe fine things the Oz people have."

  "Beasts wouldn't know what to do with the things people use," said theGray Ape.

  "But this is only part of my plan," insisted the Nome. "Listen to therest of it. We two Li-Mon-Eags are powerful magicians. When you haveconquered the Oz people we will transform them all into beasts, and sendthem to the forests to live, and we will transform all the beasts intopeople, so they can enjoy all the wonderful delights of the EmeraldCity."

  For a moment no beast spoke. Then the King said: "Prove it."

  "Prove what?" asked Ruggedo.

  "Prove that you can transform us. If you are a magician transform theUnicorn into a man. Then we will believe you. If you fail, we willdestroy you."

  "All right," said the Nome. "But I'm tired, so I'll let my comrade makethe transformation."

  Kiki Aru had stood back from the circle, but he had heard all that wassaid. He now realized that he must make good Ruggedo's boast, so heretreated to the edge of the clearing and whispered the magic word.

  Instantly the Unicorn became a fat, chubby little man, dressed in thepurple Gillikin costume, and it was hard to tell which was the moreastonished, the King, the Bear, the Ape or the former Unicorn.

  "It's true!" shouted the man-beast. "Good gracious, look what I am! It'swonderful!"

  The King of the Beasts now addressed Ruggedo in a more friendly tone.

  "We must believe your story, since you have given us proof of yourpower," said he. "But why, if you are so great a magician, cannot youconquer the Oz people without our help, and so save us the trouble?"

  "Alas!" replied the crafty old Nome, "no magician is able to doeverything. The transformations are easy to us because we areLi-Mon-Eags, but we cannot fight, or conquer even such weak creatures asthe Oz people. But we will stay with you and advise and help you, and wewill transform all the Oz people into beasts, when the time comes, andall the beasts into people."

  Gugu the King turned to his Counselors.

  "How shall we answer this friendly stranger?" he asked.

  Loo the former Unicorn was dancing around and cutting capers like aclown.

  "On my word, your Majesty," he said, "this being a man is more fun thanbeing a Unicorn."

  "You look like a fool," said the Gray Ape.

  "Well, I _feel_ fine!" declared the man-beast.

 

  "I think I prefer to be a Bear," said Big Bru. "I was born a Bear, and Iknow a Bear's ways. So I am satisfied to live as a Bear lives."

  "That," said the old Nome, "is because you know nothing better. When wehave conquered the Oz people, and you become a man, you'll be glad ofit."

  The immense Leopard rested his chin on the log and seemed thoughtful.

  "The beasts of the forest must decide this matter for themselves," hesaid. "Go you, Rango the Gray Ape, and tell you
r monkey tribe to orderall the forest beasts to assemble in the Great Clearing at sunriseto-morrow. When all are gathered together, this mixed-up Beast who is amagician shall talk to them and tell them what he has told us. Then, ifthey decide to fight the Oz people, who have declared war on us, I willlead the beasts to battle."

  Rango the Gray Ape turned at once and glided swiftly through the foreston his mission. The Bear gave a grunt and walked away. Gugu the Kingrose and stretched himself. Then he said to Ruggedo: "Meet us at sunriseto-morrow," and with stately stride vanished among the trees.

  The man-unicorn, left alone with the strangers, suddenly stopped hisfoolish prancing.

  "You'd better make me a Unicorn again," he said. "I like being a man,but the forest beasts won't know I'm their friend, Loo, and they mighttear me in pieces before morning."

  So Kiki changed him back to his former shape, and the Unicorn departedto join his people.

 

  Ruggedo the Nome was much pleased with his success.

  "To-morrow," he said to Kiki Aru, "we'll win over these beasts and setthem to fight and conquer the Oz people. Then I will have my revenge onOzma and Dorothy and all the rest of my enemies."

  "But I am doing all the work," said Kiki.

  "Never mind; you're going to be King of Oz," promised Ruggedo.

  "Will the big Leopard let me be King?" asked the boy anxiously.

  The Nome came close to him and whispered:

  "If Gugu the Leopard opposes us, you will transform him into a tree, andthen he will be helpless."

  "Of course," agreed Kiki, and he said to himself: "I shall alsotransform this deceitful Nome into a tree, for he lies and I cannottrust him."