e must conquer
this cruel magician by force, much as we dislike to be rude to anyone.
But none of you has yet suggested a way to do that. Couldn't the
Little Pink Bear tell us how?" he asked, turning to the Bear King.

"No, for that is something that is GOING to happen," replied the
Lavender Bear. "He can only tell us what already HAS happened."

Again, they were grave and thoughtful. But after a time, Betsy said in
a hesitating voice, "Hank is a great fighter. Perhaps HE could conquer
the magician."

The Mule turned his head to look reproachfully at his old friend, the
young girl. "Who can fight against magic?" he asked.

"The Cowardly Lion could," said Dorothy.

The Lion, who was lying with his front legs spread out, his chin on his
paws, raised his shaggy head. "I can fight when I'm not afraid," said
he calmly, "but the mere mention of a fight sets me to trembling."

"Ugu's magic couldn't hurt the Sawhorse," suggested tiny Trot.

"And the Sawhorse couldn't hurt the Magician," declared that wooden
animal.

"For my part," said Toto, "I am helpless, having lost my growl."

"Then," said Cayke the Cookie Cook, "we must depend upon the Frogman.
His marvelous wisdom will surely inform him how to conquer the wicked
Magician and restore to me my dishpan."

All eyes were now turned questioningly upon the Frogman. Finding
himself the center of observation, he swung his gold-headed cane,
adjusted his big spectacles, and after swelling out his chest, sighed
and said in a modest tone of voice:

"Respect for truth obliges me to confess that Cayke is mistaken in
regard to my superior wisdom. I am not very wise. Neither have I had
any practical experience in conquering magicians. But let us consider
this case. What is Ugu, and what is a magician? Ugu is a renegade
shoemaker, and a magician is an ordinary man who, having learned how to
do magical tricks, considers himself above his fellows. In this case,
the Shoemaker has been naughty enough to steal a lot of magical tools
and things that did not belong to him, and he is more wicked to steal
than to be a magician. Yet with all the arts at his command, Ugu is
still a man, and surely there are ways in which a man may be conquered.
How, do you say, how? Allow me to state that I don't know. In my
judgment, we cannot decide how best to act until we get to Ugu's castle.
So let us go to it and take a look at it. After that, we may discover
an idea that will guide