r they had
descended from the mountain of the Yips.

"Goodness me!" cried Nellary, the Winkie wife, when she saw the strange
couple approaching her house. "I have seen many queer creatures in the
Land of Oz, but none more queer than this giant frog, who dresses like
a man and walks on his hind legs. Come here, Wiljon," she called to her
husband, who was eating his breakfast, "and take a look at this
astonishing freak."

Wiljon the Winkie came to the door and looked out. He was still standing
in the doorway when the Frogman approached and said with a haughty
croak:

"Tell me, my good man, have you seen a diamond-studded gold dishpan?"

"No; nor have I seen a copper-plated lobster," replied Wiljon, in an
equally haughty tone.

The Frogman stared at him and said:

"Do not be insolent, fellow!"

"No," added Cayke the Cookie Cook, hastily, "you must be very polite to
the great Frogman, for he is the wisest creature in all the world."

"Who says that?" inquired Wiljon.

"He says so himself," replied Cayke, and the Frogman nodded and strutted
up and down, twirling his gold-headed cane very gracefully.

"Does the Scarecrow admit that this overgrown frog is the wisest
creature in the world?" asked Wiljon.

"I do not know who the Scarecrow is," answered Cayke the Cookie Cook.

"Well, he lives at the Emerald City, and he is supposed to have the
finest brains in all Oz. The Wizard gave them to him, you know."

"Mine grew in my head," said the Frogman pompously, "so I think they
must be better than any wizard brains. I am so wise that sometimes my
wisdom makes my head ache. I know so much that often I have to forget
part of it, since no one creature, however great, is able to contain so
much knowledge."

"It must be dreadful to be stuffed full of wisdom," remarked Wiljon
reflectively, and eyeing the Frogman with a doubtful look. "It is my
good fortune to know very little."

"I hope, however, you know where my jeweled dishpan is," said the Cookie
Cook anxiously.

"I do not know even that," returned the Winkie. "We have trouble enough
in keeping track of our own dishpans, without meddling with the dishpans
of strangers."

Finding him so ignorant, the Frogman proposed that they walk on and seek
Cayke's dishpan elsewhere. Wiljon the Winkie did not seem greatly
impressed by the great Frogman, which seemed to that personage as
strange as it was disappointing; but others in this unknown land might
prove more respectf