After the meal was over and Reera had fed her pets,including the four monster spiders which had come downfrom their webs to secure their share, she made thetable disappear from the floor of the cottage.

"I wish you'd consent to my transforming yourfishes," she said, as she took up her knitting again.

The Skeezer made no reply. He thought it unwise tohurry matters. All during the afternoon they satsilent. Once Reera went to her cupboard and afterthrusting her hand into the same drawer as before,touched the wolf and transformed it into a bird withgorgeous colored feathers. This bird was larger than aparrot and of a somewhat different form, but Ervic hadnever seen one like it before.

"Sing!" said Reera to the bird, which had percheditself on a big wooden peg -- as if it had been in thecottage before and knew just what to do.

And the bird sang jolly, rollicking songs with wordsto them -- just as a person who had been carefullytrained might do. The songs were entertaining and Ervicenjoyed listening to them. In an hour or so the birdstopped singing, tucked its head under its wing andwent to sleep. Reera continued knitting but seemedthoughtful.

Now Ervic had marked this cupboard drawer well andhad concluded that Reera took something from it whichenabled her to perform her transformations. He thoughtthat if he managed to remain in the cottage, and Reerafell asleep, he could slyly open the cupboard, take aportion of whatever was in the drawer, and by droppingit into the copper kettle transform the three fishesinto their natural shapes. Indeed, he had firmlyresolved to carry out this plan when the Yookoohoo putdown her knitting and walked toward the door.

"I'm going out for a few minutes," said she; "do youwish to go with me, or will you remain here?"

Ervic did not answer but sat quietly on his bench. SoReera went out and closed the cottage door.

As soon as she was gone, Ervic rose and tiptoed tothe cupboard.

"Take care! Take care!" cried several voices, comingfrom the kittens and chipmunks. "If you touch anythingwe'll tell the Yookoohoo!"

Ervic hesitated a moment but, remembering that heneed not consider Reera's anger if he succeeded intransforming the fishes, he was about to open thecupboard when he was arrested by the voices of thefishes, which stuck their heads above the water in thekettle and called out:

"Come here, Ervic!"

So he went back to the kettle and bent over it

"Let the cupboard alone," said the goldfish to himearnestly. "You could not succeed by getting that magicpowder, for only the Yookoohoo knows how to use it. Thebest way is to allow her to transform us into threegirls, for then we will have our natural shapes and beable to perform all the Arts of Magic we have learnedand well understand. You are acting wisely and in themost effective manner. We did not know you were sointelligent, or that Reera could be so easily deceivedby you. Continue as you have begun and try to persuadeher to transform us. But insist that we be given theforms of girls."

The goldfish ducked its head down just as Reera re-entered the cottage. She saw Ervic bent over thekettle, so she came and joined him.

"Can your fishes talk?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he replied, "for all fishes in the Landof Oz know how to speak. Just now they were asking mefor some bread. They are hungry."

"Well, they can have some bread," said Reera. "But itis nearly supper-time, and if you would allow me totransform your fishes into girls they could join us atthe table and have plenty of food much nicer thancrumbs. Why not let me transform them?"

"Well," said Ervic, as if hesitating, "ask thefishes. If they consent, why -- why, then, I'll thinkit over."

Reera bent over the kettle and asked:

"Can you hear me, little fishes?"

All three popped their heads above water.

"We can hear you," said the bronzefish.

"I want to give you other forms, such as rabbits, orturtles or girls, or something; but your master, thesurly Skeezer, does not wish me to. However, he hasagreed to the plan if you will consent."

"We'd like to be girls," said the silverfish.

"No, no!" exclaimed Ervic.

"If you promise to make us three beautiful girls,we will consent," said the goldfish.

"No, no!" exclaimed Ervic again.

"Also make us Adepts at Magic," added the bronzefish.

"I don't know exactly what that means," replied Reeramusingly, "but as no Adept at Magic is as powerful asYookoohoo, I'll add that to the transformation."

"We won't try to harm you, or to interfere with yourmagic in any way," promised the goldfish. "On thecontrary, we will be your friends."

"Will you agree to go away and leave me alone in mycottage, whenever I command you to do so?" asked Reera.

"We promise that," cried the three fishes.

"Don't do it! Don't consent to the transformation,"urged Ervic.

"They have already consented," said the Yookoohoo,laughing in his face, "and you have promised me toabide by their decision. So, friend Skeezer, I shallperform the transformation whether you like it or not."

Ervic seated himself on the bench again, a deep scowlon his face but joy in his heart. Reera moved over tothe cupboard, took something from the drawer andreturned to the copper kettle. She was clutchingsomething tightly in her right hand, but with her leftshe reached within the kettle, took out the threefishes and laid them carefully on the floor, where theygasped in distress at being out of water.

Reera did not keep them in misery more than a fewseconds, for she touched each one with her right handand instantly the fishes were transformed into threetall and slender young women, with fine, intelligentfaces and clothed in handsome, clinging gowns. The onewho had been a goldfish had beautiful golden hair andblue eyes and was exceedingly fair of skin; the one whohad been a bronzefish had dark brown hair and cleargray eyes and her complexion matched these lovelyfeatures. The one who had been a silverfish had snow-white hair of the finest texture and deep brown eyes.The hair contrasted exquisitely with her pink cheeksand ruby-red lips, nor did it make her look a day olderthan her two companions.

As soon as they secured these girlish shapes, allthree bowed low to the Yookoohoo and said:

"We thank you, Reera."

Then they bowed to the Skeezer and said:

"We thank you, Ervic."

"Very good!" cried the Yookoohoo, examining her workwith critical approval. "You are much better and moreinteresting than fishes, and this ungracious Skeezerwould scarcely allow me to do the transformations. Yousurely have nothing to thank him for. But now let usdine in honor of the occasion."

She clapped her hands together and again a tableloaded with food appeared in the cottage. It was alonger table, this time, and places were set for thethree Adepts as well as for Reera and Ervic.

"Sit down, friends, and eat your fill," said theYookoohoo, but instead of seating herself at the headof the table she went to the cupboard, saying to theAdepts: "Your beauty and grace, my fair friends, quiteoutshine my own. So that I may appear properly at thebanquet table I intend, in honor of this occasion, totake upon myself my natural shape."

Scarcely had she finished this speech when Reeratransformed herself into a young woman fully as lovelyas the three Adepts. She was not quite so tall as they,but her form was more rounded and more handsomelyclothed, with a wonderful jeweled girdle and a necklaceof shining pearls. Her hair was a bright auburn red,and her eyes large and dark.

"Do you claim this is your natural form?" asked Ervicof the Yookoohoo.

"Yes," she replied. "This is the only form I amreally entitled to wear. But I seldom assume it becausethere is no one here to admire or appreciate it and Iget tired admiring it myself."

"I see now why you are named Reera the Red," remarkedErvic.

"It is on account of my red hair," she explainedsmiling. "I do not care for red hair myself, which isone reason I usually wear other forms."

"It is beautiful," asserted the young man; and thenremembering the other women present he added: "But, ofcourse, all women should not have red hair, becausethat would make it too common. Gold and silver andbrown hair are equally handsome."

The smiles that he saw interchanged between the fourfilled the poor Skeezer with embarrassment, so he fellsilent and attended to eating his supper, leaving theothers to do the talking. The three Adepts frankly toldReera who they were. how they became fishes and howthey had planned secretly to induce the Yookoohoo totransform them. They admitted that they had feared, hadthey asked her to help, that she would have refusedthem.

"You were quite right," returned the Yookoohoo. "Imake it my rule never to perform magic to assistothers, for if I did there would always be crowd at mycottage demanding help and I hate crowds and want to beleft alone."

"However, now that you are restored to your propershapes, I do not regret my action and I hope you willbe of use in saving the Skeezer people by raising theirisland to the surface of the lake, where it reallybelongs. But you must promise me that after you go awayyou will never come here again, nor tell anyone what Ihave done for you."

The three Adepts and Ervic thanked the Yookoohoowarmly. They promised to remember her wish that theyshould not come to her cottage again and so, with agood-bye, took their departure.