THE ELEPHANT'S HEAD COMES TO LIFE
CHAPTER 28.
When they reached the edge of the Fog Bank the Pinkies all halted to puton their raincoats and Button-Bright put up his umbrella and held itover himself and Trot. Then, when everybody was ready, they entered theFog and Rosalie the Witch made a signal to call the Frog King and hissubjects to aid them, as they had done before.
Pretty soon the great frogs appeared, a long line of them facing Trotand her Pink Army and sitting upon their haunches close together.
"Turn around, so we can get upon your backs," said Rosalie.
"Not yet," answered the Frog King, in a gruff, deep voice. "You mustfirst take that insulting umbrella out of my dominions."
"Why, what is there about my umbrella that seems insulting?" askedButton-Bright, in surprise.
"It is an insinuation that you don't like our glorious climate, andobject to our delightful fog, and are trying to ward off its soulful,clinging kisses," replied the Frog King, in an agitated voice. "Therehas never been an umbrella in my kingdom before, and I'll not allow onein it now. Take it away at once!"
"But we can't," explained Trot. "We've got to take the umbrella with usto the Pink Country. We'll put it down, if you like, an' cross the bankin this drizzle--which may be clingin' an' soulful, but is too wet to becomfort'ble. But the umbrella's got to go with us."
"It can't go another inch," cried the obstinate frog, with an angrycroak, "nor shall any of your people advance another step while thatinsulting umbrella is with you."
Trot turned to Rosalie.
"What shall we do?" she asked.
"I really do not know," replied the Witch, greatly perplexed.
"Can't you _make_ the frogs let us through?" inquired the boy.
"No; I have no power over the frogs," Rosalie answered. "They carried usbefore as a favor, but if the king now insists that we cannot pass withthe umbrella we must go back to the Blue Country or leave your umbrellabehind us."
"We won't do that!" said Button-Bright, indignantly. "Can't we fight thefrogs?"
"Fight!" cried Trot; "why, see how big they are. They could eat up ourwhole army, if they wanted to."
But just then, while they stood dismayed at this unfortunate position, aqueer thing happened. The umbrella in Button-Bright's hand began totremble and shake. He looked down at the handle and saw that the redeyes of the carved elephant's head were rolling fiercely and sending outred sparks of anger in all directions. The trunk swayed from side toside and the entire head began to swell and grow larger.
In his fright the boy sprang backward a step and dropped the umbrella tothe ground, and as he did so it took the form of a complete elephant,growing rapidly to a monstrous size. Then, flapping its ears and waggingits tail--which was merely the covered frame of the umbrella--the hugeelephant lifted its trunk and charged the line of astonished frogs.
In a twinkling the frogs all turned and made the longest leaps theirpowerful legs enabled them to. The King jumped first of all and in apanic of fear the others followed his example. They were out of sight inan instant, and then the elephant turned its head and looked atButton-Bright and at once trotted into the depths of the fog.
"He wants us to follow," said the boy, gasping in amazement at thiswonderful transformation. So immediately they began marching through thefog behind the elephant, and as the great beast advanced the frogsscrambled out of his way and hid themselves in the moist banks until hehad passed them by.
Cap'n Bill had to mind his wooden leg carefully and the old sailor wasso excited that he mumbled queer sentences about "Araby Ann Knights,"and "ding-donged magic" and the "fool foolishness of fussin' withwitches an' sich," until Trot wondered whether her old friend had gonecrazy or was only badly scared.
It was a long journey, and all the Pinkies were dripping water fromtheir raincoats, and their little fat legs were tired and aching, whenthe pink glow showing through the fog at last announced the fact thatthey were nearing the Pink Country.
At the very edge of the Fog Bank the elephant halted, winked atButton-Bright, lowered its head and began to shrink in size and dwindleaway. By the time the boy came up to it, closely followed by Trot andCap'n Bill, the thing was only the well-known Magic Umbrella, with thecarved elephant's head for a handle, and it lay motionless upon theground. Button-Bright cautiously picked it up and as he examined it hethought the tiny red eyes still twinkled a little, as if with triumphand pride.
Trot drew a long breath.
"That was _some_ magic, I guess!" she exclaimed. "Don't you think so,Rosalie?"
"It was the most wonderful thing I ever saw," admitted the Witch. "Thefairies who control Button-Bright's umbrella must be very powerful,indeed!"
Sky Island Page 29