8. How the Grand Gallipoot Joined The Nomes

           AfterleavingtheWhimsies,GuphcontinuedonhisjourneyandpenetratedfarintotheNorthwest.HewantedtogettotheCountryoftheGrowleywogs,andinordertodothathemustcrosstheRippleLand,whichwasahardthingtodo.FortheRippleLandwasasuccessionofhillsandvalleys,allverysteepandrocky,andtheychangedplacesconstantlybyrippling.WhileGuphwasclimbingahillitsankdownunderhimandbecameavalley,andwhilehewasdescendingintoavalleyitroseupandcarriedhimtothetopofahill.Thiswasveryperplexingtothetraveler,andastrangermighthavethoughthecouldnevercrosstheRippleLandatall.ButGuphknewthatifhekeptsteadilyonhewouldgettotheendatlast;sohepaidnoattentiontothechanginghillsandvalleysandploddedalongascalmlyasifwalkinguponthelevelground.

           TheresultofthiswisepersistencewasthattheGeneralfinallyreachedfirmersoiland,afterpenetratingadenseforest,cametotheDominionoftheGrowleywogs.

           NosoonerhadhecrossedtheborderofthisdomainwhentwoguardsseizedhimandcarriedhimbeforetheGrandGallipootoftheGrowleywogs,whoscowleduponhimferociouslyandaskedhimwhyhedaredintrudeuponhisterritory.

           "I’mtheLordHighGeneraloftheInvincibleArmyoftheNomes,andmynameisGuph,"wasthereply."Alltheworldtrembleswhenthatnameismentioned."

           TheGrowleywogsgaveashoutofjeeringlaughteratthis,andoneofthemcaughttheNomeinhisstrongarmsandtossedhimhighintotheair.