7. The Shaggy Man's Transformation

           Theyfoundthehousesofthetownalllowandsquareandbuiltofbricks,neatlywhitewashedinsideandout.Thehouseswerenotsetinrows,formingregularstreets,butplacedhereandthereinahaphazardmannerwhichmadeitpuzzlingforastrangertofindhisway.

           "Stupidpeoplemusthavestreetsandnumberedhousesintheircities,toguidethemwheretogo,"observedthegreydonkey,ashewalkedbeforethevisitorsonhishindlegs,inanawkwardbutcomicalmanner;"butcleverdonkeysknowtheirwayaboutwithoutsuchabsurdmarks.Moreover,amixedcityismuchprettierthanonewithstraightstreets."

           Dorothydidnotagreewiththis,butshesaidnothingtocontradictit.Presentlyshesawasignonahousethatread:"MadamdeFayke,Hoofist,"andsheaskedtheirconductor:

           "What’sa’hoofist,’please?"

           "Onewhoreadsyourfortuneinyourhoofs,"repliedthegreydonkey.

           "Oh,Isee,"saidthelittlegirl."Youarequitecivilizedhere."

           "Dunkiton,"hereplied,"isthecenteroftheworld’shighestcivilization."

           Theycametoahousewheretwoyouthfuldonkeyswerewhitewashingthewall,andDorothystoppedamomenttowatchthem.Theydippedtheendsoftheirtails,whichweremuchlikepaint-brushes,intoapailofwhitewash,backedupagainstthehouse,andwaggedtheirtailsrightandleftuntilthewhitewashwasrubbedonthewall,afterwhichtheydippedthesefunnybrushesinthepailagainandrepeatedtheperformance.

           "Thatmustbefun,"saidButton-Bright.

           "No,it’swork,"repliedtheolddonkey;"butwemakeouryoungstersdoallthewhitewashing,tokeepthemoutofmischief.