"
"How can you do that?" inquired Kiki Aru, wonderingly.
"Never mind how. In the first place, I'll make a bargain with you.
Tell me the secret of how to perform transformations and I will give
you a pocketful of jewels, the biggest and finest that I possess."
"No," said Kiki, who realized that to share his power with another
would be dangerous to himself.
"I'll give you TWO pocketsful of jewels," said the Nome.
"No," answered Kiki.
"I'll give you every jewel I possess."
"No, no, no!" said Kiki, who was beginning to be frightened.
"Then," said the Nome, with a wicked look at the boy, "I'll tell
the inn-keeper that you stole that gold piece and he will have you
put in prison."
Kiki laughed at the threat.
"Before he can do that," said he, "I will transform myself into a
lion and tear him to pieces, or into a bear and eat him up, or into a
fly and fly away where he could not find me."
"Can you really do such wonderful transformations?" asked the old
Nome, looking at him curiously.
"Of course," declared Kiki. I can transform you into a stick of
wood, in a flash, or into a stone, and leave you here by the roadside.
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