Волшебство страны Оз
8. The Li-Mon-Eags Make Trouble
Butthebeastsarebetterthanthepeople,andwhyshouldtheynothaveallthegoodthingsthepeoplehave?SoIproposethatbeforetheOzpeoplehavethetimetomakeallthoseropestosnareyouwith,thatallwebeastsgettogetherandmarchagainsttheOzpeopleandcapturethem.Thenthebeastswillbecomethemastersandthepeopletheirslaves."
"Whatgoodwouldthatdous?"askedBrutheBear.
"Itwouldsaveyoufromslavery,foronething,andyoucouldenjoyallthefinethingsofOzpeoplehave."
"Beastswouldn’tknowwhattodowiththethingspeopleuse,"saidtheGrayApe.
"Butthisisonlypartofmyplan,"insistedtheNome."Listentotherestofit.WetwoLi-Mon-Eagsarepowerfulmagicians.WhenyouhaveconqueredtheOzpeoplewewilltransformthemallintobeasts,andsendthemtotheforeststolive,andwewilltransformallthebeastsintopeople,sotheycanenjoyallthewonderfuldelightsoftheEmeraldCity."
Foramomentnobeastspoke.ThentheKingsaid:"Proveit."
"Provewhat?"askedRuggedo.
"Provethatyoucantransformus.IfyouareamagiciantransformtheUnicornintoaman.Thenwewillbelieveyou.Ifyoufail,wewilldestroyyou."
"Allright,"saidtheNome."ButI’mtired,soI’llletmycomrademakethetransformation."
KikiAruhadstoodbackfromthecircle,buthehadheardallthatwassaid.HenowrealizedthathemustmakegoodRuggedo’sboast,soheretreatedtotheedgeoftheclearingandwhisperedthemagicword.
