"Oh, don't do that!" cried Dorothy, shrinking back from her
transformed companion with a shocked and dismayed face.
"Too late, my dear; it's done. But you also shall have a fox's head
if you can prove you're as clever as Button-Bright."
"I don't want it; it's dreadful!" she exclaimed; and, hearing this
verdict, Button-Bright began to boo-hoo just as if he were still a
little boy.
"How can you call that lovely head dreadful?" asked the King. "It's
a much prettier face than he had before, to my notion, and my wife
says I'm a good judge of beauty. Don't cry, little fox-boy. Laugh
and be proud, because you are so highly favored. How do you like the
new head, Button-Bright?"
"D-d-don't n-n-n-know!" sobbed the child.
"Please, PLEASE change him back again, your Majesty!" begged Dorothy.
King Renard IV shook his head.
"I can't do that," he said; "I haven't the power, even if I wanted
to. No, Button-Bright must wear his fox head, and he'll be sure to
love it dearly as soon as he gets used to it."
Both the shaggy man and Dorothy looked grave and anxious, for they
were sorrowful that such a misfortune had overtaken their little
companion. Toto barked at the fox-boy once or twice, not realizing it
was his former friend who now wore the animal head; but Dorothy cuffed
the dog and made him stop. As for the foxes, they all seemed to think
Button-Bright's new head very becoming and that their King had
conferred a great honor on this little stranger.
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