13. The Loss of the Black Bag

           KikiAru,intheformoftheLi-Mon-Eag,hadscrambledintothehigh,thickbranchesofthetree,sonoonecouldseehim,andthereheopenedtheWizard’sblackbag,whichhehadcarriedawayinhisflight.HewascurioustoseewhattheWizard’smagictoolslookedlike,andhopedhecouldusesomeofthemandsosecuremorepower;butafterhehadtakenthearticles,onebyone,fromthebag,hehadtoadmittheywerepuzzlestohim.For,unlessheunderstoodtheiruses,theywereofnovaluewhatever.KikiAru,theHyupboy,wasnowizardormagicianatall,andcoulddonothingunusualexcepttousetheMagicWordhehadstolenfromhisfatheronMountMunch.SohehungtheWizard’sblackbagonabranchofthetreeandthenclimbeddowntothelowerlimbsthathemightseewhatthevictimsofhistransformationsweredoing.

           Theywereallontopoftheflatrock,talkingtogetherintonessolowthatKikicouldnothearwhattheysaid.

           "Thisiscertainlyamisfortune,"remarkedtheWizardintheFox’sform,"butourtransformationsareasortofenchantmentwhichisveryeasytobreak—whenyouknowhowandhavethetoolstodoitwith.ThetoolsareinmyBlackBag;butwhereistheBag?"

           Nooneknewthat,fornonehadseenKikiAruflyawaywithit.

           "Let’slookandseeifwecanfindit,"suggestedDorothytheLamb.

           Sotheylefttherock,andallofthemsearchedtheclearinghighandlowwithoutfindingtheBagofMagicTools.