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Theynowenteredthehouse,andasaninterestedgroup,watchedJinjur,atOzma’scommand,buildafireandputakettleofwaterovertoboil.
TheRulerofOzstoodbeforethefiresilentandgrave,whiletheothers,realizingthatanimportantceremonyofmagicwasabouttobeperformed,stoodquietlyinthebackgroundsoasnottointerruptOzma’sproceedings.
OnlyPolychromekeptgoinginandcomingout,hummingsoftlytoherselfasshedanced,fortheRainbow’sDaughtercouldnotkeepstillforlong,andthefourwallsofaroomalwaysmadehernervousandillatease.
Shemovedsonoiselessly,however,thathermovementswereliketheshiftingofsunbeamsanddidnotannoyanyone.
Whenthewaterinthekettlebubbled,Ozmadrewfromherbosomtwotinypacketscontainingpowders.
Thesepowdersshethrewintothekettleandafterbrisklystirringthecontentswithabranchfromamacaroonbush,OzmapouredthemysticbrothuponabroadplatterwhichJinjurhadplaceduponthetable.
Asthebrothcooleditbecameassilver,reflectingallobjectsfromitssmoothsurfacelikeamirror.
Whilehercompanionsgatheredaroundthetable,eagerlyattentive—andDorothyevenheldlittleTotoinherarmsthathemightsee—Ozmawavedherwandoverthemirror-likesurface.
AtonceitreflectedtheinteriorofYoopCastle,andinthebighallsatMrs.Yoop,inherbestembroideredsilkenrobes,engagedinweavinganewlaceaprontoreplacetheoneshehadlost.
TheGiantessseemedratheruneasy,asifshehadafaintideathatsomeonewasspyinguponher,forshekeptlookingbehindherandthiswayandthat,asthoughexpectingdangerfromansource.
PerhapssomeYookoohooinstinctwarnedher.
Wootsawthatshehadescapedfromherroombysomeofthemagicalmeansatherdisposal,afterherprisonershadescapedher.
Shewasnowoccupyingthebighallofhercastleassheusedtodo.
AlsoWootthought,fromthecruelexpressiononthefaceoftheGiantess,thatshewasplanningrevengeonthem,assoonashernewmagicapronwasfinished.
ButOzmawasnowmakingpassesovertheplatterwithhersilverWand,andpresentlytheformoftheGiantessbegantoshrinkinsizeandtochangeitsshape.
Andnow,inherplacesattheformofWoottheWanderer,andasifsuddenlyrealizinghertransformationMrs.Yoopthrewdownherworkandrushedtoalooking-glassthatstoodagainstthewallofherroom.
Whenshesawtheboy’sformreflectedasherown,shegrewviolentlyangryanddashedherheadagainstthemirror,smashingittoatoms.
JustthenOzmawasbusywithhermagicWand,makingstrangefigures,andshehadalsoplacedherlefthandfirmlyupontheshoulderoftheGreenMonkey.
Sonow,asalleyeswereturnedupontheplatter,theformofMrs.Yoopgraduallychangedagain.
ShewasslowlytransformedintotheGreenMonkey,andatthesametimeWootslowlyregainedhisnaturalform.
ItwasquiteasurprisetothemallwhentheyraisedtheireyesfromtheplatterandsawWoottheWandererstandingbesideOzma.
And,whentheyglancedattheplatteragain,itreflectednothingmorethanthewallsoftheroominJinjur’shouseinwhichtheystood.
Themagicceremonialwasended,andOzmaofOzhadtriumphedoverthewickedGiantess.
“Whatwillbecomeofher,Iwonder?”saidDorothy,asshedrewalongbreath.
“ShewillalwaysremainaGreenMonkey,”repliedOzma,“andinthatformshewillbeunabletoperformanymagicalartswhatsoever.
Sheneednotbeunhappy,however,andasshelivesallaloneinhercastlesheprobablywon’tmindthetransformationverymuchaftershegetsusedtoit.”
“Anyhow,itservesherright,”declaredDorothy,andallagreedwithher.
“But,”saidthekindheartedTinWoodman,“I’mafraidtheGreenMonkeywillstarve,forMrs.Yoopusedtogetherfoodbymagic,andnowthatthemagicistakenawayfromher,whatcansheeat?”
“Why,she’lleatwhatothermonkeysdo,”returnedtheScarecrow.“EvenintheformofaGreenMonkey,she’saverycleverperson,andI’msureherwitswillshowherhowtogetplentytoeat.”
“Don’tworryabouther,”advisedDorothy.
“Shedidn’tworryaboutyou,andherconditionisnoworsethantheconditionsheimposedonpoorWoot.
Shecan’tstarvetodeathintheLandofOz,that’scertain,andifshegetshungryattimesit’snomorethanthewickedthingdeserves.
Let’sforgetMrs.Yoop;for,inspiteofherbeingaYookoohoo,ourfairyfriendshavebrokenallofhertransformations.”
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