The Wizard did not know
how powerful the queer beast might be, so he resolved to take no chances.
"I want this creature to become a walnut--Pyrzqxgl!" he said aloud.
But he did not pronounce the Magic Word in quite the right way, and
Ruggedo's form did not change. But the Nome knew at once that
"Pyrzqxgl!" was the Magic Word, so he rushed at the Fox and cried:
"I want you to become a Goose--Pyrzqxgl!"
But the Nome did not pronounce the word aright, either, having never
heard it spoken but once before, and then with a wrong accent. So the
Fox was not transformed, but it had to run away to escape being caught
by the angry Nome.
Ruggedo now began pronouncing the Magic Word in every way he could
think of, hoping to hit the right one, and the Fox, hiding in a bush,
was somewhat troubled by the fear that he might succeed. However, the
Wizard, who was used to magic arts, remained calm and soon remembered
exactly how Kiki Aru had pronounced the word. So he repeated the sentence
he had before uttered and Ruggedo the Nome became an ordinary walnut.
The Wizard now crept out from the bush and said: "I want my own form
again--Pyrzqxgl!"
Instantly he was the Wizard of Oz, and after picking up the
hickory-nut and the walnut, and carefully placing them in his pocket,
he ran back to the big clearing.
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