Part 7 (1/2)
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. ”Polychrome,” said the Giantess, ”permit me to introduce to you a Green Monkey, which used to be a boy called Woot the Wanderer, and a Tin Owl, which used to be a Tin Woodman named Nick Chopper, and a straw-stuffed little Brown Bear which used to be a live Scarecrow.”
”We already know one another,” declared the Scarecrow. ”The bird is Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter, and she and I used to be good friends.”
”Are you really my old friend, the Scarecrow?” asked; the bird, in a sweet, low voice.
”There!” cried Mrs. Yoop; ”that's the first time she has spoken since she was transformed.”
”I am really your old friend,” answered the Scarecrow; ”but you must pardon me for appearing just now in this brutal form.”
”I am a bird, as you are, dear Poly,” said the Tin Woodman; ”but, alas!
a Tin Owl is not as beautiful as a Canary-Bird.”
”How dreadful it all is!” sighed the Canary. ”Couldn't you manage to escape from this terrible Yookoohoo?”
”No,” answered the Scarecrow, ”we tried to escape, but failed. She first made us her prisoners and then transformed us. But how did she manage to get you, Polychrome?”
”I was asleep, and she took unfair advantage of me,” answered the bird sadly. ”Had I been awake, I could easily have protected myself.”
”Tell me,” said the Green Monkey earnestly, as he came close to the cage, ”what must we do, Daughter of the Rainbow, to escape from these transformations? Can't you help us, being a Fairy?”
”At present I am powerless to help even myself,” replied the Canary.
”That's the exact truth!” exclaimed the Giantess, who seemed pleased to hear the bird talk, even though it complained; ”you are all helpless and in my power, so you may as well make up your minds to accept your fate and be content. Remember that you are transformed for good, since no magic on earth can break your enchantments. I am now going out for my morning walk, for each day after breakfast I walk sixteen times around my castle for exercise. Amuse yourselves while I am gone, and when I return I hope to find you all reconciled and happy.”
So the Giantess walked to the door by which our friends had entered the great hall and spoke one word: ”Open!” Then the door swung open and after Mrs. Yoop had pa.s.sed out it closed again with a snap as its powerful bolts shot into place. The Green Monkey had rushed toward the opening, hoping to escape, but he was too late and only got a b.u.mp on his nose as the door slammed shut.
Chapter Seven
The Lace Ap.r.o.n
”Now,” said the Canary, in a tone more brisk than before, ”we may talk together more freely, as Mrs. Yoop cannot hear us. Perhaps we can figure out a way to escape.”
”Open!” said Woot the Monkey, still facing the door; but his command had no effect and he slowly rejoined the others.