There had been trouble in the Forest of Gugu that morning. Chipothe Wild Boar had bitten the tail off Arx the Giraffe while the latterhad his head among the leaves of a tree, eating his breakfast. Arxkicked with his heels and struck Tirrip, the great Kangaroo, who had anew baby in her pouch. Tirrip knew it was the Wild Boar's fault, soshe knocked him over with one powerful blow and then ran away toescape Chipo's sharp tusks. In the chase that followed a giantporcupine stuck fifty sharp quills into the Boar and a chimpanzee ina tree threw a cocoanut at the porcupine that jammed its head intoits body.

All this was against the Laws of the Forest, and when the excitementwas over, Gugu the Leopard King called his royal Counselors togetherto decide how best to punish the offenders.

The four lords of the forest were holding solemn council in a smallclearing when they saw two strange beasts approaching them--beasts thelike of which they had never seen before.

Not one of the four, however, relaxed his dignity or showed by amovement that he was startled. The great Leopard crouched at fulllength upon a fallen tree-trunk. Bru the Bear sat on his haunchesbefore the King; Rango the Gray Ape stood with his muscular armsfolded, and Loo the Unicorn reclined, much as a horse does, betweenhis fellow-councillors. With one consent they remained silent, eyeingwith steadfast looks the intruders, who were making their way intotheir forest domain.

"Well met, Brothers!" said one of the strange beasts, coming to a haltbeside the group, while his comrade with hesitation lagged behind.

"We are not brothers," returned the Gray Ape, sternly. "Who areyou, and how came you in the forest of Gugu?"

"We are two Li-Mon-Eags," said Ruggedo, inventing the name. "Ourhome is in Sky Island, and we have come to earth to warn the forestbeasts that the people of Oz are about to make war upon them andenslave them, so that they will become beasts of burden forever afterand obey only the will of their two-legged masters."

A low roar of anger arose from the Council of Beasts.

"WHO'S going to do that?" asked Loo the Unicorn, in a high, squeakyvoice, at the same time rising to his feet.

"The people of Oz," said Ruggedo.

"But what will WE be doing?" inquired the Unicorn.

"That's what I've come to talk to you about."

"You needn't talk! We'll fight the Oz people!" screamed the Unicorn."We'll smash 'em; we'll trample 'em; we'll gore 'em; we'll--"

"Silence!" growled Gugu the King, and Loo obeyed, although stilltrembling with wrath. The cold, steady gaze of the Leopard wanderedover the two strange beasts. "The people of Oz," said he, "have notbeen our friends; they have not been our enemies. They have let usalone, and we have let them alone. There is no reason for war betweenus. They have no slaves. They could not use us as slaves if theyshould conquer us. I think you are telling us lies, you strangeLi-Mon-Eag--you mixed-up beast who are neither one thing nor another."

"Oh, on my word, it's the truth!" protested the Nome in the beast'sshape. "I wouldn't lie for the world; I--"

"Silence!" again growled Gugu the King; and somehow, even Ruggedowas abashed and obeyed the edict.

"What do you say, Bru?" asked the King, turning to the great Bear,who had until now said nothing.

"How does the Mixed Beast know that what he says is true?"asked the Bear.

"Why, I can fly, you know, having the wings of an Eagle," explainedthe Nome. "I and my comrade yonder," turning to Kiki, "flew to agrove in Oz, and there we heard the people telling how they will makemany ropes to snare you beasts, and then they will surround thisforest, and all other forests, and make you prisoners. So we camehere to warn you, for being beasts ourselves, although we live in thesky, we are your friends."

The Leopard's lip curled and showed his enormous teeth, sharp asneedles. He turned to the Gray Ape.

"What do YOU think, Rango?" he asked.

"Send these mixed beasts away, Your Majesty," replied the Gray Ape."They are mischief-makers."

"Don't do that--don't do that!" cried the Unicorn, nervously. "Thestranger said he would tell us what to do. Let him tell us, then.Are we fools, not to heed a warning?"

Gugu the King turned to Ruggedo.

"Speak, Stranger," he commanded.

"Well," said the Nome, "it's this way: The Land of Oz is a finecountry. The people of Oz have many good things--houses with softbeds, all sorts of nice-tasting food, pretty clothes, lovely jewels,and many other things that beasts know nothing of. Here in the darkforests the poor beasts have hard work to get enough to eat and tofind a bed to rest in. But the beasts are better than the people, andwhy should they not have all the good things the people have? So Ipropose that before the Oz people have the time to make all thoseropes to snare you with, that all we beasts get together and marchagainst the Oz people and capture them. Then the beasts will becomethe masters and the people their slaves."

"What good would that do us?" asked Bru the Bear.

"It would save you from slavery, for one thing, and you could enjoyall the fine things of Oz people have."

"Beasts wouldn't know what to do with the things people use," saidthe Gray Ape.

"But this is only part of my plan," insisted the Nome. "Listen tothe rest of it. We two Li-Mon-Eags are powerful magicians. When youhave conquered the Oz people we will transform them all into beasts,and send them to the forests to live, and we will transform all thebeasts into people, so they can enjoy all the wonderful delights ofthe Emerald City."

For a moment no beast spoke. Then the King said: "Prove it."

"Prove what?" asked Ruggedo.

"Prove that you can transform us. If you are a magician transformthe Unicorn into a man. Then we will believe you. If you fail, wewill destroy you."

"All right," said the Nome. "But I'm tired, so I'll let my comrademake the transformation."

Kiki Aru had stood back from the circle, but he had heard all thatwas said. He now realized that he must make good Ruggedo's boast, sohe retreated to the edge of the clearing and whispered the magic word.

Instantly the Unicorn became a fat, chubby little man, dressed inthe purple Gillikin costume, and it was hard to tell which was themore astonished, the King, the Bear, the Ape or the former Unicorn.

"It's true!" shorted the man-beast. "Good gracious, look what I am!It's wonderful!"

The King of Beasts now addressed Ruggedo in a more friendly tone.

"We must believe your story, since you have given us proof of yourpower," said he. "But why, if you are so great a magician, cannot youconquer the Oz people without our help, and so save us the trouble?"

"Alas!" replied the crafty old Nome, "no magician is able to doeverything. The transformations are easy to us because we areLi-Mon-Eags, but we cannot fight, or conquer even such weak creaturesas the Oz people. But we will stay with you and advise and help you,and we will transform all the Oz people into beasts, when the timecomes, and all the beasts into people."

Gugu the King turned to his Counselors.

"How shall we answer this friendly stranger?" he asked.

Loo the former Unicorn was dancing around and cutting capers like a clown.

"On my word, your Majesty," he said, "this being a man is more funthan being a Unicorn."

"You look like a fool," said the Gray Ape.

"Well, I FEEL fine!" declared the man-beast.

"I think I prefer to be a Bear," said Big Bru. "I was born a Bear,and I know a Bear's ways. So I am satisfied to live as a Bear lives."

"That," said the old Nome, "is because you know nothing better.When we have conquered the Oz people, and you become a man, you'll beglad of it."

The immense Leopard rested his chin on the log and seemed thoughtful.

"The beasts of the forest must decide this matter for themselves,"he said. "Go you, Rango the Gray Ape, and tell your monkey tribe toorder all the forest beasts to assemble in the Great Clearing atsunrise to-morrow. When all are gathered together, this mixed-up Beastwho is a magician shall talk to them and tell them what he has toldus. Then, if they decide to fight the Oz people, who have declaredwar on us, I will lead the beasts to battle."

Rango the Gray Ape turned at once and glided swiftly through theforest on his mission. The Bear gave a grunt and walked away. Guguthe King rose and stretched himself. Then he said to Ruggedo: "Meet usat sunrise to-morrow," and with stately stride vanished among the trees.

The man-unicorn, left alone with the strangers, suddenly stopped hisfoolish prancing.

"You'd better make me a Unicorn again," he said. "I like being aman, but the forest beasts won't know I'm their friend, Loo, and theymight tear me in pieces before morning."

So Kiki changed him back to his former shape, and the Unicorndeparted to join his people.

Ruggedo the Nome was much pleased with his success.

"To-morrow," he said to Kiki Aru, "we'll win over these beasts andset them to fight and conquer the Oz people. Then I will have myrevenge on Ozma and Dorothy and all the rest of my enemies."

"But I am doing all the work," said Kiki.

"Never mind; you're going to be King of Oz," promised Ruggedo.

"Will the big Leopard let me be King?" asked the boy anxiously.

The Nome came close to him and whispered:

"If Gugu the Leopard opposes us, you will transform him into a tree,and then he will be helpless."

"Of course," agreed Kiki, and he said to himself: "I shall alsotransform this deceitful Nome into a tree, for he lies and I cannottrust him."