Волшебство страны Оз

           Ruggedowonderedwherehehadgone,butstoodquietlyinhisplaceuntil,allofasudden,hisformchangedtothatofagreateagle,andheutteredapiercingcryofastonishmentandflappedhiswingsinasortofpanic.Atoncehiseaglecrywasansweredfrombeyondthegrove,andanothereagle,evenlargerandmorepowerfulthanthetransformedRuggedo,camesailingthroughthetreesandalightedbesidehim.

           "Nowwearereadyforthestart,"saidthevoiceofKiki,comingfromtheeagle.

           Ruggedorealizedthatthistimehehadbeenoutwitted.HehadthoughtKikiwouldutterthemagicwordinhispresence,andsohewouldlearnwhatitwas,buttheboyhadbeentooshrewdforthat.

           AsthetwoeaglesmountedhighintotheairandbegantheirflightacrossthegreatDesertthatseparatestheLandofOzfromalltherestoftheworld,theNomesaid:

           "WhenIwasKingoftheNomesIhadamagicwayofworkingtransformationsthatIthoughtwasgood,butitcouldnotcomparewithyoursecretword.IhadtohavecertaintoolsandmakepassesandsayalotofmysticwordsbeforeIcouldtransformanybody."

           "Whatbecameofyourmagictools?"inquiredKiki.

           "TheOzpeopletookthemallawayfromme—thathorridgirl,Dorothy,andthatterriblefairy,Ozma,theRulerofOz—atthetimetheytookawaymyundergroundkingdomandkickedmeupstairsintothecold,heartlessworld."

           "Whydidyouletthemdothat?"askedtheboy.

           "Well,"saidRuggedo,"Icouldn’thelpit.Theyrolledeggsatme—EGGS—dreadfuleggs!—andifaneggeventouchesaNome,heisruinedforlife