creatures more than three times. Twice already the Wicked Witch had
used the charm of the Cap. Once was when she had made the Winkies her
slaves, and set herself to rule over their country. The Winged Monkeys
had helped her do this. The second time was when she had fought against
the Great Oz himself, and driven him out of the land of the West. The
Winged Monkeys had also helped her in doing this. Only once more could
she use this Golden Cap, for which reason she did not like to do so
until all her other powers were exhausted. But now that her fierce
wolves and her wild crows and her stinging bees were gone, and her
slaves had been scared away by the Cowardly Lion, she saw there was
only one way left to destroy Dorothy and her friends.
So the Wicked Witch took the Golden Cap from her cupboard and placed it
upon her head. Then she stood upon her left foot and said, slowly:
Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!
Next she stood upon her right foot and said:
Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!
After this she stood upon both feet and cried in a loud voice:
Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!
Now the charm began to work. The sky was darkened, and a low rumbling
sound was heard in the air. There was a rushing of many wings, a great
chattering and laughing, and the sun came out of the dark sky to show
the Wicked Witch surrounded by a crowd of monkeys, each with a pair of
immense and powerful wings on his shoulders.
One, much bigger than the others, seemed to be their leader. He flew
close to the Witch and said, You have called us for the third and last
time. What do you command?
Go to the strangers who are within my land and destroy them all except
the Lion, said the Wicked Witch. Bring that beast to me, for I have a
mind to harness him like a horse, and make him work.
Your commands shall be obeyed, said the leader. Then, with a great
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