find out, by the various rules and laws of
sorcery, exactly why the old Bee-man did not happen to be something
that he was not, and why he was what he happened to be. He had
studied a long time at this matter, and had found out something.

"Do you know," he said, when the Bee-man came out of his hut, "that
you have been transformed?"

"What do you mean by that?" said the other, much surprised.

"You have surely heard of animals and human beings who have been
magically transformed into different kinds of creatures?"

"Yes, I have heard of these things," said the Bee-man; "but what have
I been transformed from?"

"That is more than I know," said the Junior Sorcerer. "But one thing
is certain--you ought to be changed back. If you will find out what
you have been transformed from, I will see that you are made all
right again. Nothing would please me better than to attend to such a
case."

And, having a great many things to study and investigate, the Junior
Sorcerer went his way.

This information greatly disturbed the mind of the Bee-man. If he had
been changed from something else, he ought to be that other thing,
whatever it was. He ran after the young man, and overtook him.

"If you know, kind sir," he said, "that I have been transformed, you
surely are able to tell me what it is that I was."

"No," said the Junior Sorcerer, "my studies have not proceeded far
enough for that. When I become a senior I can tell you all about it.
But, in the meantime, it will be well for you to try to discover for
yourself your original form, and when you have done that, I will get
some of the learned masters of my art to restore you to it. It will
be easy enough to do that, but you could not expect them to take the
time and trouble to find out what it was."

And, with these words, he hurried away, and was soon lost to view.

Greatly disquieted, the Bee-man retraced his steps, and went to his
hut. Never before had he heard any thing which had so troubled him.

"I wonder what I was transformed from?" he thought, seating himself
on his rough bench. "Could it have been a giant, or a powerful
prince, or some gorgeous being whom the magicians or the fairies
wished to punish? It may be that I was a dog or a horse, or perhaps a
fiery dragon or a horrid snake. I hope it was not one of these. But,
whatever it was, every one has certainly a right to his original
form, and I am resolved to find out mine. I will start early
to-morrow mor