"Let us mix the shapes of several beasts, so we will not look like
any one of them," proposed the wily old Nome. "Let us have the heads
of lions, the bodies of monkeys, the wings of eagles and the tails of
wild asses, with knobs of gold on the end of them instead of bunches
of hair."
"Won't that make a queer combination?" inquired Kiki.
"The queerer the better," declared Ruggedo.
"All right," said Kiki. "You stay here, and I'll fly away to
another tree and transform us both, and then we'll climb down our
trees and meet in the forest."
"No," said the Nome, "we mustn't separate. You must transform us
while we are together."
"I won't do that," asserted Kiki, firmly. "You're trying to get my
secret, and I won't let you."
The eyes of the other eagle flashed angrily, but Ruggedo did not
dare insist. If he offended this boy, he might have to remain an
eagle always and he wouldn't like that. Some day he hoped to be able
to learn the secret word of the magical transformations, but just now
he must let Kiki have his own way.
"All right," he said gruffly; "do as you please.
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