l make him into a nice bowl of lumpy
spider-flavored oatmeal and have him for a snack." So saying, she
sauntered back into her home. Once inside, she was met with a sight that
made her more angry than ever. There, on either side of the platform
which held Telly captive, were the two huge jungle-cats. The Cowardly
Lion was trying in vain to unshackle Telly's chains. The Hungry Tiger,
who had been standing guard, saw the enemy and instantly prepared to
spring on her. "You'd better leave us alone, you yucky old Witch!"
growled the Tiger threateningly. "We are taking Telly to the real
Emerald City to meet the real Queen Ozma. Once Ozma hears what you've
been up to, she'll transport you to some place where you can never cause
our beloved Land of Oz any further grief!"

"Is that so?" chuckled the Witch, quickly regaining her bearings. "I'd
like to see the stumbling, demented child queen try that! Maybe I should
turn her into a toadstool to show you that I am the all-powerful one
here. Your foolish little girl is no queen! She's just a flimsy excuse
for a bad one-liner. In fact, you know what I'm going to do to her? I
think I should enjoy making her into a little sugar cube and drinking
her in my tea. But first, I think I should take care of you little kitty
cats. I have heard a story about a little brat named Sambo who made some
tigers into butter. I think this tawny scrawny beast would be a fine
spread for my toast. Yes, I think that should be quite delicious. And
the little lion could become the toast! How delightful it would be to
eat the two of you together!"

The Lion was visibly shaken by this idea. "I d-d-don't want to be
t-t-toast!" he bellowed fearfully.

"And I will not become a pat of butter, either," added the Tiger,
quickly springing on the antagonist and knocking her over.

The Witch struggled for a few minutes and finally freed herself, only to
be knocked over a second time by the Lion, who had summoned up a few
grams of courage in just the nick of time. "You pestery creatures!" she
blurted. "You filthy rotten haggard beasts of bumbling stumbling
stupidity! I will see you both destroyed and I'll laugh about it, you
rotten dirty crummy hateful old things!" Summoning in her rage a
strength she had never before known, she hurled the Lion on top of the
Tiger. Then, grabbing a huge net, she threw it over the two of them
before they had any time to move out of the way. "Now I have you all, my
dearies! All three o