Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/262

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The Royal Book of Oz

Scarecrow lost his grammar completely. "I want to be who I am. I want to be myself!"

"But which one?" asked the Cowardly Lion, who was still a bit confused.

"Why my best self, of course," said the Scarecrow, with a bright smile. The sight of his old friends had quite restored his cheerfulness. "I've been here long enough to know that I am a better Scarecrow than an Emperor."

"Why, how simple it is!" sighed Dorothy contentedly. "Professor Wogglebug was all wrong. It's not what you were but what you are—it's being yourself that counts."

"By my halidom, the little maid is right!" said Sir Hokus, slapping his knee in delight. "Let your Gheewizard but try his transformations! Out on him! But what says yon honest henchman?" Happy Toko, although he understood no word of the conversation, had been watching the discussion with great interest. He had been trying to attract the Scarecrow's attention for some time, but the Knight was the only one who had noticed him.

"What is it, Tappy?" asked the Scarecrow, dropping easily back into Silver Islandish.

"Honored Master, the dawn approaches and with it

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