"Most noble and supreme ruler of Dunkiton," he said, trying not to
laugh in the solemn King's face, "we are strangers traveling through
your dominions and have entered your magnificent city because the road
led through it, and there was no way to go around. All we desire is
to pay our respects to your Majesty--the cleverest king in all the
world, I'm sure--and then to continue on our way."
This polite speech pleased the King very much; indeed, it pleased him
so much that it proved an unlucky speech for the shaggy man. Perhaps
the Love Magnet helped to win his Majesty's affections as well as the
flattery, but however this may be, the white donkey looked kindly upon
the speaker and said:
"Only a donkey should be able to use such fine, big words, and you are
too wise and admirable in all ways to be a mere man. Also, I feel
that I love you as well as I do my own favored people, so I will
bestow upon you the greatest gift within my power--a donkey's head."
As he spoke he waved his jeweled staff. Although the shaggy man
cried out and tried to leap backward and escape, it proved of no use.
Suddenly his own head was gone and a donkey head appeared in its
place--a brown, shaggy head so absurd and droll that Dorothy and Polly
both broke into merry laughter, and even Button-Bright's fox face wore
a smile.
"Dear me! dear me!" cried the shaggy man, feeling of his shaggy new
head and his long ears.
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