No, that would be much too kind. I must think of a
punishment that is more fitting to a ROTTEN, MEAN LIAR such as you
happen to be. Hmmm. Maybe I could transform you into a little brown wart
on the left foot of a slimy old toad? Or a bucket of rotten peas? But
that still seems hardly enough punishment for a creepy little crawler
like you. Oooh! Of all the disgusting luck! If I had only been
manifested with the ability to read! Then I could find a perfectly
lovely little spell to cast on you that would satisfy my need to punish
you!" She stalked to a nearby shelf which was covered with various
bottles of herbs and tinctures. Each of these had a faded yellowing
label, but none of these labels did her any good. It became clear to her
that the inability to read was indeed a great setback. As she pondered
an appropriate course of action, she heard a rustling sound outside.
"What is that annoying noise?" she spat. "Maybe your little pal Graham
has come to let me capture him as well? I will make short work of him,
let me tell you! He was a fool to come here!" She stepped lively to the
door and stamped her way outside. "Okay, little boy!" she called. "I
know that you are out here someplace! Come on out of hiding. Trying to
trick me will only make it worse on yourself. Come to me quietly, and
let us get this messy ordeal over with quickly. Being that you are so
fond of reading Oz books, I think I will turn you into a copy of
_Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz_. Then, as a book does me no good, I will
toss you into my fireplace and watch you burn!"

There was no reply.

"I see," sighed the Witch. "So you want to make things difficult, do
you? Well, I am willing to go along with your silly little game of
hide-and-go-seek. But just remember, my fine and dandy little gentleman,
that once I do find you, I will not be so lenient on your crummy hiding
little hide!" As she searched the scraggly brush that surrounded her
home, she grew more and more agitated. "You may be a pretty good hider,"
she bellowed. "But I'll get you in the end, you just wait and see!" She
searched for a solid half hour before she decided that Graham was not to
be found. "The little fruitcake must have run off in fear and horror,"
she determined. "Well, I will concern myself with his punishment some
other time. Right now, I have the television set to attend to. I will
miss my soaps, but I think it's high time I put that nasty old creep in
his proper place. I think I'l