"The head! The head! Don't, I beg of you, forget the head!" cried the
Woggle-Bug, excitedly.
"There's only a little of the powder left," announced Tip, looking within
the box." And it seems to me it is more important to bring the legs of the
sofas to life than the head."
"Not so," decided the Scarecrow. "Every thing must have a head to direct it;
and since this creature is to fly, and not walk, it is really unimportant
whether its legs are alive or not."
So Tip abided by this decision and sprinkled the Gump's head with the
remainder of the powder.
198
"Now" said he, "keep silence while I work the, charm!"
Having heard old Mombi pronounce the magic words, and having also succeeded
in bringing the Saw-Horse to life, Tip did not hesitate an instant in
speaking the three cabalistic words, each accompanied by the peculiar
gesture of the hands.
It was a grave and impressive ceremony.
As he finished the incantation the Thing shuddered throughout its huge bulk,
the Gump gave the screeching cry that is familiar to those animals, and then
the four wings began flopping furiously.
Tip managed to grasp a chimney, else he would have been blown off the roof
by the terrible breeze raised by the wings.
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