body was very long, for it had twenty legs--ten legs on each
side--and this caused the body to stretch out and lie in a horizontal
position, so that all the legs could touch the ground and stand firm.
From the shoulders extended two small arms; at least, they seemed small
beside so many legs.

This odd creature was dressed in the regulation clothing of the Munchkin
people, a dark blue coat neatly fitting the long body and each pair of
legs having a pair of sky-blue trousers, with blue-tinted stockings and
blue leather shoes turned up at the pointed toes.

"I wonder who you are?" said Polychrome the Canary, fluttering above the
strange creature, who had probably been asleep on the path.

"I sometimes wonder, myself, who I am," replied the many-legged young
man; "but, in reality, I am Tommy Kwikstep, and I live in a hollow tree
that fell to the ground with age. I have polished the inside of it, and
made a door at each end, and that's a very comfortable residence for me
because it just fits my shape."

"How did you happen to have such a shape?" asked the Scarecrow Bear,
sitting on his haunches and regarding Tommy Kwikstep with a serious
look. "Is the shape natural?"

[Illustration]

"No; it was wished on me," replied Tommy, with a sigh. "I used to be
very active and loved to run errands for anyone who needed my services.
That was how I got my name of Tommy Kwikstep. I could run an errand more
quickly than any other boy, and so I was very proud of myself. One day,
however, I met an old lady who was a fairy, or a witch, or something of
the sort, and she said if I would run an errand for her--to carry some
magic medicine to another old woman--she would grant me just one Wish,
whatever the Wish happened to be. Of course I consented and, taking the
medicine, I hurried away. It was a long distance, mostly up hill, and my
legs began to grow weary. Without thinking what I was doing I said
aloud: 'Dear me; I wish I had twenty legs!' and in an instant I became
the unusual creature you see beside you. Twenty legs! Twenty on one man!
You may count them, if you doubt my word."

"You've got 'em, all right," said Woot the Monkey, who had already
counted them.

"After I had delivered the magic medicine to the old woman, I returned
and tried to find the witch, or fairy, or whatever she was, who had
given me the unlucky wish, so she could take it away again. I've been
searching for her ever since, but never can I find her," contin