I don't like it. It makes me ashamed to be a beast of this sort when by
right of birth I'm a boy; so I'm sure it would be wicked to ask anyone
else to take my place."

They were all silent, for they knew he spoke the truth. Dorothy was
almost ready to cry with pity and Ozma's sweet face was sad and
disturbed. The Scarecrow rubbed and patted his stuffed head to try to
make it think better, while the Tin Woodman went into the house and
began to oil his tin joints so that the sorrow of his friends might not
cause him to weep. Weeping is liable to rust tin, and the Emperor
prided himself upon his highly polished body--now doubly dear to him
because for a time he had been deprived of it.

Polychrome had danced down the garden paths and back again a dozen
times, for she was seldom still a moment, yet she had heard Ozma's
speech and understood very well Woot's unfortunate position. But the
Rainbow's Daughter, even while dancing, could think and reason very
clearly, and suddenly she solved the problem in the nicest possible
way. Coming close to Ozma, she said:

"Your Majesty, all this trouble was caused by the wickedness of Mrs.
Yoop, the Giantess. Yet even now that cruel woman is living in her
secluded castle, enjoying the thought that she has put this terrible
enchantment on Woot the Wanderer. Even now she is laughing at our
despair because we can find no way to get rid of the green monkey. Very
well, we do not wish to get rid of it. Let the woman who created the
form wear it herself, as a just punishment for her wickedness. I am
sure your fairy power can give to Mrs. Yoop the form of Woot the
Wanderer--even at this distance from her--and then it will be possible
to exchange the two forms. Mrs. Yoop will become the Green Monkey, and
Woot will recover his own form again."

Ozma's face brightened as she listened to this clever proposal.

"Thank you, Polychrome," said she. "The task you propose Is not so easy
as you suppose, but I will make the attempt, and perhaps I may succeed."

Chapter Fourteen

The Green Monkey

They now entered the house, and as an interested group, watched Jinjur,
at Ozma's command, build a fire and put a kettle of water over to boil.
The Ruler of Oz stood before the fire silent and grave, while the
others, realizing that an important ceremony of magic was about to be
performed, stood quietly in the background so as not to interrupt
Ozma's proceedings. Only Polychrome kept going in and co