the one who had been a bronzefish had dark
brown hair and clear gray eyes and her complexion matched these lovely
features. The one who had been a silverfish had snow-white hair of the
finest texture and deep brown eyes. The hair contrasted exquisitely
with her pink cheeks and ruby-red lips, nor did it make her look a day
older than her two companions.

As soon as they secured these girlish shapes, all three bowed low to
the Yookoohoo and said:

"We thank you, Reera."

Then they bowed to the Skeezer and said:

"We thank you, Ervic."

"Very good!" cried the Yookoohoo, examining her work with critical
approval. "You are much better and more interesting than fishes, and
this ungracious Skeezer would scarcely allow me to do the
transformations. You surely have nothing to thank him for. But now let
us dine in honor of the occasion."

She clapped her hands together and again a table loaded with food
appeared in the cottage. It was a longer table, this time, and places
were set for the three Adepts as well as for Reera and Ervic.

"Sit down, friends, and eat your fill," said the Yookoohoo, but instead
of seating herself at the head of the table she went to the cupboard,
saying to the Adepts: "Your beauty and grace, my fair friends, quite
outshine my own. So that I may appear properly at the banquet table I
intend, in honor of this occasion, to take upon myself my natural
shape."

Scarcely had she finished this speech when Reera transformed herself
into a young woman fully as lovely as the three Adepts. She was not
quite so tall as they, but her form was more rounded and more
handsomely clothed, with a wonderful jeweled girdle and a necklace of
shining pearls. Her hair was a bright auburn red, and her eyes large
and dark.

"Do you claim this is your natural form?" asked Ervic of the Yookoohoo.

"Yes," she replied. "This is the only form I am really entitled to
wear. But I seldom assume it because there is no one here to admire or
appreciate it and I get tired admiring it myself."

"I see now why you are named Reera the Red," remarked Ervic.

"It is on account of my red hair," she explained smiling. "I do not
care for red hair myself, which is one reason I usually wear other
forms."

"It is beautiful," asserted the young man; and then remembering the
other women present he added: "But, of course, all women should not
have red hair, because that would make it too common. Gold and silver
and brown hair are equal