Волшебство страны Оз
7. The Forest of Gugu
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"Isupposewemusttaketheshapesofbeasts?"saidKiki.
"Ofcourse.Butthatrequiressomethought.Allkindsofbeastslivehere,andayellowleopardisKing.Ifwebecomeleopards,theKingwillbejealousofus.Ifwetaketheformsofsomeoftheotherbeasts,weshallnotcommandproperrespect."
"Iwonderifthebeastswillattackus?"askedKiki.
"I’maNome,andimmortal,sonothingcanhurtme,"repliedRuggedo.
"IwasbornintheLandofOz,sonothingcanhurtme,"saidKiki.
"But,inordertocarryoutourplans,wemustwinthefavorofalltheanimalsoftheforest."
"Thenwhatshallwedo?"askedKiki.
"Letusmixtheshapesofseveralbeasts,sowewillnotlooklikeanyoneofthem,"proposedthewilyoldNome."Letushavetheheadsoflions,thebodiesofmonkeys,thewingsofeaglesandthetailsofwildasses,withknobsofgoldontheendoftheminsteadofbunchesofhair."
"Won’tthatmakeaqueercombination?"inquiredKiki.
"Thequeererthebetter,"declaredRuggedo.
"Allright,"saidKiki."Youstayhere,andI’llflyawaytoanothertreeandtransformusboth,andthenwe’llclimbdownourtreesandmeetintheforest."
"No,"saidtheNome,"wemustn’tseparate.Youmusttransformuswhilewearetogether."
"Iwon’tdothat,"assertedKiki,firmly."You’retryingtogetmysecret,andIwon’tletyou."
Theeyesoftheothereagleflashedangrily,butRuggedodidnotdareinsist.Ifheoffendedthisboy,hemighthavetoremainaneaglealwaysandhewouldn’tlikethat
