consider how this command might save him. But, at the word, the earth
opened at the exact spot where he lay under the Jaguar's paw, and his
body sank downward, the earth closing over it again. The last thing Woot
the Monkey saw, as he glanced upward, was the Jaguar peering into the
hole in astonishment.

[Illustration]

"He's gone!" cried the beast, with a long-drawn sigh of disappointment;
"he's gone, and now I shall have no breakfast."

The clatter of the Tin Owl's wings sounded above him, and the little
Brown Bear came trotting up and asked:

"Where is the monkey? Have you eaten him so quickly?"

"No, indeed," answered the Jaguar. "He disappeared into the earth before
I could take one bite of him!"

And now the Canary perched upon a stump, a little way from the forest
beast, and said:

"I am glad our friend has escaped you; but, as it is natural for a
hungry beast to wish his breakfast, I will try to give you one."

"Thank you," replied the Jaguar. "You're rather small for a full meal,
but it's kind of you to sacrifice yourself to my appetite."

"Oh, I don't intend to be eaten, I assure you," said the Canary, "but as
I am a fairy I know something of magic, and though I am now transformed
into a bird's shape, I am sure I can conjure up a breakfast that will
satisfy you."

"If you can work magic, why don't you break the enchantment you are
under and return to your proper form?" inquired the beast doubtingly.

"I haven't the power to do that," answered the Canary, "for Mrs. Yoop,
the Giantess who transformed me, used a peculiar form of yookoohoo magic
that is unknown to me. However, she could not deprive me of my own fairy
knowledge, so I will try to get you a breakfast."

"Do you think a magic breakfast would taste good, or relieve the pangs
of hunger I now suffer?" asked the Jaguar.

"I am sure it would. What would you like to eat?"

"Give me a couple of fat rabbits," said the beast.

"Rabbits! No, indeed. I'd not allow you to eat the dear little things,"
declared Polychrome the Canary.

"Well, three or four squirrels, then," pleaded the Jaguar.

"Do you think me so cruel?" demanded the Canary, indignantly. "The
squirrels are my especial friends."

"How about a plump owl?" asked the beast. "Not a tin one, you know, but
a real meat owl."

"Neither beast nor bird shall you have," said Polychrome in a positive
voice.

"Give me a fish, then; there's a river a little way off," proposed the
Jaguar