Oz 13: The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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to answer all the questions the good people of Noland asked him .Having escaped from_his home and found a way to_see the world, the young man was no longer unhappy, and so he_was no longer cross and disagreeable . the people thought him a very respectable person and gave him breakfast next morning, after which he started on_his way feeling quite contented .

Having walked for an hour or two through_the pretty country that_is ruled by king bud, Kiki Aru decided he_could travel faster and_see more as a bird, so he transformed himself into a white dove and visited the great city of Nole and saw the king's palace and gardens and many_other places of interest . then he flew westward into_the kingdom of Ix, and after a day in queen Zixi's country went on westward into_the land of Ev . every place he visited he thought was much more pleasant than_the saucer- country of_the Hyups, and he decided that when he reached the finest country of all he_would settle there and enjoy his future life to_the utmost .

in_the land of Ev he resumed his own shape again, for_the cities and villages were close together and he_could easily go on foot from one to another of_them .

toward evening he_came to a good inn and asked the inn- keeper if he could_have food and lodging .

" you_can if_you_have the money to_pay," said the man, " otherwise you_must go elsewhere ."

this surprised Kiki, for in_the land of Oz they_do_not use money at all, everyone being allowed to_take what he wishes without price . he had no money, therefore, and so he turned away to seek hospitality elsewhere . looking through an open window into one_of_the rooms of_the inn, as he passed along, he_saw an old man counting on a table a big heap of gold pieces, which Kiki thought to_be money . one_of_these would buy him supper and a bed, he reflected, so he transformed himself into a magpie and, flying through_the open window, caught up one_of_the gold pieces in_his beak and flew out again before_the old man could interfere . indeed, the old man who was robbed was quite helpless, for he dared not leave his pile of gold to chase the magpie, and before he_could place the gold in asack in_his pocket the robber bird was out of sight and to seek it would_be folly .

Kiki Aru flew to a group of trees and, dropping the gold piece to_the ground, resumed his proper shape, and then picked up the money and put it in_his pocket .

" you'll be sorry for_this ! " exclaimed a small voice just over his head .

Kiki looked up and saw that a sparrow, perched upon a branch, was watching him .

" sorry for what ? " he demanded .

"Oh, I_saw the whole thing," asserted the sparrow ." I_saw you look in_the window at_the gold, and then make yourself into a magpie and rob the poor man, and then I_saw you fly here and make_the bird into your former shape . that's magic, and magic is wicked and unlawful; and you stole money, and_that's a still greater crime . you'll be sorry, some day ."

"I don't care," replied Kiki Aru, scowling .

"Aren't you afraid to_be wicked ? " asked the sparrow .

" no, I didn't know i_was being wicked," said Kiki, " but if i_was, I'm glad of it .I hate good people .I've always wanted to_be wicked, but I didn't know how ."

"Haw, haw, haw ! " laughed someone behind him, in a big voice; " that's the proper spirit, my lad ! I'm glad I've met you; shake hands ."

the sparrow gave a frightened squeak and flew away .

3 . two bad Ones

Kiki turned around and saw a queer old man standing near . he didn't stand straight, for he_was crooked . he had a fat body and thin legs and arms . he had a big, round face with bushy, white whiskers that came to a point below his waist, and white hair that came to a point on top of_his head . he wore dull- gray clothes that were tight fitting, and_his pockets were all bunched out as_if stuffed full of something .

"I didn't know you were here," said Kiki .

"I didn't come until after you_did," said the queer old man .

" who_are you ? " asked Kiki .

" my name's Ruggedo .I used to_be the Nome king; but I got kicked out of_my country, and now I'm a wanderer ."

" what made them kick you out ? " inquired the Hyup boy .

" well, it's the fashion to kick kings nowadays . i_was a pretty good king-- to myself-- but those dreadful Oz people wouldn't let me alone . so I had to abdicate ."

" what does that mean ? "

" it means to_be kicked out . but let's talk about something pleasant . who_are you and where did you come from ? "

"I'm called Kiki Aru .I used to live on mount munch in_the land of Oz, but now I'm a wanderer like yourself ."

the Nome king gave him a shrewd look .

"I heard that bird say that you transformed yourself into a magpie and back again . is_that true ? "

Kiki hesitated, but saw no reason to deny it . he_felt that_it would make him appear more important .

" well-- yes," he_said .

" then you're a wizard ? "

" no; I only understand transformations," he admitted .

" well, that's pretty good magic, anyhow," declared old Ruggedo ."I used to_have some very fine magic, myself, but my enemies took it all away from me . where are_you going now ? "

"I'm going into_the inn, to_get some supper and a bed," said Kiki .

" have_you the money to_pay for_it ? " asked the Nome .

" I_have one gold piece ."

" which you stole . very_good . and you're glad that you're wicked . better yet .I like you, young man, and I'll go to_the inn with_you if_you'll promise not to eat eggs for supper ."

"Don't you like eggs ? " asked Kiki .

"I'm afraid of 'em; they're dangerous ! " said Ruggedo, with a shudder .

" all right," agreed Kiki; "I won't ask for eggs ."

" then come along," said the Nome .

when_they entered the inn, the landlord scowled at Kiki and said:

" i_told you i_would_not feed you unless you had money ."

Kiki showed him the gold piece .

" and how about you ? " asked the landlord, turning to Ruggedo ." have_you money ? "

"I've something better," answered the old Nome, and taking a bag from one of_his pockets he poured from_it upon_the table a mass of glittering gems--diamonds, rubies and emeralds .

the landlord was very polite to_the strangers after_that . he served them an excellent supper, and while they ate it, the Hyup boy asked his companion:

" where did you get so_many jewels ? "

" well, I'll tell you," answered the Nome ." when_those Oz people took my kingdom away from me-- just because it_was my kingdom and i_wanted to run it to suit myself-- they said I_could take as_many precious stones as I_could carry . so I had alot of pockets made in my clothes and loaded them all up .Jewels are fine things to_have with_you when_you travel; you_can trade them for anything ."

" are they better than gold pieces ? " asked Kiki .

" the smallest of_these jewels is worth a hundred gold pieces such as_you stole from_the old man ."

"Don't talk so loud," begged Kiki, uneasily ." some one else might hear what you_are saying ."

after supper they took a walk together, and_the former Nome king said:

" do_you_know the shaggy man, and_the Scarecrow, and_the tin woodman, and Dorothy, and Ozma and all the other Oz people ? "

" no," replied the boy, " I_have never been away from mount munch until I flew over the deadly desert the other day in_the shape of a hawk ."

" then you've never seen the emerald city of Oz ? "

" never ."

" well," said the Nome, " I_knew all the Oz people, and you_can guess I_do_not love them . all during my wanderings I_have brooded on how I_can_be revenged on them . now that I've met you I_can_see a way to conquer the land of Oz and be king there myself, which_is better than being king of_the Nomes ."

" how can_you do_that ? " inquired Kiki Aru, wonderingly .

" never mind how . in_the first place, I'll make a bargain with_you . tell me the secret of how to perform transformations and_I_will give_you apocketful of jewels, the biggest and finest that I possess ."

" no," said Kiki, who realized that to share his power with another would_be dangerous to himself .

"I'll give_you two pocketsful of jewels," said the Nome .

" no," answered Kiki .

"I'll give_you every jewel I possess ."

" no, no, no ! " said Kiki, who was beginning to_be frightened .

" then," said the Nome, with a wicked look at_the boy, "I'll tell the inn- keeper that you stole that gold piece and he_will_have you put in prison ."

Kiki laughed at_the threat .

" before he_can do_that," said he, " i_will transform myself into a lion and tear him to pieces, or into a bear and eat him up, or into a fly and fly away where he_could_not find me ."

" can_you really do such wonderful transformations ? " asked the old Nome, looking at him curiously .

" of_course," declared Kiki . I_can transform you into a stick of wood, in a flash, or into a stone, and leave you here by_the roadside ."

" the wicked Nome shivered a little when he heard that, but it made him long more than ever to possess the great secret . after a while he_said:

"I'll tell you what I'll do . if_you_will help me to conquer Oz and to transform the Oz people, who_are my enemies, into sticks or stones, by telling me your secret, I'll agree to_make you the ruler of all Oz, and_I_will_be your prime minister and_see that your_orders are obeyed ."

"I'll help do_that," said Kiki, " but I won't tell you my secret ."

the Nome was so furious at_this refusal that he jumped up and down with rage and spluttered and choked for_a_long_time before he_could control his passion . but the boy was not at all frightened . he laughed at_the wicked old Nome, which made him more furious than ever .

" let's give up the idea," he proposed, when Ruggedo had quieted somewhat ."I don't know the Oz people you mention and so they_are_not my enemies . if_they've kicked you out of your kingdom, that's your affair-- not mine ."

"Wouldn't you like to_be king of_that splendid fairyland ? " asked Ruggedo .

" yes, i_would," replied Kiki Aru; " but you_want to_be king yourself, and we_would quarrel over it ."

" no," said the Nome, trying to deceive him ."I don't care to_be king of Oz, come to_think it over .I don't even care to live in_that country . what i_want first is revenge . if_we_can conquer Oz, I'll get enough magic then to conquer my own kingdom of_the Nomes, and I'll go back and live in my underground caverns, which are more home- like than_the top of_the earth . so here's my proposition: help me conquer Oz and get revenge, and help me get the magic away from Glinda and_the wizard, and I'll let you be king of Oz forever afterward ."

"I'll think it over," answered Kiki, and_that is all he_would say that evening .

in_the night when all in_the inn were asleep but himself, old Ruggedo the Nome rose softly from_his couch and went into_the room of Kiki Aru the Hyup, and searched everywhere for_the magic tool that performed his transformations . of_course, there_was no such tool, and although Ruggedo searched in all the boy's pockets, he_found nothing magical whatever . so he went back to_his bed and began to doubt that Kiki could perform transformations .

next morning he_said:

" which_way do_you travel to- day ? "

" i_think I_shall visit the rose kingdom," answered the boy .

" that_is a long journey," declared the Nome .

" I_shall transform myself into a bird," said Kiki, " and so fly to_the rose kingdom in an hour ."

" then transform me, also, into a bird, and_I_will go with_you," suggested Ruggedo ." but, in_that case, let_us fly together to_the land of Oz, and_see what it looks like ."

Kiki thought this over . pleasant as were the countries he had visited, he heard everywhere that_the land of Oz was more beautiful and delightful . the land of Oz was his own country, too, and if there_was any possibility of_his becoming its king, he_must know something about_it .

while Kiki the Hyup thought, Ruggedo the Nome was also thinking . this boy possessed a marvelous power, and although very simple in some ways, he_was determined not to part with_his secret . however, if Ruggedo could get him to transport the wily old Nome to Oz, which he_could reach in no other way, he might then induce the boy to_follow his advice and enter into_the plot for revenge, which he had already planned in_his wicked heart .

" there_are wizards and magicians in Oz," remarked Kiki, after a time ." they_might discover us, in_spite of_our transformations ."

" not if_we_are careful," Ruggedo assured him ."Ozma has a magic picture, in_which she_can see whatever she wishes to_see; but Ozma will know nothing of_our going to Oz, and so she will not command her magic picture to show where we_are or what we_are doing .Glinda the good has a great book called the book of Records, in_which is magically written everything that people do in_the land of Oz, just the instant they_do it ."

" then," said Kiki, " there_is no use our attempting to conquer the country,

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